OFFICIAL LETTERS

 OFFICIAL LETTERS

The letters that are written by an office for the purpose of coordination and information are called official letters. Official correspondence includes the letters exchanged between government departments, government officers, non-government organizations and persons, and government authorities. Official letters are informal in nature. They are based on a few formal rules and regulations. These letters differ from business letters and private letters in various ways. Government offices follow a prescribed pattern that makes them different from business letters.

CHARACTERISTICS OF OFFICIAL LETTERS:-

1. Official letters have a particular number like - No. T Y 456/89 (6)
2. Etiquette and politeness are observed in all official letters, whatever the subject of the letter, as well as the recipient.
4. These letters are brief, straightforward, and free from ambiguity.
5. Language is simple and free from confusion. Words of slang, colloquialism, and bombastic style,
6. Too many quotations and foreign phrases should be avoided.
7. In official letters, we have paragraphs serially numbered.
8. In an official letter, only one subject is dealt with. It should not deal with two subjects at a time.
9. These letters follow set rules and regulations of official correspondence.
10. Correctness of language is the foremost requirement.

 DIFFERENT FORMS OF OFFICIAL LETTERS

In the government office, many forms of communication are adopted, like-
1. Official letters 2. Demi - official letters 3. Circular letters 4. Express letters
5. Telegrams 6. Memos 7. Press notes 8. Notifications
9. Reminders 10. Proclamation 11. Dispatch 12. Endorsement etc.

 PARTS OF AN OFFICIAL LETTER

1. Name of correspondent
2. name of the addressee
3. date and place
4. reference number
5. subject line
6. salutation
7. body of the letter
8. complementary close
9. signature block
10. superscription
11. optional (enclosures, copy)

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS LETTERS

1. Purpose- Government letters serve Official interests, but business letters are written for business creation and relations.

2. Function- Official letters functions for office orders, instruction, circular, notices, etc., but business letters are written for trading, manufacturing, delivering, advertisement, credit management, and liaison with various private or governmental departments.

3. Structure- Official Letters have a predefined and specific structure, but business letters can have any formal structure.

4. Salutation- Official letters may or may not have salutation, but business letters have salutation as an essential part.

5. Complimentary Close- Official letters have no politely written complimentary close, but business letters have.

6. Language- Official letters have a specific and traditional language full of jargon, but business letters have a very sober common language.

7. Relation- The sender and receiver have no significant relationship in official letters, but the relationship between sender and receiver is crucial.

 

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Ministry of Finance, New Delhi Reference No. T H-7/89/2016                                                         18th July, 2016  From: Secretary, Revenue Division Ministry of Finance New Delhi To:   Income Tax Commissioner Government of Delhi New Delhi Subject: Arrangements to ease last-day rush. Sir, This is to remind you that the required arrangements to deal with the rush of the income taxpayers are still pending. You are requested to do everything possible to smoothen the process of collecting returns at various points in the city. Yours faithfully Sd/ - For Secretary

EXAMPLE OF AN OFFICIAL (GOVERNMENT) LETTER

 

Collectorate, Meerut   REF: N-45/P 20 Moradabad                                                         14th August, 2020 From: Satish Chandra I.A.S.  Collector, Moradabad  To:     The Chief Secretary  Uttar Pradesh Government  Lucknow (U.P.) Subject: Drought and assistance. Sir, It is to draw your attention to the losses suffered in the Moradabad region because of almost no rains for the third consecutive year. Conditions of severe drought have made life miserable for the weaker sections of society. Relief work can be started only with funds adequate for this task. You are requested to sanction the grant of at least ten crore rupees for immediate relief measures. Yours faithfully Sd/- Satish Chandra I.A.S. Collector

EXAMPLE OF AN OFFICIAL (GOVERNMENT ) LETTER

 

DEMI - OFFICIAL LETTERS

Demi-official letters are written between two officers in different departments for inquiry. These are written to save time. These have a more personal tone but have been written on the official subject. According to Mr. Sinha, "This is a name given to an inquiry between two officers of different departments which have an indirect bearing on an official subject matter."

MAIN FEATURES

1. Number, date, etc., should be written.
2. Personal names of the recipient and sender are mentioned (sometimes, if communication is addressed to a Department in Charge of a minister, the designation should be written, for example - Secretary to Government of ………, Department of Medical Sciences, etc.
3. These are started with- Dear Mr. Gupta, My Dear Sir, Dear Sir………
4. It is friendly and written in the first person.
5. These letters are confidential.
6. The recipient address is mentioned below the closing on the left-hand side.

 

23 July, 2022 From: Shefali Singh Secretory National Commission for Women Lucknow To: Mr. Asheesh Agarwal Superintendent Engineer Irrigation Department Jaunpur D.O. Letter No. : H/51/2022 Dear Mr. Agarwal Three months ago, I referred to you the complaint made by Mrs. Pratibha Sharma against the discriminatory treatment given to her at your office. I hope you have completed the inquiries into this matter by now; therefore, I would like to be informed about the findings without further delay. Regards. Sd/- Yours Sincerely                                                                                                       Shefali Singh

EXAMPLE OF DEMI-OFFICIAL LETTER

MEMO

A memo is a brief written communication that is circulated within an organization. These are used to convey some information in an office. These can be written in any flow. Memos can be the prominent means of interpersonal communication in an organization as they help bridge the communication gap among the various sections of any organization and serve as permanent records of information. Memos are very straightforward, to the point, and brief. The subject is written in the center in bold and big font.

TYPES OF MEMO

There are three types of memos based on their purposes.

1- Documentary Memos: - These memos are written for the smooth functioning of departments and organizations. These are beneficial for records. These are neutral in their function- neither praise nor degrade a person.

2- Congratulatory Memos:- These memos are used to appreciate some for their outstanding performance. These are written for appraisal someone.

3- Disciplinary Memos: - These memos are used or written to maintain discipline in an organization or department.

STRUCTURE OF MEMO:

Heading, opening, main body, closing, signature, necessary enclosures, and copies are the main parts of a Memo.

26 November 2022   From: B. N. Gaur, I.A.S.,            Anu Sachiv            Home (police) Department, Uttar Pradesh            Vidhan Bhawan Lucknow To:  Sri R. S. Sharma         I.A.S.        Chief Secretary        Government of Bihar, Patna   SUBJECT: COUNTERFEIT COINS My Dear Sharma (Optional ) Please refer to your S.O. Letter No 2345/L-1907, dated 4 November 2022, with the mentioned subject. No such case has been detected in Uttar Pradesh in which counterfeit coins belonging to the Mughal period might have been passed in sale to the government for being stocked in the state Museums. The delay in replying is regretted.   Sd/- Yours sincerely B. N. Gaur

EXAMPLE OF MEMO

 

LETTERS TO AUTHORITIES: - These are identical to official letters.

CIRCULAR LETTERS

In government offices, intra or inter-departmental written communication can be in the form of circulars also. Sometimes, circulars are written to the junior to have an inquiry. These letters can be official or demi-official. For example, the government of India issues a circular to state departments, and then the state department circulates the circular to the heads of various departments. Generally, circulars are written to address a group or number of people.

EXPRESS LETTERS

These letters are written to curtail expenses on telegrams. These are similar to telegrams in format and words, but these are sent by post.

To The district magistrate Lucknow Date: March 15,2021    Reference G.O. no. 13476 (F) 11-1231, dated - 04 February 2021; please expedite the dispatch of a report on the Victoria Park Firing incident.   Sd/- Shambhoo Nath Secretary UtterPradeshh

EXAMPLE OF EXPRESS LETTERS

PRESS NOTE

It is an informal notification. It is used to supply information on some matters. It avoids salutation and is drafted in the third person.

NOTIFICATION

This is formal and often notifies the orders of transfer, retirement, or some amendments in rules, etc. It is prepared just like a press note.

ENDORSEMENT

It is used when a letter, memorandum, resolution, circular, etc., or its copy has to be forwarded to other authorities, and no opinion by the transmitting office is required to be made on it.

 

 

TYPES OF LISTENING

Listening.

Listening is a skill to receive and interpret (understanding) messages correctly. It can be enhanced by regular practice. It plays a very important role in the process of communication.

Types of Listening

There are different situations and different kinds of listening-

            i.          Informational listening

The listening that is done to get information and learn something is called informational listening. It usually takes a high level of concentration. Listeners can learn some new concepts. Some examples are-

a) listening during Training/ lecture
b) Self-paced learning through online classes
c) Listening to an educational e-book

Advantages of informational learning

a) It makes the listener a better learner.
b) It enhances active participation.
c) It updates knowledge and increases interaction with others.

    ii.          Discriminative listening

The listening in which the listener gives more importance to sounds rather than only words is called discriminative listening. This is the most basic form of listening and does not involve the understanding of the meaning of words but merely the different sounds that are produced. Everybody is born with discriminative listening. The subtleties of accent and pronunciation of a language can be identified by this kind of listening. Nonverbal cues are also used to listen and analyze. 

a) It helps to differentiate to differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar language.
b) It helps to identify the differences among various moods - happy, sad, worried, etc.
c) Listening to identify the speaker- father, mother, any relative, etc.

Advantages of discriminative listening

a) It helps the listener to read the speaker’s mindset.
b) It helps the listener to understand more than the words.
c) It helps the listener to realize the actual scene behind words.
d) It helps the listener to hear what remains unspoken.

  iii.          Comprehensive listening

The listening that concentrates on language and vocabulary to understand a speech is called comprehensive listening. It requires basic language skills and vocabulary to understand the conversation. It is the opposite of discriminative listening. This type of listening goes on lifelong. Some examples are-

a) listening to make some decisions
b) listening to give a response to the speaker

Advantages of comprehensive listening

a)   It prepares a base for other listening types.
b)   It helps to find the exact meaning of the message.
c)   It helps to analyze and understand complex calculations, technical as well as scientific articles. 

d)   It is used to receive feedback.

  iv.           Sympathetic listening

Sympathetic listening is based on emotion. Instead of focusing on the language of the message, the listener focuses on the feelings and emotions of the speaker.

Advantages of Sympathetic listening

a) To provide support and sympathize with the speaker.

b) To understand the feeling of the speaker.

c) To win the trust and confidence of the speaker.

d) To build a good relationship with the speaker.

e) To remove stress and frustration of the speaker

     v.          Empathetic or Therapeutic Listening

The listening that is helpful to see a problem from another’s perspective is called Empathetic Listening. It helps to understand someone else’s point of view as they’re speaking. Instead of just focusing on the message, Listener relates to someone else’s experiences as if they were his own. It is different from sympathetic listening.

Advantages of Empathetic listening

a) It helps you to tackle the problem.

b) It helps the listener to avoid unnecessary guesses.

c) It helps to focus on the real intention of the speaker rather than doubting.

d) It helps to lead an unbiased professional and personal life.

  vi.          Critical Listening 

The listening that is used to analyze complex information to evaluate the message is called critical listening. It goes deeper than comprehensive listening. The listener tries to compare the facts with his own knowledge and concludes.

Advantages of Critical Listening 

a) It helps in problem-solving.

b) It helps to choose better options.

c) It helps to decide or conclude.

vii.          Biased listening/Selective Listening

The listening that allows the listener to listen only to a selective piece of information is called biased listening. Biased listening is also known as selective listening. Biased listening results in incomplete information because the listener wishes to listen only about his like things.

Disadvantages of Biased Listening

a) It interrupts the communication cycle.

b) It does not help in future conversations.

c) Information is incomplete.

viii.          Appreciative Listening

Listening for enjoyment is called appreciative listening. We do appreciative listening to enjoy music, hymns worship, motivational speeches, standup comedy, etc. The choice of the listener varies from person to person.

Advantages of Appreciative listening

a) It is used to enjoy the favourite audio.

b) It is used to reduce stress and tension.

c) It is used for self-pleasure.

d) It may bring positive results.

  ix.          Active Listening

The listening in which the listener remains active and attentive is called active listening. The listener carefully listens to the speaker and later, responds accordingly. The listener shows interest through facial expressions, body language, asking questions, etc. Active listening makes a good relationship between the listener and the speaker.

Advantages of Active Listening

a) It provides a positive environment for communication.

b) It helps to continue the conversation.

c) It helps the speaker to open up his feelings and share his thoughts.

d) It creates a good rapport between the speaker and the listener.

     x.          Passive Listener

The listening in which the listener listens quietly but doesn’t show his interest in communication is called passive listening. The listener neither interrupts nor participates in the conversation.

Disadvantages of Passive Listener

a)   The message is not absorbed by the listeners.
b)   Communication is ineffective.

c) The listener cannot use information effectively in the future.

  xi.          Intuitive Listening

Listening between the lines to know the true intention of the speaker without caring about his words is called intuitive listening. It is a higher form of listening in which the listener listens with an intuitive mind without judgment and assumption.  Meaning isn’t conveyed only in words; hence, voice tone, body language, the context of the conversation, and even our intuition create meaning. The listener uses all the senses (nonverbal and verbal) to tune with the speaker.

Advantages of Intuitive Listening

a)   It leads to the best form of leadership.
b)   Listeners can make better decisions,
c)  It is used to build stronger relationships.
d)  It is used to resolve problems more quickly.

xii.          False listening

false listening is the process in which the listener appears to be listening but is not actually involved in the listening process, interpretation & understanding of the message. They make the speaker believe that they are listening. They also exhibit eagerness and intense looks and try to put periodic comments or a question, which is the usual technique.

NOTE-TAKING

Note Taking

Note-taking is the process of preparing notes while listening to a lecture. Note-taking is done by the listener. It is a very common practice when a listener attends either a meeting in an office or a lecture in a college. It helps record information from different speeches. By taking notes, the listener records the important points of the information and keeps it for future reference. Traditionally, notes are always handwritten but nowadays notes are also taken through notetaking software. Note-taking is a foundational skill in personal knowledge management.

Importance of Note-Taking

                 i.          To record lectures for future study and review.

                ii.          To implant the material in the mind.

               iii.          To make listeners more attentive.

               iv.          To study when shortage of time.

                v.          To retain more about the lecture.

               vi.          To revise information. 

Basic rules for Note-Taking

Note-taking is a personal thing and there is no fixed technique for it but there are three basic rules that can help note-taking quicker and more efficiently:

                 i.         Be selective – write only important points

                ii.         Be brief - use abbreviations and symbols

               iii.         Be clear - Find a relationship between the speaker’s points.

How to Take Good Lecture Notes

Suggestions/Guidelines for Taking Notes:

Notes are very important assets to prepare for an examination or for future reference. Notes are very helpful at the last time revision. Hence, these must be written carefully

    i.   Write in good handwriting.

   ii.   Write in a neat, attractive, and easy-to-understand format.

   iii.  Indicate the main points of the lecture.

   iv.  Show the relationship of the sub-heading to the main headings.

   v.   Include important illustrative details to enrich notes and content.

   vi.   Use good stationery like ink and a notebook. 

   vii.   Mention the date and page number.

  viii.   Leave wide margins to show the relationships of ideas to each other.

   ix.   Use notetaking shorthand techniques like

• Don’t use complete sentences.
• Use symbols not complete words.
• Use abbreviations and creative spelling. 

   x.   Listen more than write because All lecturers repeat many things at many times.

   xi.  Don’t decorate notes otherwise, you cannot concentrate on listening.

   xii.   Use numbers in notes, if needed.

  xiii.  Read notes as soon as possible, after the lecture, to fix handwriting, spelling, and clarity.

Methods of Note-Taking

There is no fixed method of taking notes of a lecture. Note-taking can be done in any way that is easier for a listener. Some of the methods are as follows-

1.     Linear method

2.     Outline method

3.     Sentence method

4.      Charting

5.      Mapping

6.     Cornell Notes

Now, we will discuss each method one by one-

1.     Linear method

The method of note-taking in which notes are written as the information is received is called the linear method of note-taking. It is a simple means of taking notes. Notes are written as the information is received. It may include chronological outlines of a lecture This method required a higher potential of listening and noting everything. It is difficult for slow writers.

2.     Outline method

The method of note-taking in which headings and subheadings are written is called the outline method of note-taking. It is an easy method. Notes are organized in a structured, and logical manner with the help of bullet points.  Bullet points include- Roman numerals, letters of the alphabet, and Arabic numerals. Due to headings and subheadings, a lot of information can be reviewed in a short period of time.

This method has a limitation in that a writer cannot add anything in the middle of numbers or the listener has to leave a bigger space after every number to add anything later.

3.     Sentence method

'The sentence' note-taking is simply writing down each topic as a short, simple sentence. It is helpful in fast-paced lessons where a lot of information is being covered. The note-taker records every new thought, fact, or topic on a separate line but the notes are not organized into heading and subheadings. Numbers or bullets are used to show the beginning of a new thought.

4.     Charting

The method of note-taking in which notes are prepared with the help of a chart to show the relation among various points is called the charting method of note-taking. It is useful for a topic that has different categories, such as similarities, differences, dates, events, impact, etc. The listener may review and rewrite notes using the charting method. It includes flow charts, tables, frames, etc.

5.     Mapping

The method of note-taking in which spatial organization and diagrams are used to write information is called the mapping method of note-taking. The main point is kept in the center of the page and then branches outward to mention all the ideas connected to that central topic. Colors, small graphics, symbols, etc. are often used to help to visualize the information more easily.

6.     Cornell Notes

Walter Pauk of Cornell University developed this method of note-taking. It consists of dividing a single page into three sections: a right-hand column for notes, a left-hand column for cues, and a strip at the bottom for a summary. Cues are keywords or questions that help evoke key aspects of the topic. This method is used for mathematics or chemistry, physics, etc. where formulas and graphs are used.

Layout (format) of Cornell Notes:

Subject:                                                                             date: Chapter/lecture:
Cues column: questions or keywords	Notes
summary

COMMON ABBREVIATIONS FOR NOTETAKING

Devise your own abbreviation for words used frequently in a course. Be consistent! Always use the same abbreviation for the same word. Abbreviations are divided into three categories-

Common Problems in Note-Taking and Their Solutions

1. Illegibility -Anybody can easily read his/her own written notes. even then it is advisable to go over notes after noting to clarify any illegible parts. This is particularly important in the case of notes that had to be taken rapidly.
2. Points Missed - If something is missed during noting then leave spaces. Try to fill in later from the text or by checking with classmates or the teacher.
3. The spelling of a Word Not Known - Write the word as best as possible phonetically. Code (Sp?) and check later.
4. Missed Lectures - When a classmate must miss a lecture and entrusts you with taking notes for him, use a piece of carbon paper and provide him with his own copy. Thus, there is less chance that he will be using your notes at times when you would like to have them available for review and also less chance of the notes being lost. If you miss a lecture, your classmates can reciprocate for you.
5. Ink or Paper Supply Becomes Exhausted - A replacement might be obtained from a neighbor if it can be done quickly and unobtrusively. Otherwise, the student should listen especially carefully and write the missing notes as soon as he possibly can. Since forgetting is rapid when notes are not taken, it is wise to check paper, pencil, and ink before leaving for class.
6. Poor Physical Situation - When seeing or hearing is difficult, a seat change for the next lecture, or even during the same lecture, is in order. If a problem arises such as light glare preventing students from seeing the place on the board where the lecturer is writing, the lecturer might be informed of this. He would probably rather be interrupted to be informed of such a condition than to have part of his lecture lost.
7. Poor Physical or Emotional Condition - Try to concentrate deeply on the topics of the lecture and become very interested in them. Such practice may help a student forget minor physical discomfort or emotional upset by detracting from it for a while.