personal email letters, instant messaging, emoticons, online chat
rooms and cyberspace bulletin board s.
FORMAL COMMUNICATION
Formal communication can be considered as communication efforts
that are ―dressed up‖ to fit customary rules and ceremony For
example, in a written letter, the formal communication style will
demand that the layout of the piece of written communication
follow a specific format that includes the date, header, salutation,
body of the letter, close, signature lines and any indicators of
enclosures all placed neatly upon company letterhead or personal
stationery. By contrast, an informal piece of written communication
can be as simple as a jotted note to a friend on a torn slip of paper
Formal communications are mostly written, although they may now
also include formal presentations that are on computer disk, video
tape or DVDs, MP3 presentations and other similar electronic
reproductions of written communications. Other forms of formal
communications include newsletters, legal advisories, invitations,
awards, and letters of congratulations. Non -written formal
communication devices are in -person communications in the forms
of departmental meetings, telephone calls, conferences and special
interviews. Some publications that are devoted to a special
purpose, such as a company‘s annual report, are formal
communications.
There is a non-verbal component to formal communication as well.
The style and manners of the presenter dictate the formalness of a
meeting, and this can be immediately seen at the time of
introduction of a speaker. Some elements of non -verbal formal
communication include maint aining a certain distance from others,
standing above the crowd, speaking in formal tones and using
formal means of address to others, such as ―Mister‖ or ―Doctor‖
when calling upon others