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Excellence in Business Communication, 12e (Thill/Bovee)
Chapter 9 Writing Negative Messages
1) During the process of composing a negative message, you should try to
A) choose a buffer that will distract your reader.
B) gain the reader’s acceptance of the bad news.
C) leave the reader with hope that you will change your decision.
D) avoid stating the bad news.
E) surprise the audience with the bad news.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
2) When you’re planning a negative message, ________ in order to minimize the damage to
business relationships and encourage acceptance of your message.
A) analyze the situation carefully
B) be direct at all times
C) emphasize your needs and concerns
D) quote the policies and regulations of your company
E) avoid stating the bad news in the message
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Difficult
Classification: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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3) If you must deliver bad news, determine ________ to help you choose the direct or indirect
approach for delivering the message.
A) how much you care about the audience
B) how important the news is to the reader
C) your writing style preferences
D) how much time is available to develop a message
E) if a strong buffer can be developed
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
4) Consider the following statements. Which one of them is phrased in a negative way?
A) Please clarify your request.
B) Your copier will be repaired next week.
C) Your payment is late.
D) Thank you for sharing your concerns about your shopping experience.
E) Please verify the enclosed statement and provide a correct copy.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
5) When you’re writing a negative message, use ________ to take some of the sting out of the
bad news and to help your reader accept the message and move forward.
A) facts and figures
B) clarity and sensitivity
C) subtlety and innuendo
D) blame and leverage
E) praise and promise
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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6) One of the primary goals of a negative message is to
A) sell products and services to unwilling customers.
B) empathize with fellow employees.
C) rally support for unpopular causes.
D) gain acceptance for the bad news.
E) encourage future questions and communications.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Easy
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
7) Use the ________ to deliver bad news, if you have to get the reader’s attention immediately.
A) dialectic approach
B) bidirectional approach
C) direct approach
D) indirect approach
E) persuasive approach
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
8) When composing negative messages, don’t use language that
A) conveys respect.
B) avoids an accusing tone.
C) protects your reader’s pride.
D) pinpoints the reader’s shortcomings.
E) is overly positive.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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9) Use the ________ when you must deliver bad news, if your audience has an emotional
investment in the situation.
A) blended approach
B) discretionary approach
C) direct approach
D) indirect approach
E) persuasive approach
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
10) Use the ________ if you must deliver bad news that will shock or surprise your audience.
A) indirect approach
B) discretionary approach
C) direct approach
D) introverted approach
E) persuasive approach
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
11) When you need to maintain a close working relationship with someone to whom you are
sending a negative message, you should generally
A) assume they will handle the news professionally.
B) analyze the situation carefully.
C) have someone else deliver the message.
D) combine the direct and indirect approaches.
E) delay the message as long as possible.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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12) Using the direct approach for negative messages
A) makes a shorter message possible.
B) is rude and unprofessional.
C) is always preferable when communicating internally.
D) means you end with a statement of your main idea.
E) requires more time for your audience to understand.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
13) Which of the following is not a goal when communicating negative information?
A) to convey the bad news
B) to gain acceptance for the bad news
C) to minimize damage to goodwill as much as possible
D) to maintain a good image for the organization
E) to reduce or eliminate the need for future correspondence on the matter
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Difficult
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
14) To avoid awkward situations, it is best to deliver bad news for employees in writing
whenever possible.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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15) You can help establish the right tone in a negative message by using positive words rather
than negative, counterproductive ones.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Easy
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
16) What are your five main goals when delivering bad news?
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Difficult
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
17) Rewrite the following negative message using positive words rather than negative ones:
“Since you failed to send payment, we cannot ship your order.”
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
18) If you’re using the direct approach to deliver a negative message,
A) save the bad news for last.
B) state the bad news at the beginning.
C) embed the bad news in a parenthetical expression.
D) subordinate the bad news in a compound sentence.
E) begin with a neutral buffer.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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19) When you deliver negative messages, you
A) should always begin with a buffer.
B) should not include reasons for the decision or information.
C) should use language that conveys respect.
D) can expect your audience to be offended.
E) should not worry about tone.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
20) If you choose to apologize in a negative message, you should
A) phrase the apology in a conditional manner (“If I have offended anyone …”).
B) imply that not all of the blame lies with you or your company.
C) be sincere and make it a true apology.
D) always demonstrate sincerity, but never accept blame.
E) always urge the reader to avoid legal action.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
21) Explaining negative news in the body of your message
A) is required in all negative messages.
B) adds unnecessary verbiage to the message.
C) is guaranteed to confuse even the most conscientious readers.
D) is required for external audiences but isn’t useful for internal audiences.
E) is often helpful when you‘re writing to an important customer.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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22) When it comes to apologizing for corporate mistakes, judges, juries, and plaintiffs tend to
A) react negatively when companies apologize.
B) dismiss such apologies as insincere.
C) be more forgiving of companies that apologize.
D) understand that companies should never admit guilt.
E) expect non-profit organizations to admit guilt, but not for-profit companies.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
23) When you’re closing a message about an error that your company made, explaining the steps
being taken to avoid similar mistakes in the future
A) is a bad idea, since it distracts attention from the main idea.
B) is helpful, even when those steps are not likely to make a difference.
C) should always be avoided since it acknowledges guilt.
D) can underscore the sincerity of an apology.
E) will usually result in skepticism among your peers.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
24) Use the direct approach for negative messages, if the message will have a relatively minor
impact on the audience.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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25) An advantage of the direct approach for communicating bad news is that it keeps the
message short.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Easy
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
26) What are the two benefits of stating the bad news at the beginning of a negative message?
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
27) Briefly describe the elements of a negative message that uses the direct approach.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Difficult
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
28) Instead of announcing the bad news up front, you can open with a ________ to establish
common ground with the reader.
A) humorous anecdote
B) buffer statement
C) diversionary tactic
D) heartwarming story
E) series of facts and figures
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
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29) You can use an agreement strategy to write an effective buffer statement if you
A) find an attribute or achievement to compliment.
B) express sincere thanks for receiving something.
C) demonstrate that you understand the reader’s goals and needs.
D) discover a point on which you and the reader share similar views.
E) start with the most favorable part of your message.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Difficult
Classification: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
30) The buffer of a negative message
A) should be neutral and noncontroversial.
B) implicitly says no.
C) is a form of apology.
D) should be very vague about the subject of the message.
E) allows you to indicate fault before stating the bad news.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages
31) A well-written buffer can
A) trivialize the reader’s concerns.
B) divert attention from the problem.
C) mislead the reader into thinking your message actually contains good news.
D) indicate empathy with the audience.
E) flatter the reader.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing negative messages