Reading literrature 1 pps

smaller and more specific audience. Memos and letters,

for example, are often addressed to only one individual.

The purpose of each business document, too, is very

specific and related to business. A memo may provide an

agenda for a meeting or a reminder about forms that

need to be completed; a proposal may describe a plan to

improve or expand business; a training manual will show

employees how to perform specific tasks.

The purpose of the document will usually be made

very clear right from the start. As the saying goes, in busi￾ness, time is money, and in order to save the reader time,

writers of business communications state their purpose

clearly at the beginning of the document. For example,

notice how the main idea of the following letter is stated

in the second sentence:

Dear Ms. Ng:

Thank you for your recent application for an auto￾mobile loan from Crown Bank. Unfortunately, we are

unable to process your application because informa￾tion is missing from your application form.

We need the following information to complete the

loan application process:

1. the number of years in your current residence

2. your driver’s license number

3. the name and telephone number of your insur￾ance provider

Please provide this information to us as soon as pos￾sible. You may call me at 800-123-4567, extension 22,

or fax me at 222-123-4567. Please include application

code XT121 on your correspondence.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

I look forward to completing your loan application.

Sincerely,

Victor Wilson

Junior Loan Analyst

Crown Bank

Readability Techniques

To maximize time and clarity, business-related docu￾ments will use several readability techniques. These in￾clude chunking information and using headings and lists.

Business writers often organize information into

small, manageable “chunks” of data. That is, they will

group sentences or paragraphs according to the specific

topics or ideas they discuss and set those sentences apart

with line breaks and/or headings.

Headings and subheadings provide “titles” within the

text to guide readers topic by topic through the docu￾ment. Headings show readers how ideas are related and

help readers find specific information in the document.

(Notice, for example, how headings are used throughout

this book.)

To make information easier to process, business writ￾ers will also use bulleted or numbered lists as often as

possible, especially when providing instructions. It is eas￾ier to see the items in a list when they are separated and

listed vertically rather than running together horizon￾tally in a regular sentence or paragraph. For example,

notice how much easier it is to absorb the information in

the bulleted list than in the following narrative:

To apply for a permit, you must bring proof of

residency, a photo identification, a copy of your

birth certificate, and proof of insurance.

To apply for a permit, you must bring:

■ proof of residency

■ a photo identification

■ a copy of your birth certificate

■ proof of insurance

Whether the text is a business document or a personal

essay, remember that writers always write for a reason.

Think about the writer’s purpose. Why is he or she writ￾ing? Look for clues in both content (including specific

facts and details) and style (including word choice and

tone). Check for topic sentences and thesis statements

that express the author’s main idea.

–NONFICTION–

340