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12
iii. Search for easily confused words such as to/too and then/than.
iv. Read for missing words and inconsistencies.
d. How to proofread complex documents:
i. Print a double-spaced copy and set it aside for at least a day before
starting.
e. Pair Activity: 20 minutes total. Are You a Good Proofreader?
Break class into pairs and have them discuss the questions posed on the PPT
slide. Students should be prepared to share their findings with the larger
group.
• Do you find it easier to proofread your own work or the work of
others?
V. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Message (6-5, PPT Slides 35–39, DISC: Theory
application)
a. To evaluate the effectiveness of a message, try asking these questions:
i. Is it polished and clear enough to convince the reader that you are
b. Encourage the receiver to respond to your message and use that feedback to
improve your communication technique in the future.
c. Small Group Discussion Activity: 25 minutes total. Critical Thinking #5—
Ethical Issue
Break the class into groups of three to five students. Have students review
the scenario posed on the PPT slide and then discuss what action should be
taken. Groups should collectively choose the most compelling answer to the
question and be prepared to share their response with the larger group.
• What action should Taylor take?
o Taylor is in a difficult, sensitive position and needs to be
cautious about handling this situation. All of her options
involve risk. She could edit the article without mentioning it.
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Discussion Questions
You can assign these questions several ways: in a discussion forum in your LMS; as whole-
class discussions in person; or as a partner or group activity in class. (Critical Thinking #5
can be found in the chapter outline above as a PPT activity.)
1. Discussion: Good Writing in the Age of E-mail (Critical Thinking #1, 6-1–6-5)
Duration 10 minutes.
a. A blogger has asserted that e-mail has made good writing more difficult to
b. Do you agree that good writing has become more difficult because of e-mail?
i. Answer: Some might argue that e-mail has made the process easier
2. Discussion: Making the Time to Revise (Critical Thinking #2, 6-1–6-5)
Duration 10 minutes.
a. In this hurry-up era of e-mailing, messaging, and tweeting, the idea of
stopping to revise a message seems counterproductive. What? Stop to
proofread and edit? Crazy idea! No time!
b. In this digital era of rapid communication, how can you justify the time it
takes to stop and revise a message?
i. Answer: It doesn’t matter how quickly a person responds or what
channel is used for communication. Taking the time to revise to
3. Discussion: Using Clear and Concise Writing (Critical Thinking #3, 6-2, PPT Slide 13)
Duration 5 minutes.
a. Assume you have started a new job in which you respond to customers by
using boilerplate (previously constructed) paragraphs. Some of them contain
b. What should you do?
i. Answer: The best plan probably is to use the paragraphs until your
4. Discussion: Conveying Warmth and Enthusiasm (Critical Thinking #4)
Duration 15 minutes.
a. Most users of e-mail recognize that digital communication is undergoing
exclamation-point inflation. When one female manager recently attempted
to go without using exclamation points for one month, she found it difficult
b. What could managers do to convey warmth and enthusiasm without
resorting to exclamation points and all caps in messages?
i. Answer: In workplace messages, warmth and enthusiasm can be
c. Why do you think it is particularly important for female managers to convey
warmth in their “boss messages”?
i. Answer: Female managers may have to work harder to appear warm
because their “boss messages” may sound cold and unfriendly
Additional Activities and Assignments
1. Case Study: Zooming In—Taco Bell Amazingly Ranks No.1: In this case study,
students will read a summary about how Taco Bell won the title of best Mexican
restaurant chain in the United States. They are then asked to answer a series of
critical-thinking questions.
a. Assume that a recently hired culinary product manager is charged with
generating and implementing new menu suggestions. What role does
communication skill play in this person’s effectiveness in completing this
task?
i. Although someone may have excellent creative ideas for a new
product or strategy, those ideas will be unappreciated unless they can
b. Do you think a culinary product manager would make an oral or a written
presentation of new menu ideas?
i. A Taco Bell culinary product manager would probably write a report
c. Why is a writing process helpful in developing a presentation of new ideas?
i. Both novice and veteran writers benefit from following a writing
immeasurably easier.
2. Case Study: Zooming In—Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at Taco Bell: In this
case study, students will review the rough draft of a memo summarizing a longer
report, which has been partially revised (Model Document 6.2), and then revise it.
Have students complete the assignment individually and then present their work to
you.
i. The head of corporate communication believes Blake’s “ideas are right
on target, but the main points are lost in wordy sentences and solid
paragraphs.”
b. Solution:
Date: June 4, 2021
To: Taco Bell Management Council
From: Blake Valle, Culinary Product Manager
Subject: New Ideas Eating Trends and Exciting New Menu Options
As per your you requested, the writer is I am submitting the following ideas
based on his personal my observations and research in regard to about
eating trends in fast-service restaurants that offer fast service. As you
suggested, I am also offering in the following Following is a brief
Making Observations of What’s Trending in Fast Service Eateries
As you probably know, Mexican cuisine is increasingly popular from coast to
coast, but today’s customers—especially millennials—want much more
intense flavors. With with locally sourced ingredients. There are Four trends
that are most appropriate for us to take action act on as we revamp the Taco
Bell menu.
• High-protein items. Recent research reveals that 42 percent of all
millennials and more than half of all adults think that eating more protein
is important.
• Spices. Consumers are appreciating more highly spiced foods and hot
sauces. Spicy Thai and other ethnic dishes are growing in popularity.
A Few Ideas for New Menu Options
Despite the fact that Although my full report contains a number of additional
trends and menu ideas, here are three significant menu concepts: that are
significant and important:
appeal to those desiring fresh flavors, we could offer homemade exotic
salsas. With locally sourced ingredients for bold flavors and textures. Third,
to cater to snackers, I suggest Small Plates items. We could offer grilled
sweet potato nachos with crumbled cojito and gooey cheese sauce on top.
Other small plates might offer jalapeno pepper quinoa bites that are cheesy
and spicy along with sharable snacks such as rolled chicken tacos.
• PowerProtein Menu. Reflecting the trend toward more protein, we could
offer high-protein breakfast items such as steak burritos and Greek
yogurt with granola.
I would be more than delighted and happy to have a discussion of discuss
these ideas with you in greater detail and have a demonstration of
3. Chat About It: At the end of each chapter, you will find additional open-ended
questions related to the chapter material. You may assign these topics for
discussion in class, in an online chat room, or on an online discussion board. You
may also ask students to read and respond to postings made by their classmates.
(Chat About It Topic #5 can be found in the chapter outline above as a PPT activity.)
Topic 1: As a new employee, you are unsure about the tone you should use in
e-mail messages. To show your authenticity and warmth, you are inclined to
throw in exclamation points liberally because they truly show how you feel. How
can you be guided in knowing how much freedom you have in expressing
yourself?
Revising Business Messages
you go? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each method for you?
Do you use the same method for both short and long messages?
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Additional Resources
Cengage Video Resources
• MindTap Videos:
o Learn It: Chapter 06 Revising Business Messages
▪ Learn It: Video Lesson 6-1
▪ Learn It: Video Lesson 6-2
Appendix
Generic Rubrics
Providing students with rubrics helps them understand expectations and components of
assignments. Rubrics help students become more aware of their learning process and
progress, and they improve students’ work through timely and detailed feedback.
Standard Writing Rubric
Criteria
Meets Requirements
Needs Improvement
Incomplete
Content
The assignment clearly
and comprehensively
addresses all questions
in the assignment.
15 points
The assignment partially
addresses some or all
questions in the
assignment.
8 points
The assignment does not
address the questions in
the assignment.
0 points
conclusions are logically
related and consistent.
10 points
arguments, and
conclusions are mostly
logically related and
consistent.
logically related and
consistent.
0 points
Research
The assignment is based
upon appropriate and
adequate academic
literature, including peer
reviewed journals and
other scholarly work.
5 points
The assignment is based
upon adequate
academic literature but
does not include peer
reviewed journals and
other scholarly work.
3 points
The assignment is not
based upon appropriate
and adequate academic
literature and does not
include peer reviewed
journals and other
scholarly work.
The assignment follows
the required citation
guidelines.
The assignment follows
some of the required
citation guidelines.
The assignment does not
follow the required
citation guidelines.
5 points
3 points
0 points
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Standard Discussion Rubric
Criteria
Meets Requirements
Needs Improvement
Incomplete
Participation
Participates in or
submits discussion by
the posted deadlines.
Follows instructions for
initial post and
responses.
10 points
5 points
3 points
Does not participate in
or submit discussion by
the posted deadlines.
Does not follow
instructions for initial
post and responses.
Does not participate in
discussion.
0 points