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Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
Part 2: Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
10.1 What are the three criteria for good subject lines? (LO 10-1)
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,
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),
Confirmations: Start the message by indicating that it is a confirmation, not a new message.
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
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
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-1
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
10.4 What’s wrong with the subject line “New Policy”? (LO 10-1)
10.5 Is it unethical to “bury” any negative elements in an otherwise positive or informative
message? (LO 10-2)
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.
10.7 Are you more likely to need reader benefits in informative letters or memos? Why?
(LO 10-3)
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.
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,
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-2
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
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
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
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
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
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
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-3
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
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
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.
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.
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manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-4
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
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
5. What objection(s) can you anticipate from your reader(s)? What negative elements must you
deemphasize or overcome?
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
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
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-5
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
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
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
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. What information must your message include?
Location
Time of operation
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manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-6
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
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
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.
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
10.18 Confirming a Reservation (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6)
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
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manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-7
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
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
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
In #2, the student can either use library research or use experience in the organization for which
#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
#4 probably would require research from the Chamber of Commerce, the International Studies
#5 would spend most of its time talking about why the reader should read that particular trade
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
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-8
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
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
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
10.23 Announcing a Tuition Reimbursement Program (LO 10-1 to LO 10-6)
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
Polishing Your Prose: Dangling Modifiers (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the
textbook.)
Several answers are possible—here 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.
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-9
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-10
Module 10 - Informative and Positive Messages
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
10-11
