Memorandum: Audience and Thill Essay

MEMORANDUM

To: Marian MacDonald
From: Okiemute Akposheri; Crystal Besserer; Venus Lim
Date: November 12, 2012
Subject: Effective Communication Skills

To communicate effectively, it is best to know your audience and also know how to successfully deliver the message either through written reports or oral presentations. This report addresses issues at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Telefilm Canada as seen in chapter 13 and 14 respectively.

QUESTION 1
We chose A) because a brief introduction will create a tone of the document. According to the text, “Your tone should also be businesslike and unemotional.” (Thill et al. 398). The website is available globally, being direct and specific to content also betrays the seriousness of the report. The description provides a brief but precise summary of what the PDF file will include such as the current crisis and future controls of Malaria, to capture the viewer’s attention. If the description is not provided, the viewer may be wasting valuable time and cost to download the PDF file. Providing a brief description of the report gives audience the impression that The Gates Foundation was considering their time being spent. This creates a relationship with the audience as they feel a sense of importance and will continue to re-visit the website.

We didn’t choose B) because the email link could be redundant. Most websites will provide a headers or sub-categories such as contact information, company profile, topics and comments to allow viewers to leave information or request additional information.

We didn’t choose C) because a news release posted on a different section of the website may not be very effective. As there is no particular audience for this report, assumptions could be made that the audience may be too busy to read this news release. According to the text, “Before your audiences will take time to read or hear your messages, they need to be interested in what you’re

saying” (Thill et al. 92). A short but concise description just before the report is needed to catch the attention of the audience.

We didn’t choose D) because titles could be misleading. It could lead to misinterpretation, depending on the audience’s perception. A title without a brief description may send out the wrong image of the content of the report.

QUESTION 2
We chose D) because this title is a positive tone and can direct the readers to view the article to “a shed of light” to a very horrible situation. According to the text, “A business report is not a mystery novel, so give your readers all the information they need: the who, what, when, where, why and how of the subject”. (Thill et al. 461). The title provides a clear understanding of what the report will entitle. A report that will lead to completely put an end to Malaria, brings hope to readers from anywhere around the globe, and so it makes this article a must read.

We didn’t choose A) because this title is very insensitive and could cause an offense to other cultures. In the text, “To ensure your success with report, be sensitive to audience needs, build strong relationships with your audience and control your style and tone”. (Thill et al. 397). Would the reader interpret this title as, “Was Malaria not a urgent crisis? And “Nobody needs to die! What about the adults that have Malaria?” Instead of providing solutions, the title could cause for more whys and why nots. The article will start a controversy instead of being an informative report.

We didn’t choose B) because this title is too long and can cause the audience to feel intimidated and feel that the report is far too advanced for him. According to the text, “You don’t want to intimidate your audience with a title that’s too long or awkward”. (Thill et al. 461). Being unclear who the audience will be, this title could be misleading by using the word “Preventing”. The word “Preventing”, might cause false hopes and the reader will

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