Directions: Please answer each of the following questions and provide examples from the text, if applicable. Each response should be at least two paragraphs in length composed of five to seven sentences and be written in complete sentences.

1. Explain what you should do when replying to a claim when the customer is at fault.

2. You are preparing an internal blog posting providing information on this year’s annual company picnic. The message is generally positive, but you need to say that—unlike past picnics—the event will not be catered. What approach is best for conveying negative information such as this in the context of a positive message?

3. Many routine requests have several parts. What guidelines should you keep in mind when your request contains a series of questions?

4. List at least three guidelines that can help you avoid being accused of defamation.

5. You are faced with informing your supervisor about massive production delays. Company policy dictates that you must provide this information in writing. What questions should you consider when deciding between the direct and indirect approaches for your message?

6. Provide at least five guidelines to observe when making negative organizational announcements.

7. Explain the characteristics of an effective letter rejecting a job applicant.

8. Describe at least five strategies for establishing credibility when preparing persuasive messages.

9. Explain how to balance emotional appeals and logical appeals in persuasive business messages.

10. Briefly explain several guidelines for adapting marketing and sales messages for social media.

PART II

Identify an example of poor company communication out to the public. You can select an example you are aware of because of your own experiences, or a case study that you find online. Provide research and documentation. Write a three page APA formatted paper analyzing the communication and which of the “rules” you read about this week that the communication did not follow. Be sure to identify what the outcome was as a result of the poor communication and use at least two scholarly references.

PART III: Journal

Write a two page APA formatted paper in which you identify ways you can build credibility in language and in your writing. Applying the material this week, describe at least two ways to apply the material this week to increase your own credibility in academic and business writing. Cite the original reference using APA format.