Purposeful

Writing in the
Disciplines and for
Professions
Have you
experienced
writing a book
review?
Book review gives vital
information about the book.
It is a descriptive and critical
account of a book. It provides
a summary of the content
and assesses the value of it
to potential readers. Book
review is different from book
Book reporting is an objective summary
of the main ideas and arguments the
book presents. It helps potential readers
determine if the book will be of any use
or interest to them.
The following are steps in Writing a
Book Review:
Analyze and evaluate the book critically.
1.Compare its content to similar texts and genres
appropriately
2.Be consistent with your stance and stick with it
throughout your review.
3.Review the book as a whole to see the big picture of it,
rather than resorting to its summary only.
4.Provide viable recommendations to potential readers
whether the book is worth reading or not.
 5.Provide viable recommendations to potential
readers whether the book is worth reading or
not.

Dos in Writing a Book Review:

1.Past Tense – is used in writing a review
about a book you have already read.
2.Emotive Language – is employed showing your
passionate stance or opinion about the book. Your
audience will thank you for it.
3.Active and Passive Voices - are used in
Elements of Book Review
1.Title
Often, the title of the book review will correspond to the title of the
text itself. However, some questions should be raised to validate
on the relevance of the title:
How does it fit into the purpose of the work as a whole?
Does it convey a message, or reveal larger themes explored within
the work?
2.Author
Discussing who the author is and what he/she had written
before, especially if it relates to the current work being reviewed,
is worth doing. Such discussion includes the author’s style and
what he/she is best known for and the awards the author
received.
3.Genre
Identify the genre that the book belongs to, such as:
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, romance, science-fiction or
history.

4.Book Jacket/Cover
Comment on the artwork contained by the book’s cover
which may contain interesting details related to the text
that contributes to, or detracts from the work as a whole.

5.Structure or Format
Examine how the book is organized. Is it written in
sections or chapters? Does it contain a table of contents,
index, glossary, etc.? Does it contain graphics and other
Literature review is an integrated analysis
and synthesis of scholarly articles related to
the topics or issues included in your paper. It
critically describes, summarizes, and evaluates
updated information from learning sources.
The following figure shows the kinds of
learning sources.
 Before writing a literature review, it is very significant to
pick a topic that you find compelling and is relevant to the
course. The topic should be relatively narrow, not broad, so
that it does not overwhelm the writer. It is also imperative to
find relevant literature, use keywords or phrases closely
associated with the topic. Search with one or two phrases
enclosed by quotation marks (“Edsa Revolution”, “Edsa
Revolution economic impact”, “Edsa Revolution economy”).

Moreover, evaluating Literature is deemed essential in

determining which ones seem to make the most important
contributions to the scholarship on the topic. Hence, such
move is very helpful in organizing the material later when
composing the review. The next figure will help you
understand on how to evaluate the literature.
Organizing a Literature Review
Literature review is organized into three parts:
1.Introduction defines and identifies the topic by establishing the reason/s for the
literature review. It explains the criteria used in analyzing and comparing articles and
points to general trends in what has been published about the topic
2.Bold. This part groups articles into thematic clusters, or subtopics and proceeds in
a logical order from cluster to cluster. Moreover, it emphasizes the main findings or
arguments of the articles in the student’s own words and keeps quotations from
sources to an absolute minimum.
3.End. Summarizes the major themes that emerged in the review and identifies
areas of controversy in the literature. It pinpoints strengths and weaknesses among
the articles and provides some insight into the relationship between that topic and
the larger field of study or discipline.
Structure of a Literature Review
Chronological Grouping
---means to group the material according to when it was
published or the time period the material addressed a
certain issue.

Thematic Grouping
---means sections might be organized around particular
subthemes within the essay’s topic
Research Report is “the systematic
investigation of materials and sources to
establish facts and reach new conclusions.” The
key to a good research report is the phrase
“systematic investigation.” Thus, researchers
follow certain processes to reach valid
conclusions and discoveries.
Following are the essential parts of the research paper:

1.Abstract section provides a prospective reader the

opportunity to judge the relevance of the paper without
having the need to read the entire material. This includes the
key terms found in the longer work and the purpose and
methods of the research.

2.Introduction covers the background of the study. It is in

this part that you will state clearly the purpose of your paper.
It contains the research questions and includes the literature
review with sufficient resources to explain the theoretical
assumptions and contextualizes the paper.
3.Methods can be thought of as cook book of the paper.
This section simply describes what you did, how you did it,
and when you did it.
4.Result section answers the research questions. It
organizes analysis and interpretation either in descriptions,
tables, graphs, or figures.
5.Discussion section extends findings to a broader context
by describing implications and limitations and poses further
questions.
6.Reference section must follow the prescribed APA style
by sorting the sources alphabetically, not based on
reference type.
Tips in Writing a Research Report:
1.It has an authentic voice with minimal use of
quotes.
2.Resources must be appropriately cited
3.APA 7 format is followed
4.Well written
5.Free from major spelling, grammatical, and
punctuation errors
6.Free from plagiarism
What is It
Have you ever been a participant to community
projects/activities? What are the goals of such
activities/causes/projects? Have you ever tried organizing
one of your own?
This lesson on Project Proposal exposes you in coming up
with a document used to convince a sponsor that a project
needs to be kicked-off enable to solve a particular problem
or to introduce an opportunity for development. It describes
in depth, how the project is going to be commenced so that
the sponsor understands early what is involved.
Below are the parts of the Project Proposal:
1.Project Title
▪︎Provide the project with a catchy name.
▪︎You may use word play, acronyms, abbreviations,
etc.
2.Project Type
▪︎Specify whether your project is designed for
education, health, organization, arts, exhibit, and
others.
3.Proponents
▪︎This include the project designers, investors, or
4.Area of Implementation
The address of the beneficiaries

5.Project Duration
Timeline, or number of implementing days of
the project.
6.Target Beneficiaries
▪︎Specify whether the beneficiaries would be men,
women, youth or the entire community.

7.Expected Output
▪︎Specify and quantify the expected project output/s.

8.Rationale/Background of the study

▪︎Stipulates the reasons behind the project
touches existing problem that you want to address
9.Objectives
Involves aspects of “development” the project wants
to achieve
Involves certain viable strategies to be done to meet
the objectives of the study

10.Sustainability
involves long-term effects of the project
embraces specific measures to sustain the project
10.Risk Management Plan
Encompasses risks and factors that may
hamper or hinder the successful
implementation of project activities and
achievement of project outputs.
Comprises of measures used to mitigate the
adverse effects resulting from such risks and
factors.
 12.Project Organization and Staffing

Committee 1 Committee 2 Committee 3 Committee 4

Persons involved Persons involved Persons involved Persons involved
Roles and Roles and Roles and responsibilities Roles and
responsibilities responsibilities responsibilities

▪︎Project Work
Plan
Strategies and Action Person/s or Committee/s Status Target Date Cost
Steps Responsible
 Detailed Budget Requirement
Particulars Unit of Measurement Unit Cost Quantity Total Cost

Position Paper Defined

A position paper describes a stand or position on a

particular issue, and the viable reasons for taking that position.
It is based on facts that offer a concrete basis for one’s
arguments crafted to appeal a specific audience.
A position paper enables authors to exchange views without
requiring them to follow research format. Position papers are
usually supported by evidences given in discussion about the
topic. A common type often required in schools is the
persuasive position paper.
Planning a Position Paper
▪︎Choose a side and stand on the issue.
▪︎Give a good introduction by including brief background
of an issue.
▪︎Enumerate arguments by giving at least three-string
comprehensible arguments.
▪︎Support each argument with proof of evidences.
▪︎Consider your audience in crafting your argument. Make sure
your arguments will appeal to the kind of people who will read
your position paper.
▪︎Identify at least two explicit and implicit counter-arguments to
your position. Knowing the “other side” position will help you
evaluate your own argument.
▪︎State your conclusion by restating and summarizing your
position and arguments on the issue at hand.
Lesson 2

PROFESSIONAL
CORRESPONDENCE
When you step out of the four corners of the
classroom, it would be a much different environment.
You would be challenged to find your rightful place in
the corporate world where your character and skills
would be tested.
This lesson will engage you to confidently pitch yourselves as
competent individuals ready for work. Varied tasks such as
filling out building worksheets are provided as an avenue for
you to craft effective resume and cover letter. Through this
lesson, you will have greater chances in landing your desired
job. Most importantly, the lesson would also address your
ability to evaluate your own qualifications and express your
worth in a job interview.
RESUMÉ is a document used by a person to present his/her
backgrounds and skills. It can be used for a variety of reasons,
but most often it is used to secure new employment. Everything
that is written in the resume must be true.
Below are the parts of a resumé:
1.Heading- includes your complete name written in bigger
and in bold text, current complete address and contact
details, such as cellphone number and email address.
2.JobCareeObjective-reflects your career goals and intention for
applying for the job. Write a direct and specific objective
containing with what you want to achieve in your career and what
the employer could expect from you.

3.Work Experience- also called “work history” stipulates all

previous employment that you have had. If you have no work
experience yet, write first the educational background, and
include the optional part Training and Seminar Attended.
4.Education- refers to the degree you obtained
together with your major, school, year attended,
and awards and/or certificates received in
school.
5.Skills- enumerate the abilities you can do
based on your training, experience or practice
which would pave the way in obtaining the job
you are applying for.
 Types of RESUMÉ
1.Chronological- is used to emphasize your
work history arranged according to dates. It
starts with the complete work experiences,
followed by the educational background. It is
best used if you are applying for a job related
to your previous experiences(10 to 15 years
work experiences).

2.Functional- focuses on your skills and

experience and not your work history. It is best
used if you changed career or if re-entering
the industry after a long absence. It is also
used by the high school or college students
entering the industry.
3.Combination- works best if you are aiming for a
career change or you want to highlight both your
skills and traits and provide a chronological listing
of your work experiences.

4.Targeted- is customized and specific to the

position you want to get. Your work history,
abilities, and education are reflections of the job
requirements.
 College Admission Letter is also known as the
“letter of intent.” It is a one-page letter required for
college and university admission. The sender writes
a letter to briefly discuss his/her intention for
attending the college program.
▪︎Before you write a college admission letter, you
must first:
▪︎Determine the program/course you want to
take
▪︎Follow a thorough research on
program/course structure
▪︎Reflect on your purpose in enrolling the
course: your achievements and future goals.
▪︎Decide the format to use in writing a letter.
▪︎If there is no required format, write the letter
Figure 2. Example of a Chronological Resumé in a full-block style, meaning all parts are aligned
to the left, with the format of one-inch margin, 12
 Parts of a College Admission
Letter
1.Heading, Date, and Inside
Address
--write on the top left the
heading stating your complete
address and zip code. The
date should be fully spelled
out. The inside address
contains the name of the
college or university admission
head, his/her job title (if
applicable) and the address of
Figure 3. Example of a College Admission
the university.
 2.Greeting /Salutation
-- starts mostly with the word “Dear” followed by the last
name of the receiver. End the salutation with a colon (:). If
the name has not been obtained, address it as “Ma’am/Sir”.

3.Body
--main part of the letter which includes the course you are
interested in, reason for choosing the university/college,
description of academic interest serving as the basis for
them to consider your application. Last part will be your
request to consider your application for admission and
information on how to contact you.
 4.Complimentary Close
-- is a polite way of finishing the letter. Remember that
it always ends with a comma (,) if business standard
punctuation style is used. No comma is used when
open punctuation style is employed.

5.Signature and Sender’s Identification

--is the last essential part of the letter. Write your
name on the first line and your title (if applicable) on
the second line. Then sign directly above the first
line.
 Employment Letter is also referred to as the “job application
letter” or “cover letter.” It is a one-page letter attached to the resumé
when applying for jobs highlighting the applicant’s experiences and
personal qualities for him to be considered for an interview designed for
the job. The parts of this letter are the same with the college admission
letter.
Three (3) Different Formats of Application Letter
1.Full Block Format- is the most common layout used in writing cover
letter. In this format, all parts are justified to the left.

2.Modified Block Format- is a type of format where applicant’s address,

complementary close, signature and sender’s identification are shifted to
the right side. Note that the first sentence in the body or in each
paragraph is not indent
3.Semi-Block
Format- is the least
used format. It is
almost the same as
the modified block
format; however, the
difference is that the
first sentence in each
paragraph is
indented.

Figure 4. Example of an Employment Letter

Business Correspondence means the exchange of information in a
written format for the process of business activities. It can take place
between organizations, within organizations or between the customers
and the organization.

Various Business Correspondence

1.Business Inquiry Letter – is written to communicate with a

business organization to ask for information about specific jobs,
products, or services. Usually, this letter is written in response to some
kind of advertisement that you may have seen on television or the
Internet.

2.Quotation Letter - is written in reference to the price of a service or

product. This could range from a customer or client requesting or
accepting a quote, to the supplier or service provider sending the
3.Order Letter - also known as a purchase order or PO is a
document that confirms the details of a purchase of goods or
services from one party to another.

4.Complaint Letter – is written when the purchaser does not

find the goods up to his/her satisfaction. Thus, it is a method of
filing a formal complaint against a service provider, whether a
company or an individual, in hopes of resolving a problem.

5.Recovery Letter – serves a pre-legal method for collection of

bad debts and past-due payments. It represents a written form
of a reminder addressed to the subject of debt, sent by a
creditor.
 Memo or memorandum is an internal communication used
to make announcements or give instructions. It also
provides an update on existing information.
Characteristics of Memo

1.Brief, direct, and easy to

navigate.
2.Less formal than letters but
should maintain a professional,
succinct style.
3.Written in short, simple, direct
sentences.
4.Language is simple and
unambiguous.
Parts of a Memo

1. Heading Section

- is aligned
vertically
- parallel parts have
4 subsections (to,
from, date, subject)
 Message
- First paragraph: Main
Point
- Second Paragraph:
Supporting details and
discussion
- Third Paragraph:
Outcomes, responses,
and action
Email or Electronic mail is a method of
exchanging messages between people using
electronic devices. It is commonly used now as
a mode of communication especially in the
corporate world. As such, it is a pillar of modern
communication having only one purpose, with
only one specific item, task, or request. It should
have enough information to allow a complete
response and should be professional but brief.
THANK YOU