Ohio University College of Business Communication Standards

Be polite:
Politeness means being courteous, civil, considerate, and respectful to the reader. Politeness
is achieved by using proper language when addressing the reader. The appropriateness of the
language used is really a factor of the relationship that exists between writer and reader.
If the writer and reader do not have a personal relationship, then, in most situations, courtesy
titles are used, such as Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr. These titles should be used if the
communication is external--the writer is communicating with someone outside his/her
organization. If the writer and reader are part of the same company or organization, then
polite language depends upon their respective positions in the hierarchy. Superiors can more
easily address subordinates on a first-name basis, ignoring courtesy titles. Subordinates
should have a personal relationship with superiors before addressing them without using
courtesy titles.
Be fair:
Successful companies are aware of the diversity of the world marketplace and the importance
of being inclusive of groups that comprise their customers. From a purely capitalistic
perspective, avoiding all types of discrimination in company language makes good business
sense because it appeals to as many customers as possible. Therefore, it is good practice to
avoid making assumptions about gender-specific social roles, to include information about
race and age only when it is relevant to the purpose of the message, and to avoid stereotyping
people with disabilities and diseases.
Guide to Document Revision
According to Mary E. Guffey, author of Business Communication: Process and Product,
2003, the revision process includes:
1. Revising to improve the content and sentence structure;
2. Proofreading to correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, format, and mechanics; and
3. Evaluating to analyze whether the message achieves its purpose.
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