Monday, September 16, 2013

101 Email Etiquette Tips
It is important that whether for business or personal use that you follow the basics of email etiquette. This document covers for you the top tips for email etiquette that everyone needs to be aware of and follow. By doing so you will be a joy to communicate with while being perceived as a caring and intelligent human being.
Sending Emails
  1. Make sure your e-mail includes a courteous greeting and closing. Helps to make your e-mail not seem demanding or terse.
  2. Address your contact with the appropriate level of formality and make sure you spelled their name correctly.
  3. Spell check - emails with typos are simply not taken as seriously.
  4. Read your email out loud to ensure the tone is that which you desire. Try to avoid relying on formatting for emphasis; rather choose the words that reflect your meaning instead. A few additions of the words "please" and "thank you" go a long way!
  5. Be sure you are including all relevant details or information necessary to understand your request or point of view. Generalities can many times causing confusion and unnecessary back and forths.
  6. Are you using proper sentence structure? First word capitalized with appropriate punctuation? Multiple instances of !!! or ??? are perceived as rude or condescending.
  7. If your email is emotionally charged, walk away from the computer and wait to reply. Review the Sender's email again so that you are sure you are not reading anything into the email that simply isn't there.
  8. If sending attachments, did you ask first when would be the best time to send? Did you check file size to make sure you don't fill the other side's inbox causing all subsequent e-mail to bounce?
  9. Refrain from using the Reply to All feature to give your opinion to those who may not be interested. In most cases replying to the Sender alone is your best course of action.
  10. Make one last check that the address or addresses in the To: field are those you wish to send your reply to.
  11. Be sure your name is reflected properly in the From: field. Jane A. Doe (not jane, jane doe or JANE DOE).
  12. Type in complete sentences. To type random phrases or cryptic thoughts does not lend to clear communication.
  13. Never assume the intent of an email. If you are not sure -- ask so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
  14. Just because someone doesn't ask for a response doesn't mean you ignore them. Always acknowledge emails from those you know in a timely manner.
  15. Be sure the Subject: field accurately reflects the content of your email.
  16. Don't hesitate to say thank you, how are you, or appreciate your help!
  17. Keep emails brief and to the point. Save long conversations for the old fashioned telephone.
  18. Always end your emails with "Thank you," "Sincerely," "Take it easy," "Best regards" - something!
Formatting Emails
  1. Do not type in all caps. That's yelling or reflects shouting emphasis.
  2. If you bold your type, know you are bolding your statement and it will be taken that way by the other side - X10!
  3. Do not use patterned backgrounds. Makes your email harder to read.
  4. Stay away from fancy-schmancy fonts -- only the standard fonts are on all computers.
  5. Use emoticons sparingly to ensure your tone and intent are clear.
  6. Typing your emails in all small case gives the perception of lack of education or laziness.
  7. Refrain from using multiple font colors in one email. It makes your email harder to view and can add to your intent being misinterpreted.
  8. Use formatting sparingly. Instead try to rely on choosing the most accurate words possible to reflect your tone and avoid misunderstandings in the process.
Email Attachments
  1. When sending large attachments, always "zip" or compress them before sending.
  2. Never send large attachments without notice! Always ask what would be the best time to send them first.
  3. Learn how to resample or resize graphics to about 600 pixels in width before attaching them to an email. This will greatly reduce download time.
  4. Never open an attachment from someone you don't know.
  5. Be sure your virus, adware and spyware programs are up to date and include scanning of your emails and attachments both incoming and outgoing.
  6. It is better to spread multiple attachments over several emails rather than attaching them all to one email to avoid clogging the pipeline.
  7. Make sure the other side has the same software as you before sending attachments or they may not be able to open your attachment. Use PDF when possible.
To, From, CC, BCc, RR, Subject:
  1. Only use Cc: when it is important for those you Cc: to know about the contents of the email. Overuse can cause your emails to be ignored.
  2. Don't use Return Receipt (RR) on every single email. Doing so is viewed as intrusive, annoying and can be declined by the other side anyway.
  3. Include addresses in the To: field for those who you would like a response from.
  4. Include addresses in the Cc: field for those who you are just FYI'ing.
  5. Make sure your name is displayed properly in the From: field.
  6. Remove addresses from the To:, CC; and BCc: field that don't need to see your reply.
  7. Always include a brief Subject. No subject can get your email flagged as spam.
  8. Think about your motives when adding addresses to To:, CC:, BCc. Use your discretion.
  9. Never expose your friend's or contact's email address to strangers by listing them all in the To: field. Use BCc:!
  10. Make sure when using BCc: that your intentions are proper. To send BCc: copies to others as a way of talking behind someone's back is inconsiderate.
Email Forwarding
  1. Don't forward emails that say to do so--no matter how noble the cause may be. Most are hoaxes or hooey and may not be appreciated by those you send to.
  2. If someone asks you to refrain from forwarding emails they have that right and you shouldn't get mad or take it personally.
  3. When forwarding email, if you cannot take the time to type a personal comment to the person you are forwarding to--then don't bother.
  4. Don't forward anything without editing out all the forwarding >>>>, other email addresses, headers and commentary from all the other forwarders.
  5. If you must forward to more than one person, put your email address in the TO: field and all the others you are sending to in the BCc: field to protect their email address from being published to those they do not know. This is a serious privacy issue!
  6. Be careful when forwarding email on political or controversial issues. The recipient may not appreciate your POV.
Email and Perception, Privacy, Copyright
  1. Choose your email address wisely. It will determine, in part, how you are perceived.
  2. Try not to make assumptions when it comes to email. Always ask for clarification before you react.
  3. Posting or forwarding of private email is copyright infringement -- not to mention downright rude. You need permission from the author first!
  4. Even though it isn't right; emails are forwarded to others. Keep this in mind when typing about emotional or controversial topics.
  5. When there is a misunderstanding by email, don't hesitate to pick up the old fashioned telephone to work things out!
  6. Know that how you type, and the efforts you make or don't make will indicate what is important to you and if you are an educated courteous person.
  7. If you forward an email that turns out to be a hoax, have the maturity to send an apology follow up email to those you sent the misinformation to.
  8. When filling out a contact form on a Web site, do so carefully and with clarity so your request is taken seriously.
  9. If a friend puts your e-mail address in the To: field with others you do not know, ask them to no longer expose your address to strangers without your permission.
Business Email
  1. Think of your business email as though it was on your business letterhead and you'll never go wrong!
  2. If you cannot respond to an email promptly, at the very least email back confirming your receipt and when the sender can expect your response.
  3. Emailing site owners about your product or service through the site form is still spam. Ask them if they want more info first!
  4. When replying to emails always respond promptly and edit out unnecessary information from the post you are responding to.
  5. Formality is in place as a courtesy and reflects respect. Assume the highest level of formality with new email contacts until the relationship dictates otherwise. Refrain from getting too informal too soon in your email communications.
  6. Never send anyone an email they need to unsubscribe from when they didn't subscribe in the first place!
  7. Be very careful how you use Reply to All and Cc: in a business environment. Doing so for CYA or to subtlety tattle can backfire and have your viewed as petty or insecure.
  8. When replying to an email with multiple recipients noted in the To: or Cc: fields, remove the addresses of those who your reply does not apply to.
  9. Never send business attachments outside of business hours and confirm that the format in which you can send can be opened by the other side.
IM, Blackberry
  1. With IM and Chat, try not to be overly cryptic or your meaning can be misread.
  2. Use Instant Messaging (IM) for casual topics or informational briefs. IM is not the place for serious topics or confrontational issues.
  3. Start by always asking if the person you are IMing is available and if it is a good time to chat. Refrain from IMing during meetings or when your attention is required.
  4. Practice communicating briefly and succinctly.
  5. Use IM for casual topics or informational briefs. Serious topics are not for IM.
  6. IMing is not an excuse to forget your grade school education.
  7. If you are not a smooth multi-tasker, do not continue multiple IM sessions and leave folks hanging while you communicate with others.
  8. Learn how to use the features of your IM program. Specifically your "busy" and "away" message features.
  9. Never IM under an alias to take a peek at friends' or associates' activities.
  10. Take into consideration who you are communicating with to determine the acronyms and emoticons that should be used - if at all.
Email and Blogs, Forums, Message Boards
  1. Keep in mind when in newsgroups or message boards that you are in a global arena. Read the charters and rules - before you post.
  2. When discussions get out of control; don't stoop to name-calling or profanities. You are better than that!
  3. Keep your signature file to no more than 4-5 lines.
  4. Keep commercialism to no more than a link at the end of your comment or contribution.
  5. Stay on topic and discuss issues only relative to the thread/topic in question.
  6. If new to the message board, "lurk" for awhile to get a feel for the community and personalities of the regulars before you post.
  7. Never give out personal information or specifics to your location on message boards.
  8. Keep in mind there will always be differences of opinion. Try to remain objective and not personalize issues.
  9. Don't fall for trolls. Trolls are folks who will post rude comments just to get a rise out of everyone.
  10. Be sure to down edit, or remove any part of the post you are replying to that is no longer necessary to the ongoing conversation.
Email Considerations...
  1. Before getting upset because you perceive someone didn't respond, check to see if their reply was inadvertently deleted or sent to your Trash or Junk folder.
  2. With emotionally charged emails, wait until the next morning to see if you feel the same before clicking Send.
  3. Feel free to modify the Subject: field to more accurately reflect a conversation's direction.
  4. When it comes to your email communications, know who you can trust; trust only those you know.
  5. Take the time to review each email before clicking Send to ensure your message is clear and you are relaying the tone that you desire.
  6. Never use an old email to hit reply and start typing about an entirely new topic.
  7. Regardless of how noble a forwarded email may be, don't just forward without investigating its authenticity @ Snopes.com.
  8. Always add the email addresses of Web sites and new contacts immediately to your approved senders or address book so they get through Spam filters.
  9. Before completing a Web site's Contact form; make an effort to review the site to be sure the information you seek is not already available.
  10. Take a quick look at the e-mails in your Trash before you delete them just in case a good e-mail landed there by mistake.
  11. If any email states to forward to all your friends, or just 5 people -- do everyone a favor and just hit delete!
  12. Don't mass e-mail people who didn't ask to be on your personal "mailing list".
  13. Double check that your adware, spyware and virus programs are set to automatically update at least once each week so the software knows what to protect you from.
  14. And finally... Type unto others as you would have them type unto you!


Friday, September 13, 2013

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Writing at University
In writing university assignments, students are required to think clearly and critically, use valid evidence and produce well-structured and coherent pieces of writing. This applies broadly in all academic fields of study (disciplines).
Writing at university is different from some workplace writing. For example, at work a concise listing of points may be required but, at university, students are expected to elaborate on points with argument and explanation.
Tertiary writing requirements also differ from the writing students are expected to do in secondary school. University students are usually expected to research more widely and in more depth. Assignments set at university also tend to be longer. As well, university students may be expected to take a more critical and questioning attitude to knowledge than may have been required in secondary school.
The writing university students are required to do for their subjects can involve a range of text types - essays, reports, papers based on case studies, literature reviews and short answers/problem solving of tutorial questions.
Writing at university must be based on reading and investigation. It is expected to present more than the writer's 'opinion' based solely on past experience and general knowledge.
Though all academic disciplines share a common core and require intellectual rigour and skills, they have different traditions of scholarship. Writing and research in business subjects is quite different from writing and research in psychology, for example.
Expectations of lecturers/markers
In addition to the differences in research and writing between disciplines, there may be differences from course to course within a discipline and you may encounter different expectations from subject to subject within the same course. Even lecturers teaching the same subject may emphasise different aspects.
What is expected of you in a particular assignment? Remember that as a university student:
  • Your purpose for writing is usually to display competence.
  • Your audience is your marker.
What should I do first?
It is vital to carefully read the assignment description and any explanatory notes provided. Also, be alert for any comments that the lecturer may make about the assignment. Try to work out why a particular assessment task has been set. Can you figure out how it relates to the goals of the subject, as set out in the unit guide?
Another useful strategy is to determine what the assignment is designed to evaluate. Some assessment tasks are planned to develop your problem-solving skills; others are devised to judge how well you can relate theory to practice; others to ascertain whether you have read deeply and critically on a topic.
After having read the assignment description and the unit guide, if you are still not quite clear about what is expected of you in the assignment, ask your lecturer or tutor. Discussion with other students can also be helpful.
Some lecturers provide detailed marking criteria, indicating how many marks are allocated to particular aspects of the assignment. You should spend your time accordingly.
Your lecturer or tutor may be willing to discuss or look at a plan of your assignment to let you know whether you are on the right track; they are unlikely to read your entire paper before you submit it however.
Possible sources of confusion
A possible source of confusion can be the use of terminology and the blurring of distinctions between different types of texts - for example, essays and reports. For some essay-type assignments you may be required to use headings (a characteristic of reports, not of standard essays). Also, such assignments may be referred to as 'research reports', 'research papers’, ‘literature review reports' or 'research assignments'.
A 'case study' assignment, for example, does not automatically imply that a particular type of writing is expected. Case studies require the analysis of a particular case, that is, an event, an organization, a process, an object, and so on. After analyzing the case, you may be required to write an essay that discusses the issues arising from the scenario. Alternatively, you may be required to write the assignment as a report, using headings and subheadings and making recommendations to deal with a problem in that setting.
It is essential to clarify what individual lecturers expect in assignments. It is often the unstated and taken-for-granted assumptions that are the most difficult to uncover and address.
Writing for assessment
Have you ever wondered why written assignments are such a popular way of assessing student learning? It is because writing is both:
  • a product of learning - your finished assignment displays your learning
  • a tool for learning - through the process of writing, you can clarify your thoughts and refine your understanding.
Have you noticed that it is not possible to explain anything - even orally - if you do not really understand it? Similarly, the requirement to present work in writing forces the writer to think through a topic.
Writer's block
Did you know that beginning to write is often the hardest part of writing an assignment?
Writing university assignments is a challenging task. Sometimes students get stuck. They just cannot get started or they cannot seem to move on from where they have stopped. Remember that you are not alone if this happens to you - even published writers experience this. It is important to have some strategies for dealing with this.
  • Make a preliminary plan but be flexible about it.
  • However inadequate you think your first attempts at writing will be, do make a start. When you return to your work, you will at least have something to work on, rather than a blank page or an empty computer screen.
It is helpful to think of writing as a 'messy' circular process, not a neat linear process. Reading, thinking and writing overlap. Once you have started writing it does not mean that you will not need to do any further research. In fact, after beginning to write, you may realize you need to read further because you can better identify what you do not yet know.
Writing is not easy and it takes time, but it is worth the effort.
Why some assignments fail
What do you think is the most common reason for assignments failing? It is not plagiarism or lack of knowledge. Though plagiarism is an important issue in student assignments, it is not the main reason for assignments failing. Also, students generally have sufficient knowledge of their subject.
Lecturers point out that if an assignment is unsatisfactory it is often because the student did not answer the specific question asked and did not limit the topic as they were required to.
Some traps to avoid
Spending too long on the research stage
It is difficult to give specific rules on how long you should spend researching and when you should begin writing. Also, as noted earlier, these processes will overlap.
How long you spend researching and reading should be related to the complexity of the assignment and how many marks it is worth. Sometimes lecturers specify how many references they expect. Mainly, though, you will have to judge when you have read enough to tackle the assignment.
Learning what not to read is an important skill. You can use the textbook or the study guide as a starting point to gather basic background information. Follow references listed in these texts to branch out to areas related to your specific topic.
When researching for your assignment, you may find that you are making lots of photocopies and collecting a lot of material that you are not going to have time to read. You can tend to feel you are doing something worthwhile because you are researching for your assignment and this can give you a false sense of security. In fact, you may be putting off having to start writing.
Putting off doing any work on the assignment until the deadline is close
If you leave your assignment until the last minute it will not have the substance, depth or focus it needs. You need time to allow the process of writing and thinking to take place.
Proofreading at an early stage of writing
Proofreading (correcting errors of grammar, spelling and punctuation) at the early stages is not a good idea because:
  • it can hinder the flow of your thought
  • you may later decide to delete parts of your writing and may have to discard segments you spent time proofreading.
Perfectionism
Remember that it is better to hand in an assignment that is less than perfect than hand one in late or not at all because you are trying to make it 'perfect'. You might complete 80% of an assignment in 12 hours and then spend six hours perfecting it. It may be more worthwhile to hand in the assignment on time rather than spend that much time on fine-tuning if this leads to late submission.
When you get your assignment back


Read the marker's comments! Of course, you are first interested to know what your mark is. However, do not look only at the mark. Take note of the marker's comments and use the marker's feedback to improve your next assignment.

Saturday, September 7, 2013


Analyzing Case Studies and Writing Business Reports 

What is a case study Report ?
A Case Study Report:
Focuses on real-life issues (problems) in a company or organisation
Relates theoretical concepts to practical situations
Uses analytical and problem-solving skills
What are the issues/problems ... in this company?
What are the solutions to the problems in this case?
Requires critical thinking i.e.
Explain, analyse and justify.
DOES NOT  JUST DESCRIBE!

Some Tips for Analyzing Case Studies

Tip 1
Read the case.  Then read it again! Then read it again!
First, skim the case to understand the general issues
Second, read the case to understand the details 
Third, read the case and take notes
Start with Requirement 1 and read the case AGAIN making notes of the information in the case which is relevant to this requirement. Repeat with additional requirements.
Reading a Case and Taking Notes: Example: Kaye West Case Study
Q1 from Today’s re-enforcement questions
What type of work unit organisational structure does Kaye West University use for its student support services?
Paragraph 4
“Traditionally these service functions have been provided at a faculty, rather than university level; that is, faculties have been responsible for providing these services to their students (see Exhibit 3).  The university originally decided to place its student support services within faculties, rather than within the central administration units because it believed this provided some important benefits to its students.”  
         
          Note: Relevant to Q1 - Suggests Organisational Structure is student (market) rather than function focused

Tip 2
If requirements ask for problems to be identified use topic slides and readings as a guide to identify the relevant problems. BUT:
Don’t simply restate slides/readings
Identify the SPECIFIC problem in the case
Don’t be too general or theoretical
Explain/justify why you believe there is a problem
Kaye West Case: Identifying SPECIFIC problems
Q3 from Today’s re-enforcement questions
What problems/limitations do you believe Kaye West University may face with this type of organisational structure?
A poor response:
Limitations of market based organisational structures include duplication of non-production staff. 
This is too general, not relevant to the case facts (Kaye West doesn’t
produce) and not your own words (it’s straight from the lectures
A better response:
Each faculty at Kaye West will have their own support services centres.
This means Kaye West will need to duplicate support service staff, which will be expensive.
Tip 3
If requirements ask for solutions/improvements to solve problems
identified use topic slides and readings as a guide for which problems are
relevant. BUT
Don’t simply restate slides/readings
Outline the SPECIFIC solution
Explain WHY it will overcome a SPECIFIC problem
Don’t be too general or theoretical
Tip 4
Support your statements with evidence (from the case and if necessary, theory)
This is the meaning of explain or justify
A poor response to Q3:
Limitations of market based organisational structures include duplication of non-production staff.
This is  a statement without explanation or justification
A better response:
Each faculty at Kaye West will have their own support services centres.  
This means Kaye West will need to duplicate support service staff
(Explanation), which will be expensive (Justification).
Writing Business Reports 
Reports are very different to essays.  
Reports tend to be very structured and this structure is achieved by using Headings and Subheadings. 
The report you are preparing is a short report. These reports often have standard structure of simple headings (with each heading also including sub headings where relevant)
Table of Contents
The table of contents identifies each section of the report and its
page number
Each heading and sub-heading is numbered and included in the table
Headings and subheadings are descriptive
They indicate the focus of each section/paragraph
Can be used for easy location of information
Headings, Sub-Headings - The Organizational
Structure of a Report
Headings break the text into sections that are easily readable. They:
Highlight the main ideas of your Report
Order the information in your Report
Represent a new issue/idea/point
Assist the reader to find information quickly
Headings should be used:
Each time a new aspect of the content is presented
To plan the whole report
Use heading styles in Word so that your table of contents is automatically
generated.
Heading 1 for main headings like 1.0 Introduction
Heading 2 for  sub sections like 1.1 Background
Kaye West Example: Table of Contents
Executive summary ……………………………………………….….........2
1.0  Introduction …………………………………………………..………….  3
2.0  Organisational Structure At Kaye West…..………………….….5
2.1 Current Organisational Structure…………..………………........  5
2.1.1     Benefits of Current Structure…………………...............……6
 2.1.2   Limitations of Current Structure…………………............….6
.
.
.
3.0  Recommended Organisational Structure ……………….…………  8
4.0  Student Support Services Centres – Discretionary Cost Centres…9
.
.
5.0 Conclusion  ………………………..…………………………………… .... 13
NOTE: These Headings are a little boring.  You can be inventive and use
more interesting – but still informative - headings!!

The Introduction : Useful Language
Kaye West University is… It has planned to… As a result of this, a
number of problems have arisen
This report identifies the key issuesIt explores the ways in
which an adequate management accounting system could…
How to Structure Paragraphs in Business
Reports
Each paragraph should start with a
Topic Sentence
o Identifies topic and main idea
Then add Supporting Sentences
oExpand - on main idea
oEvidence - case information or theory
oExample - from case
oExplain or justify - student analysis
Finally, finish with a Concluding 
Sentence/s in the last paragraph before
the next Heading/Subheading
oLinking back to the main idea
Example of Paragraph Structure: Kaye West
Case - Q 10
         The Faculty Student Support Service Centres can be categorisedas discretionary cost centres. Discretionary Cost Centres tend not toproduce tangible ”products”.  Instead their role is often to provide support services whose outputs are qualitative and difficult to define objectively – i.e. outputs are not quantifiable. 
In the case of Kaye West, the role of all the Faculty Student Support Service Centres is to provide support of a qualitative nature to students – e.g. Counselling or Study and Learning support.  The outcomes of these centres is therefore qualitative.  For instance, the Counselling Centre’s “output” should be measured in terms of how well it helps students to deal with problems affecting their academic studies. How well each Counselling Centre does this cannot be objectively quantified. In comparison in engineered cost centre, such as a production department, output can be quantified – i.e. the product being produced.


Sections (in Body of the Report)
The discussion under each Main Heading (labelled 20, 3.0 etc) represents a different section of your Report
Each section should include at the beginning:
A brief introduction to each section (contained within 2.0, 3.0 etc.)
A brief description of what the sub-sections cover
Subheadings = Sub-sections  (labelled 2.1, 2.2 etc.)
Should only discuss one main point (issue, problem, recommendation or suggestion etc.)
Should not be too long
 maximum of 3 paragraphs each