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Module 2a — Office
Correspondence
and Records
Course Guide   Module 1   Module 2a   Module 2b

Introduction

This module is about those general office correspondence writing tasks that make up part of every working day: memos, letters, faxes and, probably the most common of all, email. You will find a separate section devoted to the writing of records of meeting, since this subject is so important at the ILO.

Throughout Module 2a, you will find reflections on the effective communication principles and strategies raised in Module 1. We will keep coming back to the importance of being clear about your purpose and meeting your readers' needs. We will continue to focus on the reasons for selecting different channels of communication or media.

The first section of this module, Correspondence: Conveying a Message, focuses on general principles that are common to all types of message writing at the ILO regardless of their format. In the second section, Types of Messages, you will focus more closely on specific types of correspondence—namely memos, letters, and emails—and consider special characteristics of each of these.

The third section of the module then turns your attention to the writing of Meeting Records for the Organization, primarily minutes, notes for the file, reports and summary records that record an event or meeting. These types of reports are distinct from the reports discussed in Module 2B and they involve a special set of skills. They depend largely on your ability to summarize information and produce a record that is both faithful to the event and a respectful and diplomatic representation of the participants whose words are being summarized and recorded.

As you work through this module, you will prepare a portfolio of model office correspondence. By the time you have finished the module you will be ready to submit your completed portfolio as an assignment to your tutor for feedback and assessment. Most, but not all, activities in this module are directly related to your assignment.

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