Locker module contents

Level One Modules: Tips, In-Class, Assignment clefs
Brief Contents: Unit and module names, LO's, PPT notes, assignments sans clefs
Detailed Contents: Just details of subheadings and corresponding pages
:有一些 PPT，对完成7-11周的“组project”很重要。
:但是由于时间问题，PPT 没能在课堂上触及。 请看看整个学期以来，各周必须对应的 module 章节。 圈出尚未触及的PPT。 如果是特别有关的，这些未触及的PPT，及章节，可能你们要首先掌握。第八周仍然是“介绍新章节，新PPT”。但由于从第九周开始，对章节学习转为“重温”，所以我拟增一周，以补足重要的，未触及的“新PPT”，然后再进入重温课程规定要重温的旧章节。
:Week周数 所对应章节 
:Week2 Modules 2,4,13
:Week3 =Modules 6,8,10
:Week4 =Modules 7,1,3
:Week5 =Modules 12,17
:Week6 =Modules 15,16
:Week7 =Modules 18,21
:Week8 =Modules 22,23
:Week9 =Modules 23
:Week10 =Modules 21
:Week11 =Modules 14-16:
==SQ4R==
===Mnemonics===
SurQuesRead, CiteCordView
* Sur: Tro-Head-Vis, Marg-Term-Sum
* Ques: Which When What, Why Where How Who?
* Read: Graph-Stop
* Cord: Card-High-Line-Nell-Map, Hier-Chart-Lumn-Ann-Marg
* Cite: Note-Loud-Cyc-Graph
* View: End-Wrote-Cite-Sum-Add, Use-Lect-Imp-Tool-Math-Step
===Steps===
Step One: Survey the chapter 
*Read the introductory materials carefully. 
*Read the headings and subheadings. 
*Look at the visual materials such as charts, graphs, or pictures. 
*Read marginal notes. 
*Skim over terminology or information in special print. 
*Read the end-of-chapter materials, including any conclusion, summary, or chapter review questions. 
Step Two: Write Questions 
Formulate a question for each heading or subheading in the chapter using the following words: 
*Which? 
*When? 
*What? 
*Why? 
*Where? 
*How? 
*Who? 
Step Three: Read Carefully and Thoroughly 
*Read one paragraph at a time 
*Stop so that you can concentrate and comprehend each paragraph 
Step Four: Record Information 
After reading each paragraph, take notes of the important information you will need to study, memorize, 
learn, and use. This allows you to have a reduced or a condensed form of the information you are expected 
to know, keeps you actively involved in the learning process, and writing information offers another way for 
you to hold information in working memory and encode it for your long-term memory. 
*Index Note Cards 
*Highlighting 
*Formal Outlines 
*Cornell Notes 
*Visual Mappings 
*Hierarchies 
*Comparison Charts 
*Two-or-Three Column Notes 
*Annotations 
*Marginal Notes 
*Index Note Cards 
*Highlighting 
*Formal Outlines 
*Cornell Notes 
*Visual Mappings 
*Hierarchies 
*Comparison Charts 
*Two-or-Three Column Notes 
*Annotations 
*Marginal Notes 
 
Step Five: Recite 
* Before moving on to the next paragraph, recite the information written in your notes by speaking out loud and in complete sentences. Reciting helps encode the information for memory and creates important retrieval cues. 
* Repeat the Read-Record-Recite Cycle for each paragraph in the entire chapter. 
Step Six: Review 
Once the surveying, questioning, reading, recording and reciting stages are completed, you may proceed to the review stage. The suggested actions below will help you review the chapter.
* Answer any questions at the end of the chapter. 
* Answer the questions that you wrote in the Question step. 
* Study and recite from the notes that you took in the Record step. 
* Write a summary of the information in the chapter. 
* Personalize the information by asking yourself additional questions. 
* How can this information be used? 
* How does the lecture from this class hit in with this information? 
* Why is this important to learn? 
* Create additional study tools such as index cards, study tapes, or visual mappings. 
* For math and science textbooks with math problems and formulas, copy the problems from the book. 
* Work the problems; compare the steps you used and your answers with those in the textbook. 
==每周评分，作业要求==
Grade Determination (percentage of total grade/points):            Reading quizzes/discussion homework   12.0%             
           Written homework 12.0% 
Writing Assignments    21.0% 
Group Writing 18.0% 
           MWL  15.0%            
            Speaking/ Exercises    12.0% 
Vocabulary  10.0% 
http://qgc.qq.com/308987995/t/3?page=1
Grading Statistics:
Grade Determination (percentage of total grade/points):
         Reading quizzes/discussion homework   12.0%    谈
         Written homework 12.0%     功
Writing Assignments    21.0%     习
Group Writing 18.0%   组
         MWL  15.0%   室
         Speaking/ Exercises   12.0%    讲
Vocabulary  10.0%    词
Weekly Distribution of Points/Grade (1000 points total). A cumulative point total and percentage is maintained in My Grades in the course. 
Weekly Assignments: A Schedule of assignments is posted in the course under the Syllabus tab. Details for each weekly assignment appear in the weekly assignment folders (Assignments tab).  Rubrics (Evaluation criteria for assignments): Rubrics describing evaluation criteria are available for speaking exercises and written assignments under the Assignments tab.  
The “week” for this course begins on Monday at 8:00 a.m. and ends at midnight Sunday. (The exception is Week 12 which ends on Saturday at the end of the term.)  
Due Dates: All assignments are clearly marked when due in the weekly Assignment folders. When in doubt, check the assignment folder and/or the Course Schedule.  In general:  
Ø Reading assignments and initial discussion homework is expected to be completed prior to the first class meeting for the week. (Exception is Week One.)  
Ø Written analysis/research/draft homework is also due in some weeks before the second class meeting—again clearly marked in the weekly assignment folder.  
Ø Unless indicated otherwise in the weekly assignment folders, final writing assignments are due no later than midnight Sunday.  
Grades for Writing Lab Segments: Writing Lab Modules/Topics in MyWritingLab (MWL) are tools used by Bellevue University in all English classes. MWL helps students improve and/or refresh essential professional writing skills. Students are expected to achieve competency (at least 80% mastery) in designated topics in MyWritingLab throughout the early weeks of the course.  Details on registration and access for MyWritingLab are located under LABS tab in the course. Your instructor will guide you toward specific modules to assist your writing.  
Grades for Speaking Exercises: Speaking exercises provide another opportunity to improve conversational fluency, to use new vocabulary, and to practice etiquette in a professional environment.  After each exercise you receive valuable feedback. Week 2 establishes a baseline, and weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 allow practice. The final Speaking exercise occurs in Week 12 (100 pts.) Your professor will refer you to tools used to upload the exercises.  
===Week One Assignment Notes===
Week One 作业
I suggest, even though it is "email message", put this "email message" in "Word" form, as attachment. (EMAIL MESSAGE: Compose an introductory email message to your instructor, introducing yourself.)
Attachments are easier for me to collect.
That will make my work much easier, as soon as we all have access to the Assignment Submission Website.
按照本课要求的“作业”做有关作业，包括“写一封介绍自己的email给授课老师”，会使我在取得网上作业上载之后的负担轻很多。这封“email”，我目前认为，要写在word文件里，这样才方便我下载，分类管理。
发到 Teacher<bc_ .com>
Date	
Topic	
Readings	
Assignments
Week 1	
Module 1: Business Communication, 
Management and Success--pp. 2-14 
Module 3: Communicating Across 
Cultures--pp. 38-55 Module 17: 
Listening--pp. 288-294
_________________________________	
Modules 1, 3, 17
_______________	
EMAIL MESSAGE: Compose 
an introductory email 
message to your instructor, 
introducing yourself. 
________________
Week 2	
Module 2: Adapting Your Message to 
Your Audience—pp. 19-33 Module 4: 
Planning, Writing, Revising—
pp. 59-70 Module 5: Designing 
Documents, (Slides, & Screens)—
pp. 73-78 Module 13: Email, Web, 
& Technology--pp. 217-231; 
Speaking Exercise: 
"establishes a base line": 
What are 2-3 key points...
_________________________________	
Modules 2, 4, 5, 13 
_______________	
reanalyze, rewrite, and 
revise the email you 
submitted for last week's 
writing assignment. Once 
you have revised, edited 
and proofread, resubmit 
the email for this week's 
writing assignment. 
________________
Week 3	
Module 6: You-Attitude pp. 90-98 
Module 8: Reader Benefits pp. 112-120 
Module 10: Informative and Positive 
Messages pp. 143-157
_________________________________	
Module 6, 8, 10 
_______________	
"you-attitude" homework: 
1) Problem Analysis and 
2) Message Draft. 
3) Writing Assignment--Final
________________ 
Week 4	
Module 7: Positive Emphasis--
pp. 101-109 Module 11: Negative 
Messages--164-181; 
Speaking Exercise: 
_________________________________	
Modules 7, 11 
_______________	
"negative messages" 
homework: Problem 
Analysis and Draft, 
Writing Assignment--Final
________________ 
Week 5	
Module 12: Persuasive Messages--
pp. 187-209
_________________________________	
Modules 12 
_______________	
"persuasive messages" homework 
________________
Week 6	
Review Modules 10-12  
Module 15: Choosing the Right Word--
pp.256-267 Module 16: Revising 
Sentences and Paragraphs--pp.271-283; 
Speaking Exercise: 
_________________________________	
Modules 15, 16 
_______________	
"wording-style" homework; 
6.2 Vocabulary Quiz; 
Rework your writing 
assignments for Weeks 3, 4, 
and/or 5 based on your 
instructor's feedback 
and submit for additional 
credit. 
________________
Week 7	
Module 18: Working and Writing in 
Teams--pp. 297-308 Module 21: 
Proposals and Progress Reports--
pp. 342-356 
_____ 
Group Report Requirements: 
Weeks 7-11:  
Option 1:   Report on Cultural 
Considerations for Business 
between U.S. and 
(country of your choice) 
Option 2:   Report on 
International Student 
Experiences  
Choose one of these choices 
as the focus of your Group 
Report within the business 
scenario. Whichever situation 
you choose, the objective is 
to analyze the situation, 
research relevant information, 
analyze the findings, and 
report back to the audience 
to meet their needs and interests. 
_________________________________	
Modules 18, 21 
_______________	
"effective groups" homework: 
Summary/Citation Homework; 
Group Analysis and Plan; 
· Planning & Problem 
Analysis template -- 
DUE end of Week 7 
________________
Week 8	
Module 22: Finding, Analyzing and 
Documenting Sources--pp. 359-374 Module 23: Short Reports--
pp. 377-381; 
Speaking Exercise: 
_________________________________	
Modules 22, 23 
_______________	
"interview-report" homework: 
Potential Sources, 
Group Proposal for Report 
· Proposal--DUE end of 
Week 8 THIS WEEK 
________________
Week 9	
Module 23: Short Reports--pp. 381-388
_________________________________	
Modules 23 
_______________	
"report" homework: Research 
Discussion, Group Progress Report;  
· Progress template--
DUE end of Week 9 
________________
Week 10	
Review Module 4--Focus on pp. 59-63 Review Module 21--Focus on pp. 353-355; 
Speaking Exercise: 
_________________________________	
Modules 4, 21 
_______________	
"talking head-research" homework: 
Group Report DRAFT;  
· Draft--DUE end of Week 10 
________________
Week 11	
Review Unit 4: Polishing Your Writing--Modules 14-16
_________________________________	
Modules 14-16 
_______________	
"proofreading" homework: 
Writing Group Report;  
· Final Report--DUE end 
of Week 11
________________
Week 12	
Vocabulary Quiz; Final Speaking Exam;
_________________________________ 	
  
_______________	
"course reflection" 
homework: discussion;  
Ongoing Improvement Plan
________________ 
%%%
以下日期并非适合于本课程的。记住本课程只有十二个星期。到第十二周，所有期末作业都要呈交完毕。下列日期只是本学院其他课程的，以供参考：
Sept29 is 4th week.
Final exam will take place in the 19th week. 
Final exam design will be finalized and approved in 15th and 16th weeks. 
days are off from thur Oct1 to Oct7.
but Wednesday classes will come for make up class on sat Oct 10, which makes up for wed Oct 7.
day off on Fri Jan 1st. no need to make up that day.
final exam lasts from Jan11 till Jan24. 
all exam scores will be handed in on jan27 and holiday starts Jan28.
winter vacation runs for five weeks.
%%%
Wk1	
9.7-9.11
Wk2	
9.14-9.18
Wk3	
9.21-9.25
Wk4	
9.28-10.2
Wk5	
10.5-10.9
Wk6	
10.12-10.16
Wk7	
10.19-10.23
Wk8	
10.26-10.30
Wk9	
11.2-11.6
Wk10	
11.9-11.13
Wk11	
11.16-11.20
Wk12	
11.23-11.27
Wk13	
11.30-12.4
Wk14	
12.7-12.11
Wk15	
12.14-12.18
Wk16	
12.21-12.25
Wk17	
12.28-1.1
Wk18	
1.4-1.8
Wk19	
1.11-1.15
Wk20	
1.18-1.22
Wk21	
1.25-1.29
==Level One Modules==
==Module 1 Sentence Fragments 18==
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 1.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 2 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 14 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 18 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes and examinations are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
%%%
Teaching Tip: Many students are aware of a communication problem in the workplace that may have cost an organization time or money or both.  Ask them to share stories about such problems, as well as how the organization compensated for the problems.  Use PP 1-6 through 1-8 to show the larger picture. 
Claim 4:  I’ll just pick up the phone.
Reality:  Important phone calls require follow-up letters, memos, or e-mail messages.  People in organizations put things in writing to make themselves visible, to create a record, to convey complex data, to make things convenient for the reader, and so forth.
 
J Teaching Tip:  Have your students discuss what form of communication seems more “lasting” to them—phone or written correspondence.  Which would they prefer for messages they consider important?  Why? 
External audiences are people outside the organization:  customers, suppliers, unions, stockholders, potential employees, government agencies, the press, and even the general public.
InClass Exercise:  What do students perceive as the differences between internal and external audiences?  Have them brainstorm for 10-15 minutes as a group on how these audiences are similar and how they are different.  If students are writing to an internal audience, what document qualities would they be concerned about?  For an external audience?  In particular, ask students what would be similar or different about the following qualities:  formality of language; use of humor; format of document (memo vs. letter); length; quality of paper, envelope (if any), and printing. 
PThinking Creatively  LO 1-7
J Teaching Tip: Many students don’t think about themselves as being creative because they compare themselves to well-known figures, such as artists, musicians, inventors, and entrepreneurs.  But signs of students’ creativity can be found immediately, in everything from hobbies to choice of dress to doodling on their notebooks.  Help students to see their own creativity by examining their choices and how the choices define them as individuals. 
! InClass Exercise:  Teaching someone to be creative is a difficult, if not impossible, task.  It’s better to give students the opportunity to apply creative skills and learn through the experience.  One exercise that works especially well for kinesthetic learners is to give groups of 3-5 students each a variety of common objects found around the office:  a paper towel tube, sheets of copy bond, markers, pushpins, and the like.  Then give them 10 minutes to come up with something that represents how the group, the college, or a popular celebrity or product.
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
1.1  What are the three basic purposes of business messages?  (LO 1-3) 
To inform, request or persuade, and build goodwill. 
1.2  What are the five basic criteria for effective messages?  (LO 1-5) 
Good business and administrative writing is clear, complete, and correct; saves the reader’s time; and builds goodwill. 
1.3  What does PAIBOC stand for? (LO 1-6) 
Purposes, audience(s), information, reader benefits, objection(s), and context. 
1.4  Why do writing and speaking become even more important as people rise in the organization?  (LO 1-1 to LO 1-3) 
As employees rise in an organization, they are likely to have to write and speak more, as well as be responsible for supervising or reviewing the presentations and writing of others.  Most organizations expect their managers and supervisors to possess strong communication skills—and demonstrate them effectively in correspondence, meetings, and face-to-face interaction.  Though technical skills are important for a job, strong communication skills can help separate an individual from the pack.       
1.5  If you’re just looking for a low-level job, why is it still useful to be able to write and speak well?  (LO 1-1 to LO 1-3) 
All jobs require communication skills, and to get a job in the first place, potential employees usually must write an effective resume and job application letter, as well as interview well.  Employees who are hired or promoted often demonstrate good communication skills, not just technical knowledge or experience.   
1.6  Why do you need to understand the purposes, audience, and context for a message to know whether a specific set of words will work?  (LO 1-2) 
Purpose identifies what organizational problem the message will serve, what it must do to meet the writer’s needs, and what the writer wants readers to do, think, or feel.  The audience helps shape the content of the writer’s message, as well as the choice of language and detail.  Context helps writers understand the current state of affairs for the organization or audience.  Writers must choose words carefully to address concerns for each of these areas. 
1.7  What opportunities do you have in volunteer or student organizations to do real “business writing” while you’re in school?  (LO 1-5) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Most students will have a multitude of possibilities—campus honoraries, fraternities and sororities, work-study and part-time jobs, internships and co-ops, and charity organizations are just a few.  Students may also have personal correspondence—with banks, landlords, auto dealers, and the college or university—that could qualify as business correspondence.  
1.8  Discussing Strengths  (LO 1-5,  LO 1-6) 
This in-class problem invites students to share strengths. It’s good if you’ll be using collaborative groups, since people can begin to learn what others’ strengths are. It also works well if you will be teaching the job unit early in the course. 
1.9  Introducing Yourself to Your Instructor  (LO 1-5,  LO 1-6) 
This assignment is straightforward.  Kitty and Steve like it because it helps them see students as individuals and as competent people.  Many of them who are not good writers nevertheless have impressive achievements in other areas.  Because people going through rough periods may not be ready to write about themselves, Kitty often gave students a choice of either this or Exercise 1.12.  Steve also likes the assignment because it gets their “feet wet” regarding document format. 
Take 10 minutes to tell students to 
· Use a complete memo format; remember to initial the memo. Headings are optional. 
· Include only information they feel comfortable sharing. 
· Be specific enough to show how they’re different from other people who are from the same town, in the same major, planning the same career path. 
List at least five accomplishments.  These can be anything that makes the writer feel good about himself or herself, even if it’s not the kind of thing that goes on a résumé.  For example, someone who has just run a 10K race for the first time may justly be proud of that, even though other people run further or faster. 
Your students may write better memos when you give them a memo about yourself. (They also enjoy learning something about you, just as you will enjoy being able to see them as individuals.) Use Appendix 1-A through Appendix 1-C as an example of one of Kitty’s introductory memos. 
You can use Exercise 1.10 as an in-class discussion exercise to help students prepare for this assignment. 
If you use this problem, point out to students that it is very different from other assignments they’ll have.  Kitty has had students who have done very well writing about themselves and very poorly when asked to assume the roles of middle managers.  The opposite also happens: some students who write vague, stilted memos about themselves do just fine in the course. 
1.10  Describing Your Experience in and Goals for Writing  (LO 1-5,  LO 1-6) 
This assignment tells you what your students already know about writing and can help you plan the course.   
Usually the very best writers will produce strong responses to this prompt.  Mediocre writers have problems.  They often aren’t conscious of what they’ve been taught or of how their writing has been evaluated—they remember only the grade, not comments. They may not have enough awareness of labels or of the kinds of areas in which writing is evaluated to know what they see as strengths and weaknesses. However, even if their view of strengths and weaknesses is off, you may still want to know what they see as their strengths and weaknesses. 
1.11  Letters to Angry Electric Company Customers  (LO 1-5  to  LO 1-7) 
Letter 1 
The salutation is impersonal and shows lack of interest on the part of the writer, who should determine whether Harper Henry is a man or woman. 
The letter lacks you-attitude and does not address the writer’s concern about power outages and their impact on people’s everyday lives. 
Good messages should always be complete, answering all of the writer’s questions. This letter is merely a form letter and provides little or no information to the letter writer. 
Because we are not giving the reader what she asked for—or even supplying specifics—the reader will be unhappy with the response.  
Letter 2 
The salutation is too informal. 
The style is too informal. The humor doesn’t work. 
The letter doesn’t specify what the Electric Company plans to do regarding outages in the future. 
The letter lacks you-attitude and admonishes the reader about what she should do differently.   
Letter 3 
The courtesy title assumes that “Henry” is the writer’s married name, which it is not.   
The tone of the letter is condescending and lacks you-attitude. Detailing the union rules that impact the Electric Company’s business strategies is inappropriate and does not address the reader’s concerns. 
Letter 4 
Of the four sample letters provided, this one provides the most effective message. The letter meets the five criteria necessary for good messages: It’s clear, complete, and correct; saves the reader’s time (and provides pertinent information about the outages); and builds goodwill, presenting a positive image of the writer and his or her organization.  
1.12 Online Messages for Discussion:  Responding to Rumors  (LO 1-5  to  LO 1-7) 
Message 1 
The subject line is vague.  
The first paragraph emphasizes the writer’s role, rather than stating what readers need and want to know:  how they will be affected by the merger.  
The second paragraph contains negative references and blames readers for the rumors that are circulating.   
Even the last paragraph sheds no new light on the effects of the merger on employees. As a result, rumors are likely to increase rather than decrease.  
Message 2 
This memo gives too little information. The subject line is not specific, and the body of the memo offers no details to make “no layoffs” seem credible. For the rumors to stop, employees must be reassured—by hard information from someone they trust—that their jobs are not in jeopardy.   
Message 3 
The subject line does not inform readers.  
The first paragraph gives too many details too soon, de-emphasizing the main point:  no layoffs. It’s unfriendly. Placing the supporting details in a second paragraph and omitting the sarcastic “if you do the math” would improve the message considerably. 
The second paragraph gives readers two reading assignments without explaining why or what employees are to derive from the assignments. The writer might have cited passages of Acme’s mission statement and goals to reinforce his no-layoffs message.  
Message 4 
The subject line sets a negative tone for the message. 
The first paragraph contains a grammar error, which seems minor compared to the harsh tone. It omits information designed to reassure employees and quell rumors about layoffs.  
The second paragraph lacks you-attitude. It, belatedly, contains the main message: “. . . we won’t be laying off employees after the merger.” But the extremely negative, disrespectful tone makes the statement seem insincere. The paragraph shows ill will toward employees, rather than goodwill. 
The third paragraph continues to scold employees—and undercut any trust between them and the writer.  
Message 5 
The subject line is acceptable, though “Layoffs—the True Story” would be better in case the readers’ screen displays fewer than the 28 characters in this line. 
The first paragraph has an understanding, neutral tone; but since the main message (no plans to lay off any of our valued people) is positive, it should appear here instead of in the second paragraph. 
In the second paragraph, although the writer wants to reassure employees, “Have no fear!” is inappropriate.  Much of this paragraph belongs in Paragraph 1.  The writer could have increased you-attitude by writing himself out of the picture and by stressing that updates will appear in the newsletter and on the intranet at regular, predictable intervals. 
The third paragraph could be more positive and forward-looking.  “Our people” is patronizing. And the writer issued an open invitation to bombard him with all sorts of questions.  
Polishing Your Prose:  Sentence Fragments  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. Diane downloaded the latest word processing app. 
4. Because he will be in Portland for the day, Terrence will miss the staff meeting. 
6. Whenever Joyce gets a chance to review the file, she will share her thoughts with the CEO. 
8. James Jefferson has more than 20 years of IT experience, including consulting assignments overseas. 
10. Certain the manufacturing license will be granted by July 2, Chloe issued a press release to the media announcing the new product. 
==Module 2 Comma Splices 36==
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 2.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 19 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 33 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 37 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
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! In-Class Exercise:  Individually or in groups, have the students spend 15-20 minutes discussing who they believe are the audiences for movies—the latest romantic comedy, action thriller, and literary drama.  What are the characteristics of each audience?  How do the students know? 
PUnderstanding what your organization wants LO 2-1 
J Teaching Tip:  Think back to your own experiences adapting to an organization’s culture.  For instance, how did you figure out what spaces were okay for socializing versus which were strictly for quiet and work?  How did you know what to wear, and more importantly, what clothing, colors, and styles to avoid?  How did you identify leaders?  Heroes?  Role models?  Share some of your observations with your class, and ask students already in the workforce what strategies and experiences they rely on to make choices.
J Teaching Tip:  Remind students that they likely will make mistakes—adaptation in any circumstance is governed by trial and error—and one of the hardest realities to accept is how much isn’t explained to employees when the arrive for that first day on the job.  But we survive!
The five kinds of audiences:
1. Initial audience
2. Gatekeeper
3. Primary audience 
4. Secondary audience
5. Watchdog audience
! In-Class Exercise:  Individually or in groups, have students spend 10-15 minutes identifying key audiences for common messages.  Good general examples are applying for a job where several levels of executives will review the application or a familiar advertisement for a product or service.  Have the students brainstorm how the message intended for the primary audience would be affected by additional audiences (which they also must identify) and their needs or concerns.  For more specific scenarios, consider assigning Exercise 2.8 (p. 33).
· Perception 
· Interpretation
· Choice/Selection
· Encoding/Decoding
· Channel
· Noise
! In-Class Exercise:  Individually or in groups, have the students spend 15-20 minutes recounting frustrations they’ve had sending or receiving messages.  These could be at work, at school, or in their personal lives.  Have them identify what they believe were noise factors.  Ask the students to list what steps could have been taken to minimize the noise.  To better understand channels, have students in groups analyze some or all of the channel possibilities in Exercise 2.9 (p. 34). 
PWhat do I need to know about my audience(s)? LO 2-4
! In-Class Exercise:  Form groups of two students each.  Have Student A share a (non-traumatic) story with Student B about a significant interaction with another person in which Student A was displeased or misunderstood.  Then, have Student B assume the role of Student A in the situation, while Student A assumes the other role. Role play, re-creating the event as best possible.  Afterward, have each student discuss what they thought and felt during the role play.  How do Student B’s thoughts and feelings compare to what Student A actually thought and felt in the original situation?  What did Student A learn about the other person?  Repeat with Student B’s story.            
· Values and Beliefs
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students form groups of 3-5 and spend 15-20 minutes completing Exercise 2.9 (p. 34), which offers insight into the dimensions of demographics and psychographics.  Afterward, consider challenging the assumptions students have made—what do they base their conclusions on?  Are there any groups left out of their analysis?  Why?  What might these issues suggest about the limitations of demographics and psychographics?
· Past Behavior 
J Teaching Tip:  The world seems to be changing at ever-increasing speeds.  To illustrate this concept, have students spend 10-15 minutes comparing fads popular this year to those two years ago.  Five years ago.  Ten years ago.  Are there any constants?  What is different?  What might the actions of the past suggest about the future?  Ask the students what they think the “shelf life” is for information in a constantly changing world.      
   
 
· Discourse Community 
· Organizational or Corporate Culture
· Norms of Behavior in an Organization
J Teaching Tip:  A common reaction from students to some business communication concepts is “That’s not how we do it in my company.”  Take this opportunity to discuss discourse community and organizational culture.  What might the practice in question reveal about either?  Ask the class if they believe such a practice would work in a different discourse community or organizational culture.  Why or why not?  
! In-Class Exercise:  Choose 3-4 different organizations and list them on the board. Microsoft, the Walt Disney Corporation, Wendy’s International, etc., are good places to start; a good source for this information would be the company Web sites, such as www.microsoft.com; http://disney.com; www.wendys.com.  For 15 minutes, have students list what similar and dissimilar qualities each might have with regard to organizational culture.  For instance, who might the heroes be?  Where might casual dress be acceptable?  How might success be determined?  At the conclusion, take a quick poll of how many students might want to work for each.  Take another five minutes to discuss with students why some organizations might seem more or less appealing.  Let students share why. 
· 
· Photographs and Visuals
J Teaching Tip:  Though most students inundate themselves daily with such visual images as movies, magazines, music videos, and Web pages, few consider the power and content of the images they see.  Help them by using a common advertisement featuring images of people.  From those images, have the students share their perceptions.  Who is the ad aimed at?  What assumptions has the advertiser made about that audience?  Its needs and lifestyle?  Who is excluded from the ad?  If the image is non-inclusive, what might the effect be on overlooked individuals?
PWhat if my audiences have different needs? LO 2-6
J Teaching Tip:  Use Appendix 2-A through Appendix 2-D to show students two examples of how different audiences may have different expectations concerning an issue.  In these examples—one aimed at workers and the other at the boss—the same general issue about work efficiency during a holiday is addressed.  Let students see that different audiences will have different expectations and that the writer will choose content and expression accordingly. 
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
2.1 What are the five kinds of audiences?  (LO 2-2) 
Primary, secondary, initial, gatekeeper, and watchdog 
2.2 What are ways to analyze your audience?  (LO 2-3, LO 2-4) 
Choose empathy first.  Then identify the audience’s knowledge, demographics, personality, values and beliefs (psychographics), and past history.  Knowledge of discourse communities and  
organizational or corporate culture is also important.  Students should use PAIBOC to help them throughout the audience analysis process. 
2.3 What are three ways to adapt your message to your audience?  (LO 2-5, LO 2-6) 
Use strategy, organization, and style for any message; and document design and visuals for paper or electronic documents. 
2.4  Emphasizing the importance of audience, marketers frequently say, “The customer is in control.”  To what extent do you feel in control as a customer, a student, a citizen?  What actions could you take to increase your control?  (LO 2-1 to LO 2-3) 
Student answers will vary.  Though teens and 20-somethings drive most consumer purchases of clothing and entertainment, younger consumers often complain of feeling alienated because of limited buying power (which is changing!).  Savvy consumers know their voices can be heard through letters and emails, participation in focus groups and surveys, boycotts and product protests, and simply passing up on purchases.  That last point is important:  no one has to buy anything, literally or figuratively, expressed in a message. 
2.5  If you are employed, which aspects of your organization’s culture match your own values?  What kind of culture would you like to join when you are next on the job market?  (LO 2-1 to LO 2-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.   
2.6  Why do internal audiences, especially your boss, sometimes feel more important than primary audiences outside your organization?  (LO 2-1 to LO 2-3) 
Of course, students may answer this question in any number of ways.  A common answer would be that a boss exercises authority over the employee, making the employee more likely to privilege the boss’s needs over that of the external audience.  Because external audiences are distanced from the organization, writers also may find internal audiences more familiar and, therefore, comfortable to write to.  Internal audiences typically provide more immediate feedback, too.  The employee finds out quickly what works and does not. 
2.7  What are your options if your boss’s criteria for a document are different than those of the primary audience?  (LO 2-1 to LO 2-3) 
When it’s not possible to meet all audience members’ needs, writers should focus on gatekeepers and decision makers first.  If the boss falls into these categories, shape the message to fit his or her needs in addition to those of the primary audience.  If not, you have two options: focus on the primary audience or try to educate the boss.  Writers should use tact to explain their decision to the boss, focusing on how the needs of the organization will be met by meeting the primary audience’s needs.  Show the boss how the style of message meets the needs of the audience, even if the style differs from that of the boss.   
2.8 Identifying Audiences  (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4) 
1. Andrea’s initial and gatekeeper audiences would be the investment services company she represents as well as the organization that provides her financial planning credentials.  The potential clients are the primary audience.  Secondary audiences include the local vendors who donated prizes to be awarded at the seminar. 
2. Carmale’s primary audience is the corporation that can approve her application for the franchise.  However, before she can reach that audience, she must first get her loan secured through a bank, which acts as both the initial and gatekeeper audience for the application. Secondary audiences will include any vendors, contractors, inspectors, or suppliers that will ultimately help her to build her restaurant. 
3. The council members are the primary audience, while citizens, mayors, union representatives, department heads, blue-ribbon panelists, and affected city workers are the secondary audience.  The watchdog audience includes anyone who has economic, social, or political power over the council; in this case, the voters, lobbying groups, and any group that has watchdog influence (e.g., Citizens for Fair Government). 
2.9 Choosing a Channel to Reach a Specific Audience  (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4) 
Students’ answers will vary, depending on how they define each audience (in terms of size or location, for instance).  Ask the students to supply reasonable reasons why they’ve chosen their channels to meet audience needs, using the terms discussed throughout the text. 
Acceptable answers are: 
1. Direct mail, on-site posters; print ads in general newspapers; radio or television ads. 
2. E-mail solicitations; Facebook promotions; ads on bulletin board sites. 
3. Print ads in trade or union newsletters or magazines; direct mail; promotions in AARP publications. 
4. Ads in both general and ethnic newspapers or magazines (e.g., Ebony); direct mail; promotions and personal appeals through civic, neighborhood, or religious organizations; radio or television ads. 
5. Ads in trade or union newsletters or magazines; radio or television ads; e-mail solicitations. 
6. Print ads in ethnic newspapers or magazines (e.g., AsianWeek); personal appeals through civic, neighborhood, or religious organizations; appeals through language acquisition organizations (for recent immigrants for whom English is a second language) or ethnic grocery stores and restaurants. 
7. Letters; ads at campgrounds or sporting goods stores; Facebook promotions. 
8. Personalized letters; ads in trade newsletters or magazines; promotions at conventions. 
9. Personalized letters; e-mail solicitations; Facebook promotions. 
10. Ads in college publications; LinkedIn promotions; ads on job Web sites. 
No single channel is likely to reach all members of an audience.  Usually, a combination of channels is the best approach.  When budgets or time constraints prevent this, writers should choose one channel most likely to reach the audience.   
2.10 through 2.13  (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4) 
Analyzing a Discourse Community 
Analyzing an Organization’s Culture 
Analyzing the Audiences for Noncommercial Web Pages 
Analyzing People in Your Organization 
Students’ answers will vary.  Whatever their response, expect a detailed, reasoned answer. For Exercise 2.10 and Exercise 2.11, make sure the student uses discretion—few people enjoy being scrutinized without their knowledge.  Where possible, the student should rely on experiences with managers and co-workers and report information using anonymous names.  When an interview is required, the student should disclose the purpose.   
A possible solution for Exercise 2.10 is included on Appendix 2-E through Appendix 2-H.   Discuss this solution with students, sharing the following points: 
· The background about the team in the introductory paragraph allows the writer to focus on discourse-related issues under the main headings of the memo. 
· Under each heading of the memo, information is organized clearly. For example, under the first heading, the writer uses classification to organize the material, and in the paragraph following the second heading the comparison-contrast mode is used. 
· All the writer’s statements are well-supported with examples. Under “Topics Discussed by the Team,” for instance, the writer effectively uses dialogue to show different types of possible conversations, rather than just naming topics that the team would consider appropriate. 
· Overall, this memo is very thorough. However, there are a few places where the writer might expand. The section where the writer discusses how authority is distributed on the playing field might also consider other kinds of authority or power on the team in addition to that officially assigned to the coach and umpire. Did some players have especially great influence over the coach and/or other players? What kinds of power and authority might only players on that specific team be aware of? Is there a hierarchy of some kind among players. 
A possible solution for Exercise 2.11 is included on Appendix 2-I through Appendix 2-K.   Discuss this solution with students, sharing the following points: 
· The introductory paragraph provides a summary of Weight Watchers and defines it as a culture. 
· In the third paragraph, there could be some confusion about whether the leader gives 40-minute talks at every meeting. 
· Throughout the memo, the writer includes good specifics about possible meeting topics (dealing with holidays, handling stress) and about booklets (on exercise, dining out). 
· The list on page 2 creates good visual impact. 
· The success section is nicely introduced by framing the issue as a question often asked by newcomers. 
· The last two headings follow the problem in the book fairly closely. That’s OK, but it's also OK for students to use original headings that cover the material in a section. 
· Since this isn’t a persuasive message, the writer doesn’t do a “hard sell”; instead, she just presents her reasons in the final paragraph. 
Note also that these examples can be used to show students the style and format for memos. 
Students should focus on both the content and the expression of information on the Web pages for Exercise 2.12.  For guidelines, they can consult pp. 79 and 226–227, which discuss the format and writing style for Web pages, respectively.  Will audiences find the pages well organized and written?  Have students consider the full range of potential audiences, including people who use dial-up rather than high speed lines, may be sight or hearing impaired, or may be visiting the pages from another country.    
Should students choose to analyze the college as their organization for Exercise 2.13, encourage them to start by seeking answers from the campus admissions or student affairs office, which may keep relevant statistics on hand. 
Make sure the student uses discretion—few people enjoy being scrutinized without their knowledge.  Where possible, the student should rely on past experiences with managers and co-workers and report information using anonymous names.  When an interview is required, the student should disclose the purpose.   
   
2.14  Persuading a Lender to Defer Paying a Student Loan  (LO 2-2) 
This is a topical problem to assign given issues with repayment of student loans.  Consider asking students to bring in copies of correspondence they have received from lenders as well as research some of the issues surrounding student loan deferments that may be making headlines. 
Any message directed to students as the primary audience also likely has a secondary audience of parents or guardians.  Therefore, information on the cost of deferring student loans will likely appeal to both audiences.   
In addition, some students may pile up substantial student loan debt assuming that a high-paying job awaits them upon graduation, so they will be able to start paying back the loans rather than defer them. A good solution will stress that fiscal responsibility should start early and that repaying loans on time will only help an individual learn how to manage money in the future.  It will also make the point to read the “fine print” so that borrowers have a complete understanding of their responsibilities when it comes to repaying any type of loan.  To prepare them, you might have them review the information in Module 5, pp. 74-78. 
2.15 Sending a Question to a Web Site  (LO 2-2, LO 2-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Make sure that students accurately complete all information required to submit information to a Web page—some Web sites simply have an e-mail link while others require a form that includes a space for return email addresses.  Students should print out a copy of the form and submit it to you with a printout of the original e-mail message.  Some Web sites will also list a specific person to address questions to. 
You might consider having students read Module 13, pp. 226-227, prior to working on this exercise.  There, information is given discussing the style for writing for the Web.  In addition, Module 5, p. 79, has information on designing screens for Web pages. 
2.16  Convincing Your Organization to Allow Flex-Time for Students  (LO 2-2, LO 2-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Students should identify benefits to both the organization and the employee.   
Organization benefits include having happier and more productive employees, better educated employees, employees better able to juggle school-related and work-related tasks (thereby using less personal leave time or missing fewer work-related events), and an additional benefit to attract and retain the best employees.   
Employee benefits include having less stress, more incentive for personal development, more control over weekly schedules, and increased self-esteem.  Some organizational cultures are rigid about time, and some managers may doubt that employees will make up work for the same amount of time taken for school—these kinds of objections must be overcome in the message, especially for distance-learning courses, where students are not required to physically attend class.   
2.17  Announcing Holiday Diversity  (LO 2-2, LO 2-3) 
As the workforce becomes more diverse in many countries, especially the United States, a policy that allows employees equal access to holiday time off is important.  However, to some individuals, any policy that gives special treatment to some holidays at what is perceived as the expense of others is a problem.  In government organizations, some people may object to the notion of religion being endorsed by employers, if the holiday is a religious one.  
Successful answers will stress that all employees are being given equal access to ten holidays but that some latitude must be granted to managers to recognize what holidays exist—for instance, a holiday that is verifiable in a reference text certainly would apply; one that is only celebrated by a single family would not.   Writers may also stress the benefits to the organization, such as being perceived as a good “corporate citizen” by matching policies to the surrounding community. 
A potential follow-up assignment could be to ask students to write a memo to the boss advocating which holidays should be recognized by the organization.  Any such communication would require that the writer carefully analyze the organizational culture, as well as be sensitive to differences in the workplace. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Comma Splices  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. Wednesday was the last time we did anything on our Facebook page. Please ask Sandy to post an update on our news feed. 
4. Suri decided to hold the meeting online, which will save a considerable amount of money in our travel budget. 
6. The Purchasing Department needs copies of receipts from your Kyoto trip. If you submit them by Friday, you will be reimbursed. 
8. After the executive council meeting, we got a call that our proposal had been accepted, which was great news for the team! 
10. Lani Kapur, who is an Oxford graduate and spent several years in Geneva, is fluent in French and German. She would be an excellent candidate to lead the consulting team in Western Europe.  
==Module 3 Using Idioms 58==
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 3.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 38 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 55 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
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#WEEK TWO
2.1 Discussion—Check comprehension (10 pts.)After completing this week’s reading, answer the following questions.
4. What sources create diversity in today’s workplace?
1. Review Figure 2.3 reprinted above from your text (p. 23). How does audience analysis affect miscommunication? What audience considerations are most crucial to this process?
2. How does the expert communicator choose a communication medium (channel)?
3. Which processes used by expert writers do you already use?  If used, to what extent has process helped your writing?
4. How is revising different from proofreading?
5. How does document design affect audience?
2.3 Speaking Exercise 
Speaking and listening are two vital skills in professional communication. These exercises have several objectives to help you succeed professionally and academically:
· To practice professional conversation and etiquette;
· To improve your speaking fluency;
· To practice accurate pronunciation;
· To use newly acquired vocabulary;
· To engage regularly with your professor for feedback. Exercise Questions: 1)  What are  2-3 key points you took away from reading in the last two weeks?2)  What concept  or  technique did you find the most challenging to grasp or perform?3)  What would you have liked to have spent more time on?  Why?4)  How can you apply what you have learned  in your academic or professional life? 
This week's exercise simply establishes a base line and then offers opportunity for feedback throughout the term. You can find a rubric for Speaking Exercises under Rubrics under the Assignments tab. See Syllabus for explanation of grading. On the BU campus, we will conduct some of these face-to-face, but others will be recorded and uploaded for practice. The actual “test” occurs at the end of the course. You may also choose to conduct speaking exercises face-to-face. The idea of these is to practice conversation and professional etiquette in the English language. 
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J Teaching Tip:  Ask students to consider a common saying from childhood:  “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names (words) will never hurt me.”  What does this saying suggest about the value of the spoken word in North American culture? Does this support the concept of low-context culture?  Can they think of other examples that might illustrate the value we place on the spoken word versus the written word? 
! In-Class Exercise:  Students may confuse the term “culture” with “race.”  Ask the students to consider the implications of using the wrong term to describe groups of people (e.g., using “Chinese” when the student actually means “Asian” or “Asian American”).  How does using words improperly cause problems? Why do we do so? How can we avoid improper usage? 
! In-Class Exercise:  Ask students to consider the unique problems a pluralistic nation like the United States may face compared to countries that are more homogenous (e.g., Japan, Finland).  How does living in a country of immigrants affect our sense of unity?  What challenges do we face?  Then have students research other pluralistic nations, such as Canada or Brazil.  Do they face the same problems? Why or why not?  Have students report their findings.  
J Teaching Tip:  Have the students break into groups of 4-5 and list all of the things they do on a daily basis that might be culturally influenced.  These can include their choice of clothing, food, books, music, and leisure pursuits.  Once the students agree on a list, have them discuss the variations within each category.  For instance, why might some students like rock, while others might like hip hop, while others might like country?  Despite the variety, what fundamentally links our choices?  Beyond superficial elements, such as style, how truly different are these beliefs and practices?  What makes them similar?      
Nonverbal
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students select a partner. For about five minutes, have one student share with the other student an experience where he or she felt misunderstood while speaking.  While that person is speaking, have the other student record gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and other nonverbal cues.   Afterward, have the student share his or her findings with the student who was speaking.  Was the speaking student aware of the nonverbal cues?  Can the student explain his or her choices of nonverbal behaviors?  Did the recording student understand what these behaviors meant?  If not, what were the interpretations?   
Body Language
J Teaching Tip:  While discussing body language, pause and ask the students to look around the room.  What is the range of body positions they see?  Are the students even aware of their body language?  What might they be communicating?  Now that they are more aware, what changes in body position might they make?  
Eye Contact
J Teaching Tip:  Have students share instruction they may have received in public speaking courses regarding eye contact.  Would such instruction work for all cultures?  How might they change their approach if the audience did not approve of prolonged eye contact?  
Gestures
J Teaching Tip:  Can students think of a time when a gesture made no sense to them?  Or was offensive?  What were the circumstances?  How did this affect communication?  What does this suggest about some of their own gestures? 
Space
J Teaching Tip:  Ask students to share what they believe is a comfortable amount of personal space.  How do students feel when someone invades that space?  How do students who prefer smaller amounts of personal space feel when someone they are talking to “backs away” from them?  Do students sometimes avoid situations, using public transportation, for instance, because of personal space issues?
Spatial Arrangements
J Teaching Tip:  Ask students to share what they know about the offices of people in authority where they work.  Where are they located?  How big are they?  Do they have a door?  A window?  What amenities might also come with the office—style of furniture, size of desk, and plants and decorations? 
Time
J Teaching Tip:  Have students share their experiences with time values in different regions of the United States.  For instance, someone traveling from the north to the south (or vice versa) may notice that the pace of daily life is different.  What challenges did they face in adjusting to differences?  
Other Nonverbal Symbols 
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students discuss for 10-15 minutes advertising they’ve seen or television programs they watch.  What values are communicated through dress, color, and height?  For instance, what types and color of clothing do people in power wear?  Those out of power?  Does height or a lack of it communicate qualities about a subject or character?  Where do students think these values come from?   
· Fast rate of speech 
· Fast rate of turn-taking 
· Persistence—if a turn is not acknowledged, try again 
· Preference for personal stories 
· Tolerance of, preference for simultaneous speech 
· Abrupt topic shifting. 
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students spend 10 minutes reflecting on their own conversational style.  What qualities can they identify?  Then have students share their findings with another student.  What qualities are the same?  Different?  How might they adapt their style to suit the needs of the other person?
PAre differences among generations changing the workplace and how we communicate?     LO 3-4  
J Teaching Tip:  Even experts disagree on how to define different generations.  Use the FYI box on p. 48 to point out how some experts define generations.   
! In-Class Exercise:  Ask students with work experience to share any challenges they’ve faced in the workplace that might relate to generational differences.  Then share any such experiences you may have had.  Is there overlap?  Which challenges might be a factor of being a Baby Boomer, Gen-Xer, or Millennial compared to which might simply be universal experiences shared by younger compared to older employees?  Novice compared to experienced ones? 
! In-Class Exercise:  Ask students to list on the board what they believe are characteristics of their generation.  Do they coincide with the findings in the book?  What does this suggest about how different audiences may view generations?  About the limits of making broad-based claims about large groups of people? 
PDealing with discrimination     LO 3-5 
J Teaching Tip:  Students often report that they have not practiced discrimination nor harbor any discriminatory feelings against anyone.  You might, however, ask the class to share experiences where they felt as though they faced discrimination.  Most people can come up with experiences where they felt as though they were on the “outside looking in” or where the will of the group conflicted with their own personal ideas. In sharing, students can also seem the common threads that unite discriminatory practice. 
PHow can I make my documents bias-free?   LO 3-6 
! In-Class Exercise:  Ask the students to share situations when they may have encountered language that wasn’t bias-free.  What were their reactions?  How did they view the speaker or organization using such language?  If they could substitute terms, what would these be?  Have the students bring in correspondence or messages that contain biased language.  Share these examples with the class and ask what could be done to improve the content.  (Note: Preface this exercise by excluding messages designed to inflame or insult the reader.  Useful messages for this assignment are ones where the biased language is likely inadvertent.)  
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension 
3.1  What sources create diversity in the workplace? (LO 3-1 to LO 3-4) 
These include gender, race and ethnicity, regional and national origin, social class, religion, age, sexual orientation, and physical ability. 
3.2  What is intercultural competence? (LO 3-1 to LO 3-4) 
As the term suggests, intercultural competence is being able to work well with people of different cultures, learning their values and norms of behavior and adjusting your own behavior to work together successfully. 
3.3  What four methods make a sentence nonsexist? (LO 3-6) 
Avoid sexist words, avoid sexist phrases, use neutral job titles, and adjust pronouns so they don’t imply gender roles. 
3.4  What other cultures are you most likely to work with? How could you learn about those cultures? (LO 3-1 to LO 3-4) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.  Among the ways to learn about culture are to read books, check the Web, and talk to people from another culture.  
3.5  You can’t possibly learn what every symbol means in every culture. How can you avoid offending the people you work with? (LO 3-1 to LO 3-5) 
Student answers will vary.  The best way is, perhaps, to simply ask:  Am I doing anything that bothers you? 
3.6  Suppose that you have an audience that is sexist, racist, or prejudiced in some other way. To what extent, if any, should you adapt to this aspect of your audience? (LO 3-6) 
Writers must walk a fine line between meeting the needs of an audience and supporting ideas or values that are in conflict with their own or society’s.  In answering this question, students should carefully consider each of the PAIBOC questions and think about ethics.  The purpose of this question is not to gauge your students’ politics, but to ask them to reflect on how the multitude of writing considerations interact and affect one another.  As in the “real world,” the students’ choices require them to consider value systems.   
3.7  It’s sexist to always put the male pronoun first in pronoun pairs (e.g., he/she rather than she/he or s/he). Why do authors of this book recommend that method? Which method do you prefer? (LO 3-6) 
Of course, students may answer this question in any number of ways and should give appropriate detail.  Before students answer, challenge them to think beyond simple personal preference.  Ask them to consider what the implications are of their choices, and what effects these choices may have on their audience.  In particular, ask students to consider organizational culture and discourse community—what if their choices run counter to those expected? 
Kitty and Steve use male pronouns first because they are less obtrusive, and they want to use nonsexist language unobtrusively. 
3.8  Planning an International Trip  (LO 3-1 to LO 3-3) 
Students’ answers will vary. Students should research the culture of the country they intend to visit, including basic customs, helpful phrases, important laws, local holidays that will occur during their visits, and any dietary considerations that may be important. They should also investigate local business customs, which may include whether visiting business executives are expected to bring gifts to their hosts. Ask students to provide a list of websites they used to find information on the country they are visiting. For international travel, a passport is required, so students might also research the process for obtaining one. 
3.9  Sending a Draft to South Korea (LO 3-1 to LO 3-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Prior to writing the e-mail message, the student should thoroughly review the information about international communication in this module.  In addition, students may wish to complete outside research, including visiting Web pages about South Korean culture and business, seeking books out at your college library, or even interviewing an international student from South Korea about his or her knowledge of local business practices.  The e-mail should be direct; avoid sports metaphors, U.S. pop culture references, and slang; and request a specific date for the information.   
3.10  Requesting Information about a Country  (LO 3-1 to LO 3-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Questions should be detailed and specific—not “Tell me about Brazil.”  When interviewing someone from another country or culture, students should be mindful of issues of politeness that may differ from their own.   For information on U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service Offices, have students visit the U.S. Department of Commerce Web page at http://www.commerce.gov/ and http://www.export.gov/eac/index.asp. 
3.11  Creating a Web Page  (LO 3-1 to LO 3-3, LO 3-5) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Of course, it’s not required that students actually program a Web page in HTML, though those who are skilled at doing so may want to.  For those not versed in HTML, or if your classroom is not computer equipped, ask students to do option c.  Student answers should thoroughly investigate issues of culture as it relates to both content and audience for the Web page.  Their rationales for the design of the page and its content should be thorough and convincing. 
3.12  Identifying Sources of Miscommunication (LO 3-1 to LO 3-4) 
Students’ answers will vary.  As the questions involve specific cultures, students may want to do research beyond reading this module.  For any answer, students should use specifics—not “because that culture is different.”  Students should think about cultural concepts of time, verbal and nonverbal communication norms, values and beliefs, and low-context and high-context behaviors.  
  
3.13  Advising a Hasty Subordinate (LO 3-4, LO 3-5) 
Students’ answers will vary.  A good answer will not only advise the subordinate to apologize, but also point out that (1) regional humor, like sexist, racist, or ethnic humor, has no place in a business.  Indeed, e-mail messages like the one the subordinate has sent could be used as evidence of a hostile working environment. (2) E-mail is not private.  People should be as careful in what they say on e-mail as they should in choosing words for paper documents. 
3.14  Responding to a Complaint  (LO 3-4 to LO 3-6) 
Students’ answers will vary.  A good answer will take the issue seriously.  The memo to the staff should note that biased language makes people feel unwanted and unappreciated—hardly the way to encourage people to do their best work.  In doing so, however, the memo should still use positive emphasis. 
3.15  Answering an Inquiry about Photos  (LO 3-5) 
This problem requires students to think about issues of diversity and balance. It raises questions such as whether a company that is not diverse is misrepresenting itself, if, in its publications, its photos suggest more diversity than really exists and that the effect on minorities of never seeing themselves as represented as part of an organization. 
A good solution will include points like the following: 
In most organizations, making the newsletter longer simply to allow more photos would not be approved. 
Replacing the chart with a photo is not a good idea.  The newsletter has several purposes, and information about orders, sales, and profits is important to share. 
You-attitude is important.  So if someone in a wheelchair wants a photo that doesn’t show the wheelchair, meeting that person’s wishes is more important than showing the wheelchair just for the sake of being “inclusive.” 
Having every single issue “represent the diversity of employees” is not a necessary goal.  Rather, issues over several months should portray diversity. 
In organizations where the “important people” are heavily male and white, the newsletter editor needs to seek out diversity: picturing the people who make a product that’s being introduced, the people who deliver it, the people who process the orders, etc.  Volunteer and sports activities offer other opportunities to picture diversity. 
At least once a quarter (every three issues, for a monthly newsletter), the editor should try to picture diversity.  If that means adding an extra photo and sacrificing text, that’s OK. Pictures do speak louder than words, since they’re assimilated more quickly. 
The reason to picture diversity is not to be “politically correct.”  Rather, organizational reasons to picture diversity include making all employees feel valued and part of the team, reminding managers to be sensitive to diversity, and making readers outside the organization (such as family members, friends, and potential employees) see the organization as one which recognizes excellence and sees diversity as a resource and an opportunity. 
3.16  Revising Sexist Job Titles  (LO 3-6) 
barmaid	
bartender
chairwoman	
chair
deliveryman	
delivery person
female soldier	
soldier
fireman	
firefighter
lady lawyer	
lawyer
lunch lady	
lunch worker
male model	
model
ombudsman	
ombud
policeman	
police officer
postman	
postal worker (or mail carrier)
stuntman	
stunt person
3.17  Eliminating Biased Language  (LO 3-6) 
1.  While he is a victim of muscular dystrophy, Salvatore is one of our top salesmen. 
This sentence makes it sound like the writer is surprised Salvatore is capable of anything, putting his disease ahead of his abilities; it also references “salesmen,” which might be sexist if the salespeople include women. 
Revision:  Salvatore is one of our top salespeople. 
2.  Make sure the young men you hire are married because we are looking for wholesome, responsible employees.  
The assumption that an unmarried young man is by nature unethical or irresponsible is problematic. 
Revision:  We seek wholesome, responsible employees. 
3.  Though she was born and raised in the south, Terri is surprisingly open-minded about people of different races. 
The writer assumes people “in the south” are inherently racist. (Some writers would also capitalize “south” or any other region of the United States.) 
Revision:  Omit the sentence if it is not important.  If there is a point to be made about Terri’s open-mindedness, the revision could be 
Terri is a very open-minded person. 
4.  We’ll be showing a video at the conference, but Salvatore, who is blind, probably will have little interest in it.  
Salvatore, who may already have to deal with biases concerning muscular dystrophy, is faced with an equally problematic assumption regarding blindness.  Once again, in a sentence of this type, the person is overshadowed by the disease. 
Revision:  Omit the sentence if it is not important.  If there is a point to be made about accommodating a request by Salvatore, a revision could be 
We’ll be showing a video at the conference. If anyone has an audiovisual request, please see to it that it is met. 
5.  Sam Madigan 
Ark Industries 
5112 Grosvenor Boulevard 
Los Angeles, CA 90066 
Dear Mr. Madigan: 
Unless the writer knows that Sam Madigan is a man, the salutation should be revised. 
Revision:  Dear Sam Madigan: 
6.  While she was probably admitted because she is a woman and a minority, Kendra nonetheless graduated at the top of her engineering class that year.  
To call or imply someone a “token” in any regard is demeaning.  Moreover, this sentence demonstrates that Kendra’s credentials outmatch those of her peers. 
Revision: Kendra graduated at the top of her engineering class that year. 
7.  Though Xian doesn’t look like he was born in this country, he speaks English better than anyone I know. 
The bias that someone looks less like he or she “was born in this country” than someone else is one that many minorities face.  It’s degrading and made more so by the surprise that Xian speaks English, his native language, well.  
Revision:  Omit the sentence.  If there is a point to be made about Xian’s language skills, a revision could be 
Xian speaks English better than anyone I know. 
8.  We want to provide a quiet space for religious members of the community to reflect, but Jews and Muslims can use the space, too. 
Religious bigotry is not only insulting to the groups being targeted but also makes the speaker look foolish. 
Revision:  We want to provide a quiet space for religious members of the community to reflect. 
9.  Make sure you seat the entire team, including the minorities, Atik, Curtis, and Brianna, at the center table during this year’s “Celebration of Diversity” dinner. 
Calling attention to Atik, Curtis, and Brianna in this way is demeaning. 
Revision:  Make sure you seat the entire team at the center table during this year’s “Celebration of Diversity” dinner. 
10.  You certainly can’t go wrong with Joanne—the old girl has more enthusiasm than employees half her age. 
In addition to making Joanne sound more like a horse than a human being, the sentence is agist and sexist.  Focus on Joanne’s skills, not her age or gender. 
Revision:  You certainly can’t go wrong with Joanne. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Using Idioms  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. Close out the books = To signify that a matter concerning someone or something is finished. 
4. Take stock of the situation = To assess a situation. 
6. Have the floor = An individual’s turn to speak at a meeting. 
8. Keep your nose to the grindstone = Apply yourself conscientiously to your work. 
10. Incentivize your customers = Provide your clients with something to encourage them to purchase your product or service.
==Module 4 Using Spell and Grammar Checkers 72==
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 4.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 59 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 70 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 72 
  
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
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PP 4-14 to show students 
    
· Brainstorming 
· Freewriting 
· Clustering 
· Talking to Their Audiences 
· Storyboard 
    
JTeaching Tip:  While many students will have learned these techniques in composition courses, consider spending 15-20 minutes demonstrating each at the board.  Some students will have forgotten the specifics of invention techniques, and others may not have learned them at all.  Showing students how to use invention techniques—spending no more than about five minutes with each technique—can also reassure them that experienced writers actually use them. 
   
JTeaching Tip:  Remind students that any time they face writer’s block, they can return to one of the invention techniques to help them.  Using invention techniques is akin to a runner stretching before the race and stopping to stretch if he or she gets a cramp along the way.  Brainstorming, freewriting, clustering, and talking to the audience are ways to “stretch” the brain. 
above is before Wk10
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below is Wk10
* Module4=p72, Module21=p357
* 1.  talking head?  (388, 379, 403, 435---Find on these page the term "talking head")
* 2.  using the word "you"  (385, 94, 91, 483, 489--Find on these pages)
* 3. parallel structure?  (242, 280, 284, 254, 239, 186---Find on these pages)
* 4. "tighten writing". (386, 385, 276, 283, 286, --- Find on these pages)
* 5. Lastly, name one new (or enhanced) research skill you have acquired in this group project which has proven especially helpful.
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students spend 10-15 minutes individually reflecting on their own writing. In particular, ask students to consider what processes they use. Ask them where and when they write and for how long. Are they satisfied with this approach? What could they do to improve it? (10) 
Analyzing audience is discussed in detail in Module 2, 
and Module 8 helps students to develop reader benefits. 
Gathering research is discussed in Module 22.  (14)
JTeaching Tip:  While many students will have learned these techniques in composition courses, consider spending 15-20 minutes demonstrating each at the board.  Some students will have forgotten the specifics of invention techniques, and others may not have learned them at all.  Showing students how to use invention techniques—spending no more than about five minutes with each technique—can also reassure them that experienced writers actually use them. (page 62, 69, 70 Find on pages) (14)
   
JTeaching Tip:  Remind students that any time they face writer’s block, they can return to one of the invention techniques to help them.  Using invention techniques is akin to a runner stretching before the race and stopping to stretch if he or she gets a cramp along the way.  Brainstorming, freewriting, clustering, and talking to the audience are ways to “stretch” the brain. (14) 
!In-Class Exercise:  Have students spend 10-15 minutes individually reflecting on their own writing.  In particular, ask students to consider what processes they use.  Ask them where and when they write and for how long.  Are they satisfied with this approach? What could they do to improve it? (18) 
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students bring in documents they believe are form letters (e.g., credit card offers) and let them spend 10-15 minutes completing Exercise 4.7 (p. 70).   Have them identify specific language and document features that suggest it is a form letter.  How do they know?  What is their reaction?  Would they purchase the product or service?  Why or why not?  Next, let the students spend another 10 minutes revising these sections.  Ask them to share their revisions with the class.  (25) 
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
4.1  What processes do writers use? (LO 4-1) 
Realize that the first draft can be revised, write regularly, break big jobs into small chunks, have clear goals focusing on purpose and audience, have several different strategies to choose from, use rules flexibly, and wait to edit until after the draft is complete. 
4.2  How is revision different from editing?  From proofreading? (LO 4-4) 
Revision means making changes that will better satisfy the writer’s purposes and audience.  Editing means making surface-level changes that make the document grammatically correct. Proofreading means checking to be sure the document is free from typographical errors.   
4.3  What are good strategies for overcoming writer’s block? Procrastination? (LO 4-8) 
To overcome writer’s block:  Participate actively in the organization and the community. Learn as many strategies as you can. Talk positively to yourself. Talk about writing to other people. 
To avoid procrastination:  Set a regular time to write. Develop a ritual for writing. Try freewriting. Write down the thoughts and fears you have as you write. Identify the problem that keeps you from writing. Set modest goals and reward yourself for reaching them. 
4.4  Which processes that expert writers use do you already use?  How could you modify your process to incorporate at least one more on the list?  (LO 4-1) 
Of course, students may answer this question in any number of ways.  Make sure students give clear, defined answers, using the terms and concepts throughout this module.  Prior to students answering this question, have them spend 10-15 minutes freewriting or brainstorming about their writing processes.  
4.5  Of the people who have seen your writing, which one(s) have given you the most   useful feedback?  What makes it useful? (LO 4-6) 
4.6 In which areas are you best at giving feedback to other people?  How could you   make your feedback even better? (LO 4-6) 
Student answers will vary.  Make certain their answers are descriptive and detailed—have them review terms throughout this module to best identify specifics.   
4.7  Think about the form letters you have received.  How do they make you feel?  If they have flaws, how could they be improved? (LO 4-7) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.   
4.8  Interviewing Writers about Their Composing Processes  (LO 4-1) 
This assignment can be made more challenging by asking students to compare and contrast the composing processes of two or more writers or to compare the composing process of the writer interviewed with the material about processes that help and hurt writers. 
Some students may need help finding writers to interview.  Faculty and administrators on campus as well as people in business and government are good candidates. 
This assignment works best when the interviewee not only writes a lot but also cares about his or her writing and writes a variety of documents.  Someone who writes innumerable variations of the same simple message will not be able to provide very useful information.  Another problem with the assignment is that many people in business lack a vocabulary to talk about writing and may be unable to be specific. 
4.9  Analyzing Your Own Writing Processes  (LO 4-1) 
Students need help to write effective memos.  The following problems arise: 
· Many students do not revise at all; they only edit and proofread. 
· Some students make drafts worse when they revise, not better. Their analysis of their composing processes may also be weakened by their inability to evaluate their own writing. 
· To see whether the analysis is accurate, you need to look at the student’s drafts. This assignment is thus time consuming to grade. 
In spite of these difficulties, some students are able to see points about their process(es) that will help them write more effectively both in this course and on the job.  
4.10  Checking Spell and Grammar Checkers  (LO 4-5) 
Some spell-checkers will find more errors than others.  Be sure to warn students to look for usage errors as well.  In some cases, students may suggest changes different than the ones listed below, such as eliminating the comma after a brief introductory phrase, which some experts find acceptable so long as meaning is clear.  The following sample answers show corrections in bold type. 
1. Answer to an Inquiry 
Thank you for your recent request about our “Better Burger” campaign.  We initiated the campaign after hearing from customers who said they wanted a more nutritious burger from our company.  So, we told our chefs to devise something.  And they did.  To help you enjoy your “Better Burger” even more, here are two coupons for a free drink with any purchase of a sandwich and fries.  
2. Performance Appraisal 
This quarterly performance appraisal is for Lisa.  She had a good quarter, which ended with a 22 percent increase in her sales for the three months.  In fact, Lisa outperformed everyone in her department.  Lisa is a good employee, often staying late or working through the weekends.  Her dedication is great!  One of her peers said, “She is a model salesperson and a good co-worker.” 
3. Brochure 
Think Las Vegas is only a place to gamble?  Think again!  There is much to do in Las Vegas for families, too, such as theme parks, magic shows, and sporting events.  You can also experience fine dining and tours of the surrounding desert, with its beautiful flora and fauna.  The warm colors of the desert will stay with you for many years to come.  Visit Las Vegas for a vacation of a lifetime! 
4. Presentation Slides 
How to Create a Web Résumé 
· Omit home address and phone number. 
· Use other links only if they help an employer evaluate you. 
· Be professional. 
· Carefully craft and proofread the phrase on the index page.  
How to Create a Scannable Résumé 
· Create a “plain vanilla” document. 
· Use a “Keywords” section.  Include personality traits as well as accomplishments. 
· Be specific and quantifiable. 
  
4.11  Giving and Evaluating Feedback  (LO 4-6) 
Make sure that students express their feedback using positive emphasis—that is, even statements that seem critical should be expressed in terms of what the reader or listener can do rather than what he or she can’t.  The statements should also be expressed in enough detail to be clear, and they should use the appropriate prescriptive tone—what the writer should do to improve the message may be better than simply what the reader can do. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Using Spell and Grammar Checkers (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. Even if you possess the right skills, landing the job you want can be tricky.   
4. Quite a few organizations have a board of directors that oversees how the organization operates. 
6. Sharon told us that the purchase requests should be reviewed at least two times before making them. 
8. While some people think a lack of complaints is the same thing as doing well, a true sign of success is greater market share. 
10. When Jenny decided to wait for confirmation from the prediction staff, she made a wise decision—and saved this business money.  
==Module 5 Active and Passive Voice 86==
Both refresh Wk 2 and Wk 3 discussion questions
 #WEEK TWO
 #WEEK THREE
     
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 5.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 73 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 81 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 88 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.  
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Headings also help readers to locate information quickly and efficiently. Use PP 5-6 and PP 5-7 to discuss principles of effective headings. 
☆ Teaching Tip:  Use Appendix 5-B through Appendix 5-D to show students the contrast between a page that is well designed and the same page with a flawed design, including the use of white space and margins. Show students how effectively applied principles make the page more readable and attractive.  
  
For now, students should follow these five guidelines, as illustrated on PP 5-11:  
    
· Use a big font: 44- or 50-point for titles, 32-point for subheads, and 28-point for examples.  
· Use bullet-point phrases rather than complete sentences. 
· Use clear, concise language. 
· Make only three to five points on each slide. If you have more, consider using two slides. 
· Customize your slides with the company logo, charts, and scanned-in photos and drawings. 
J Teaching Tip:  Have students share experiences when they thought a PowerPoint presentation was ineffective.  Did the design of the slides affect their impression of the speaker?  How?  If the design was poor, what might the students have wanted instead? How did the students feel about the overall presentation? 
☆In-Class Exercise:  If you are in a computer-equipped room, let groups of 3-5 students each dabble in creating a poor PowerPoint presentation.  Tell them to use inappropriate colors, sound, typefaces, type sizes, and clip art or animation.  Enter each group’s effort in a “poor design” contest and let the class vote.  After crowning the winner, discuss for 10-15 minutes why the design and others don’t work.  Compare and contrast it with the design principles discussed in this module.  If you are not in a computer-equipped room, assign this task as homework, letting students use home computers or other facilities.  
PHow should I design web pages?    LO 5-3 
·  
☆ Teaching Tip:  Bring in “real world” examples of well-designed pages.  Contrast these with ones that are not so well designed.  Ask the students which they prefer.  What do students expect in a document’s design?  How does this compare to the principles in this module? If there are differences, have the students explain why.  After sharing with them the principles in this module, see if the students still feel the same.  
    
☆In-Class Exercise:  If you are in a computer-equipped room, let students surf to find pages that are attractive, as well as those that aren’t.  (Chances are, they already have favorites.)  Let them analyze the pages to see if they follow these guidelines.  Share results with the class, perhaps projecting an image of the screen using LCD projection equipment.  If your classroom is not computer equipped, have students print out copies of both strong and weak web pages and bring them to class.  Make an overhead of each to share with the class.  
* Websites that are attractive for me :
* http://huaban.com/
* http://howww.com/
* http://leshopkorea.co.kr/
* http://www.style-arena.jp/
* http://viiphoto.com/
* http://www.hakanphotography.com/
* http://www.staleywise.com/
* http://www.picamemag.com/
* http://leaveastory.com/
* http://www.home-designing.com/
* http://www.homedit.com/
* http://www.dreame.me/
* http://www.itsnicethat.com/
* Websites that are unattractive :
* http://www.sohu.com/
* http://www.mogujie.com/
* http://www.tuniu.com/
* 有吸引力的网页：http://www.stepbystep.com/
* 没吸引力的网页：http://www.world.org/
* The best website: http://chandra.harvard.edu/
* Bad website http://www.wateronwheels.com/
* Attractive website:
* http://www.style-arena.jp/
* Unattractive website:
* http://www.sohu.com/
* Unattractive:
* http://www.mogujie.com/note/1xs1a
* Attractive one:
* http://www.trends.com.cn/
* The best website: http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish.htm/
* The bad website: http://www.where2eat.com/
* attractive website: https://www.bestmadeco.com/
* unattractive website: http://www.lingscars.com/
* Attractive website: http://china.nba.com/  
* disattractive website:  https://www.baidu.com/ 
* good: http://www.mafengwo.cn
* bad: http://www.4399.com/
* 有吸引力的网站：http://www.apple.com/
* 没有吸引力的网站：http://www.parttimecrossing.com/
PHow do I know whether my design works?    LO 5-4 
!In-Class Exercise:  Have students take bring a copy of an instruction manual they may have received with a camera, VCR, or computer program.  Let them partner up and take turns “thinking aloud” for 10 minutes while reading the instructions.  What points are clear?  Unclear?  After they have recorded their findings, the partners should spend 10-15 minutes rewriting the document or a section to try to make it more understandable and user-friendly.  Let the students share with the class their experience with this exercise.  What was helpful?  Enlightening?  
· As you plan, think about your audience. 
· As you write, incorporate lists and headings. 
· Get feedback from people who will be using your document. 
As you revise, check your draft against the guidelines in this module.
!In-Class Exercise:  Use Appendix 5-F through Appendix 5-G to let students apply what they have learned in this module.  In groups of 3-5, have them spend 10-15 minutes reviewing the document for flaws.  Then have them spend 20-25 minutes revising the document, paying particular attention to designing a document that is both readable and user-friendly.  Have groups make copies for the entire class.  Spend 10-15 minutes critiquing each group’s solution. 
  
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
5.1  How can you create white space? (LO 5-1) 
Use lists and headings.  Vary paragraph length.  Occasionally, indent paragraphs (on both sides) for emphasis. 
5.2  How do you decide whether to use bullets or numbers in a list? (LO 5-1) 
Use bullets when the order of items in the list is not critical.  Use numbers to present a chronology or ranking. 
5.3  What are three criteria for good web pages? (LO 5-3) 
Good content, easy navigation, and a first screen that provides information. 
5.4  “Closed captions” for people with hearing impairments are almost always typed in full capital letters.  Why is that a bad idea?  Are there any advantages to using full capitals?  What arguments could you use for changing the practice? (LO 5-1) 
Of course, students may answer this question in any number of ways.  Research suggests that full capital letters are harder to read.  As Appendix 5-H suggests, visual cues that help readers to see where sentences begin and end, and in come cases what information is most important, get lost with full capitals.  However, full capitals may be faster to type and require less knowledge from the typist. Arguments for using regular upper/lowercase words include:   
· People need to be able to read captions quickly. 
· Live closed-captioning is done by people trained in legal recording who like upper/lowercase in courtroom transcripts. 
5.5  Suppose that, in one company, a worker says, “We don’t need to worry about design.  People pay a toll charge to call us, and we make a slight profit on each call.  So, if they have questions about the product, that’s OK.  If better design reduced the number of calls, we might actually lose money!”  How would you persuade a person that good document design is worth doing? (LO 5-1) 
While the company may be making a profit on the calls received, it may also be losing customers who either aren’t satisfied with the product or customer service, or who don’t call in the first place but simply reject the product.  While good design may reduce the number of calls, it may increase the amount of customer satisfaction, which in turn may help keep current customers and attract new customers. 
5.6  Central Community College is preparing a brochure to persuade prospective students to consider taking classes.  The college doesn’t have the money for full-scale document testing.  What free or almost-free things could it do to make the document as effective as possible? (LO 5-1) 
First, the college should follow basic principles of good design:  use white space to separate and emphasize points, use headings to group points, limit the use of words set in all capital letters, use no more than two typefaces in a single document, and decide whether to justify margins based on the situation and the audience.  Once the document is finished, the college can watch someone (a student volunteer) to see how he or she uses the document, ask the reader to “think aloud” while completing the task, and test the document with people who are most likely to use the document. 
5.7   Design choices may have ethical implications.  Indicate whether you consider each of the following actions ethical, unethical, or a gray area.  Which of the actions would you do?  Which would you feel uncomfortable doing?  Which would you refuse to do? (LO 5-1) 
a. Putting the advantages of a proposal in a bulleted list, while discussing the disadvantages in a paragraph. 
b. Using a bigger type size so that a resume visually fills a whole page. 
c. Putting the services that are not covered by your health plan in full caps to make it less likely that people will read the page. 
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.  Possible answers include:   
a. Writers should use parallel form when discussing advantages and disadvantages, though if disadvantages are minor there is nothing unethical about using this format.   
b. Increasing the type size to 12 point is OK, though it does not increase the amount of information, and from a design perspective may make the document less attractive.  Type bigger than 12 point will look like “padding,” which is ineffective as well as unethical.   
c. Purposefully making a document unreadable does not help the reader and is unethical.  It also creates “badwill” when people discover they are not covered.  
5.8  Evaluating Page Designs (LO 5-1) 
a. In the top pair, the one on the right uses photos that fill the grid and also puts headings in the grid.  White space is improved in the margins.  In the bottom pair, the one on the right contains many improvements.  White space is improved by using bigger margins.  The number of fonts is reduced from five to two: a sans serif style for the headlines and a serif font for the text.  Decorative visuals are deleted.  Only useful visuals remain.  Visuals within columns are distracting; in the revision the visual takes a full column. 
b. The content of this page declares the problem: too many different fonts and too many different type sizes make this page very difficult to read.  Inadequate white space makes it worse.  Finally, the eye does not move from the top left to the lower right, as it should.  The information does not seem to have been put on the page in any type of order. 
5.9  Improving a Financial Aid Form (LO 5-1) 
This problem works well as a collaborative assignment.  Put students in large groups to brainstorm weaknesses with the form and then discuss it in class before students go off to work on their own.  
Some of the things which are unclear in the form will have to be assumed.  For example, Kitty assumes that less-than-full-time status matters only for college students and that information on support for the academic year can be replaced with information on dependents for tax purposes.  On issues where the problem isn’t clear, you can choose any stance that seems reasonable, or you can let students decide.  (And note that the fact that we can’t tell is another indicator of how bad this document is!) 
This original document has at least 15 problems: 
1. The year isn’t clear.  Are people supposed to fill it out for the current year or for the year the student will receive aid?  Presumably the latter is what the office wants.  The problem is compounded by the phrase “this school year” in column four—for most people, that will be the year they are filling out the form, not the year they are requesting aid for. 
2. There isn’t enough room to write in names. 
3. The terms “full-time,” “half-time,” and “less than half-time” are confusing.  Some schools just have courses, not hours.  Elementary, middle, and high school students may be in school six hours a day, but that’s full time.  Because only college students are likely to be in school part-time, perhaps the form could ask “full- or part-time?” only for college students. 
4. The form asks parents to return it “to the above address,” but no address is given. 
5. No due date is given. 
6. The form buries the information that the financial aid application will not be processed until this form is returned.  That information should be highlighted, so people don’t ignore the form or put off filling it out. 
7. The form invites people to contact a member of the “needs analysis staff” but doesn’t give a phone number to make it easy to do so.  The form probably shouldn’t invite questions, but giving a phone number under the office name and address would allow people who do have questions to contact the office. 
8. It’s not clear whether one parent’s signature is enough, or whether both must sign it. 
9. Some students may have guardians rather than parents who will complete the form. 
10. The “FAF” is referred to without explanation.  It would be better for the form to be self-contained.  Let parents sign the FAF on the FAF; let the signature on this form just refer to this form. 
11. The directions are hard to follow.  Numbering the steps would help. 
12. The form lacks a title. 
13. Full capital letters make the form unnecessarily hard to read. 
14. The information about providing half support for the academic year requires people to calculate costs differently than they do for any other purpose.  A simpler way (and easier to check) would be “List family members whom you claim as dependents on your federal tax return.” 
15. The likelihood that all family members will be included could be increased by having lines for “Student Applicant,” “Parents or Guardians” (2 lines), and “Other dependents.” 
5.10  Using Headings (LO 5-1) 
Information can always be organized in more than one way.  Here is one acceptable answer. 
a. Rules and Procedures for a Tuition Reimbursement Plan 
Eligibility 
· You are eligible to be reimbursed if you have been a full-time employee for at least three months. 
· You can be reimbursed for courses related to your current position or another position in the company, or for courses which are part of a degree related to a current or possible job. 
· Courses may be at any appropriate level (high school, college, or graduate school). 
How to Apply 
· You must apply before the first class meeting. 
· Your supervisor must sign the application form. 
Reimbursement 
· You must earn a “C” or better in the course. 
· You must submit a copy of the approved application, an official grade report, and a receipt for tuition paid to be reimbursed. 
b. Activities in Starting a New Business 
Choosing Your Business 
· Identifying the market for your products or services 
· Determining what you will make, do, or sell 
Investigating Resources 
· Identifying government and university programs for small business development 
· Getting a loan or venture capital 
Planning Financials 
· Pricing your products or services 
· Figuring cash flow 
Getting Legal Clearances 
· Getting any necessary city or state licenses 
· Checking zoning laws which may affect the location 
Opening Your Office 
· Choosing a location 
· Ordering equipment and supplies 
Selling Your Product or Service 
· Advertising and marketing 
· Selling  
5.11 Analyzing Documents (LO 5-11) 
Students’ answers will vary, depending on the organization and documents they’ve selected.  Allow two weeks’ lead time if you’re requiring a written evaluation or a formal presentation evaluating a document.  Some students find it hard to obtain documents.  Suggest that they ask professors, landlords, and older colleagues at work.  Documents from your community college, college, or university often work well. 
5.12  Revising a Document (LO 5-1) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Good revisions will use lists to organize the information for readers (a form of you-attitude). 
5.13  Evaluating PowerPoint Slides (LO 5-2) 
Students who have had little experience with PowerPoint might benefit by completing this exercise in groups.  Good answers should discuss each of the following areas: 
Is the background appropriate for the topic? 
The background is acceptable for a slides, although the “opening” slide seems too dark.  For b slides, a consistent background should be used.  The background is acceptable for c slides.   
Do the slides use words or phrases rather than complete sentences? 
Slides in a do, but those in b and c do not. 
Is the font big enough to read from a distance? 
For c, the slides are readable, but the fonts on a and b slides are not.  (If you can’t read the text in a “thumbnail” of the slide, the font is too small.)   
Is the art relevant and appropriate? 
The clip art in slide a-2 seems cartoonish. The frog photo in slide a-3 seems irrelevant. In the b slides, the old-fashioned telephone seems out of place.  The coffee cup in slide c-4 makes little sense. 
Is each slide free from error? 
No.  For example, slides a-2 and b-4 contain typos, inconsistencies in capitalization, too many fonts, etc. 
5.14  Evaluating Web Pages (LO 5-3) 
Allow two weeks’ lead time if you’re requiring a written evaluation or a formal presentation evaluating a document. 
Students should focus on both the content and the expression of information on web pages.  For guidelines, they can consult pp. 79 and 230, which discuss the format and writing style for web pages, respectively.    
The best revisions of the form usually use a sideways page (landscape orientation) and redesign the form pretty completely. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Active and Passive Voice (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. Rewrite the sentence for brevity and active voice: The hiring committee reviewed two dozen résumés. 
4. Change to active voice: Jessica Malone and Dylan Toshi wrote the final report. 
6. Change to active voice: The Accounting Department keeps the files on the third floor. 
8. The campaign is predicted to be a great success in Asia. 
10. The awards committee nominated Emily, Candice, and Ruben for Employee of the Month. 
Unit 1: Cases for Communicators 
Old Navy Taken to School 
The unit case describes the difficulties that clothing retailer Old Navy encountered when it produced t-shirts for 70 colleges and universities that contained an error. The t-shirts were printed without an apostrophe in the phrase, “Let’s go!”. Individual and group activities are provided for students based on Old Navy’s mistakes. 
==Module 6 It’s/Its 100==
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 6.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 90 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 98 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparencies Page 100 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
refresh   Wk 3 discussion questions
 #
#WEEK THREE
%%%
PHow do I create you-attitude in my sentences?    LO 6-1  
J Teaching Tip:  Ask students how they feel about people who are always talking about themselves.  What about people who only see problems as they affect them and not the people around them?  Is such “me-attitude” offensive?      
J Teaching Tip:  Ask students if they’ve ever been in a situation where a mistake they made was brought to their attention.  If the other person used “you” or their name repeatedly, how did it make them feel?   
Use PP 6-7 and PP 6-8 to see sentences corrected for you-attitude.  
Use PP 6-19 and PP 6-20 to show students how. 
    
To create goodwill with content,  
    
· Be complete. When you have lots of information to give, consider putting some details 
J Teaching Tip:  Have students share experiences where information they needed was not in the correspondence they received.  How did this make them feel?  What did they think about the sender or organization?  How did the correspondence affect their sense of trust?  Confidence in the sender or organization? 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Have students review the poor and good examples of you-attitude in letters on Appendix 6-A through Appendix 6-D.  Use the poor example first, asking students to identify flaws.  Then show them possible answers using the overlay.  Afterward, show them the improved version, using the overlay to suggest reasons why.  Ask students if there are other possible improvements.  Give the class 10-15 minutes to further revise the message. 
PP 6-22 provides more details: 
· It is more than observing and sympathizing. 
Start with shared experiences.
☆ Teaching Tip: Rightly or wrongly, Generation Y has the dubious distinction of being seen as more narcissistic than previous generations. Is this reputation deserved? Students may wish to discuss the issue, as well as whether they can brainstorm reasons for and against the assumption. If the class has diversity among generations, are there different perceptions according to which generation a student belongs? Which ideas about Generation Y in particular might nonetheless be applicable to any generation? 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Students can benefit from role playing exercises, especially when it comes to seeing another point of view.  Divide the class into two groups:  One group will represent managers while the other will represent employees. The common task between groups will be to plan a daycare facility at the company or organization. For 10 minutes, have both groups brainstorm answers to the following questions, based on what they believe managers and employees might think: How will the daycare be funded? What is a fair cost? Who will be eligible to participate? Will there be a limit to the number of children that can be enrolled? Who will decide and how? What hours will the daycare be open? Will people be allowed to visit their children during the workday? What are liability issues? Compare and contrast the answers, giving a few minutes for both sides to discuss any differences in the answers.  
%%%
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
6.1  What is you-attitude? (LO 6-1) 
You-attitude is a style of writing that looks at things from the reader’s point of view, respects the reader’s intelligence, protects the reader’s ego, and emphasizes what the reader wants to know. 
6.2  How can you create you-attitude within sentences? (LO 6-1) 
    
Talk about the reader, not about yourself, don’t talk about feelings, except to congratulate or offer sympathy, in positive situations, use you more often than I.  Use we when it includes the reader, and avoid “you” in negative situations. 
6.3  How can you create you-attitude beyond the sentence level? (LO 6-1, LO 6-3) 
Beyond the sentence level, you-attitude should address issues of content and organization. 
    
To create goodwill with content, be complete, anticipate and answer questions the reader is likely to have, show why information the reader didn’t ask for is important, and show readers how the subject of your message affects them. 
   
To create goodwill with organization put information readers are most interested in first, arrange information to meet your reader’s needs, not yours, and use headings and lists so that the reader can find key points quickly. 
6.4   Can you think of situations in which the four strategies would not create you-attitude?  If so, how would you create you-attitude in those situations? (LO 6-1, LO 6-2) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.  There are specific situations where using the word you does not work, such as in negative situations.  In addition, the audience may have cultural values that do not privilege you-attitude—writers should adapt their messages to fit the needs of the reader, even if that means emphasizing I.  (Doing so, ironically, is a form of you-attitude, not in expression, but in considering the audiences’ wants and needs.) 
6.5  Why do sentences starting “We give you” lack you-attitude? (LO 6-1, LO 6-2) 
“We give you” lacks you-attitude because the sentence focuses on what we are doing, not what the writer wants or needs. 
6.6  Think of a time when you felt a business cared about you.  What words or actions made you feel that way? (LO 6-1, LO 6-2) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.   
6.7  Why doesn’t the word you always create you-attitude?  (LO 6-2) 
In three specific situations, using the word you does not create you-attitude:  
· In a positive message, focus on what the reader can do. “We give you” lacks you-attitude because the sentence focuses on what we are doing. 
· Avoid you when it criticizes the reader or limits the reader’s freedom. 
· In a job application letter, create you-attitude by showing how you can help meet the reader’s needs, but keep the word you to a minimum. 
6.8  Using Passives and Impersonal Constructions to Improve You-Attitude (LO 6-1) 
In each pair, the first sentence is passive; the second is impersonal. 
1.   You did not part your car in the appropriate lot.  
The car was not parked in the appropriate lot.  
The car is in the wrong lot. 
2.   You did not turn in the correct receipts for reimbursement. 
The correct receipts were not turned in for reimbursement. 
The receipts are not correct.  
3.   Because of your error, you cost this company $14,000 in extra charges. 
The company was charged $14,000 in extra costs. 
The error cost the company $14,000 in extra charges. 
4. You did not provide a portfolio showing relevant work samples for this job. 
Work samples were provided that are not relevant. 
The work samples are not relevant. 
5. You did not submit your weekly report on time to your supervisor. 
The weekly report was not submitted on time. 
The weekly report is late. 
6.9  Improving You-Attitude (LO 6-1, LO 6-2) 
Many different revisions are possible. Acceptable answers include the following. 
1. The enclosed membership has been priced specially for you. 
2. As a Pinnacle Marketing customer, you get the best and brightest talent to help with your online promotions. 
3. This exclusive offer is available to you for a limited time. 
4. Your Cummings Brand tractor or lawnmower is backed by the personal guarantee of the company’s president and CEO.  
5. You will not find a better deal anywhere else for this product. 
6. Please take the time to visit one of our neighborhood locations close to you. 
7. Your refund check will be mailed on March 1. 
8. In the next few weeks, you will have the opportunity to attend wellness seminars to encourage even better lifestyle choices. 
9. Your assignment is to help with recruiting. 
10. A mistake cost the company $34,000 on the deal. 
6.10  Improving You-Attitude (LO 6-1, LO 6-2) 
Many different revisions are possible. Acceptable answers include the following. 
1. As an employee, you will enjoy a generous package of company benefits. 
2. You will receive a refund by the first week in May. 
3.  You will be offered the job tomorrow. 
4. You should reread your letter before sending it. 
5. You will be called by October 3 to schedule delivery. 
6. Please use discretion in dealing with business matters. 
7. Turning in hours in a timely manner will allow us to issue paychecks promptly. 
8. Take the time to review the job posting you wrote to be sure it is accurate. 
9. Employees should recognize that customer service is job number one. 
10. Please feel free to share your comments about the job with me. 
6.11  Revising a Form Letter for You-Attitude (LO 6-1 to LO 6-3) 
The memo is weak in both you-attitude and positive emphasis. Many different revisions are possible, but at minimum they should correct the following problems: 
· “We are happy” in the first paragraph focuses on the writer’s feelings, not the reader. 
· “We should be ready to open” focuses on the actions of the writer, not on what the reader can do. 
· “We will attempt to schedule” in the third paragraph again gives information from the writer’s point of view, and the word “attempt” makes it sound doubtful. 
6.12  Evaluating You-Attitude in Documents that Cross Your Desk (LO 6-1 to LO 6-4) 
Most students have trouble recognizing and fixing problems with you-attitude.  Using this as an ungraded assignment (or just as a quiz rather than as a paper assignment) can raise consciousness without penalizing students who have not yet mastered you-attitude and positive emphasis. 
Polishing Your Prose:  It’s/Its  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
2. Halle told us it’s going to be at least five business days before we can expect a reply to our Singapore proposal. 
4. Because the Halloran Company values innovation, it’s vital that creative people have the opportunity to realize their potential there. 
6. We believe it’s a sign of good faith that our customers have stayed with us in tough economic times. 
8. In her keynote address, Sophia told us that an organization is strong only because its employees are strong. 
10. To keep up with its competition, a company needs to make certain its social networking pages are kept up-to-date. 
==Module 7 Singular and Plural Possessives 111==
17 “telephone game.”
7  Positive Emphasis
11  Negative Messages
 #WEEK FOUR  
4.1 Discussion--Homework (10 pts.)
4.2 Problem Analysis and Draft--Homework (20 pts.)
This assignment is due before the SECOND  class meeting this week. WEEK FOUR Communication Problem: Announcing Cost Saving Measures --  Exercise 11.17, p. 184
4.3 Writing Assignment--Final (50 pts.) 
This assignment is due no later than end of Week 4.
4.4 Speaking Exercise 
MyWritingLab 
%%%%
Module 7
Positive Emphasis 
LO 7-1 Apply strategies for positive emphasis use.
LO 7-2 Analyze situations for ethical positive emphasis.
LO 7-3 Explain reasons for tone, politeness, and power considerations.
LO 7-4 Identify situations for apologies.
What’s in This Supplement
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 7.  It covers
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 101
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 109
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 111 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
☆  Positive emphasis means ethically using language to express information in positive terms.  Essentially, it is looking at the glass as “half full” rather than half empty.  Use Appendix 7-A to illustrate some basic ways of looking at things positively.  
☆  Teaching Tip:  Ask students if they’ve done better in courses where they’ve viewed the subject matter positively.  If so, why do they think so?  What is it about their energy, enthusiasm, or discipline that was different in those courses versus the ones they viewed negatively?  What might this suggest about the effect of business correspondence written in negative terms or with a negative tone?  What might this suggest about the importance of their attitude as it relates to business? 
☆  In-Class Exercise:  Have students surf the Web for pages representing large companies, such as Microsoft, American Express, or Chrysler Corporation.  Ask students to critique the pages for their use of positive emphasis.  Which pages do the best job?  Which could be improved?  Do these pages follow the guidelines expressed in this module?     On a scale of 1-10, please put these companies from the highest 10 to lowest 1. 
* https://www.americanexpress.com/
* http://www.chrysler.com/en/
* http://www.alibaba.com/
* http://www.microsoft.com/zh-cn
* http://www.lenovo.com.cn/activity/guoqing/index.html
* http://www.qq.com/
☆ In-Class Exercise:  People’s perspectives on ethics may change depending on whether a situation applies to them or not. (If you dare), ask students about the ethics of a Web site like www.ratemyprofessors.com. Is it ethical for students to post their opinions, regardless of potential ramifications for instructors if they are inflammatory or untrue? Should a website allow these comments to be posted anonymously? What effort is made to determine the truthfulness of the comments? What guarantees are provided that the comments are actually from the instructor’s student or that the same student isn’t posting multiple times? After the students finish, ask them if it is equally ethical to create a website called www.ratemystudent.com, www.ratemyemployee.com, or www.ratemycoworker.com and allow people to post things anonymously. Would students be comfortable with potential employers and other reading opinions about them with the same parameters? Why or why not?
☆ In-Class Exercise:  In this age of “shock jocks” and raunchy entertainment, what is and isn’t considered polite may be hard for students to define.  Have them write a 1- to 2-page research memo on etiquette.  What are common forms of politeness?  What “rules” exist and who determines them?  What are current expectations for politeness in the workplace?  In society in general?
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
7.1  How can you create positive emphasis? (LO 7-1)
The module shows a variety of techniques.  These include avoiding negative words and words with negative connotations, focusing on what the reader can do rather than on limitations, justifying negative information by giving a reason or linking it to a reader benefit, omitting the negative if it is truly unimportant, and putting the negative information in the middle and presenting it compactly.
7.2  Which of the following are negative words that you should avoid? (LO 7-1)
Anxious, hesitate, and unfortunately are always negative.  The others may become negatives in some situations (hidden negatives).  
7.3  What are your options when you need to apologize? (LO 7-4)
Apologize early, briefly, and sincerely.
7.4  Can you think of situations in which positive emphasis might backfire or be inappropriate?  What strategies would be most likely to meet the audience’s needs in those situations? (LO 7-1, LO 7-2)
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.  
One possibility is when giving a warning in a set of instructions.  If the warning is indirect or seems “buried” in the prose, people following the instructions may not understand it.  In this case, a more direct, possibly negatively-phrased warning statement is appropriate. 
7.5  Some negative phrases (such as “please do not hesitate”) are business clichés.  Why is it better to avoid them? (LO 7-3)
Words aren’t OK just because they are common, and clichés in general should be avoided.  However, this particular cliché is negative.  It should be omitted if a more positive alternative is not available.
People in business aren’t shrinking violets; they will ask questions.  Even if people are afraid of you and would hesitate to ask questions, this phrase is not the way to change your image.
7.6  If you work for a company that claims to be egalitarian, do you still need to attend to tone, power, and politeness? (LO 7-3)
Absolutely.  Regardless of the hierarchical levels of the organization, tone, power, and politeness are issues that must be addressed.  How employees do so will be based on the organizational culture.
7.7  Think of a situation when an apology was appropriate.  What strategy was actually used?  Would another strategy have been better? (LO 7-4)
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.  
7.8  Evaluating the Ethics of Positive Emphasis (LO 7-1)
People of goodwill may differ.  Here are some possible answers.
anxious/excited
Both terms can have negative connotations.  The second one, however, is generally preferable to the first.
flack/public relations specialist
The first term suggests someone whose job it is to obscure information or interfere with getting it (“flack” is a term for bursts of anti-aircraft fire).  The second term suggests a professional whose expertise is in communication.
gadget/device
The second term sounds less whimsical or negative.
junk bonds/high-yield bonds
The second term is preferred term.
problem/challenge
The second seems appropriate positive emphasis; it focuses on the opportunity that may arise from the situation and seems to imply that the situation may come to an acceptable resolution.  The first stresses the drawbacks of the situation.
right-winger/conservative
Most people would probably find the former term critical while the second suggests a neutral or positive sensibility.
tax/user fee
The first seems more honest.  The second may be acceptable if it is something that only a minority of the population use (e.g., yachts); it seems unacceptable if it is something many people use (e.g., parks).
layoffs/rightsizing
Though both terms have negative connotations, most people perceive the first as being more negative.
liberal/progressive
As with right-winger/conservative, these two terms provide potentially negative and positive connotations, respectively, of social or political ideology.
mouthpiece/attorney
The second term describes a professional with expertise in the law; the first term is disparaging. 
price increase/price change
The first seems more honest; the second seems designed to keep people from realizing that they will have to pay more.
7.9  Focusing on the Positive (LO 7-1)
Students’ answers will vary.  Acceptable answers are:
1. This account remains one of our top performers.
2. Please call if you have questions.  (Ideally, this sentence should be omitted, as the original message should provide all of the information the audience needs.) 
3. To increase your chances of being promoted, be neat and punctual.
7.10  Identifying Hidden Negatives (LO 7-1)
Many different revisions are possible.  The following are acceptable answers.
1.  Welcome to our team and to what promises to be a productive and profitable association.  (“Hope” is a hidden negative, and focusing on the speaker or writer in the original message is poor you-attitude.)
2.  Your refund of $38.20 is enclosed.  (Focus on what the reader wants – the refund—rather than the writer; avoid telling readers how they will feel.)
3.  Employees eligible for bonuses will be notified at the end of the fiscal year. (“Guessing” is a hidden negative; provide the reader with definitive information about bonuses.)
 
7.11  Revising Sentences to Improve Positive Emphasis (LO 7-1 to LO 7-4)
 Many different revisions are possible.  The following are acceptable answers.
1. Your refund of $34.23 was mailed on January 4.
2. The meeting has been rescheduled to next Friday.
3. Your work has improved over the last several months.
4. Emily, Paula, and Nell will be at the reception by 7:45.
5. We appreciate the great work you are doing.
6. Always prepare for the worst scenario. 
7. You should be proud of your recent promotion.
8. Sean is a competent employee.
9. Please let us know if you have any questions about our services.
10. At Provincial Bank, customers are our first priority.
7.12  Revising Sentences to Improve Positive Emphasis (LO 7-1 to LO 7-4)
Many different revisions are possible.  The following are acceptable answers.
1. Please arrive by 1 p.m. for the meeting.
2. Noelani plans to donate her sick leave to another employee.
3. I’m estimating the server will be back online by 2:30 p.m.
4. You can change your dental plan October 1 through October 20.
5. How may I answer your question?
6. A technician can assist your between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
7. You package will be delivered on Saturday, May 19.
8. Our offices will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.
9. The committee worked diligently to bring the project in on time and under budget.
10. Luis is one of our most productive employees.
7.13  Revising a Memo to Improve Positive Emphasis (LO 7-1 to LO 7-4)
Students’ answers will vary.  Problems with positive emphasis in the original include:
· “isn’t yet ready” is needlessly negative.  Saying the expected date for the program’s implementation would be a plus, as that is the information readers want to know.
· “I can’t believe” should be cut.
· “but Rob made a mistake” and “He accidentally” puts negative attention on Rob.  Using a passive construction instead would point out the error without emphasizing who did it.
· “It was a silly mistake but not a fatal one” could be removed entirely.  
· “I wouldn’t worry” and “it shouldn’t be a problem” both emphasize negatives.  Instead, the writer could stress the solution to the problem.
· A better goodwill ending should be written for this message.  If the message is well written, questions from the reader should be unnecessary.  “please don’t hesitate” is negative and businessese.
7.14  Identifying Positive Emphasis in Ads and Documents (LO 7-1 to LO 7-4)
Students’ answers will vary.  Whatever their response, expect a detailed, reasoned answer.  Students should bring copies of their ad or document examples to class.
Polishing Your Prose:  Singular and Plural Possessives  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.)
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones.
2. Alex’s point is the longer we hesitate to get into the marketplace, the more potential customers we lose.
4. Before we decide to offer products in Costa Rica, we should first determine what people’s opinions are of our company.
6. Each manager’s viewpoint is valuable, and we want to give everyone a chance to participate.
8. Shaytell told us her employees’ after-work social events are also helping to build teamwork in the office.
10. Either form is acceptable.
==Module 8 Plurals and Possessives 122==
refresh   Wk 3 discussion questions
 #
#WEEK THREE
LO 8-1 Explain functions of reader benefits. 
LO 8-2 Identify reader benefits for messages. 
LO 8-3 Apply strategies for reader benefits creation. 
LO 8-4 Select reader benefits for messages. 
LO 8-5 Apply strategies for reader benefits and audience harmony. 
LO 8-6 Support reader benefits with you-attitude.
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 8.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 112 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 121 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 122 
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
PWhy do reader benefits work?     LO 8-1  
Reader benefits improve the audience’s attitudes and actions.
☆ In-Class Exercise:  For 10-15 minutes, let students share what motivates them both in school and on the job.  In terms of school, do they treat classes they see as being beneficial to their careers as better or worse than others?  Have they or will they choose entry-level jobs that they view(ed) as beneficial to reaching later career goals?  How did those feelings compare to jobs they did “just for the money”?  
☆brainstorming (described in Module 4).  As PP 8-6 describes, students should brainstorm in two steps:  
    
1. Think of feelings, fears, and needs that may motivate the reader. 
2. Identify the objective features of the product or policy. 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Figure 8.1 (p. 114)/PP 8-7 shows Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  This widely published model describes human motivation and is adapted here for a business environment.  To help students better understand the model, have them locate where on the hierarchy they believe they are.  What steps are they taking to reach the next level?  At what level might they see themselves in two years?  Five? Ten?  As they climb, what tangible rewards will they expect, if any?  Ask students to share their findings with the class. 
Psychological description (PP 8-9) is a technique to use to develop vivid, specific benefits.  It involves techniques often used by creative writers to create a scenario rich with sense impressions.  Therefore, using examples from creative writing to help students see the advantages of vivid description can be helpful in discussing psychological description. 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Bring an object to class large enough for everyone to see easily—a stuffed animal, a basketball, a poster or work of art—and have students spend 5-10 minutes using psychological description to write down every word, thought, or idea that comes to mind about the object.  When they are finished, spend 5-10 minutes making a master list of descriptions.  Try separating these into categories that fit the five senses, as well as emotions and abstract concepts.   
PHow do I decide which benefits to use?     LO 8-4 
As described on PP 8-10 through PP 8-12, three principles can guide students in deciding which benefits to use:  
J Teaching Tip:  Help students to better understand the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic benefits by having them brainstorm about the benefits of their education.  What extrinsic benefits can they list (e.g., a degree; preparation for a job or profession)?  What intrinsic benefits are there (e.g., increased confidence)? Which are more important to students now?  Which do they think will be more important over the course of their lives? 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Have students get into groups of 3-5 and do Exercise 8.10 on p. 121.  Use Appendix 8-A through Appendix 8-E to show students how to develop reader benefits for people getting advice about interior decorating.  Use the first transparency master to introduce the problem.  Let students brainstorm possible audiences, needs, and benefits for 10 minutes.  Then show them the remaining transparency masters.  How do their benefits compare?    
8.10 Identifying and Developing Reader Benefits for Different Audiences (LO 8-1 to LO 8-3)
Assume that you want to encourage people to do one of the
following activities:
1. Having a personal trainer
Audiences:  Professional athletes
Busy managers
Someone trying to lose weight
Someone making a major lifestyle
change after a heart attack
2. Using public transportation
Audiences:  People who must travel throughout the
city for their job
People who have children in day care
People who live in the suburbs
3. Getting advice about refinancing a home mortgage
Audiences:  Investors
Empty nesters
Potential retirees
Single professionals
Parents looking to finance a child’s
education
4. Getting advice on retirement strategies
Audiences:  Young adults entering the workforce
People earning less than $50,000 annually
People planning to attend graduate or
professional school, such as law school
Parents with small children
People within 10 years of retirement
5. Eating organic foods
Audiences:  Upscale shoppers
People on tight budgets
People with small children
Supporters of local farming
People concerned with soil conservation
People concerned with reducing pesticides
6. Buying an HDTV
Audiences:  College students
Sports aficionados
Residence hall managers
Tavern and restaurant owners
Trade show display salespeople
7. Teaching adults to read
Audiences:  Retired workers
Businesspeople
Students who want to become teachers
High school and college students
People concerned about poverty
8. Attending college or graduate school
Audiences:  Recent high school graduates
Retirees
Working professionals
Single parents
Wealthy people
Entrepreneurs
9. Attending a fantasy sports camp (you pick the sport),
playing with and against retired players who provide
coaching and advice
10. Taking a cruise, where passengers have all meals
included but must pay for tips, drinks, airfare, and off-
ship excursions
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Identify needs that you could meet for the audiences
listed here. In addition to needs that several audiences
share, identify at least one need that would be particu-
larly important to each group.
b. Identify a product or service that could meet each need.
c. Write a paragraph or two of reader benefits for each
product or service. Remember to use you-attitude.
d. Develop one or more of the benefits using psychological
description.
Hints:
• For this assignment, you can combine benefits or pro-
grams as if a single source offered them all.
• Add specific details about particular sports, cities,
tourist attractions, activities, etc., as material for your
description.
• Be sure to move beyond reader benefits to vivid details
and sense impressions.
• Put your benefits in you-attitude.
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
8.1  What are reader benefits? (LO 8-1) 
Reader benefits are benefits or advantages the reader gets by using your services, buying your products, following your policies, or adopting your ideas. 
8.2  In a message with reader benefits, how many different benefits should you use? (LO 8-2) 
Typically, three to five sentences are required to give enough detail in a business message about a benefit. If two or three benefits are developed fully, then a sentence or two can be used for the remaining benefits. 
8.3  What is psychological description? (LO 8-2) 
Psychological description is a technique to use to develop vivid, specific benefits. It involves techniques often used by creative writers to create a scenario rich with sense impressions. 
8.4  What is the difference between internal and external reader benefits?  Which are better?  Why? (LO 8-3) 
Extrinsic rewards—such as money or promotions—motivate for a short period of time.  Intrinsic benefits—such as job satisfaction or a sense of belonging to the group—generally lasts longer.  Typically, intrinsic benefits are considered better for most situations. 
8.5  How do reader benefits help you achieve your goals? (LO 8-1) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Look for threads of explanation that use terms and concepts from this module.  Challenge students to give detailed, complete answers.  
One key factor is expectancy theory, which suggests people try their best only when they believe they can succeed and see rewards from their success.  Reader benefits express how using products or services or adopting policies rewards the reader. 
8.6  Why do reader benefits need to be in you-attitude? (LO 8-3) 
Because benefits must appeal to the reader, you-attitude is critical in expressing them.  
Writers should adapt reader benefits to the audience and base them on intrinsic advantages.  Support through clear logic, adequate detail, and you-attitude help increase the likelihood that benefits will appeal to the reader. 
8.7  If you are writing to multiple audiences with different needs, should you include all the reader benefits you can think of in the message? (LO 8-3) 
Only use the benefits that are most critical to reaching your audience.  However, use at least one benefit per audience.  In a sales letter, consider sending a more targeted message. 
8.8  Identifying and Developing Reader Benefits (LO 8-1, LO 8-2) 
Go “green.” 
Security:  saving money; conserving environmental resources.  
Belonging:  promoting welfare of organization.  
Recognition:  having a good personal and corporate reputation. 
Give up smoking.  
Physical:  improving health and physiological well-being. 
Belonging:  belonging to a group; interacting with other people who also participate. 
Recognition:  (if one is seen by others as a role model.)  
Self-actualization:  putting talents, abilities to better use. 
Conserve using office supplies. 
Security:  having office supplies more likely to be available when needed. 
Belonging:  contributing to a group effort at conservation. 
Recognition:  taking pride in doing the right thing. 
Car pool with other employees. 
Physical: having to drive less individually. 
Belonging:  traveling with co-workers. 
Recognition:  being seen in the carpool; being recognized as contributing. 
Self-actualization:  putting talents, abilities to better use. 
Participate in a cancer charity walk. 
Belonging:  feeling a part of the community by helping others to combat a deadly disease. 
Recognition:  having pride in achievement or community service awards 
Self-actualization:  using talents to help others acquire funds to battle cancer. 
8.9  Identifying Objections and Reader Benefits (LO 8-1 to LO 8-3) 
1.   Objections:  time needed; carrying swipe card everywhere; some people will object to what they see as too much control of an organization over their personal freedoms. 
Benefits: keeping students safe and secure; ability to monitor comings and goings on the campus; reassuring parents and employees that campus is safe. 
The easiest people to convince would be those who are concerned about the safety of their environment, as well as the parents of students who live on campus. 
2.   Objections:  people may not want their identities and the dollar amounts of their contributions shared on an organization’s website. 
Benefits:  seeing which employees already give charitable contributions might motivate other employees to give a contribution. 
           
The easiest people to convince would be people who feel strongly about helping others less fortunate than themselves. 
3.   Objections:  people who are struggling economically may object to the increased levy for upgraded parks and programs; other people who do not use the parks and summer programs may believe that they shouldn’t be forced to pay the increased levy. 
Benefits:  people who typically use the upgraded parks and summer programs may believe the increased levy will benefit the entire community; the upgrades may attract people to move into the community because of the added programs and park activities. 
           
The easiest people to convince would be those who frequent the parks, believe in a “greener” environment, and enjoy outside activities with family and friends. 
8.10  Identifying and Developing Reader Benefits for Different Audiences (LO 8-1 to LO 8-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Consider having students form groups of 3-5 to brainstorm needs and benefits that meet them.  To prep students for developing their answers, use Appendix 8-A through Appendix 8-E to show students a possible solution for getting advice about interior decorating. 
Expect students to provide concrete details. For example, if the students are expecting to purchase an HDTV, they may have the following needs: 
Have comparatively little money than graduates, but may have more disposable income. 
Need a versatile system for watching TV and for other tasks, like gaming. 
Must be small enough to fit into a dorm room or student apartment. 
Benefits could include: 
Available purchase through an installment plan or rent to own. 
A variety of interfaces and ports, such as USB. 
Thin and lightweight, capable of being mounted on a desk or on a wall. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Plurals and Possessives (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of textbook.) 
2. Stakeholders believe in a company for many reasons, but generally a solid business plan helps to build their confidence. 
4. Since we have a week’s worth of work left to do, we should get started as soon as possible. 
6. We learned from Jack that supervisors will be expected to complete daily progress reports now in addition to their weekly ones.  
8. The Public Relations Department noted that public opinions can change according to how effective a company’s media strategy is. 
10. Because a memo’s purpose should be clear, the subject line’s content is very important. 
Unit 2: Cases for Communicators 
Keep on Reading with Us 
This unit case describes the difficulties The New York Times encountered when someone at the paper mistakenly sent out an email to subscribers offering a significant discount on a 16-week subscription to the newspaper. Adding insult to injury, someone from the paper then tweeted that the discount email was not sent by the Times, which was not the case. Individual and group activities are provided for students based on The New York Times’ faulty communications to subscribers. 
==Module 9 Making Subjects and Verbs Agree 141==
==Module 10 Dangling Modifers 163==
refresh   Wk 3 discussion questions
 #
#WEEK THREE
LO 10-1 Create subject lines for informative and positive messages. 
LO 10-2 Apply strategies for informative and positive message organization. 
LO 10-3 Identify situations for reader benefits use with informative and positive messages. 
LO 10-4 List common kinds of informative and positive messages. 
LO 10-5 Apply strategies for informative and positive message analysis with PAIBOC. 
LO 10-6 Create goodwill endings for informative and positive messages. 
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 10.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 143 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 157 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 163 
  
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.
☆ In-Class Exercise:  As a group, have students brainstorm as many kinds of goodwill endings as they can think of.  When finished, make a master list and let the class critique each possibility.  Which are acceptable?  Which seem frivolous or unprofessional?  Which seem unfriendly?  What criteria should writers use when selecting goodwill endings?  How do their concepts compare to the Building a Critical Skill Box information on p. 154?
Writing a Goodwill Ending LO 10-6
For example, consider possible endings for a letter answer-
ing the question, “When a patient leaves the hospital and
returns, should we count it as a new stay?” For one company,
the answer was that if a patient was gone from the hospital
overnight or longer, the hospital should start a new claim when
the patient was readmitted.
Weak closing Should you have any questions regarding this
paragraph:  matter, please feel free to call me.
Goodwill  Many employee-patients appreciate the freedom
ending:  to leave the hospital for a few hours. It’s nice
working with a hospital that is flexible enough to
offer that option.
Also  Omit the paragraph; stop after the
acceptable:  explanation.
☆What are the most common kinds of informative and positive messages?     LO 10-4 
Use PP 10-15 to introduce each to your students.   Use Appendix 10-A as a checklist when writing any informative or positive message. 
    
Use Appendix 10-B and Appendix 10-C to show a sample confirmation message.   
Appendix 10-A shows a checklist for writing informative/positive messages. 
☆How can I apply what I’ve learned in this module?     LO 10-5 
Plan your activities and answer the PAIBOC questions.  
%%%
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
10.1  What are the three criteria for good subject lines?  (LO 10-1) 
Specific, concise, and appropriate for the pattern of organization 
10.2  How should you organize a positive or informative message? (LO 10-2) 
Give any good news and summarize the main points, give details, clarification, and background, present any negative elements—as positively as possible, explain any reader benefits, and use a goodwill ending:  positive, personal, and forward-looking. 
10.3  How do varieties of informative and positive messages adapt the basic pattern? (LO 10-4) 
Letters of Transmittal:  Tell the reader what you’re sending, summarize your main point(s), indicate any special circumstances or information, and tell the reader what will happen next. 
Confirmations:  Start the message by indicating that it is a confirmation, not a new message.  Indicate information discussed. 
Summaries:  For internal use for a conversation, identify the people who were present, the topic of discussion, decisions made, and who does what next.  To summarize a document, start with the main point, give supporting evidence and details, evaluate the document, and identify actions that your organization should take.  
Adjustments and Responses to a Complaint:  When you grant a customer’s request for an adjusted price, discount, replacement, or other benefit to resolve a complaint, do so in the very first sentence.  Don’t talk about your own process in making a decision, nor say anything that sounds grudging. 
Thank-You and Congratulatory Notes:  Put the good news up front, use specifics, and keep the message short. 
10.4  What’s wrong with the subject line “New Policy”? (LO 10-1) 
It is vague.  What about the new policy?  It also does not indicate whether the message is good or informative news.  
10.5  Is it unethical to “bury” any negative elements in an otherwise positive or informative message? (LO 10-2) 
No.  The primary purpose is to convey good or neutral news.  If the negative information is more important than the positive, send a negative message instead.   
10.6  Why is it important to recognize the secondary as well as the primary purposes of your message? (LO 10-2, LO 10-4) 
Writers should not miss opportunities for messages to address such secondary purposes as building goodwill and eliminating the need for future correspondence on the same subject.   Meeting secondary purposes reduces document cycling and helps to ensure your reader will view the message and the organization positively. 
10.7  Are you more likely to need reader benefits in informative letters or memos?  Why?  (LO 10-3) 
Informative letters and memos should contain reader benefits.  Even messages that announce a mundane change in policy should show how the new policy will benefit the reader.  
10.8  Revising a Positive Message (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
The original letter is weak in many areas.  A good solution will put the good news up front, explain any necessary details, organize information for quick reading, and trim excess words.  You-attitude can be improved by both organization and replacing the last sentence with a goodwill close. 
10.9  Announcing a New Policy of Compensatory Time Off (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
A good response will recognize that many employees will find the announcement to be good news, even if some will take it simply as information. The tone should be upbeat and friendly, but businesslike.  It is also a good opportunity to build goodwill.  A letter that shows the company is offering the policy because it values its employees would take full advantage of a great chance to show collegiality. 
10.10  Accepting Suggestions (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
Use Appendix 10-D through Appendix 10-E to show a possible solution to the problem.  It shows increased you-attitude, stronger positive emphasis, better organization, and more specific information. 
  
10.11  Giving Good News (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
Students’ answers will vary, depending on the organization they’ve selected.  Make sure students specify what organization they’ve chosen and use the correct organizational pattern for the message they write.  Good letters will give the good news and build goodwill for the organization. 
10.12  Agreeing to Waive a Fee (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
This problem produces a positive message in letter format.  Good letters will give the good news early in the letter, even in the subject line, and will get all the information right. A goodwill ending should be used as well. 
10.13  Reminding Employees of the Company Web Use Policy (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Most companies have policies for using the web, but many companies do not enforce them or enforce them haphazardly.  But employees generally understand that certain activities, such as surfing adult web pages, is inappropriate in the workplace.  Therefore, few, if any, employees are likely to be offended at the reminder of the company’s policy.  The writer should take care that the tone of the message is informative and not accusatory. 
10.14  Announcing an Additional Employee Benefit (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
To prepare students for this problem, help them understand the importance of elder care. Not all students realize that everyone who lives long enough gets old.  
One of the most challenging parts of this problem is developing reader benefits for those employees who will not use the benefit.  A class discussion about how the availability of the benefit is a benefit in itself for anyone who might need the service can help students understand this employee benefit better.  
Questions to Get Discussion Started 
1. Why is caring for elderly relatives important? How many adults currently have such obligations? 
One in four adults over 40 currently cares for an aging parent or other relative. The work is very difficult without outside help. Further, it decreases the care-giver’s efficiency at work. Decreased efficiency of one worker puts added burdens on other workers. 
2. Why is this policy limited to care for the elderly and not to care for children? (Also discuss whether the benefit is available for long-term care for any relative.) 
Discuss the current benefits available to parents. 
3. How important will this be to the organization in attracting top caliber employees? 
Can this help attract more seasoned employees at all levels of the company? 
Answers to the Six Analysis Questions 
1. Who is (are) your audience(s)?  What characteristics are relevant to this particular message?  If you are writing to more than one reader, how do your readers differ from each other? 
· All employees. 
· For this message, relevant characteristics include 
· Whether there are elderly relatives or not 
· Whether such relatives have had major care issues or major medical problems that will become long term care issues in the near future 
2. What are your purposes in writing? 
1. Inform: tell people that the policy exists, how it works 
2. Build goodwill  
a. the policy is a good one. 
b. this is a good use of company funds. 
c. this is a good company to work for. 
3. What information must your message include? 
1. That the policy has been approved. It covers elder care only, not child care (if that is the case). 
2. How to take time off for caring for a relative.  
3. Explanation of how many months one may take as unpaid leave. 
4. The information being maintained by HR to help those with elder care issues. 
4. On what basis (bases) will you appeal to your reader(s)? What advantages or reader benefits can you stress? 
This employee benefit has obvious advantages for an employee subgroup.. Other reader benefits are easiest when good employees are hard to find (then the policy is a way to attract and retain people) or when the organization sells products for which consumers have many options. Then this egalitarian policy gives consumers a reason to choose a specific airline, drive just a bit farther to get to a particular grocery store, and so forth. 
5. What objection(s) can you anticipate from your reader(s)?  What negative elements must you deemphasize or overcome? 
· Making up work for those who are gone due to the benefit. 
· The benefit only applies to elder care. 
6. What aspects of the total situation may affect reader response?  Status of the economy?  Morale? Relationship of writer and reader?  Any special circumstances? 
Here, the company’s record on family issues and inclusivity are important. Age of workers may be a factor, since younger workers may not yet have considered the enormous physical and emotional toll on people taking care of elderly relatives. When the economy is booming, it’s easier to see such “extras” as desirable. 
10.15 Answering a Customer Complaint About Shipping and Handling Costs (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
Ms. Biedler’s feelings on the matter are understandable; helping her to understand that the shipping rates are a function of the overland trucking company and that an investigation into which customer service rep treated her poorly is underway may help soothe some of those feelings.  Good solutions will treat this situation as an opportunity to help a customer better understand how merchandise is shipped with the best care, ensuring it arrives safe and secure. 
Note:  Some students may find this letter to be more appropriate as negative message, that is, that Ms. Biedler is likely to be unhappy with the news.  But really it’s about clarifying a misperception, with lesser attention given to addressing the alleged behavior of an employee.  Therefore, treating it as an informative message is likely a better approach. 
10.16 Informing Employees That Flu Shots Are Available (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
This is a fairly straightforward informative message.  A good response will stress the benefits of getting the flu shot, including the low cost, free health screening, and on-site administration.  Superior answers will use a bulleted list in parallel form.  Negatives including minor discomfort and for those employees off site, having to travel and use personal leave.   Some students may see the benefit only being offered on two days as a negative, but stress to them that bringing the medical specialists to the site in the first place is better than most businesses provide.  Since the message will go to employees, a memo or e-mail format is acceptable. Use Appendix 10-A for an informative and positive message checklist. 
10.17  Announcing an Employee Fitness Center (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
Many companies have installed fitness centers at locations with large employee populations. These centers are not only enjoyable to a large group of employees but also help keep down medical costs for the employer. Use the following information to help students analyze this problem before beginning to write.  You may want students to write their own answers to each question based on the specific audience they’ll be using for the assignment. 
Questions for Analysis 
1. Who is (are) your audience(s)?  What characteristics are relevant to this particular message?  If you are writing to more than one reader, how do the readers differ? 
All employees.  Relevant characteristics:  (1) frequency of exercise (2) membership in other facilities. 
Frequency of Exercise: Some employees will be engaged in an exercise program. For them, this may be a more convenient way to exercise. This may also allow them to exercise more regularly. Other employees will not exercise often. The new center will allow them to start a program without having to drive to a different location. 
Membership in other facilities:  Membership in fitness centers can be expensive. This center will allow employees to save what they are currently paying their fitness center. 
2. What are your purposes in writing? 
1. Inform employees about the fitness center, its hours, and its facilities. 
2. Build excitement for having the center on the main company campus. 
3. Build goodwill:  this is a good use of company funds and will help both employees (better health) and the company (reduced employees absenteeism, maybe lower medical costs in the long run). 
3. What information must your message include? 
· Location 
· Time of operation 
· Available professional help (certified trainer)  
· Facilities—including locker rooms and showers 
· Who can use (families of employees allowed if space available) 
4. How can you build support for your position?  What reasons or reader benefits will your reader find convincing? 
· Benefits of following good health practices 
· Extrinsic:  save money 
· Intrinsic:  benefits of being healthier (do job better as well as personal) 
· Benefits of working for this employer 
5.  What objection(s) can you expect your reader(s) to have?  What negative elements of your message must you deemphasize or overcome? 
1. I don’t have time to use the facility. 
2. I’m too out of shape to change. 
3. Health is private; company shouldn’t interfere.   
4. “I’m not going to wear exercise clothes around my colleagues.” 
6. What aspects of the total situation may affect reader response?  the economy? the time of year? morale in the organization? the relationship between and writer?  any special circumstances? 
· Summer--easier to get out to exercise, the runners will use the showers 
· Lots of companies are doing this 
· People are pretty conscious of the need for healthy lifestyles 
· Has company had financial problems? 
· Do layoffs or other issues affect morale? 
· Do local food, exercise patterns, local culture promote or hinder healthiness? 
10.18  Confirming a Reservation (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
Good responses will give complete information that a traveler needs to know about the lodge.  Readers should also understand immediately that their reservation is confirmed. 
  
10.19  Lining up a Consultant to Improve Teamwork (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
Good letters will get all the information straight, draw a clear picture of this company and why it wants this session, profile the participants in terms of the kinds of presentations they make and the concerns they have.  Encourage students to think about what they know about presentations and what they’d like to know. The specific uses of presentations should relate to the organization the student chooses. 
10.20  Answering an International Inquiry  (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
This assignment calls only for the student to give information, not to develop reader benefits.  However, it’s still a medium level of difficulty because the student will need to think about adapting the message to the country from which the reader supposedly comes.  If students have an ethnic heritage, you might encourage them to write to the country from which their own great-great grand�parents come.  Otherwise you can let them choose a country.   
All of the options require specific information; brainstorm with your students ways that they can get that information.  Information for #1, a product, service or trend, can be obtained from classes the student is taking, from a new product or service that's available in the U.S. market and from the student's own experience with that, or from a trade publication.  For #1, the information would need to be very complete, much more complete than a normal advertisement has.   
In #2, the student can either use library research or use experience in the organization for which the student works.  #2 is also a possibility to use if you want your students to write about ethical incidents in businesses. 
#3 is perhaps the simplest one, particularly if the student relates it to his or her own college program.  However, many students really are not aware of what their universities or colleges offer, so the student might still need to go to the catalogue and the advisor and get more information.  In #3, a good message would talk not only about course offerings and degree requirements but also talk about other opportunities for growth, lectures, special seminars, mentoring programs, the opportunity to travel in the United States, to become aware of U.S. management trends, etc.   
#4 probably would require research from the Chamber of Commerce, the International Studies Office, or other sources within town.  One possibility would be to allow students to do the research for #4 in small groups and then write individual or group letters.   
#5 would spend most of its time talking about why the reader should read that particular trade journal; #5 is also a good assignment to introduce students to trade journals, and to talk with them about why people would read a trade journal.   
In all of the messages, there are several issues you need to discuss with your class.  First, should they use the standard format for U.S. letters, or should they try to use an adapted format?  How should they adapt the message to the audience?  For instance, if they are writing to a reader in Japan should they adopt the formulaic opening, or should they simply offer a more general statement of goodwill?  If the reader and writer haven’t met, references may be vague; for instance, an Italian letter might need to talk about “your family” rather than naming someone’s children, since the writer probably doesn't know the reader’s children.   
10.21  Writing a Thank-You Letter (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
This problem should be very easy for students.  They need to be reminded that thank-you letters need to be specific to sound sincere.  You might want to use this assignment as a quick in-class exercise, or even as an extra-credit assignment.  Having students actually mail their letters can be a non-threatening way to motivate students to consider their audience carefully.  This works especially well early in the course. 
10.22  Evaluating Web Pages  (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
How challenging this assignment will be depends both on the complexity of the websites students choose to evaluate and their own experience surfing the web.  Option c may generate the most in-depth analysis.  Have students read the information on evaluating websites in Module 22 (in particular, the Building a Critical Skill box on p. 363) before they start working on this problem.  If you teach in a computer lab or can take students to a lab for one class session, show them websites that you think are particularly good and have them analyze them carefully before choosing what sites they will evaluate for this assignment. 
10.23  Announcing a Tuition Reimbursement Program (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
This message is fairly straightforward. Some thought needs to be given to developing reader benefits. Positive wording for the limitations is important.  
10.24  Correcting a Mistake  (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6) 
A good response will acknowledge the glitch in the payroll system that caused the error and recognize that many employees will be unhappy that the additional monies will be deducted from their final two paychecks of the year. The tone in the response should be business like, and the letter should provide specifics how and when the additional monies will be deducted from future paychecks. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Dangling Modifiers  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—ahere are likely ones. 
2. At the age of 11, I knew that I was a natural-born salesman. 
4. Speaking with you on the phone, I confirmed our appointment will be at 3 p.m. on July 2. 
6. Speaking with a great deal of confidence, Kim thought the interview went well. 
8. Reviewing the e-mail message, I determined the customer was complaining about how our counter person was rude to her. 
10. Demonstrating hard work and dedication, Gary, a 32-year veteran of Seitz, Noonan, and Cobb, won the Outstanding Employee Award. 
==Module 11 Parallel Structure 186==
LO 11-1 Create subject lines for negative messages. 
LO 11-2 Apply strategies for informative and positive message organization. 
LO 11-3 Assess legal implications with messages, especially negative ones. 
LO 11-4 Identify situations for buffer use. 
LO 11-5 List common kinds of negative messages. 
LO 11-6 Apply strategies for negative message analysis with PAIBOC.  
What’s in This Supplement
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 11.  It covers
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 164
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 181
Part 3:  Appendix of Handout/Transparency Master Page 186 
  
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.
☆ In-Class Exercise:  For 10-15 minutes, have students brainstorm possible subject lines for the following topic:  You’re a manager and you’ve overspent your annual budget for overtime work, even though there are four months left in the year.  Have students write subject lines both to superiors and to their employees.
☆ Teaching Tip:  Ask students if they believe the tone of a negative message to external audiences should be different than to people inside the organization.  Why or why not?  What is different about internal versus external audiences? What tone do students expect as customers that is different than they do as employees?
☆  Teaching Tip:  Ask students how they feel when they are refused something but not given a reason.  If a good reason had been offered, would they have felt differently?  How do they feel when they’re told, “Those are simply the rules.”?
☆ Teaching Tip:  Ask students if they believe alternatives are always available. If not, is it ethical to suggest alternatives to readers that either won’t work or are impossible to deliver?  Use PP 11-12 to help students consider alternatives. 
☆  In-Class Exercise:  Have students form groups (of 3-5, depending on your class size).  Let each group explain one of the issues involved with writing each of three kinds of negative messages described in this module.  
· Rejections and Refusals:  When writing to people outside the organization, try to use a buffer.  Give an alternative if one is available.  Politeness and length will help.  When you are writing internally, use your knowledge of the individual and organization to craft your message.  
· Disciplinary Notices and Negative Performance Appraisals:  Present these directly, with no buffer.  Cite quantifiable observations of the employee’s behavior.  If an employee is disciplined by being laid off without pay, specify when the employee is to return. 
· Layoffs and Firings:  Use a written message to accompany an oral one.  The written statement should start either with the reason or with the decision itself.  Don’t use a buffer.  In layoff situations, communicate the organization’s situation long before the actual layoff.  Before firing someone, double-check the facts.  Give the employee the real reason for the firing.  
☆ In-Class Exercise:  No single solution is likely to appeal to everyone.  Have student analyze the suggested solution here.  Is there anything they would do differently?  If so, why?  Make sure students analyze carefully suggestions for alternate courses of action—a solution that seems useful on the surface may see less appropriate upon further examination.  Where possible, use PAIBOC as a framework for analysis and the checklist on p. 180 to review qualities of a good negative message.
☆ In-Class Exercise: Have students form groups (of 3-5, depending on your class size). Let each group explain one of the PAIBOC components and how it helps with the analysis of the problem.  
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
11.1  How should a negative letter to customers or clients be organized? (LO 11-2)
Give the reason for the refusal before the refusal itself when you have a reason that readers will understand and accept, give the negative just once, clearly, present an alternative or compromise, if one is available, and end with a positive, forward-looking statement.
11.2  Why is giving an alternative or a compromise, if one exists, a good idea? (LO 11-2)
Alternatives and compromises offer the reader another way to get what he or she wants, suggest that the writer really cares about the reader, enables the reader to reestablish psychological freedom, and allows you to end on a positive note.
11.3  How should a negative memo to a superior be organized? (LO 11-2)
Describe the problem, tell how it happened, describe the options for fixing it, and recommend a solution and ask for action.
11.4  What are the most common types of buffers? (LO 11-4)
Start with any good news or positive elements the letter contains, state a fact or provide a chronology of events, refer to enclosures in the letter, thank the reader for something he or she has done, and state a general principle.
11.5  How do you use positive emphasis in a negative message?  (LO 11-2, LO 11-3)
Students’ answers will vary.  At the sentence level, avoid unnecessary negative words and phrases and hidden negatives.  However, the negative message must still be understood by the reader.  If possible, give an alternative or compromise.  Use a buffer if the audience expects or appreciates one.  Use a goodwill ending where possible.
11.6  How do you decide whether to give the negative directly or to buffer it? (LO 11-4)
When direct patterns seem too blunt, writers can consider using a buffer.  As the name implies, buffers act as a barrier or cushion to the bad news.  They are neutral or positive statements that allow the writer to delay the negative.
   
Because some current research suggests buffers may in fact not work, writers should consider audience when deciding on using a buffer.  If the audience expects or appreciates a buffer, using one makes sense.
11.7  How do specific varieties of negative messages adapt the basic pattern? (LO 11-5)
Rejections and Refusals:  When writing to people outside the organization, try to use a buffer.  Give an alternative if one is available.  Politeness and length will help.  When you are writing internally, use your knowledge of the individual and organization to craft your message.  
Disciplinary Notices and Negative Performance Appraisals:  Present these directly, with no buffer.  Cite quantifiable observations of the employee’s behavior.  If an employee is disciplined by being laid off without pay, specify when the employee is to return.
Layoffs and Firings:  Use a written message to accompany an oral one.  The written statement should start either with the reason or with the decision itself.  Don’t use a buffer.  In layoff situations, communicate the organization’s situation long before the actual layoff.  Before firing someone, double-check the facts.  Give the employee the real reason for the firing.  
11.8  Revising a Negative Message (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
There are several approaches to how this message could be revised. One would be to reorganize this message to start with current Paragraph 3, then current Paragraph 2, then current Paragraph 1. The writer could also work to increase positive emphasis in the message; for instance, the second sentence is Paragraph 1 could be rewritten to stress that the parking lot is one of the more affordable ones in town.
11.9  Rejecting Employees’ Suggestions (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
You may want to discuss organization: some students are likely to want to start this message with a buffer, while others will see it as empty. 
11.10  Telling the Boss about a Problem (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
The challenge here is to identify a solution to the problem.  Writers must also recognize the power situation involved and adjust tone in their message accordingly.
11.11  Responding to a Demand  for a Refund (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
Mr. McCann is obviously upset about his experience at the movie theater.  Acknowledging that the projector bulbs are dimmed may be appropriate, but it may also be possible to avoid the issue altogether.  A good response to his message will focus on what can be done for him.  In this case, he can receive a 50% discount on his next ticket.  
11.12 A Difficult Negative Message—Taking Away Extra Pay (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)ssss
Few employees will see a reduction in their pay as a good thing—even if the increase in the first place was done without checking with the organization’s Human Resources Department.  Because some employees will be understandably upset, the message must use a considerate tone and provide concrete reasons for why the extra pay program is ending.  Among the reasons should be that the work is voluntary and beyond the job descriptions for part-timers.  Better messages will point out the inequity between paying one group for extra hours but not another.  (While some might argue that part-timers are comparatively underpaid for their work, the issue at heart here is hours worked rather than pay rate.)  A buffer is optional, but a good buffer would help make the reader feel valued as an employee. 
11.13 Announcing the Elimination of a Position (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
This type of communication is always difficult to write and to receive, especially when a person’s job is being eliminated. Encourage students to stick to the facts and what the impact of losing the department secretary will be on remaining employees—work tasks that will need to be taken on by other employees, etc. The e-mail should communicate that the decision to eliminate the position is one of economics—and not one that reflects on Robin’s job performance. Finally, the writer should keep emotions out of the message. Readers will look for “clues” that the writer is angry about the company’s decision to terminate Robin, and this will not help employee morale or productivity going forward.
11.14  Telling Retirees They Must Switch to HMOs (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
Help students understand how HMOs work, the advantages they offer (such as lower out-of-pocket expenses), and the disadvantages they entail (such as having to get approval for tests or specialists). Just how hard this problem is will depend upon recent publicity: if the problems with HMOs have been in the news, it will be more difficult.
Good messages will use lists for positive points such as HMOs’ advantages and for the options for the informative meetings to learn more.
11.15  Telling a Customer an Item Is No Longer Available (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
Because the chair is a gift for a special occasion, Ms. Bergman is likely to be disappointed.  She may feel that having done nothing wrong, she deserves the chair she ordered, regardless of the explanation.  A good message to her must be tactful in pointing out that because of the nature of the site, the inventory is varied and fleeting.  The writer might also volunteer to assist Ms. Bergman personally the next time she tries to place an order.
11.16  Rejecting a Suggestion (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
Class discussion may be necessary to help students see the company’s position, not just the employee’s.  Students should remember, though, that even if Wayne is not strongly invested in his idea, most people are disappointed by rejection.  A good response would take that into consideration, showing Wayne what it is about his suggestion that has merit, as well as tangible reasons why it was rejected.  The tone should be tactful.
11.17  Announcing Cost-Savings Measures (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
Good messages will invite input from employees on other ways to save money and will make it clear that the measures are designed to prevent or reduce layoffs.
This problem will seem more real to students if local businesses are going through tight times. If business conditions are strong, help them see that a specific company can have tight times even when general business conditions are good.
11.18  Closing Bill-Payment Offices (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
This can be presented as good news: payments will be accepted at 100 merchants. Good messages will use attention-getting headlines and document design to make it more likely that the announcement will be read.
11.19  Giving a Customer Less Credit Than She Wants (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
Successful messages will give concrete reasons why the request is not being granted and focus on what the customer is getting instead (a $7,500 limit card).  A successful message will also stress that after establishing a relationship with the bank, the customer may be able to apply for a higher limit card. 
11.20  Addressing a Complaint About Racism by Employees (LO 11-1 to LO 11-6)
Few, if any, organizations want to believe they’ve hired bigoted employees, but the unfortunate reality is that discrimination happens regularly in the workplace, both to employees and to customers.  How an organization responds to claims of discrimination often demonstrates how committed the organization is to fairness for everyone.  In the case of this situation, though, the available facts provide limited options for Kelly Green, and while Ms. Oranto is a sympathetic party, it’s impossible to make a determination of what exactly happened.  A good message will explain the situation to Ms. Oranto and assure her that steps will be taken to educate employees at that store about the value of diversity.  Astute writers will recognize that the histories of the employees in question need not be divulged.
Polishing Your Prose:  Parallel Structure (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.)
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones.
2. Some of the underserved groups in the United States include African Americans, Chinese Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic Americans.
4. The awards committee includes Lucas, Guy, Su Yen, Dan, and Kyle.
6. We’re planning on traveling to Seattle, Columbus, Lansing, and Charleston this year.
8. The best supervisors
· listen to employees,
· value diversity in the workplace, and
· behave morally.
10. Issues to consider before making a final commitment:
a. How does the contract affect the bottom line?
b. When will the contract take effect?
==Module 12 Expressing Personality 215==
#WEEK FIVE
* http://cn.bing.com/search?q=What%27s+in+it+for+me%3f+Communication+World%2c+&FORM=HDRSC1
* What's in it for me? Communication World, 
5.1 Discussion--Homework (10 pts.)
This assignment is due before our FIRST class meeting this week.After completing this week’s reading and video, answer the following questions and post in 5.1 Discussion in the Discussion Board. 
1. What are four basic strategies for persuasive messages?
2. Why do rewards-punishment persuasive strategies have limited use?
3. How do you decide which is the best strategy? 
4. AIDA is another long-established sales and persuasive method which has proven effective for decades. Do a quick search and identify what it is. Why do you think it works?
5. What are three types of persuasive techniques (appeals)? Which do you think is most crucial in persuasion?
 INSTRUCTOR NOTE:  Check student accuracy, discuss, reinforce through class activity.
5.2 Problem Analysis and Draft--Homework (20 pts.) 
This assignment is due before our SECOND class meeting of this week.
WEEK FIVE Communication Problem--One of the following as assigned:
· Exercise 12.14 Letter Persuading an Organization to Accept Interns (p. 211)
· Exercise 12.17 Email Persuading Employees to Keep Social Media Networking Sites Closed
· Exercise 12.18 Email Handling A Sticky Situation
· Exercise 12.20 Memo Persuading Employees a Security Camera is Necessary
This assignment has two parts: 1) Problem  Analysis and 2) Message Draft. These are due before 8:00 a.m. on our SECOND class meeting of this week.
Part 1--Problem Analysis: Use the Analysis questions we have been discussing to analyze the message in terms of Purpose, Audience, Information, Benefits Objections, and Context. Answer each briefly in your own words. The analysis  and one of the organizational plans for Persuasive Messages will guide your draft--and save you time. Visuals for these organizational patterns are included in this week's  assignment folder. 
Part 2--Draft: Draft your message. Remember, a first draft is not a final copy. A draft gets your ideas on the page and is subject to follow-up revision and editing. Do not aim for perfection in a first draft. 
NOTE:  It is always a good idea to print a hard copy to enable you to revise and edit--which is your next step before final due date on Sunday. Once revised and edited, you can make changes on your Word document.
5.3 Writing Assignment--Final (50 pts.)
This assignment is due no later than midnight at the end of Week 5.
Once you have revised, edited and proofread, submit your final copy of this week's assignment.  Be sure to check best practices formatting for the appropriate medium:  email, memo, letter. 
MyWritingLab 
Keep working in MyWritingLab to complete the required modules.  
%%%%
Module 12 
Persuasive Messages   
LO 12-1 Compare strategies for persuasive messages.  
LO 12-2 Create subject lines for persuasive messages.  
LO 12-3 Apply strategies for persuasive message organization.  
LO 12-4 Identify solutions for objections.  
LO 12-5 Recognize techniques for more persuasive messages.  
LO 12-6 Apply strategies for common ground solutions.  
LO 12-7 List common kinds of persuasive messages.  
LO 12-8 Apply strategies for persuasive message analysis with PAIBOC. 
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 12.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 187 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 209 
Part 2:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 216 
 
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.  
☆  In-Class Exercise:  For 10-15 minutes, have students share situations where they worked to persuade someone.  These situations can be as mundane as asking for the keys to the family car or as infrequent as interviewing for a job.  What strategies did the students use?  How successful were they?  Now that they’ve seen the strategies in this book, what might they have done differently? 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  For 10-15 minutes, have students in groups of 3-5 write subject lines for Exercise 12.13 on p. 211.  Afterward, have the groups share their solutions with the class.  Which seems to work the best?  Why?
☆ Teaching Tip:  As the module suggests, a direct request should be direct.  That is, the reader should not have to guess what the writer wants.  Have students consider then whether or not this approach would work in cultures where a direct request might be considered rude.  According to Module 3, what cultures might these be?  What approach would make sense instead?  How would the writer know whether to use the direct or another approach?
☆ Teaching Tip:  Have students review Figure 12.2 on p. 192.  Ask them what works in the example.  Does it follow the direct request pattern?  Does the tone work?  What about content?  Length?  What can they learn from this example about writing their own direct requests?
☆ In-Class Exercise:  For 20-25 minutes, have students in groups of 3-5 complete Exercise 12.16 on p. 212.  Afterward, have the groups share their solutions with the class—which seems to work the best?  Why?
☆Teaching Tip:  As the module suggests, a problem-solving request should be indirect.  That is, the reader should see reasons why the request is important to them before the actual request.  Ask students when they think readers would prefer an indirect approach.  What are some “real world” examples (e.g., newspaper editorials; fundraising letters) they might know?  In what situations would it be inappropriate to send an indirect request?  Why? 
☆ Teaching Tip:  Figure 12.4 (p. 194) shows a problem-solving persuasive message.  Have students as a group analyze it.  Does it follow the pattern of organization?  Ask them what works in the example.  Does it follow the direct request pattern?  Does the tone work?  What about content?  Length?  What can they learn from this example about writing their own direct requests? 
☆ Teaching Tip:  People have a vested interest in something if they benefit directly from keeping things the way they are.  Ask students what specific things people feel vested in.  For instance, what might a homeowner see as important?  A parent?  An employee two years from retirement?  An employee just starting out?  The typical college student?  How can even general knowledge of these peoples’ interests help a writer to compose a persuasive message?
☆In-Class Exercise:  For 20-25 minutes, have students in groups of 3-5 complete Exercise 12.18 on p. 212.  Afterward, have the groups share their solutions with the class.  Which seems to work the best?  Why?
☆ Teaching Tip:  People usually see credible people as powerful, attractive, or trustworthy, or as an expert at something.  Ask students who they find credible�—these examples could be people they know, celebrities, or even historical figures.  Why do these people seem credible?  What values or ideals do they represent?  Make a master list and then ask the class to share thoughts and feelings.  Does everyone agree with the names on the list?  Why or why not?
☆In-Class Exercise:  Ask students to write a 1- to 2-page story about how they got to college.  The story can start at the point they made the decision to attend and end with the first day of class.  Or, it could start with memories of the first day of kindergarten and work up to the point they made the decision to attend college.  Students should use strong description and dialogue, as well as such standard story-telling elements as character, setting, plot, and conflict.  Ask for one or two volunteers to read their stories to the class. 
☆  Teaching Tip:  People often see the differences in others before they see the similarities.  But while culture and ethnicity can be sources of difference, human beings generally share many of the same ideas and expectations.  Ask students to take 5-10 minutes to brainstorm what we as human beings have in common.  What, for instance, do we want for our lives? Those of our children? What concerns might we have about  such basic life issues as food, shelter, and clothing? Differences are likely to show up, too, but ask students to find the sources of commonality rather than focus on the rest.
☆ Teaching Tip:  The module gives specific information on how to write each kind of message.  While you should discuss each in class, poll students to find out what fields they plan to go into and which of these messages they’re more likely to write.  Focus on that type in your lectures.  To give students more experience, choose an exercise from the back of the module.  Exercises 12.17 through 12.21 are good choices.
%%%%
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
12.1  How do you decide whether to use a direct request or a problem-solving persuasive message? (LO 12-1)
Use the direct request pattern when the audience will do as you ask without any resistance, you need a response only from the people who are willing to act, the audience is busy and may not read all the messages received, or your organization’s culture prefers direct requests.
Use the problem-solving pattern when the audience is likely to object to doing as you ask, you need action from everyone, you trust the audience to read the entire message, or you expect logic to be more important than emotion in the decision.
12.2  How do you organize a problem-solving persuasive message? (LO 12-3)
Describe the problem you both share (which your request will solve), give the details of the problem, explain the solution to the problem, show that any negative elements are outweighed by the disadvantages, summarize any additional benefits of the solution, and ask for the action you want.
12.3  How can you build credibility? (LO 12-4)
Credibility is the audience’s response to the writer as the source of the message.  In order to do so, writers should be factual, specific, and reliable.
12.4  How do specific varieties of persuasive messages adapt the basic patterns? (LO 12-7)
Orders:  Be specific, tell the company what you want if a model number is no longer available, double-check your arithmetic, and add sales tax and shipping charges.
Collection Letters:  Send a series, a week or two apart for each letter.  Early letters are gentle.  Middle letters are more assertive, negotiating for payment but reminding the reader that payment is necessary.  Late letters threaten legal action if the bill is not paid.
Performance Appraisals:  Subordinates should prepare by listing achievements and goals.  Use specifics, not inferences.  Good supervisors try to identify problems and possible causes.
Letters of Recommendation:  Use specifics and make clear the reasons why the employee is being recommended.  Some companies today take a conservative approach to writing letters of recommendation.  Their policies might require revealing only dates of employment or job titles.  
12.5  What do you see as advantages of positive and negative appeals?  Illustrate your answer with specific messages, advertisements, or posters. (LO 12-1)
Students’ answers will vary.  Positive appeals are more appropriate for business, and business messages should use positive emphasis.  Many people claim they don’t like negative appeals—for instance, mudslinging political campaign ads.  Any temporary success from such messages is often offset by the long-term corrosive effects on the image of the writer or the writer’s organization. 
12.6  Is it dishonest to “sneak up on the reader” by delaying the request in a problem-solving persuasive message? (LO 12-3)
No.  First, the writer must lay the groundwork for the request—how it can help the reader or the reader’s cause or organization.   Building up to the request makes it more relevant to the reader, increasing the likelihood of the message’s success.
12.7  Think of a persuasive message (or a commercial) that did not convince you to act.  Could a different message have convinced you?  Why or why not? (LO 12-4, LO 12-5)
Students’ answers will vary.  Where possible, ask students to bring a copy of the message to class.  Consider brainstorming with the group whether a counterexample exists (e.g., commercials for two competing automobiles).  If the original message did not work, how did the counterexample fare?
12.8   Asking for Information for an Awards Ceremony (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
A good message will use you-attitude, positive emphasis, and reader benefits to encourage the reader to respond.  Writers may arrange information using bulleted lists, too, to help readers to understand what is needed.
12.9  Asking for the Right Information (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Though the mistake was a simple one, writers should take care to avoid embarrassing Mr. Bishop. Drawing attention to his misunderstanding the clerk’s request might offend him.  Instead, a good solution will use you-attitude and focus on what is needed from Mr. Bishop to process his paperwork quickly and painlessly.
12.10  Getting a Raise for a Deserving Employee (LO 12-1 to 12-8)
Remind students to be specific.  Students enjoy this assignment; they can actually turn it in to their bosses.  The writer should give a blind copy to the person being recommended.  Putting the copy information on the main message suggests that it’s being written just to win brownie points. But the person who is being recommended would certainly like to have a copy for his or her files. It’s a good way to build goodwill!
 
12.11  Asking for a Raise or Reclassification (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Before students attempt to write a solution to this problem, share with them the current state of raises and reclassifications in the business world.
Few companies offer automatic raises any more.  Getting a raise in the early 21st century depends on working in hot product areas, having skills the company wants, and doing your homework before negotiating.
Taking on important projects is a good strategy.  You can even ask your boss at your appraisal interview, “What do I need to do to get a big raise next year?”  The task you’re assigned may be hard, but doing it successfully will bring rewards.
Document your achievements, because your boss won’t necessarily notice them. Summarize the most important in a memo that you send to your boss a week before your appraisal.  Your boss will have to get approval from his or her boss to give you a raise, so you need to provide the necessary ammunition.
Check salary surveys in trade magazines and ask other people in your field about salaries.  Some jobs have pay ceilings; to get a significant increase, you’d have to move into another area of the company.
Finally, be polite.  
*Based on “How Not to Ask the Boss for a Raise,” Fortune, June 26, 1995; and Hal Lancaster, “They Are Scarce, But You Can Still Get Yourself a Raise,” The Wall Street Journal, August 27, 1996, B1.
12.12  Writing Collection Letters (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Before writing letters appropriate for these situations, students have to decide what stage of collections is described.  This problem works well as a group assignment.  Have students discuss each scenario in class, and then assign a different one to each group for actual letter writing.
Consider assigning this problem as a group exercise.  If you have students who work in credit or collection agencies, ask them to be group leaders and to bring copies of collection correspondence (without personal information) for models.  Compare the information in these models to that expressed in this module and adjust them correspondingly.  Tone will be important in the collection letters—make sure students review the information in this module before writing their solutions. 
12.13  Urging Employees to Handle Routine Calls Courteously (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Customer service can be a high-stress field, but employees need to remember that building goodwill is vital.  Because employees answering the phones represent the company, they should exercise excellent customer service skills, including using positive emphasis and you-attitude when answering questions.  A good response to this problem will offer specifics to employees to follow rather than berate employees for poor performance.
12.14  Persuading an Organization to Accept Student Interns (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Student internships are a vital component of education today.  Not all students have access to internships, but those who do often have an edge when applying for a job.  A benefit to employers is that they can “test drive” the student—and if all goes well, the employers have an excellent candidate to hire for a full-time, permanent position!
12.15  Helping Students Use Credit Cards Responsibly (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Discuss the role of consumer debt in our society and the large, increasing number of bankruptcies. Discuss the controversy surrounding the underwriting practices (or lack thereof) of credit card issuers. (Collecting unsolicited credit card offers for a few weeks—You’ve been approved!—will help you illustrate this discussion.)  You might even want to discuss how much money a 22-year-old student would have at retirement if he or she put $10,000 in a mutual fund instead of using it to pay off credit card debt. What type of introduction can grab a student’s attention? Once the writer has the reader’s attention, what actions can a student take if he or she has already taken on too much credit card debt?
12.16  Asking to Work at Home (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
In real life, how difficult this problem is depends on the organizational culture.  It will be easier in a high-context, open culture that highly values employee well-being and satisfaction. It likely will be easier to convince managers in such an environment that your productivity will remain the same or increase as a result of working at home. To refute possible objections, the writer needs to propose procedures for reporting work status and obtaining relevant information from the office and manager.
Urge students to use at least one idea from the Web sites in their messages. Use this problem to discuss the problems of parents with small children, caregivers of parents/spouses, and individuals who share a job or hold more than one job.  Any of these persons would make appropriate resources for class discussion.
12.17  Persuading Employees to Keep Social Networking Sites Closed (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Students’ answers will vary; however, this topic makes for an interesting class discussion that goes beyond writing e-mails to employees. Younger employees have grown up with the Internet and social media sites as integral parts of their everyday lives, so accessing them during the workday seems part of a daily routine. Some questions to consider: Does accessing a social media site during the workday decrease employee productivity? Cause distractions from important work tasks? Or, provide a “breather” for employees during the day, much like getting up from your desk and grabbing a cup of coffee?
12.18  Handling a Sticky Recommendation (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
This is one of the more difficult problems in the book that enables students to grapple with ethical issues.  The dilemma is spelled out in the last paragraph of the problem: if one is honest about how unsatisfactory this employee has been, it is unlikely (though not impossible) that she will be hired away.  However, it is also necessary to retain the writer’s own credibility: one does not want to get a reputation as someone who will “say anything” to create a temporary advantage, for then none of one’s statements will be trusted—even recommendations for candidates one genuinely respects.  Some students will also be reluctant to foist off on someone else an employee they themselves dislike; others will find it quite easy to say whatever is convenient.
Prepping students on the problem should begin with a review of what the Department of Taxation does.  John’s memo does not specify what kind of job Peggy is “the leading candidate for.”  It may be a position in with lots of people contact; it may be a solitary job as web administrator. Students cannot simply “assume” they know what the position is since they wouldn’t know that in real life.
The “Hints” questions on p. 212 of BCS encourage students to consider some of the alternatives.  The fact that a person does poorly in one job does not mean that he or she is incapable of doing any job well.  You may also want to review with students the principles of positive emphasis discussed in Module 7:  it is possible to include negative information without emphasizing it; it is possible to tell the truth in different ways.  Kitty requires both parts a and b: she is less interested in the specific solution the student chooses than in knowing that the student has grappled with the difficulties in the problem.  Some students have noted that when Peggy starts a new job, she will start a new probationary period; her new boss can fire her if her work is unsatisfactory.
Good solutions can take different approaches to the situation.  One response is to stay quite close to the facts in the book but use positive emphasis.  The second is to assume that Peggy is in fact competent; she simply is in the wrong job and will be happier working in a department where more people share her high standards. Discuss with your students the options and assumptions you find acceptable.
12.19  Addressing a Passenger Complaint About a Rude Flight Attendant                             (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
In recent years, major airlines have been the target of consumer angst, with some people even advocating a “passenger’s bill of rights” to deal with service and other problems.  As a former flight attendant, Mr. Antilles has additional credibility in determining professionalism.  The letter to him should demonstrate the airline’s commitment to excellent customer service while also assuring him that the matter will be investigated further.  Responding quickly to Mr. Antilles’ letter—even though David will be unavailable for more than week—is the first step in showing Mr. Antilles that his complaint is being taken seriously.
12.20  Persuading Employees That a Security Camera Is Necessary (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
While many employees understand the need for increased security in the workplace, most employees object to being spied upon, especially in this age of electronic surveillance tools.  Even the solution to put a camera in plain sight may offend some employees.  The key is to emphasize in the message that management suspects only one person is behind the thefts and believes that the rest of the employees are innocent.  The goal is not just to reduce thefts but to show that the rest of the department is trustworthy.
12.21  Asking an Instructor for a Letter of Recommendation (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Students use the discussion about this problem to help students understand the rhetorical situation of a letter of recommendation, from the recommender’s point of view.  Because letters of recommendation are universally positive (few people ask someone to write a letter unless they think the person thinks well of them), letters must be specific to be at all effective.  But professors have fallible memories.  (Kitty said she’d become an absent-minded professor—she forgot things unless they’re written down, and then sometimes she misplaced the sheet of paper! She was not alone, as Steve finds himself similarly challenged.) Students cannot assume that the professor’s memories of their performance are as sharp as their own.
Further it is legitimate and helpful for students to tell recommenders what the company (or graduate school or fellowship competition) is looking for and what aspects the student wants the recommender to stress.  It’s wise for students to give written materials to everyone whom they ask to serve as references, not just people who are out of town or never in their offices.
12.22  Recommending Investments (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
Some students may enjoy the opportunity to write to a real audience instead of a hypothetical one. To do well, students will have to interview you; you might ask them to read Module 22 first.  The options a student researches, and how difficult it will be to persuade you to adopt the recommendations, clearly depend on your answers to the question posed in the “Hints” on page 214.  Since not all students will be knowledgeable enough about investments to do this problem, you might offer it as one of several options.
12.23  Retrieving Your Image (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
This problem may be challenging for students because (1) they may find it difficult to imagine fully the concerns and motivations of a Director, and (2) the Director has little information about the situation to draw on.  Before you have students begin writing, you should discuss the problem thoroughly, either in a whole class or small group discussion.  You may even have students answers the PAIBOC questions in small groups.  Questions to get the discussion started, and possible answers to the analysis questions are provided below.
 
Questions to Get Discussion Started
 
1.  What do you know about this student?
 
Only that he/she once worked in Student Financial Aid (presumably but not necessarily at your college), has a poor credit history, doesn’t use spell check, and writes poorly. You do not know that the person necessarily took any writing courses at your college (maybe the person transferred credits in) or how he or she did in them (people can pass courses that they did quite poorly in—a “D” means “poor”).
2. Why is it important to retain Davis’ goodwill?
 
No university wants the public to think that it graduates unqualified students—even if that perception is unfounded, or the students in question barely passed the majority of their courses.  A public institution depends on the public trust and goodwill as well as public money.  In this case, the person who has gotten a bad impression of you as Dean and of your university, Sharon Davis, is also a member of your college advisory board and a major donor.  In both capacities she has the ability to affect the School of Business and State University directly.  She also appears to hold a position of importance in a local bank (she says, “my bank received this letter. . . .”); a School of Business that does not have the support of local businesses is at a clear disadvantage.
 
Answers to PAIBOC Questions:
1.  What are your purposes in writing?
To Davis
1. Inform   
a. Tell her about the writing courses and support your program offers
b. tactfully remind her that you can’t guarantee future performance—even students who take course at your college (some transfer) and get good grades (some barely pass) may abandon good writing practices when the course is over
2. Persuade her that this student is not typical
3. If in fact the writing program is lacking (not enough sections, not enough courses, etc.) perhaps ask for funds.
4. Build goodwill—make her feel you have taken her complaint seriously
To Faculty
1. Inform: tell them you have received this letter
2. Persuade them to work even harder to 
a. Persuade students that these skills matter
a. Teach students who have not yet mastered basic writing skills
b. Resist “grade inflation.”
3.   Build goodwill—make them feel that you appreciate their work and are not taking the word of someone most of them won’t know that they do a poor job.
2.  Who is (are) your audience(s)?  What characteristics are relevant to this particular message?  If you are writing to more than one reader, how do your readers differ from each other?
To Sharon Davis
She gives a lot of money to your school (and business schools are always trying to raise money). She’s on the College Advisory Board, so she’s probably prominent in the business community. Agreeing to join the Board and giving money suggests that she has a favorable view of your program.
You probably have met her. You may or may not know her very well personally.
To Faculty
Are likely to feel that they are already working very hard and are underpaid and under-appreciated
3.  What information must your message include?
To Davis
 Information about the writing program
 Information about GPAs of graduates
 Possibly feedback from other employers on how well the writing of your graduates measures up.
To Faculty
Background on the letter, who Sharon Davis is, etc.
Suggestions on ways to re-double their efforts to see that students write well.
4.  What advantages or reader benefits can you stress?
a. Talk about the effort your school does make to produce students who can write.
b. If you decide you know Ms. Davis personally, you could refer to recent or upcoming events (sports, academic, completing a building) that she would be interested in.
5.  What objection(s) can you anticipate from your reader(s)?  What negative elements must you deemphasize or overcome?
 
To Davis 
May feel that if your writing programs were really strong, no one would graduate with such poorly developed skills.
 
To Faculty
Will probably feel that it is unfair to be judged as being inadequate on the basis of this one incident.  Teaching writing is hard work, and they may resent not having their efforts appreciated.
6.  How does the context affect reader response?  Status of the economy?  Morale?  Relationship of writer and reader?  Any special circumstances?
Have students brainstorm to come up with special circumstances that may affect how they would respond in this situation.
12.24 Persuading Tenants to Pay the Rent (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
While tenants have a legal obligation to pay their rent on time, apartment managers have a moral obligation to treat them with respect.  Clearly, this message lacks you-attitude and positive emphasis, so any revision should include substantial reworking of the language.  In addition, good answers will develop a reader benefit—perhaps not having to chase down delinquent rent checks will free up the manager’s time to effect repairs. 
Encourage students to use PAIBOC in their analyses.
Students who live in apartments will easily understand this situation.  If they live in a medium to large building, they may have received form letters about paying rent on time even if they have never been late with rent themselves. Use these students as “experts” to help the others understand how the intended audience might react to the letter.  Others may have worked in some capacity where collecting rent was part of their job.  They may be able to help your students see what problems can arise when payments are not received on time.  
Different approaches will work for different audiences.  The reference to tests in the next-to-last line of the letter makes it apparent that the writer is a student.  Even if all residents were students, though, they may differ in their circumstances.  Some may be of traditional college age; others might be older and have children.  Some may be working full- or part-time in addition to going to school.  
If you have a lot of nontraditional students in your class, consider allowing them to conceptualize a different audience despite what the letter in the problem says about tests.  Perhaps the writer is a student and therefore assumes when writing that everyone else is?  It seems clear that the writer did not analyze the intended audience so this is actually plausible.
A successful message will motivate people without belittling them or threatening them.  Though tenants legally must pay their rent, a poorly written letter is likely to cause more problems than it will correct.
Following is a list of questions to use in class discussion, and answers to PAIBOC questions.
Questions to Get Discussion Started
1.  Have any of you ever managed apartment complexes or collected rent?
2.  Why might people pay their rent late?
3.  Why don’t you just evict these people?
Depending on the way the lease is written, you may not be able to.
Even if it’s legal, persuading people to pay first is much more desirable: it’s expensive to find new tenants.
4.  Why do you want to write this message just to people who have been late in the past, not to everyone?
You don’t want to suggest that it’s “normal” to be at least five days late.
 
5.  Is a form letter to everyone a good idea?
No. This situation is like the “middle letter” in a collection series. A form letter encourages the reader to think that the situation isn’t serious, makes it easier for people to disregard the message. 
 
6.  Is humor a good idea?
Only if it doesn’t insult people, especially people who may not think they were late.
Answers to the PAIBOC Questions:
 
1.   What are your purposes in writing?
· Persuade them to pay on time
· Build goodwill—this is a good place to live.
 
2.  Who is (are) your audience(s)?  What characteristics are relevant to this particular message? If you are writing to more than one reader, how do your readers differ from each other?
· People who have been late at least one month (i.e., haven’t paid by the 5th of the month and have incurred the $25 late fee.)
· Some people will have been late just once or twice; some people may make a habit of it.
· Relevant characteristics: why they’re late. Is someone forgetful or a bad record-keeper? Does the tenant not have enough money? Perhaps the person gets paid after the 5th?
· To some, the $25 late fee may be a real hardship; to others, it may not matter.
3.  What information must your message include?
· That they have been late. A good message would say how many times in the last year. “Three times in the past 12 months, you’ve paid an extra $25 fee because your rent was late.”
 
What advantages or reader benefits can you stress?
· Paying on time saves $25 a month. Depending on how much the rent is, that may represent a substantial savings—or it may not.
· Perhaps you could offer an automatic withdrawal, so that the money was automatically deducted from the account on the first. Even sending a reminder (on the first) might help. Does the staff have enough time to stuff mailboxes on the 2nd?
· Assume, in this message, that people are not deliberately paying late. Give them the benefit of the doubt.  
· Try to find a way to help people save face.
 
  What objection(s) can you anticipate from your reader(s)?  What negative elements must you deemphasize or overcome?
· People can’t pay cash. They must pay by check, money order, etc.
· No one likes being told that they’re wrong or bad.
 
  What aspects of the context may affect reader response?  Status of the economy?  Morale?  Relationship of writer and reader?  Any special circumstances?
· Most renters have very negative feelings about the rental agency or landlord.
12.25  Writing a Performance Appraisal for a Member of a Collaborative Group (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
If your students do extensive group work, you may want them to appraise each others’ performances.  
Kitty required students to list at least two but no more than three areas for improvement.  Students hate this, complaining that their groups are good and they have to be really picky to come up with improvements.  But requiring everyone to list areas for improvements removes the onus from the writer.  In some cases, students do need to improve, and their fellow group members, eager to maintain harmony, would be reluctant to mention these areas.
Kitty graded one copy of the appraisal and returned it to the writer and kept the second copy to see whether the student being evaluated made the recommended improvements during the second half of the course.  Working hard, performing positive group roles, and being responsive to suggestions merits an “A” on the portion of the grade based on group process.  At the end of the course, she had students write a self-appraisal responding to her mid-term evaluation.  Her experience was that students do change their behavior—even when she hadn’t said the behavior must be changed to raise the grade.
12.26 Asking for a Job Description (LO 12-1 to LO 12-8)
A good response recognizes that while employees are obligated to respond, the quality of their response will vary depending on what they perceive is the purpose of the writer’s request.  Are they being asked to simply clarify their job description?  To make up for someone else’s error or sloth?  To defend their job?  
Good responses take into consideration the economic climate and health of the organization. For instance, a request from an organization doing well will seem more or less routine to many employees; the same request when facing cutbacks and employee layoffs, however, may be perceived as threatening.
Context will determine whether the writer uses a direct or problem-solving approach.  Either is appropriate, but writers should be prepared to explain their choices.
Polishing Your Prose:  Narrative Voice (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.)
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones.
2.  The voice here is bureaucratic.
4. This voice sounds immature and unprofessional for a business setting.
6. This voice is using abbreviations common in texting and instant messaging—unprofessional for a business setting.
8. This voice is simply insulting.
10. This voice is condescending, making light of an important business situation.
 
==Module 13 Making Nouns and Pronouns Agree 235==
What’s in This Supplement 
  
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 13.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 217 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 232 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 235 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.  
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises 
Both refresh Wk 2 and Wk 3 discussion questions
 #WEEK TWO
 #WEEK THREE
J Teaching Tip:  Ask students whether they prefer to send e-mail messages or paper messages.  Why?  What is it about one form versus the other that appeals to them?  In a typical week, how many of one type of message do they send versus the other?  How has this changed the method and frequency of their communication?    Wechat? QQ? Facebook? 
☆In-Class Exercise:  Ask students to share some of their frustrations in sending and receiving e-mail.  Make a master list for the class of things they would encourage senders to avoid doing.  As receivers, what could they do to encourage people to send more appropriate messages?  What frustrations do they have with the user-friendliness of the e-mail system they use?  What would make things easier?   What would be a more beautiful email system than 163, qq mail, hotmail? You design one.  
* http://ideas.wikia.com/wiki/Gmail   
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_encyclopedia    
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Q%26A_sites    
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reddit   
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidu_Tieba
* http://www.dmnews.com/email-marketing/e-mail-in-a-web-20-world/article/116163/   E-mail in a Web 2.0 world   
As PP 13-7 and PP 13-8 show, e-mail subject lines should  
·  Be specific 
· Be concise 
· Be catchy 
J Teaching Tip:  Have students review information on information and positive messages, negative messages, and persuasive messages for details on format and content.  Have students compare the information for creating subject lines for those types of messages with the information in this module. What is similar? What is different?  
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Divide students into groups of 3-5 and have them spend 10-15 minutes writing subject lines for Exercises 13.11, 13.13, and 13.15.  Have them share their solutions with the rest of the class.  Ask the class to critique these solutions. 
13.11 Saying No to the Boss (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3)
Today, you received the following e-mail message from
your boss:
Subject: Oversee United Way
I’m appointing you to be the company representative to oversee United Way. You’ve
done a good job the last three years, so this year should be a piece of cake!
It’s true that you know exactly what to do. The job
wouldn’t be hard for you. But that’s just the problem. You
wouldn’t learn anything, either. You’d rather have an assign-
ment that would stretch you, teach you new skills, or enable
you to interact with new people. Continuing to grow is your
insurance of continued employability and mobility. Three
upcoming projects in your division might offer growth:
creating videos for a “town meeting” for all employees to
be held at the beginning of next quarter, creating an intranet
for the company, or serving on the diversity committee.
Any of these would be time-consuming, but no more time-
consuming than running the United Way campaign.
Write to your boss, asking for something more chal-
lenging to do.
13.13 Suggesting a Change in Your Organization’s Communication Materials (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3)
Your organization has a web page, but its address isn’t
on all your business communication materials (stationery,
business cards, invoices, product packaging, brochures, cat-
alogs, voice-mail announcements, e-mail signatures, pro-
motional items such as pens, coffee cups, and mouse pads).
Adding the URL would promote the website (and suggest
that your organization is up-to-date).
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Identify the person in your organization with the power to
authorize adding the URL to physical materials, and e-mail
that person asking him or her to authorize this change.
b. Write an e-mail to all employees, asking them to add the
URL and a brief message promoting the organization to
their e-mail signature blocks.
Hints:
• Pick a business, nonprofit, or government organization
you know something about. What materials does it pro-
duce? Which lack the URL?
• Will the reader know you? Has your organization
asked for suggestions, or will this come “out of the
blue”?
• What should be done with materials already printed or
manufactured that lack the web address? Should they be
discarded, or used until they run out?
• Who in your organization has the authority to authorize
this change?
• What exactly do you want your reader to do? What infor-
mation does your reader need?
13.15 Addressing a Customer Complaint about a Coupon (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3)
As manager of consumer affairs for your company, you
received the following e-mail message:
My name is Jan Hofbauer, and I recently visited one of your Kelly Green apparel stores in Denver.
While I am a long-time customer who enjoys the many great styles you have to offer, I was dis-
mayed by my experience.
I wanted to use a coupon I received via e-mail for 20% off any single item. But when I tried to use
the coupon, I was told there were restrictions, including it only being applicable to regularly priced
merchandise.
I explained to the manager that nowhere on the coupon was a statement to that effect. When she
said the statement appears on the Kelly Green web page, I pointed out I wasn’t on the Internet, I
was in the store! She would not honor the coupon, but since I had spent 30 minutes of valuable time
picking out the sweater, I purchased it anyway.
It’s unfair to wait until after a customer has taken time out of her busy schedule to drive to the store
to tell her of restrictions. If anything, this all seems like fraud. She should have honored the coupon.
What I want to know now is what are you going to do to keep me as a customer?
Jan Hofbauer
After further research, you discovered the coupon was
sent as a promotion for the Kelly Green web page. In fact,
in the e-mail message and on the coupon, a statement prom-
inently indicates it is only good for use at the web page
and that some restrictions apply. When customers click on
the link to the web page, a statement further explaining
restrictions appears, including the coupon being for regu-
larly priced items. Therefore, you don’t feel it’s appropriate
to give Ms. Hofbauer a 20% credit on her Visa card.
However, you are willing to give her a 10% credit for
being a loyal customer and for her troubles. Write an e-mail
message to Ms. Hofbauer explaining your decision.
As PP 13-11 shows, e-mail 
· Is especially appropriate for informative and positive messages. 
· Is appropriate for less serious negatives, but not for such major negatives as firings and layoffs. 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  For 20-25 minutes, have students in groups of 3-5 complete Exercise 13.12 on p. 233.  Afterward, have the groups share their solutions with the class.  Which seems to work the best?  Why? 
13.12 Sending a Question to a Website (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3)
Send a question or other message that calls for a response to
a website. You could
• Ask a question about a product.
• Apply for an internship or a job (assuming you’d really
like to work there).
• Ask for information about an internship or a job.
• Ask a question about an organization or a candidate
before you donate money or volunteer.
• Offer to volunteer for an organization or a candidate. You
can offer to do something small and onetime (e.g., spend
an afternoon stuffing envelopes, put up a yard sign), or
you can, if you want to, offer to do something more time-
consuming or even ongoing.
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Turn in a copy of your e-mail message and the response
you received.
b. Critique messages written by other students in your
class. Suggest ways the messages could be clearer and
more persuasive.
c. Write a memo evaluating your message and the
response, using the checklists for Modules 12 and 10,
respectively. If you did not receive a response, did the
fault lie with your message?
d. Make an oral presentation to the class, evaluating your
message and the response, using the checklists for Mod-
ules 12 and 10, respectively. If you did not receive a
response, did the fault lie with your message?
Hints:
• Does the organization ask for questions or offers? Or
will yours “come out of the blue”?
• How difficult will it be for the organization to supply
the information you’re asking for or to do what you’re
asking it to do? If you’re applying for an internship or
offering to volunteer, what skills can you offer? How
much competition do you have?
• What can you do to build your own credibility, so
that the organization takes your question or request
seriously?
PWhat style should I use when writing for the web? LO 13-7 
☆In-Class Exercise:  Have the students individually or in small groups share with the class the best and worst web pages they’ve ever visited.  Which design features worked and which didn’t?  Have the students write lists of good and bad features on the board.  Afterward, identify which features showed up most often in these lists.  How did they compare to the concepts discussed in Module 13?  
PCan I use blogging on the job? LO 13-7   
!In-Class Exercise:  Where appropriate, have students share with the class their favorite blogging sites.  What draws them to the sites?  What qualities or features do they have in common with each other?  How often do the bloggers post?  Create a list of best features.  
As PP 13-23 and PP 13-24 show, 
   
· You can use social networking sites but 
· Be professional. 
· Avoid offensive text and images. 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  For 5-10 minutes, have students share some of the foibles they’ve witnessed with people using social networking tools.  What are some obvious errors people made in choosing what to post?  What are more subtle ones?  How might this help a business professional to decide what is possible to post? 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students.  Have each group spend 10-15 minutes identifying a social networking site that represents good business practice.  It could be a Facebook page for a corporation or a Twitter page for a celebrity.  Have them identify what makes the examples professional.  After all of the groups have presented their findings, ask them as a class to identify key elements that all of the examples have in common, creating a master list of best practices.  For the next class, post or pass out the list to students for reference. 
PWhat other technologies use the Internet? LO 13-8 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Have students share their “pet peeves” with etiquette.  What kinds of behaviors bother them?  What bothersome behaviors do they engage in?  Why?  Consider having the students create a “bill of rights” that addresses what reasonable freedom from rudeness people can expect in business and in public. 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
13.1 How do subject lines for e-mail messages differ from those for paper messages?  (LO 13-2) 
Subject lines in e-mail are even more important than those in letters and memos because it’s so easy for an e-mail user to hit the delete key.  E-mail subject lines must be specific; concise; catchy; give good news if the message is positive and give negative information when the negative is serious, the reader needs the information to act, or you report your own errors; and make the request clear if the message is persuasive. 
13.2  Should e-mail messages use you-attitude, positive emphasis, and reader benefits? (LO 13-3) 
All the principles of good business writing still apply with e-mail, including you-attitude and positive emphasis.  Use reader benefits when they’re appropriate, such as in good news and persuasive messages.  
13.3  What is flaming? (LO 13-3, LO 13-5) 
Angry or insulting e-mail messages.  Writers should avoid flaming, as well as writing e-mail messages when they are angry or upset. 
13.4  Why should you be flexible when using different e-mail systems? (LO 13-1) 
E-mail formats are evolving, meaning that how they format information and how they are used can differ.  A good approach is to look for what is similar among them, starting with that as a reference point. 
13.5  Why is e-mail better for informative and positive messages than negative ones?       (LO 13-2) 
E-mail is still perceived by some users as less formal than a letter or face-to-face conversation.  Negative messages usually require more attention to these matters than e-mail is likely to connote.  However, in some cases, e-mail may be the system a company prefers.  In those situations, writers should take extra care to make certain that the message follows the appropriate guidelines for a negative message, as described in Module 11. 
13.6  Why is it OK for your boss to send you a message with the subject line “To Do,” even thought that wouldn’t work when you need to ask a colleague to do something? (LO 13-2) 
As with paper messages, etiquette to colleagues differs from that to subordinates.  The boss can give commands; for colleagues, you must inform or persuade by asking.   
13.7  Why should negative and persuasive e-mail messages be more direct than their paper counterparts? (LO 13-3) 
Readers may deal with 80 to 100 messages in 20 to 30 minutes in some cases—therefore, e-mail must make its point clearly and efficiently.  Subject lines should indicate the point of the message to avoid being skipped or deleted. 
13.8 Calming an Angry Co-worker (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3) 
Since you and your team have an excellent reason for drilling the holes, and since doing so actually enables you to be more efficient than others, you can diffuse the anger and insulting tone in this message by treating it as a request for information.  In the first sentence you can indicate that the casting your co-worker found was a test piece, and then follow by explaining why you re-use such pieces and how doing so increases your efficiency. 
13.9 Announcing Holiday Diversity (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3) 
Decide whether you’re willing to grant any assumptions about alternatives, or whether you will accept an alternative only if it’s real (for example, does the Registrar at your university list addresses?) If the information the person wants exists somewhere else, students should use the informative/positive pattern: “To find OSU graduates’ current addresses, go to http://www.osu.edu/  (give real address).  
13.10 Refusing to Pay an Out-of-Network Bill (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3) 
This is a hard e-mail message for an empathetic person to write, although the actual assignment is straightforward. Given the lack of direct reporting relationship between Alvin and the writer, the best organization is probably that of a negative letter. The e-mail should first clearly inform Alvin that he chose his HMO, and the HMO he chose does not pay for services rendered at St. Catherine’s Hospital. His bill for his surgery is his responsibility and not the company’s. This information should be stated only once. The e-mail might explore some ways to assist Alvin in paying the bill on a manageable schedule, including using any employee-emergency loan program, working with St. Catherine’s to develop a payroll deduction to pay the amount over time, or the availability of loans through the company credit union. The ending should assure Alvin that he is a valued employee. Lastly, the writer may want to offer to meet with Alvin to go over the HMO choices so that he understands the options he has available in the next open enrollment period. 
13.11 Saying No to the Boss (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3) 
Use class discussion to talk about the general challenge of disagreeing with a boss. Tone is important here:  A straightforward “I think it would be even better if we could discuss some other upcoming projects in my department” is better than a discourse on management, which may sound preachy.  
Also, discuss the politics of the situation with your class.  The boss is asking you to do something that could put you in a good situation in the long run, despite the short-term difficulties.  Does it make sense to turn down this opportunity? 
A good sample solution is provided on Appendix 13-A. 
  
13.12 Sending a Question to a Website (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3) 
Of course, the questions or messages will vary widely depending on the personality of the student, the chosen web site, the request or message, and the option chosen by the instructor.  
13.13 Suggesting a Change in Your Organization’s Communication Materials (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3) 
The answers will vary depending upon the organization chosen and whether you select a or b. The best answers to b will include an example of the URL as it should appear in the signature block.  
13.14 Asking for More Time and/or Resources (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3) 
In the real world, difficulty of writing the request would depend on the boss’s personality and the corporate culture.  Many bosses would appreciate being approached about the problem up front, instead of the employee trying to do work known to be impossible and then doing a poor job or no work at all.  It’s important, however, to avoid being viewed as inefficient or a shirker.  Perhaps the best strategy would be to present a specific plan(s) and ask for the supervisor’s approval.  Supervisors value people who solve problem over those who throw up their hands and say, “I just can’t do all this work!” 
13.15 Addressing a Customer Complaint about a Coupon (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3) 
The problem results from a fairly straightforward (and common) misunderstanding of the limitations of an offer.  A good message will point out the conditions for using the coupon without assigning blame to Ms. Hofbauer.  A buffer thanking her for being a long-time customer would be appropriate.   
A good sample solution is included on Appendix 13-B. 
13.16  Requesting Your Firm Use Social Networking  (LO 13-1 to LO 13-3, LO 13-7) 
Some members of the firm may feel that social networking sites are inappropriate channels through which to market the company’s services. Wearing the communications director’s hat, students could (1) provide examples of competitors’ Facebook and Twitter pages that demonstrate a professional approach to social networking; (2) demonstrate how potential clients, particularly younger ones who communicate via social media and mobile devices, could be targeted for the company’s financial services; and (3) create a social media site for the company for internal use—to make senior managers comfortable with these communication channels before unveiling the social media site to the public. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Making Nouns and Pronouns Agree (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. When Kelea and Shawn arrived together from Portland, they decided to walk rather than take a shuttle to the airport hotel. 
4. The Building and Zoning Department got its act together and beat the Marketing Department in the final inning of the company softball game. 
6. With few changes to its production model, Jacoby, Inc., expects to start manufacturing in a few weeks.  
8. Madison told me her purse got left in the restaurant, and her smartphone was in the purse. 
10. The best thing about Netflix is the way it makes sure its procedures are easy to follow. 
Unit 3 Cases for Communicators 
The Real Price of a Cheap Flight 
This unit case describes the problems United Airlines encountered when it mistakenly listed flights to Hong Kong on its website for the cost of four frequent flier miles plus taxes. Before United fixed the computer glitch that caused the incorrect ticket information to appear on its company website, people around the world shared the “cheap” price for these tickets via various websites and social media. Once it realized the problem, United announced it would not honor the “cheap” tickets. Individual and group activities are provided for students based on United’s ticket fiasco. 
==Module 14 Matters on Which Experts Disagree 255==
LO 14-1 Apply strategies for professional image creation with grammar and mechanics.  
LO 14-2 Apply principles for common grammatical error correction.  
LO 14-3 Apply principles for sentence error correction.  
LO 14-4 Evaluate situations for comma use.  
LO 14-5 Apply principles for punctuation use inside sentences.  
LO 14-6 Apply principles for source quotation.  
LO 14-7 Apply principles for number and date use.  
LO 14-8 Apply standard proofreading marks throughout the writing process.
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 14.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 238 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 252 
Part 3:  Appendixes with Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 255 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
!In-Class Exercise:  After assessing the diagnostic, create groups of 3-5 students each.  Assign each group a grammar concern they share and have students present a 10- to 15-minute “lesson” in class.  Schedule these lessons throughout the quarter.  (This assignment is particularly useful because it requires students to research their concerns while doubling as an opportunity to polish oral presentation skills.) (6)
J Teaching Tip:  For 10-15 minutes, allow students to work in groups of 3-5 each.  Assign each group one of the six grammar concepts and have them explain the basic concept to the rest of the class.  Then, ask students as a group to explain the errors found in PP 14-7 through 14-9; PP 14-11 through PP 14-16.  (6) 
J Teaching Tip:  Comma splices are common in student papers—yet, the error often eludes students, who may see commas simply and erroneously as “connectors.”  Use a film analogy to help video savvy students understand what a splice is; in film editing, splicing means joining two segments of film together to make one longer segment.  A comma splice tries to do the same with independent clauses.  But just as pasting two scenes that have nothing to do with one another would make the final segment abrupt and incomprehensible, a comma splice tries to meld two independent clauses together inappropriately.  Fixing the splice—by adding the appropriate coordinating conjunction, for instance—properly connects the clauses, just as a “cut” or “wipe” in a film splice bridges one scene to another. (18) 
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students complete the Polishing Your Prose (“Matters on Which Experts Disagree”) exercises on p. 255. (18)
! In-Class Exercise:  For 10-15 minutes, have students complete Exercise 14.15 on p. 255.  Afterward, have students share their solutions with the class.  Which seems to work the best?  Why?(18)
J Teaching Tip:  Show students each of these forms of punctuation in use (in very simple sentences—you can use examples from this module or from the Polishing Your Prose exercises throughout the book).  Then ask eight students to go to the board and create their own, more complex sentences using the punctuation forms (one form of punctuation per student).   Ask eight more, and so forth, until everyone’s had a turn.  When they’re finished, have the students evaluate the sentences for correctness.  (20)
J Teaching Tip:  Have students get into eight groups and assign one of the forms of punctuation to each.  Give each group 10-15 minutes to confer, then have them give the class a “mini-lesson” on the form of punctuation, using examples from the textbook where possible. (20)
! In-Class Exercise:  For 10-15 minutes, have students complete Exercise 14.14 on p. 254.  Afterward, have students share their solutions with the class.  Which seems to work the best?  Why? (20)
Use PP 14-24 and PP 14-25 to show typical proofreader’s marks (also shown in Figure 14.3, p. 252).  In Appendix 14-B, we’ve left off the proofreading symbols; use a transparency marker to draw symbols to further illustrate them to students or fill out the sheet with students in class.  For many students, these marks will be new, and they will have to have practice using them. (25)
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
14.1  Why is it better to fix errors in grammar and punctuation only after you’ve revised for content, organization, and style? (LO 14-1 to LO 14-7)
Because you may change words, sentences, or sections during revision, it makes sense to wait until those issues are finalized before spending time on grammar and punctuation.
14.2  What words make clauses subordinate and thus require more than a comma to join clauses? (LO 14-2)
These words include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, though, until, when, whenever, and while.
14.3  What is parallel structure?  When should you use it? (LO 14-2)
Parallel structure means using the same grammatical structure.  Use parallel structure for items in a list or series and in headings and subheadings.   
14.4  What is a sentence fragment?  How do you fix it? (LO 14-3)
A sentence fragment is a group of words that is not a complete sentence but is punctuated as if it were a complete sentence.  Solutions include adding the parts that are missing from the sentence or joining it to the sentence before or after the fragment.  Fragments are acceptable in résumés and sales letters but typically not in other forms of business communication.
14.5  Consuela sees a lot of errors in the writing of managers at her workplace.  If they don’t know or don’t care about correctness, why should she? (LO 14-1)
Just because managers write or edit poorly does not mean Consuela should, too.  Beyond the fact that strong communication ability is likely to help Consuela in future jobs, she might also help the organization by showing her managers the importance of correct grammar.
14.6  After surveying readers in her workplace,  (problem 14.8 below), Camilla finds that most of them are not bothered by errors in grammar and punctuation.  Does that mean that she doesn’t need to fix surface errors? (LO 14-1)
Camilla should continue to fix her surface errors.  She should also tactfully show or suggest ways for others in the organization to do the same.  Doing so will likely help the organization overall.
14.7  Joe knows that his variety of English isn’t the privileged variety, but he is afraid that using standard edited English will make him seem “uppity” to people in his home community.  Should he try to use standard edited grammar and pronunciation?  Why or why not? (LO 14-1)
This question addresses the issue of audience analysis, covered in significant detail in Module 2.  Joe should strive to use standard edited English with audiences that expect it, such as those in the workplace.  For other audiences, he should use the form of English most comfortable for them.  
14.8  Identifying Audience Concerns about Grammar (LO 14-1 to LO 14-7)
The survey works best if students approach as many people in the organization as possible, across a broad range of job responsibilities and levels of management.   Some people may feel uncomfortable answering the survey unless they’re assured it will be anonymous or will not affect their jobs.
14.9  Making Subjects and Verbs Agree (LO 14-2)
In some cases, more than one answer is possible.  Here are likely ones.
1. Corinne is going to tour the Hokaido facility in December.
2. To simplify things, we are planning to take the GMATs at the same time.
3. While Lani Esposito was our first choice, she declined the job offer.
4. Tyler and Jorge are taking one of the pool cars to the regional meeting.
5. Ephraim reminded us that timecards are due on the first and third Wednesdays of the month.
14.10  Using the Right Pronoun (LO 14-2)
In some cases, more than one answer is possible.  Here are likely ones.
1. Bryan e-mailed Todd Winthrop at our Southfield office yesterday, but he didn’t receive the message till Thursday.
2. Ramon, Paulette, and I reserved a company car for the three-hour trip to Anaheim this afternoon.
3. We were wondering if anyone contacted the Finance Department to ask it for copies of our annual report.  (The sentence could also be revised as:  We were wondering if anyone contacted the Finance Department to ask for copies of our annual report.)
4. If employees are in uniform, they should understand that they are representing the company, whether on duty or not.
5. Jeff Yee and I took a few moments to thank the marketing team for its great work on the December sales promotion.
14.11  Fixing Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers (LO 14-2)
In some cases, more than one answer is possible.  Here are likely ones.
1. At the staff meeting, Eleanor reported there were two delayed flights.
2. My mom let me drive the car around the block for the first time when I was 15.
3. Expressing herself with confidence, Lee gave impressive answers during the interview.
4. With a broad smile on his face, Alistair accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award.
5. Thinking our plane would be delayed due to bad weather, Jim rescheduled the meeting to 3 p.m.
14.12  Creating Parallel Structure (LO 14-2)
1. To narrow a web search,
· Put quotation marks around a phrase when you want an exact term.
· Use wild cards (usually an asterisk) to find plurals and other forms of a word.
· Read the instructions on the search engine itself to teach you advanced search techniques.
2. Men drink more alcoholic beverages than women drink alcoholic beverages.
3. Each issue of Hospice Care has articles from four different perspectives: legislative, health care, hospice administration, and inspiration.
4. The university is one of the largest employers in the community, brings in substantial business, and has a big cultural impact.
5. These three tools can help competitive people be better negotiators.
· Think win-win.
· Ask enough questions to find out the other person’s priorities.
· Protect the other person’s self-esteem.
These three questions can help cooperative people be better at negotiations.
· Can you develop a specific alternative to use if negotiation fails?
· Are you thinking about what you want and why you need it?
· Are you saying, “You’ll have to do better than that because . . . “?
14.13  Correcting Sentence Errors (LO 14-3)
Several answers are possible.  Here are likely ones.
1. You can expect our fleet cars to be in pristine working order. You can also enjoy such amenities as cruise control, GPS tracking, and satellite radio.
2. Without filling out the appropriate requisition forms, Kelly purchased two fax machines, or so the disciplinary action reported indicated.
3. Customers can order through the web page, our 1-800 number, or traditional mail.  (Another solution could be “Customers can order through the web page, or they can order through our 1-800 number, or they can order through traditional mail.”)
4. They spent the month visiting our satellite office and meeting their staff in Fort Wayne, Lawrence, Flint, and Dayton.
5. Zane and I prepared the cover for the annual report, and then we gave it to Nardos for review. She will let us know tomorrow if there are any revisions.
14.14  Providing Punctuation within Sentences (LO 14-5)
Several answers are possible.  Here are likely ones.
1. Office work—especially at your desk—can create back, shoulder, neck, or wrist strain.
2. I searched for “vacation” and “vacation planning” on Google and Alta Vista.
3. I suggest putting a bulletin board in the rear hallway and posting all the interviewer’s photos on it.
4. Analyzing audiences is the same for marketing and writing:  you have to identify who the audiences are, understand how to motivate them, and choose the best channel to reach them.
5. The more you know about your audience—who they are, what they buy, where they shop—the more relevant and effective you can make your ad.
6. The city already has five two-hundred bed hospitals.
7. Students run the whole organization and are advised by a Board of Directors from the community.
8. The company is working on three team-related issues:  interaction, leadership, and team size.
9. I would be interested in working on the committee; however, I have decided to do less community work so that I have more time to spend with my family.  
10. “You can create your own future,” says Frank Montano. “You have to think about it, crystallize it in writing, and be willing to work at it.  We teach a lot of goal-setting and planning in our training sessions.”
14.15  Fixing Errors in Grammar and Punctuation (LO 14-5)
Several answers are possible.  Here are likely ones.
a. Companies are finding it to their advantage to cultivate their suppliers.  Partnerships between a company and its suppliers can yield hefty payoffs for both company and supplier.  One example is Bailey Controls, an Ohio-headquartered company.  Bailey makes control systems for big factories.  It treats suppliers almost like departments of its own company.  When a Bailey employee passes a laser scanner over a bin’s bar code, the supplier is instantly alerted to send more parts. 
b. Entrepreneur Trip Hawkins appears in Japanese ads for the video game system his company designed.  “It plugs into the future!” he says in one ad, in a cameo spliced into shots of U.S. kids playing the games.  Hawkins is one of several U.S. celebrities and business people who plug products on Japanese TV.
c. Midsize firms employing between 100 and 1000 people represent only 4% of companies in the U.S. but create 33% of all new jobs.  One observer attributes their success to being small enough to take advantage of economic opportunities agilely but big enough to have access to credit and to operate on a national or even international scale.  The biggest hiring area for midsize companies is wholesale and retail sales (38% of jobs), construction (20% of jobs), manufacturing (19% of jobs), and services (18% of jobs).
Polishing Your Prose:  Matters on Which Experts Disagree (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.)
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones.
2. Max told us that everyone gets his or her chance eventually. The trick is to be ready to take it when it happens.
4. He said it was more important to serve customers successfully than simply to sell them products.
6. Kai, Paul, Giselle, Timothy, and Elizabeth are the department’s best employees.
8. Managers should make sure their departments have boxes for the Operation Feed campaign.
10. The fourth shipment got delayed in transit, but Jenny hoped everyone would get his or her order within 72 hours.
==Module 15 Run-On Sentences 269==
#WEEK SIX
WEEK SIX  INSTRUCTOR NOTE:  This week, students may rework previous writing assignments for extra credit based on feedback from the first "final" document submitted. Extra credit (5 points on each) can increase score on earlier submission by a letter grade (10% points) maximum. 
Which Five Assignments? They should have the following names: 
Wk6 email message to your instructor, introducing yourself (not this one) Wk6 "you-attitude" homework (from Wk3) Wk6 "negative messages" homework (from Wk4) Wk6 "persuasive messages" homework (from Wk5) 6.1 Discussion Board--Homework (10 pts.) 
6.2 Vocabulary Quiz
6.3 Writing Resubmissions: Weeks 3, 4, & 5 (up to 5 additional points on each of the weeks’ submissions.)
6.4 Speaking Exercise (1. two-three points;  2. challenging; 3. spend more time; 4. applied in life; OR 5. examples in life related to today's modules)
MyWritingLab  (Today's modules)
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What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 15.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 256 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments                        Page 267 
Part 3:  Appendixes with Handouts/Transparency Masters                        Page 270 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  For homework, have students identify five words whose meanings they don’t understand.  The next class period, have students share these words with the rest of the class; see how many words working as a group they can define.  Create a master list from what remains, distribute it, and use it as the basis of a vocabulary quiz in one week.  Repeat this exercise throughout the term as necessary.  
☆In-Class Exercise:  Give students 10-15 minutes to complete Exercise 15.13 on p. 268.  Afterward, have students share their solutions with the rest of the class. 
☆In-Class Exercise:  For 10-15 minutes, have students share words they believe have negative connotations.  cunning--> smart --> intelligent. Create a master list and then have students create examples that use these words negatively.  What positive alternatives to the negative words exist?  Have students rewrite their examples to avoid using the negative words?  Have students put their solutions on the board and discuss them.
☆In-Class Exercise:  Give students 10-15 minutes to complete Exercise 15.12 (p. 268).  Afterward, have students share their answers.  Ask students what could be done to improve meaning in the statements.
☆In-Class Exercise:  Use Appendix 15-A to have students identify words and phrases that may not be acceptable.  (The letter example is purposefully outdated to help students more easily spot trite phrases.)  Which are forms of technical language?  Business slang?  Businessese?  If words or phrases are unacceptable, what words could be used to replace them? 
☆ Teaching Tip:  Have short quizzes over these words periodically, perhaps as extra credit.  Expect students to be able to define the words and also use them in a sentence.  You can use Appendix 15-B through Appendix 15-D.
☆In-Class Exercise:  Assign as homework Exercise 15.19 on p. 269.  Have students bring their solutions to class to share.  Are there disagreements over which words are correct?  If there are, have students review the words in the dictionary of their choice.  Which ultimately are the best solutions? 
%%%
Below is Week 11
* 1 7sins
* 2 challenges report
* 3 technique resources 
* 4 proofreading techniques
* 5 errors
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
15.1  What is the difference between denotation and connotation?  (LO 15-1) 
Denotation is a word’s literal or dictionary meaning.  Connotation means the emotional colorings or associations that accompany a word. 
15.2  What is bypassing? (LO 15-1) 
Bypassing occurs when two people use the same word to mean different things.  Bypassing can have serious repercussions, especially in communication involving safety or security.    
15.3  Why are short, simple words generally best? (LO 15-1) 
Short, simple words generally sound friendlier.  Longer words, particularly ones infrequently used in everyday conversation, often can sound stuffy or too formal. 
15.4  What are the two kinds of jargon?  Which is OK to use at times? (LO 15-1) 
Acceptable jargon includes technical terms common to a field and business slang.  In many cases, writers should choose a more common English equivalent for these terms; however, writers can use jargon in documents where it enhances their credibility, such as in a job application letter.  Businessese—arcane or dated word and phrases—should be avoided at all times. 
15.5  If you were going to buy a new dictionary, would you want a descriptive or prescriptive one?  Why? (LO 15-3) 
The answer depends on what the writer needs to know.  Descriptive dictionaries are useful for understanding how words are defined by people through use.  Prescriptive dictionaries define words based on how experts believe they should be used.   
15.6  Why is it desirable to use technical jargon in a job letter and a job interview? (LO 15-4) 
Technical jargon may demonstrate familiarity with the position and the field, enhancing the applicant’s credibility. 
15.7  How can you avoid confusing words that sound or seem similar? (LO 15-5) 
Whenever possible, writers should choose the simplest word that effectively conveys their message.  If the audience expects something else, then writers should adjust accordingly.  With words that sound similar but have different meanings, the challenge is differentiating among them.  For the most part, that means mastering their definitions. 
15.8  Identifying Words with Multiple Denotations (LO 15-1) 
The following list contains some, but not all, of the most common meanings. 
Browser:  
someone who dips into books and magazines without reading them completely 
software for using the web 
Link: 
a connection 
a part of a chain 
a cuff link 
to make a connection 
Sample: 
a portion to be tested, analyzed, or surveyed 
to try something. 
to use a piece of music in a new recording 
15.9  Explaining Bypassing (LO 15-1) 
a. “Protection from Professionals” could be interpreted either as being protected by or protected from professionals.   
b. “Outstanding” could be interpreted either as excellent or unaccounted for, as in the case of an outstanding bill. 
c. “Scanned” could be interpreted as manually or by machine. 
15.10  Evaluating Connotations (LO 15-1) 
Intelligent people of goodwill may differ in their evaluations of metaphors for a multicultural nation. 
Melting Pot: 
industry; negative; may suggest eradicating ethnicity 
Mosaic: 
art; positive; suggests diversity can be beautiful, purposive 
Tapestry: 
art; positive; suggests diversity can be beautiful, purposive 
Garden Salad: 
food; positive; suggests diversity; depends on using what is on hand 
Stew: 
food; neutral; suggests diversity depends on using what is on hand 
Mosaic and tapestry are probably the most positive terms. 
15.11  Evaluating the Ethical Implications of Connotations (LO 15-1) 
People of goodwill will disagree here. 
Wastepaper/Recovered Fiber: 
The second term is legitimate; it suggests that the material is useful. 
Feedback/Criticism: 
The first term is desirable. It suggests that feedback does not need to be negative or hurtful. 
Scalper/Ticket Reseller:  
Whether the more positive term is acceptable will depend on whether you see this activity as a way of getting tickets when you have been unable to make plans in advance or whether you see it as a way of allowing some people to make an enormous profit on tickets they buy for resale. 
Budget/Spending Plan:  
The more positive term seems justified. “Budget” is so negative that people don’t like to make one, let alone follow it. 
Caviar/Fish Eggs: 
The preferred term would be “caviar” in most situations. 
15.12 Correcting Errors in Denotation and Connotation (LO 15-1) 
1. The phrase, “for a guy from the south side,” implies that Louie comes from a less-desirable part of the city, and the writer seems surprised that Louie speaks good English. Revise the sentence to eliminate the implied connotation. 
2. The phrase, “literally exploded with joy,” seems inappropriate.  Better word choice would be, ”I was really excited when I found out I got the job.”  
3. The phrase, “older than dirt,” implies Carl is exceedingly old. Revise the sentence to eliminate its ageist connotations. 
4. The phrase, “for a woman,” has a sexist connotation. Better to eliminate the phrase from the sentence and change “stable” to “even-tempered,” which seems more appropriate. 
5. Because Marti’s airfare figure is exact, it would not qualify as an estimate. Change the word “estimated” to “said” in the first sentence. Change the second sentence to read, “She estimated we could rent a car and drive to Spokane for about $231.41.” 
15.13 Using Connotations to Shape Response (LO 15-1) 
Student answers will vary.  Here are possible answers—the first indented sentence uses terms with positive connotations; the second is negative. 
Lee talks to co-workers about subjects other than work, such as last weekend’s ball game.  
Lee builds good relationships with co-workers.  
Lee wastes time talking about trivial topics. 
Lee spends a lot of time sending e-mail messages and monitoring e-mail newsgroups.  
Lee keeps up-to-the minute with e-mail and newsgroups.  
Lee avoids work by sending e-mail messages and monitoring everything that comes out on e-mail newsgroups. 
As a supervisor, Lee rarely gives specific instructions to subordinates.  
Lee empowers subordinates to achieve corporate goals in their own way.  
As a supervisor, Lee is vague and indecisive. 
  
15.14  Choosing Levels of Formality (LO 15-1, LO 15-3) 
The better terms for most business documents are adapted to, confused, assistant, pilot project, and think. 
15.15  Identifying Jargon (LO 15-4) 
Student answers will vary.  Sticky website means “a site that people stay with for a long time.”  Alpha geek means “a high-status technical person.”  Road warrior means “a business person who uses a laptop computer and e-mail on business trips.”  An e-tailer is a company that sells on the Internet.  To bottom-fish is to buy stock believed to be at its lowest value before it increases in price. 
15.16 Eliminating Jargon and Simplifying Language (LO 15-5) 
1. We expect your order to ship by July 21. 
2. Jordyn appreciates your comments about the recommendations. 
3. Please sign the approval form and return to the office. (Some writers might put a comma after “please.”) 
4. Here are the titles for the project headings. 
5. Offering a competitive salary for the new position will help the company hire the best employee. 
15.17 Choosing the Right Word (LO 15-1 to LO 15-5) 
1. their 
2. morale 
3. Our 
4. residents 
5. quite 
6. lose 
7. foreward 
8. attributed 
9. podium 
10. Between 
15.18 Choosing the Right Word (LO 15-1 to LO 15-5)) 
1. They’re 
2. inferred 
3. lying 
4. less 
5. number 
6. accepted 
7. personnel 
8. e.g. 
9. effects 
10. oral 
15.19 Choosing the Right Word (LO 15-1 to LO 15-5) 
1. our/are 
2. principals 
3. Whether 
4. unique 
5. comprise 
6. implied 
7. it’s 
8. moral/principles 
9. too/objective 
10. lectern/lose/proceed 
Polishing Your Prose:  Run-On Sentences  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. Many of our employees would trade vacations for shorter work days in general, but we’re not sure the central office would approve of the idea. 
4. A few of the employees nearing retirement age want us to hold planning seminars, but we don’t really have the space. Please ask someone in HR to locate a room at a conference center. 
6. Nabil purchased the stock at the expected price, and the order went through. However, we later got a call from the broker about it. 
8. Joe Dunleavy said he would submit the proposal to the Atlanta office, but Karlie DelVechhio thinks it makes more sense to run it past Kevin Green in Legal first. Miranda Kang, who just got her law degree from DePaul, agrees. 
10. The Bergerons and Shimedas said they would attend the awards dinner. Lou Carlisle said his wife has another commitment that evening, so he is attending alone. We will need to make sure we have the correct number of seats at the dinner. 
==Module 16 Commas in Lists 285==
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 16.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 271 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments             Page 283 
Part 3:  Appendix of Handout/Transparency Master             Page 286 
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Have students in groups of 3-5 complete Exercise 16.13 on p. 284.  Give them 10-15 minutes, then share responses.  Does everyone agree on the choices made?  If not, what alternatives can they offer?  If people still disagree, what does this suggest about the impact of style?  Who ultimately decides what is good style?  
☆ Teaching Tip:  Chances are students have heard discussions on active and passive voice in their composition courses and forgotten them. Spend time in class reviewing active and passive voice; have students review this section, as well as complete Exercise 16.8 on p. 283 as homework for practice. 
:Look at this passage from Judith Ivory’s Black Silk to see how a consummate artist shows a girl moving through a crowd.
The girl jostled her way through gripping hands and recriminations. She elbowed one man and grabbed another by the collar. She wanted to be in their midst. She was scanning the men’s encroaching, remonstrating faces, looking them over as thoroughly as they were trying to turn her about. After a minute of this tussle—the men would not organize themselves for her inspection—she clambered up over the edge of the billiard table, standing on it to look down on them all.
☆In-Class Exercise:  Even accomplished writers struggle with reducing wordiness.  Have students complete Exercise 16.10 on p. 284 as homework to gauge their own abilities. 
☆In-Class Exercise:  For many students, the concept of topic sentences will be familiar from composition courses; if students seem uncertain about the concept, have them complete Exercise 16.14 on p. 285 as homework for practice. 
%%%%
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
16.1  What problems do passive verbs create? When are passive verbs desirable? (LO 16-4) 
Passive constructions are often longer and less clear than active ones.  However, passive constructions are appropriate in three situations:   
· To emphasize the object receiving the action, not the agent (actor). 
· To provide coherence within a paragraph. 
· To avoid assigning blame. 
16.2  List two ways to tighten your writing. (LO 16-4) 
Ways to tighten writing include using active, not passive voice; using strong nouns and verbs; using gerunds and infinitives; combining sentences to eliminate words; and putting the meaning of your sentence into the subject and verb. 
16.3  What is parallel structure? (LO 16-4) 
Parallel structure means using the same grammatical structure.  Use parallel structure for items in a list or series and in headings and subheadings.    
16.4  How do topic sentences help readers? (LO 16-5) 
Topic sentences help readers to see what a paragraph or document section is about.  They can also help the reader connect the ideas in those paragraphs or sections to the overall point of the document. 
16.5  Would your other instructors like the style you’re learning to use in this class?        (LO 16-1) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Chances are instructors outside of business communication will find the style too informal.  Whatever answer students give, make sure they offer specifics to suggest why. 
16.6  Can a long document be tight rather than wordy? (LO 16-1 to LO 16-3) 
Absolutely.  Wordiness is primarily an issue of word choice, not document length.  Avoiding redundancies, eliminating unnecessary words, and using strong nouns and verbs are just some of the ways to tighten writing.   
16.7  Ask a trusted friend or colleague how your tone comes across in classes and at work.  If other people find you shy on the one hand or arrogant on the other, what changes in your tone could you make? (LO 16-2) 
Students’ answers will vary.  They should prepare themselves for responses that may be uncomfortable.  We’re often surprised when finding out how others view us, even those closest to us.   
16.8  Changing Verbs from Passive to Active (LO 16-4) 
Student answers will vary—here are likely ones. 
1. Lloyd drove the car to the airport. 
2. Penelope made a phone call to the home office. 
3. Whenever possible, employees should take vacations during summer months. 
4. When Deidre calls, tell her to bring copies of the annual report to the meeting. 
5. The Public Relations Office compiled a complete list of the attendees. 
16.9  Using Better Verbs (LO 16-4) 
Student answers will vary.  Here are likely ones. 
1. Many of our customers benefit from being a preferred customer. 
2. Employees with more than nine months with the company accrue vacation time. 
3. If Nabil stops by, ask if he plans to participate in the “Race for the Cure” on Saturday. 
4. Decide carefully before making a purchase. 
5. The sales figures are unlikely to improve before the end of the quarter. 
16.10  Reducing Wordiness (LO 16-4) 
Student answers will vary.  Here are likely ones. 
1 a.  Novice employees should attend a mandatory training session. 
   b.  Bloomberg Businessweek printed an article on how executives regularly are finding innovative solutions. 
   c.   Punctual employees generally are viewed as more professional than other employees and are also more likely to be hired, valued, and promoted.  Therefore, it’s better to be professional than unprofessional. 
2 a.  Customers wanting to participate in this month’s online promotion may find reviewing our pre-registration process helpful. 
   b.  Producing better but cheaper goods often makes a company more competitive in the selling merchandise in the marketplace. 
   c.  Whitney said receiving company-paid medical insurance is a benefit that many parents today are considering while engaged in deciding to accept a job offer. 
3 a.  Michael supervises the Archives and Data Processing Departments and oversees 14 employees. 
   b.  Our employees are trained to provide good customer service and want our customers to have a positive experience shopping in our store.  Because both our employees and our customers want the same thing, we have the highest customer satisfaction rating of any store in the company. 
   c.  The Communications Department plans to stop printing the company newsletter and instead offer it on the intranet in the same format.  Employees may print a copy or simply read it online.  By ceasing to print the newsletter, the Communications Department expects to save several thousand dollars each year. 
16.11  Improving Parallel Structure (LO 16-4) 
Student answers will vary.  Here are likely ones. 
1.  The county will benefit from implementing flextime. 
· Offices will stay open longer for more business. 
· Staff turnover will be lower. 
· Communication with states in other time zones will be easier. 
· Employee productivity will increase. 
2.  Newsletters enhance credibility, are read by four times as many people, and allow soft-sell introduction to prospective customers. 
3.  When you leave a voice-mail message: 
· Summarize your main point in a sentence or two. 
· Say your name and phone number slowly and distinctly. 
· Give enough information so the recipient can act on the message. 
· Tell when you’ll be available to receive the recipient’s return call. 
16.12  Putting Readers in Your Sentences (LO 16-4) 
Student answers will vary.  Here are likely ones. 
1. You should proofread your résumé carefully to ensure typos are corrected. 
2. You may work beyond 40 hours per week and earn overtime compensation. 
3. Complete your annual self-review by December 12, and schedule a meeting with your manager by December 30. 
4. Your friends and family members may use the company gym provided your pre-register them. 
5. You may attend the training program with permission from your supervisor. 
16.13  Editing Sentences to Improve Style (LO 16-4) 
Student answers will vary.  Here are likely ones. 
1.  The Finance Department report is poorly organized. (The sentence could also be worded more positively to protect egos:  The Finance Department report could be better organized.) 
2.  While few of our most valuable customers want to change vendors, we must always make sure they stay with us. 
3.  Carla Meier may be the finest staff member we have ever had. 
4.  Here are reasons to stay with Interstate Insurance  
§ Convenient claims submissions  
§ Helpful agents  
§ 24-Hour web page 
5.  Planning meetings for the revised HR system will be: 
§ May 3, 2-3 p.m. 
§ May 10, 2-3 p.m. 
§ May 17, 2-3 p.m. 
  
16.14  Using Topic Sentences (LO 16-5) 
Student answers will vary.  Here are likely ones. 
1. Business slang flourishes at companies with rich corporate cultures. At Disney World, a lunch put on expense account is “on the mouse.” McDonald’s employees “have ketchup in their veins.” Memos at Procter & Gamble are called “reco’s” because the model P&G memo begins with a recommendation. 
2. We’ll act on three items at the meeting. The first item on the agenda is the hiring for the coming year. George has also asked that we review the agency goals for the next fiscal year. We should cover this early in the meeting since it may affect our hiring preferences. Finally, we need to announce the deadlines for grant proposals, decide which grants to apply for, and set up a committee to draft each proposal. 
3. You can reduce the amount of solid waste your household produces in four ways. Separate materials that can be recycled from your regular trash. Pass along old clothing, toys, or appliances to someone else who can use them. When you purchase products, choose those with minimal packaging. If you have a yard, put your yard waste and kitchen scraps (excluding meat and fat) in a compost pile. 
16.15  Writing Paragraphs (LO 16-5) 
The challenge in this assignment comes not from writing the paragraphs but from accurately labeling the topic sentences, active verbs, and parallel structure and from editing. 
If you use this problem, do collect students’ paragraphs and their peers’ comments. Some students will get misinformation, and you want to correct any misunderstandings. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Commas in Lists  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible. aHere are likely ones. 
2. Raises for directors, supervisors, and managers will be 2.3, 2.5, and 2.2 percent, respectively. 
4. David said that we need pens, pencils, erasers, notepads, folders, paperclips, note cards, and name tages for the strategic planning retreat. 
6. Sunny forwarded the itinerary for the trip: Xiua will be flying from 9 a.m. till 11:45 a.m. Thursday; Alexis will be flying from 10:15 a.m. till 11:25 p.m. Friday; and Jocelyn will be flying from 1 p.m. till 2:35 p.m. Saturday. 
8. The guest list includes Rick, Keri, Meyer, Tonee, Calvin, Esteban, Christopher, Marguerite, and Benjamin. 
10. So we are prepared for emergencies, the pool cars should have flares, gloves, blankets, warning signs, tire pressure gauges, portable air compressors, and prepaid cell phones. 
Unit 4 Cases for Communicators 
With the Best of Intentions 
This unit case tells the story of how the state of Ohio paid a contractor to create a road sign for a well-traveled stretch of highway in the northern part of the state. Unfortunately, the contractor misspelled the word “north” in big white letters on the sign as “NORHT.” Although the contractor will replace the incorrect sign, the error was reported in the local media, and the mistake may damage the state’s ability to attract new businesses as the economy slowly returns from recession. Individual and group activities are provided for students based on the contractor’s error and how the state’s image can recover from such a mistake.  
==Module 17 Combining Sentences 295==
17 “telephone game.”
7  Positive Emphasis
11  Negative Messages
 #WEEK FOUR  
4.1 Discussion--Homework (10 pts.)
4.2 Problem Analysis and Draft--Homework (20 pts.)
This assignment is due before the SECOND  class meeting this week. WEEK FOUR Communication Problem: Announcing Cost Saving Measures --  Exercise 11.17, p. 184
4.3 Writing Assignment--Final (50 pts.) 
This assignment is due no later than end of Week 4.
4.4 Speaking Exercise 
%%%%
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 17.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 288 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments             Page 294 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters             Page 295 
  
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
Both refresh Wk 2 and Wk 3 discussion questions
 #WEEK TWO
 #WEEK THREE
☆ In-Class Exercise:  To illustrate how people of good intention can still mishear or misinterpret oral communication, play the “telephone game.”  Have students get in a circle.  (Or have them get into groups of six; Kitty has particular success working with this format, where student groups often playfully compete with one another for which group can best keep the original message intact.)  Start the game by whispering a message in the ear of the first student.  The following message, developed and copyrighted by Norman Sigband, works very well:  “Every year at State University, the eagles in front of the Psi Gamma fraternity house were mysteriously sprayed during the night. Whenever this happened, it cost the Psi Gams from $75-$100 to have the eagles cleaned. The Psi Gams complained to officials and were promised by the president that if ever any students were caught painting the eagles, they would be expelled from school.” 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  If you’ve covered Module 2 already, have students in groups of 3-5 reconstruct the Communication Model (p. 23).  If not, give them ten minutes to review it in class.  Once they’ve done so, have them spend another 10 minutes examining where in the process communication can break down due to faulty listening.  Then have groups share their conclusions.  What kinds of “noise” can interfere with oral communication?  How might the sender overcome such noise?
jonkguog muinin longfay catcinyek hay cenkcoy gonkyib wuyim seong. yeunciu wongmangji hinmak ge mconkjibin yibey sowfubey pagmai.
J Teaching Tip:  Hearing- and sight-challenged students may have different strategies for listening than your other students.   Ask what techniques work for them.  Have they experienced frustration in communicating with others?  Have others with them? What might people do to help ensure more successful oral communication with someone who is hearing- or sight-challenged?  (Where possible, find campus resources that might be available to help educate students about communicating with people with different needs.)
· Listen for feelings as well as for facts. 
☆ In-Class Exercise:  To practice the four techniques, have students spend 10 minutes sharing information about themselves with a partner.  Then, go around the room and have students report three things about the person they spoke with.  See how many students report emotional colorings as well as facts. 
PP 17-10 shows, active listeners participate in the oral communication process through five distinct strategies:
· Paraphrase content. 
!In-Class Exercise:  Have students complete Exercise 17.9 (p. 295) in class.  Give them 10-15 minutes, and then have them share responses.  What did students learn from this exchange? 
· Offer to help solve the problem. 
As the name suggests, active listening requires the listener share responsibility for helping ensure communication occurs correctly.  Blocking responses, as illustrated in Figure 17.1 (p. 292) and on Appendix 17-B, interfere with oral communication—students should use active listening to counter the effects.    
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students partner up and spend 10-15 minutes role-playing the active listening responses to blocking responses.  Let one student say the blocking response and the other student respond with the appropriate active listening response.  Then switch.  Afterward, have students share their thoughts and feelings—can they identify other situations when the active listening response would work?  Let students share their findings with the rest of the class.  
PHow do I show people that I’m listening to them?      LO 17-3 
J Teaching Tip:  Have students share experiences where they’ve been confused by the acknowledgement response of another person.  What was the response?  Why was it confusing?  What could the student have done differently in the situation to minimize the problem?  What would they have wanted from the speaker to make things more clear? 
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students complete Exercise 17.12 (p. 295) as homework or, where applicable, in class.  The next class period, ask students to share their findings. 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
17.1  What do good listeners do? (LO 17-1) 
Good listeners pay attention, focus on the other speaker(s) in a generous way, avoid making assumptions, and listen for feelings as well as for facts.  They also practice active listening. 
17.2  What is active listening? (LO 17-2) 
Active listeners paraphrase content, mirror the speaker’s feelings, state their own feelings, ask for information or clarification, and offer to help solve the problem. 
17.3  How do different ethnic and cultural norms affect acknowledgment responses?       (LO 17-3) 
There are no universal acknowledgment responses, and even in the United States, different cultural groups may have different ways of showing that they are listening.  For instance, some research suggests that European Americans almost always respond nonverbally when they listen closely, but that African Americans respond with words rather than nonverbal cues. 
17.4  Why do some people make assumptions rather than listen carefully? (LO 17-1) 
Listening requires energy and enthusiasm.  It also requires listeners to look beyond their own thoughts and feelings, focusing attention on the speaker, not just themselves.  Because many people have not received formal training in listening, listeners often must rely on their own informal strategies to develop good listening skills, and making assumptions is a common strategy. 
17.5  How do you show that you are listening? (LO 17-1 to LO 17-3) 
Use active listening and acknowledgement responses, such as nods, uh huhs, and eye contact.  Be aware, however, that responses may differ from culture to culture, as well as among people who are sight- or hearing-impaired and those who are not. 
17.6  What are the people and circumstances in your life where you find it most difficult to listen?  Why do you feel it difficult? (LO 17-1 to LO 17-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Expect students to supply details, using terms and concepts throughout this module. 
17.7  Think of a time when you really felt that the other person listened to you, and a time when you felt unheard.  What are the differences in the two situations? (LO 17-1 to LO 17-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Expect students to supply details, using terms and concepts throughout this module. 
17.8  Identifying Responses That Show Active Listening (LO 17-2) 
Student answers will vary.  Here are likely ones. 
a. Blocking 
b. Blocking 
c. Active Listening 
a. Active Listening 
b. Active Listening 
c. Active Listening 
a. Blocking 
b. Blocking 
c. Blocking 
17.9  Practicing Active Listening (LO 17-2) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Consider having students recording their findings to share with the rest of the class. 
17.10  Interviewing Workers about Listening (LO 17-2, LO 17-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Consider having students recording their findings to share with the rest of the class. 
17.11  Reflecting on Your Own Listening (LO 17-2, LO 17-3) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Consider having students share their findings with the rest of the class. 
17.12  Reflecting on Acknowledgement Responses (LO 17-3) 
Students’ answers will vary. Consider having students share their findings with the rest of the class.  
Polishing Your Prose:  Combining Sentences  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. A lot of people are blogging for personal and/or professional reasons. While many blogs look very professional, many do not.  Blogs can have photos, music, and video. The writing ranges from good to bad, but blogs are harmless in most cases. Sometimes, though, blogs are insulting or downright malicious, perhaps even libelous. With millions of blogs on the Internet, people will have to take the good blogs with the bad ones. 
4. Excelsior Communications is the premier communication consulting firm in the Boca Raton area. Twenty-three years ago, CEO Wendy Althaus, Ph.D., founded Excelsior Communications in Boca Raton. Althaus had worked for such companies as Paramount Pictures, Hilton Hotels, and Nationwide Insurance before founding Excelsior Communications with the express intent of working with clients in the travel and tourism industries. Excelsior has a college-educated staff of more than 20 communication, publications, media relations, and web development specialists. Some of these specialists have master’s degrees, and two have Ph.D.s.    
==Module 18 Delivering Criticism 311==
LO 18-1 Identify message types for the group’s attention. 
LO 18-2 Classify roles for group members. 
LO 18-3 Apply strategies for leadership without arrogance. 
LO 18-4 Apply strategies for conflict resolution. 
LO 18-5 Apply strategies for co-authorship of documents.  
What’s in This Supplement
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 19.  It covers
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 297
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 308
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 311
   
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.
☆ Ask working students to share their experiences while working on a team.  What were their successes?  Which experiences could have been better?  Did the teams set ground rules early?  Did everyone understand them?  What would the students do the same if they were to be on a team now?  What would they do differently?
ask students who are athletes to describe the value of working as a team.  How do coaches and team members maintain a sense of cohesion among the members of the team? 
☆ Teaching Tip:  Have students share for 10 minutes experiences working in groups where one or more of these stages did not work.  What went wrong?  Did the group bypass any of the stages and that led to problems?  How can group members check to make sure that when a stage is reached, the group addresses important related issues?
☆ In-Class Exercise:  Have students brainstorm for 10 minutes what they can do when the team will exist only for a short amount of time—perhaps meeting only once.  If the stages will happen quickly, what steps can group members take to help make sure that the meeting is successful?
☆ Teaching Tip:  Ask students to share for 10 minutes experiences where someone either inquired about or gave information inappropriately.  (They don’t have to limit themselves to business situations; social occasions, such as parties, are also acceptable.)  What did that person do incorrectly?  What was it about tone, language, or message content that seemed inappropriate?  Had the person asked or offered information differently, would the student have responded differently?  What specifically could the other person have said or done?   Quora, 清真
☆ Teaching Tip:  Ask students to share experiences where they believe that someone used one of the aforementioned techniques effectively.  They do not have to limit their examples to team projects.  For instance, someone may have checked for feelings when the student emailed or telephoned to complain about poor customer service.  What was it the person did effectively?  What specific words or tone did the other person use?   
☆ Teaching Tip:  Sometimes people who dominate groups or conversations claim simply that they have “strong personalities.”  Ask students if that excuses behaving in ways that are counterproductive to making everyone in the group feel that they can participate.  What can group members do to help dominators understand that their behavior may be inappropriate?  
☆ Teaching Tip:  Most people appreciate humor and light-heartedness in situations that can otherwise be tense.  Yet, sometimes things get out of hand.  Ask students to explain the difference between humor that is appropriate and humor that is “too much.”  How do people know?  How can they encourage people who clown around to behave appropriately?  What should they do when that person does not want to?
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students complete Exercise 18.15 (p. 311), with particular attention to any members exhibiting withdrawing behaviors.  Alternatively, assign this exercise as homework, having students analyze a group at work or at an on-campus organization.
J Teaching Tip:  Students sometimes believe groupthink is desirable; after all, everyone is in agreement, aren’t they?  Ask students to discuss the problems that can occur from groupthink.  Why should it be avoided?  What long-term problems can overshadow short-term benefits, if any? 
J Teaching Tip:  Have students share their positive experiences with good leadership, in particular focusing on leaders who were effective at helping manage projects that were successful.  What were the traits of these leaders?  How did others respond to their leadership?  Create a master plan of techniques that leaders can use from your students’ responses.
J Teaching Tip:  Ask students to share for 10-15 minutes experiences they’ve had with conflict in a group.  What prompted the conflict?  What behaviors did the people in disagreement demonstrate?  Which were positive behaviors?  Negative behaviors?  Was the conflict resolved?  How?  If it was resolved, was the solution the best one possible for everyone involved?  Why or why not?
! In-Class Exercise:  If you are in a computer-equipped classroom, have students use the Internet to research and write a 1- to 2-page memo report on conflict resolution.  What resources exist to help them (e.g., web pages, manuals, consulting firms, etc.)? What is the cost of conflict in the workplace, in terms of time, resources, and employee turnover?  What issues of security and personal safety arise from poor conflict resolution?  If you are in a traditional classroom, consider assigning this exercise as homework. 
!In-Class Exercise:  Have students complete Exercise 18.10 (p. 309) in groups of 3-5 students each.  Afterward, have groups compare their solutions, electing which solution works best.  Have them explain why.
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
18.1  What are the three kinds of group leadership?  (LO 18-1)
Informational, procedural, and interpersonal.
18.2  What is groupthink? (LO 18-2)
Groupthink occurs when members of a group place such a high value on consensus that they punish dissenting voices.
18.3  How do you use you-attitude during conflict? (LO 18-4)
Avoid you statements when expressing your own feelings during conflict.  Instead, use I statements so that the statements feel less like a personal attack.  
18.4  What strategies produce the best co-authored documents? (LO 18-5)
These include 
· Allowing time to discuss problems and find solutions.
· Getting to know group members.
· Being a responsible group member.
· Being aware of differences in seeing things and expressing ideas.
· Remembering that oral agreement may not lead to a strong written document.
18.5  Why are so many people so afraid of conflict in groups?  What can a group do to avoid groupthink? (LO 18-1, LO 18-2)
Students’ answers will vary.  In general, people are taught to avoid conflict, sometimes even if it means giving in to groupthink.  To avoid groupthink, members should consciously search for additional alternatives, test one’s assumptions against those of a range of other people, and protect the right of people in a group to disagree.
18.6  Why is it better for groups to deal with conflicts, rather than just trying to ignore them? (LO 18-1, LO 18-2)
Rather than get better, unresolved conflicts may get worse.  Instead of letting problems fester, taking a proactive approach to solving them is usually a better strategy.  Once conflicts are resolved, the group can direct full attention to dealing with the issues important to all group members.
18.7  What is the most successful group or team you’ve been a part of?  What made it effective? (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
Students’ answers will vary.  Expect students to supply details, using terms and concepts throughout this module.  
18.8  Keeping a Journal about a Group  (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
This assignment asks students to keep a record of what their groups has done and to analyze their group’s activities.  This assignment works well with any other group assignment.  One of the disadvantages of group projects is that they take extra time; this assignment lets students get more mileage (and an individual grade) out of a group project without requiring much extra class work.  If student do several group; projects during the course, you can have them do this assignment after every group project or only at the end.  This assignment can also be used for extra credit.
Introduce this assignment when you assign the group project so students can observe and take notes on the group dynamics, as well as substantive points.  Show students Appendix 18-A through Appendix 18-C as a model of a journal entry and as a starting point for your discussion of group process.  (Note:  The journal entry includes student errors.)
Kitty grades this assignment on completeness, perceptiveness, and writing style.  She doesn’t grade at all on the process of the group:  that is, a memo reporting an unsuccessful group process can get an “A.”  Another option is to use this assignment as extra credit.  It can raise the grade on a collaborative assignment a third or a full letter grade depending on how complete and insightful it is.
18.9  Recommending Whether to Keep the Skybox  (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
The kind of organization students assume may affect the decisions they favor—what is the value of the skybox to the organization’s culture?  The recommendation will also be greatly influenced by the near term profitability of the employer and its standing in the community, particularly sports aficionados. The recommendation should be adequately supported. 
18.10  Recommending a Policy on Student Entrepreneurs (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
Students’ answers will vary.  The recommendation should show that the group considered as many of the ramifications of the recommendation as possible. Did the group treat different types of commercial activity differently?  For example, are occasional sales on eBay treated differently than having the university host a full-blown e-commerce retail site?  Also, is there educational value in allowing students to put classroom learning, such as marketing and distributing goods and services, into practice?  
18.11  Answering an Ethics Question (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
This problem has less room for disagreement than others, but student answers can vary.  In Kitty’s and Steve’s view, people should not state opinions on public issues on letterhead, because doing so implies that the whole organization has taken that position. But telling this to higher-ups will be challenging. And policing it may be impossible: People have to be persuaded to comply voluntarily.  Students might also address whether a similar policy on using company e-mail addresses for the same purposes is warranted.
18.12  Responding to an Employee Grievance (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
This problem gives students practice in group decision making; if you have them take minutes during their discussion, it also helps them focus on group process, especially for the tendency of “group think” to surface during discussions.  
Responses to smiling and friendly behavior may also differ according to culture and region.  Some people may find smiling at strangers odd, even in business situations, while others may find the lack of smiling to be offensive. 
18.13  Answering an Inquiry about Photos (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
This problem requires students to think about issues of diversity and balance.  It raises questions such as whether a company that is not diverse is misrepresenting itself if, in its publications, its photos suggest more diversity than really exists and the effect on minorities of never seeing themselves represented as part of the organization.
A good solution will include the following:
· In most organizations, making the newsletter longer simply to allow more photos would not be approved.
· Replacing the chart with a photo is not a good idea.  The newsletter has several purposes, and information about orders, sales, and profits is important to share.
· You-attitude is important.  So if someone in a wheelchair wants a photo that doesn’t show the wheelchair, meeting that person’s wishes is more important than showing the wheelchair just for the sake of being “inclusive.”
· Having every single issue “represent the diversity of employees” is not a necessary goal.  Rather, issues over several months should portray diversity.
· In organizations where “the important people” are heavily male and white, the newsletter editor needs to seek out diversity: picturing the people who make a product that’s being introduced, the people who deliver it, the people who process the orders, etc. Volunteer and sports activities offer other opportunities to picture diversity.
· At least once a quarter (every three issues, for a monthly newsletter), the editor should try to picture diversity.  If that means adding an extra photo and sacrificing text, that’s OK.  Pictures do speak louder than words, since they’re assimilated more quickly.
· The reason to picture diversity is not to be “politically correct.”  Rather, organizational reasons to picture diversity include making all employees feel valued and part of the team, reminding managers to be sensitive to diversity, and making readers outside the organization (such as family members, friends, and potential employees) see the organization as one that recognizes excellence and sees diversity as a resource and an opportunity.
18.14  Creating Brochures (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
Students like this assignment, which works best as an individual assignment so that each student can go pick an organization he or she is interested in.
Brochures are challenging because the copy must “fit.”  Have a peer response day so that students can get and give feedback.
18.15  Analyzing the Dynamics of a Group (LO 18-1 to LO 18-5)
Introduce this assignment when you assign the group project so students can observe and take notes on the group dynamics, as well as substantive points.  Kitty grades this assignment on completeness, perceptiveness, and writing style.  She doesn’t grade at all on the process of the group:  that is, a memo reporting an unsuccessful group process can get an “A.”  Another option is to use this assignment as extra credit.  It can raise the grade on a collaborative assignment a third or a full letter grade depending on how complete and insightful it is.  About two weeks before this assignment is due, show students the handout on Appendix 18-D and Appendix 18-E, which shows an example of a student memo.  You might want to use or adapt this handout for your own students.  (Note:  The sample memo includes student errors.)
Polishing Your Prose:  Delivering Criticism  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.)
   Several answers are possible—here are likely ones.
2. Can you provide some additional information about your most recent position? The details in your job application are sketchy.
4. I like the format of the report, especially the font you used. You might want to take another look at the introductory section, which I think needs a little more detail.
6. Have you asked John to review the financial section of the report? He’s really good with number crunching and could help tighten up the fiscal overview.
8. Dave, what do you think about our strategy? Do you have anything to add to the discussion?
10. Josie, I think the graphics are terrific; however, the tone of the report’s summary needs some work.
==Module 19 Hyphens and Dashes 323==
==Module 20 Choosing Levels of Formality 339==
==Module 21 Mixing Verb Tenses 357==
LO 21-1 Define reports in the workplace.  
LO 21-2 Estimate time for business proposal writing.  
LO 21-3 Identify sections for business proposal organization.  
LO 21-4 Identify “hot buttons” for business proposal strategies and beyond.  
LO 21-5 Identify sections for progress report organization.   
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 21.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 342 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 356 
Part 2:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 358 
  
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.  
J Teaching Tip:  For more experience with headings, have students complete Exercises 5-10 on “Writing Subject Lines and Headings” in the Polishing Your Prose box in Module 25 (p. 435). (2) 
J Teaching Tip:  Ask working students to share information about the kinds of reports they may read or write on the job.  What basic characteristics do these reports have?  Are reports more common in some fields than others?  Which?  If they’ve seen particularly effective reports, what qualities or features made them so? (2)
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students * go to your college library or their workplace or * search the Internet for examples of reports.  * identify the kinds of reports these are.  * How do they know?  * examine the reports for language and content.  * Which are most effective?  Why?  * What qualities or features can be used as models for youe own report writing? (5)
Figure 21.1 (p. 343) shows the three levels of reports.  In particularly, students should pay attention to problem-solving reports (also called recommendation reports), which are very common in the workplace.
!In-Class Exercise:  If you have students write a report for your class, have them * talk to experts about how much time solving their problem might take.  This could involve * interviewing campus experts, contacting someone in local government, or * sending a questionnaire to a businessperson.  (Students may want to read or review Module 22.)  Have students * collect their research and write a 1- to 2-page memo report to you expressing their findings. (8)
  
! In-Class Exercise:  Before developing their proposals, have students spend 10-15 minutes in class brainstorming answers to the questions on PP 21-11.  Then have them get with a partner and discuss their answers for 10 minutes in peer review. (11)
J Teaching Tip:  Make sure students do adequate research to determine whether their project is feasible.  Many students—particularly ones with little practical business experience—aoverestimate the amount of time and resources that can be brought to bear in the business world to solve problems.  Have them use the web, library, or interviews with businesspeople for their research. (12) 
J Teaching Tip:  Have students review this module’s Building a Critical Skill box (p. 352) for information on “hot buttons.”  Before they submit their proposals, make sure they consider what hot buttons you might have that could prevent your approval of their proposals.  Ask them how they might discover what a person’s hot buttons are.  What can they do to avoid pushing them? (12)
J Teaching Tip:  Use Figure 21.4 (p. 348) to help students see the format, style, and content of a proposal.  Have them critique it—what do they find works best? What could be improved?  Why? (12) 
J Teaching Tip:  Ask students to identify hot button issues common in their lives.  you can stem from concerns about politics or society or even about family, school, or relationships.  
* What advice would you give to writers hoping to craft a message to reach you about these issues?  
*  What strategies might work?
*  What strategies might not?  
* How might writers be able to predict what the hot buttons are, and more importantly, how to address them appropriately? (15) 
Examples: November 11!   --- Or, hot buttons that might appear in your reports. 
Use Figure 21.5 (p. 355) to show students an example of a student chronological progress report. (An additional progress report example is on Appendix 21-F through Appendix 21-G.)  (22) 
<Last Word:  Reports are common in the business world.  Though some can be quite extensive—acovering hundreds of pages of information—amany are shorter, and even the longer ones are constructed essentially of a series of condensed sections.  Learning to write the simplest ones first usually teaches many of the basic concepts important to all reports.  So, start your lesson small and build up to the more extensive reports as the term continues.  It’s not the quantity of pages students write that’s important, but as the saying goes, the quality.   (22) 
above is before Wk10
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below is Wk10
* Module4=p72, Module21=p357
* 1.  talking head?  (388, 379, 403, 435---Find on these page the term "talking head")
* 2.  using the word "you"  (385, 94, 91, 483, 489--Find on these pages)
* 3. parallel structure?  (242, 280, 284, 254, 239, 186---Find on these pages)
* 4. "tighten writing". (386, 385, 276, 283, 286, --- Find on these pages)
* 5. Lastly, name one new (or enhanced) research skill you have acquired in this group project which has proven especially helpful.
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
21.1  What three components belong in a purpose statement? (LO 21-2) 
· The organizational problem or conflict. 
· The specific technical questions that must be answered to solve the problem. 
· The rhetorical purpose the report is designed to achieve. 
21.2  What is an RFP? (LO 21-3) 
Proposals may be written in response to an RFP—a request for proposals—which gives details on the content and format of proposals that respond to them.   
21.3  How does the RFP relate to the organization of the proposal? (LO 21-3) 
RFPs typically specify the content of proposals, including which sections to include and in what order.  In fact, some RFPs—particularly those issued by government agencies—require proposals to exactly conform to their standards, otherwise the proposal may be disqualified from consideration.   
21.4  In the budget for a proposal, why isn’t it to your advantage to try to ask for the smallest amount of money possible? (LO 21-3) 
Asking for too little can suggest the writer doesn’t understand what must be done to solve the problem.  Writers should develop budgets that are within the realm of possibility for the organization and be specific with figures.  However, allowing some “cushion” with figures is common; some overage is acceptable because market prices can fluctuate, and unforeseen expenses can occur.  Writers can always spend less than their budgets, but it may be harder to get more funds after the project is underway. 
21.5  What should you do if you have information you want to put in a proposal that the RFP doesn’t call for? (LO 21-3) 
Stick to what the RFP specifies—some proposals get disqualified from consideration if they don’t follow the RFP exactly.  If writers have additional information, share it later; some organizations take proposals that make the “first cut” and then contact writers for additional information or interviews. 
Alternatively, the information could be put in a letter of transmittal that may accompany the proposal.  If the writer knows additional information is acceptable to the organizational culture, he or she might also put the information in the body of the report. 
21.6  How can you learn about your audience’s hot buttons? (LO 21-4) 
Research is the best way.  Start by asking people who may know something about the audience.  Where possible, talk to your audience and through tactful conversation try to learn what the hot buttons might be.  Lastly, conduct library research or use the web.   
21.7  How do you decide whether to write a chronological, task, or recommendation progress report? (LO 21-5) 
Writers should determine which type to use based on audience needs and the type of project.  Chronological progress reports describe actions in sequence, typically from least recent to most recent.  Task progress reports are organized around tasks which are a part of a project.  A recommendation progress report describes action completed with attention to making recommendations for future action.  
21.8  Writing a Proposal for a Student Report (LO 21-3) 
Having students write proposals as a prelude to their reports is useful whether you’re assigning a full formal report, a short letter, or a memo report.  You could also assign the proposal without requiring students to write the report.  Use Appendix 21-A through Appendix 21-E to show students an example. 
Students are sometimes surprised to realize that they must do much of the background work for their reports before they can write proposals.  Allow at least two weeks (three would be better) between the time you first discuss the report assignment and the date the proposal is due.  Because a good proposal makes a good report more likely, consider allowing students to revise their proposals. 
21.9 Writing a Chronological Progress Report (LO 21-5) 
To Writing a Task Progress Report (LO 21-5) 
21.11 Writing a Chronological Progress Report for a Group Report (LO 21-5) 
These assignments motivate students to carry out the work schedule they have proposed.  It also provides an “early warning system”—aif students are having problems, one finds out and can suggest solutions.  Because it’s short and easy, most students do well on it, so it raises students’ grades.  Kitty grades this assignment on writing, not on progress.  However, students don’t like to report that they’ve done nothing; most of them work hard enough so that they are close to their original schedules. 
If you assign Exercise 21.11, use Appendix 21-F through Appendix 21-G to show students an example of a student group progress report prior to completing the exercise. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Mixing Verb Tenses  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
   Several answers are possible—here are likely ones. 
2. Norm gains 38 years of experience working with a diverse range of clients in South and Central America. 
4. If we take a plane to Louisville next Friday, we will arrive on Saturday afternoon. 
6. After I get home from the sales meeting in Sarasota, I will give you a call. 
8. George, Deron, and Elissa are planning a surprise party for Alekanekelo on Friday. Let them know if you will attend. 
10. As you can see from my résumé, I have many experiences from previous jobs that make me an excellent candidate for this position. 
==Module 22 Using MLA Style 375==
Wk 8 Instructor Manual Script, Module 22 LO 22-1 Apply strategies for print and online information searches.  
LO 22-2 Apply strategies for web page evaluation.  
LO 22-3 Apply strategies for survey and interview question use.  
LO 22-4 Identify respondents for surveys and interviews.  
LO 22-5 Analyze information from research.  
LO 22-6 Practice common citation styles for research documentation.   
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students list on the board as many sources of information they use daily as possible.  Then have them identify which are sources of news versus which are sources of entertainment.  Which qualify as “research”?   Why?  Which sources would be useful for business?  Why?  What additional sources can they name?   
Take out your phone: Tencent News, WeChat Subscription Accounts... And what does not belong to cell phone? TV? Laptop---- Youku? (1)
J Teaching Tip:  Many students are already familiar with secondary sources, such as books, journals, and annual reports, but some students may have experience with primary research, too.  Have those students share their experiences—perhaps working with a focus group or on an experiment at college.  What amount of effort does it take to conduct primary research?  Resources?  Time?  If no students have experience, share any experiences you may have with primary research.  Pros and Cons between Primary and Secondary. Which one do you prefer to do and why? (4)
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 22.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 359 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 374 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 376 
  
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
  ! In-Class Exercise:  Have students in groups of 3-5 brainstorm for 10-15 minutes keywords in each of the following business topics:  accounting, administration, advertising, finance, human resources, marketing, purchasing, and transportation and logistics.  If you are in a computer-equipped classroom, have students test their keywords to see what sites come up.  Let them share what they’ve found.  If you are in a traditional classroom, have students complete this assignment as homework and report their findings the next class period or in a 1- to 2-page memo to you.  (5) 
  ! In-Class Exercise:  Use PP 22-5 through PP 22-8 to share these sources with students.  If you are in a computer-equipped classroom, give students 10-15 minutes to access some of the Internet sites listed.  Then let students give short oral reports on what they found, how up-to-date the sites are, and how useful the sites may be.  If you are in a traditional classroom, have students complete this assignment as homework and report their findings the next class period or in a 1- to 2-page memo to you.     (8) 
  J Teaching Tip:  Many students who’ve grown up using computers may see traditional sources, such as those in print, as passé.  To help them understand the value of traditional sources, send them to the campus library and have them locate several articles from academic journals that you have located ahead of time.  Then ask them to find the same articles online using a search engine.  How successful were they in locating those articles?  In accessing them?  How easy was it to “thumb through” a printed journal as opposed to the online source?  What might their experiences suggest about the continued value of the traditional resources? (10) 
J Teaching Tip:  Use Appendix 22-A to show students the difference between questions that are vaguely or inappropriately worded and those that are not.  Ask students to explain what specific words or terms are problematic in the inappropriate examples.  What makes the solutions better?  Could the solution statements still be worded better?  How?  Why?  (12) 
  ! In-Class Exercise:  In groups of 3-5 students each, have students spend 10-15 minutes analyzing the survey in Figure 22.5 (p. 364) for strengths and weaknesses.  What would they add or change about the survey questions?  Do any questions suggest bias?  How might they be reworded?  Could branching questions be added?  Which?  For homework, have the students individually create a new survey based on their group’s findings.  Have them share their results with the rest of the class the next time you meet. (13)
! In-Class Exercise:  As a class, have students review the job interview questions on pp. 496-500 in Module 29.  Are they open or closed questions?  Is any bias present?  If so, what kinds of bias?  Ask students if they can think of any branching questions that might be developed from some of the interview questions or interviewee answers. (15)
! In-Class Exercise:  Arrange students in three groups and assign one of the three types of samples to each.  Have the students brainstorm for 10 minutes about when using their type of sample would be most appropriate.  Have them identify specific situations, as well as types of organizations that would find their sample type appropriate (e.g., a marketing firm might choose to use a random sample in Ohio to gather data on selling a product to Midwesterners).  Have each group explain their sample type, as well as share the results of their brainstorms. (17) 
J Teaching Tip:  Students often use the most convenient sources of research in their assignments, with little regard for the veracity or soundness of that research.  In particular, they rely on Internet sources, some of which are of dubious origin.  Make sure students read this module’s Building a Critical Skill box (p. 363) prior to using the Internet for assignment research.  If you assign a report, consider limiting the number of sources that are from the Internet—perhaps a minimum of ten sources total, of which only three can be from the Internet. (18)
Writing lab: Summarize
differences between MLA and APA (24)
! In-Class Exercise:  Have students retype all or a portion of the citation examples in Figure 22.7 (p. 371).  By doing so, students can familiarize themselves with the differences in style, as well as practice typing.  If you are in a computer-equipped classroom, give them 20-30 minutes.  Otherwise, use this assignment as homework. (24)
J Teaching Tip:  Many college or university writing centers offer help with documentation.  In addition, both the MLA and APA have web pages that may be of assistance.  Contact MLA at www.mla.org and APA at www.apa.org.  Another great site is the Purdue University OWL site at http://owl.english.purdue.edu.
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Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
22.1  What is the difference between open and closed questions? (LO 22-3)
Closed questions limit the number of possible responses, while open questions have limitless possible responses.  
22.2  What is the difference between the mean and the median? (LO 22-5)
The mean is the average—the number calculated by adding up all the figures and dividing by the total number of samples.  The median is the number exactly in the middle.  
22.3  What is the difference between correlation and causation? (LO 22-5)
Correlation means that two things happen at the same time.  Causation means one thing causes or produces another.
22.4  How do you decide whether a website is an acceptable source for a report? (LO 22-3)
Websites should be reputable, be authored by someone or a group willing to take ownership, be recent, and correlate with any sources on which the site is based, printed or electronic.
22.5  Why do you need to know the exact way a question was phrased before using results from the study as evidence? (LO 22-3)
What people think, remember, or are willing to share with an interviewer may not be the whole truth.  What people say has made them successful is not necessarily the real cause of that success. Knowing the exact phrasing of a question can reveal researcher bias, as well as the assumptions the researcher may have made.  
22.6  Why should you test a questionnaire with a small group of people before you distribute it? (LO 22-3)
Document testing allows the writer to see if people understand the directions for completing the questionnaire, if there is bias in the questions, and if people can complete the questionnaire in a reasonable amount of time.  Respondents may even spot typos or grammatical errors!
22.7  Why should you look for alternate explanations in your findings? (LO 22-5)
By brainstorming as many alternate solutions as possible, the researcher better ensures the validity of his or her final conclusions.  Eliminating the less viable alternate explanations can help researchers find the strongest conclusions.  
22.8  Evaluating Websites (LO 22-2)
How challenging this assignment will be depends both on the complexity of the websites students choose to evaluate and their own experience surfing the web.  Option c may generate the most opportunity for class discussion.  Have students read the information on evaluating websites in this module’s Building a Critical Skill box (p. 363) before they start working on this problem.  If you teach in a computer lab or can take students to a lab for one class session, show them websites that you think are particularly good and have them analyze them carefully before choosing what sites they will evaluate for this assignment.  Good lists of websites are on pp. 361-362; 442.  Students can also use the websites in “Sites to See” throughout the textbook.
22.9  Evaluating Survey Questions (LO 22-3)
    a.  1.  Unacceptable.  How often is “usually”?  What if the person goes regularly to one place for milk and bread and regularly to a different store to stock up on frozen, canned, and paper goods?  The writer needs to reword and divide this question into at least two questions:
Which statement best describes your grocery shopping?
___ I buy everything at one trip each week to one store.
___ I go to several stores each week, buying the specials at each.
___ Most weeks I make additional trips to buy items I’ve forgotten or run out of.
___ I shop less often than once a week.
___ Other (please specify) ______________
Which statement best describes where you buy groceries?
___ I almost always shop at the same store(s).
___ I shop at whatever store has the lowest prices that week.
___ Other (please specify) ______________
2. Unacceptable.  The numbers overlap.  This question doesn’t allow researchers to tell whether the respondent shops once a week, once a month, or on some other pattern.  Rewrite the questions:
How much do you spend for groceries last week?
a. Under $25
b. $25-50
c. $50.01-$100
d. $100.01-$150
e. More than $150
Was last week typical?
___ Yes; I usually spend about that amount every week.
___ No; I do not shop for groceries every week.
___ No; I spent more last week because I was stocking up on some items.
___ No; I spent more last week because I was buying items for a party or a special dinner.
___ No; I spent less than I usually do.
b. 1. Unacceptable.  Biases responses toward positive.  (Would you answer “yes” to the above but  “no” to “Would you welcome technology that increased your workload and demanded faster responses from you?”  It’s the same phenomenon!)  “Welcome” is also vague:  a reader might think something is a good thing in general without wanting to use it him or herself or think it is a good thing only if it is free.
A possible revision would be:
Would you be willing to pay $5 a month to get up-to-the-minute stock quotes on your personal computer?
2.  Unacceptable.  Biases answer to “free access.”  Yet, people may not like having their bank accounts and a list of videos they rent available to everyone; they may want their grades and health files to be “regulated and monitored” rather than freely available to the world.
A possible revision would be:
Indicate whether you think each kind of information should be available to all, available to those who can show they have a legitimate use of it, or available only with permission of the person whom the information is about.
Available to Available to Available only
anyone those with need by permission
a. Health records
b. Bank accounts
c. Credit card purchases
d. Video rentals
e. Grades
c.  Unacceptable. This is much too broad. “Selling ability” may be crucial in an entry-level marketing or sales job but irrelevant in an entry-level job as a doctor, lawyer, or accountant.  Furthermore, people will differ in how they define the terms.  Is “writing ability” simply the ability to use standard edited English?  Or is the requirement for grace and flair (as it might be for a journalist) or analysis and organization (as it might before someone valuing property)?  Furthermore, the requirements for getting a job may differ from those for keeping it.  That’s certainly true for accountants, who are often fired because they “can’t write,” but who may be hired in the first place with no more attention to their writing skills than the grade on the CPA exam.
22.10  Designing Questions for an Interview or Survey (LO 22-3)
This assignment is a good preliminary assignment for any report or oral presentation which will be based on an interview or survey.  The specific suggestions for topics lead into various report assignments.  This assignment and the subsequent report or presentation work either as an individual or as a group assignment.
Students find this assignment easiest when they have a chance to see survey questions or to read full reports to see how interview or survey information is used to prove a recommendation.  You might want to show students the sample student report in Module 24 (pp. 392-415).  Unlike the sample, the student survey can have fewer questions—about 15 questions, with appropriate probes, will fill a 30- to 45-minute interview easily.  Indeed, limiting the interview to 10 or 12 questions would be better.
Because a student report depends upon having good data, Kitty allows students to revise this assignment.  The aspects which most commonly need revision are (1) narrowing the topic adequately, (2) asking questions which gather all the data necessary to fulfill the purposes, (3) estimating the time necessary, (4) phrasing questions, and (5) asking specific follow-up questions and preparing to handle interviewees who may not want to share certain kinds of information. 
Students can use PAIBOC to analyze the situation, as shown on Appendix 22-B through Appendix 22-C.
Polishing Your Prose:  Using MLA Style  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.)
2. Young, Lauren. “Report Cards on Governance.” BusinessWeek, 13 June 2005: 86-87. Print.
4. Patel, Ameeta, and Lamar Reinsch. “Companies Can Apologize: Corporate Apologies and Legal Liability,” Business Communication Quarterly 66.1 (2003): 9–25. Print.
6. Kaczmarek, Stephen Kyo. “Re: Modules Look Good.” Message to Michelle Gardner. 25 July 2012. E-mail.
8. Singer, Thea. “Can Business Still Save the World?” Inc., Apr. 2001: 58–71. Print.
10. Adams, Marith. Phone interview. 17 Dec. 2011. 
==Module 23 Being Concise 390==
LO 23-1 Select patterns for short business report organization.  
LO 23-2 Apply strategies for short business report organization.  
LO 23-3 Apply principles for good business report style.  
LO 23-4 Apply strategies for specific and polite question use.   
J Teaching Tip:  Have students read or review the PAIBOC questions in Module 1 (pp. 12-13).  These are also shown on PP 1-21 through PP 1-22. 
What’s in This Supplement 
This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 23.  It covers 
Part 1:  Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 377 
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 389 
Part 3:  Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 391 
     
Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank.  For student practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page. 
J Teaching Tip:  Use Figure 23.1 (pp. 379-380) to show students an example of an informative report.  Have students critique it as a group.  What elements of the report work best?  Which could be improved?  Does the pattern of organization suit the information contained in the report? (5)
J Teaching Tip:  Divide students into four groups and assign one of the types of reports to them.   Give them 10-15 minutes to confer.  Then have them lead the class in a “mini-lesson” on their report’s pattern of organization, using examples from the textbook where appropriate.  (9)*
J Teaching Tip:  Assemble students in seven groups and assign one pattern to each group.  Give the students 10-15 minutes to confer, then have them give a “mini-lesson” on each pattern to the rest of the class.  Where possible, have students use examples from the textbook. (10)* [382] 
:Blueprints: (13)[386]
:Revised paragraph with numbers: Employee Stock Ownership Programs (ESOPs) provide four benefits. First, ESOPs provide tax benefits for the company, its employees, and lenders to the plan. Second, ESOPs help create a defense against takeovers. Third, ESOPs may increase productivity by giving workers a financial stake in the company’s profits. Fourth, as an attractive employee benefit, ESOPs help the company hire and retain good employees. (13)[386]
:Topic sentence: (13) [387]
Better, begins with topic sentence: Twenty gallons of ice a day are needed to keep food fresh. Of this, the biggest portion (14 gallons) is used to keep the fish fresh. Each of the seven kinds of fish served at the restaurant requires one gallon twice a day (7 3  2 5  14). An additional 6 gallons a
day are required for the salad bar. (13) [387]
! In-Class Exercise:  Give students 10-15 minutes to complete the exercises in the Polishing Your Prose lesson on being concise (pp. 390-391).  Have students share their solutions with the rest of the class.  Which solutions work best?  Why?  (15) 
* Rewrite the following sentences to make them concise.
* 1. It is very much in the best interest of our business, Sam Chen
said out loud, to make our company’s buildings at least three
stories tall.
* 2. Please find attached the required and necessary paperwork
forms to be completed by yourself at the earliest of your
convenience.
* 3. Take this release to Andrea, please. Ask her to sign it. Bring it
back to me. Get it back by 5 p.m.
* 4. There are a very many people who are kind of aware of the
possibility that we may well decide to enter the Asian market.
* 5. Heather Ansel said out loud that she is planning to come to
the event on March the 19th where our celebration for the year
will be enjoyed at a formal dinner.
* 6. First and foremost it is of the utmost importance that we return
the proofed copy to the people who are doing the graphic
design as quickly as is humanly possible.
* 7. At about 11:34 a.m., Margaret Kim e-mailed to inform those
of us working as a team on the project that we had been
awarded a contractual obligation with Tanner, Dempsey, and
Mihalek.
* 8. We should cease and desist at once all official company cor-
respondence with the company that supplies our wholesale
goods and services until we determine if it has complied with
our official company policies and so forth.
* 9. I have been attending classes in the field of business at the
community college which is local and close to the building at
where I am currently employed and my office therein.
* 10. Derek stopped by at about 1:22 p.m. He wanted to discuss
something. He was concerned about our merger with Addi-
son, Plymouth and Partners. He thought we should do the due
diligence again. Derek started some of the work. He is a very
responsible executive.
! In-Class Exercise:  Use Appendix 23-A to discuss appropriate transitions, topic sentences, and headings.  Then have students identify these features in Figure 23.1 (pp. 379-380).  How well are transitions, topic sentences, and headings used?  What could students do to improve these features?  Which are used well? (15)*
Above was Week 8.5
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Following is Week 9
1. What are the seven basic patterns for organizing information?  (PPT Slide 10)
2. Choose one of the organizational patterns and brainstorm some potential opportunities in your business or industry to use that pattern.   Would this pattern be a  good choice for any of the kinds of reports you discovered in your interview last week?  Why or why not? What might be a better choice?  (9) (10)
3. What is a blueprint? (13-15) (13)[386]
4. Why are paragraph topic sentences so critical in a report? (13-15) (13) [387]
5. Why is it a good idea to note citations and build the reference list as the report is drafted rather than as a final task in completion? (Provide own reasons)
6. ethical and responsible reporting  (Onehub )
J Teaching Tip:  Locate good “real world” examples of reports to share with your students.  These can include reports you’ve completed on the job, short reports on file in your academic department, or reports posted on the web. Block out any confidential information.  Use these examples with the report examples in the textbook to show students a range of possible reports and report topics.  (1) 
J Teaching Tip:  
Four types: 1 Informative or closure report    2 Feasibility reports   3 Justification reports  
How are these different types of report different in terms of patterns of org?
Divide students into four groups and assign one of the types of reports to them.   Give them 10-15 minutes to confer.  Then have them lead the class in a “mini-lesson” on their report’s pattern of organization, using examples from the textbook where appropriate:
* What are textbook examples?  
* In your future career, what would be some possible concret examples (think of two examples. tell us the subject lines).  
* Choose one of the organizational patterns and brainstorm some potential opportunities in your business or industry to use that pattern.
* Would this pattern be a  good choice for any of the kinds of reports you discovered in your interview last week?  Why or why not? What might be a better choice? (9)* [page 378]
 
J Teaching Tip:  Have students review the information on defining problems in Module 21 (p. 343).  Tell students that writers should brainstorm more solutions to problems than are necessary, then choose the best or most likely solutions to the problems for discussion. (10) 
What should I do before I write a proposal? LO 21-2
▶ Finish at least one-fourth of your research!
As Figure 21.2 suggests, before you draft a proposal, you not only need to do the analysis
that you’d do for any message, but you also need to complete part of your research—
usually about one-fourth of the total research you’ll need to do for a class project. You’ll
use this research both to define the problem your report will discuss and to identify the
topics you’ll investigate. Fortunately, if these parts of the proposal are well written, they
can be used with minor changes in the report itself.
Narrow your problem. For example, “improving the college experiences of interna-
tional students studying in the United States” is far too broad. First, choose one college
or university. Second, identify the specific problem. Do you want to increase the social
interaction between U.S. and international students? Help international students find
housing? Increase the number of ethnic grocery stores and restaurants? Third, identify
the specific audience that would have the power to implement your recommendations.
Depending on the topic, the audience might be the Office of International Studies, the
residence hall counselors, a service organization on campus or in town, a store, or a
group of investors.
How you define the problem shapes the solutions you find. For example, suppose that
a manufacturer of frozen foods isn’t making money. If the problem is defined as a mar-
keting problem, the researcher may analyze the product’s price, image, advertising, and
position in the market. But perhaps the problem is really that overhead costs are too high
due to poor inventory management, or that an inadequate distribution system doesn’t get
the product to its target market. Defining the problem accurately is essential to finding an
effective solution.
Once you’ve defined your problem, you’re ready to write a purpose statement.
J Teaching Tip:  Assemble students in seven groups and assign one pattern to each group.  Give the students 10-15 minutes to confer, then have them give a “mini-lesson” on each pattern to the rest of the class.  Where possible, have students use examples from the textbook.  (10)*
! In-Class Exercise:  Use Appendix 23-A to discuss appropriate transitions, topic sentences, and headings.  Then have students identify these features in Figure 23.1 (pp. 379-380).  How well are transitions, topic sentences, and headings used?  What could students do to improve these features?  Which are used well? (17)*
%%%%%%
Part 2:  Answers to Textbook Assignments 
Questions for Comprehension 
23.1  What are seven basic patterns of organizing information? (LO 23-1) 
Comparison/contrast, problem-solution, elimination of alternatives, general to particular or particular to general, geographic or spatial, functional, and chronological.   
23.2  What is a blueprint? (LO 23-4) 
Blueprints are overviews or forecasts that tell the reader what you will discuss in a section or in the entire report. 
23.3  What is a talking head? (LO 23-4) 
Talking (or Informative) heads tell the reader what to expect. Informative heads provide an overview of each section; a list of them in the Table of Contents provides an overview of the entire report: 
23.4  Why shouldn’t you put all the information you have into a report? (LO 23-1, LO 23-2) 
In general, readers only want what they need.  Trimming unnecessary words makes documents more suitable for audiences.    
23.5  Why do reports often use a more formal style than other business documents?          (LO 23-4) 
Reports typically are read by multiple audiences—a more formal style is likely to appeal to all of them. 
23.6  Why should you avoid you in reports? (LO 23-4) 
In a document to multiple audiences, it will not be clear who you is.  Instead, use the company name.   
23.7  Why are topic sentences especially useful in reports? (LO 23-4) 
A topic sentence introduces or summarizes the main idea of a paragraph.  Topic sentences allow readers to skim more easily.  Readers who skim reports can follow your ideas more easily if each paragraph begins with a topic sentence. 
23.8  Explaining “Best Practices” (LO 23-1 to LO 23-4) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Prior to completing this exercise, have students read or review the information in Module 3 on organizational culture.  Have students use Figure 23.1 (p. 379) as a model for their reports. 
Because some students may not know a lot about their companies, you may want to make this an option along with one or more other assignments. 
Like the other report assignments in this module, this assignment can be used as the basis for a short (3-4 single-spaced pages) memo report or for a long formal report.  The student report example starting on p. 395 in Module 24 is a long formal report.  As is the case for the other report assignments, assigning a proposal first lets you help students choose and limit topics and creates better final reports.  This assignment can be used for individual or group reports. 
23.9  Recommending Action  (LO 23-1 to LO 23-4) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Prior to completing this exercise, have students read or review the information in Module 2 on audience analysis and in Module 3 on organizational culture.   
How difficult this is depends on how hard it would be to implement the action, how much opposition there will be to the recommendation, and how willing the organization is to accept recommendations from subordinates. 
Like the other report assignments in this module, this assignment can be used as the basis for a short (3-4 single-spaced pages) memo report or for a long formal report.  The student report example starting on p. 395 in Module 24 is a long formal report.  As is the case for the other report assignments, assigning a proposal first lets you help students choose and limit topics and creates better final reports.  This assignment can be used for individual or group reports. 
23.10  Writing up a Survey  (LO 23-1 to LO 23-4) 
Students’ answers will vary.  Prior to completing this exercise, show students the example of a student survey write-up on Appendix 23-B through Appendix 23-E. 
When students conduct their survey, they should also remember politeness.  Some campuses may request that students get permission first before distributing surveys in campus spaces, and some campus spaces, such as libraries, may be inappropriate for loud or lengthy conversation.  In some cases, students may be able to use e-mail for surveys.  If so, they should obtain e-mail addresses ethically and be aware that anti-spam software may screen their messages out. 
23.11  Writing a Report Based on Your Knowledge and Experience  (LO 23-1 to LO 23-4) 
Like the other report assignments in this module, this assignment can be used as the basis for a short (3-4 single-spaced pages) memo report or for a long formal report.  The student report example starting on p. 395 in Module 24 is a long formal report.  As is the case for the other report assignments, assigning a proposal first lets you help students choose and limit topics and creates better final reports.  This assignment can be used for individual or group reports. 
Polishing Your Prose:  Being Concise  (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the textbook.) 
2. The attached paperwork must be completed as soon as possible.   
4. Everyone knows that we have decided to enter the Asian market. 
6. We must return the proofed copy to the graphic designer as soon as possible. 
8. Please confirm that our suppliers have complied with our policies.  
10. Concerned about our merger with Allison, Plymouth and Partners, Derek thinks we should redo our due diligence. He has already started some of the work.  
==Module 24 Improving Paragraphs 414==
==Module 25 Writing Subject Lines and Headings 435==
==Module 26 Using Details 448==
==Module 27 Proofreading 472==
==Module 28 Using You and I 489==
==Module 29 Using a Dictionary 506==
==Module 30 Who/Whom and I/Me 513==
==%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%==
==Brief Contents==
==Unit One Building Blocks for Effective Messages 1==
===Mnemonics and LO's===
Modules 1-3
* SUC: SucHaveNoughCompTer, PurCostFectLyzeCrit
* DAP: WantWhoWhyPai, ProssWhatGroupOrg, NowDiffReach
* CUL: WhatHowValNonBod, SpaceTimeOrTerNough, GenCrimBiasSex, RaceBilPho
Modules 4-5
* PLAN: PlanWriteVise ProssTimePre, ViseGramProofFeed FormCritBlock
* DOC: PageSpaceHead CapLetFont, MargSlideWeb WorkCritSign
%%%%
Module 1    
Business Communication, Management, and Success 
LO 1-1 Recognize myths about on-the-job writing. 
LO 1-2 Distinguish business communication from other school writing. 
LO 1-3 Explain accomplishments through communication. 
LO 1-4 Understand costs for business communication. 
LO 1-5 Define criteria for effective messages. 
LO 1-6 Apply strategies for communication analysis. 
LO 1-7 Apply strategies for creative thinking.
Module 2  
Adapting Your Message to Your Audience 
LO 2-1 Understand expectations from your organization. 
LO 2-2 Define audiences for messages. 
LO 2-3 Apply strategies for audience analysis with PAIBOC. 
LO 2-4 Apply strategies for individual and group audience analyses. 
LO 2-5 Apply strategies for audience needs analysis. 
LO 2-6 Adapt messages for audiences. 
LO 2-7 Choose channels for audiences. 
Module 3 
Communicating across Cultures
LO 3-1 Define culture through context.
LO 3-2 Compare and contrast dimensions of culture.
LO 3-3 Apply strategies for international communication success.
LO 3-4 Identify differences among generations.
LO 3-5 Apply strategies for workplace discrimination solutions.
LO 3-6 Apply strategies for bias-free documents.
Module 4 
Planning, Writing, and Revising
LO 4-1 Apply processes for writing quality improvement.
LO 4-2 Manage time for writing projects.
LO 4-3 Plan writing and speaking projects for increased success.
LO 4-4 Apply strategies for revision.
LO 4-5 Support writing with grammar and spell-checkers.
LO 4-6 Apply strategies for feedback and revision with it.
LO 4-7 Apply strategies for form letter use.
LO 4-8 Apply strategies for writer’s block and procrastination solutions.
Module 5 
Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens
LO 5-1 Apply strategies for paper page design.
LO 5-2 Apply strategies for presentation slide design.
LO 5-3 Apply strategies for web page design.
LO 5-4 Apply strategies for design tests.
LO 5-5 Apply strategies for computer use in design.
LO 5-6 Recognize questions about design while writing.
%%%
 
===1 Business Communication, Management, and Success 2===
===2 Adapting Your Message to Your Audience 19===
===3 Communicating Across Cultures 38===
===4 Planning, Writing, and Revising 59===
===5 Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens 73===
Assignments for Module 1
1.1 What are the three basic purposes of business messages?
(LO 1-3)
1.2 What are the five basic criteria for effective messages? (LO 1-5)
1.3 What does PAIBOC stand for? (LO 1-6)
Questions for Comprehension
1.4 Why do writing and speaking become even more
important as people rise in the organization? (LO 1-1 to
LO 1-3)
1.5 If you’re just looking for a low-level job, why is it still
useful to be able to write and speak well? (LO 1-1 to
LO 1-3)
1.6 Why do you need to understand the purposes, audience,
and context for a message to know whether a specific set of
words will work? (LO 1-2)
1.7 What opportunities do you have in volunteer or student
organizations to do real “business writing” while you’re in
school? (LO 1-5)
Questions for Critical Thinking
1.8 Discussing Strengths (LO 1-5, LO 1-6)
Introduce yourself to a small group of other students.
Identify three of your strengths that might interest an
employer. These can be experience, knowledge, or person-
ality traits (like enthusiasm).
Exercises and Problems
Write a memo (at least 1½ pages long) introducing yourself
to your instructor. Include the following topics:
• Background: Where did you grow up? What have you
done in terms of school, extracurricular activities, jobs,
and family life?
1.9 Introducing Yourself to Your Instructor (LO 1-5, LO 1-6)
Interests: What are you interested in? What do you like
to do? What do you like to think about and talk about?
• Achievements: What achievements have given you the
greatest personal satisfaction? List at least five. Include
things that gave you a real sense of accomplishment and
pride, whether or not they’re the sort of thing you’d list
on a résumé.
• Goals: What do you hope to accomplish this term?
Where would you like to be professionally and person-
ally five years from now?
Use complete memo format with appropriate head-
ings. ( ▶▶ Module 9 for examples of memo format.) Use a
conversational writing style; check your draft to polish the
style and edit for mechanical and grammatical correctness.
A good memo will enable your instructor to see you as an
individual. Use specific details to make your memo vivid
and interesting. Remember that one of your purposes is to
interest your reader!
Write a memo (at least 1½ pages long) to your instructor
describing the experiences you’ve had writing and what
you’d like to learn about writing during this course.
Answer several of the following questions:
• What memories do you have of writing? What made
writing fun or frightening in the past?
• What have you been taught about writing? List the
topics, rules, and advice you remember.
• What kinds of writing have you done in school? How
long have the papers been?
• How has your school writing been evaluated? Did the
instructor mark or comment on mechanics and grammar?
Style? Organization? Logic? Content? Audience analy-
sis and adaptation? Have you gotten extended comments
on your papers? Have instructors in different classes had
the same standards, or have you changed aspects of your
writing for different classes?
• What voluntary writing have you done—journals, poems,
stories, essays? Has this writing been just for you, or has
some of it been shared or published?
• Have you ever written on a job or in a student or vol-
unteer organization? Have you ever typed other people’s
writing? What have these experiences led you to think
about real-world writing?
• What do you see as your current strengths and weak-
nesses in writing skills? What skills do you think you’ll
need in the future? What kinds of writing do you expect
to do after you graduate?
Use complete memo format with appropriate headings.
( ▶▶ Module 9 for examples of memo format.) Use a con-
ventional writing style; edit your final draft for mechanical
and grammatical correctness.
1.10 Describing Your Experiences in and Goals for Writing (LO 1-5, LO 1-6)
Your regional electric utility provides power to rural, urban,
and suburban customers. Recently, a series of heavy sum-
mer rainstorms knocked out electricity to thousands of
customers. Because overhead power lines came down—
in some cases due to inadequate tree trimming by home
owners—some customers were without power for more
than a week. In addition to the inconvenience of not having
electricity, many customers also had to throw away spoiled
food, as well as go without air conditioning on days when
temperatures climbed past 90 degrees.
Today, you receive a letter from Harper Henry, a long-
time customer and local business leader whose husband,
Stephen D’Amico, is a county commissioner. Ms. Henry is
angry that power to her neighborhood was out for four days
and that though similar storms have knocked out power in
past years, nothing seems to have been done to prepare for
future storms. In particular, there is no plan to bury over-
head power lines. “Your company puts making money
ahead of customer service,” she writes. “You continue to
post record profits while putting countless lives at stake, all
for the sake of your bottom line.”
The following letters are possible approaches to answer-
ing this complaint. How well does each message meet the
needs of the reader, the writer, and the organization? Is the
message clear, complete, and correct? Does it save the read-
er’s time? Does it build goodwill?
1.11 Letters to Angry Electric Company Customers (LO 1-5 to LO 1-7)
1.
Dear Sir or Madam:
You opinion is valuable to us, and you can rest assured that we are looking into the problem. Should you
have questions or concerns in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us.
2.
Dear Harper:
You’re right — we dropped the ball on this one! But the utility business is an unpredictable one, and only
God Himself controls the weather. So, while we deal with the frustration of being mere mortals, you can
help us with your patience. Make sure, too, that you trim any trees that are on your property and are close
to overhead power lines since falling trees caused a lot of the problems. With any luck, we’ll all be better
off in the next storm.
P.S. How funny that someone named Harper would be sending a letter to complain!
3.
Dear Mrs. Henry:
The electric utility business is a particularly difficult one. You’d be surprised at all of the variables that
come into play. For instance, there are union contracts to negotiate with employees. Did you know that
we can’t expect a lineman to work more than eight hours in one day without doubling his hourly rate?
We also have to provide meals if the work goes beyond 12 hours and overnight accommodations if the
worker must travel more than 50 miles from home. All that’s just part of the labor issue. Unions are killing
this business.
There’s also the cost of producing the electricity, meeting the government regulations for clean air in our
coal-fired plants, and upkeep of the overhead power lines. As you know, we trim trees that are within
10 feet of any power line, but home owners are responsible for the other trees. Do they trim them? Of
course not. Then a good wind comes along and knocks them down, right onto those lines. It’s a crazy
business, Mrs. Henry, and one that is a miracle to make any money in.
Anyway, we’re sorry for the inconvenience you faced. But I’m sure you can now see just how challenging
all this is. Think about that the next time you flip a switch. This is what we do so you can have light to read
by and television to watch. Your electric company is on your side.
4.
Dear Ms. Henry:
Thank you for your recent feedback regarding the power outage to your home.
As you know, the storms that hit this year were particularly powerful. Hundreds of miles of overhead
power lines were brought down in a matter of minutes, leaving thousands of customers stranded. Though
more than 1,500 extra utility workers from surrounding states were brought in to help restore electricity,
clearly we could have done better. Going without electricity for even a few minutes is too long, and we are
making strides to improve our service.
We are currently working with local municipalities to explore cost-effective ways to solve this problem.
Suggestions from valuable customers like you will help in the effort. As you noted in your letter, burying
power lines is an option to consider.
Your loyalty and input will help us to provide even better service to customers.
The Acme Corporation has been planning to acquire
Best Products, and Acme employees are worried about
how the acquisition will affect them. Ed Zeplin, Acme’s
human resource manager, has been visiting the message
boards on job search sites like Vault.com and sees a dra-
matic rise in the number of messages posted by people
claiming to be Acme employees. Many of the messages
are spreading rumors about layoffs, and most of the
rumors are false.
The following messages are possible responses that
Ed can post to the message boards. How well does each
message meet the needs of the reader, the writer, and the
organization? Is the message clear, complete, and correct?
Does it save the reader’s time? Does it build goodwill?
1.12 Online Messages for Discussion—Responding to Rumors (LO 1-5 to LO 1-7)
1.
It Will Be Great!
Author: L. Ed Zeplin, HR
Date: Tuesday, May 23
I am happy to tell you that the HR news is good. Two months ago, the CEO told me about the merger,
and I have been preparing a human resource plan ever since.
I want you to know about this because morale has been bad, and it shouldn’t be. You really should wait
for the official announcements, and you’ll see that the staffing needs will remain strong. My department
has been under a lot of pressure, but if you’ll be patient, we’ll explain everything—the staffing, the
compensation.
Our plan should be ready by Monday, and then if you have any questions, just contact your HR rep.
2.
HR Staffing
Author: HR Boss
Date: Tuesday, May 23
The rumors are false. Just ask anyone in HR. There will be no layoffs.
3.
Don’t Believe the Rumors
Author: lezeplin@acme.com
Date: Tuesday, May 23
Acme has 475 employees, and Best Products has 132 employees. Our human resource plan for next
year calls for 625 employees. If you do the math, you can see that there will be no layoffs. Rather, we
will be hiring 20 employees. Of course, as we consolidate operations with Best, there will be some
redeployments. However, our plan indicates that we will be able to retain our current staff. All employees
are valued at Acme, as our current benefits package testifies.
Our HR plan is based on the best analytic techniques and a business forecast by a top consulting
firm. If you’re an employee, you should review our business plan, at the Our Goals page on Acme’s
intranet. Everyone should read Acme’s mission statement on our home page, www.acme.com/
homepage.html .
4.
Layoff Rumors Do Acme a Disservice
Author: Zeplin in HR
Date: Tuesday, 23 May
If you come here to get your company information, you aren’t getting the straight story. The people
posting to this discussion board are spreading false rumors, not the truth. If you want to know the truth
about Acme, ask the people who have access to the information.
As HR manager, I can assure you we won’t be laying off employees after the merger with Best Products.
I’m the one who approves the staffing plan, so I should know. If people would ask me, instead of reading
the negative, whining lies at this site, they would know the facts, too.
If people really cared about job security, they would be meeting and exceeding their work goals,
rather than wasting their time in rumor-mongering on message boards. Hard work: that’s the key to
success!
5.
The True Story about Lay-Offs
Author: lezeplin@acme.com
Date: Tuesday, 23 May
Whenever there is a merger or acquisition, rumors fly. It’s human nature to turn to rumors when a situation
seems uncertain. The case of Acme acquiring Best Products is no exception, so I’m not surprised to see
rumors about layoffs posted on this message board.
Have no fear! I am working closely with our CEO and with the CEO and human resource manager at
Best Products, and we all agree that our current staff is a valuable asset to Acme, to Best, and to our
combined companies in the future. We have no plans to lay off any of our valued people. I will continue
monitoring this message board and will post messages as I am able to disclose more details about our
staffing plans. In the meantime, employees should watch for official information in the company newsletter
and on our intranet.
We care about our people! If employees ever have questions about our plans and policies, they should
contact me directly.
L. Ed Zeplin, HR Manager
%%%%%
Assignments for Module 2
2.1 What are the five kinds of audiences? (LO 2-2)
2.2 What are ways to analyze your audience? (LO 2-3, LO 2-4)
2.3 What are three ways to adapt your message to your
audience? (LO 2-5, LO 2-6)
Questions for Comprehension
2.4 Emphasizing the importance of audience, marketers fre-
quently say, “The customer is in control.” To what extent do
you feel in control as a customer, a student, a citizen? What
actions could you take to increase your control? (LO 2-1 to
LO 2-3)
2.5 If you are employed, which aspects of your organization’s
culture match your own values? What kind of culture would
you like to join when you are next on the job market? (LO
2-1 to LO 2-3)
2.6 Why do internal audiences, especially your boss, some-
times feel more important than primary audiences outside
your organization? (LO 2-1 to LO 2-3)
2.7 What are your options if your boss’s criteria for a document
are different than those of the primary audience? (LO 2-1
to LO 2-3)
Questions for Critical Thinking
2.8 Identifying Audiences (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4)
In each of the following situations, label the audiences as
initial, gatekeeper, primary, secondary, or watchdog:
1. Andrea, a financial planner, wants to hold a dinner
seminar for married couples to help them with their
financial planning. Her specialty is setting up retire-
ment accounts, but she also wants to help parents save
money for their child’s college expenses. Before she
can hold her seminar, she has to make sure she has the
proper licensing and permits in her community as well
as schedule catering and meeting space at a local hotel
or business center. She has paid for a mailing list of 200
people and their spouses, with hopes that at least 30
couples will attend. As an enticement, she will award
several prizes, including theater tickets, a bicycle, and
a weekend vacation at a bed and breakfast, all donated
from local vendors who would like their businesses rec-
ognized at the seminar.
2. Carmale hopes to get a franchise for a casual dining res-
taurant. She will need to fill out an application with the
corporation and also show that she has secured a loan
for the balance of costs to build the restaurant.
3. Paul works for the mayor’s office in a big city. As part
of a citywide cost-cutting measure, a blue-ribbon panel
has recommended requiring employees who work more
than 40 hours in a week to take compensatory time off
rather than being paid overtime. The only exceptions
will be the police and fire departments. The mayor asks Paul to prepare a proposal for the city council, which
will vote on whether to implement the change. Before
they vote, council members will hear from (1) citizens,
who will have an opportunity to read the proposal and
communicate their opinions to the city council; (2)
mayors’ offices in other cities that may be asked about
their experiences; (3) union representatives, who may
be concerned about the reduction in income that will
occur if the proposal is implemented; (4) department
heads, whose ability to schedule work might be limited
if the proposal passes; and (5) the blue-ribbon panel and
good-government lobbying groups. Council members
come up for reelection in six months.
2.9 Choosing a Channel to Reach a Specific Audience (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4)
Suppose that your business, government agency, or non-
profit group has a product, service, or program targeted
for each of the following audiences. What would be the
best channel(s) to reach people in that group in your city?
Would that channel reach all group members?
1. Commuters
2. Internet bulletin board users
3. Retired pilots
4. African Americans
5. Police officers
6. Asian-American voters
7. Outdoor enthusiasts
8. Financial planners
9. College freshmen
10. People thinking about a second career
2.10 Analyzing a Discourse Community (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4)
Analyze the way a group you are part of uses language.
Possible groups include
• Work teams
• Sports teams
• Honor organizations and other service or social groups
• Churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques
• Geographic or ethnic groups
• Groups of friends
Questions to ask include the following:
• What specialized terms might not be known to outsiders?
• What topics do members talk or write about? What top-
ics are considered unimportant or improper?
• What channels do members use to convey messages?
• What forms of language do members use to build good-
will? To demonstrate competence or superiority?
• What strategies or kinds of proof are convincing to
members?
• What formats, conventions, or rules do members expect
messages to follow?
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Share your results orally with a small group of students.
b. Present your results in an oral presentation to the class.
c. Present your results in a memo to your instructor.
d. Share your results in an e-mail message to the class.
e. Share your results with a small group of students and
write a joint memo reporting the similarities and differ-
ences you found.
2.11 Analyzing an Organization’s Culture (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4)
Interview several people about the culture of their organiza-
tion. Possible organizations include
• Work teams
• Sports teams
• Honor organizations and other service or social groups
• Churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques
• Geographic or ethnic groups
• Groups of friends
Questions to ask include those in this module and the
following:
1. Tell me about someone in this organization you admire.
Why is he or she successful?
2. Tell me about someone who failed in this organization.
What did he or she do wrong?
3. What ceremonies and rituals does this organization
have? Why are they important?
4. Why would someone join this group rather than a
competitor?
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Share your results orally with a small group of students.
b. Present your results in an oral presentation to the class.
c. Present your results in a memo to your instructor.
d. Share your results in an e-mail message to the class.
e. Share your results with a small group of students and
write a joint memo reporting the similarities and differ-
ences you found.
2.12 Analyzing the Audiences of Noncommercial Web Pages (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4)
Analyze the implied audiences of two web pages of two
noncommercial organizations with the same purpose
(combating hunger, improving health, influencing the
political process, etc.). You could pick pages of the national
organization and a local affiliate, or pages of two separate
organizations working toward the same general goal.
Answer the following questions:
• Do the pages work equally well for surfers and for peo-
ple who have reached the page deliberately?
• Possible audiences include current and potential
volunteers, donors, clients, and employees. Do the
pages provide material for each audience? Is the material useful? Complete? Up-to-date? Does new mate-
rial encourage people to return?
• What assumptions about audience do content and visuals
suggest?
• Can you think of ways that the pages could better serve
their audiences?
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Share your results orally with a small group of
students.
b. Present your results in an oral presentation to
the class.
c. Present your results in a memo to your instructor. Attach
copies of the web pages.
d. Share your results with a small group of students and
write a joint memo reporting the similarities and differ-
ences you found.
e. Post your results in an e-mail message to the class. Pro-
vide links to the two web pages.
2.13 Analyzing People in Your Organization (LO 2-1 to LO 2-4)
1. Analyze your supervisor.
• Does he or she like short or long explanations?
• Does he or she want to hear about all the problems in
a unit or only the major ones?
• How important are punctuality and deadlines?
• How well informed about a project does he or she
wish to be?
• Is he or she more approachable in the morning or the
afternoon?
• What are your supervisor’s major hassles?
2. Analyze other workers in your organization.
• Is work “just a job” or do most people really care
about the organization’s goals?
• How do workers feel about clients or customers?
• What are your co-workers’ major hassles?
3. Analyze your customers or clients.
• What attitudes do they have toward the organization
and its products or services?
• What are their major hassles?
• Do education, age, or other factors affect the way
they read?
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Write a memo to your instructor summarizing your
analysis.
b. Discuss your analysis with a small group of students.
c. Present your analysis orally to the class.
d. Combine your information with classmates’ informa-
tion to present a collaborative report comparing and
contrasting your audiences at work.
2.14 Persuading a Lender to Defer Paying a Student Loan (LO 2-2)
Many college graduates today leave school with large debts
from student loans. Though the loans must be repaid, the
time to do so and the monthly payment are determined by the
lender. With a tough economy making it harder to find a job,
students may also find it harder to repay loans. Many lenders,
however, expect them to start doing so upon graduation. You
plan to request a deferral to start paying back your loan.
To do so, answer the following questions about your
audience.
• What is at stake for the lender if it defers the loan?
• What regulating bodies (e.g., state and federal govern-
ment) govern how a lender may alter the terms of a loan
agreement?
• What objections might a lender raise to deferring
the loan?
• What other resources might the lender suggest tapping in
order to repay the loan?
• What might the lender expect from you as a guarantee
that you will repay the loan after the deferral?
• What channel is the best way to reach the lender?
• What tone will work best in the message to the lender?
2.15 Sending a Question to a Website (LO 2-2, LO 2-3)
Send a question or other message that calls for a response to
a website. ( ▶▶ Problem 13.12.) You could
• Ask a question about a product.
• Apply for an internship or a job (assuming you’d really
like to work there).
• Ask for information about an internship or a job.
• Ask a question about an organization or a candidate
before you donate money or volunteer.
• Offer to volunteer for an organization or a candidate.
You can offer to do something small and one-time (e.g.,
spend an afternoon stuffing envelopes, put up a yard
sign), or you can, if you want to, offer to do something
more time-consuming or even ongoing.
Pick a specific organization you might use and answer
these questions about it.
• Does the organization ask for questions or offers? Or will
yours “come out of the blue”?
• How difficult will it be for the organization to supply the
information you’re asking for or to do what you’re ask-
ing it to do? If you’re applying for an internship or offer-
ing to volunteer, what skills can you offer? How much
competition do you have?
• What can you do to build your own credibility so the
organization takes your question or request seriously? 
2.16 Convincing Your Organization to Allow Flex-Time for Students (LO 2-2, LO 2-3)
Your organization has a generous tuition reimbursement
program, but currently employees must take classes outside of
regular business hours. You’ve noticed that many classes you
want or need at the local university are offered infrequently
during evenings and weekends. If a class is already full or you
have another commitment, you often have to wait months
before a seat is available. Your co-workers are similarly affected.
You plan to write a memo to upper management describ-
ing your solution: flex-time for full-time employees going
to school. Your solution would allow employees to resched-
ule up to five hours each week to take classes during work
hours. Employees could make up hours in the mornings,
evenings, or weekends and could only reschedule hours if
meetings and other work-related duties don’t conflict.
Pick an organization you know something about and
answer the following questions:
• What is the purpose of the tuition reimbursement program?
• How do employees benefit? How does the organization
benefit?
• Will it cost the company money or lost efficiency to offer
flex-time?
• What obstacles must be overcome regarding organiza-
tional culture?
• How will employee schedules be tracked? Who will be
responsible?
• How would you deal with the objection that employ-
ees could take distance-learning courses, such as those
offered on the web?
• What is the company’s competitive position? Is it grow-
ing? Shrinking?
2.17 Announcing Holiday Diversity (LO 2-2, LO 2-3)
To better respect the religious and ethnic diversity of your
employees, your organization will now allow employees to
take any 10 days off. ( ▶▶ Problem 13.9.) Any religious,
ethnic, or cultural holiday is acceptable. (Someone who
wants to take off Cinco de Mayo or Bastille Day can do
so.) As Vice President for Human Resources, you need to
announce the policy.
Pick a specific organization you know something about
and answer these questions about it.
• What religious and ethnic groups do your employees
come from?
• How much do various groups know about each others’
holidays?
• What is the general climate for religious and ethnic toler-
ance? Should the message have a secondary purpose of
educating people about less-common holidays?
• Is your organization open every day of the year, or will
you be closed on some holidays (e.g., Christmas, New
Year’s Day)? If an employee chooses to work on a day
when offices or factories are closed, what should he or
she do? Work at home? Get a key? (How? From whom?)
What kinds of work could a person working alone most
profitably do?
%%%%%
Assignments for Module 3
3.1 What sources create diversity in the workplace? (LO 3-1 to
LO 3-4)
3.2 What is intercultural competence? (LO 3-1 to LO 3-4)
3.3 What four methods make a sentence nonsexist? (LO 3-6)
Questions for Comprehension
3.4 What other cultures are you most likely to work with? How
could you learn about those cultures? (LO 3-1 to LO 3-4)
3.5 You can’t possibly learn what every symbol means in every
culture. How can you avoid offending the people you work
with? (LO 3-1 to LO 3-5)
3.6 Suppose you have an audience that is sexist, racist, or prej-
udiced in some other way. To what extent, if any, should
you adapt to this aspect of your audience? (LO 3-6)
3.7 It’s sexist to always put the male pronoun first in pronoun
pairs (e.g., he/she rather than she/he or s/he ). Why do the
authors of this book recommend that method? Which
method do you prefer? (LO 3-6)
Questions for Critical Thinking
3.8 Planning an International Trip (LO 3-1 to LO 3-3)
Assume that you’re going to the capital city of another
country on business two months from now. (You pick the
country.) Use a search engine to find out
• What holidays will be celebrated in that month.
• What the climate will be.
• What current events are in the news.
• What key features of business etiquette you should know.
• What kinds of gifts you should bring to your hosts.
• What sightseeing you should try to include.
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Write a memo to your instructor reporting the informa-
tion you found.
b. Post a message to the class analyzing the pages. Include
the URLs as hotlinks.
c. Make an oral presentation to the class.
d. Join with a small group of students to create a group
report on several countries in a region.
e. Make a group oral presentation to the class.
Exercises and Problems
You’ve drafted instructions for a product that will be sold in
South Korea. Before the text is translated, you want to find out if
the pictures will be clear. So you send an e-mail to your Korean
counterpart, Jang Kyu Yi, asking for a response within a week.
Note, in Korean culture, last names usually go first, as
in Yi Jang Kyu.
Write an e-mail message; assume you will send the pic-
tures as an attachment.
3.9 Sending a Draft to South Korea (LO 3-1 to LO 3-3)
3.10 Requesting Information about a Country (LO 3-1 to LO 3-3)
Use one or more of the following ways to get information
about a country. Information you might focus on could
include
• Business opportunities
• History and geography
• Principal exports and imports
• Dominant religions
• Holidays
• School system
• Political system
1. Write to the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service Office
in your district. (Your instructor has the addresses in the
Instructor’s Manual. )
2. Check the country’s trade office, if there is one in your city.
3. Interview someone from that country or someone who
has lived there.
4. Read published materials about the country.
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Share your findings orally with a small group of
students.
b. Summarize your findings in a memo to your instructor.
c. Present your findings to the class.
d. E-mail your findings to the class.
e. Join with a group of classmates to write a group report
on the country.
3.11 Creating a Web Page (LO 3-1 to LO 3-3, LO 3-5)
Create a web page for managers who must communicate
across cultures.
Assume that this page can be accessed from the organi-
zation’s intranet. Offer at least seven links. (More is better.)
You may offer information as well as links to other pages
with information. At the top of the page, offer an overview
of what the page covers. At the bottom of the page, put the
creation/update date and your name and e-mail address.
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Turn in two laser copies of your page(s). On another
page, give the URLs for each link.
b. Turn in one laser copy of your page(s) and a disk with
the HTML code and .gif files.
c. Write a memo to your instructor
(1) identifying the audience for which the page is
designed and explaining (2) the search strategies you
used to find material on this topic, (3) why you chose
the pages and information you’ve included, and (4) why
you chose the layout and graphics you’ve used.
d. Post your memo in an e-mail message to the class.
e. Present your page orally to the class.
Hints:
• Limit your page to just one culture or country.
• Try to cover as many topics as possible: history, politics,
notable people, arts, conversational style, customs, and
so forth. For a culture in another country, also include
money, living accommodations, geography, transport,
weather, business practices, and so forth.
• Chunk your links into small groups under headings.
• See  ▶▶ Module 5 on web page design.
3.12 Identifying Sources of Miscommunication (LO 3-1 to LO 3-4)
In each of the following situations, identify one or
more ways that cultural differences may be leading to
miscommunication.
1. Alan is a U.S. sales representative in Mexico. He makes
appointments and is careful to be on time. But the person
he’s calling on is frequently late. To save time, Alan tries
to get right to business. But his hosts want to talk about
sightseeing and his family. Even worse, his appoint-
ments are interrupted constantly, not only by business
phone calls, but also by long conversations with other
people and even the customers’ children who come into
the office. Alan’s first progress report is very negative.
He hasn’t yet made a sale. Perhaps Mexico just isn’t the
right place to sell his company’s products.
2. Clark travels to Switzerland to set up the European
branch office of his company. Because he is unfamiliar
with the local transportation, he has been late several
times to meetings with public officials who can expe-
dite getting the proper permits and licenses. He’s also
had to cancel one meeting. Now, when he tries to make
appointments, he is told nothing is available for weeks.
3. Stan wants to negotiate a joint venture with a Chinese com-
pany. He asks Tung-Sen Lee if the Chinese people have
enough discretionary income to afford his product. Mr. Lee
is silent for a time, and then says, “Your product is good.
People in the West must like it.” Stan smiles, pleased that
Mr. Lee recognizes the quality of his product, and he gives
Mr. Lee a contract to sign. Weeks later, Stan still hasn’t
heard anything. If China is going to be so inefficient, he
wonders if he really should try to do business there.
4. Elspeth is very proud of her participatory management
style. On assignment in India, she is careful not to give
orders and instead asks for suggestions. But people rarely
suggest anything. Even a formal suggestion system
doesn’t work. And to make matters worse, she doesn’t
sense the respect and camaraderie of the plant she man-
aged in the United States. Perhaps, she decides gloomily,
people in India just aren’t ready for a woman boss.
3.13 Advising a Hasty Subordinate (LO 3-4, LO 3-5)
Three days ago, one of your subordinates forwarded to
everyone in the office a bit of e-mail humor he’d received
from a friend. Titled “You know you’re Southern when
. . .,” the message poked fun at Southern speech, attitudes,
and lifestyles. Today you get this message from your
subordinate:
Subject: Should I Apologize? 
I’m getting flamed left and right because of the Southern message. I thought it was funny, but some 
people just can’t take a joke. So far I’ve tried not to respond to the flames, figuring that would just make 
things worse. But now I’m wondering if I should apologize. What do you think? 
Answer the message. 
3.14 Responding to a Complaint (LO 3-4 to LO 3-6)
You’re Director of Corporate Communications; the 
employee newsletter is produced by your office. Today you 
get this e-mail message from Caroline Huber: 
Respond to Caroline. And send a message to your staff, 
reminding them to edit newsletter stories as well as external 
documents to replace biased language. 
Subject: Complaint about Sexist Language 
The article about the “Help Desk” says that Martina Luna and I “are the key customer service 
representatives ‘manning’ the desk.” I don’t MAN anything! I WORK. 
3.15 Answering an Inquiry about Photos (LO 3-5)
You’ve just been named Vice President for Diversity, the 
first person in your organization to hold this position. 
Today, you receive this memo from Sheila Lathan, who 
edits the employee newsletter. 
Subject: Photos in the Employee Newsletter 
Please tell me what to do about photos in the monthly employee newsletter. I’m concerned that almost no 
single issue represents the diversity of employees we have here. 
As you know, our layout allows two visuals each month. One of those is always the employee of the 
month (EM). In the last year, most of those have been male and all but two have been white. What makes 
it worse is that people want photos that make them look good. You may remember that Ron Olmos was 
the EM two months ago; in the photo he wanted me to use, you can’t tell that he’s in a wheelchair. Often 
the EM is the only photo; the other visual is often a graph of sales or something relating to quality. 
Even if the second visual is another photo, it may not look balanced in terms of gender and race. After 
all, 62% of our employees are men, and 78% are white. Should the pictures try to represent those 
percentages? The leadership positions (both in management and in the union) are even more heavily male 
and white. Should we run pictures of people doing important things, and risk continuing the imbalance? 
I guess I could use more visuals, but then there wouldn’t be room for as many stories—and people really 
like to see their names in print. Plus, giving people information about company activities and sales is 
important to maintaining goodwill. A bigger newsletter would be one way to have more visuals and keep 
the content, but with the cost-cutting measures we’re under, that doesn’t look likely. 
What should I do? 
Subject: Photos in the Employee Newsletter 
Please tell me what to do about photos in the monthly employee newsletter. I’m concerned that almost no 
single issue represents the diversity of employees we have here. 
As you know, our layout allows two visuals each month. One of those is always the employee of the 
month (EM). In the last year, most of those have been male and all but two have been white. What makes 
it worse is that people want photos that make them look good. You may remember that Ron Olmos was 
the EM two months ago; in the photo he wanted me to use, you can’t tell that he’s in a wheelchair. Often 
the EM is the only photo; the other visual is often a graph of sales or something relating to quality. 
Even if the second visual is another photo, it may not look balanced in terms of gender and race. After 
all, 62% of our employees are men, and 78% are white. Should the pictures try to represent those 
percentages? The leadership positions (both in management and in the union) are even more heavily male 
and white. Should we run pictures of people doing important things, and risk continuing the imbalance? 
I guess I could use more visuals, but then there wouldn’t be room for as many stories—and people really 
like to see their names in print. Plus, giving people information about company activities and sales is 
important to maintaining goodwill. A bigger newsletter would be one way to have more visuals and keep 
the content, but with the cost-cutting measures we’re under, that doesn’t look likely. 
What should I do? 
Subject: Photos in the Employee Newsletter 
Please tell me what to do about photos in the monthly employee newsletter. I’m concerned that almost no 
single issue represents the diversity of employees we have here. 
As you know, our layout allows two visuals each month. One of those is always the employee of the 
month (EM). In the last year, most of those have been male and all but two have been white. What makes 
it worse is that people want photos that make them look good. You may remember that Ron Olmos was 
the EM two months ago; in the photo he wanted me to use, you can’t tell that he’s in a wheelchair. Often 
the EM is the only photo; the other visual is often a graph of sales or something relating to quality. 
Even if the second visual is another photo, it may not look balanced in terms of gender and race. After 
all, 62% of our employees are men, and 78% are white. Should the pictures try to represent those 
percentages? The leadership positions (both in management and in the union) are even more heavily male 
and white. Should we run pictures of people doing important things, and risk continuing the imbalance? 
I guess I could use more visuals, but then there wouldn’t be room for as many stories—and people really 
like to see their names in print. Plus, giving people information about company activities and sales is 
important to maintaining goodwill. A bigger newsletter would be one way to have more visuals and keep 
the content, but with the cost-cutting measures we’re under, that doesn’t look likely. 
What should I do? 
%%%%%
Assignments for Module 4
Questions for Comprehension
4.1 What processes do expert writers use? (LO 4-1)
4.2 How is revision different from editing? From proofreading? 
(LO 4-4)
4.3 What are good strategies for overcoming writer’s block? 
Procrastination? (LO 4-8)
Questions for Critical Thinking
4.4 Which processes that expert writers use do you already 
use? How could you modify your process to incorporate at 
least one more on the list? (LO 4-1)
4.5 Of the people who have seen your writing, which one(s) 
have given you the most useful feedback? What makes it 
useful? (LO 4-6)
4.6 In which areas are you best at giving feedback to other 
people? How could you make your feedback even better? 
(LO 4-6)
4.7 Think about the form letters you have received. How do 
they make you feel? If they have flaws, how could they be 
improved? (LO 4-7)
Exercises and Problems
4.8 Interviewing Writers about Their Composing Processes (LO 4-1)
Interview someone about the composing process(es) he or 
she uses for on-the-job writing. Questions you could ask 
include the following:
• What kind of planning do you do before you write? Do 
you make lists? Formal or informal outlines?
• When you need more information, where do you 
get it?
• How do you compose your drafts? Do you dictate? Draft 
with pen and paper? Compose on screen? How do you 
find uninterrupted time to compose?
• Does your superior ever read your drafts and make 
suggestions?
• Do you ever work with other writers to produce a single 
document? Describe the process you use.
• Describe the process of creating a document where you 
felt the final document reflected your best work.
• Describe the process of creating a document that you 
found difficult or frustrating. What sorts of things make 
writing easier or harder for you?
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Share your results orally with a small group of students.
b. Present your results in an oral presentation to the class.
c. Present your results in a memo to your instructor.
d. Post an e-mail message to the class discussing your 
results.
Share your results with a small group of students and 
write a joint memo reporting the similarities and differ
4.9 Analyzing Your Own Writing Processes (LO 4-1)
Save your notes and drafts from several assignments so that 
you can answer the following questions.
• Which of the activities discussed in Module 4 do you 
use?
• How much time do you spend on each activity?
• What kinds of revisions do you make most often?
• Do you use different processes for different documents, or 
do you have one process that you use most of the time?
• Which practices of good writers do you follow?
• What parts of your process seem most successful? Are there 
any places in the process that could be improved? How?
• What relation do you see between the process(es) you 
use and the quality of the final document?
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Discuss your process with a small group of other 
students.
b. Write a memo to your instructor analyzing in detail your 
process for composing one of the papers for this class.
c. Write a memo to your instructor analyzing your process 
during the term. What parts of your process(es) have 
stayed the same throughout the term? What parts have 
changed?
4.10 Checking Spell and Grammar Checkers (LO 4-5)
Each of the following paragraphs contains errors in gram
mar, spelling, and punctuation. Which errors does your 
spelling or grammar checker catch? Which errors does it 
miss? Does it flag as errors any words that are correct?
1. Answer to an Inquiry
Think yoo fur your rescind request about are “Bitter 
Burger” campaign. We initiated thee champagne after 
hiring from customers who said they wonted a moor 
nutritious berger from our companion. Sew, we towed 
hour chiefs to devise something. And they. Did. To kelp 
you enjoin your “Better Booger” even mare, here hour 
to coupons for a free drank wit any purchase off a sandwitch and frie.
2. Performance Appraisal
This quarterly perform appraise is. Four lisa. She have 
a good quart, witch ending with a 22 percent in crease 
in here sales for the three month. In fax Lissa outperform aviary one in her compartment. Lisa is a good 
employment, often straying late or working threw the 
weekends. Her dedication is great? Won of her peers, 
said “She is a la mode salesperson and a goon coat 
working.”
3. Brochure
Thin Lost Vegans is lonely a place to gambling! Thank 
again? There is mooch to do do in Las Vega for families to, 
such as them parks, magic shoes, and sporting. Events. Ewe 
cane also experience fin dining and tours of the surrendering 
desert with it’s bootyful florid and fawna. The warm colors 
of the dessert well stay with your four many years two come. 
Visited Las Vegetables for a vacate of a. Lifeboat. Time.
4. Presentation Slides
How to Crate a Web résumé
• Omit home addressee and phone numb
• Use other links only if the help a employer evaluate ewe.
A. be Professionally!
B. Carelessly craft and proof read the phrase on the 
index pager.
Cow to Create a Scanable Resume
• Crate a “plane vanilla’ document.
• Use include a Keywords” section. Include personality 
trades as will as accomplishments.
• Be specific aunt Quantifiable.
4.11 Giving and Evaluating Feedback (LO 4-6)
In a group with other students, use the Checklist for Thor-
ough Revision in Figure 4.4 to provide feedback on drafts
of letters or memos for this course.
As you give feedback, answer the following questions:
• When you give feedback, do you normally start by look-
ing for places to add, delete, substitute, or change? Or do
you normally start by looking for grammatical errors and
typos?
• On which aspects is it easiest for you to comment?
Which aspects require more thought? Why?
• How many times do you have to read the draft to answer
all of the questions in the Checklist?
• Do you tend to suggest mostly big changes, mostly small
ones, or a mix?
• How do you tend to word your comments? Are they
mostly positive or mostly negative? Do you tend to
describe your reaction as a reader, identify why a change
is needed, name the change needed, make the change for
the writer, or what?
When you read feedback from others, answer the following
questions:
• Which comments were new information to you? Which
told you something about your draft that you already
knew or suspected?
• Did you have any questions that comments did not address?
• What kinds of feedback were most helpful to you? Why?
• Were any comments unclear? Talk to the commenter, and try
to figure out what wording would have been clearer to you.
• Did any comments annoy or offend you? Why?
Could the commenter have made the same point in a
better way?
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Share your answers with other students in your group.
Discuss ways that each of you can make your future
feedback even more useful.
b. Organize your answers in a memo to your instructor.
%%%%%
Assignments for Module 5
5.1 How can you create white space? (LO 5-1)
5.2 How do you decide whether to use bullets or numbers in a
list? (LO 5-1)
5.3 What are three criteria for good web pages? (LO 5-3)
Questions for Comprehension
Questions for Critical Thinking
5.4 “Closed captions” for people with hearing impairments are
almost always typed in full capital letters. Why is that a
bad idea? Are there any advantages to using full capitals?
What arguments could you use for changing the practice?
(LO 5-1)
5.5 Suppose that, in one company, a worker says, “We don’t
need to worry about design. People pay a toll charge to
call us, and we make a slight profit on each call. So if
they have questions about the product, that’s OK. If better
design reduced the number of calls, we might actually lose
money!” How would you persuade such a person that good
document design is worth doing? (LO 5-1)
5.6 Central Community College is preparing a brochure to per-
suade prospective students to consider taking classes. The
college doesn’t have the money for full-scale document
testing. What free or almost-free things could it do to make
the document as effective as possible? (LO 5-1)
5.7 Design choices may have ethical implications. Indicate
whether you consider each of the following actions ethical,
unethical, or a gray area. Which of the actions would you
do? Which would you feel uncomfortable doing? Which
would you refuse to do? (LO 5-1)
a. Putting the advantages of a proposal in a bulleted list,
while discussing the disadvantages in a paragraph.
b. Using a bigger type size so that a résumé visually fills a
whole page.
c. Putting the services that are not covered by your health
plan in full caps to make it less likely that people will
read the page.
Exercises and Problems
5.8 Evaluating Page Designs (LO 5-1)
Use the guidelines in Module 5 to evaluate each of the fol-
lowing page designs. What are their strong points? What
could be improved?
Exercises and Problems
a.
5.9 Improving a Financial Aid Form (LO 5-1)
You’ve just joined the Financial Aid office at your school.
The director gives you the accompanying form and asks
you to redesign it.
“We need this form to see whether parents have other
students in college besides the one requesting aid. Parents
are supposed to list all family members that the parents
support—themselves, the person here, any other kids in
college, and any younger dependent kids.
“Half of these forms are filled out incorrectly. Most people
just list the student going here; they leave out everyone else.
“If something is missing, the computer sends out a letter
and a second copy of this form. The whole process starts
over. Sometimes we send this form back two or three times
before it’s right. In the meantime, students’ financial aid
is delayed—maybe for months. Sometimes things are so
late that they can’t register for classes, or they have to pay
tuition themselves and get reimbursed later.
“If so many people are filling out the form wrong, the
form itself must be the problem. See what you can do with
it. But keep it to a page.”
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Analyze the current form and identify its problems.
b. Revise the form. Add necessary information; reorder
information; change the chart to make it easier to fill out.
Hints:
• Where are people supposed to send the form? What is
the phone number of the financial aid office? Should they
need to call the office if the form is clear?
• Does the definition of half-time apply to all students or
just those taking courses beyond high school?
• Should capital or lowercase letters be used?
• Are the lines big enough to write in?
• What headings or subdivisions within the form would remind
people to list all family members whom they support?
• How can you encourage people to return the form promptly?
5.9 Improving a Financial Aid Form (LO 5-1)
Please complete the chart below by listing all family members for whom you (the parents) will provide more than half support
during the academic year (July 1 through June 30).Include yourselves (the parents), the student, and your dependent children,
even if they are not attending college.
*Half-time is defined as 6 credit hours or 12 clock hours a term.
When the information requested is received by our office,processing of your financial aid application will resume.
Please sign and mail this form to the above address as soon as possible.Your signature certifies that this information and the
information on the FAF is true and complete to the best of your knowledge. If you have any questions, please contact a member
of the need analysis staff.
______________________________ _________________
Signature of Parent(s) Date
EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION, 200_ - 200_
RELATIONSHIP NAME OF
FULL NAME OF FAMILY SCHOOL OR
OF FAMILY MEMBER TO COLLEGE THIS HALF-TIME* LESS THAN
MEMBER AGE STUDENT SCHOOL YEAR FULL-TIME OR MORE HALF-TIME
STUDENT
APPLICANT
5.10 Using Headings (LO 5-1)
Reorganize the items in each of the following lists, using
appropriate headings. Use bulleted or numbered lists as
appropriate.
a. Rules and Procedures for a Tuition Reimbursement Plan
1. You are eligible to be reimbursed if you have been a
full-time employee for at least three months.
2. You must apply before the first class meeting.
3. You must earn a “C” or better in the course.
4. You must submit a copy of the approved application,
an official grade report, and a receipt for tuition paid
to be reimbursed.
5. You can be reimbursed for courses related to your
current position or another position in the company,
or for courses that are part of a degree related to a
current or possible job.
6. Your supervisor must sign the application form.
7. Courses may be at any appropriate level (high
school, college, or graduate school).
b. Activities in Starting a New Business
• Getting a loan or venture capital
• Getting any necessary city or state licenses
• Determining what you will make, do, or sell
• Identifying the market for your products or services
• Pricing your products or services
• Choosing a location
• Checking zoning laws that may affect the location
• Identifying government and university programs for
small business development
• Figuring cash flow
• Ordering equipment and supplies
• Selling
• Advertising and marketing
5.11 Analyzing Documents (LO 5-1)
Collect several documents available to you as a worker, stu-
dent, or consumer: letters and memos, newsletters, ads and
flyers, reports. Use the guidelines in Module 5 to evaluate
each of them.
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Discuss the documents with a small group of classmates.
b. Write a memo to your instructor evaluating three or
more of the documents. Include originals or photocopies
of the documents you discuss as an appendix to your
memo.
c. Write a memo to your supervisor recommending ways
the organization can improve its documents.
d. In an oral presentation to the class, explain what makes
one document good and another one weak. If possible,
use transparencies so that classmates can see the docu-
ments as you evaluate them.
5.12 Revising a Document (LO 5-1)
Your state government hires interns for many of its offices.
The Director of Human Resources has noticed that few of
the interns submit all the needed paperwork on time and
suspects that the problem is the form memo that goes out
to interns. You’ve been asked to revise the memo to make
it more effective.
Subject: Getting Your First Paycheck on Time
So that you can receive your first paycheck on time, please send the following items to the office of Human
Resources by the first working day of next month: a copy of your Social Security card or a copy of your
birth certificate; a copy of your driver’s license; proof of enrollment in an accredited college (accepted items
include a paid fee statement; a letter from the registrar’s office; a copy of your college identification card with
the term and year on it); and proof of your grade status (e.g., first year, sophomore). Attach one of the fol-
lowing: your latest grade report, your latest transcript; a letter from the registrar’s office verifying your grade
status; a copy of your college identification card that shows what level you are in. Pay is based on how
many quarter or semester hours you have completed. At the end of each term, notify Human Resources.
You may be eligible for a pay increase.
Rewrite the message, paying special attention to layout and
page design.
5.13 Evaluating PowerPoint Slides (LO 5-2)
Evaluate the following drafts of PowerPoint slides.
• Is the background appropriate for the topic?
• Do the slides use words or phrases rather than complete
sentences?
• Is the font big enough to read from a distance?
• Is the art relevant and appropriate?
• Is each slide free from errors?
5.14 Evaluating Web Pages (LO 5-3)
Compare three web pages in the same category (for exam-
ple, nonprofit organizations, car companies, university
departments, sports information). Which page(s) are most
effective? Why? What weaknesses do the pages have?
As Your Instructor Directs,
a. Discuss the pages with a small group of classmates.
b. Write a memo to your instructor evaluating the pages.
Include URLs of the pages in your memo.
c. In an oral presentation to the class, explain what makes
one page good and another one weak. If possible, put
the pages on screen so that classmates can see the pages
as you evaluate them.
d. Post your evaluation of the pages in an e-mail message
to the class. Include hot links to the pages you evaluate.
==Unit Two Creating Goodwill 89==
===6 You-Attitude 90===
===7 Positive Emphasis 101===
===8 Reader Benefits 112===
==Unit Three Letters, Memos, E-Mail, and Web Writing 113==
===9 Formats for Letters and Memos 114===
===10 Informative and Positive Messages 143===
===11 Negative Messages 164===
===12 Persuasive Messages 187===
===13 E-Mail Messages, Web Writing, and Technology 217===
==Unit Four Polishing Your Writing 237==
===14 Editing for Grammar and Punctuation 238===
===15 Choosing the Right Word 256===
===16 Revising Sentences and Paragraphs 271===
==Unit Five Interpersonal Communication 287==
===17 Listening 288===
===18 Working and Writing in Teams 297===
===19 Planning, Conducting, and Recording Meetings 312===
===20 Making Oral Presentations 325===
==Unit Six Research, Reports, and Visuals 342==
===21 Proposals and Progress Reports 343==
===22 Finding, Analyzing, and Documenting Information 359===
===23 Short Reports 377===
===24 Long Reports 392===
===25 Using Visuals 416===
 
==Unit Seven Job Hunting 437==
===26 Researching Jobs 438===
===27 Résumés 449===
===28 Job Application Letters 474===
===29 Job Interviews 491===
===30 Follow-Up Letters and Calls and Job Offers 507===
==Glossary 516==
===Polishing Your Prose 524===
===Endnotes 528===
===Credits 535===
===Index 537===
==%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%==
==Detailed Contents==
==Unit One Building Blocks for Effective Messages 1==
===Module 1 Business Communication,===
====Management, and Success 2====
====Will I really have to write? 5====
====Don’t I know enough about communication? 5====
====What does communication accomplish? 6====
====The Importance of Listening, Speaking, and Interpersonal Communication 8====
====The Purposes of Messages in Organizations 8====
====How much does correspondence cost? 8====
====What makes a message effective? 9====
====How should I analyze business communication situations? 10====
====Building a Critical Skill Thinking Creatively 11====
%%%
LO 1-1 Recognize myths about on-the-job writing. 
LO 1-2 Distinguish business communication from other school writing. 
LO 1-3 Explain accomplishments through communication. 
LO 1-4 Understand costs for business communication. 
LO 1-5 Define criteria for effective messages. 
LO 1-6 Apply strategies for communication analysis. 
LO 1-7 Apply strategies for creative thinking. 
%%%%%
* P What are your purposes in writing?
* A Who is (are) your audiences?
* I What information must your message include?
* B What reasons or reader benefits can you use to support your position?
* O What objections can you expect your reader(s) to have?
* C How will the context affect reader response?
===Module 2 Adapting Your Message to Your Audience 19===
====Building a Critical Skill Understanding What Your Organization Wants 20====
====Who is my audience? 20====
====Why is my audience so important? 22====
====Audience and PAIBOC 22====
====Audience and the Communication Process 23====
====What do I need to know about my audience(s)? 24====
====Analyzing Individuals and Members of Groups 24====
====Analyzing People in Organizations 27====
====Now that I have my analysis, what do I do with it? 29====
====What if my audiences have different needs? 30====
====How do I reach my audience(s)? 31====
%%%
LO 2-1 Understand expectations from your organization.
LO 2-2 Define audiences for messages.
LO 2-3 Apply strategies for audience analysis with PAIBOC.
LO 2-4 Apply strategies for individual and group audience analyses.
LO 2-5 Apply strategies for audience needs analysis.
LO 2-6 Adapt messages for audiences.
LO 2-7 Choose channels for audiences.
===Module 3 Communicating Across Cultures 38===
====What is “culture”? 40====
====How does culture affect business communication? 40====
====Values, Beliefs, and Practices 41====
====Nonverbal Communication 41====
====Body Language 42====
====Space 43====
====Time 44====
====Oral Communication 45====
====Writing to International Audiences 48====
====There are so many different cultures! How can I know enough to communicate? 48====
====Are differences among generations changing the workplace and how we communicate? 49====
====Building a Critical Skill Dealing with Discrimination 50====
====How can I make my documents bias-free? 51====
====Making Language Nonsexist 51====
====Making Language Nonracist and Nonagist 53====
====Talking about People with Disabilities and Diseases 53====
====Choosing Bias-Free Photos and Illustrations 54====
===Module 4 Planning, Writing, and Revising 59===
====Planning 60====
====Writing 60====
====Revising 60====
====Does it matter what process I use? 60====
====I don’t have much time. How should I use it? 61====
====What planning should I do before I begin writing or speaking? 62====
====What is revision? How do I do it? 64====
====Can a grammar checker do my editing for me? 65====
====I spell-check. Do I still need to proofread? 66====
====How can I get better feedback? 66====
====Can I use form letters? 67====
====Building a Critical Skill Revising after Feedback 68====
====How can I overcome writer’s block and procrastination? 69====
 
===Module 5 Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens 73===
====How should I design paper pages? 74====
====Use White Space 74====
====Use Headings 74====
====Limit the Use of Words Set in All Capital====
====Letters 75====
====Use No More than Two Fonts in a Single Document 75====
====Decide Whether to Justify Margins Based on the Situation and the Audience 77====
====How should I design presentation slides? 78====
====How should I design web pages? 79====
====How do I know whether my design works? 79====
====Building a Critical Skill Using Computers to Create Good Design 80====
====When should I think about design? 80====
==Unit Two Creating Goodwill 89==
===Module 6 You-Attitude 90===
====How do I create you-attitude in my sentences? 91====
====1. Talk about the Reader, Not about Yourself 91====
====2. Refer to the Reader’s Request or Order Specifically 92====
====3. Don’t Talk about Feelings, Except to Congratulate or Offer Sympathy 92====
====4. In Positive Situations, Use You More Often than I. Use We When It Includes the Reader 92====
====5. Avoid You in Negative Situations 93====
====Does you-attitude basically mean using the word you? 94====
====I’ve revised my sentences. Do I need to do anything else? 94====
====Building a Critical Skill Seeing Another Point of View 97====
===Module 7 Positive Emphasis 101===
====How do I create positive emphasis? 102====
====1. Avoid Negative Words and Words with Negative Connotations 102====
====2. Focus on What the Reader Can Do Rather than on Limitations 104====
====3. Justify Negative Information by Giving a Reason or Linking It to a Reader Benefit 105====
====4. If the Negative Is Truly Unimportant, Omit It 105====
====5. Bury the Negative Information and Present It Compactly 105====
====Building a Critical Skill Using Positive Emphasis Ethically 106====
====Why do I need to think about tone, politeness, and power? 106====
====What’s the best way to apologize? 108====
===Module 8 Reader Benefits 112===
====Why do reader benefits work? 113====
====How do I identify reader benefits? 113====
====1. Think of Feelings, Fears, and Needs that May Motivate Your Reader. Then Identify Features of Your Product or Policy that Meet Those Needs 113====
====2. Identify the Features of Your Product or Policy. Then Think How These Features Could Benefit the Audience 114====
====How detailed should each benefit be? 115====
====How do I decide which benefits to use? 117====
====1. Use at Least One Benefit for Each Part of Your Audience 117====
====2. Use Intrinsic Benefits 117====
====3. Use the Benefits You Can Develop Most Fully 118====
====Building a Critical Skill Matching the Benefit to the Audience 119====
====What else do reader benefits need? 120====
==Unit Three Letters, Memos, E-Mail, and Web Writing 113==
===Module 9 Formats for Letters and Memos 126===
====How should I set up letters? 127====
====Building a Critical Skill Creating a Professional Image, 1 130====
====What courtesy titles should I use? 132====
====When You Know the Reader’s Name and Gender 136====
====When You Know the Reader’s Name but Not the Gender 136====
====When You Know Neither the Reader’s Name Nor Gender 136====
====How should I set up memos? 137====
===Module 10 Informative and Positive Messages 143===
====What’s the best subject line for an informative or positive message? 144====
====Making Subject Lines Specific 145====
====Making Subject Lines Concise 145====
====Making Subject Lines Appropriate for the Pattern of Organization 145====
====How should I organize informative and positive messages? 145====
====When should I use reader benefits in informative and positive messages? 148====
====What are the most common kinds of informative and positive messages? 150====
====Transmittals 150====
====Confirmations 151====
====Summaries 151====
====Adjustments and Responses to Complaints 151====
====Thank-You and Congratulatory Notes 152====
====How can I apply what I’ve learned in this module? 152====
====Problem 153====
====Analysis of the Problem 153====
====Building a Critical Skill Writing a Goodwill Ending 154====
====Discussion of the Sample Solutions 154====
===Module 11 Negative Messages 164===
====What’s the best subject line for a negative message? 165====
====How should I organize negative messages? 165====
====Giving Bad News to Customers and Other People Outside Your Organization 166====
====Building a Critical Skill Thinking about the Legal Implications of What You Say 168====
====Giving Bad News to Superiors 171====
====Giving Bad News to Peers and Subordinates 172====
====When should I consider using a buffer? 172====
====What are the most common kinds of negative messages? 174====
====Rejections and Refusals 174====
====Disciplinary Notices and Negative Performance Appraisals 175====
====Layoffs and Firings 175====
====How can I apply what I’ve learned in this module? 175====
====Problem 176====
====Analysis of the Problem 177====
====Discussion of the Sample Solutions 178====
===Module 12 Persuasive Messages 187===
====What is the best persuasive strategy? 188====
====What is the best subject line for a persuasive message? 189====
====How should I organize persuasive messages? 190====
====Writing Direct Requests 191====
====Organizing Problem-Solving Messages 191====
====How do I identify and overcome objections? 193====
====What other techniques can make my messages more persuasive? 196====
====Build Credibility 196====
====Build Emotional Appeal 196====
====Use the Right Tone 197====
====Building a Critical Skill Building Common Ground 198====
====Offer a Reason for the Reader to Act Promptly 198====
====What are the most common kinds of persuasive messages? 199====
====Orders 199====
====Collection Letters 199====
====Performance Appraisals 200====
====Letters of Recommendation 202====
====How can I apply what I’ve learned in this module? 203====
====Problem 203====
====Analysis of the Problem 204====
====Discussion of the Sample Solutions 204====
===Module 13 E-Mail Messages, Web Writing, and Technology 217===
====How should I set up e-mail messages? 219====
====What kinds of subject lines should I use for e-mail messages? 220====
====Subject Lines for Informative and Positive E-Mail Messages 222====
====Subject Lines for Negative E-Mail Messages 222====
====Subject Lines for Persuasive E-Mail Messages 223====
====Should I write e-mail messages the same way I write paper messages? 223====
====Writing Positive and Informative E-Mail Messages 223====
====Writing Negative E-Mail Messages 223====
====Writing Persuasive E-Mail Messages 224====
====Building a Critical Skill Managing Your Time 225====
====What e-mail “netiquette” rules should I follow? 226====
====How and when should I use attachments? 226====
====What style should I use when writing for the web? 226====
====Can I use blogging on the job? 227====
====Can I use social networking tools for business situations? 228====
====Facebook and MySpace 229====
====Spoke and LinkedIn 229====
====Twitter 230====
====YouTube 230====
====What other technologies use the Internet? 230====
==Unit Four Polishing Your Writing 237==
===Module 14 Editing for Grammar and Punctuation 238===
====Building a Critical Skill Creating a Professional====
====Image, 2 239====
====What grammatical errors do I need to be able to fix? 239====
====Agreement 239====
====Case 241====
====Dangling Modifier 242====
====Misplaced Modifier 242====
====Parallel Structure 242====
====Predication Errors 243====
====How can I fix sentence errors? 243====
====Comma Splices 243====
====Run-On Sentences 244====
====Fused Sentences 244====
====Sentence Fragments 244====
====Should I put a comma every place I’d take a breath? 245====
====What punctuation should I use inside sentences? 245====
====Apostrophe 245====
====Colon 247====
====Comma 247====
====Dash 248====
====Hyphen 248====
====Parentheses 249====
====Period 249====
====Semicolon 249====
====What do I use when I quote sources? 249====
====Quotation Marks 250====
====Square Brackets 250====
====Ellipses 250====
====Underlining and Italics 250====
====How should I write numbers and dates? 251====
====How do I mark errors I find in proofreading? 251====
===Module 15 Choosing the Right Word 256===
====Does using the right word really matter? 257====
====Getting Your Meaning Across 257====
====Getting the Response You Want 257====
====Building a Critical Skill Thinking Critically 259====
====How do words get their meanings? 260====
====Is it OK to use jargon? 260====
====What words confuse some writers? 261====
===Module 16 Revising Sentences and Paragraphs 271===
====What is “good” style? 272====
====Building a Critical Skill Using the Right Tone 273====
====Are there rules I should follow? 273====
====What should I look for when I revise sentences? 274====
====1. Use Active Verbs Most of the Time 274====
====2. Use Verbs to Carry the Weight of Your Sentence 275====
====3. Tighten Your Writing 276====
====4. Vary Sentence Length and Sentence Structure 277====
====5. Use Parallel Structure 280====
====6. Put Your Readers in Your Sentences 281====
====What should I look for when I revise paragraphs? 281====
====1. Begin Most Paragraphs with Topic Sentences 281====
====2. Use Transitions to Link Ideas 282====
====How does organizational culture affect style? 282====
==Unit Five Interpersonal Communication 287==
===Module 17 Listening 288===
====What do good listeners do? 289====
====Pay Attention 289====
====Focus on the Other Speaker(s) in a Generous Way 290====
====Avoid Making Assumptions 290====
====Listen for Feelings as Well as Facts 290====
====What is active listening? 291====
====How do I show people that I’m listening to them? 292====
====Can I use these techniques if I really disagree with someone? 292====
====Building a Critical Skill Leading by Listening 293====
===Module 18 Working and Writing in Teams 297===
====What kinds of messages should groups attend to? 298====
====What roles do people play in groups? 299====
====Leadership in Groups 300====
====Characteristics of Successful Student Groups 300====
====Building a Critical Skill Leading Without Being Arrogant 301====
====Peer Pressure and Groupthink 301====
====How should we handle conflict? 302====
====Steps in Conflict Resolution 302====
====Responding to Criticism 304====
====You-Attitude in Conflict Resolution 305====
====How can we create the best co-authored documents? 306====
====Planning the Work and the Document 307====
====Composing the Drafts 307====
====Revising the Document 307====
====Editing and Proofreading the Document 307====
====Making the Group Process Work 308====
===Module 19 Planning, Conducting, and Recording Meetings 312===
====What planning should precede a meeting? 313====
====When I’m in charge, how do I keep the meeting on track? 316====
====What decision-making strategies work well in meetings? 316====
====Building a Critical Skill Networking 317====
====How can I be an effective meeting participant? 318====
====What should go in meeting minutes? 319====
====How can I use informal meetings with my boss to advance my career? 319====
====Do virtual meetings require special consideration? 320====
===Module 20 Making Oral Presentations 325===
====What decisions do I need to make as I plan a presentation? 326====
====Choosing the Kind of Presentation 327====
====Adapting Your Ideas to the Audience 327====
====Planning Visuals and Other Devices to Involve the Audience 328====
====How can I create a strong opener and close? 330====
====How should I organize a presentation? 332====
====Building a Critical Skill Finding Your Best Voice 333====
====What are the keys to delivering an effective presentation? 334====
====Transforming Fear 334====
====Using Eye Contact 335====
====Standing and Gesturing 335====
====Using Notes and Visuals 335====
====How should I handle questions from the audience? 336====
====What are the guidelines for group presentations? 337====
==Unit Six Research, Reports, and Visuals 342==
===Module 21 Proposals and Progress===
====Reports 342====
====What is a “report”? 343====
====What should I do before I write a proposal? 343====
====What should go in a proposal? 345====
====Proposals for Class Research Projects 346====
====Sales Proposals 351====
====Building a Critical Skill Identifying “Hot Buttons” 352====
====Proposals for Funding 352====
====Figuring the Budget and Costs 352====
====What should go in a progress report? 353====
====Chronological Progress Reports 354====
====Task Progress Reports 354====
====Recommendation Progress Reports 355====
===Module 22 Finding, Analyzing, and Documenting Information 359===
====How can I find information online and in print? 360====
====Building a Critical Skill Using the Internet for Research 363====
====How do I write questions for surveys and interviews? 363====
====How do I decide whom to survey or interview? 366====
====How should I analyze the information I’ve collected? 368====
====Understanding the Source of the Data 368====
====Analyzing Numbers 368====
====Analyzing Words 369====
====Checking Your Logic 370====
====How should I document sources? 370====
===Module 23 Short Reports 377===
====Do different kinds of reports use different patterns of organization? 378====
====Informative and Closure Reports 378====
====Feasibility Reports 378====
====Justification Reports 378====
====What are the basic strategies for organizing information? 381====
====1. Comparison/Contrast 382====
====2. Problem-Solution 382====
====3. Elimination of Alternatives 382====
====4. General to Particular or Particular to General 383====
====5. Geographic or Spatial 383====
====6. Functional 384====
====7. Chronological 385====
====Should I use the same style for reports as for other business documents? 385====
====1. Say What You Mean 385====
====Building a Critical Skill Asking Specific and Polite Questions 386====
====2. Tighten Your Writing 386====
====3. Use Blueprints, Transitions, Topic Sentences, and Headings 386====
===Module 24 Long Reports 392===
====I’ve never written anything so long. How should I organize my time? 393====
====How do I create each of the parts of a formal report? 394====
====Title Page 409====
====Letter or Memo of Transmittal 409====
====Table of Contents 409====
====Building a Critical Skill Choosing a Long Report Format and Style 410====
====List of Illustrations 410====
====Executive Summary 410====
====Introduction 411====
====Background or History 411====
====Conclusions and Recommendations 412====
===Module 25 Using Visuals 416===
====What are stories, and how do I find them? 418====
====Does it matter what kind of visual I use? 418====
====What design conventions should I follow? 419====
====Tables 420====
====Pie Charts 420====
====Bar Charts 420====
====Line Graphs 421====
====Can I use color and clip art? 421====
====What else do I need to check for? 422====
====Building a Critical Skill Integrating Visuals into Your Text 424====
====Can I use the same visuals in my document and my presentation? 425====
==Unit Seven Job Hunting 437==
===Module 26 Researching Jobs 438===
====What do I need to know about myself to job hunt? 439====
====What do I need to know about companies that might hire me? 439====
====Building a Critical Skill Choosing Whether to Stay or Go 440====
====Should I do information interviews? 441====
====What is the “hidden job market”? How do I tap into it? 443====
====What do I do if I’ve got a major weakness? 444====
====“All My Experience Is in My Family’s Business” 444====
====“I’ve Been Out of the Job Market for a While” 444====
====“I Want to Change Fields” 444====
====“I Was Fired” 444====
====“I Don’t Have Any Experience” 445====
====“I’m a Lot Older than They Want” 446====
===Module 27 Résumés 449===
====How can I encourage the employer to pay attention to my résumé? 450====
====Building a Critical Skill Using a Computer to Create Résumés 451====
====What kind of résumé should I use? 452====
====How do the two résumés differ? 452====
====Chronological Résumés 452====
====Skills Résumés 458====
====What parts of the two résumés are the same? 461====
====Contact Information 461====
====Summary of Qualifications 461====
====Education 462====
====Career Objective 463====
====Honors and Awards 463====
====References 464====
====What should I do if the standard categories don’t fit? 465====
====Should I limit my résumé to just one page? 465====
 
 
====How do I create a scannable résumé? 465====
====How should I prepare an online résumé? 468====
====Can I use a video résumé? 468====
===Module 28 Job Application Letters 474===
====What kind of letter should I use? 476====
====How are the two letters different? 476====
====The First Paragraph of a Solicited Letter 478====
====First Paragraphs of Prospecting Letters 478====
====Last Paragraphs 480====
====What parts of the two letters are the same? 480====
====Showing a Knowledge of the Position and the Company 481====
====Separating Yourself from Other Applicants 481====
====Building a Critical Skill Targeting a Specific Company in Your Letter 482====
====Can I use T-letters? 482====
====How long should my letter be? 483====
====How do I create the right tone? 483====
====You-Attitude 483====
====Positive Emphasis 485====
====The company wants an e-mail application. What should I do? 485====
===Module 29 Job Interviews 491===
====Why do I need an interview strategy? 493====
====What details should I think about? 493====
====What to Wear 493====
====What to Bring to the Interview 494====
====Note-Taking 494====
====How to Get There 494====
====Should I practice before the interview? 494====
====How to Act 495====
====Parts of the Interview 495====
====Stress Interviews 495====
====How should I answer traditional interview questions? 496====
====Building a Critical Skill Negotiating Salary and Benefits 501====
====How can I prepare for behavioral and situational interviews? 502====
====How can I prepare for phone or video interviews? 503====
===Module 30 Follow-Up Letters and Calls and Job Offers 507===
====What should I say in a follow-up phone call or letter? 508====
====What do I do if my first offer isn’t the one I most want? 508====
====Building a Critical Skill Being Enthusiastic 510====
====Is there anything else I should do? 511====
==Glossary 516==
===Polishing Your Prose Answers 524===
===Endnotes 528===
===Credits 535===
===Index 537===