Business Correspondence

Introduction

Effective communication skills are fundamental in the business world. No one ever gets a second chance to make a first impression, and first impressions are largely set by how well you express yourself in speech and in writing. Meaningful content, clearly and accurately expressed, is essential, but style sets you apart. You will fare better if you cultivate a good vocabulary and know how to use it.

As you research topics for this class or for any of your classes, you will find information in a variety of different media.

Newspapers and popular magazines

There are often the best sources for current or very recent events, especially for news of state and regional interest.

Professional journals

Some of these offer bulletins for breaking news and events, but most emphasize in-depth scholarly research articles.

Books from the Reference and circulating collections

Subject oriented encyclopedias typically found in the library's reference section can provide context and an overview of broad topics, while other reference works provide capsule information. Books in the circulating collection can offer in-depth coverage, broad context for the average reader, or both.

Films and Videos

The library maintains an extensive collection of DVDs and videotapes, some of which deal with business or human resources topics.

Internet (World Wide Web)

As the newest and fastest growing source of information, the Web offers information from the most scholarly to the broadly popular to the blatantly false and misleading. Commercial interests are driving the Web's growth, but unfortunately, some of the best business oriented sites are not free.

One trade-off among these different media is in how current they can be, with the Internet and popular print media usually being most current and books being least current. This handout offers suggestions for navigating among these sources.

For any research assignment, it's a good idea to start early. Even casual library work takes time. Be sure to jot down as you go where you get your information–nothing is more frustrating than trying to compile a list of sources with incomplete citations!

Above all, if you have difficulty, don't hesitate to ask for help.

Suggested Print Resources

The SFCC Library subscribes to a variety of local, regional, and national newspapers.

Journal of Business [Spokane]

Available in paper from 1986–present, and (selectively) from 1991–present on ProQuest; ProQuest offers selective indexing from 1991–present.

Spokane Spokesman-Review

Available on microfilm from July, 1989–August, 1996, and (selectively) from 1986–present on ProQuest; there is a printed Spokesman-Review Index available from 1988–1993, and ProQuest offers selective indexing from 1986–present.

The New York Times

Available on ProQuest full-text from 1981–present; this will most useful for historical context and background.

The New York Times Online

requires registration, but still recommended; although the Times is good about keeping personal data confidential, one can register anonymously simply by making up the necessary information. The online version is best for current awareness and recent articles; for older articles (1981-present), use ProQuest.

The Wall Street Journal

Indexed and available full-text in ProQuest for the years 1984–present, and the Library has a paper subscription to the most recent issues; this could also be useful for context and background.

The Wall Street Journal Online

The online version of the paper is not free, but they do offer a free 14-day trial.

To find articles in general interest magazines or scholarly journals, you can browse through the issues (not very efficient) or you can use an index. The index we recommend to start is

ProQuest
http://library.spokanefalls.edu/databases/index.stm#pq

This is the best index in the SFCC Library for a broad range of articles; the full text of many articles is provided online. This index is available from any campus computer; students who have Internet access from home can use this index with a current student ID number.

Not all indexes use the same terms or subject headings for the same concept. One of the best ways to become a more effective researcher is to broaden your vocabulary so you can search different words on your topic.

For topics you might be working on in this class, the following terms should prove useful in Proquest. They may work in other indexes as well, but be open to trying different keywords if these don't produce enough results.

for articles on worker theft	use employee theft
for articles on requiring uniforms	try Dress codes [SUB] AND workplace (ABS), and in lieu of workplace also try business or job
for articles on office design	office design was successful, but office layout retrieved more results
for articles on employee wellness programs	use wellness programs
for articles on onsite daycare	use (sub(day care centers) or sub(child care)) and sub(employee benefits)
for articles on purchasing vs. leasing of computers	try (sub(computers) or sub(personal computers)) and abs(leasing)

Other good research tools include

CQ Researcher
http://library.spokanefalls.edu/databases/index.stm#cq

CQ Researcher is published about 45 times per year, and covers one topic very thoroughly in each issue. While the topic you're interested in might not have been covered recently, the online version goes back some fifteen years. The Library also has print editions in the reference section. CQ Researcher is listed under "Specialized Periodical Indexes" – you will need to scroll down to find it.

Opposing Viewpoints
http://library.spokanefalls.edu/databases/index.stm#ov

Opposing Viewpoints provides full-text pro- and con- coverage of numerous topics. It can be browsed or searched. Also provides some access to magazine and journal articles.

eLibrary
http://library.spokanefalls.edu/databases/index.stm#elib

eLibrary (formerly Electric Library) provides full-text articles from magazines and newspapers, book excerpts, and transcripts of selected television broadcasts. eLibrary is oriented toward K-12 students, but it contains articles that can't be found in ProQuest or other sources.

MarketLine
http://library.spokanefalls.edu/databases/index.stm#ml

The MarketLine Business Information Center is a research tool to gain a greater understanding of different markets and the issues major companies are facing. It presents in-depth professional analysis in an easy-to-digest format, covering companies, industries and countries.

The reference section in any library is a smaller version of the whole collection. Items in Reference are genrally not available to check out. You can of course make photocopies if you like. You can also browse similar call numbers in the circulating stacks to find sources which can be checked out.

The following are examples of reference books in our library which might be useful in writing and proofing a business report.

The SFCC Library shares an online catalog with SCC at http://ccs.wash-id.net/ The catalog lists books, videos, magazines, journals, and other items held by one or both of the two libraries.

Items requested from SCC can generally be delivered to the SFCC circulation desk overnight (except on Fridays, with delivery on Monday).

World Wide Web Resources

The World Wide Web has become increasingly useful for research. Since the Web is a new medium, using it for scholarly work requires caution.

Try to identify stable, reputable sources. Search engines return too many hits more often than too few. This is mostly due to a lack of proper indexing on the Web, and inconsistency among search tools. An excellent site which recommends various search tools for different purposes is

Choose the Best Search Engine for Your Information Needs
http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html

"Why Can't I Find Anything I Want on the Internet?"
http://GeorgeSuttle.com/teaching/websearching/

Look for sites that are kept up to date and which have an identifiable author or responsible party. You should be able to locate contact information easily (postal addresses, phone numbers, or at least an email address, ideally to someone more specific than "webmaster"). Individual or hobbyist sites are often entertaining and even authoritative for some subjects, but probably should not be your primary source.

Once you find suitable sources of information, you will need to cite what you use. Please consult our list of citation resources.

Suggested Sites

The following Web sites have been selected for you to use as starting points:

Business Communication Resources

EnglishClub Grammar
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/index.htm

Although intended for ESL/EFL students, this site offers clear and useful information on parts of speech, usage questions, and so on. You might also find the Business English section helpful.

Garbl's Grammar Guides Online
http://home.comcast.net/~garbl/writing/grammar.htm

Claims to offer "everything you'll ever want to know about sentence structure and using the parts of speech correctly." This is one of a set of related, interlinked pages, all addressing topics of clear writing, punctuation, and communication in general. See also Garbl's Style Manual for extensive coverage of usage questions.

Guide to Grammar and Writing
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

A nicely designed and very thorough site "prepared by Professor of English/Humanities Charles Darling for English courses at Capital Community College." More than a list of links to take you somewhere else, these pages actually give you the skinny on a variety of stylistic questions.

Writing Handouts Listed by Topic
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/index2.html

The Online Writing Lab, or OWL, at Purdue University has dozens of handouts and guides available, both on matters of grammar, punctuation, and style, as well as on professional/business topics such as report writing, abtracting, resumes, cover letters, and so forth. A very useful resource.

Revision in Business Writing
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_revisebus.html

This sample guide from the Purdue University OWL is especially pertinent, and not just to business writing.

Business Writing Blog
http://www.businesswritingblog.com/

By Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, founder of Syntax Training in Seattle, Washington, and a fan of business writing.

Business Writing Help
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/eli/buswrite/Business_Writing_Help.html

From Oregon State University; ten sub-sections deal with topics such as memos, proposals, reports, executive summaries, and presentations

Brief Guide to Business Writing
http://www.biz.uiowa.edu/faculty/kbrown/writing.html

An online book by Kenneth G. Brown and David J. Barton, both of the Univ. of Iowa

Using Evidence to Prove Your Point in Business Writing
http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/WritingResources.nsf/frames/Using+Evidence+to+Prove+Your+Point+in+Business+Writing?OpenDocument

From Empire State College

Seven Deadly Sins of Business Writing
http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/WritingResources.nsf/frames/Seven+Deadly+Sins+of+Business+Writing?OpenDocument

From the writing center at Empire State College

Yahoo: English Grammar and Style
http://dir.yahoo.com/Social_Science/Linguistics_and_Human_Languages/ Languages/Specific_Languages/English/Grammar__Usage__and_Style/

If the above haven't satisfied your itch for information, this lengthy list should keep your busy for awhile.

Guides to Business Sites

A Catalog of Business Web Sites (Yahoo)
http://www.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/

Thousands of sites are included among Yahoo's well-organized and searchable categories.

Web 100 (Largest corporations on the Web)
http://www.metamoney.com/w100/

A good source for selected business information and statistics on large corporations; there is also a newswire for breaking stories.

Whatever sources you use must be cited and attributed. Electronic and Internet sources are particularly troublesome because they can change and disappear. MLA style, developed by the Modern Language Association, is one format which has been adapted and modernized to include online sources:

MLA-Style Guides to Internet Citation

Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html

The Purdue Online Writing Center's guide to MLA format is highly recommended.

MLA-style Citations for ProQuest articles
http://library.spokanefalls.edu/proquestMLA.stm

Citing articles obtained though the ProQuest service requires a particularly long and detailed citation. This pages shows how to do it.

For authoritative information on MLA style, please consult MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed., available at 808.027 GIBALDI 2003. There is also a copy at the Reference Desk.