Essentials of business communication pdf

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Essentials of Business Communication, 11E Mary Ellen Guffey Dana Loewy

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Printed in the United States of America Print Number: 01 Print Year: 2018

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203

Dear Business Communication Student:

Chances are that you are no longer holding a textbook in your hands but access the Eleventh Edition of Essen- tials of Business Communication via MindTap on your laptop, tablet, or your smartphone. MindTap is a multi- media learning experience that makes studying business communication and sharpening important career skills easier and more fun.

Our well-researched, market-leading e-text saves you money while helping you sharpen important job skills. Whether you access Essentials of Business Communication, 11e on mobile devices or own a print copy of this award-winning text, you are on your way to developing essential communication skills that will not only serve you well in college but will also stay with you in your chosen career.

Here are a few of the major features you can expect from the No. 1 business communication book in this country and abroad: ▪ Workplace readiness. The marketplace today is challenging. One way to out-

shine the competition is by offering superior communication skills to future employers. Your business communication course and this book are the ideal tools for making yourself job ready.

▪ Communication technology and best practices. Obviously, the workplace is relying on technology and digital media. It is social and mobile. You may be tech savvy, but are you familiar with workplace-appropriate best practices? Even if you know your way around mobile devices and social media, you still need to be able to write well and make a positive impression. This book not only covers the latest workplace technology but above all it stresses solid writ- ing skills and good grammar.

▪ Latest trends in job searching. Chapter 13 presents the most current trends, tech- nologies, and practices affecting the job search, résumés, and cover letters that will help you stand out. You will learn how to build a personal brand, how to network, and how to write customized résumés and create an effective LinkedIn profile.

▪ Hottest trends in job interviewing. Chapter 14 provides countless tips on how to interview in today’s highly competitive job market, including one-way and two-way video interviewing.

The many contemporary examples and model documents, along with writing plans providing step-by-step instructions, will get you started quickly and help you stay focused on the writing process. We wish you well in your course!

Cordially,

Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy

Essentials of Business Communication 11e

Mary Ellen Guffey and Dana Loewy

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Dr. Mary Ellen Guffey Dr. Dana Loewy Emerita Professor of Business Emerita Lecturer, Business Communication Los Angeles Pierce College California State University, Fullerton m.e.guffey@cox.net dloewy@fullerton.edu

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203

What Is MindTap?

MindTap is your personal, customized learning environment. It presents engaging course content along with videos, activities, apps, and other interesting features making learning fun and easy. With MindTap, you can create a unique learning path that will help you understand key concepts in depth and fast, so that you can produce your best work.

The following activities will help you shape and pace your own learning: ▪ Aplia homework assignments. Aplia™ is an online application that improves

comprehension and performance by motivating you to stay interested and increase your effort. Aplia provides automatically graded assignments that contain detailed explanations on every question over multiple question sets. In short, you get results without needing your instructor’s feedback. These assign- ments cover chapter content as well as grammar and mechanics.

▪ YouSeeU activities. Learning is easier with visuals. YouSeeU helps you stay on track with videos that draw you in and reinforce what you learn in and out of the classroom. The YouSeeU MindApp allows you to complete oral communi- cation activities for various assignment types that include creating individual videos, responding to question and answer tasks, viewing visual aids, and mak- ing group presentations.

▪ Write Experience activities. Write Experience assignments help improve your writing skills. They evaluate the voice, style, format, content, and originality of what you write. Find out how you are doing without needing your instructor’s feedback.

▪ How-To Videos. Understand fully how it’s done before you write a business document. How-to videos show you expert writing techniques.

▪ Writing Plan Reviews. The writing plans in your textbook structure your writ- ing assignments step by step. The writing plan reviews illustrate the popular Essentials writing plans with before-and-after treatments.

▪ Writing Workshops. Helping you learn without an instructor, Writing Work- shops bring Essentials writing assignments to life with interactive quizzing and in-depth feedback.

▪ Narrated PowerPoint slides. To review important concepts and definitions, you can watch the narrated PowerPoint slides—perfect for traditional and distance learners.

iv What Is MindTap?

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203

Brief Contents v

Brief Contents

Unit 1: Business Communication in the Digital age 1 1 Succeeding in the Social and Mobile Workplace 2

Unit 2: The writing Process in the Information age 35 2 Planning Business Messages 36 3 Organizing and Drafting Business Messages 62 4 Revising Business Messages 87

Unit 3: workplace Communication 113 5 Short Workplace Messages and Digital Media 114 6 Positive and Neutral Messages 150 7 Negative Messages 186 8 Persuasive Messages 219

Unit 4: Business reports and Proposals—Best Practices 251 9 Informal Reports 252 10 Proposals and Formal Reports 285

Unit 5: Professionalism, Teamwork, Meetings, and Speaking Skills 325 11 Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Ethics, Teamwork, and Meetings 326 12 Business Presentations 362

Unit 6: Employment Communication 397 13 The Job Search, Résumés, and Cover Messages 398 14 Interviewing and Following Up 444

Appendixes A Document Format Guide A-1 B Documentation Formats B-1 C Correction Symbols and Proofreading Marks C-1 D Grammar/Mechanics Handbook D-1

End Matter Notes N-1 Index I-1

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203

Contents

Unit 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age

1 Succeeding in the Social and Mobile workplace 2

1-1 Mastering the Tools for Success in the Twenty-First-Century Workplace 2

1-2 Developing Listening Skills 10 1-3 Learning Nonverbal Communication

Skills 12 1-4 Recognizing How Culture Influences

Communication 15 1-5 Becoming Interculturally Proficient 20

Summary of Learning Outcomes 23 Chapter Review 25 Critical Thinking 26 Activities and Cases 26 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 1 31 Editing Challenge 1 32 Communication Workshop 33

3-1 Drafting Workplace Messages 62 3-2 Organizing Information to Show

Relationships 65

3-3 Drafting With Powerful Sentences 67 3-4 Mastering Four Skillful Writing

Techniques 70

3 organizing and Drafting Business Messages 62

Unit 2 The Writing Process in the Information Age

2-1 Examining the Communication Process 36 2-2 Following the 3-x-3 Writing Process 38 2-3 Analyzing the Purpose and Anticipating

the Audience 41 2-4 Adapting to the Audience With Expert

Writing Techniques 44 2-5 Improving the Tone and Clarity

of a Message 47

Summary of Learning Outcomes 51 Chapter Review 52

Critical Thinking 53 Writing Improvement Exercises 54 Radical Rewrites 57 Activities 58 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 2 59 Editing Challenge 2 60 Communication Workshop 61

2 Planning Business Messages 36

vi Contents

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Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203

4-1 Stopping to Revise: Applying Phase 3 of the Writing Process 87

4-2 Enhancing Message Clarity 92 4-3 Using Document Design to Improve

Readability 95 4-4 Catching Errors With Careful Proofreading 98 4-5 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your

Message 101

Summary of Learning Outcomes 102 Chapter Review 103 Critical Thinking 103 Writing Improvement Exercises 104 Radical Rewrites 109 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 4 110 Editing Challenge 4 111 Communication Workshop 112

4 revising Business Messages 87

Unit 3 Workplace Communication

5-1 Writing Digital Age E-Mail Messages and Memos 114

5-2 Workplace Messaging and Texting 120 5-3 Making Podcasts and Wikis Work for

Business 124 5-4 Blogging for Business 127 5-5 Social Networking for Business 131

Summary of Learning Outcomes 134 Chapter Review 136

Critical Thinking 137 Writing Improvement Exercises 138 Radical Rewrites 140 Activities and Cases 141 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 5 147 Editing Challenge 5 148 Communication Workshop 149

5 Short workplace Messages and Digital Media 114

Contents vii

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3-5 Drafting Well-Organized, Effective Paragraphs 74

Summary of Learning Outcomes 76 Chapter Review 77 Critical Thinking 78

Writing Improvement Exercises 78 Radical Rewrites 83 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 3 84 Editing Challenge 3 85 Communication Workshop 86

6 Positive and neutral Messages 150 6-1 Routine Messages: E-Mails, Memos,

and Letters 150 6-2 Typical Request, Response, and Instruction

Messages 153 6-3 Direct Claims and Complaints 159 6-4 Adjustment Messages 163 6-5 Goodwill Messages 166

Summary of Learning Outcomes 170 Chapter Review 171

Critical Thinking 172 Writing Improvement Exercises 173 Activities and Cases 177 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 6 183 Editing Challenge 6 184 Communication Workshop 185

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203

8 Persuasive Messages 219 8-1 Understanding Persuasion in a Social

and Mobile Age 219 8-2 Planning and Writing Persuasive

Requests 221 8-3 Writing Effective Persuasive Claims

and Complaints 222 8-4 Crafting Persuasive Messages in Digital Age

Organizations 224 8-5 Creating Effective Sales Messages in Print

and Online 228

Summary of Learning Outcomes 237 Chapter Review 238 Critical Thinking 239 Writing Improvement Exercises 239 Radical Rewrites 240 Activities and Cases 243 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 8 248 Editing Challenge 8 249 Communication Workshop 250

Unit 4 Business Reports and Proposals—Best Practices

9-1 Preparing Reports in the Digital Age 252 9-2 Report Formats and Heading Levels 256 9-3 Identifying the Problem, Defining

the Purpose, and Collecting Data 259 9-4 Preparing Short Informational Reports 262 9-5 Preparing Short Analytical Reports 268

Summary of Learning Outcomes 276 Chapter Review 277

Critical Thinking 278 Activities and Cases 278 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 9 281 Editing Challenge 9 283 Communication Workshop 284

9 Informal reports 252

7 negative Messages 186 7-1 Communicating Negative News

Effectively 186 7-2 Analyzing Negative News Strategies 187 7-3 Composing Effective Negative

Messages 191 7-4 Refusing Typical Requests and Claims 197 7-5 Managing Bad News Within

Organizations 201

Summary of Learning Outcomes 206 Chapter Review 207

Critical Thinking 208 Writing Improvement Exercises 208 Radical Rewrites 210 Activities and Cases 211 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 7 216 Editing Challenge 7 217 Communication Workshop 218

viii Contents

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Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Copyright 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203

10-1 Preparing Business Proposals 285 10-2 Preparing Formal Business Reports 291 10-3 Collecting Information Through Primary and

Secondary Research 294 10-4 Documenting Information 300 10-5 Incorporating Meaningful Visual Aids

and Graphics 303 10-6 Understanding Formal Report

Components 308

Summary of Learning Outcomes 312 Chapter Review 313 Critical Thinking 314 Activities and Cases 315 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 10 320 Editing Challenge 10 321 Communication Workshop 322

10 Proposals and formal reports 285

11 Professionalism at work: Business Etiquette, Ethics, Teamwork, and Meetings 326

11-1 Developing Professionalism and Business Etiquette Skills at the Office and Online 326

11-2 Communicating Face-to-Face on the Job 330 11-3 Following Professional Telephone and Voice

Mail Etiquette 335 11-4 Adding Value to Professional Teams 338 11-5 Planning and Participating in Face-to-Face

and Virtual Meetings 343

Summary of Learning Outcomes 350 Chapter Review 351 Critical Thinking 353 Activities and Cases 353 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 11 358 Editing Challenge 11 360 Communication Workshop 361

Unit 5 Professionalism, Teamwork, Meetings, and Speaking Skills

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12 Business Presentations 362 12-1 Creating Effective Business

Presentations 362 12-2 Organizing Content to Connect

With Audiences 365 12-3 Understanding Contemporary Visual

Aids 371 12-4 Preparing Engaging Multimedia

Presentations 374 12-5 Polishing Your Delivery and Following

Up 380

Summary of Learning Outcomes 384 Chapter Review 385 Critical Thinking 386 Activities and Cases 386 Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 12 392 Editing Challenge 12 394 Communication Workshop 395