Assignment $1($a$)$ Preparing and Writing an Informative e$-$mail

Due Friday Jan$\mathrm{.}19$ @ $11$:$59$ pm$.$

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to prepare and write an informative business

message in the form of an e$-$mail. The focus for learning is on the strategic approach

of analyzing, drafting, revising the final written product and then reflecting on the overall

process and likely success of conveying the intended meaning.

What is an Informative Business Message?

An informative message in the workplace is simply the sharing of meaningful

information between people in an unbiased and professional manner. Informative

messages can be short or long, formal, or casual in tone, internal or external in focus,

and direct or indirect in structure, depending on the situation.

Examples of informative messages would be to let employees know of an upcoming IT

system maintenance, a new policy, or a new meeting time for staff. Such messages

can also can be used to announce a significant company success, a new product

launch, or even the creation of a new division within the company. At a more complex

level informative messages can enlighten employees about quarterly financial results

or acquisitions. Messages for those purposes would have a broad audience.

Context for the Assignment

The informative message for this assignment may be sent by you to a colleague, a

manager or to an employee that reports to you. You, as the writer of the message can

choose the role you wish to play.

The message may address: $($a$)$ a current situation in your workplace; $($b$)$ a situation in a

previous workplace or $($c$)$ a hypothetical work$-$place situation where you are informing

another person.

A complete assignment must include written responses to each step in the

process as well as the final product.

$-2-$

Process

The following four step process is based on the $3$x$3$ Writing Process $($pg$.39$ in

Essentials of Business Communication.

Step $1$ Prewriting

a$.$ Clearly identify your personal role and the context of the message.

b$.$ Identify the direct or indirect approach you are taking and why.

c$.$ Will you be supporting your message with an additional channel of

communication. If so$,$ Identify the channel.

d$.$ Response to all the appropriate questions in the Prewriting section in the $3$x$3$

Writing Process that include the three components of Analyzing, Anticipating and

Adapting the message.

Step $2$ Drafting

Consider the three components of the Drafting section in the $3$x$3$ Writing Process that

include researching, organizing and drafting the message. Allow at least one hour

$($preferably longer$)$ before proceeding to the next step.

Step $3$ Revising the Final Product

Consider the three components of Revising section in the $3$x$3$ Writing Process of

editing, proof reading and evaluating the message.

A professionally written message in the form of an e$-$mail that is the result of careful

consideration of the two previous steps.

Step $4$ Personal Learning Reflection on the entire process using the following

questions as a guide:

$-$ Did your gain new insights about your personal communication style or

approach?

$-$ Have you identified the strengths of your current style?

$-$ Is there anything you would like to continue to improve?

$-3-$

Step $4$ is optional. If you gained new insight, you can identify it$.$ If you did not

experience new insights about your communication style you can choose not to

complete the reflection.

Comment on Number of Pages

It is difficult to predetermine the written length of the total assignment. The emphasis is

on quality based on careful consideration and reflection rather than quantity or number

of pages. The final e$-$mail must not be longer that one page and it may be less than a

full page.