LESSON 3

PURPOSEFUL WRITING IN THE DISCIPLINES AND THE PROFESSIONS

A. INTRODUCTION

As senior high school students, one aim that we need to achieve is how to write formal papers like Literature
Review and Application Letter, also called cover letter. These types of paper are just some of the most
common papers that you write which may be asked from you in other subjects. As students of the 21 st
century, we are called to be researchers someday in order to contribute to our chosen field of work.
Likewise, knowing how to write an application letter will be so much helpful as it may become an edge to be
part of your dream company or workplace.

B. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson the student will be able to:
1. Explain how one’s purpose is a crucial consideration in academic and professional writing
2. Identifie the unique features of and requirements in composing texts that are useful across disciplines
a. Book Review or article Critique
b. Literature Review
c. Research Report
d. Project Proposal
e. Position Paper
3. Identify the unique features of and requirements in composing professional correspondence
a. Resume
b. Application for College Admission
c. Application for Employment
d. Various forms of Office Correspondence

C. CONTENT

3.1 Unique Features and Requirements across Disciplines

Literature Review

 The review should describe, summarize, evaluate and clarify this literature.
 It should give a theoretical basis for the research and help you determine the nature of your own
research.
 Select a limited number of works that are central to your area rather than trying to collect a large
number of works that are not as closely connected to your topic area.
 A literature review goes beyond the search for information and includes the identification and
articulation of relationships between the literature and your field of research.
 While the form of the literature review may vary with different types of studies, the basic purposes
remain constant:
 Provide a context for the research
 Justify the research
 Ensure the research hasn't been done before (or that it is not just a "replication study")

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 Purposes
 Show where the research fits into the existing body of knowledge
 Enable the researcher to learn from previous theory on the subject
 Illustrate how the subject has been studied previously
 Highlight flaws in previous research
 Outline gaps in previous research
 Show that the work is adding to the understanding and knowledge of the field
 Help refine, refocus or even change the topic

How is a literature review different from an academic research paper?

Academic Paper Literature Review

 To develop a new argument  As a foundation and as support for a new
insight that you contribute
 To summarize and synthesize the arguments
and ideas of others without adding new
contributions.

Simply put, literature review is a simple summary of sources. Reasons why literature review is written are to
be updated with the latest information, provide a solid background for your paper, serves as a handy guide
to the topic, and can give you an overview or act as a stepping stone for your paper.

Strategies for your Literature Review

Tips Method
Jump Offs Start with handbooks and research overviews and review their references
Track and map authors Track the names of key authors and locate their original works.
Use library guides if See http://library.queensu.ca/research/subjects
appropriate.
Record key definitions Look for patterns and frameworks in what is written about a topic such as the
and their context. context – social, political, historical.
Establish a personal Determine types of materials needed (books, primary sources, government
search pattern. documents, statistics, scholarly articles, opinion pieces, etc.) and how to access
them. Become aware of your search patterns. Track your strategy, including
reference tools, databases, authors, questions, and search problems.

Make strategic use of Work out the best way to search each journal index along with Google and
journal index and search Google Scholar. List search terms, subjects, and descriptors which are specific
engine index and search to each index. Find out how to narrow searches. Search key authors.
engine advanced search
capabilities.
Use citation indexes. Search key authors and specific works in a citation index to find who has cited
them. See Web of Science; Google Scholar
Track your references. Use RefWorks to manage references and create APA bibliographies. Learn the
elements of APA
Talk to your librarian Make an appointment with one of us to review your needs.

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3.2 Unique Features and Requirements in Composing Professional Correspondence

THE NATURE OF A BUSINESS LETTER

Time is gold in the business world, businessman need one instrument that can make them iron out
business deals or negotiations at once. This instrument is none other than the business letter, the backbone
of business.

A business correspondent of a business –letter writer must possess the following traits to produce
effective business letters: wide understanding of human behavior, keep imagination, good command of the
English language, sense of humor, and good judgment. In other words, he must be a psychologist – creative,
objective, and flexible. As a psychologist, he must know the likes and dislike of the party with whom he is
dealing. He takes the “you attitude” to bring out a meeting of the mind, between him and the other party.
His creativeness or keen imagination is shown by his ability in presenting a clear and accurate picture of the
thing he wants the other party to accept. This he can easily do with the use of fresh, original, and specific
words, rather than stereotyped or worn-out expressions. If he has good judgment, he can view things
objectively. This means he bases his decisions on what he thinks about the object, instead of what he feels
about it.

The business world is beset with all kinds of risks or challenges. To survive unscathed in this dog-eat-
dog kind of world, a business correspondent must have a good sense of humor, or the ability to manage
himself intelligently and confidently in times of difficulties. He must not allow problems to knock him down
or dampen his spirits. Allowing optimism or positive thinking to prevail over him, he swims through life or
meets challenges confidently. Amidst all these trials, a man with a good sense of humor is capable of
standing strong and of sporting a cheerful face that radiates what he truly thinks and feels about life.
Indeed, only a person with wide perceptions about life can behave this way.

Therefore, if you want to be a good business-letter writer, you have to know a lot about many things in
this world.

A business letter must have the following characteristics or the 8C’s:

1. Clarity – clearness of the idea

2. Conciseness – completeness of idea with the use of fewest number of words possible
3. Consideration – taking the “you” point-of-view
4. Courtesy – the use of polite expressions to show respect
5. Concreteness – the use of vivid, specific words that appeal to the senses
6. Cheerfulness – the use of positive expressions that signal lively dispositions in life
7. Character – shows the writer’s own style or uniqueness in writing

THE PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

1. Heading

The heading is the first part of the letter. It gives two kinds of information about the writer: the
primary information, which refers the name, address and telephone number of the company, and the
secondary information, which gives other information about the writer like the nature, logo, motto,
and the list of officers of the company. If the heading is placed at the topmost middle part of the
papers, and is presented in a decorative or extraordinary style, it is considered a modern style of
heading. Letterhead is the term used for this kind of heading. But if the heading is at the upper side of
the paper, it is thought of as a traditional heading, where only the address and the date are stated.
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 Letterhead or Modern Heading

DAN-DAN ENTERPRISES
38 Samson Street, Nova., Quezon City
June 24, 2008
______________
______________
______________

______________:

_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______________
______________

Traditional Heading

38 Samson St.
Nova., Quezon City
June 24, 2008
________________
________________
________________

________________:

__________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

________________
________________

2. Inside Address

This is the second part of the letter where you see the name and the address of the person to whom
the letter is addressed. This information about the addressee must be contained in only 3 to 4 lines,
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with the first line occupying the name, plus the position of the addressee in the company, he is working
for, and second and third lines for his exact address.

The position of the addressee may be placed right after the name in the first line. A comma is used
to separate it from the name. It can also be placed in the second line together with the name of the
company where the addressee is employed.

3. Salutation or Greeting

Coming two spaces after the Inside Address is the third part of the letter which is the Salutation.
Since its purpose is to cheer up the addressee, it is called Greeting.

A colon is used after the Salutation in a formal letter, a common in a friendly letter. Capitalize the
first word and the name mentioned in this part of the letter. Here are some examples of greeting
ranging from the most formal to the least formal greeting.

Sir, Madam (Mesdames for Plural) – must formal salutation for top-ranking government

Dear Sir / Dear Ma’am – more formal salutation

Dr. / Mr. Cruz, Dear Mrs. Prado – formal salutation

4. Body

This forms the longest and most important part of the letter. It is here where you present your ideas
or message to the addressee. All the qualities of a good business letter correspondent and

the 8Cs (correctness, concreteness, conciseness, character, consideration, cheerfulness, courtesy, and
clarity) should be reflected in the body of the letter.

You should give particular attention to the opening sentence of the body for this is your way of
attracting the attention of the receiver / reader. Likewise, the last sentence of the body is necessarily
important because this is the means by which you will win him to your side or getting his final decision
on whatever you are offering. Avoid using the present participle form like hoping, trusting, and
believing to end your letter. Instead, use I hope, I trust, I believe, and others.

5. Complimentary Close

Following the body is the complimentary close that consists of two or three words. In comparison to
the Salutation, this part also uses expressions that observe certain degrees of formality. Study these
examples:

Very respectfully yours, - most formal

Respectfully yours, - more formal
Very truly yours,
Truly yours,
Sincerely yours, - formal
Friendly yours,
Always,
- informal
Lovingly Yours,

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 6. Signature

This consists of the signature of the writer which is of two kinds; penned signature and
printed. To give enough space for the penned signature that appears over the printed signature, you
have to allot four spaces between the complimentary close and the printed signature. Sign in your
usual way. In the case of a married woman, she must always put Mrs. before her name, otherwise
she will be considered to be single. In business letter writing, only the males can sign their names
without the title indicating their status in life. Further, if the signature is preceded by initials, (A,D,
Yulo) this means it belongs to a man.

If the letter comes from a friend and the letterhead does not indicate the position of the
writer in the company, such position of the writer in the company, such position must be included in
the complimentary close. Refer to the following example:

Respectfully Yours,
DAN-DAN ENTERPRISES

L.D. Gara

COVER LETTER

When you send resume to an employer it must be accompanied by a cover letter. This letter is
essential. The purpose of the application letter or cover letter is to highlight the skills, education and
experience you possess related to their position. You will express to an employer why you are interested in
the position and what contributions you believe you can make to the organization based upon your
qualifications. Since the cover letter is the ideal place to focus on the specific skills you want to emphasize
for a particular employee, a unique cover letter must accompany each resume you send.

The cover letter can make all the difference and land you the interview that you want. Know what to
say and how to say it, so you get noticed by potential employers. Therefore, it is critical that as a candidate
you are able to write professional letters throughout your job search.

Your Cover Letter

 A handshake in the mail.

 Targets a specific position.
 Represents you to people you’ve never met before.
 Gives a glimpse of your personality
 The best cover letters show how your qualifications match the needs of the company
 Sell the writer’s services
 Secure through his letter a position
 Convince the reader that the writer has the qualification demanded for the position
 State important qualification for the job
 Avoid egoism but not too humble.
 Strong favorable impression

Sample Cover Letter Outline

YOUR STREET ADDRESS

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 CITY, PROVINCE, ZIP
DATE

EMPLOYER NAME
TITLE
ORGANIZATION
ADDRESS

SALUTATION:

The first paragraph should establish why the letter is being written. Cite the source where you learned
about the opening. Has someone referred to you to this employer? If so, use their name (with
permission). Perhaps you are just inquiring about the possibility of an opening. If so, try to write
something about you that will make the reader want to know more about you.

The second and perhaps third paragraph establishes your qualifications. You can include the highlight
of your qualification, your unique academic, experiential and personal qualities and how they relate to
the position you are seeking. Provide one or two specific examples that demonstrate your most
outstanding career-related characteristics. Stress how you can be a valuable addition to the company.
Mention information that points out that you’ve done your “homework.” Ideally, through research,
you’ve developed a certain degree of knowledge about the company.

The next paragraph is fairly action-oriented. You should let the employer know that you would
welcome the opportunity for a personal interview at their convenient time and/or that you look
forward to hearing their response.

Thank you for your consideration is all you need to say in the last paragraph.

Sincerely,

Signature
Typed Name

D. VALUES INTEGRATION
Writing professionally is indeed a challenge for most of us since it is formal and academic. It is a tool
that we need to sharpen as it is important in any field of work. Since these are formal papers, we should
know how to express information in a positive and polite manner.

E. REFERENCES

Baraceros, Esther L. (2009). English 3: English for Academic Writing. Manila: Rex Book Store.

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Flores, Magelende Magallona, et.al. (2009). Thought and Expression Academic Writing. Quezon City:
C&E Publishing, Inc.

Gamez, Jhona Niem. (2014). English for the Workplace 1: A Professional Reading and Listening Course
for College and Career. Quezon City: Great Books Publishing.

F. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
Lecture, Structured Discussion, Activities

G. ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Formative Examinations (Quiz, Major Exams, Assignments, and Projects)

Activity: (10 points)

Read the following sample of Literature Review. Write your answers in a ½ crosswise.

1. What are the subtopics found in the Review of Literature?

2. What did Stubbs say about discourse analysis?

3. How does Schiffrin support Stubb’s statement?

4. Who are the other authorities mentioned about discourse analysis?

5. In what period was the rise of Child Language Research? What does it say?

6. What theories support development of language in children?

7. What do Dell Hymes and Michael Halliday tell about the Sociolinguistic theory?

8. Do you think a child can develop his pragmatic skills before uttering his first adult word? What line does or
does not prove this?

9. What studies or researches were done in relation to Children’s Conversation Skills?

10. How important is the adult’s role in a child’s conversation skills? Why?

Answer Key:

1. Discourse Analysis, Child Language Research and Children’s Conversation Skills

2. Refers mainly to the linguistic analysis of naturally occurring connected speech or within discourse

3. Schiffrin talks about discourse as a particular unit aboce the sentence, or a particular focus of language

4. Malcolm Coulthard, Teun Van Dijk, Noam Chomsky and Michael Halliday

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5. Sixties. Many of the language scholars endeavored to study the language of children in the hope of
“learning the developmental process in order to facilitate child behavior change, and to increase special
educator’s insight into normal and other-than-normal processes” (Owens)

6. behavioral, cognitive, psycholinguistic, and sociolinguistic theories

7. Hymes claimed the importance of communicative competence while Halliday underscores the functions
of language in communicative interaction.

8. Yes, studies have shown that even before a child is able to utter his first adult word, he has already shown
some sort of development in his pragmatic skills.

9. Caregiver Involvement in First Language Acquisition of Children in the Home: A Case Study” by Gracita Pe
Benito and “Hey! I’ve Got Something to tell you: A Study of the Initiation of Conversational Exchanges by
Preschool Children” by McTear.

10. Crucial. The success of such conversation is usually dependent on adults’ abilities to pick up, manage,
interpret, comment on, extend, repeat and sometimes demonstrate appropriate conversational acts within
adult/child conversations.

Activity:

Fill in the blanks with the correct words. Choose from the choices in the boxes.

familiarized familier familiar Anxiety demands

mentioned attached experiment expression experience

pressure excellently fluently Strongly available

round accessible hesitate Wait stop

shown advertised presented Worked employed

apply want pursue Take included

Dear Mr. Monde:

I am writing to (1)__________ for the position of Copywriter which was (2)__________ in the latest edition
of bestjobsph.com.

I am currently (3)__________ by Bio-Tech as a research assistant, but I am keen to (4)__________ a career

in publishing, because I enjoy reading, writing and editing.

As you will notice on the (5)__________ CV, I graduated in Comparative Literature. At the University of the
Philippines, I gained considerable (6)__________ working on The Philippine Collegian (Campus Journalism),
so I am (7)__________ with proofreading techniques. I work well under (8)__________ and enjoy working in
a team. In addition, I speak English (9)__________.

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I would be (10)__________ for an interview at your most convenient time. Please do not (11)__________ to
contact me if you require further information.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Kelvin Nate Thor Games

Answer Key:
1. apply
2. advertised
3. employed
4. pursue
5. attached
6. experience
7. familiar
8. pressure
9. fluently
10. available
11. hesitate

Quiz: Review of Literature: (5 pts.)

Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if not.
1. The literature review helps the review to follow traditional events and strategies.
2. The review of literature helps to determine the nature of your research.
3. Literature review is a simple summary of sources – a compilation of information, studies and researches.
4. The review of literature of literature aims to develop a new argument – a problem or a thesis statement.
5. The aim of review of literature is to summarize the arguments and ideas of others without adding new
contributions.

Answer Key:
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. True

Quiz: Cover Letter: ( 5 pts.)

I. Identification
1. Forms the longest and most important part of the letter
2. Purpose is to cheer up the addressee
3. Also called the closing remarks
4. Indicates the name and the address of the person to whom the letter is addressed
5. Information that tells when the letter was made
Answer Key:
1. Body of the letter
2. Salutation
3. Complimentary Close
4. Inside Address
5. Date line
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