Bad-News Messages (Chapter 8)

Chapter 8—Bad-News Messages TRUE/FALSE 1. You should always use the indirect pattern when writing a bad-news letter. ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Purpose TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 2. Although it will not change the bad news, it is essential that the language used be persuasive to get the reader to accept the news. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Purpose TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 3. If you write a bad-news letter instead of making a phone call, you have more control over the wording, sequence of ideas, and pacing of your points. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Purpose TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 4. Use a direct plan to organize your ideas when writing a bad-news message to your supervisor. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Patterns TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 5. You should use a buffer statement when writing a message that rejects a proposal from an employee. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Patterns TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 6. When writing a bad-news message, one of your goals is to keep the reader's goodwill. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Purpose TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 7. Research indicates that delivering corporate bad news by email rather than in person helps ensure a more accurate message. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Purpose TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 8. If you don't know your reader, you should use the indirect plan rather than the direct plan to organize your bad-news message. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Patterns TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 9. Keep your language concise, short, objective, and to the point when sending bad news. This helps with accuracy. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Rhetorical considerations TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 10. Use the direct plan to organize a bad-news message involving a small but significant matter. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Patterns TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 11. Direct messages are not necessarily shorter that indirect messages. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Purpose TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 12. The indirect plan for a bad-news message emphasizes the reasons rather than the bad news itself. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Patterns TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 13. When sending a customer bad news, you should use the indirect pattern. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Patterns TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 14. Consider using a buffer when writing a bad-news message to customers, subordinates, and readers you don't know. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Patterns TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 15. A buffer should show appreciation and be interesting so that it motivates the reader to continue reading. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Purpose TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge 16. Bad-new messages require careful planning. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: 8.1 NAT: AAC: Tier 1---Communication; Tier 2---Purpose TOP: Planning the Bad-News Message BLO: Knowledge