Print Resources
Alred, Gerald J., Brusaw, Charles T., Oliu, Walter E., The Business Writer's Companion 4/e, 2005, Bedford/St. Martin's (Reference Desk)
This easy-to-use handbook offers students a concise guide to the most common types of business writing and communication. The fourth edition includes greater attention to global communication, ethics in writing, and writing with technology, as well as up-to-date advice on the job application process. A thoroughly integrated book companion site offers expanded resources and additional sample documents.
Alred, Gerald J., Brusaw, Charles T., Oliu, Walter E., The Business Writer's Handbook 7/e, 2003, Bedford/St. Martin's (Reference Desk)
A comprehensive, alphabetically-organized reference, the seventh edition of The Business Writer’s Handbook is integrated with a new book companion site to offer thoroughly up-to-date advice and resources related to workplace technology, library and Internet research, documenting sources, and grammar and usage.
Sant, Tom. Persuasive Business Proposals : Writing to Win More Customers, Clients, and Contracts 2/e, NY: AMACOM, 2004 (Main Stacks: HF5718.5 .S26 2004)
The challenges you face -- A good proposal is hard to find -- Why the Inuit hunt whales and other secrets of customer behavior -- The structure of persuasion -- Developing a client-centered message every time you write -- Understanding the customer : the Cicero principle -- Establishing your credibility -- An overview of the proposal development process ---Writing from the right brain : getting your ideas organized -- Presenting a winning value proposition -- The structure of the letter proposal -- The structure of the formal proposal ---Writing research proposals and proposals for grants -- What to do after you submit ---Writing in the midst of a storm : how to deal with bad news and negative publicity -- Creating a proposal center of excellence -- Proposal metrics : how to measure your success -- Give the reader a KISS! -- Word choice : six traps to avoid -- Sentence structure : maximizing your clarity -- Editing your proposal.
Internet Sites
Professional Writing Handouts & Resources (Purdue University Online Writing Lab)This collection of handouts will provide you with information about various aspects of business, technical, and professional writing. Categories include:
Job search
• Online job search tutorial (under construction)
• Preparing for the job search (from Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities)
• Job Search Self-Analysis
• Job Skills Checklist
Resume
General resume advice
• Resume writing resources (from Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities)
• Resume design
• Resume Workshop
• Sample Resume
• Scannable Resumes
• Some Action Words to Describe Skills in Resumes
• Education Resumes (from Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities)
• Management Resumes
• Your Resume
o Overview
o Section information and examples
o Resume styles
o Reference sheets
o Quick tips
Specific sections of the resume
• Resume Sections Overview
• Name and Address
• Objective Statements
• Objective Statements Exercise
• Education
• Education Section Exercise
• Experience
• Experience Section Exercise
• Activities and Honors
• Activities and Honors Section Exercise
• References
Employment Letters and Documents
• Cover letter workshop
• Cover Letters: How to Sell Yourself
• The Basic Business Letter
• Cover Letter Seeking Academic Position (and Sample Letter)
• Cover Letter Model
• Letters Concerning Employment
o Applicant's Request for a Reference
o Follow-up to an Interview
o Inquiry about Cover Letter and Resume
o Follow-Up After No Response to Your Interview
o Acceptance Letter
o Rejection of Job Offer
o Request for Further Negotiations
o Letter When You Receive a Rejection
• Reference Sheet
• Tailoring Employment Documents for a Specific Audience
Academic Applications
• Academic Cover Letters
• Writng the Curriculum Vitae
• Curriculum Vitae (from Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities)
• Writing the Personal Statement
General Business Writing Issues
• Adding Emphasis
• The Basic Business Letter
• Email Etiquette
• Higher Order and Lower Order Concerns in Business Writing
• Parallel Structure in Professional Writing
• Research Report Workshop
• Revision in Business Writing
• Tailoring Employment Documents for a Specific Audience
• Terms & Tips for the International Student’s Job Search
• Tone in Business Writing
• Writing for A North American Business Audience
Letters, Memos, and Reports
• The Basic Business Letter
• Business Letters: Subordinating Negatives in Good News and Neutral Messages
• Email Etiquette
• Memo Writing
• Research Report Workshop
• Sales Letters: Four Point Action Closing
• Writing Report Abstracts
Samples and Models
• Acceptance Letter Model
• Academic Cover Letters: Sample Letter
• Cover Letter Model
• Follow-up to an Interview Letter Model
• Model for Writing an Inquiry about a Cover Letter and Resume
• Model for Writing a Rejection of a Job Offer
• Model for Writing a Reference Request Letter
• Request for Further Negotiations Letter
• Sample Resume
• Reply to When You Receive a Rejection Model Letter
ONLINE! Citation Styles Index Comprehensive guide to citing electronic resources including personal and professional websites, electronic books, articles from e-journals, e-magazines, or e-newspapers, scholarly publications, and government documents. Covers MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, and CBE.