Definition and Examples of Letters

Definition of Letter

A letter is a written message from one party to another containing information. Letters guarantee the preservation of communication between both parties. They bring friends or relatives closer together, enrich professional relationships and provide a satisfying mean of self-expression. Letters contribute to the protection and conservation of literacy, which is the ability to write and read. Letters have been sent since antiquity and are mentioned in the Iliad  by Homer (lived around 7th or 8th centuries B.C.). Works by both Herodotus and Thucydides, also mention letters.

    1.    Application Letter

A letter of application, also known as a cover letter, is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills and experience.

The letter of application is intended to provide detailed information on why are you are qualified for the job you are applying for. Effective application letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identify your most relevant skills or experiences.

Your application letter should let the employer know what position you are applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow-up.

What to Include in a Letter of Application

When writing an application letter you should include:

Subject (for an email letter)
List the job you are applying for and your name in the Subject Line of your email message, so the employer is clear as to what job you are interested in and who you are.

Greeting
Begin your letter greeting with "Dr./Mr./Ms. Last Name." If you do not know the employer's last name, simply write "Dear Hiring Manager" or leave the greeting off the letter and start with the first paragraph.

Body of Letter

• First Paragraph: Why you are writing - mention the job you are applying for and where you found the listing.
• Middle Paragraph(s): What you have to offer the employer - mention why your skills and experience are a good fit for the job.
• Last Paragraph: Say thank you to the hiring manager for considering you and note how you will follow up.

Signature
End your cover letter with your signature, handwritten, followed by your typed name.

When you submit your resume, you will typically need to write a cover letter as well. Since it is a formal letter, there are set guidelines for what information to include in your cover letter.
The following cover letter format lists the information you need to include in the cover letter you submit with your resume. Since a cover letter is a formal letter, it's important to adhere to these formatting standards.
Use the guideline below to create customized cover letters to send to employers. Then, review cover letter samples, a cover letter template, and tips for formatting hard copy and email cover letters you can use to write your own letters.

Cover Letter Format

Your Contact Information
Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address
Date
Employer Contact Information (if you have it)
Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Salutation
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,

• Cover Letter Greeting Examples: Note: If you do not have a contact name, you can skip the salutation entirely. Or, you can use Dear Hiring Manager, To Whom It May Concern, or one of the other examples listed in the link. Ideally, you will be able to address your cover letter to a specific person. Doing research can help you figure out who is the most appropriate person to receive the letter. Note: If you do not know the gender of your contact, you can write out the person's full name, e.g., "Dear Cory Smith"or "Dear Jordan Parish."

Body of Cover Letter
The body of your cover letter lets the employer know what position you are applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow-up. Organize the body of your cover letter into the following paragraphs:

• First Paragraph
  The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why you are writing. Mention the position you are applying for and where you found the job listing. Include the name of a mutual contact, if you have one.

• Middle Paragraph(s)
  The next section of your cover letter should describe what you have to offer the employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications match the job you are applying for. Think of this section of the cover letter as where you're making a pitch for your fit as an employee and show makes you a great candidate. Keep in mind that employers will be more interested in what you can do for them, than a list of your background. Make the connection between your qualifications and the job requirements clear. Use this section to interpret your resume—don't repeat from it verbatim.

• Final Paragraph
  Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position. Include information on how you will follow-up. Optionally, you can briefly restate why you would be a good fit for the position.

Example of Application Letter

February 28, 2003

Engr. Rigor Buenvinna
Samsung Products Inc.
1345 St. Bernard Drive
Pasig City

Dear Engr. Buenvinna:

In March 2003, I will be graduating from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering.  I am writing to explore the possibility of employment as a Control Systems Engineer at your Pasig facility.

Early in my coursework at UP, I seriously began considering future employment with Samsung Products Inc.  We use a number of your products in our laboratory work, and their design, precision and reliability are impressive.  More recently, however, I noted in a professional computing journal that you are undertaking a new project to apply microcomputers in automatic control systems.  Many of my electives were in the fields of control systems and computers, and I have worked for two summers in microcomputers applications.  I believe that I am well qualified to begin working on your new project; I know that it is directly related to my interests.

The enclosed resume details my educational background and experience.  I will be in the Pasig area on the first week of January and I could be available for an interview, if convenient.  In the meantime, if you need any further information, you may contact me at 047.791.2991.  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely yours,

Jayson Andaya

    2.    Inquiry Letter

           Inquiry Letter is a letter written to request information and/or ascertain its authenticity. A letter of inquiry deals with various matters like job vacancies, funding, grants, scholarships, projects, sales, pre-proposals and others. The term is common in various business setups as it implies fund request or pre-proposal information. Owing to this usage, the term may be considered exclusive to these setups alone. But that is not the case, to this effect the below definition offers a justified meaning.

·         Inquiry Letter Definition

       A document requesting information sent on behalf of an individual or an organisation for their own respective purposes, which can be mutually beneficial to the recipient and the sender.

The term ‘Inquiry’ is same as ‘Enquiry’. The former is more commonly used in U.S. and the latter one is more common in U.K. There are some other terms which represent the letters; these are Letter of Intent, Letter of Interest, Query letter, Prospecting Letter, Pre-proposal Letter and Concept Paper. The term ‘Cover Letter’, ‘Business Letter’, ‘Request Letter’ and ‘Sales Letter’ is also applied to an inquiry letter especially when the objective is same as that of letter for inquiry.

       A letter of inquiry serves to facilitate business operations and satisfaction of the sender. Inquiry letters remove any misunderstanding and are time savers, especially when two parties want to reach an understanding. The communication towards this effect resolves the issue without any delay. With relation to it being a ‘Pre-proposal letter’, the inquiry letter is also termed as a ‘Condensed Version of a Proposal’. It is the outcome of the purpose of the letter which highlights the points of a proposal instead of a full-fledged proposal.

       On an individual’s basis, these letters are sent to companies that are willing to hire but haven't advertised job openings. It can also be a letter addressed to editor in-charge of a publication proposing certain literary work. It can be a letter from a student who is vying for a seat in a college or a business that provides an internship. So, the objective of an enquiry letter is same but its projections and audiences are different. Same goes for its method of delivery, it can be sent via paper mail or electronic mail.

Your Street Address
City, State Zip Code
Telephone Number
Email Address
Month, Day, Year
Mr./Ms./Dr. FirstName LastName
Title
Name of Organization
Street or P. O. Box Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. LastName:
Opening paragraph: State what position you are inquiring about; how you learned of the organization or position, and when you will be qualified for the position.
2nd paragraph: Tell why you are interested in the position or type of work the employer does (Simply stating that you are interested does not tell why, and can sound like a form letter). Demonstrate that you know enough about the position by relating your background to the employer or position and mention specific qualifications which make you a good fit for the employer's needs. This is an opportunity to explain in more detail relevant items in your resume. Refer to the fact that your resume is enclosed. Mention other enclosures if such are required to apply for a position.
3rd paragraph: Indicate that you would like the opportunity to talk with the employer to learn more about their opportunities or hiring plans. Restate briefly why you're so passionate about the opportunity you're applying for. State that you would be glad to provide the employer with any additional information needed. Thank the employer for her/his consideration.
Sincerely,
(Your handwritten signature)
Your name typed

Example of  Inquiry Letter

15 January 2011(2)

The Sales Manager,
Melody Modes Ltd.,
Carrham, Upminster UE12.(3)

Your Ref: KPS/C3, Our Ref: Con/13/1(4)

Dear Sir,
Thank you for your letter of 12 January regarding our conference facilities for your sales convention in July this year.(5)
I have pleasure in enclosing our current conference brochure and tariff. You will note that we offer a variety of venues inside the hotel itself, for groups of between 20 and 150 people, with a choice of catering facilities and with or without accommodation. This year we are also able to arrange functions in marquees in the hotel grounds, with a more limited range of catering, but again with or without hotel accommodation.
We have two lecture rooms, with audiovisual equipment – overhead projectors and video and DVD facilities – which might be of interest to you. There are also product display facilities within the hotel.
If you require all or some of your delegates to be accommodated in the hotel, I recommend early booking, as July is one of our peak months. We offer 4-star accommodation, every room with en suite facilities, minibar, television, personal safe, trouser press. We have two restaurants, four bars, a fully equipped gymnasium, and an indoor/outdoor swimming pool.(6)
I look forward to hearing from you further, and I shall be happy to supply any additional information you might require; you will be very welcome to visit the hotel to see for yourself the facilities we offer.(7)

Yours faithfully,

Hector Manning
General Manager(8)

   3.  Complaint Letter

A letter of complaint, or complaint letter, is normally written to deal with a problem situation when other attempts (i.e. phone contacts, e-mails, etc.) have failed to rectify the situation.

The complaint letter formalizes a problem situation by putting it into writing and is usually the last resort to try to get a situation resolved.

Properly written complaint letters can be very powerful and almost always get results, making them worth writing. To read an article on the subject of writing effective complaint letters.

Example of  Complaint Letter

Flat 303 Lucky Mansions
856 Cheung Sha Wan Road
Cheung Sha Wan
Kowloon

4 January 2011

The Administrative Officer
Exhibition Services
Exhibitions International
33 Kadoorie Avenue
Kowloon

Dear Sir/Madam

I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2010 at the Fortune Hotel from 24 - 28 December and found it informative and interesting. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of organisational problems. I explain each of the problems below.

Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the event. You set up an on-line registration facility, but I found the facility totally unworkable. Even after spending several wasted hours trying to register in this way, the computer would not accept my application. I eventually succeeded in registering by faxing you.

Secondly, the exhibition was held at one of Hong Kong's most prestigious hotels, but frankly the venue was better suited to a medium-sized business conference than to a large exhibition open by registration to the public. The lack of space led to serious overcrowding in the venue, particularly at peak visiting times (i.e. lunch times and early evening). On one or two occasions I was also seriously concerned about the physical safety of attendees.

The final point I want to make concerns product information. It is very enjoyable to see and test a range of excellent sound systems, but it is also important to be able to take away leaflets on interesting products, so that more research can be done before deciding which system to buy. However, by the time I attended the exhibition all the leaflets had been taken.

Could I please ask you to look into these matters - not only on my behalf but also on behalf of other attendees, and in fact on behalf of your company, too.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Michael Leung

Michael Leung

4.Purchase Order Letter

      a letter of order is a document that confirms the details of a purchase of goods or services from one party to another. It usually includes more information about what you are ordering, like quantity, model number, or color, the payment terms, and the matter in which the products are to be shipped. When the recipient receives this letter, they will process the order and send the merchandise.

• Order Letter Definition

       An “Order” is an expense for the person placing the order and an income for the one getting it. But this is not all. The company that bags the order has to fulfill lot of commitments to ensure that it has a satisfied customer, which can be an individual or another company. Timely delivery of the order, quality of delivery and after sale service – are all part and parcel of getting an order.

      An Order Letter is the one that is written by the person/company placing the request of purchase from another company. This letter comes into action only when a detailed study of the desired product has been done in the market and based on promised service, quality and price of the product, a decision for a purchase has been made.

     An Order Letter should be drafted very carefully as it needs to pen down all the terms and conditions of the purchase for the benefit of both involved parties. It should have details such as product specifications, quantities, price agreed upon, delivery date, late delivery clauses, etc. It should be addressed to the person responsible for the execution of the order with a copy to the head of department. Since it is totally an official letter it should be typed.

A Purchase order letter is written by the company that wishes to place an order of products or services to the receiving company. The letter states the types of goods required with sufficient details for the supplying company to fulfill the order. Terms and conditions may also be included in such a letter.

Example of  Purchase Order Letter

From:
Robert S. Bunch
Purchasing Manager
Rodeo Enterprise
1941 Jail Drive
Cambridge, IL 61238
October 11, 2010
To:
Fred B. Guild
Store Manager
Fuller Productions Industry
680 Bee Street
Traverse City, MI 49686
Dear Mr. Guild
RE: Purchase Order for Products
On behalf of Rodeo Enterprise, I would like to place an order for the following products from your company. Please refer to the attachment for the order list.
The terms and conditions will be the same as per our previous orders; that is, cash on delivery. Please note the extra condition with this batch of order; that is, the products on the order list must be delivered within a month from the date of this order letter.
We are in an urgent rush for our annual year end production and we need these products within a month to meet our production target. If you miss our specified delivery target, there will be a penalty incurred on your pricing, as per our business collaboration contract which is effective until the end of 2013.
Thank you for your kind understanding and prompt service. Please feel free to contact me for further clarifications on this purchase order.
Yours Sincerely,
Robert S. Bunch
Purchasing Manager

 Sumber

http://www.belajarbahasainggris.us/2012/01/contoh-surat-lamaran-kerja-bahasa.html
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchglossary/g/letterofapplication.htm
http://www.bothell.washington.edu/careers/job-search-tools/coverletters/sample-inquiry
http://habibie16.blogspot.co.id/2013/10/inquiry-letter-order-letter-definition.html
http://dya08webmaster.blog.com/2012/12/05/example-of-inquiry-letter/
http://yanizzeccson.blogspot.co.id/2011/01/complaint-letter.html

Read More

Junk Food

Definition

Junk food:
Any meal containing weak vitamins and minerals is regarded as bad and may possibly be termed a junk food. Any meal that is elevated in weight, sodium, and/or sweets is actually a junk food. Processed foods can be convenient to carry, obtain in addition to use up. Commonly, a junk food can be given an incredibly interesting physical appearance with the help of meal artificial additives in addition to shades to reinforce quality, feel, physical appearance, in addition to improving long do it yourself lifetime.

Healthy food:
Healthy food means a balanced diet. A balanced diet - or a good diet - means consuming from all the different good groups in the right quantities. Nutritionists say there are five main food groups - whole grains, fruit and vegetables, protein, diary, and fat & sugar.

Andrew F. Smith, in his book, Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food defines junk food as "those commercial products, including candy, bakery goods, ice cream, salty snacks, and soft drinks, which have little or no nutritional value but do have plenty of calories, salt, and fats. While not all fast foods are junk foods, most are. Fast foods are ready-to-eat foods served promptly after ordering. Some fast foods are high in calories and low in nutritional value, while other fast foods, such as salads, may be low in calories and high in nutritional value."

Foods commonly considered junk foods include salted snack foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, friedfast food, and sugary carbonated beverages. Many foods such as hamburgers, pizza, and tacos can be considered either healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients and preparation methods. The more highly processed items usually fall under the junk food category, including breakfast cereals that are mostly sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and white flour or milled corn.

Especially in the case of ethnic foods, a classification as "junk food" could be perceived as rather offensive, given that such foods may have been prepared and consumed for centuries and may contain healthy ingredients^. In the book, Panic Nation: Unpicking the Myths We're Told About Food and Health, a complementary point is argued: food is food, and if there is no nutritional value, then it isn't a food of any type, "junk" or otherwise. Co-editor Vincent Marks explains, "To label a food as 'junk' is just another way of saying, 'I disapprove of it.' There are bad diets - that is, bad mixtures and quantities of food - but there are no 'bad foods' except those that have become bad through contamination or deterioration."

Popularity and appeal

Junk food in its various forms is extremely popular, and an integral part of modern popular culture. In the US, annual fast food sales are in the area of $160 billion, compared to supermarket sales of $620 billion(a figure which also includes junk food in the form of convenience foods, snack foods, and candy). In 1976, "Junk Food Junkie," the tale of a junk food addict who pretends to follow a healthy diet by day, while at night he clandestinely gorges on Hostess Twinkies and Fritos corn chips, McDonalds and KFC, became a Top 10 pop hit in the US.Thirty-six years later, Time placed the Twinkie at #1 in its "Top 10 Iconic Junk Foods" special feature: "Not only...a mainstay on our supermarket shelves and in our bellies, they've been a staple in our popular culture and, above all, in our hearts. Often criticized for its lack of any nutritional value whatsoever, the Twinkie has managed to persevere as a cultural and gastronomical icon."

America also celebrates an annual National Junk Food Day on July 21. Origins are unclear; it is one of around 175 US food and drink days, most created by "people who want to sell more food," at times aided by elected officials at the request of a trade association or commodity group.) "In honor of the day," Time in 2014 published, "5 Crazy Junk Food Combinations." Headlines from other national and local media coverage include: "Celebrate National Junk Food Day With… Beer-Flavored Oreos?" (MTV); "National Junk Food Day: Pick your favorite unhealthy treats in this poll" (Baltimore); "Celebrities' favorite junk food" (Los Angeles); "A Nutritionist's Guide to National Junk Food Day" with "Rules for Splurging" (Huffington Post); and "It's National Junk Food Day: Got snacks?" (Kansas City).

That the poor eat more junk food overall than the more affluent is quite well-established, but the reasons for this are not clear. Few studies have focused on variations in food perception according to socio-economic status (SES); some studies that have differentiated based on SES suggest that the economically challenged don't perceive healthy food much differently than any other segment of the population. Recent research into scarcity, combining behavioral science and economics, suggests that, faced with extreme economic uncertainty, where even the next meal may not be a sure thing, judgment is impaired and the drive is to the instant gratification of junk food, rather than to making the necessary investment in the longer-term benefits of a healthier diet.

 

Reasons why eating junk food is not good

Obesity

Junk food plays a major role in the obesity epidemic. By the year 2050, the rate of obesity in the U.S. is expected to reach 42 percent, according to researchers at Harvard University. Children who eat fast food as a regular part of their diets consume more fat, carbohydrates and processed sugar and less fiber than those who do not eat fast food regularly. Junk food in these children's diets accounts for 187 extra calories per day, leading to 6 additional pounds of weight gain per year. Obesity increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many other chronic health conditions.

Diabetes

Your insulin levels become elevated when you eat processed sugars, such as those in soft drinks, white flour and other foods devoid of fiber and nutrients necessary to properly metabolize carbohydrates. Eating junk foods throughout the day causes chronically high insulin levels, which eventually prompts your cells to begin to ignore this important hormone, resulting in a condition known as insulin resistance. Ultimately, obesity and Type 2 diabetes may set in. Since the 1980s, Type 2 diabetes, which was minimal in teenagers, has risen to 15 percent.

Depression

Junk food may lead to depression in teenagers, according to Andrew F. Smith, author of the book "Fast Food and Junk Food: An Encyclopedia of What We Love to Eat." Hormonal changes at puberty make teens more susceptible to mood and behavioral swings. A healthy diet plays a part in keeping hormone levels on an even keel, while a diet high in junk food falls short of these requirements. Consuming trans fats, saturated fats and processed food is associated with up to 58 percent increase in risk of depression.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Processing that removes vitamins, minerals and fiber makes junk foods into the sources of empty calories that nutritionists disparage. Children who eat a lot of junk foods may develop nutritional deficiencies that lead to low energy, mood swings, sleep disturbance and poor academic achievement, among other health conditions, according to the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension.

Sodium

High sodium levels are a defining characteristic of many junk foods and one of the contributing factors to the overconsumption of salt that typifies the Western diet and contributes to high blood pressure and heart, liver and kidney diseases, according to Harvard Health Publications. The average American eats five to 10 times more salt than the 2,300 milligrams per day recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Considering the high rates of high blood pressure among Americans, that level should be even lower -- about 1,500 milligrams per day -- for 70 percent of adults. However, the trend since 1988 shows that fewer people with hypertension adhere to a low-sodium diet now than did then.

5 kinds of junk food

The World Health Organization has published some junk food in the world, which may cause serious damage on human health. In the following passage, we will introduce them in detail.
1. Fried food:
Fried food contains a large quantity of heat, oil and fat. Often eat such kind food will easily lead to obesity and coronary heart disease. During the frying process, it often produces a lot of carcinogenic substances. Some studies have shown that, people who often eat fried food are more likely to suffer from cancer.
2. Canned food:
No matter canned fruits or canned meat, most of the nutrients are destroyed, especially various kinds of vitamins. In addition, the protein contained in canned products is often denatured, which greatly reduces the absorption rate and nutritional value of the food. What's more, a lot of canned fruits contain a large number of sugar. After eating such kind food, it may cause the level of blood sugar to raise in a short time, and increase the burden on pancreas. At the same time, as canned food is rich in calorie, so it may also lead to obesity.
3. Preserved food:
Preserved food always contains a lot of salt, so often eat such kind food will cause great burden on the kidney, which may increase the risk of hypertension. In addition, preserved food contains a kind of carcinogenic substance--nitrosamine, which may increase the risk of malignant tumors. In addition, the high concentration of salt can seriously damage the gastrointestinal mucosa, and then lead to gastrointestinal inflammation or ulcer.
4. Processed meat:
Processed meat (such as sausage) contains a certain amount of nitrite, so it has the potential risk of leading to cancer. What's more, because processed meat always contains a lot of preservatives and color agents, so it will increase the burden on the liver. At the same time, processed meat contains a high content of sodium, so eat too much of such kind of food will increase the intake of salt, and thus leading to fluctuation of blood pressure and causing damage on the kidney.
5. Cream products:
Often eating cream products can increase your weight, and even increase the content of blood glucose and blood fat. In addition, eating a lot of cream products before meal can reduce the appetite. What's worse, if you eat cream product with an empty stomach, it may lead to heartburn and other serious symptoms.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junk_food

http://askville.amazon.com/explain-wat-junk-food-healthy/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=87887443

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/reasons-eating-junk-food-not-good-3364.html

http://www.lookchem.com/Chempedia/Health-and-Chemical/18765.html

Read More