Writing Formal Letters and Technical Reports
Session 6: Writing Formal Letters and Technical Reports
Total Session Time: 120minutes + 2 hours Assignment
Prerequisites
LearningTasks
By the end of this session students are expected to be able to:
Resources Needed:
SESSION OVERVIEW
|Step |Time |Activity/ |Content |
| | |Method | |
|1 |05 minutes |Presentation |Introduction, Learning Tasks |
|2 |05 minutes |Presentation |Definition of a Formal Letter |
| | |Brainstorming | |
|3 |10 minutes |Presentation |Common Types of Formal Letters |
|4 |25 minutes |Presentation |Essential Components of a Formal |
| | |Buzzing |Letter |
|5 |10 minutes |Presentation |Formal Letter Writing |
|6 |05 minutes |Presentation |Definition of Technical Report |
| | |Brainstorming | |
|7 |10 minutes |Presentation |Common Types of Technical Reports |
|8 |15minutes |Presentation |Essential Components of a Technical |
| | |Buzzing |Report |
|9 |10minutes |Presentation |Technical Report Writing |
|10 |05 minutes |Presentation |Key Points |
|11 |10 minutes |Presentation |Evaluation |
|12 |10 Minutes |Presentation |Assignment |
SESSION CONTENTS
STEP1: Presentation of Session Title and Learning Tasks (5 minutes)
READ orASKstudents to read the learning tasks and clarify
ASK students if they have questions before continuing
STEP 2: Definition of a Formal Letter (5 minutes)
|Activity: Brainstorming (3 minutes) |
| |
|Ask students to brainstorm on the following question: |
| |
|What is a formal letter? |
| |
|ALLOW few students to respond |
| |
|WRITE their responses on the flip chart/ board |
| |
|CLARIFY and SUMMARISE by using the content below |
This is a letter exchanged between or among people/organisations for
certain purposes.
STEP 3: Common Types of Formal Letters (10 minutes)
Common Types of Formal Letters
STEP 4: Essential Components of a Formal Letter(25 minutes)
|Activity: Buzzing (10 minutes) |
|ASK students to pair up and buzz on the following question for 2 |
|minutes |
| |
|What are the essential components of a formal letter? |
| |
|ALLOW few pairs to respond and let other pair to add on points not |
|mentioned |
| |
|WRITE their response on the flip chart/board |
| |
|CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using the content below |
Essential components of a Formal Letter
Writer’s address
This can be:
number/city
address and city
Date
Full calendar date of when the letter was written, for example 06 September
2015.
Reference number
A number useful for reference by a recipientfor relevant matters.
Receiver’s/Reader’s address
Address of the reader to include reader’s name/title, Company Street or
postal address and city
Salutation
first names or Surname name
sender and the receiver.
Subject or Reference statement
Body of the letter
This includes introductory, discussion, concluding paragraphs
Complementary close
o “Dear Sir” takes a “Yours faithfully”, complementary close,
o With a “Dear Mr/Mrs”, salutation, takes a “Yours sincerely”
complementary close.
Signature (writer’s signature)
Sender’s name
Copy to (if any)
For copy of letter write
STEP 4: Formal Letter Writing(10 minutes)
o The address of the writer (sender’s) should appear in the top right
hand corner
o The date should go under the address
o Always write the name and the address of the addressee on the left,
above the salutation
o Always leave a wide margin on the left, so that when filed the letter
is still legible
o If writing to someone who is not personally known to the writer, begin
with Dear Sir or Dear Madam
o A writer should be as brief as s/he can; but s/he should include as
much relevant information as possible
o Whenever possible the subject of the letter may be placed as a heading
beneath the salutation
o Formal letters almost always end with: yours faithfully, though: yours
truly is also possible if the writer wants to be less formal
0. [pic][pic]Refer students to Handout 6.1: Sample of Formal letter
STEP 6: Definition of a Technical Report (5 minutes)
|Activity: Brainstorming (3 minutes) |
| |
|Ask students to brainstorm on the following question: |
| |
|What is a technical report? |
| |
|ALLOW few students to respond |
| |
|WRITE their responses on the flip chart/ board |
| |
|CLARIFY and SUMMARISE by using the content below |
A technical report is a specific form of writing that is organized to
guide management and organization to make decisions.
STEP 7: Common Types of Technical Reports (10 minutes)
Common Types of Technical Reports
Any organization or Government can commission a report to investigate a
matter, a question or a situation
Require written information about a certain issue/topic
It is written administrative reports
o Reports specific to certain organization
o Contents of reports relate specifically to the work of the place/area,
for example hospital reports, pharmacy reports and Court reports
(deals with matters relating to Court of Law).
STEP 8: Essential Components of Technical Reports (15 minutes)
Common report structures
o Title page
o Introduction
o Discussion
o Recommendations
o References
o Title page
o Introduction
o Method & materials
o Results
o Discussion
o Conclusion
o Appendices
o References
o Title page
o Executive summary
o Table of contents
o Introduction
o Discussion
o Conclusion
o Recommendations
o Appendices
o References
STEP 9: Technical Report Writing (10 minutes)
Guidelines for report writing
logical conclusion and recommendations (if any)
[pic][pic]Refer students to Handout 6.2: Sample of Formal/technical
report
STEP 10: Key Points (5minutes)
people/organizations for certain purposes while a technical report is
a specific form of writing that is organized to guide management and
organization to make decisions
depending on the need and purpose
consider the essential components and guidelines
STEP 11: Evaluation (10 minutes)
reports?
STEP 12: Assignment (10 minutes)
|Activity: Take Home Assignment (5 minutes) |
| |
|DIVIDE students in groups or individuals |
| |
|ASK the students to work on the following Assignment |
|Prepare official letter to DMO requesting for fast moving medicines in |
|your pharmacy |
|Prepare and submit an official weekly report on consumption of |
|medicine in the dispensing unit |
| |
|ALLOCATE time for students to do the assignments and submit |
| |
|REFER students to recommended reference |
References
Burger,B.A. (2009) Communication skills for pharmacist; building
relationships, improving patient care (4th ed.). New York:
American pharmacist association
Burnard, P. (1992). A communication skills guide for health care workers
(1st ed.). London: Edward Anorld
Hubley, J (1993).Communicating Health. An action guide to health education
and health promotion (1sted.). London: MacmillanKadeghe, M. (2005)
Communication skills; theory and practice (3rded.). Dar essalaam:
Afroplus Industries Ltd.
Kariuki, M. K.&Munga, E. C. (2011)Fundamentals of communication skills (1st
ed.). Mwanza: Victoria Education Promotional Centre Ltd.
Kurtz, S.,Silnerman,.J.& Draper, J. (1998) Teaching and learning
communication skills in medicine (1st ed.). London:Raddiffe Medical
Place Ltd.
Mahundu, C.M. (1999). A manual on communication skills (1sted.). Ndanda:
Benedictine Publishers
Pitt, B. (1991). Health, teacher’s diploma communication. Harare: MOH
Rungapaidiachy, D. M. (1999) Interpersonal communication and psychology
(1sted.). Massachusetts: Butterworth-Heinemann
[pic]Handout 6.1 Sample of Official Letter
[pic]
[pic]Handout 6.2: Writing Formal/Technical Report
based on that information.
o Examples include weekly/monthly reports, research reports and problem
solving reports.
preparation, but general guidelines can be applied to all formal
reports using the following format;
Components of the Formal Report
The following components are found in most formal reports. They can be
omitted or included as required:
1. Front Matter
to whom the report is being sent o Brief summary of the entire report
2. Body
research methods, limitations and preview of the report
background, research methods and findings, recommendations to the
reader on the best course of action
3. Back Matter
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