Description

Workplace Communications is the first brief, less theory-intensive text that focuses on the fundamentals of workplace communication specifically intended for applied writing courses in community colleges and similar settings.

Written in a conversational style and featuring a clean, uncluttered page layout, Workplace Communications is designed to be accessible. The high quantity of examples, illustrations, and exercises emphasize practical applications to ensure the text is user-friendly. Workplace Communications is an ideal text to bridge business communication and technical communication courses.

Features

Brief treatment of core concepts and genres most commonly covered in workplace communication courses at community colleges affords greater accessibility to students and enables instructors to cover all the topics in the book in a single term.

• Plentiful examples and exercises, all based on actual workplace contexts, help students better understand key concepts by showing them how certain documents are prepared and then reinforcing material with ample practice opportunities.
• Checklists at the end of each major section within a chapter offer step-by-step guidelines that allow students to assess their work with respect to format, content, and execution as they complete each kind of assignment.
• Tech Tips throughout the chapters review information on computer technology and its impact on the contemporary workplace.

New to this Edition

What’s New in the Sixth Edition?

The sixth edition retains all the essential features of the earlier versions while incorporating much new material:

· Updated model documents throughout.

· New emphasis on writing as a three-step process: prewriting, drafting, and rewriting.

· Streamlined coverage of workplace correspondence, with one comprehensive chapter devoted to memos, e-

mail, and business letters.

· More-tightly focused treatment of short reports.

· Collateral coverage of evaluating—rather than simply delivering—oral presentations.

· Additional discussion of finding, evaluating, and using print and electronic sources for research-based writing.

· Targeted explanation of summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting properly to avoid plagiarism.

· Fresh examples of MLA and APA documentation styles.

Table of Contents

Contents

Preface  

Chapter 1  The Keys to Successful Communication: Purpose, Audience, and Tone  

Purpose  

Audience  

Tone  

Exercises  

 

Chapter 2  Workplace Correspondence

Memos  and E-mails  

Business Letters

Checklist: Evaluating a Memo or E-mail  

Checklist: Evaluating a Business Letter

Exercises  

 

Chapter 3   Effective Visuals: Tables, Graphs, Charts, and Illustrations  

Principles of Effective Visuals  

Tables  

Graphs  

Line Graphs  

Bar Graphs

Charts  

Flowcharts  

Organizational Charts  

Gantt Charts  

Circle Charts  

Illustrations  

Photographs  

Drawings  

Diagrams  

Checklist: Evaluating a Visual  

Exercises  

 

Chapter 4  Short Reports: Page Design, Formats, and Types  

Page Design  

Report Formats: Memo, Letter, and Booklet  

Types of Reports  

Incident Report  

Progress Report  

Recommendation Report  

Travel Report  

Exercises  

Checklist: Evaluating a Memo Report  

 

Chapter 5 Summaries  

Types of Summaries: Descriptive, Informative, and Evaluative  

Summarizing Print Sources  

Summarizing Nonprint Sources  

Checklist:Evaluating a Summary  

Exercises  

 

Chapter 6  Fliers, Brochures, and Newsletters  

Fliers  

Checklist: Evaluating a Flier  

Brochures  

Checklist: Evaluating a Brochure  

Newsletters  

Checklist: Evaluating a Newsletter  

Exercises  

 

Chapter 7 Instructions and Procedure Descriptions  

Instructions  

Procedure Description  

Avoiding Liability  

Checklist: Evaluating Instructions and Procedure Descriptions  

Exercises  

 

Chapter 8  Job Application Process: Letter, Résumé, Interview, and Follow-Up  

Application Letter  

Résumé  

Traditional Résumé  

Scannable Résumé  

Interview  

Follow-up  

Checklist: Evaluating an Application Letter, Résumé, and Follow-Up  

Exercises  

 

Chapter 9 Oral Presentations: Preparation and Delivery  

Preparation  

Preliminaries  

Rehearsal  

Delivery  

Introductions and Conclusions  

Vocal Factors  

Physical Factors  

Eye Contact  

Presentation Aids  

Checklist: Evaluating a Public Speaker  

Enthusiasm  

Exercises  

 

Chapter 10 Proposals  

Solicited Proposals  

Unsolicited Proposals  

Internal and External Proposals  

Formats of Proposals  

Objectives of Proposals  

Checklist: Evaluating a Proposal

Exercises  

 

Chapter 11 Long Reports: Format, Collaboration, and Documentation

Format  

Transmittal Document  

Title Page  

Abstract  

Table of Contents  

List of Illustrations  

Glossary  

Text  

Visuals  

Pagination  

Collaboration  

Documentation  

Bibliography  

Parenthetical Citations  

Checklist: Evaluating a Long Report  

Exercises