Assignment 1

Assignment 1

Assignment I: Letter of Introduction

COURSE GOALS
Demonstrate clarity, conciseness, organization, and correct grammar through technical writing.
Analyze target audiences and prepare technical writing suitable to these audiences.

OBJECTIVES
Complete a letter using standard business letter format and including standard parts.

INSTRUCTION
Well written, well formed business letters make a powerful impression on the reader. As a student, college candidate, employee, and concerned citizen, the business letter will open doors for you as you begin to make your voice heard vis a vis the written word.
Here are some key points to practice: A brief, concise, and easy to understand letter makes a good impression. So, get to the point quickly. State your purpose in the first paragraph. Provide only essential information.
Most business letters are one page and include the following standard parts.
Heading - the return address of writer (if letterhead is used, omit the heading)
Date line - the date you wrote the letter
Inside address - the complete address of the reader
Salutation - "Dear..." and then put the exact name of the person your letter is intended for.
Body - 2-5 paragraphs; must look balanced on the page.
Closing - friendly, but businesslike; common closings are Sincerely, Yours truly, and Cordially
Signature - leave four blank lines between the Closing and your name; you will sign your name in this space after printing out the letter.
Continuation page - if your letter is more than one page, use plain paper, (i.e., don't use letterhead for the continuation page). Place a page number on the continuation page. The first page is never numbered. When you have a continuation page, the last paragraph of the preceding page should contain at least two lines. The last continuation page should have at least three lines of text plus the closing and signature.
Two common formats for business letters are block style and semi-block style. In block style, all information lines up at the left margin. In semi-block style, the inside address, date, and signature block are tabbed to begin at the center of the page.
Whatever the format, business letters have certain standards.
Type all business letters.
Use letterhead stationery from your company or standard (8 1/2 x 11-inch) unlined paper.
PROOFREAD!!! Business letters are free of spelling, grammar, and typing errors.

Remember:
Your writing reflects your sincerity, attention to detail, and consideration of the reader's time. In addition, your letter will leave a lasting impression with the reader of your attitude towards task completion as well as whatever it is that you hope to accomplish with the letter.

MEMO
DUE DATE: October 1, 2012  TO: Technical Writing Students FROM: Helen Haberman, Instructor SUBJECT: Letter of Introduction
Background
The letter you write for this assignment will leave a first impression, both to your classmates and to your instructor. Make your first impression a good one!
Assignment (40 points)
Write a letter introducing yourself to me and the other class members.
Answer the following questions in your letter.
What do you like about school?
What don't you like about school?
Why did you sign up for Technical Writing in the Carson program?
How would you characterize Rachel Carson, the person?
Which of these traits do you see in your very best friend(s)?
Which of these traits would you like to develop in yourself?
Procedure
Research the internet for information on writing business letters. Use the following websites.
Business Letter Format
Three Tips for Letter Writers
Write an Effective Business Letter
Organize your letter in block format.
Present your information in well-organized paragraphs.
Include the following parts in your letter.
Heading
Inside address
Salutation
Body
Closing
Typed signature
I highly recommend that you save your work to your server space using a word processing program. Although text blocks appear below, please DO NOT use them but rather turn your work in hard copy format to your folder in the classroom.
Be sure to spell check your letter and to use correct business letter format. See an example of correct format by clicking the link here. example.html.

Evaluation/Grading
Your letter will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Complete answers to the questions (40%)
Use of correct paragraphing (15%)
Absence of any punctuation, grammar, or spelling errors(25%)
Use of block format (10%)
Use of Self Evaluation Checklist (10%)
Help
If you have questions about this assignment, send them to haberman@4j.lane.edu.