Module 9 & 10

Module 9
This module was very informative about the different types of formats that letters can have, and the advantages of each format. For example the best format for business letters is block format and this is what readers expect. However a modified block format is also acceptable to readers. Also the module discussed the appropriate greeting that is acceptable to the reader. For example when it is appropriate to refer to the recipient by the first name or not. In most business situations it's best to address the reader by a Mr. or Mrs. title. Also the chapter discussed the closing statements and what is best for social and business situations, as both are very different. A subject line is something else that is very important when writing letters and can tell a number of different things to the reader. One thing you could put in the subject line is if you have good news to share. This basically tells the reader what the letter is about. This module also discusses everything that should be in a letter such as reference line, how many spaces should be between each line, letterhead, enclosures, and memos. One point that I really thought was very good in this module was what to do when you know the readers name but not their gender. For this situation you could use professional titles, could call the company, or use the readers full name. Another point that I thought was also very informative in this module was how to set up memos. It gave the organization that you should use when setting up a memo and everything that you should include in the memo such as the date, time, ect.

Module 10
This module really discussed informative and positive messages in a letter. It talked about how to create an informative or positive message in the subject line, what you would say and how you would say it. A good subject line meets these three criteria: specific, concise, and appropriate.
The module talked about how you could do each of these three things. It also talked about how to organize an informative and positive message. You should give the main point, details, negatives, reader benefits, and goodwill ending. Something that I thought was very interesting and informative in this module is when it talked about the most common kinds of informative and positive messages. For example many informative messages can include something like a recording of a oral conversation, such as a message. Another aspect of this module that I found interesting was the thank you and congratulatory notes section. A thank you and congratulatory note should be short but prompt. It would be best to avoid language that could seen condescending or patronizing. At the end of the chapter it also spoke about how you can apply what you’ve learned in this module, which I found very informative as well. It’s important to consider what your purposes are in your writing or speaking. As well as who your audience will be, who will be reading what you write. The information that you include will be be based on both on both your purpose and audience, so considering them will help you tremendously. Something else that will be beneficial to you is to consider how the context will affect the response that the reader has.