BBI 3415
Professional Writing
Unit 1-6
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tan Bee Hoon
tanbh@fbmk.upm.edu.my
Tel: 03 8946 8798
1
Introduction
4 credit hours
Contents
- Language of professional writing
- Diction and mechanical conventions related to
professional, technical and business fields.
- Principles of professional communication, strategies
for professional writing, and audience.
- Writing of memoranda, letters and short reports
using appropriate style, format and graphics.
2
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students should
be able to produce representative
examples of the kinds of correspondence
and basic types of documents used by
business, agencies, and technical professions
in the English-speaking environment.
3
Textbooks
Old:
Huckin, T.N., & Olsen, L. (1991). Technical
Writing and Professional Communication for
Non-Native Speakers of English. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
New:
Krizan, A.C., Merrier, P., & Jone, C.L. (2005).
Business Communication (6th Ed.). USA:
Thomson.
4
Assessment
Assessment
Percentage (%)
Assignment 1
• Task A: Memo
• Task B: Letter of Request
20
Assignment 2
•Task A: Letter of Complaint
•Task B: Job Application Letter
Mid-semester Exam (Units 1-6)
20
Final Exam (Units 7 -10)
TOTAL
30
30
100%
5
Assignment 1
Task A: Writing an effective memo
Write a memo to your employer requesting a day
off work to attend your sister’s wedding. You must
use a correct memo format with all the required
headings (see p.26 of the Module).
Task B: Writing a request letter
As the principal of a secondary school, write a
letter to a noted doctor to request him to talk on
the danger of smoking at your school on a specific
day. Use the blocked format on p.17 of the Module.
Submission: Week 7 (before the mid-term exam).
6
Assignment 2 (a)
Task A: Writing a letter of complaint
You are a training officer responsible for conducting a
workshop for a company. You have placed an order for
20 copies of a book you intend to use for the
workshop at a local bookstore.You have called the
bookstore several times, but no one seemed to know
about your order. Write a letter to the manager of the
bookstore giving details of your order. You also stress
the importance of getting the books on time for the
workshop. Make it clear that if you do not receive a
call from the manager by a certain date, you will cancel
the order, and buy the books from another bookstore.
Use the blocked format on p.17 of the Module.
7
Assignment 2 (b)
Task B: Writing a job application letter
Clip an advertisement from a newspaper about a
job you would like to have. Write an application
letter in reply to the advertisement. Submit the
advertisement together with your written letter.
Use the blocked format on p.17 of the Module.
Submission: Week 14 (before the final exam)
8
Face-to-face/Tutorial sessions
You will meet me twice during the
semester and you will also meet your tutor
five times at your centre. The schedule for
these meetings will be given to you by PPL.
9
Work with your Tutor
Please complete your assignments at home
(see “Tutorial Work” in the Module), and
bring them to the tutorial sessions where
your tutor will help you with any problem
you may have with the topics covered.
10
Schedule for Tutorial Work
Tutorial Sessions
Assignments
1
Unit 4 &5
2
Unit 6
3
Unit 7
4
Unit 8
5
Unit 9 & 10
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Learning Schedule
WEEK
UNIT
TOPIC
1
1
Writing for Professional Communication
2
2
Developing Strategies for the Writing Process
3
3
Identifying the Audience and Purpose
4
4
Writing Effective Business Letters
5
5
Writing Effective Memos
6 &7
6
Writing Requests and Replies to Requests
MID-SEMESTER EXAMINATION
8&9
7
Writing Complaints and Replies to Complaints
10 & 11
8
Writing Application Letters and Resumes
12
9
Forwarding an Argument
13 & 14
10
Fundamentals in Report Writing
FINAL EXAMINATION
12
UNIT 1
Writing for Professional Communication
Learning Objectives:
•To review the importance of professional
communication
•To identify the components in professional
communication
•To identify the contexts in professional writing
•To collaborate in professional writing
13
1.1 The importance of
professional communication
Writing well in English is critical for both local
and international arenas in commerce, science,
and technology.
14
1.2 The components in professional
communication
Writer
Context
Reader
Professional
Communications
Feedback
Message
Medium
15
1.3 The contexts in professional
writing
Individual Context – must follow shared conventions of
discourse of the discourse community
 Local Context - must adhere to the conventions of that
community in order to be clearly understood.
 National Context – must follow certain common
conventions to the particular country (E.g. Salutation - ‘Dear
Mr.’)
 Global/Cross-Cultural Context – there is a need to
communicate with a foreign audience (e.g. Japan- need to be
very polite and adopt formal tone)
 Legal Context – must pay attention to law terms to avoid
ambiguity
 Ethical Context – must be aware of the dominant
characteristics for different nationalities.

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UNIT 2
Developing Strategies for the Writing Process
Learning Objectives:
•To be able to use pre-writing strategies
•To group ideas
•To write a thesis statement
•To develop an outline
•To develop materials from libraries or databases
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2.1 Prewriting Strategies
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Keeping an idea book
Writing in a journal
Free writing
Using “Wh” questions
Brainstorming :


Listing
Clustering/mapping
(see Module, pp.11-13)
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2.2 Grouping Ideas
You may have all the ideas laid out in front
of you.You have to group the ideas
 When you group the ideas, divide the
ideas into groups by making connections
and finding patterns.
 Try looking for a focus

19
2.3 Forming a Thesis Statement
A thesis statement - the most important
sentence in your introductory paragraph
 It indicates the central message or the
main point.
 An effective thesis is important :

◦ Prepare you as a the writer to better organize
◦ Provide the reader with a guide to understand
your point
20
Elements of a good thesis statement





It states the subject
It reflects the purpose
It includes a focus
It uses specific language
It is a complete statement.
21
2.4 Developing an Outline
Simple Outline
 Detailed Outline
(see Module, pp. 16-21)

22
UNIT 3
Identifying the Audience and Purpose
Learning Objectives:
•To identify the type of target audience for a
report
•To be able to analyse audience needs
•To identify the purpose in report writing
•To use language in terms of accuracy,
comprehensibility and tone
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3.1 Types of Audience
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The managerial audience – busy and less
time for careful reading (e.g. abstract
/excutive summary)
The non-specialist audience - avoid technical
jargon (e.g. report/memo)
The peer audience – straight forward
The international audience – do some
background research on the culture
The mixed audience – used the “layered”
technique to cater to different needs.
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3.2 Audience Analysis
Steps in understanding your audience :
1. Make notes of what you know about your
reader
2. Ask for information from colleagues about the
intended reader. There may be previous records
of documents written for the same reader which
have been well-received
3. The most important reader is the one who will
make decisions based on documents sent to him.
You need to identify who he is to tailor your
writing accordingly
4. All readers appreciate simple and straight-topoint writing
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3.3 Identifying your Purpose
The purpose of your communication should
not be left to guesswork. The purpose
should be clearly stated.
26
3.4 Building up your Readability
Accuracy
 Sexist Language
 Correctness
 Comprehensibility
 Tone

27
UNIT 4
Identifying the Audience and Purpose
Learning Objectives:
•To identify the type of target audience for a
report
•To be able to analyse audience needs
•To identify the purpose in report writing
•To use language in terms of accuracy,
comprehensibility and tone
28
4.1 Purpose of Writing a Business
Letter
1.
2.
3.
WHAT you are writing about– SUBJECT
WHO you are writing for- AUDIENCE
OR READER
WHY you are writing – PURPOSE
29
4.2 Principles of Effective Business Letters
The 7 “Cs” are :
1. Courteous – friendly and natural
2. Clear – readers are able to understand
3. Concise – fewest words possible
4. Complete - content
5. Concrete – specific terms
6. Constructive – identify positive
words/phrases
7. Correct – proofread your writing
30
4.3 Parts of a Business Letter
PART
CONTENTS
Part I :
Heading
• Writer’s address
• Date line
Part II :
Opening
• Inside Address: the reader’s name, job title,
organization/company and address, postcode , town
and/or state/city
• Attention line (optional)
•Subject line
•Salutation
Part III : Body
*rules
•Single-spacing for each paragraph
• Single/double spacing between paragraphs
• At least 2 paragraphs for the body
Part IV :
Closing
•Complimentary closing
•Writer’s Typed Name and Job title
•Initials line
•Enclosure line
•Copy line
31
4.4 Basic Format of a Business
Letter
see Module, pp. 10 – 17
32
UNIT 5
Writing Effective Memos
Learning Objectives :
•To identify the purpose of writing a memo
•To identify the parts of a memo
•To use the basic formats of a memo
33
5.1 Purposes of Writing a Memo
Saves
time
Brief and
straight
forward
Delivered
instantly
Advantages
of Memo
Written
record
A unique
informality
34
5.2 Parts of a Memo
PART
CONTENTS
Part I : Heading
•To
•From
•Subject
•Date
•Distribution
•Enclosure
Part II : Statements
of Purpose
Part III : Supporting
Details
Part IV : Ending
• see p. 22 for examples
• see pp. 22 & 23 for examples
• see p. 23
35
5.3 Basic Format of a Memo
1.
Overall Format
•
•
•
2.
3.
4.
One-inch margins around the page
All the lines of the memo begins from the left
margin
You should continue typing the message on the
third line below the heading
Heading
Message
Sample format for a memo (see Module, pp.
24-28.)
36
UNIT 6
Writing Requests and Replies to Requests
Learning Objectives:
•To understand the purpose of writing a request letter
•To use the appropriate steps to organize a request
letter
•To understand the purpose of writing a reply to a
request letter
•To use the appropriate steps to organize a reply to a
request letter
37
6.1 Purposes of Writing a Request Letter
Request for
price list and
etc.
Request for
suggestions/reco
mmendations
Request for
discounts
Specific
Purposes
Request for
methods of
payments
Request for
reservations
Request for
appointments
38
6.2 Steps to Organize a Request Letter
STEP 1: State the Purpose or Background
Information
STEP 2: Indicate the Details of the Request
STEP 3: Signal the Closing
39
6.3 Purposes of Writing a Reply to a
Request
Provide information as requested
 Improve the chances of having a potential
customer for your organization

40
6.4 Organize a Reply to a Request

“YES” Letters
◦ STEP 1 : State the Purpose
◦ STEP 2 : Provide Details
◦ STEP 3 : Signal the Closing

“NO” Letters
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
STEP 1 : Start with a Positive and friendly buffer
STEP 2 : State the Reasons or explanation
STEP 3 : Make a statement of Refusal
STEP 4 : Provide Suggestions
STEP 5 : End with a Goodwill Statement
41
The End
Happy Studying 
&
Good Luck 
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