LET'S COMMUNICATE
Agriculture Communication Newsletter
February 2004, No. 98

CONTENTS
     WRITE THE RIGHT WORD
     ETIQUETTE WITH OFFICE GADGETS
     HOW TO GET YOUR NEWS AND INFORMATION OUT
     ANSWERS TO WRITE THE RIGHT WORD
     QUOTE OF THE MONTH

WRITE THE RIGHT WORD

At a manager's seminar I attended last month, the introduction included a self-assessment on grammar basics. The leader pointed out that inaccurate grammar gives others a poor impression of us. 
See how you do on these. Answers below.
1. Neither of the employees (has, have) been with the company very long.
2. Business letters (communicates, communicate) more effectively when grammar rules (is, are) followed - even when using e-mail.
3. Michael Olson is the one (who, whom) is the best writer.
4. The department with the most employees (is, are) going to succeed.
5. Where (is, are) your research reports?
6. Mr. James, (who, whom) the firm will promote, is on vacation.
7. Each participant will improve (her, their) writing style.

ETIQUETTE WITH OFFICE GADGETS

One challenge with communications technologies is to use them without driving each other nuts. Barbara Pachter, co-author of the Prentice Hall Complete Business Etiquette Handbook, offers these tips for "techno-etiquette."
* Leave your name and phone number at the beginning and end of a voice mail message, and speak clearly and slowly. It is inconsiderate to make someone replay a message to try to catch your name or number.
* Spelling and grammar count in e-mail. No, people won't assume you really know better, and, yes, they will draw conclusions about your competence.
* If you're using a speaker phone, let the caller know who else is in the room with you. This is simple politeness, and it can avoid all sorts of embarrassment.
* Don't use a speaker phone if you share office space with other people. Listening to your conversations will distract and annoy them.
From Training Magazine, January 1999

HOW TO GET YOUR NEWS AND INFORMATION OUT

With several transitions in Agriculture Communication, we want to make sure you know who to contact.
All news release drafts and ideas should be directed to Rich Mattern at Richard.Mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu  or 231-6136. 
Sharon Lane is coordinating the educational materials development process. All publications, newsletters, CDs and similar materials should go to Sharon in the Distribution Center first to be processed through an editor; a graphic designer; printing, Web publishing, CD burning or other production; and distribution. Contact Sharon at slane@ndsuext.nodak.edu  or 231- 7883. 

ANSWERS TO WRITE THE RIGHT WORD

1. has -- The subject of the sentence - neither - is singular.
2. communicate -- The subject - letters - is plural.
are -- The verb modifies the plural rules.
3. who -- Use who when someone is the subject of a sentence, clause or phrase, and use whom when someone is the object of a verb or preposition.
4. is -- The subject - department - is singular.
5. are -- Even though a question is "backwards," the verb is modifying the plural reports.
6. whom -- See #3. Whom is the object of the verb promote.
7. her -- I argued with the leader on this one since we can't assume all participants are female; however, it's also incorrect to use the plural their since each participant is singular. My suggestion? Rewrite the sentence to say All participants will improve their writing styles.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Avoid fancy writing. The most powerful words are the simplest. "To be or not to be, that is the question." "In the beginning was the word." "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep." "Out, out, brief candle." "The rest is silence." Nothing fancy in those quotations. A natural style is the only style. Source: Arthur Brisbane, legendary columnist and editor for Hearst newspapers