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Focusing on negative messages (Option B)
1. Opening hook: For a touch of drama, you can build this lesson around a real or imagined crisis scenario
for a company. This could involve an environmental disaster, product tampering, a data privacy calamity,
or another event that involves significant risks to a large number of people. To add a teamwork element,
2. First activity: If you’ve chosen to go the team route, the first activity could be centered around assessing
the situations they’ve been handed and deciding how to structure and organize the messages they need
3. Lecture: After getting students into the mindset of conveying or responding to unwelcome information,
your lecture can launch into a comparison of the direct and indirect approaches, followed by the ethical
4. Discussion: Ethics, etiquette (including sharing negative information without being negative), and the
5. Concluding activity: Wrap up the lesson by having student teams compose and revise their messages
The table of suggested questions and exercises on the next page lists all the student activities from Chapters 7 and
8, sorted by learning objective and other instructional parameters.
Suggested Questions and Exercises
Here are the student activities from Chapters 7 and 8, sorted by learning objective. Use this table to find activities
that encourage specific types of learning experiences, communication tasks, or media choices.
Note: The Syllabus Assistant in the Bovée & Thill QuickSwitch system offers a comprehensive set of assessment
criteria for all three aspects of student performance: written communication, oral communication and
presentations, and professionalism/participation.
Chapter 7
LO
Question/Exercise
Learning Experience
Communication Task
Medium/channel
1
7-1
Review
n/a
n/a
1
7-11 through 7-13
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
1
7-22 through 7-24
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
1
7-74
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
2
7-2
Review
n/a
n/a
2
7-3
Review
n/a
n/a
2
7-7
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
7-8
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
7-25
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
2
7-26
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
2
7-30
Practice
Writing
Messaging
2
7-31
Practice
Writing
Email
2
7-32
Practice
Writing
Email
2
7-33
Practice
Writing
Messaging
2
7-75
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
3
7-4
Review
n/a
n/a
3
7-14 through 7-17
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
3
7-18 through 7-21
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Instructor choice
3
7-22 through 7-24
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
7-5
Review
n/a
n/a
4
7-6
Review
n/a
n/a
4
7-9
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
7-10
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
7-27
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
7-28
Practice
Writing
Microblogging
4
7-29
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
Critique the Professionals
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
Sharpen Your Career
Skills Online
Analysis, practice
Writing
Email
4
7-34
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Email
4
7-35
Practice
Writing
Email
4
7-36
Practice
Writing, speaking
Podcasting
4
7-37
Practice
Writing
Microblogging
4
7-38
Practice
Writing
Blogging
4
7-39
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Blogging
4
7-40
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Letters
4
7-41
Practice
Writing
Blogging
4
7-42
Practice
Writing
Blogging
4
7-43
Practice
Writing
Social networking
4
7-44
Practice
Writing
Letters
n/a
7-45 through 7-59
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
n/a
n/a
n/a
7-60 through 7-73
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
Revising
Instructor choice
n/a
Level 3: Document
Critique
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
Revising
Instructor choice
Chapter 8
LO
Question/Exercise
Learning Experience
Communication Task
Medium/channel
1
8-1
Review
n/a
n/a
1
8-2
Review
n/a
n/a
1
Critique the Professionals
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
1
Sharpen Your Career
Skills Online
Analysis, practice
Writing
Email or blogging
1
8-72
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
2
8-3
Review
n/a
n/a
2
8-7
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
8-11 through 8-13
Practice
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
3
8-4
Review
n/a
n/a
3
8-8
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
3
8-11 through 8-13
Practice
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
3
8-14 through 8-16
Practice
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
8-17 through 8-19
Practice, collaboration
Writing, discussion
Instructor choice
4
8-20
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
8-21
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
8-22
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
8-23
Analysis, practice, ethical
understanding
Writing
Instructor choice
4
8-24
Analysis, practice
Writing
Email, mobile
4
8-25
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
8-27
Practice
Writing
Email
4
8-30
Practice
Writing
Email
4
8-31
Practice
Writing
Email
4
8-32
Practice
Writing
Email
4
8-34
Practice
Writing
Podcasting
5
8-9
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
5
8-26
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
5
8-28
Practice
Writing
Email
5
8-29
Practice
Writing
Microblogging
5
8-33
Practice
Writing
Social networking
5
8-35
Practice
Writing
Letters
5
8-36
Practice
Writing
Messaging, mobile
5
8-37
Practice
Writing
Memos
5
8-38
Practice
Writing
Social networking
5
8-73
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
6
8-39
Practice
Writing
Social networking
7
8-6
Review
n/a
n/a
7
8-10
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
7
8-40
Practice
Writing
Microblogging
7
8-41
Practice
Writing
Social networking
n/a
8-42 through 8-56
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
n/a
n/a
n/a
8-57 through 8-71
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
Revising
Instructor choice
n/a
Level 3: Document
Critique
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
Revising
Instructor choice
Lesson Plan Foundation
7. Persuasive Messages
These lesson plan foundations provide core materials that you can integrate into an existing
lesson plan or use to build a new plan. Each foundation covers roughly a week’s worth of subject
matter, which you can adapt to your course schedule, teaching style, and other individual
requirements. The material is based on a specific Bovée & Thill edition, making it easy to assign
the suggested readings and activities from the text. Comprehensive lecture notes and answers
to student activities from the text are available in the Instructor’s Resource Manual.
Overview
This lesson plan foundation corresponds to Chapter 9, Writing Persuasive Messages,
with coverage of persuasive business messages and marketing and sales messages.
Core Messages for Students
• Persuasion is the attempt to change someone’s attitudes, beliefs, or actions.
• Although it has a reputation as something potentially unethical, successful professionals understand that
persuasion is not about trickery or getting people to act against their own best interests.
• Persuasive messages are sometimes unwelcome, so planning carefully and adopting the “you” attitude
are essential.
Learning Objectives
The objectives for this lesson align with Chapter 9:
2. Describe an effective strategy for developing persuasive business messages
4. Describe an effective strategy for developing marketing and sales messages, explain how to modify your
approach when writing promotional messages for social media, and identify steps you can take to avoid
ethical lapses in marketing and sales messages.
Learning Objectives: Check Your Progress on page 238 summarizes the learning objectives for students.
For Business
Communication
Essentials, 8th edition
Assumptions
This lesson builds on the three-step writing process covered in Lessons 3 and 4, so it should be presented after
those lessons.
Resources
In the Instructor’s Resource Manual (available online at the Pearson Instructor Resource Center; see below):
• Lecture notes, keyed to the learning objective from each major section in the chapter
• Class discussion questions (embedded in the lecture notes)
• Answers to highlight box questions
On Bovée & Thill’s Business Communication Blog
• Original articles on teaching business communication
• A wide variety of free media resources, from videos to infographics, available via Real-Time Updates
• Business communication instructor communities on LinkedIn and Facebook
On Pearson’s Instructor Resource Center
• Instructor’s Resource Manual
Readings from the Text
Here are the major sections in the chapter, each linked to a learning objective. If you want to reduce the time you
spend on this lesson, the easiest way is to drop a learning objective and its associated readings (and end-of-
chapter activities, which are all keyed by learning objective). We’ve highlighted some of the most important figures
and tables to discuss in each section as well. Note that page numbers here refer to the standard edition; if you use
a custom edition, your page numbers will likely differ.
Learning Objective 1: Apply the three-step writing process to persuasive messages.
• Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Persuasive Messages (overview), page 222
Learning Objective 2: Describe an effective strategy for developing persuasive business messages
Learning Objective 4: Describe an effective strategy for developing marketing and sales messages and explain how
to modify your approach when writing promotional messages for social media, and identify steps you can take to
avoid ethical lapses in marketing and sales messages.
• Communication Matters, page 221
• Developing Marketing and Sales Messages (overview), pages 232, 234
Instructional Sequence
Here is a suggested sequence of discussions and activities. You can supplement this with personal anecdotes,
communication examples “ripped from the headlines” (including media materials available on Real-Time Updates),
and additional exercises and activities from the end of the chapter.
1. Opening hook: You can explore the power of persuasive communication by asking students to name
some of the products, brands, and companies they use and ask them to reflect on how they learned about
them and became intrigued enough to give them a try. What information did they respond to and where
did this information come from? Students may be surprised at how difficult it can be to unweave their
2. First activity: A group project to develop a persuasive message for something that students feel
passionate about can be a great way to explore the process of developing these messages. Have the class
3. Lecture: With this goal in mind, students will be receptive to information on how to achieve persuasive
4. Discussion: After covering the principles of effective and ethical persuasion, lead the class in a discussion
of how to apply these principles to the persuasive challenge they have set for themselves.
5. Concluding activity: With the conceptual tools of promotion in hand, the class can now work on a high-
level message to promote the product, company, or cause they chose earlier. Remind them to pay close
attention to the balance of emotional and logical appeals and to be mindful of how much information
they try to pack into the high-level message.
Suggested Questions and Exercises
Here are the student activities from Chapter 9, sorted by learning objective. Use this table to find activities that
encourage specific types of learning experiences, communication tasks, or media choices.
Note: The Syllabus Assistant in the Bovée & Thill QuickSwitch system offers a comprehensive set of assessment
criteria for all three aspects of student performance: written communication, oral communication and
presentations, and professionalism/participation.
LO
Question/Exercise
Learning Experience
Communication Task
Medium/channel
1
9-1
Review
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
1
9-7
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
1
9-77
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
2
9-2
Review
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
9-3
Review
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
9-4
Review
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
9-5
Review
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
9-8
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
9-12 through 9-18
Analysis, teamwork
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
9-19 through 9-21
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
9-25
Practice
Listening
Podcasting
2
Sharpen Your Career
Skills Online
Analysis, practice
Writing
Email or blogging
2
9-33
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Email
2
9-34
Practice
Writing
Email
2
9-36
Practice
Writing
Email
2
9-32
Practice
Writing
Email
3
9-26
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
3
9-27
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
3
9-32
Practice
Writing
Microblogging
3
9-35
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Blogging
3
9-37
Practice
Writing
Email
3
9-39
Practice
Writing
Letters
3
9-45
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Social networking
3
9-46
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Microblogging
4
9-6
Review
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
9-9
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
9-10
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
9-11
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
9-22 through 9-24
Analysis, teamwork
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
9-28
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
9-29
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
9-30
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
4
9-31
Analysis, practice, ethical
understanding
Writing
Blogging
4
Critique the Professionals
Analysis, practice
Writing
Email or blogging
4
Sharpen Your Career
Skills Online
Analysis, practice
Writing
Email or blogging
4
9-40
Practice
Writing
Letters
4
9-41
Practice
Writing
Web writing
4
9-42
Practice
Writing
Social networking
4
9-43
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Social networking
4
9-44
Practice
Writing
Microblogging
4
9-78
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
LO
Question/Exercise
Learning Experience
Communication Task
Medium/channel
n/a
9-47 through 9-61
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
n/a
n/a
n/a
9-62 through 9-76
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
Revising
Instructor choice
n/a
Level 3: Document
Critique
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
Revising
Instructor choice
Lesson Plan Foundation
8. Writing Reports and Proposals
These lesson plan foundations provide core materials that you can integrate into an existing
lesson plan or use to build a new plan. Each foundation covers roughly a week’s worth of
subject matter, which you can adapt to your course schedule, teaching style, and other
individual requirements. The material is based on a specific Bovée & Thill edition, making it easy
to assign the suggested readings and activities from the text. Comprehensive lecture notes and
Learning Objectives
The objectives for this lesson encompass the learning objectives from Chapters 10 and 11. To compress the
material to fit your available class time, you can emphasize particular objectives based on your course goals and
student skill levels. Here are the learning objectives for the two chapters, tagged for two options:
Option A: If you want to cover all the major sections of these two chapters
Option B: If you want to focus on report preparation with quick coverage of research and visuals
A
B
Chapter 10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
12. Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals.
13. Describe an effective process for conducting business research, explain how to evaluate the credibility of an
information source, and identify the five ways to use research results.
14. Explain the role of secondary research, and describe the two major categories of online research tools.
15. Explain the role of primary research, and identify the two most common forms of primary research for business
communication purposes.
16. Explain how to plan informational reports and website content.
17. Identify the three most common ways to organize analytical reports.
18. Explain how to plan proposals.
A
B
Chapter 11: Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals
14. List the topics commonly covered in the introduction, body, and close of informational reports, analytical
reports, and proposals.
15. Identify six guidelines for drafting effective website content, and offer guidelines for becoming a valuable wiki
contributor.
16. Discuss six principles of graphic design that can improve the quality of your visuals, and identify the major types
of business visuals.
17. Summarize the four tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals.
Learning Objectives: Check Your Progress on page 272 of Chapter 10 and page 318 of Chapter 11 summarize the
learning objectives for students.
Assumptions
This lesson builds on the three-step writing process covered in Lessons 4 and 5, so it should be presented after
Resources
In the Instructor’s Resource Manual (available online at the Pearson Instructor Resource Center; see below):
• Lecture notes, keyed to the learning objective from each major section in the chapter
• Class discussion questions (embedded in the lecture notes)
• Answers to highlight box questions
On Bovée & Thill’s Business Communication Blog
• Original articles on teaching business communication
• A wide variety of free media resources, from videos to infographics, available via Real-Time Updates
• Business communication instructor communities on LinkedIn and Facebook
On Pearson’s Instructor Resource Center
• Instructor’s Resource Manual
Readings from the Text
Here are the major sections in Chapters 10 and 11, each linked to a learning objective. If you want to reduce the
time you spend on this lesson, the easiest way is to drop a learning objective and its associated readings (and end-
of-chapter activities, which are all keyed by learning objective). We’ve highlighted some of the most important
figures and tables to discuss in each section as well. Note that page numbers here refer to the standard edition; if
you use a custom edition, your page numbers will likely differ.
Chapter 10
Learning Objective 1: Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals.
• Applying the Three-Step Writing Process to Reports and Proposals (overview), including Figure 10.1,
page 250
• Analyzing the Situation, including Figure 10.2 (on page 252), page 251
• Selecting the Right Combination of Media and Channels, page 251
• Organizing Your Information, including Figure 10.4 (on page 254), pages 252–253
• Finding Information Online, pages 258–259
• Documenting Your Sources, pages 259–260
Learning Objective 4: Explain the role of primary research, and identify the two most common forms of primary
research for business communication purposes.
• Conducting Surveys, pages 260–261
Learning Objective 7: Explain how to plan proposals.
• Planning Proposals, including Figure 10.9 (on pages 268–271), pages 265–267
Chapter 11
Learning Objective 1: List the topics commonly covered in the introduction, body, and close of informational
reports, analytical reports, and proposals.
• Choosing the Right Visual for the Job, including Table 11.2 and Figures 11.4 through 11.1, pages 289–296
• Designing Effective Visuals, pages 296–298
Learning Objective 4: Summarize the four tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals.
• Completing Reports and Proposals (overview), page 298
• Producing Formal Reports and Proposals, page Table 11.3 (on page 299), page 298
Instructional Sequence
Here is a suggested sequence of discussions and activities. You can supplement this with personal anecdotes,
communication examples “ripped from the headlines” (including media materials available on Real-Time Updates),
and additional exercises and activities from the end of the chapter.
1. Opening hook: You might open by asking students to volunteer whether they ever have stopped reading
2. First activity: One option here is taking one of the examples offered by a student and asking the class to
outline or draft a better approach. For instance, someone might have stopped reading or chosen not to
3. Lecture: You can focus on two areas for this lesson: the best approach to writing content for lengthy
4. Discussion: After covering the key considerations for writing report content and the elements that make a
5. Concluding activity: Adding or improving headings, transitions, previews, and reviews is another
opportunity to demonstrate the value of a reader-focused approach to report and proposal writing.
The table of suggested questions and exercises on the next page lists all the student activities from Chapters 10
and 11, sorted by learning objective and other instructional parameters.
Suggested Questions and Exercises
Here are the student activities from Chapters 10 and 11, sorted by learning objective. Use these tables to find
activities that encourage specific types of learning experiences, communication tasks, or media choices.
Note: The Syllabus Assistant in the Bovée & Thill QuickSwitch system offers a comprehensive set of assessment
criteria for all three aspects of student performance: written communication, oral communication and
presentations, and professionalism/participation.
Chapter 10
LO
Question/Exercise
Learning Experience
Communication Task
Medium/channel
1
10-1
Review
n/a
n/a
1
10-2
Review
n/a
n/a
1
10-8
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
1
10-12
Analysis, practice
Writing
Instructor choice
1
10-26
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
1
10-39
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Wiki writing
1
10-46
Practice
Writing
Reports
2
10-3
Review
n/a
n/a
2
10-13
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
2
Sharpen Your Career
Skills Online
Practice
Writing
Email
3
10-9
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
3
10-14
Practice
Writing
Twitter
3
10-15 through 10-21
Research
Writing
Instructor choice
3
10-22
Research
Writing
Instructor choice
3
10-45
Practice
Writing
Reports
3
10-78
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
4
10-4
Review
n/a
n/a
4
10-23
Research
Writing
Instructor choice
4
10-24
Research
Writing
Instructor choice
4
10-25
Research
Writing
Instructor choice
5
10-10
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
5
10-27
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
5
10-28
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
5
Critique the Professionals
Analysis
Writing
Instructor choice
5
10-35
Practice
Writing
Reports
5
10-36
Practice
Writing
Reports
5
10-37
Practice
Writing
Blogging
5
10-38
Practice
Writing
Email
5
10-40
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Blogging
5
10-41
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Web writing
6
10-6
Review
n/a
n/a
6
10-11
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
6
10-29 through 10-33
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
6
10-42
Practice
Writing
Email
6
10-43
Practice
Writing
Memos
6
10-44
Practice
Writing
Reports
7
10-7
Review
n/a
n/a
7
10-34
Practice, teamwork
Research, planning
Instructor choice
7
10-46
Practice
Writing
Reports
7
10-47
Practice
Writing
Email
7
10-79
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
Chapter 10
LO
Question/Exercise
Learning Experience
Communication Task
Medium/channel
n/a
10-48 through 10-62
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
n/a
n/a
n/a
10-63 through 10-77
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
Revising
Instructor choice
n/a
Level 3: Document
Critique
Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,
and Usage
Revising
Instructor choice
Chapter 11
LO
Question/Exercise
Learning Experience
Communication Task
Medium/channel
1
11-1
Review
n/a
n/a
1
11-2
Review
n/a
n/a
1
11-11
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Memos
1
11-12
Practice
Writing
Reports
1
11-17
Practice, ethical understanding
Writing
Instructor choice
1
Critique the Professionals
Practice
Writing
Instructor choice
1
11-22
Practice
Writing
Reports
1
11-23
Practice
Writing
Reports
1
11-24
Practice
Writing
Reports
1
11-25
Practice
Writing
Reports
1
11-26
Practice
Writing
Reports
1
11-27
Practice
Writing
Reports
1
11-28
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Reports
2
11-3
Review
n/a
n/a
2
11-7
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
2
11-13
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Wikis
2
11-14
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Wikis
2
11-60
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
3
11-4
Review
n/a
n/a
3
11-5
Review
n/a
n/a
3
11-8
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
3
11-15
Practice
Design
Instructor choice
3
11-16
Practice
Design
Instructor choice
3
Sharpen Your Career
Skills Online
Analysis
Design, writing
Email
3
11-61
Analysis
Writing
MyBCommLab
4
11-6
Review
n/a
n/a
4
11-9
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
11-10
Analysis
Writing or discussion
Instructor choice
4
11-18
Practice, ethical understanding
Writing
Instructor choice
4
11-19
Practice
Writing
Reports
4
11-20
Practice
Writing
Reports
4
11-21
Practice
Writing
Reports
4
11-22
Practice
Writing
Reports
4
11-24
Practice
Writing
Reports
4
11-25
Practice
Writing
Reports
4
11-27
Practice
Writing
Reports
4
11-29
Practice, teamwork
Writing
Reports
