Teaching Suggestions
This chapter introduces students to one of the standard organizaonal approaches in business wring:
the direct organizaonal paern. Because this paern is used most frequently in situaons in which the
reader will react posively or neutrally, Chapter 5 discusses the direct paern in this rhetorical context.
But many of the following suggesons for teaching Chapter 5 will also apply to teaching students to
write the other types of messages discussed in Chapters 6, 7 and 11 (e.g. negave-news messages,
persuasive messages, employment documents).
Lecture-Discussion
You can begin with a brief lecture that presents an overview of the direct approach and the contexts in
which it is appropriate or not appropriate. Students may be asked to assess either in an online or
face-to-face discussion their own communicaon style. Are they direct communicators? Indirect
communicators? Although you will discuss the indirect approach more thoroughly in Chapter 6, you may
also ask students to re/ect on a me when they received a message directly that should have been
communicated indirectly or vice versa.
Lecture notes for Chapter 5 to accompany the Chapter 5 PowerPoint presentaon appear below.
Instructors should emphasize that the text suggesons are not formulas; students must use the skills
they learned in Chapter 5 to understand their wring goals and audiences and adjust their messages
accordingly. Emphasis should be given to developing logical approaches to problem solving so that
students see their communicaon goals as ed to their business goals.
Illustration
A5er presenng the lecture, you may want to refer to the good and bad message examples in the
Chapter PowerPoint and have students analyze and arculate what happened in the wring that makes
the good message beer than the bad message (e.g., the main point is at the beginning, the wring is
more complete and the language more precise). You may also want to create good/bad examples from
the problem solving cases at the end of the text as addional discussion and illustraon opportunies.
Criticism of Student Messages
Students should write a direct message as an assignment for this chapter. A5er wring a dra5, students
can bring their work to class for peer eding. As a guide for peer eding, you may want to develop a
form based on your grading rubric for the assignment. Students should be reminded that a peer editor is
not a “8xer” or copy editor. The peer editor is simply to react to the format, content, and correctness.
The writer is ulmately responsible for the content. If the writer disagrees with the peer editor, the
writer is not obligated to make the editor’s changes.
Before beginning the one-on-one eding, you may want to discuss a few dra5s as a class, idenfying
strategies that have beer promise than others. A5er assignments are returned, you can show examples
of individual sentence or enre messages that were done well or that could sll use work.
Writing Contests
Another opon to movate students to produce good messages is to hold wring contests. The judges
are the students. They read the messages, grade them, and determine the winners. A prize may be
bonus points.
Speci8cally, this plan works as follows. We divide the class into groups of 8ve or six students. Each group
grades the messages of another group—making detailed comments on papers in the process. Each
grading group selects the best message in the group being graded. We give bonus points to the writer of
these messages. The grades given on all messages are the grades we record, but we permit anyone who
is not sas8ed with his or her grade to submit the message to us for reevaluaon. Usually no more than
10 percent do so.
We like this plan because it gives the students a view of the other side of the fence. They learn to
appreciate the problems in grading. Also, we think grading is a very producve learning experience.
Recognition of Good Work
Another e?ecve means of increasing student interest is simply to recognize good work. If you have a
class website or use a class management tool such as Blackboard, WebCT, or Desire2Learn, you can post
the best messages as examples for current students. Equally good results come from showing the best
papers on a screen if students agree to have their work shown.
Text Summary, Lecture Outline
Slides 5-1, 5-2, 5-3
Directness is appropriate in most messages such as roune inquiries, favorable responses, order
acknowledgments and thank-you messages, direct claims, adjustment grants, and operaonal
communicaons.
Slide 5-4
Begin preparing for a message by assessing the reader’s probable reacon.
If the likely reacon is posive or neutral, directness is in order.
If the likely reacon is negave, indirectness is in order.
The General Direct Plan
Slide 5-5
The general plan for direct order:
Begin with your objecve: Whatever your key point is, lead with it. You may want to provide brief
background informaon before presenng it.
Cover the remaining part of the objecve: Whatever else must be covered to complete your objecve
makes up the bulk of the remainder of the message. Cover your informaon systemacally—perhaps
lisng the details or arranging them by paragraphs.
End with goodwill: End the message with some appropriate friendly comment as you would end a
face-to- face communicaon with the reader. Include a closing that is relevant to the topic of your
message.
Routine Inquiries
Slides 5-6, 5-7, 5-8, 5-9
Roune inquiries are those where the writer expects a posive response from the reader. Begin with the
objecve. In doing so, you may ask a queson or give an answer to a queson the reader has previously
asked you. These beginnings save me for writer and reader. A5er you have done that, you can present
any necessary explanaon, ask addional quesons, or give addional answers. To close, end with a
goodwill message that is relevant to the reader. Many students may have diDculty with this. One of the
most common errors we see is the ambiguous thank you. It is not wrong to end with “thank you,” but
the thank you should be speci8c to the topic. Many students will, as an example, write a favorable
response that answers a reader’s many quesons. A5er answering all of the quesons, the writer will
type “thank you.” “Thank you” for what? Encourage students to 8nish the thought: “Thank you for your
interest in ACME products.” Slides 7-6, 7-7, and 7-8 discuss suggested orders, types of beginnings, and
the suggested format for roune inquiries.
Opening
Begin directly.
Use either a speci8c queson that sets up the enre message (“Is your Karatan line of leather goods sold
on an exclusive dealership basis?”) or a general request for informaon (“Will you please answer the
following quesons about your dealership policy for your Karatan line of leather goods?”)
Note how both of the openings above are faster and more interesng than indirect openings such as this
one:
“I saw your Karatan products adversed in this month’s Marketer Guide and am considering stocking the
line. But 8rst I need to know the answers to the following quesons:”
Content
Usually there is some need to idenfy or explain the situaon. Such informaon helps the reader in
answering. Most o5en this informaon 8ts best a5er the opening. When a number of quesons must be
asked, somemes explanaons are needed within the quesons. The point is to tell the reader whatever
is needed to enable her or him to answer.
Place all explanaons where they 8t best.
Cover the queson or quesons.
If your inquiry involves asking a single queson, the message is short—a direct opening followed by any
necessary explanaon and a friendly closing comment.
Somemes a number of quesons need to be asked.
In such cases, make each queson stand out. Do this by
1. making each queson a separate sentence,
2. organizing a paragraph around each queson (especially if some quesons require explanaons),
3. ordering (1, 2, 3, etc.) the quesons, and
4. wording each as a queson rather than as a hint for informaon (“Please send me . . .” rather
than “I would appreciate your sending me . . .”).
Generally avoid quesons that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”
“Do long periods of freezing temperatures damage Gardex?” vs. “What are the e?ects of long periods of
freezing temperature on Gardex?”
Close
End with a goodwill comment, preferably use words that 8t the one case:
“As we must decide about using Natvac by next Monday, please have your answers to us by that date.”
rather than “Thank you in advance for your help.”
Slides 5-10, 5-11
These slides present bad and good versions of the same message. Notes are provided on the PowerPoint
slides for discussion. You may want to divide students into small groups to analyze what makes the bad
message bad and the good message good and then have the groups arculate their analysis to the rest
of the class.
Slide 5-12
This slide presents ps on how to organize quesons for a roune inquiry. Most students need help with
formaLng and organizaon, so this is an important slide to share.
Favorable Responses
Slides 5-13, 5-14, 5-15, 5-16
Favorable responses are those that give the reader what he/she has requested. Because they are
messages that answer inquiries favorably and convey good news and because they do what the
respondent has asked you to do, the direct order is appropriate. The indirect order would get the job
done, but it would be slower, and it would waste me.
Opening
Directness here means beginning by giving the reader what is wanted—which is the informaon
requested.
So a good beginning is the one that starts answering.
If the inquiry concerned is one queson, it is the answer to that queson:
“Yes, Chem-Treat will prevent mildew if used according to instrucons.”
If it concerns a number of quesons, the opening is the answer to one of them, preferably the most
important. An alternate possibility is to begin with a statement that you are giving the reader what is
wanted. Although this beginning really is not direct, it is posive. Also, it avoids the abruptness that
directness somemes conveys: “The following informaon should tell you what you need to know about
Chem-Treat” or “Here are the answers to your quesons about Chem-Treat.”
Somewhere at the beginning, idenfy the correspondence you are answering.
One good way is to use a subject line of a message or in the subject iden8caon of an email message:
“Subject: Your April 3 inquiry about Chem-Treat.”
Another is to refer to it incidentally in the opening: “. . . as requested in your April 3 inquiry. . .”
Content
If you are answering just one queson, you have lile else to do. You may include any explanaon or
other informaon you think is needed. Then you close the message. If you must answer two or more
quesons, you answer them in succession. Work for a logical order, perhaps using the order used in the
reader’s inquiry. You may choose to number the quesons or to disnguish them by bullets.
If some negave informaon must be given with the good, handle it carefully. You may choose to
deemphasize it—placing it in a posion of lile emphasis or giving it less space. Be sure to avoid
language that is unnecessarily negave (e.g., unfortunately, disappointed).
For the best in goodwill e?ect, you may consider including the “extras”—something nice that is not
required (addional informaon, comment, or queson).
Close
End with friendly, cordial words that show your willingness to serve. Make these words 8t the one
situaon:
“If I can help you further in deciding whether Chem-Treat will meet your needs, please write me again.”
Slides 5-17, 5-18, 5-19
These slides present bad and good versions of the same message. Notes are provided on the PowerPoint
slides for discussion. You may want to divide students into small groups to analyze what makes the bad
message bad and the good message good and then have the groups arculate their analysis to the rest
of the class.
Order Acknowledgments
Slides 5-20, 5-21
Acknowledgments are sent to people who order goods principally to report the status of the order. They
simply tell when the goods are being shipped. Many companies use form messages for this; some use
printed notes. But individually wrien messages can be used, especially for important orders or to
welcome a new customer.
Opening
As this is a roune, good news message, it is appropriate to begin it directly—geLng to the point right
away.
“Your April 4 order for Protect-O paints and supplies will be shipped Monday by Blue Darter Motor
Freight.”
Content
The individually wrien acknowledgment message frequently includes various goodwill informaon
(e.g., reselling, appreciaon for the order). Somemes not all the items ordered can be sent. Some may
be out of stock and must be back-ordered. Somemes the informaon in the order needs to be cleared
before shipment can be made. In such cases, shipment must be delayed—a negave happening. This
informaon also must be handled in the message. If the delay will be taken as roune, it can be reported
directly. If it will be bad news to the reader, you should handle the situaon with a minimum of negave
wording and implicaon.
For example, if the reader failed to give complete informaon in the order, say: “So that you can have the
right color of leather on your master chair, will you please check your choice on the enclosed color
chart?”
For an item that must be placed on back-order, say: “We will rush the Shannon master chair to you just
as soon as our stock is replenished by a shipment due May 4.”
Close
End with a friendly, forward look. Comments about enjoyable (or pro8table) use of the product or a wish
for connued opportunies to serve.
Slides 5-22, 5-23
These slides present bad and good versions of the same message. Notes are provided on the PowerPoint
slides for discussion. You may want to divide students into small groups to analyze what makes the bad
message bad and the good message good and then have the groups arculate their analysis to the rest
of the class.
Thank-You Messages
Slides 5-24, 5-25
Thank-you messages are wrien for many occasions as a way to pracce good equee, build goodwill,
and present a posive professional image of the writer and the writer’s company.
Opening
The opening should be direct and include an expression of thanks.
Content
The content should be personal and speak directly to the reason for the thank-you note.
Close
The writer need not thank the reader again given that thank-you messages are very short and the writer
will have said “thank you” only a few sentences earlier. However, the closing should be relevant to the
topic of the message. This might be a statement regarding future business between the reader and
writer or wishes for success for the reader and his or her company.
Direct Claim
Slides 5-26, 5-27
Most businesses want to know when something is wrong with their products or services so they can
correct the matter and satisfy their customers. Many times the easiest and quickest way for you to address
these claims is simply to call the company directly to settle the matter.
Because you anticipate the reader will willingly grant your request, a direct claim begins with the claim,
moves to an explanation, and ends with a goodwill closing.
Beginning. The direct claim should open with the actual claim. This should be a polite but direct
statement of what you need. If the statement sounds too direct, you may soften it with a little bit of
explanation, but the direct claim should be at the beginning of your message.
Explaining the issue. The body of the direct claim should provide the reader with any information he or
she might need to understand your claim.
Providing a goodwill closing. Your close should end with an expression of goodwill. Keep it simple.
Slides 5-28, 5-29, 5-30
These slides present bad and good versions of the same message. Notes are provided on the PowerPoint
slides for discussion. You may want to divide students into small groups to analyze what makes the bad
message bad and the good message good and then have the groups arculate their analysis to the rest
of the class.
Adjustment Grants
Slide 5-31
Adjustment grants are wrien when you grant a request for an adjustment based on a claim someone
has made regarding a product or service (e.g., a request for a refund, a request for a product
replacement). Because you are doing what the reader wants done and are correcng an error or
problem, the situaon is posive; therefore, directness is appropriate. Because claims themselves
require communicang negave news, claim messages are discussed in Chapter 5.
Even though the situaon is primarily posive, it is not all good news. The problem that led to the claim
you are granng is in the reader’s mind. Something bad has happened.
Granng the adjustment may not eliminate all the negave feelings the reader may have toward you and
your company, but quesons about the service or products of your company may remain. You may need
to regain any con8dence lost if the adjustment grant is to be completely successful.
Opening
The opening words logically present the good news—granng of the adjustment. You will also need to
idenfy the correspondence you are answering in a subject line or in an incidental reference in the
opening.
In the opening and throughout the message, you will need to avoid words that recall unnecessarily the
negave thing that happened. Words such as mistake, trouble, damage, broken, and loss are especially
damaging.
Equally negave are general references such as problem, di!culty, and misunderstanding.
Content
Except in cases in which the cause of the problem is roune or incidental, you will need to work to regain
lost con8dence. Just what you should or can do will depend on the case. Determining your goals,
analyzing your audience, and all of the other steps in planning your document that we discussed in
earlier chapters are parcularly important here. Perhaps you can explain how a product should be used
to avoid the breakdown that occurred. Maybe you have taken steps to ensure that your personnel will
not repeat an error. Or you may explain how what happened was a rare occurrence.
Then if you have a reasonable explanaon, present it—clearly and posively.
Close
End the message on a posive note—a comment that 8ts the one situaon and does not recall what
went wrong. Move forward in the conclusion; do not dwell on the reason for the adjustment.
Slides 5-32, 5-33
These slides present bad and good versions of the same message. Notes are provided on the PowerPoint
slides for discussion. You may want to divide students into small groups to analyze what makes the bad
message bad and the good message good and then have the groups arculate their analysis to the rest
of the class.
Operational Communications
Slides 5-34, 5-35, 5-36, 5-37
These are the internal communicaons necessary in conducng the company’s business—those needed
to get the work done.
They range widely in formality—from the brief, informal exchanges between employees to formal
documents. The informal messages do not require our study. They are simple, direct, frank exchanges of
informaon between workers. The more formal ones resemble the messages we have reviewed in this
chapter. A few resemble those message types we will take up in the next chapter.
The suggesons for wring these messages are much the same as for those types previously discussed.
The need for clarity, correctness, and courtesy should guide these e?orts.
To write an internal operaonal message, writers should do the following:
Organize in the direct order
Choose the appropriate tone (casual, moderately formal, or formal)
Be clear and courteous
Order the informaon logically
Close in a way that builds goodwill
Slides 5-36 and 5-37 give an example of an operaonal message from the text. You may want to use this
example to discuss proper format and technique.