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5: Completing Business Messages
5-10
5-8. White space is always helpful, but it’s critical on small screens because readers are trying
5-9. The most obvious nonverbal message you can send in distributing your message involves
cost. For example, overnight delivery could look responsive in one instance and wasteful
PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS
Exercises for Perfecting Your Writing
Revising Messages: Clarity. The shortened versions:
5-10. Next time you write something, check your average sentence length in a 100-word
5-11. Don’t do what the village blacksmith did. He instructed his apprentice as follows: “When I
AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
5-12. Unfortunately, no gadget will produce excellent writing. But using spell checkers and
Written and oral communication)
5-13. Know the flexibility of the written word and its power to convey an idea. Know how to
Written and oral communication)
following:
5-14. The board cannot act without consensus. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
5-15. To surpass our competitors, we need innovations both in products and in company
5-16. George McClannahan has finally gotten his long-awaited promotion to head of
5-17. Don’t pay more than you have to. You can get our new fragrance at $50. (LO 5.3; AACSB
Tag: Written and oral communication)
5: Completing Business Messages
5-11
Revising Messages: Conciseness. The revised versions:
5-18. The old calculator isn’t good for solving hard problems. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written
5-19. The pay increases must be stopped before an unusually large debt mounts. (LO 5.3;
5-20. The executives all agreed that Ms. Jackson’s strange ways were cause for a required
communication)
5-21. The upcoming sale of the company’s assets delighted the company’s competitors. (LO 5.3;
5-24. To destroy a dream is tragic. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
5-28. I will summarize this experiment when it’s over. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
follows:
5-29. High pay increases were given to the skilled and conscientious employees. (LO 5.3;
5-30. The union’s proposals were inflationary, demanding, and bold. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag:
5-32. The situation will improve soon. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
5: Completing Business Messages
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5-33. Your report suggests we are losing money. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
5-34. Nancy has more influence over employees in the new-accounts department. (LO 5.3;
read as follows:
5-35. Several examples here show that Elaine can’t hold a position very long. (LO 5.3; AACSB
5-36. A generous contribution to Mildred Cook’s retirement party would be appreciated. (LO
5-37. Generally reliable sources in Washington report today that the White House will soon
communication)
5-38. According to the rule, we cannot work overtime without permission. (LO 5.3; AACSB
as follows:
5-39. Mr. Hill is expected to lecture three days a week, counsel two days a week, and write for
5-40. She not only knows accounting but also reads Latin. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and
5-41. Both applicants were in their thirties, had families, were college graduates, and had
5-42. This book was exciting, well written, and interesting. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and
removed:
5-43. The vice president in charge of sales is responsible for funding the demo unit program and
5-44. The vice president in charge of sales is responsible for funding the demo unit program and
5: Completing Business Messages
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5-45. The budgets for the demo unit program and the loaner unit program were both increased 10
5-46. John received his laser printer, and Megan got her inkjet printer. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag:
5-47. We watched the countryside glide by as the train ran down the railroad tracks in a cloud of
5-48. Ruby saw the seashell lying on the shelf. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
5-49. I think the factory would be a bad investment because it needs a major equipment upgrade.
5-50. Sandy took the whole afternoon to clean up her desk since it was cluttered and filthy. (LO
5-51. The focus of the meeting was a discussion of deregulation of bank interest rates. (LO 5.3;
5-52. Following the recommendations of the government task force, we are revising our
communication)
5-53. The components of the production department’s program for quality assurance include
5-54. The plan for reducing inventory in the supermarket warehouse will be implemented next
5-55. Trudy ran when she saw the bull pawing the ground. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and
5-56. According to Ted, who is probably the worst gossip in the office (Tom excepted), it was
communication)
5-57. In his book Investment Capital Reconsidered, William Oberstreet writes of the mistakes
communication)
5: Completing Business Messages
5-14
5-58. After passing up several sensible investment opportunities, Judy Schimmel invested her
AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
verbs:
5-59. The employees adapted easily to the new rules. (LO 5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
5-62. The board of directors recommended that Mr. Ronson be assigned to a new division. (LO
5.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
ACTIVITIES
5-63. Students’ responses should reflect the chapter’s advice involving evaluating, editing, and
and oral communication)
5-64. As students collaborate on evaluating and revising the document, they should review
guidelines from the chapter related to content, organization, style, and tone. To evaluate
evaluating style and tone, they should pay attention to the level of formality and decide
whether it is overly formal for the audience’s expectations, not formal enough, or
5-65. Even though your company does not sell products in the local area, you still have an ethical
obligation to add the information to the website. The construction delays alone could
their neighbors. Finally, posting information about the construction may help to reduce the
amount of traffic (and, ideally, the number of accidents) in the area around the plant. (LO
5.3; AACSB Tag: Ethical reasoning and understanding)
5: Completing Business Messages
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5-66. Here’s one example of how students might revise the paragraph for improved readability by
removing wordiness, shortening some sentences for clarity and others to vary tempo, and
Although major league baseball remains popular, more people are attending minor league
games. They can save on admission, snacks, and parking and still enjoy the excitement of
they’d pay to attend a major league game. (LO 5.2; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
5-67. Students should comment on the use of typefaces, white space, headings, and other design
5-68. In their revisions, students should address the design elements that contribute to
readability. These include consistency, balance, restraint, and detail. They should also pay
communication)
EXPAND YOUR SKILLS
colors, or decorative touches); and detail (particularly in terms of elements affecting design and
readability). (LO 5.4; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
conventions for communicating in the particular medium should be observed, and the summary
should clearly and effectively convey the information that was learned. (LO 5.1: AACSB Tag:
Written and oral communication)
IMPROVE YOUR GRAMMAR, MECHANICS, AND USAGE
Level 1: Self-Assessment—Adverbs
5-70. surely (AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
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5-79. He doesn’t seem to have any. Or: He seems to have none. (AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
5-80. That machine is scarcely ever used. Or: That machine is never used. (AACSB Tag:
5-81. They can’t get any replacement parts until Thursday. Or: They can get no replacement
5-82. It wasn’t any different from the first event we promoted. Or: It was no different from . . .
5-83. We’ve looked for it, and it doesn’t seem to be anywhere. Or: It seems to be nowhere.
Level 2: Workplace Applications
5-84. All too often, whoever leaves the most out of his or her cost estimate is the one who wins
5-85. For the last 14 years, CEO Carol Bartz has guided Autodesk from a small company to its
Written and oral communication)
5-86. Shoppers were initially uninterested in the web because many hyped services offered no
communication)
5-88. Get to know your customers and their expectations; get customers to talk about their
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5-89. Price will not matter nearly as much to homeowners who feel they have found a competent
communication)
5-90. If I were you, I would have avoided investing in large conglomerates, in light of the
Written and oral communication)
5-91. Outdoor goods retailer REI has had significant sales success with in-store kiosks that let
communication)
5-92. To people in some areas of cyberspace, “advertising” is a four-letter word, but “marketing”
5-93. In any business effort, making money requires planning, strategic marketing, a good
Tag: Written and oral communication)
5-94. Investors must decide whether to put their capital into bonds or CDs. (AACSB Tag:
Written and oral communication)
5-95. Running at full capacity, manufacturing plants produce millions of Nike shoes every day.
Level 3: Document Critique—Well-Written Solution
DATE: 22 September 2015
TO: Metro Power Employees
FROM: Susannah Beech, HR Administrator SB
We all know the stress of racing toward a deadline and suddenly having equipment fail. Here are
5: Completing Business Messages
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Report failures promptly. Get the fastest repair assistance by reporting computer
moment to calm down.
The last suggestion is perhaps the most important to keep your career on track. Lost tempers,
(AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
