Business Writing Midterm 2

Planning Your Correspondence: Business Writing Handbook 115

"Corresponding with others in the workplace...requires that you focus on both establishing or maintaining a positive working relationship with your readers and conveying a professional image of yourself and your organization"

Revision, editing, and proofreading: Dennis Jerz

"If your second draft is a cleaner, less shoddy version of the same thing, it's not a revision."

What has Dr. Acker recently edited in his editing business?

"Recently, I've edited several bestselling books on sales and marketing, including titles by Seth Godin and Anthony Iannarino. Other book-length projects include academic monographs and memoirs."

Why Revise: UNC Writing Center:

"Writing is a process of discovery, and you don't always produce your best stuff when you first get started. So revision is a chance for you to look critically at what you have written to see: if it's really worth saying, if it says what you wanted to say, and if a reader will understand what you're saying."

Structuring Emails: Greeting or Salutation

(e.g., "Hi Dr. Acker" or "Hey John") clarifies your primary audience (secondary audiences may be CC'dor BCC'd) and establishes the tone.

Communicating Professionally 5 points of-:

1. Create value for your audience.2. Communicate both efficiently and effectively. 3. Understand and address any problems or concerns.4. Reflect positively on your organization.5. Promote goodwill and future business.

PEAR Model: Requests

1. Does the customer ask for something specific, like a refund? 2. Can you fulfill that request directly? If so, what money and resources would it require? 3. If you can't fulfill the request, what else might satisfy the customer's priorities and improve his/her emotions and attitudes? 4. What procedures/training might need to change to avoid future complaints like this?

PEAR Model: Emotions

1. How does the customer feel about the situation? 2. Are these emotions likely to be short-term or long-term? 3. Does the customer associate these emotions with the brand? 4. How can your response replace negative emotions with something more positive?

What are the principles of revision?

1. Revision entails rethinking your thesis. 2. Revision takes time. 3. Revision requires making structural changes.

the 5 recommended You-Attitude strategies recommended by Kitty Locker

1. Talk about the reader, not about yourself.2. Refer to the reader's request or order specifically.3. Don't talk about feelings, except to congratulate or offer sympathy. In most professional settings and situations, your feelings are irrelevant. 4. Use you more often than I in positive situations. Doing so accentuates the good news associated with the reader. 5. Avoid the word you in delivering bad news, as it can be interpreted as accusatory and over-accentuate the negative.

PEAR model: Priorities

1. What is most important to the customer about this particular situation or transaction? 2. What specific elements/actions did the customer complain about? 3. What elements/actions did the customer NOT mention? 4. Based on the overall complaint, what does the customer look for in a transaction? (For instance: good value, low price, convenience, high quality, personal attention, respect.)

PEAR Model: Attitudes

1. What is the customer's attitude toward the situation? 2. Does the customer seem to have a positive, negative, or neutral view of the brand/company? 3. Is the customer willing to listen or negotiate to resolve the problem? 4. What sort of attitude might the customer expect you/the company to have in your response?

Formatting Business Letters: Memo header + Subject Line

A subject line can be useful, but you should leave out the other parts of the memo header. In US businesses, greetings often end with a colon rather than a comma, especially in more formal situations.

Academic Research vs. Business Research: Resources

A: Academic articles, books, and (some) websites; almost all secondary sources. B: Mix of primary and secondary sources, more direct contact with individuals, mix of qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Academic research vs. Business Research: Audience

A: Almost always your instructor, evaluated based on instructor's assignment guidelines and grading standards. B: Much more diverse group, many of whom you will have little personal contact with. Comparatively little specific guidance.

Academic research vs. Business Research: Primary Goals

A: Learn about a topic related to the course, to complete a specific assignment. B: Provide pragmatic, bottom-line info for your employer.

Academic Research vs. Business Research: Getting Credit

A: Most documents are tied to you and/or your group, and count as credit in a class or toward other academic goals (e.g., scholarships and publications). B: Your manager or department may be the stated author, especially as the document is revised and distributed more widely.

Academic Research vs. Business Research: Format/Presentation

A: Specifics vary by assignment, but typically uses MLA, APA, or Chicago style for formatting, organization, and documentation. B: More flexibility in specific presentation, but also more responsibility for determining the most effective means of persuasion.

1. When you're revising a document, which of these tasks should be your highest priority?

B. Establishing a clear argument

4. True or False: You should sign your memo at the bottom of the last page.

B. False

Giving Good or Neutral News: Emotion

Be friendly and sincere, but don't assume you know how your readers will feel or respond.

Memo Tone: legal record, more formal than emails

Because memos form a legal record, especially policy memos, they should be clear, professional, and more formal than emails.

Planning Your Correspondence: Browsing Recipient

Browse your recipient's LinkedIn profile to identify professional titles and organizational roles. Some organizations also include employee profiles on their website.

3. In general, emails to customers and work superiors should be more ________ than emails to colleagues or employees.

C. Formal

5. Compared to academic research, business research has a more __________ goal.

C. Pragmatic

2. In PEAR analysis, what does "P" stand for?

C. Priorities

6. Where was Bhagwat et al.'s article published?

C. The Journal of Marketing

Planning Your Letter: Make sure your reader knows

Determine whether your letter needs a response, either in terms of correspondence or action. Make sure your reader knows (1) what to do, (2) by when, (3) how to do it, and (4) why it's important.

Professional Editing Skills: Style and Mechanics

Does the company or organization use a specific stylesheet? Does it adhere to a major style guide, such as APA, MLA, AMA, or Chicago? How have similar communications been styled or presented? What sort of voice or tone does the author or organization want to project? What language or dialect would best reach the audience? Is this a formal or informal document? Is code switching an option? What mechanical problems (e.g., grammar, punctuation, spelling) are common to this author or to authors from similar backgrounds? Is nonstandard usage acceptable in the stylesheet? Are there technical terms that may seem incorrect but are actually fine for the audience or genre?

Choosing your Keywords: Make note of abbreviations (such as

ESL for English as a Second Language) common in scholarship on your topic, since they may appear as keywords or title terms in journal articles.

Memo Structure: Header

Each memo needs a header, typically with these elements: To, From, Date, and Subject (or "Re:"). Include job titles in "To" and "From" when you are addressing individuals, and make sure the date is unambiguous (e.g., "May 3, 2022" instead of "5-3-22").

Giving Bad News: The Ending

End the letter on a positive and professional note, to establish or maintain goodwill despite the problem.

Email Tone: Emails are often more conversational than other forms of business writing.

First-person pronouns and contractions are fine, but focus on being polite, professional, and positive.

Giving Good or Neutral News: Follow Up

Follow up with any relevant details, such as procedures, rules, deadlines, etc.

Structuring Emails: Set Up a Professional Email Signature

For internal emails or long discussion threads, though, consider using a shorter version or just your name.

Business Email Tips: Early in the message, clarify who you are and why you're writing.

In some organizational cultures, you may need a formal introduction from a mutual acquaintance.

What are some proofreading tips?

Know your weaknesses: where did you lose points on previous assignments, and where were you less confident about your draft? Read your paper aloud, and slowly. Your ear will catch errors that your eyes miss. Pay special attention to material you've revised since the last draft. Be anal-retentive about typos, homonyms, punctuation, and grammar. When in doubt, ask someone! Google is useful for checking spelling and some grammar, but don't assume something is correct just because you see it online.

When did Dr. Acker launch his editing business and for what reason?

Launched Acker Editing & Consulting in 2006, to supplement my income in graduate school.

Giving Bad News: false hope

Lead with a buffer, such as "thank you for your application" or "we enjoyed reading your article." Then, state the bad news clearly and concisely. Don't give your reader false hope!

Planning Your Letter Legally Binding Information

Letters often give legally binding information, such as a price quote or a job offer, so accuracy and clarity are especially important. Gather all the details first-don't rely on your own memory!

Memo Tone: Internal documents

Memos can still be friendly and positive, since they are internal documents, but they function more like an official announcement than a conversation.

Memo Structure: rarely longer than two pages

Memos should rarely be longer than two pages. If you need more space for your message, consider producing a report instead.

Editing Business Writing: What does most business writing require?

Most business writing requires clarity, precision, accuracy, correctness, and persuasiveness.

What is most of the current work for Acker Editing & Consulting?

Most of my current work is in economics, finance, accounting, and management. Other specialties include education, sociology/criminology, Christian theology, and of course literature.

Revision Resources

NC State, "Ten Writing Priorities" UNC, "Revision Checklist" UVU, "Revision Checklist" UMN, "Revision Checklist" Purdue OWL, "Revision in Business Writing"

Planning Your Letter: Make an informed decision

Organize your points logically, so your reader understands the situation well enough to make an informed decision about how and whether to respond.

Formatting Business Letters: Full-Block letter format

Please use full-block letter format for Project #2; see MacRae 142-143 for a sample and formatting checklist. For other letters, see this page for formatting options.

What does the PEAR Model Analyze?

Priorities, emotions, attitudes, and requests.

Project #2 Apology Letter: Formatting - full-block format

Remember to use full-block format (don't indent paragraphs & leave a blank line between paragraphs) and to submit your letter in PDF format.

Formatting Business Letters: Return Address, Audience Mailing Address

Since business letters are typically mailed, include both your return address (this can be in your letterhead) and your audience's mailing address. The mailing address should be at the top of the page, right under the date.

Planning Your Letter: Communicate Clearly and Efficiently

The goal of professional correspondence is to communicate clearly and efficiently, so your audience can make an informed decision without having to write back and forth.

Memo Structure don't sign and extra greeting

The header replaces a formal greeting and signature, so don't sign your memo at the bottom of the page. Some memos do include an extra greeting to set the document's tone.

Planning Your Correspondence: thinking about genre and audience

Think carefully about which genre and audience would be most effective for your message. Does everyone in your office really need to see this? Could you communicate better with a phone call than via email?

Planning Correspondence: Does not necessarily mean

This doesn't necessarily mean including all the information in your first message, but it does require planning the likely conversation and finding ways to streamline it.

Building and Maintaining Goodwill: Structure your sentences to emphasize the reader's needs or benefits, not your needs or benefits.

This will help encourage the reader to act, not just read your message.

Project #2 Apology Letter: Formatting - paragraph length

To earn full credit, you need these six format elements: Best Buy logo, the company's return address, the date, a greeting, a signature line, and an enclosure line (see MacRae 142). A typed signature is okay for this paper, but in real life you'd sign in ink or e-ink.

Project #2 Apology Letter: Formatting - typed signature

To earn full credit, you need these six format elements: Best Buy logo, the company's return address, the date, a greeting, a signature line, and an enclosure line (see MacRae 142). A typed signature is okay for this paper, but in real life you'd sign in ink or e-ink.

Global Revisions vs. Specific Revisions

Top priorities: appropriate topic, clear argument, logical structure, plentiful evidence Major priorities: transitions, title, citations, secondary sources Lower priorities: typos, grammar errors

Giving Bad News: avoiding accusation

Try not to use "you" much, to avoid accusing your reader or blaming them for the negative result. It can help to talk about groups (e.g., "all scholarship students must maintain a 3.0 GPA") rather than singling out this individual.

Memo Tone: UC Learning Commons

UC Learning Commons: "Memos inform the reader of new information and often instruct them on how to act based on that information. In this context, you need to be specific and detailed without including unnecessary (i.e., time-wasting or confusing) information and without insulting your reader's intelligence. Pay attention to your tone through word choice, the verbs you use (commands vs. declarative verbs), and your sentence structure (complex vs. simple)."

Editing Business Writing: What are common issues?

Unclear or awkward sentences, especially those involving jargon. Inconsistent layout/design, terminology, phrasing, or definitions. Mechanical errors: comma errors, misspellings, apostrophe catastrophes, run-on sentences, and relying too much on spell check or Grammarly. Tone or style choices inappropriate for the audience or context. Lack of you-attitude, especially in customer-facing documents.

Memo Structure Section Headers, describe content, frame it rhetorically

Unlike emails, memos use section headers to announce different content categories. Ideally, your section header should both describe the content and frame it rhetorically.

Planning Your Letter: Use an Outline

Use an outline to track the details of the situation and your letter's role in it. See the bottom of this page for a good example.

Giving Good or Neutral News: Second-person address

Use second-person address ("you") to connect the news to reader benefits. For example: "You can earn up to 30 points for attending Workshop #2" instead of "We will award Workshop #2 attendees up to 30 points."

Professional Editing Skills: Reading and Interpretation

What is the author's primary message? How does he or she want to communicate it? Who is the primary audience for this message? What do they already know, and what do they need to know? What are the standards for this genre? What do audiences expect to see in a message like this? What objections might audiences have to the content, argument, tone, or style? Do these objections merit changing the message? If so, how? If not, how can the author respond to audience concerns?

Professional Editing Skills: Communication and Marketing

What sort of documents in your market/organization need editing? What levels of editing are appropriate for different genres and authors? Can you communicate directly with the authors? If so, when in the process does that happen, and what are the goals of the conversation? How much input do you have in document development? What roles do editing and proofreading play in your broader job description or responsibilities? Are you expected to edit your own writing? Can you edit team-produced documents? How can you market your knowledge, skills, expertise, and experience to potential clients or employers? What are their "pain points" for editing, and how can you alleviate that pain?

Business Email Tips: Readable font face, color, and size.

Write test emails to make sure that your messages look good on both computers and smartphones/tablets.

Sample Revision Scenarios (2)

You are concerned that your audience will see your message as "bad news." Switch from the direct approach (i.e., starting with the news and filling in situational details later) to the indirect approach (i.e., using a buffer and some details before delivering the news). (2)

Sample Revision Scenarios (1)

You recently completed an internship, so you need to update your resume for your next round of job applications. Highlight new skills, frame qualifications differently, potentially remove older or less relevant content. (1)

Planning Your Letter: Who, Why, Outcome

Your audience and purpose will affect every word of your letter, so start there. Whoare you writing to and why? What outcome do you hope to achieve?

Sample Revision Scenarios (3)

Your professor recommended that you change your paper topic to fit the assignment better. Review the assignment requirements, find a better topic, and decide how much of your rough draft you can potentially reuse. (3)

Reading Scholarship: Structure - Abstract

a concise summary of the study's context, methods, findings/results, and conclusions.

Using "You-Attitude" -Defined by Kitty Locker

a style of writing that puts readers' needs first. It requires "emphasizing what the reader wants to know, respecting the reader's intelligence, and protecting the reader's ego"

When to Avoid Email: Time-Sensitive Requests:

a synchronous medium like a phone call, video chat, office visit, or even a text message is a better choice. Even if your recipients check their email often, they may be unable to respond in time.

What is the niche of Acker Editing & Consulting?

academic and business editing, so I primarily work with graduate students, professors, and business owners. Acker occasionally works with high school and college students, but only on college/grad school applications.

What does Editing and Proofreading address?

address specific parts of the paper. They deal with grammar, punctuation, clarity, flow, consistency, formatting, and adherence to a style guide.

What does Revision address?

addresses the paper as a whole. It deals with ideas, structure, content, argument development, diction, and meeting assignment requirements.

Correspondence Etiquette: Test every protentional communication from your __________

audience's perspective: if you were reading this, would you find it helpful? Why or why not? What else might you want or need to know?

When to Avoid Email: Emails are easy to distribute

avoid sending personal attacks, any NSFW material, or anything that could make you or your company look bad.

Building and Maintaining Goodwill: A good checklist for using tone to build goodwill:

be respectful, modest, polite, positive, and tactful.

Choosing your Keywords: If one keyword doesn't work, try

brainstorming synonyms or even antonyms to identify relevant keywords for that database or search engine.

What else does the PEAR Model help one in responding to?

complaints more maturely and professionally, both in speech and in writing.

Reading Scholarship: Structure - Methods

description of theoretical models or techniques used, as well as the setting, participants, instruments, and procedures for experimental studies.

Reading Scholarship: Structure - Results

descriptive and/or numerical results of the experiment, often including statistical analysis. Some data will be presented graphically.

Correspondence Etiquette: State the main goal/topic of your correspondence __________

early, especially if it involves a request. For example, try "I have a question about our meeting agenda" or "I'm writing to give you some more background on our client."

Email Tone: emails to customers and work superiors should be more formal than...

emails to colleagues or employees. For internal emails, take your cue from the previous conversation and your company culture.

Business Email Tips: only use "reply all" if __________

every single person on the list needs to see your message. Apply the same logic to department or organization listservs.

What are the two stages of the PEAR Model?

first understand what the customer values, then develop a response or solution that appeals to those values.

Reading Scholarship: Structure - Discussion/Conclusion

focused argument on interesting parts of the results, usually to apply them to the RQs or hypotheses. Some connection to previous scholarship.

Correspondence Etiquette: Lead with __________

formality: people in many cultures reserve first names for close friends, even among officemates. If you're not sure of your recipient's gender, use their full name in your greeting.

Email Tone: Its better to start and exchange with a formal tone and...

give yourself room to be more casual later. Having to increase the formality level later can be awkward.

What is the goal of Acker Editing & Consulting?

goal is to make my clients look good on paper- to communicate their messages as clearly and professionally as possible, so their readers can understand and respond to the technical content.

What does using the PEAR help one (re)gain?

goodwill but also demonstrates care and understanding, creating an emotional preference to buy your brand or product.

Reading Scholarship: Structure - Limitations/Future Work:

identifies limits of the study's structure (e.g., data availability, research instruments, time/space constraints) and suggests future research projects that could give better or different data.

According to Editors Canada what is the editorial role of structural or developmental editors?

improve a manuscript's organization and content, along with its language. They might revise, reorder, cut, or expand material- and in some cases, write new material. Median rate: $30-$70 per 1000 words.

Where does the professor cover revision priorities?

in draft comments and during office hours/individual conferences. Your peers may also suggest some priorities in the workshop.

Reading Scholarship: Structure - Intro/Context

introduction of research problem/question, review of previous scholarship on the topic, discussion of key terms, statement of research question and/or hypotheses.

Business Email Tips: Check your attachments carefully

is it the right file, will my audience be able to open/read it, and is it small enough to attach/download? Cloud storage can be a good option, especially if your organization has a shared drive.

Building and Maintaining Goodwill: Goodwill is a part of ethos

it builds on previous interactions (if any) and paves the way for future interactions, by showing that your organization recognizes and cares about the customer's needs.

Building and Maintaining Goodwill: Goodwill may not lead directly to a sale, but...

it will help improve your brand and your reader's ability to make an informed decision.

Business Email Tips: During Work hours, respond as promptly as you can. It's fine to say "

let me check on that and get back to you" or even "let's talk through the details on the phone or Zoom."

Choosing your Keywords: Use short search terms first, then

look for ways to combine them to narrow down the field. Avoid searching for abstract terms like "compare" or "relationship" at first, until you can narrow down the specific variables you need.

Using Memos: Unlike emails and letters,

memos are typically divided into several sections, each with a different title and purpose. This allows memos to potentially cover multiple topics, each in its own section. Paragraphs should still be under 150 words each.

Structuring Emails: Short Paragraphs

no more than four sentences each. This will improve readability, especially on mobile devices.

When to Avoid Email: Complicated Messages and Decisions

often require an initial conversation to get everyone on the same page. Email works better to schedule and/or summarize those conversations.

When to Avoid Email: Discussing Sensitive or Emotional Topics

often works poorly via email, both because it's impersonal and because it's easy to miscommunicate in writing. It's even worse when the participants are angry or upset!

Business Email Tips: Use BCC to __________

protect recipients' email addresses, especially if you are addressing both internal and external audiences.

According to Editors Canada what is the editorial role of indexers?

read the completed work carefully to identify important terms, people, and concepts, then create an index so readers can locate the relevant sections quickly and efficiently. Median rate: $20-$30 per 1000 words.

According to Editors Canada what is the editorial role of line editors or copy editors?

seek "to clarify meaning, ensure coherence and flow, and refine the language" in a manuscript. They may adjust word choice to fit an audience/setting, restructure paragraphs, or match an established style/tone. Median rate: $20-$50 per 1000 words.

Structuring Email: Subject Lines

should be short and specific (about 3-8 words), both so your readers know what to expect and so they (and you!) can find the message later.

Using Memos: The basic plan

summarize the purpose and situation in your introduction, give any vital info and requests, and then present the rest of your data/argument clearly and concisely.

Structuring Emails: Foreground

the most important part of your message, especially if it's a request for action or information. It can also help to remind readers of the request at the end of the email, e.g. "I look forward to your status update."

Giving Good or Neutral News: Lead with

the news, ideally in the first paragraph. If you're responding to a request, reference details such as the date of the request.

Using Memos: Memos are internal documents,

usually distributed among colleagues or employees in the same organization/company. They are considered more formal than emails, though they are most often distributed electronically.

Choosing your Keywords: Start with your overall topic:

what concepts or ideas do you want to know more about? What terms come up often in informational sources like Wikipedia?• RQ: "What is the relationship between playing board games and Alzheimer's disease?"• Concepts: board games, play, Alzheimer's, brain, dementia

According to Editors Canada what is the editorial role of proofreaders?

work on a manuscript after it's been edited and after its content is in the final form. They check for adherence to document design, minor mechanical errors, and the consistency of elements like abbreviations and acronyms. Median rate: $20-$50 per 1000 words.

Business Email Tips: whenever possible keep separate topics in separate discussion threads even if __________

you are writing to the same person

On rough drafts: (Your Instructor)

your instructor's comments generally highlight revision tasks while their corrections highlight editing or proofreading tasks.

Reading Scholarship: Engagement

• Based on what you've learned, which parts of the paper are most relevant for your task or assignment? • How does each part of the paper connect to the paper's main point? • For class assignments, what sort of reading are you expected to do? Are you supposed to analyze specific elements? Are you comparing the paper to another reading? • Will you be formally responding to this essay in writing? Will you engage with it directly in your own work, and to what extent? • How could you intelligently discuss this paper in class or in a meeting with your professor, advisor, supervisor, or colleagues? What questions could you raise for discussion?

Structuring your searches

• Different keywords will work in different search engines, depending on how the engine works and what sources it catalogs. • The longer your search query (i.e., the phrase you type into the search box), the fewer results you will get. • With some search engines, you can limit your results by year, document type, language, etc. You can also only search in certain database fields, such as author or title. • Use bookmarks and database folders to keep track of potentially useful material, even if you don't yet know how you would use it in your paper.

Project #2 Overview

• In Project #2, you will practice management communication by writing an apology letter to a dissatisfied customer (Ms. Kelsey Cross). See Canvas for sample apology letters from previous quarters/scenarios. • Your letter must be 500-750 words long, single-spaced, and in full-block format to earn full credit. To analyze the rhetorical situation and prepare your letter, you will use the PEAR analysis model to understand Ms. Cross's priorities, emotions, attitudes, and requests.

Project #2 Apology Letter: Addressing the Problem (2-3 paragraphs)

• In this section, you'll explain how your management team has specifically addressed the problem Ms. Cross encountered, as well as how new business practices will prevent similar problems in the future. • The details of these responses are up to you, but they should reflect KP's values, be appropriate to the situation, and apply your PEAR analysis of Ms. Cross's complaint. • In other words, think about what kind of response would likely appeal to Ms. Cross and address her concerns about the company. What really bothered her about the situation and why?

Reading Scholarship: Purpose

• In what context are you reading this paper? Was it specifically assigned to you? Was it recommended? Was it cited in another paper? • What do you already know about this paper or its authors? Was it cited in other things you read? How many citations does it have on Google Scholar? • For assignments, how could this paper connect to your course themes? What content, structures, features, or techniques might make it helpful or important? • For recommendations, who recommended it and in what context? • For citations, how closely does this paper relate to your own research interests and/or the topic of the paper you're working on?

Organizing Your Sources

• Keep all your paper notes together, ideally in a single folder or binder. Likewise, keep all your PDF sources in the same place on your computer or flash drive, and give the files useful names. • Use Easybib.com or other sites to keep a working bibliography. Zotero is a good option if you work in Firefox, Safari, or Chrome. • If you can, scan paper notes into your computer, in case you misplace or damage the paper copies. The Google Drive app has a built-in scanner, or you can take photos. • Print out and annotate/highlight your major secondary sources or use Acrobat's comment features.

Project #2 Apology Letter: Incentive and Conclusion (2 paragraphs)

• Now that you've addressed Ms. Cross's concerns and shown that you will prevent similar problems in the future, shift your focus to regaining her goodwill. • Offer Ms. Cross a specific incentive to maintain brand loyalty and regain her business. The details are up to you, but the incentive should be both realistic and attractive. Consider the inconvenience of the situation, what you know about Ms. Cross's needs/interests, and the other things you learned in your PEAR analysis. Your maximum budget for the incentive is $250. • Conclude the letter positively and professionally. It's a good idea to repeat your apology and to thank Ms. Cross for her time and consideration, to leave her with a good impression of your company.

Apology Letter Requirements (2)

• Part of your assignment is to decide which policies/practices (for task 2) and incentives (for task 3) are appropriate for the situation. For the incentive, consider both the cost of the product involved and the customer's overall experience with them. Your maximum budget for the incentive is $250, but you can spend more to address the customer's requests. • You do not necessarily have to agree to all of Ms. Cross's requests! Think about how to be fair to everyone involved, especially in terms of employee training/discipline. (2)

Emailing Your Professors

• Some professors and TAs will tell you what they want you to call them. Pay attention to how they sign emails, how they label course documents, etc.• If they don't specify a preference, use "Dr. Lastname" (if the person has a PhD) or "Prof. Lastname." Don't assume that Mr./Ms./Mrs. is okay or that you're on a first-name basis. • Most professors teach multiple classes, sometimes at multiple universities, so you may need to introduce yourself and remind them which class/section you are in.• Use a descriptive subject line. "Homework question" is not helpful, but "Length of BUS 100W Resume?" is. If you have a question or problem, explain it as clearly as you can. • Polite and professional emails will go a long way toward positive outcomes, especially if you have a complicated problem or need extra work from the professor.

Using Pear Analysis in Project #2 (2)

• Start by gathering details about the main event(s) motivating the complaint, including any past experiences with your company (positive or negative) that might affect your customer's experience. It helps to establish a specific timeline, especially when timing is part of the complaint. • Next, analyze specific quotes from the complaint letter to characterize Ms. Cross's priorities, emotions, attitudes, and requests. You should have specific evidence for each element in your notes. • Finally, use your analysis to suggest specific ways to appeal to Ms. Cross's values and address her concerns. For example, don't just say that she values respect- show how you might convince her that KP shares those values. (2)

How to get an A in Project #2

• Structure & Format (25 points): 500-750 words; includes all required format elements (logo, return address, customer's address, date, greeting/signature, and enclosure line); all paragraphs are 100-150 words long. • Apology (25 points): Sincere tone; natural transition from intro; clear & specific; only present at beginning and end of letter. • Goodwill (50 points): Clarifies letter's purpose; offers customer an attractive and appropriate incentive; addresses all of customer's concerns. • Professionalism (50 points): Tone, word choice, and attitude are consistently professional; excellent you-attitude. • Grammar & Style (25 points): Few if any mechanical errors; language flows well and is appropriate for the audience.

Project #2 Timeline

• Thursday, October 20: Lecture on Project #2 and the PEAR Model • Thursday, October 27: Lecture on developing business letters • October 31-November 4: English 7 Workshop #2 (details TBA) • Saturday, November 5: Project #2 due @ 11:59 PM Pacific.

Apology Letter Requirements (1)

• To prepare for your letter, you should 1) analyze Ms. Cross's complaint letter to understand the problem, 2) apply PEAR analysis to identify her values, and 3) decide how best to address her concerns. You'll also use your PEAR analysis in your discussion sections and Workshop #2, so start it early. • In your apology letter, you should 1) sincerely and professionally acknowledge and apologize for the problem (150-200 words), 2) explain how your management team has addressed the specific problem and how new policies and/or practices will avoid similar problems in the future (200- 300 words), and 3) offer Ms. Cross an appropriate and attractive incentive, to regain her goodwill and keep her as a customer (150-200 words). (1)

Developing a Paraphrasable Argument

• What variables are the authors interested in? What relationships between those variables are they looking at? • Are the authors responding to previous claims, ideas, papers, or theories? If so, what is their attitude toward them? • What do the authors hope to contribute through this paper? • What is the authors' main argument about how their target variables work in business? • Do you find this argument compelling? Why or why not?

In-text APA Citations

• You need an in-text citation every time you quote, paraphrase, or summarize someone else's words or ideas. In APA, these citations include the author's last name and the publication date: (Lee, 2019) for one author or (Lee and Young, 2020) for two authors. • For sources with three or more authors, write the names out the first time you cite it, then use the first author and et al: (Bhagwat et al., 2021). • If you are citing a specific quote, add the page number: (Lee, 2019, p. 45). • For sources without a named author, use the organization: (UCR Library, 2021). This is called a "corporate author" in APA.

Using PEAR Analysis in Project #2 (1)

• Your job is to understand both the problem and your customer as thoroughly as possible, so you can develop effective solutions and incentives, present those solutions and incentives effectively, and ultimately use them to regain Ms. Cross's trust and goodwill. • In the Sample Business Documents collection on Canvas, you can find good examples of PEAR analysis in the "Customer Service" and "Food Quality" memos. • Your analysis should influence both your letter's content and tone, so you can offer an effective solution in a way that appeals to this specific reader. (1)

Project #2 Scenario

• Your role in this scenario is the Pharmacy Manager at Kaiser Permanente Hospital. Your branch is based in Fontana, CA. Please review KP's corporate values at https://www.kaiserpermanentejobs.org/mission-and-history and download the KP logo (see https://seeklogo.com/vector-logo/213415/kaiserpermanente) for your letterhead. • Ms. Cross's complaint letter arrived in the mail a couple days after she wrote it. You decided to respond to her personally (also by mail) given the seriousness of the complaint, so your apology letter should be dated within a week of the original complaint.

Using Evidence Well: Stakes and Context

•Because scholars often disagree, try to understand the stakes and context of your sources. What is the author's rhetorical purpose, and who or what is he or she responding to?

You-Attitude Revisions Examples:

•Before: "You need to send us your overdue balance of $550 or we'll probably take you to court.• After: "Please pay the overdue balance of $550 to avoid possible legal actions."• Before: "I need you to be in class before I start my lecture."• After: "Please arrive on time to ensure you learn all of our class content."• Before: "I'm sure you'll be thrilled to learn that we are now open on Saturdays."• After: "You can visit our office from 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday, as well as 8 AM to noon on Saturdays."

APA Reference Lists

•Each source that you cite also needs an entry in your bibliography (called "References" in APA) at the end of your document. List these in alphabetical order by the first author's last name. •You can generate full APA-style citations using the EBSCO interface or Google Scholar. A good APA reference: https://www.mendeley.com/guides/apa-citation-guide/.

Choosing and Using Quotes

•Highlight the most relevant words and phrases; you often don't need to quote an entire sentence to make your point. Every quote should contribute to your analysis. •Never just drop in a quote without context. Instead, use a quote sandwich: introduce and contextualize the quote, give the quote, cite it, then respond to it in terms of your own argument. •Don't just summarize what a quote says-do something useful and interesting with it.

Project #3 Research Component

•In Project #3, you will describe an operational problem in your current or former organization, research business tools and/or policies that could address that problem, summarize your research, and present your recommendations in an informal report. •Your report must integrate and cite at least three relevant secondary sources, including at least one academic journal article or book. If you are not sure whether a source counts as academic, please email me to ask!

Benefits of Memos

•Memos are inexpensive to create and distribute, especially compared to formal meetings.• Memos form a transparent record of operations and policies, making them excellent reference material.• Memos are asynchronous, so they are less obtrusive and more convenient than phone calls or meetings.• Because memos are short, their authors must write clearly and concisely.

Challenges of Memos

•Poorly suited for communicating long messages or complex arguments.• Distribution can take time and resources, especially for printed memos.• Formal tone often makes them unsuitable for sensitive information or personal topics, such as layoffs or employee discipline. • No opportunity for replies or discussion, often leaving a sense of finality.

Project #2 Apology letter: Intro & Apology (1 paragraph)

•Start by introducing yourself and explaining why you're writing, since your reply will arrive several days after Ms. Cross sent her letter. •Next, show that you've read and understood Ms. Cross's complaint by briefly summarizing it. Apologize sincerely, professionally, and specifically. •To conclude this section, tell Ms. Cross what to expect in the rest of the letter, i.e., how you've addressed her specific problem and what steps you're taking to improve future customer experiences.

Project #2 Tips

•Take lots of notes for your PEAR analysis, since it will have the most influence on your letter. Use it to test whether your proposed solutions and incentive would appeal to Ms. Cross. •Always plan, draft, and revise with the rubric and instructions in mind. Do not just have your friend or classmate look over your documents, and don't rely on Grammarly. If you have questions, ask! •Proofread your letter very carefully. Be aware of errors that Spell Check will miss, such as writing "manger" instead of "manager." Triple-check that the customer's name and address are accurate!

Using Evidence Well Project 3

•Throughout your paper, several things should be clear to your reader:1. What's your point? 2. What evidence are you using? 3. How are you interpreting the evidence? 4. How does the evidence support your immediate point? 5. How does your immediate point connect to your overall argument?

Project #2 Apology Letter: Formatting

•To earn full credit, you need these six format elements: Best Buy logo, the company's return address, the date, a greeting, a signature line, and an enclosure line (see MacRae 142). A typed signature is okay for this paper, but in real life you'd sign in ink or e-ink. •Your total letter should be 500-750 words long. Use 100-150 words per paragraph, but it's okay if your conclusion is a little shorter. •Remember to use full-block format (don't indent paragraphs & leave a blank line between paragraphs) and to submit your letter in PDF format.

Resource Spotlight BUS 100W Articles

•UCR Library, "BUS 100W Articles" •This page, set up by a previous BUS 100W professor, lists several useful databases for finding company information, scholarly articles about business, industry data, and business news. •Many of the links require an institutional login, so for best results start your VPN software first.

Using Evidence Well: Your Authority

•Ultimately, your argument succeeds or fails based on your authority, not your sources' authority.

reading Scholarship: Foundations

•What does the title suggest or reveal about the article's content? What variables, methods, or contexts does it highlight? •How does the abstract describe the article's goal or purpose? What contributions does it suggest? •What methods for gathering and/or analyzing data are mentioned in the abstract or introduction? Are you familiar with them? •What results and implications are highlighted in the abstract? Do you find them compelling or interesting?•How does the conclusion summarize the study's approach and value? What limits do the authors acknowledge or address?

Reading Scholarship: Audience

•What fields or academic disciplines do the authors work in? Are they writing to fellow specialists in their fields? •Is this a journal article, a book chapter, an essay in an anthology, a conference paper, or something else?•How broad or narrow is the target audience? What kind of work does this journal or press typically publish?•What kind of scholars and/or practitioners might care about this topic?