Writing Assignment 3: Giving Bad News
Complete Chapter 11 Exercise 11: Responding to a Demand for a Refund (p. 182).
Purpose
Write a refusal letter to a customer using the Giving Bad News to Customers formula (p. 166). Your goal: maintain goodwill and ensure the customer returns.
Contents
• Use block letter format (p. 128). This is a letter, not a memo.
• Include the name and address of cinema (it’s okay to make these up; you do not need to use letterhead
• Use the Giving Bad News to Customers formula (p. 166-167)
• Use you-attitude (p. 91) and positive emphasis (p. 102)!
• State the bad news clearly and directly, just once
• Don’t apologize!
• Include a goodwill ending (p. 154; example on p. 146-147)
• Make sure your tone is not accusatory, threatening, or condescending (refer to What is “Good” Style? (p. 272) and Using the Right Tone (p. 273).
TIP: You don’t need to include all the information given in the exercise to write a good letter. Carefully choose the appropriate information.
Length
One page
Just because this memo is short does not mean it is are easy. Short papers are actually harder to write than long papers because they have to be clear, concise, convincing AND meet all the assignment requirements.
Format
• MS Word (.doc or .docx)or rich text (.rtf) files. Files that are not submitted in a Word-compatible format will not be accepted and the student will receive a zero for that assignment. Double-check the file format before submitting any assignment!
• Use the plain paper memo format (p. 138)
• Include a second-page header (p. 140)
• Use tabs, not the space bar, to align the info after the colons at the top of the first page (Date:, To:, From:, and Subject:)
• If you need help refer to the FAQ section or use Cathy’s Memo Template
Editing/Proofreading
Be sure to double-check the memo format, spelling and grammar before turning it in!
Refer to the handouts “Making Your Writing Concise” and “Making Your Writing Professional” in the FAQ section of Blackboard for tips in avoiding wordiness and common writing errors.
Submitting the Assignment
• All papers must be turned in to Blackboard’s Assignment Manager. I do not accept files via e-mail for any reason.
• If you aren’t sure how to turn in your paper, refer to “How do I Turn in an Assignment Using the Assignment Manager?” in the Instructions and FAQ section of Blackboard. If you still need help, ask!
• Once you’ve turned in your paper you can’t change it. If you need to make any changes (before the deadline), e-mail me and I will remove the paper so you can resubmit it.
• NOTE FOR TABLET USERS: Some office-type tablet apps are compatible with MS Word but will NOT show all my comments on your graded papers. If you are using a tablet, make sure your apps are fully compatible with Word.
