| Course | BUS 305 Business Research and Communications |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 2 |
| Paper type | Business message paper |
| Length | About 1,042 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Aspen University |
| Program | Business Administration |
| Updated | September 2026 |
Free sample paper for BUS 305 Module 2
Say It First: Two Direct Messages and the Choices Behind Them
Student Name
Business Administration Program, Aspen University
BUS 305: Business Research and Communications
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Say It First: Two Direct Messages and the Choices Behind Them
Most business messages carry routine or good news: answers to questions, confirmations, approvals and announcements readers will welcome. Because readers are not resistant, these messages should use the direct approach, putting the main point first and supporting details after it. This paper presents two such messages written for the Kansas City carrier Tallgrass Logistics, a composite business. The first answers a customer's inquiry about Tallgrass's new temperature-controlled storage. The second announces a tuition assistance benefit to employees. For each, the paper explains the choices behind the structure, wording and tone.
The Direct Approach
The direct approach has three parts: the main idea, the details that explain or support it, and a closing that states any action and ends courteously. It respects readers' time. When usability researchers studied how people read online, they found that most scanned pages rather than reading word by word, and that text rewritten to be concise, scannable and objective was far easier to use (Nielsen, 1997). Workplace email is read the same way, often on a phone between other tasks. A reader who stops after the first two lines of a direct message still gets the point.
Message One: The Customer Inquiry
A buyer at a regional grocery distributor emailed to ask whether Tallgrass could store frozen goods, at what temperatures, how quickly pallets could be received and whether the facility was inspected. The reply answers yes in the subject line and the first sentence, then gives the details in the order asked, and closes with a specific next step.
The Finished Reply
Subject: Yes, we can store your frozen pallets starting April 1. "Dear Ms. Alvarez, Yes, our new temperature-controlled space in Kansas City can hold your frozen product starting April 1. Here are answers to your questions. Temperatures: the freezer zone holds -10°F, and the cooler zone holds 34°F to 38°F. Capacity: we have 1,400 pallet positions, and we can receive up to 60 pallets a day with a scheduled appointment. Inspections: the facility is registered with the FDA as a food storage facility, and our most recent third-party food safety audit is attached. If you send your expected monthly volume, I can prepare a quote by Friday. You can also tour the space; Tuesdays and Thursdays work best. Sincerely, Marcus Hale, Account Manager."
Choices in the Reply
The subject line is a complete statement, so the buyer knows the answer from the inbox. The body uses short labeled lines for the three questions, which makes each answer easy to find and check. Numbers are specific rather than general, since a buyer comparing providers needs them. The close names one action the buyer can take and a date, which moves the conversation forward; making a reply easy is among the principles Rogers and Lasky-Fink (2023) recommend for busy readers. The tone is friendly and confident without sales language; the service is described, not praised.
Message Two: The Benefit Announcement
Good news for employees also belongs up front, but tone needs more care. Email strips out the voice, facial expression and timing that signal warmth in conversation, and research on email suggests that receivers tend to read positive messages as more neutral, and neutral ones as more negative, than senders intend (Byron, 2008). An announcement that is purely procedural can land flat. The benefit message therefore states the news warmly in the first line, then gives the details employees need to use it.
The Finished Announcement
Subject: New: Tallgrass will pay up to $5,250 a year toward your classes. "Team, starting July 1, Tallgrass will pay up to $5,250 a year for college or certificate courses for every employee who has been with us six months. That includes drivers, warehouse staff and office staff, full-time and part-time. How it works: choose an accredited program related to logistics, business or your current job; get approval from HR before the class starts; and submit your grade and receipt when it ends. We pay for any course with a grade of C or better. Several of you asked for this in last fall's survey. We listened, and we are glad to offer it. Questions? Visit HR in Building B or reply to this email. Dana Ruiz, Chief Operating Officer."
Choices in the Announcement
The amount appears in the subject line because it is the most interesting fact. The first sentence answers who, what and when. The steps are listed in the order employees will follow them. The line connecting the benefit to the employee survey adds warmth and shows that feedback matters, countering the flattening effect of email. The figure of $5,250 matches the annual amount employers can provide tax-free under federal rules for educational assistance, a detail HR can explain. The close names two ways to get help.
Comparing the Two Messages
The table summarizes how the direct approach was adapted.
| Element | Customer reply | Employee announcement |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Answer to the main question | The benefit and who qualifies |
| Details | Labeled answers in the order asked | Steps in the order employees follow them |
| Tone | Confident and specific | Warm, with a reason for the news |
| Close | Quote by Friday or a tour | Where to ask questions |
Checking Before Sending
Both messages were checked before they went out. For the customer reply, the account manager confirmed the temperatures with the warehouse supervisor, attached the current audit rather than an older one and made sure the receiving capacity matched what the dock could actually handle. For the announcement, HR confirmed the eligibility rule, the approval step and the start date, and legal staff reviewed the wording about accredited programs. A positive message that turns out to be wrong becomes a bad-news message later, with the added cost of a correction and a loss of trust. Accuracy is part of courtesy.
Conclusion
Routine and positive messages work best when the main point comes first and the details are easy to scan. The customer reply answered a buyer's questions in the order asked and moved toward a quote, and the benefit announcement delivered good news warmly enough to survive the flattening effect of email. In both, the writer's choices about subject lines, structure, specific numbers and tone served the reader's needs rather than the writer's.
References
Byron, K. (2008). Carrying too heavy a load? The communication and miscommunication of emotion by email. Academy of Management Review, 33(2), 309-327. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2008.31193163
Nielsen, J. (1997, September 30). How users read on the web. Nielsen Norman Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-users-read-on-the-web/
Rogers, T., & Lasky-Fink, J. (2023). Writing for busy readers: Communicate more effectively in the real world. Dutton.
What the BUS 305 Module 2 instructions ask for
Routine and positive messages are the everyday core of the audience-centered writing that Aspen's BUS 305 teaches, and this module usually asks for one or more such messages with an explanation. The Module 2 instructions reach you in the course, so this example writes two and explains them. Define the direct approach and justify it with evidence about how people read. Write each message in full, with a subject line. Put the main point in the first sentence. Order details the way the reader will use them. Adjust tone for the channel and audience, especially in email. Close with a clear next step. After each message, explain your choices specifically, and compare how the approach adapts to different readers.
Inside the BUS 305 Module 2 example
The paper opens by explaining why good news and routine replies go first. It cites Nielsen Norman Group research finding that most web readers scan. The first message answers a buyer's questions about freezer temperatures, pallet capacity and inspections with labeled lines and a quote offer by Friday. Notes explain the full-sentence subject line and specific numbers. The second message announces tuition assistance, and a section on email tone cites an Academy of Management Review article on how receivers read emotion in email. Notes explain the amount in the subject line, the steps in order and the link to an employee survey. A four-row table compares the messages, and a section on verifying facts closes before the conclusion.
Reading the BUS 305 Module 2 grading rubric
Routine messages are judged on a clear opening, useful organization, suitable tone, a specific close and a thoughtful explanation. This example gives both messages in full so the writing can be evaluated directly. It supports its choices with Nielsen's study of how users read on the web, Byron's Academy of Management Review article on emotion in email and a book on writing for busy readers, cited in APA style. Explaining why each element works shows the reasoning instructors look for. Adapting the same approach to a customer and to employees, and showing how tone and detail change, demonstrates flexibility rather than a formula. The check-before-sending section shows attention to accuracy.
BUS 305 Module 2 help from the desk
A common problem is opening with pleasantries or background, which delays the point. Put the answer or good news first. Another is writing subject lines that label a topic rather than state the message. Use specific numbers, dates and steps. Read your message as the recipient would, on a phone, and cut anything that does not help. For employee announcements, add a line that shows why the news matters. Explain each choice in your commentary, not only what you wrote. Check facts with the people who own them. If you are unsure whether your tone reads as warm or flat, read it aloud or ask a colleague how it sounds to them.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Aspen University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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- BUS 305 Module 6: Formal Business Report
- BUS 305 Module 7: Business Presentation
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- BUS 210 Module 1: Business Environment Analysis
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BUS 305 Module 2 questions, answered
What does BUS 305 Module 2 usually ask for?
Aspen's BUS 305 covers audience-centered business messages, so writing and explaining routine or positive messages using the direct approach is typical. Follow your classroom prompt.
What is the direct approach in business writing?
Putting the main idea first, followed by supporting details and a closing that states any action, used when readers will welcome or accept the message.
Why does tone matter in email?
Email lacks voice and facial cues, so readers often interpret messages as more neutral or negative than the writer intended.
Where can I find a free BUS 305 Module 2 sample paper?
You can read it above: a customer reply and an employee benefit announcement, each shown in full with notes on structure and tone and a comparison table.
What makes a good email subject line?
One that states the message or answer, such as a decision and date, so the reader knows the point before opening the email.