CHAPTER

10
Proofread your work for it to
be the perfect work.

DICTATION
Subtopics:-
10.1 Memo Styles
10.2 Proofreaders’ marks
10.3 Examples of Dictation/Transcription/Proofreading

10.1 Memo Styles

MEMORANDUM

Interoffice Memorandum is one of the most common medium used to send written
messages within the organization. Printed forms are often used for memorandums.
Although, the design and the arrangement may vary, but the basic information found in
most printed memorandum forms are as follows:

TO : The receiver (To whom the message is being sent?)

FROM : The sender (Who is sending the message?)

DATE : Current date (On what date is the message being written?)

SUBJECT : Brief title or statement of contents (What is the message about?)

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FORMATING GUIDES

i. Use block format

ii. Use side margins of approximately 1”
iii. Omit personal titles (Miss, Mr., Mrs., etc)
iv. Omit salutation and complimentary close
v. Use subject line (type using the initial caps)
vi. SS body and DS between paragraph
vii. DS between all parts of the memo
viii. Typist initial

1”
TO : Mark R. Thompson, Assistant Manager
(No personal title except: Dato’, Dr, or Hj., etc)
DS

FROM : Hanna P. Stacey, Marketing Manager

DS

DATE : Current date

DS

SUBJECT : Formal Memorandum (Initial Caps) 1”

DS

Please be informed that a meeting will be held to discuss on the new format of our
interoffice memorandum.

DS

Please provide some samples, if necessary

xx
1”

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10.2 Proofreaders’ marks

INSTRUCTION MARK OR EXAMPLE CORRECTED

SYMBOL
Align a) Self-concept a) Self-concept
b) Self-awareness b) Self-awareness
Capitalize
letter/words for Mara headquarters. for MARA Headquarters.

Close up space
We will there fore, We will therefore, give…
give…

Delete
letter/words very very dissapointed very disappointed

Double space
copy DS when using the fax
When using the fax DS
machine make sure
machine make sure

Hyphenate - - -
word(s) son in law son-in-law

Insert space #
Infact, the contract
# in fact, the contract

insert word(s)
much
I will be much happy
I will be happy

Lowercase letter lc
_ lc committee meeting
Committee meeting

move as shown
The proofreader’s
marks are shown below.

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 The most commonly
most commonly used
used proofreader’s
marks are shown below.
INSTRUCTION MARK OR EXAMPLE CORRECTED
SYMBOL
Move to the left
Let it stand; ignore Let it stand; ignore any
any correction. correction.
Move to the
right Sometimes keyed or Sometimes keyed
printed copy may be … or printed copy may
be..
New paragraph
newspapers. Such newspapers.
titles may also be… Such titles may
also be…
Restore
letter/word(s) our branch manager our branch manager
OR do not stet / …….. who who
delete the OR stet

word(s) our branch manager

who
Single –space
copy SS Finding a job ca be Finding a job can be
SS faster and easier and …
faster and easier and …

Spell out sp
sp
1 box from KB one box from KB

Transpose words
to clearly state your to state clearly your

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10.3 Examples of Dictation/Transcription/Proofreading

EXAMPLE DICTATION 1
QUESTION

The following letter is for Encik Badzli bin Nasuruddin, No. 56 Jalan Ria, Taman Mesra Ria,
25000 Kuantan, Pahang. It is from Puan Rohaya Abdullah, Legal Officer, Federal Business
Bureau. Put the subject as “Letter of Complaint”. Please use appropriate salutation and
complimentary close. Ready…?

I am writing this letter in answer to your letter of last week concerning your dissatisfaction

with the merchandise you ordered from the Century Distributing Company (THAT IS SPELT

C.E.N.T.U.R.Y. BY THE WAY, PLEASE INSERT THE DATE OF LAST MONDAY AFTER THE WORD

“LAST WEEK”) We contacted the company (SORRY, CANCEL THAT SENTENCE, I’LL

CONTINUE…) We have written to that company on many occasions, but the company

has never responded to our letters. Since their offices are not in this vicinity, (SORRY…

PLEASE CHANGE THE WORD “VICINITY” TO “THIS CITY”) we have no way of taking further

action.

(PARAGRAPH) The best way to do this is to write to the Attorney General in Kuala Lumpur.

(EMM….BY THE WAY, PLEASE INSERT THE WORD “WE BELIEVE THAT” AT THE BEGINNING OF

THIS PARAGRAPH). We have done so, and he has assured us that he is doing all that he

legally can.

(PARAGRAPH) Consumers should be more careful before buying merchandise from a

company about whom they know nothing. It is advisable to see what you are buying

rather than to depend only on literature.

(PARAGRAPH) I am sorry that we can do little in this instance.

To be read within 6 – 7 minutes

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ANSWER

Today’s date

Encik Badzli bin Nasuruddin

No. 56 Jalan Ria
Taman Mesra Ria
25000 Kuantan
Pahang

Dear Sir

LETTER OF COMPLAINT

I am writing this letter in answer to your letter of 28 January, 2013 concerning your
dissatisfaction with the merchandise you ordered from the Century Distributing Company.
We have written to that company on many occasions, but the company has never
responded to our letters. Since their offices are not in this city, we have no way of taking
further action.

We believe that the best way to do this is to write to the Attorney General in Kuala
Lumpur. We have done so, and he has assured us that he is doing all that he legally can.

Consumers should be more careful before buying merchandise from a company about
whom they know nothing. It is advisable to see what you are buying rather than to
depend only on literature.

I am sorry that we can do little in this instance.

Yours very truly

Rohaya Abdullah
Legal Officer

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 EXAMPLE DICTATION 2
QUESTION

Please send this letter to Miss Lucy Wong Beng Chew, Sales Manager, Cahaya Suria
Enterprise, 43, Taman Cahaya, 23000 Dungun, Terengganu Darul Iman. The subject of this
letter is Recommendation Letter. This letter will be signed by Mohd Azrul Sulaiman, Lecturer,
Faculty of Business Studies, Univeristi Teknologi MARA Pahang. Please use today’s date.
Ready?

Dear Miss Wong

I refer to the above matter… (SORRY, CANCEL THAT, I’LL START AGAIN). It is indeed a

pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Cik Shilawani binti Abdullah, who was

one of my former students. Shilawani has an exceptional ability in associating her

invaluable own experiences and observations to formulate thoughtful opinions on many

issues. Her contribution in giving ideas over crucial matters have given light on the idea of

thinking out of the box for both her peers and the lecturers as well. Her consistent diligent

(THAT IS SPELT D.I.L.I.G.E.N.T) effort paid off by obtaining a CGPA 3.5 and below for every

semester. (OOPS SORRY … NOT BELOW … CHANGE IT TO “ABOVE”…..)

(PARAGRAPH) In addition, she has an outstanding personality in seeking opportunities to

develop holistic characters. (HOLISTIC IS SPELT H.O.L.I.S.T.I.C) She took the initiative to be

the secretary in one of the faculty’s events. She also challenged herself to communicate

in Mandarin by being the master of ceremony for annual Mandarin Idol competition. Apart

from that, she also volunteered to help the community with basic community services at

Hospital Jengka. (NO…NOT COMMUNITY SERVICES…. CHANGE IT TO “MEDICAL SERVICES”).

(PARAGRAPH) I personally believe that her academic abilities and personality appoint her

as a well qualified applicant (SORRY, CHANGE THE WORD “APPLICANT” WITH “CANDIDATE”)

for your organization. Do not hesitate to contact me for further information.

To be read within 6 – 7 minutes

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ANSWER

Today’s date

Miss Lucy Wong Beng Chew

Sales Manager
Cahaya Suria Enterprise
43, Taman Cahaya
23000 Dungun
Terengganu Darul Iman

Dear Miss Khor

RECOMMENDATION LETTER

It is indeed a pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Cik Shilawani binti Abdullah,
who was one of my former students. Shila has an exceptional ability in associating her
invaluable own experiences and observations to formulate thoughtful opinions on many
issues. Her contribution in giving ideas over crucial matters have given light on the idea of
thinking out of the box for both her peers and the lecturers as well. Her consistent diligent
effort paid off by obtaining a CGPA 3.5 and above for every semester.

In addition, she has an outstanding personality in seeking opportunities to develop holistic

characters. She took the initiative to be the secretary in one of the faculty’s events. She also
challenged herself to communicate in Mandarin by being the master of ceremony for
annual Mandarin Idol competition. Apart from that, she also volunteered to help the
community with basic medical services at Hospital Jengka.

I personally believe that her academic abilities and personality appoint her as a well
qualified candidate for your organization. Do not hesitate to contact me for further
information.

Sincerely yours

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

Mohd. Azrul bin Sulaiman

Faculty of Business Management

xx

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 EXAMPLE TRANSCRIPTION

QUESTION

Please transcribe the following text about MIRROR from shorthand to longhand. Retype
and use the correct format of unbound report.

mirr
e r al m obsd w r apearnc ten e likl adml . bl ts s nl
an ndcS o ‘vnly’. vnly mens cncel, exssv prid n one’s
apearnc. cncrn abl apearnc s qil nrml n Uslndb . allrclv
pep h dslncl advnlgs n r socily.
cncrn w apearnc s nl jsl an aberaS o mdrn wslrn
cllr. ev priod o hslry h hd ls own slndrds o wal s n
s nl beulf , n ev cnlmporry socily h ls own dslnlv
cncpl o t ideal pyscl allrbuls . n t 19th cnlry b g
beulf menl wer g a crsl – caus g brel g n dgslv
prblms. now e lry l diel n exrcis rslvs nl t
fSnb Sap - ofln w ev m srus cnsqencs.

bl allo e r smb r ancslrs n otr cllrs n r

cncrn abl apearnc , ter s a dffrnc n dgre o cncrn.
advncs n lCnlgy n n prlclr t ris o t mas mdia
h causd nrml cncrns abl how e luk l bcm obsSs.

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ANSWER
MIRROR

We are all more obsessed with our appearance than we like to admit. But this is not an

indication of 'vanity'. Vanity means conceit, excessive pride in one's appearance. Concern about

appearance is quite normal and understandable. Attractive people have distinct advantages in our

society.

Concern with appearance is not just an aberration of Modern Western culture. Every period

of history has had its own standards of what is and is not beautiful, and every contemporary society

has its own distinctive concept of the ideal physical attributes. In the 19th Century being beautiful

meant wearing a corset – causing breathing and digestive problems. Now we try to diet and exercise

ourselves into the fashionable shape – often with even more serious consequences.

But although we resemble our ancestors and other cultures in our concern about appearance,

there is a difference in degree of concern. Advances in technology and in particular the rise of the

mass media has caused normal concerns about how we look to become obsessions.

Article taken from: http://www.sirc.org/publik/mirror.html

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 EXAMPLE OF PROOFREADING
QUESTION

Please type the following article to be published in our company’s monthly bulletin.
Proofread your work. Line spacing for article is double. Put the subject as CONTRACT

sp

A contract is a legal agreement between 2 party to do or not to do something. In order

for the contract to be valid in the courts, it must contain certain elements.

There must be a mutual agreement between the parties, there must be an exchange of

value or between consideration the parties and the purpose of the contract must be

legal. Both parties to a contract must understand what they are agreing to. In order for

this mutual agreement to take place, there must be a specific offer and acceptance.

The characteristics of an offer are that the proposal must be definite and the proposal

must be made with the intention that the person making the offer be bounce by it. Each

party to a contract must be agree to give up something of value if anything were to go

wrong.

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ANSWER

CONTRACT

A contract is a legal agreement between two parties to do or not to do something. In order for the

contract to be valid in the courts, it must contain certain elements. There must be a mutual agreement

between the parties, there must be an exchange of value or consideration between the parties and the

purpose of the contract must be legal

Both parties to a contract must understand what they are agreeing to. In order for this mutual

agreement to take place, there must be a specific offer and acceptance. The characteristics of an offer are

that the proposal must be definite and the proposal must be made with the intention that the person making

the offer be bounce by it. Each party to a contract must agree to give up something of value if anything

were to go wrong.

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