07 Jul Business Letter
Assignment 2: Business Letters/WTNG 220
Objective:
-apply rhetorical concepts (context, audience, and purpose, exigence, epistemology, kairos) to academic, public, and/or professional situations (rhetorical knowledge)
*Audience
*Purpose
*Rhetorical Situation
For this assignment, you will write two business letters (choose two prompts from the list provided) in order to consider how writers make informed rhetorical choices when writing and designing documents. Please use block format for this assignment (see ETC/Case Document 7-3/ETC/p. 158-159 (shown in the document below), and make sure your letters include: formal letterhead (or senders address if not using letterhead), date line, inside address, salutation, body of letter, complimentary close, and enclosures (if necessary). Make sure to consider your message, audience, and purpose.
After composing your two business letters, you will then write a reflective piece about the choices you made while writing your business letters. Specifics appear below:
As you write your business letters, consider some of these questions about which strategies you used when composing your letters (see below). Then, compose your third document/reflective piece. These questions should be answered in your reflective piece in a separate document for each business letter. You may design the reflective piece in any way you wish. Be creative!
*What is your message? How will the reader know?
*What choices did you make to get your message across clearly?
*What type of language did you use? Why?
*Did you use logos, ethos, pathos, or kairos in your letters? (See Writing Program Glossary listed on our syllabus) List specific examples.
Bibliography/Works Cited: Your business letters must include a list of references in a conventional citation style (MLA). You may create one document for both business letters.
Guidelines:
Present this information in a user-friendly, easy to read, professional document. Your goal is to create a clear, concise, visually appealing document that presents information in a well-organized way.
Business Letter Writing Prompts (Choose two)
Persuasion:
- A letter of application– You have heard positive things about a particular company. Although you do not know of a job opening there, you would like to be considered when a suitable position becomes available. Write a letter to the human resources director expressing your interest in working for the company. Make sure to include your qualifications and education. You will need to do some research on the company you choose in order to compose an effective business letter.
- Inviting former customers to return– You are a customer relations representative for Smart Shoppers, a local department store. A recent review of the stores charge accounts shows that many of them have not been active for more than a year. Write a letter to the holders of these accounts reminding them of the advantages of being a Smart Shoppers charge customer. You will want to research a legitimate department stores website to view their incentives for customers who have opened a store credit card.
Request:
- An invitation: As part of a business course or company seminar that you are taking, write a letter to a successful person in the business community asking him/her to visit your group. You will need to research the person/company to provide valuable information as you compose your business letter.
Complaint and Response:
- Complaint to a supplier- Your company has regularly purchased storage boxes for its computer software products from one supplier. Recently, orders have not been filled promptly, and deliveries have arrived with an unusual number of broken boxes. Your company is very concerned about this situation. Write a letter to the supplier presenting your companys complaints. You will need to research suppliers that sell computer software products appropriate to your company; be sure to look at their customer service policy.
- Complaint from an advertiser- Your company recently placed an advertisement in a local paper. The ad included a color photograph of the companys best-selling and most colorful product. The photo was reproduced very poorly. A phone call to the paper has not brought any satisfaction. Write a letter to the advertising manager of the newspaper presenting your companys complaints. You will need to research local newspapers to learn all you can about their policies/procedures.
