Spoken into print: effects of electronic word processing on inter-office writing

Abstract

The development of electronic mail office systems has introduced a new medium for business writing. A study of 534 complete documents written and received in February 1985 shows the effects of this new medium upon the correspondence of a senior executive in a large American corporation. In contrast to the conventional style of much professional writing, that of the sample documents is often oral, fragmented, and personal. It reveals the context and invention that have shaped the documents as well as some effects of computer composition and printing. Since automated offices are rapidly increasing across the country, the changes in business writing style wrought by the new medium will be widespread and far-reaching.