8-1
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
Part II: Chapter-by-Chapter Lecture Notes & Exercises
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
Teaching Suggestions
This chapter introduces students to one of the standard organizational approaches in business writing: the
direct organizational pattern. Because this pattern is used most frequently in situations in which the reader
will react positively or neutrally, Chapter 8 discusses the direct pattern in this rhetorical context. But
many of the following suggestions for teaching Chapter 8 will also apply to teaching students to write the
other types of messages discussed in Chapters 9 and 10 (e.g. negative-news messages, persuasive
messages).
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 communication style. Are they direct communicators? Indirect communicators?
Although you will discuss the indirect approach more thoroughly in Chapter 9, you may also ask students
to reflect on a time when they received a message directly that should have been communicated indirectly
or vice versa.
Illustration
After presenting the lecture, you may want to refer to the good and bad message examples in the Chapter
8 PowerPoint and have students analyze and articulate what happened in the writing that makes the good
Criticism of Student Messages
Students should write a direct message as an assignment for this chapter. After writing a draft, students
can bring their work to class for peer editing. As a guide for peer editing, you may want to develop a form
8-2
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
Copyright © 2018 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved.
No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Writing Contests
Another option to motivate students to produce good messages is to hold writing contests. The judges are
the students. They read the messages, grade them, and determine the winners. A prize may be bonus
points.
Specifically, this plan works as follows. Divide the class into groups of five or six students. Each group
grades the messages of another group—making detailed comments on papers in the process. Each grading
Recognition of Good Work
Another effective 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.
Connect Tools
Connect provides instructors with a variety of ways to customize courses, create assignments, determine
grading policies, and receive student work. One of the tools Connect offers is the ability to select and add
interactive assignments to your course. Explanations of these assignments and how they support the
learning objectives are integrated into the instructor’s manual with the relevant subject areas.
Learning Objectives
8-3
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
LO 8-1 Assess the reader’s likely reaction to your message.
LO 8-2 Describe the general plan for direct-order messages.
LO 8-3 Write clear, well-structured routine inquiries.
Key Terms
direct organizational pattern
objective
routine inquiry
true question form
favorable response
order acknowledgment
direct claim
indirect claim
internal-operational messages
Text Summary, Lecture Outline
Approaches to Good-News and Neutral Messages
Slides 8-1, 8-2, 8-3
This chapter introduces students to one of the standard organizational approaches in business writing: the
direct organizational pattern. Because this pattern is used most frequently in situations in which the reader
will react positively or neutrally, Chapter 8 discusses the direct pattern in this rhetorical context.
This chapter overview (on this and the following slide) introduces the objectives to be discussed.
Slide 8-4
Assess Audience Reaction
Whether a writer chooses the direct or indirect approach (discussed in the next chapter) depends on the
reaction of the audience. This illustrates the importance of audience analysis.
Begin preparing for a message by assessing the reader’s probable reaction.
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Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
If the likely reaction is negative, indirectness is in order.
The General Direct Plan
Slide 8-5
The general plan for direct order is as follows.
Begin with your objective: Whatever your key point is, lead with it. You may want to provide brief
background information before presenting it.
Routine Inquiries
Slides 8-6, 8-7, 8-8, 8-9
Routine inquiries are those where the writer expects a positive response from the reader.
Begin with the objective. In doing so, you may ask a question or give an answer to a question the reader
has previously asked you. These beginnings save time for writer and reader. After you have done that,
you can present any necessary explanation, ask additional questions, or give additional answers. To close,
end with a goodwill message that is relevant to the reader.
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 articulate their analysis to the rest of the class.
Opening
Begin directly.
8-5
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
Use either a specific question that sets up the entire message (“Is your Karatan line of leather goods sold
on an exclusive dealership basis?”) or a general request for information (“Will you please answer the
following questions about your dealership policy for your Karatan line of leather goods?”)
Content
Usually there is some need to identify or explain the situation. Such information helps the reader in
answering. Most often this information fits best after the opening. When a number of questions must be
asked, sometimes explanations are needed within the questions. The point is to tell the reader whatever is
needed to enable her or him to answer.
If your inquiry involves asking a single question, the message is short—a direct opening followed by any
necessary explanation and a friendly closing comment.
Sometimes a number of questions need to be asked.
Generally avoid questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”
“Do long periods of freezing temperatures damage Gardex?” vs. “What are the effects of long periods of
freezing temperature on Gardex?”
Close
End with a goodwill comment, preferably using words that fit 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.”
Slide 8-7 shows a bad example of a routine inquiry.
Ask students to point out the problems in this message.
The close could be interpreted as rude. Ask students why this is.
Ask students what the writer did well in the message presented on 8-8 and 8-9. Here are some examples:
• The beginning asks for information directly. The explanation is brief but complete.
• The questions are listed and formatted as questions.
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Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
• The close is appropriate and has a call to action.
Connect Assignment 8-2 (a-e): Requesting a Routine Action
8-2a
Learning Objectives: 8-01, 8-02, 8-07
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Blooms: Evaluate
8-2b
Learning Objectives: 8-01, 8-02, 8-07
Difficulty: Hard
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Understand
8-2c, 8-2d
Learning Objective: 8-07
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Apply
Follow-Up Activity: Students can rewrite the body of the routine message to correct the writer’s mistakes.
Slide 8-10
You Make the Call
Let students respond to this question, naming the potential benefits the reader might be able to see in this
routine inquiry message.
Slide 8-11
Many students need help with formatting and organization, so here are some important tips. These are
four different strategies for making questions stand out within your inquiry letter.
8-7
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
Favorable Responses
Slide 8-12
Favorable responses are those that give the reader what he/she has requested. For example, giving a
customer the information they requested and responding to a job candidate’s inquiry about an open
position are both favorable responses.
Opening
Directness here means beginning by giving the reader what is wanted—which is the information
requested.
So a good beginning is the one that starts answering.
If the inquiry concerned is one question, it is the answer to that question:
“Yes, Chem-Treat will prevent mildew if used according to instructions.”
Somewhere at the beginning, identify the correspondence you are answering.
One good way is to use a subject line of a message or in the subject identification 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 question, you have little else to do. You may include any explanation or
other information you think is needed. Then you close the message. If you must answer two or more
questions, 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 questions or to distinguish them by bullets.
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Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
For the best in goodwill effect, you may consider including the “extras”—something nice that is not
required (additional information, comments, or questions).
Close
End with friendly, cordial words that show your willingness to serve. Make these words fit the one
situation:
“If I can help you further in deciding whether Chem–Treat will meet your needs, please write me again.”
8-1a
Learning Objective: 8-01
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Understand
8-1b
Learning Objective: 8-04
Difficulty: Hard
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Evaluate
8-1c
8-1d
Learning Objective: 8-04
Difficulty: Easy
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Analyze
8-1e
Learning Objective: 8-04
Difficulty: Easy
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Blooms: Analyze
8-1f
Learning Objective: 8-04
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Blooms: Analyze
8-1g
8-9
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
Learning Objective: 8-04
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Knowledge Application
Blooms: Evaluate
Slides 8-13, 8-14
In your role as assistant to the vice president for operations of White Label Industries (WLI), your task is
to respond to a customer’s message.
Find the Questions
Before answering an inquiry, it may be helpful to list all the questions directed toward you. This will help
you to order the information you include in your response.
Slides 8-15, 8-16, 8-17
Ask students to point out the problems in the message shown on 8-15.
The message is written indirectly. The language is wordy and imprecise and violates many of the
conventions discussed in previous chapters. Students could be asked to identify these violations. In
addition, the message is visually unappealing. The order of the sentences doesn’t make sense. There isn’t
really a strong conclusion, and the ending feels rushed.
For the good example shown on 8-16 and 8-17, ask students which positive emphasis and favorable
response strategies were applied here. How does the author deemphasize the negative?
This message subordinates the one negative answer by position, volume of treatment, and structure. More
pleasant information follows the negative answer. The close is goodwill talk with some subtle selling
strategy included.
Connect Assignment 8-4: Granting a Client’s Claim and Regaining Her Trust
8-10
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
Learning Objective: 8-04
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Apply
Order Acknowledgments
Slides 8-18, 8-19, 8-20, 8-21
Acknowledgments are sent to people who order goods—they are principally a way to report the status of
the order. They simply tell when the goods are being shipped. Many companies use form messages for
Opening
As this is a routine, good-news message, it is appropriate to begin it directly—getting to the point right
Content
The individually written acknowledgment message frequently includes various goodwill information
(e.g., reselling, appreciation for the order). Sometimes not all the items ordered can be sent. Some may be
For example, if the reader failed to give complete information 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?”
Close
End with a friendly, forward look. For example, comments about enjoyable (or profitable) use of the
product or a wish for continued opportunities to serve.
Students will examine good and bad examples of order acknowledgments in the next few slides.
Ask students to point out the problems in the message presented on 8-19.
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Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
The bad example begins indirectly, emphasizing receipt of the order. Although intended to produce
goodwill, the second sentence further delays what the reader wants most to hear. Moreover, the letter is
written from the writer’s point of view (note the we-emphasis).
Ask students to evaluate the good points of the message seen on 8-20 and 8-21.
Ask students how they feel about the tone. Is it appropriate? How would they react if they were the
readers?
Direct students to look at the annotated examples of order acknowledgments and thank-you messages
provided in this section to become more familiar with the structure of these messages.
Thank-You Messages
Slide 8-22
Thank-you messages are written for many occasions as a way to practice good etiquette, build goodwill,
and present a positive 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
Connect Assignment 8-3: Acknowledging an Order and Thanking a Customer
Summary: Students will demonstrate their understanding of constructing a good example of a thank-you
message by reading the sample sentences and selecting the best option for each part of the letter.
Learning Objective: 8-05
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Apply
8-12
Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
Slide 8-23
You Make the Call
Check out the Communication Matters feature titled “A Workplace without Email? One Company’s
Direct Claim
Slides 8-24, 8-25, 8-26, 8-27, 8-28, 8-29
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. Sometimes, however, it is good to
have a written record of the claim.
The next several slides examine the structure of these written messages.
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.
Ask students to identify the issues with this message on 8-26 (which continues on the next slide).
The message starts slowly with a long explanation of the situation. Some of the details in the beginning
sentence are helpful, but they do not deserve the emphasis that this position gives them. And though the
message begins on a positive note, it quickly turns to negative and accusatory language.
The problem is not described until the second paragraph. The wording here is clear but much too strong.
Ask students if they think the message presented on slides 8-28 and 8-29 is more effective. If so, why?
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Chapter 8: Writing Good-News and Neutral Messages
The second message follows the plan suggested for direct claims. A subject line quickly identifies the
relevant order. The claim message begins with a clear statement of the problem that needs to be solved.
Slide 8-30
Tech Challenge
Use this task as an in-class or homework assignment to help students learn to use Quick Parts to make
crafting business communications more efficient.
Indirect Claim
Slides 8-31, 8-32, 8-33, 8-34, 8-35
When you anticipate the reader will not want to grant your request or may have a negative impression of
Beginning. The indirect 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.
Ask students to identify the issues with the message presented on 8-32 (which continues on the next
slide).
The message starts with a direct statement of the issue, but the language is negative and too emphatic, and
it doesn’t give enough details (such as the date) about the party for the company to recognize it quickly.
Ask students if they think the message on slide 8-34 (which continues on the next slide) is more effective.
If so, why? Are there any things they would change about this message?
The second message follows the plan suggested for indirect claims. A subject line quickly identifies the
relevant invoice and date of the event. The message begins with a clear introductory statement of the
claim.