Talojongon, Tigaon, Camarines Sur
PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
1st Semester, Module 5
JAMILLE ANN S. POLIDO
Instructor
MODULE 5: COMMUNICATION FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES
Time Frame/ Number of Hours – 3 hours
I. OBJECTIVES/ LEARNING OUTCOMES
In this module you are expected to:
Write effective letters of inquiry
Create incident report template
Provide information accurately
II. MOTIVATION
Do these statements apply to you?
1. I have effective techniques in seeking for information online.
2. I can easily ask for information from anyone.
3. I can easily start a conversation with other people.
4. I feel that people easily comprehend what I say.
5. I am confident I can write a formal inquiry letter.
Do you agree or disagree?
1. You need not observe the writing conventions in writing e-mails.
2, English is the best language for interviews.
3. Emails are informal.
4. Abbreviations are encouraged in emails.
III. INTRODUCTION
You probably texted or called people to obtain information you needed several times already. Did
you get the information you needed? Did you use the same language and tone in all your queries through
phone calls and text messages?
You might have also received queries via text messages, conversations, and phone calls. Were
there times when you felt the language or the tone of the caller or message sender was inappropriate?
Were you able to provide the information sought satisfactorily?
Both obtaining and giving information are a part of our daily activities. Information provide
individuals basis for actions, plans, and decisions. An individual’s skill in finding information helps him
save time and make well-informed decisions, and actions. Likewise, giving information effectively is of
great help to others.
IV. CONTENT
An inquiry letter is written when a person needs more information about products, services,
internships, scholarships, or job vacancies offered by companies, associations, or individuals. Often,
inquiry letters are sent when a person has specific questions that are not addressed by the general
information available provided by brochures, websites, advertisements, classified ads, etc.
An inquiry may also be in the form of telephone or personal interview.
Depending on the immediacy and specificity of the need, one of these modes may prove more
responsive to your need.
Both interview and letter require correct and appropriate language use. Both require correctness,
conciseness, clarity of language, and courtesy. While letters require correctness of spelling, punctuations,
capitalizations, indentions, margins, etc. interviews require clarity of words, correct punctuation,
intonation and pauses, spontaneity, pleasing personality, and confidence.
CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION OF LETTER OF INQUIRY
Just like any business letter, letter of inquiry has the following basic parts:
A. Heading and Letterhead
B. Inside Address
C. Salutation
D. Body of the letter
First Paragraph: It provides a background of your inquiry such as how, where and when you first
learned of the information. State your purpose in one or two sentences.
Middle Paragraph: This section should specify the information you are seeking.
Final Paragraph: Express your expectation from your addressee and thank him in advance for his
favorable action.
E. Complimentary close
F. Signature
FORMAT
The format of an inquiry letter follows any of the following most commonly used formats: pure
block, semi-block, or modified block.
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
___________________________
___________________________:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________.
________________________,
________________________
EMAILS
More frequently used now in inquiry are emails. Emails gained popularity because of speed and
convenience.
Generally, email messages are less formal than letters, although there are still expectations for
appropriate and effective email communication. The formality is determined by the sender’s familiarity
and relationship to the receiver, the classification and objective of the message to be sent, and other
factors that shape the context of communication. In academic emails, for example, it is more appropriate
to sound formal and professional. The use of ‘wanna, gonna,’ and abbreviations such as “tnx” and “gbu”
and emoticons is inappropriate. In other informal contexts, however, abbreviations and emoticons may
be effective. In academic and other more formal emails, correctness and other qualities that apply to
business letters should be observed.
For more effective email communications ( and also letters), remember the following;
1. Be courteous. Courtesy does not only mean greeting, thanking, or using polite expressions. It
also means considering the feelings of the receiver, thus, the writer needs to use the appropriate or
positive tone.
2. Keep messages as concise and clear as possible.
3. Proofread and spellcheck before reading.
4. Provide a short but descriptive subject line. The subject line will help the receiver readily
identify the content type and the urgency of the message.
5. Although some parts of the email are optional, it is enabling to know all the other parts.
Below is the list of all parts of an email. The style may vary depending on the system you use.
From: Jaylou J. Jose
Sent: 26 May, 9:10 AM
To: Aaron C. Jacinto
CC: Maggy J. Jaime
Bcc: Luz D. Cruz
Subject: Scholarship availability inquiry
Attachment: Form 137
Salutation: Dear Mr. Jose
Body of the letter
Closing: Sincerely yours,
Name (email signature)
The parts of the emails are explained below:
From: Name of person sending the email
Sent: Date and time
To: Name of person receiving the email
CC. Other person receiving the message
Bcc: Another person receiving the email without the other recipient knowing
Subject: Content (title) of the email
Attachment: Document sent separately, not included in the email (but attached)
Salutation: Greeting or opening
Body of the email: message
Closing: ending
Name/signature of the sender: name and title
(Below the name of the sender, the following information may be included: company and
address, telephone number, URL or website address and social media link)
Interview is a special type of purposive conversation. Interviews are classified into different types
according to purpose, but basic to all types of interview is to obtain desired information.
Interview requires real time for both the interviewee and interviewer.
Whatever your specific purpose is, it is always advantageous to consider the following tips in
conducting an interview.
Before the interview
1. Remember that if you are seeking for information from people (e.g. interview for research), you
are asking them a favor, thus make appointments with your interviewee at their most convenient time.
2. Prepare the list of questions.
During the interview
1. Be punctual.
2. Wear appropriate attire.
3. Observe good manners.
4. Speak clearly and be attentive.
5. If you have follow- up questions, ask politely. Ask the interviewee to validate your notes.
6. Allow the interviewee sufficient time to answer.
7. Rephrase questions to clarify vague points.
8. Acknowledge answers of the interviewee to assure him of your attention.
9. Graciously thank the interviewee for his time.
PARTS OF THEE INTERVIEW
The opening includes the initial contact of the interviewer and the interviewee. Rapport should be
established by creating positive impression. Although introduction might have been done during the
appointment, introduce yourself briefly.
The body includes several questions to achieve your specific objectives.
The conclusion includes expressing gratitude and hope of meeting the interviewee again in the
future.
V. STUDENT ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
1. When is a letter of inquiry more advantageous than conducting an interview?
2. What can’t a letter of inquiry achieve that an interview can?
3. What determines the appropriateness of attire in interviews?
4. What are the factors that determine the formality level of tone in emails, letters, and interview?
5. Write an email regarding an inquiry asking for more details about the public service announcement
below.
10 slots available for scholarship grants for college education
Candidate requirements
Weighted average: 87
Age: 17-20
Combined Income of parents should not be more than P500.000 annually
Income tax Return both parents
Benefits include the following:
100% free tuition fee and miscellaneous fees
P10,000 for book allowance
P 10,000 allowance per semester
6. One way of providing comprehensive information is by writing an incident report.
VI. SUMMARY
An inquiry letter is written when a person needs more information about products,
services, internships, scholarships, or job vacancies offered by companies, associations, or
individuals.
An inquiry may also be in the form of telephone or personal interview.
Emails gained popularity because of speed and convenience.
Interview is a special type of purposive conversation. Interviews are classified into
different types according to purpose, but basic to all types of interview is to obtain desired
information
PARTS OF THE INTERVIEW: The opening includes the initial contact of the interviewer
and the interviewee. Rapport should be established by creating positive impression.
Although introduction might have been done during the appointment, introduce yourself
briefly. The body includes several questions to achieve your specific objectives. The
conclusion includes expressing gratitude and hope of meeting the interviewee again in the
future.
VII. EVALUATION
1. Which of the following is a special type of purposive conversation. Interviews are classified into
different types according to purpose, but basic to all types of interview is to obtain desired
information?
a. interview b. email c. Inquiry d. incident report
2. Which of the following is written when a person needs more information about products,
services, internships, scholarships, or job vacancies offered by companies, associations, or
individuals?
a. interview b. email c. Inquiry d. incident report
3. Which of the following should be observed during the interview?
a. Be punctual c. Observe good manners
b. Wear appropriate attire d. all of the above
4. Which part of the interview includes the initial contact of the interviewer and the interviewee.
Rapport should be established by creating positive impression?
a. opening b. body c. conclusion d. none of these
5. Which of the following is a part of an email?
a. From b. Sent c. CC d. all of these
VIII. ASSIGNMENT
1. As a nurse, what are the information that you need to write? How should you organize your
notes?
IX. REFERENCES
Wakat, Geraldine S. PhD. Et. al. Purposive Communication.LORIMAR Publishing Inc. (2018).
Prepared by:
JAMILLE ANN S. POLIDO
Instructor
