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MGTS7610 Management Communication代写-MGTS7610
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MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 1
MGTS7610 Management Communication
Assessment task 1: Business writing portfolio
This guide was updated 10/8/22 to clarify some points. These changes have been highlighted in yellow.
Semester 2 2022
Read through these instructions carefully before attempting to begin your paper. Additionally, review them
and the criteria sheet before finalising your work and submitting it to be graded.
In this assessment task, you will create a portfolio of written documents suited to different business
situations, using the techniques learned in Weeks 1-5.
Your portfolio will include a formal letter (max. 1 page), an internal email (max. 1 page), a media release
(max. 1 page), and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) letter for inclusion in your company’s Corporate
Sustainability Report (CSR) (max. 1 page).
Due date Friday 26 August 2022, 4PM (Brisbane time)
Weighting 40%
Length Maximum 4 pages
Format Formal letter
Email
Media release
CEO letter
Submission Submit online via Turnitin (access via Blackboard)
Return of grade Graded assessment tasks will be returned approximately 3 weeks after
submission, via Turnitin
Learning
Objectives
1. Express your opinions clearly by using words and sentence structures
efficiently.
2. Communicate with colleagues and customers in a polite and effective way.
3. Make a convincing argument by structuring your ideas coherently and
persuasively.
Criteria The full grading criteria (rubric) is available at the end of this document.
1. Overview
You will craft multiple pieces of written communication that aim to respond to a crisis event for a fictitious
company. Details of this event are included below (see “2. Crisis event”).
Create a single word document for submission that includes your responses.
Your final portfolio should contain the following:
1. A letter informing your CEO of the problem.
2. A company-wide email explaining the situation to staff and telling them how they should / should not
communicate with the media, customers, and friends and family.
3. Media release to the public responding to the problem with an apology.
4. A letter from the CEO to be included in this year’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report.
More detailed instructions are provided below (see “3. Instructions”)
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 2
2. Crisis event
All four pieces of communication must address the following situation:
Note: this is a fictional situation.
Last night an exposé on the ABC Four Corners program revealed that the Australian drink company Bevvies
was using greenwashing tactics to create greater market interest in their bottled water products.
The program identified that
• bottled water has a negative impact on ecosystems that is 1,400 times worse than that of tap water,
• Bevvies senior leaders knew about this negative impact, but
• Bevvies tried to cover up this impact by using phrases like ‘natural’, ‘as Mother Nature intended’, and
‘environmentally friendly’ on its packaging, as well as the colour green on their products.
Bevvies was not the only company mentioned on the TV program, but it was the most prominent. The
program announced that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission was investigating Bevvies
for their misleading advertising.
As the Bevvies Public Relations coordinator, you need to manage this crisis. You must respond quickly, but
clearly.
You know that
• Bevvies faces a big challenge, to minimize the damage to its reputation caused by the TV program and
to rebuild trust with customers, shareholders and other stakeholders.
• responding with ‘no comment’ is not usually effective in crisis situations.
• instead, senior leaders should apologise by: (1) taking explicit responsibility for the company’s actions;
(2) personally stating their regret for the company’s actions; (3) stating how the company will correct its
actions; and (4) promising not to repeat those actions.
• other staff members should (1) not speak to the media, unless authorised to do so, and (2) present a
united front (i.e., not contradict the senior leaders), when speaking with customers.
You have developed a communication strategy to help Bevvies respond to the crisis by presenting an
appropriate image to both the media and company stakeholders (staff, customers, shareholders).
This strategy includes four steps:
1. you will write a formal letter to the CEO, explaining the situation and outlining how she should respond in
media interviews.
2. you will prepare an internal email for all staff, to explain the situation and tell them (1) that they should
not communicate with the media, and (2) what they can say if customers (or friends and family) ask them
about the TV show.
3. you will prepare a media release, including a public apology by the CEO, to manage relationships with
the media and general public.
4. you will prepare a letter from the CEO, for inclusion in Bevvies’ annual CSR report (which is due to be
published around six months after the TV program went to air).
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 3
3. Instructions
3.1 Letter
You will write a letter to your CEO, using the business letter genre you learned in class. This needs to be a
very formal and accurate message, because legal representatives may review your communication in future.
Key details to include:
• Your CEO’s name: Ms Helen Stevens
• Summarize the background to this crisis situation:
o The Bevvies CSR Director, Mr Lachlan Barr, learned about the environmental impact of bottled
water in January 2018, after reading an academic research article.
o However, Mr Barr did not believe this article was relevant to Bevvies because (i) the research
took place in another country which has high water pollution, (ii) Bevvies only sells Australian
water, and (iii) Australia is known to have some of the purest water in the world.
o In January 2021, Mr Barr contracted public relations firm Porterman & Sons to design a
marketing campaign for Bevvies. This included redesigning Bevvies’ packaging, to highlight that
they contain only Australian water.
o Mr Barr did not tell Porterman & Sons – or anyone else at Bevvies – about the research article.
o Last night an exposé on national television revealed that Bevvies was using greenwashing
tactics to create greater market interest in their products, despite knowing about the negative
environmental impact of bottled water.
• Outline your 4-step communication strategy: letter; email; media release; CEO statement in CSR report.
• Politely instruct the CEO to apologise during any media interviews. Her apology should (i) take explicit
responsibility for the company’s actions, (ii) personally state her regret for those actions, (iii) state how
Bevvies will correct its actions, and (iv) promise not to repeat those actions.
• Politely recommend that Bevvies should
o immediately appoint a new CSR Director
o contract Dr Cle-Anne Gabriel (a sustainability consultant) to run educational workshops with all
Bevvies staff (include a brochure from Dr Gabriel’s consulting firm with your letter); and
o hire Porterman & Sons to redesign their marketing campaign and Bevvies’ packaging.
Remember the structure of a formal business letter:
1. Letterhead (you don’t
need to include this in
your assessment)
2. Recipient details
3. Date
4. Subject line
5. Greeting
6. Background
7. Detail
8. Action
9. Goodwill
10. Sign off
11. Signature
12. Sender details
13. Any other details (e.g.
enclosures)
Please note you may create your own fictional details where needed and/or relevant.
Additional note: there may be some variations between sources about the order of the beginning end
ending information, such as the date going before the recipient details. Please ensure you follow either the
above or the guide in Shirley Taylor’s 2012 Model Business Letters, Emails and other Business
Documents.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 4
3.2 Company email
Bevvies staff may be approached by media looking for a story for their news outlets. They might also be
asked about the TV program by customers, friends and family.
It is important to help them know how they should respond in these situations. So, you will send an urgent
email to all staff, copying in the CEO.
Because this email is going to everyone in the company (CEO, middle managers, office workers, factory
workers), you should
• provide only enough detail to help staff understand (i) the basic facts of the current situation, and (ii)
what they should (and should not) say, if approached by the media, customers, friends or family.
• choose the right tone for delivering bad news.
• avoid including any details or using vocabulary that might make the situation worse, if repeated
publicly.
Key details to include:
• a very brief (1-2 sentence) summary of the current situation (i.e., that Bevvies was one of several
companies featured on ABC’s Four Corners show, and what the program was about)
• advise staff not to speak to the media, or post on social media, about this issue
• refer staff (and customers, friends, and family) to the “Bevvies Responds” webpage, if they have any
questions.
Remember the structure of business emails:
1. In ‘block’ form
o To:
o CC:
o BCC:
o Date:
o Subject line:
1. Greeting
2. Background
3. Detail
4. Action
5. Goodwill
6. Sign off
7. Sender details
NOTES:
You do not need to attach anything to your
email.
However, if you wish to attach something to
your email,
• make sure you refer to the attachment
in your email.
• you do not need to supply the
attachment for this assessment task.
Please note you may create your own fictional details where needed and/or relevant.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 5
3.3 Media release
In addition to communicating internally, you need to communicate externally to manage (and hopefully limit)
the reputational damage to Bevvies.
You will prepare a media release, to be provided to news outlets. This media release needs to (i) take
responsibility for the company’s actions, and (ii) reduce the impact of the ABC’s 7.30 Report program on your
company’s reputation.
Key details to include:
• a brief (1-2 sentence) summary of the current situation (i.e., that Bevvies was one of several companies
featured on ABC’s Four Corners, and what the program was about)
• a statement about Bevvies’ corporate values (i.e., Communication. Respect. Integrity. Excellence.
Sustainability.)
• an apology quotation from the CEO – you may choose one of these two options, or create your own:
o “We mistakenly thought that, because Australian water is beautifully pure, bottling it had no negative
impact on the environment. But we’ve learned that we were wrong and we’re sorry. We’re committed to
learning from our mistakes, and I promise not to repeat those mistakes.”
o “I’m sorry that ABC’s Four Corners attacked Bevvies publicly, instead of speaking to me before
their program. I would have been happy to explain what happened, and why.”
• a summary of the actions Bevvies is taking to address this situation
o immediately appointing a new CSR Director
o contracting a sustainability consultant to run educational workshops with all Bevvies staff
o redesigning their marketing campaign and Bevvies’ packaging.
Remember the structure of media releases:
1. Date of the release
2. Headline
3. Subheadline (optional)
4. Lead, with the location of the writer
5. Additional information
6. Comment
7. Additional information (optional)
8. Indication that the media release has
ended
9. About (this is sometimes called a
‘boilerplate’)
10. Media contact
Please note you may create your own fictional details where needed and/or relevant.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 6
3.4 CEO letter
The CEO statement is a letter included in the company’s annual report and Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) Report. Your CEO has asked you to prepare this letter on their behalf for the CSR report. If they like
what you have written, they will sign it and agree for it to be included in the report.
The CSR report is not due to be published for another few months, by which time the crisis will probably
have ended.
However, crises are always significant events in a company’s year, so it should be mentioned in the CSR
report.
Key details to include:
• a very brief (1 sentence) summary of the crisis situation (i.e., that Bevvies was one of several companies
featured on ABC’s 7.30 Report, and what the program was about)
• a statement about Bevvies’ corporate values (i.e., Communication. Respect. Integrity. Excellence.
Sustainability.)
• an apology (you may include the CEO’s quotation from your media release, but it should not be
formatted as a quotation, because this letter will be signed by the CEO)
• a summary of the actions Bevvies took to address the situation
o immediately appointed a new CSR Director
o contracted a sustainability consultant to run educational workshops with all Bevvies staff
o redesigned their marketing campaign and Bevvies’ packaging.
Remember the structure of the CEO statement:
1. Salutation
2. Values & beliefs
3. CSR Performance
4. Outlook for the future
5. Closing (sign off, signature, position in the
company)
Please note you may create your own fictional details where needed and/or relevant.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 7
4. Additional requirements
4.1 Submission
Go to the course site on Learn.UQ and click on ‘Assessment’ on the left‐hand menu. Go to the folder for the
assessment item. Inside this folder you will find a Turnitin submission link for which you need to click
‘View/Complete’. Follow the prompts to upload your assignment. Make sure you have successfully uploaded
your assignment by reviewing the ‘View/ Complete’ button to see your submission again.
You may submit multiple times before the deadline to check your similarity reports.
4.2 Formatting
Your submission should:
• Be a single word document (you may convert to PDF before submission)
• Use 11pt Calibri font
• Use 1.5‐line spacing
• Start each communication item on a new page (using a page break is ideal)
• Use “normal” margins (choose “normal” in Microsoft Word – this is the default for new documents)
• Use clear spacing between paragraphs
An example formatted document has been uploaded to Blackboard.
5. Assignment checklist
Use this checklist to help finish your assignment:
I have read through this instruction guide multiple times to make sure I understand the requirements.
Whenever I have been confused, I have asked my tutor clarifying questions.
I have followed the required genre structure for each communication item.
I have checked my work to ensure that I have
designed each item for the required audience
adopted an appropriate tone
used appropriate sentence structure and vocabulary
included appropriate cohesive devices (e.g., known-new)
I have double-checked my work against the grading criteria at the end of this instruction guide.
I have formatted my work according to the instruction guide.
I have submitted my work to check for accidental plagiarism issues.
I have submitted my work by the deadline.
6. Relevant assessment policies
• Late submissions incur a penalty of 10% per day late, as outlined in the Electronic Course Profile (ECP)
• Papers that exceed the page count (4 pages) may incur additional penalties
• Submissions will not be graded if submitted more than 7 days after the due date
• Your work must adhere to Assessment policies defined by the university.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 8
7. Support
For help in understanding and preparing this assignment, please refer to your weekly learning materials.
Use these learning materials to understand…
Week 1 • the communication model underpinning the grading criteria in this course
Week 2 • how to structure business correspondence genres
• how to write clearly and make the most of sentence structure
• how to use appropriate tone
Week 3 • the purpose, structure and features of crisis communication, including
corporate apologies
• how to position yourself and your audience
Week 4 • what “gender equity” and “greenwashing” are
• the purpose of CSR reports
• how to connect your ideas
Week 5 • how news articles are structured
• how sources are quoted in news articles
• the structure and purpose of a media release
If you have questions about this assessment task:
1. Ask your tutor, during your tutorial. Attending every tutorial is the best way to prepare for the
assessment in this course.
2. Check the Blackboard Discussion Forum, because an answer to your question may already have
been provided.
3. If there isn’t already an answer to your question on the Discussion Forum, you may post a
new question. Please allow 48-72 hours for a response, excluding weekends and public holidays.
If you have a personal question or concern, email the Course Coordinator:
mgts7610@business.uq.edu.au. Please allow 48-72 hours for a response, excluding weekends and public
holidays.
If you need an extension, please follow the instructions outlined here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-
and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-extension. Please note:
• the Course Coordinator cannot grant extensions.
• you must apply before the due date, using the online system.
If you are facing problems beyond this course, contact the UQ Business School or UQ Student
Support https://my.uq.edu.au/contact.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 9
8. Business Writing Portfolio Rubric (100 marks, weighted at 40%)
Email (25 marks, 10%)
Aspect of
communication
diagram
Criteria
Description
7
(High Distinction)
85-100%
6
(Distinction)
75-84%
5
(Credit)
65-74%
4
(Pass)
50-64%
1-3
(Fail)
1-49%
Incomplete
0%
Marks
Genre Structure All structural elements
are correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present, though
some minor
elements may be
not be correct,
distinct, complete,
or in appropriate
order.
Most structural
elements are
present, though
several minor
elements may be
not be correct,
distinct, complete,
or in appropriate
order.
One or more major
structural element is
incorrect, unclear,
incomplete, or not in
appropriate order.
Response is
inappropriate OR
the email is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Purpose The subject line and first
paragraph contain
highly effective
indications of both topic
and purpose.
The subject line
and first paragraph
contain indications
of both topic and
purpose.
The subject line
OR the first
paragraph contain
indications of both
topic and purpose.
The subject line
OR the first
paragraph contain
indications of
either topic or
purpose.
The subject line
and first paragraph
contain no clear
indication of topic
or purpose.
Purpose of the
email is unclear
OR the email is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Register Tone The tone is highly
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. It is
professional, polite,
positive and sincere.
The tone is mostly
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. Mostly
professional,
polite, positive and
sincere, with some
minor slips.
The tone is
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. There
may be a few
expressions that
are excessively
formal or casual.
The tone is
generally
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. Some
expressions may
be excessively
formal, casual, or
defensive.
The tone is
inappropriate to
the relationship
and audience.
Many expressions
are not
professional,
polite, positive or
sincere.
The tone is highly
inappropriate to
the relationship
and audience OR
the email is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Discourse
semantics
Organisation
of ideas
Information is clear,
sufficient and cohesive.
Excellent use of explicit
and implicit attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Effective use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Some effective use
of explicit and
implicit attitude.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive. Writing
attempts to use
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation
of information
and/or attitude.
Response is
inappropriate OR
the email is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 10
Lexico-
grammar
Grammar and
vocabulary
Clear, succinct, and
completely free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Clear, succinct,
and generally free
of grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Generally clear,
but may contain a
few vague or
unnecessary
expressions.
Generally clear,
but contains
noticeable errors
and some vague or
unnecessary
expressions.
Comprehensible
but contains
significant errors
and/or vague,
unnecessary
expressions.
Hard to understand
due to significant
grammar and
vocabulary issues
OR the message is
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
[Consult student
services]
5 marks
Graphology Formatting,
spelling, and
punctuation
The message is
formatted correctly, and
contains no spelling or
punctuation errors.
The message is
mostly formatted
correctly and
contains only
minor spelling or
punctuation errors.
The message is
formatted with
some minor errors
and/or contains a
few obvious
spelling or
punctuation
problems.
The message is
formatted with
some errors or
contains a few
significant spelling
or punctuation
problems.
The message is
not formatted
appropriately or it
contains significant
spelling and
punctuation
problems.
The lack of
formatting impairs
comprehension
OR the message
contains many
significant spelling
and punctuation
problems OR the
message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
4 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 11
Letter (25 marks, 10%)
Aspect of
communication
diagram
Criteria
Description
7
(High Distinction)
85-100%
6
(Distinction)
75-84%
5
(Credit)
65-74%
4
(Pass)
50-64%
1-3
(Fail)
1-49%
Incomplete
0%
Marks
Genre Structure All structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present. Some
minor elements
may be not be
correct, distinct,
complete or in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present. Several
minor elements
may be not be
correct, distinct,
complete, or in
appropriate order.
One or more major
structural element is
incorrect, unclear,
incomplete, or not in
appropriate order.
Response is
inappropriate OR
the message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Purpose The subject line
and first paragraph
contain highly
effective
indications of both
topic and purpose.
The subject line
and first paragraph
contain indications
of both topic and
purpose.
The subject line
OR the first
paragraph contain
indications of both
topic and purpose.
The subject line
OR the first
paragraph contain
indications of
either topic or
purpose.
The subject line and
first paragraph
contain no clear
indication of topic or
purpose.
Purpose of the
email is unclear
OR the message
is too incomplete
to assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Register Tone Tone is highly
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. It is
professional,
polite, positive and
sincere.
Tone is mostly
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. It is
mostly
professional,
polite, positive and
sincere, with some
minor slips.
Tone is
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. There
may be a few
expressions that
are excessive or
casual.
Tone is generally
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. Some
expressions may
be excessive,
casual, or
defensive.
Tone is
inappropriate to the
relationship and
audience. Many
expressions are not
professional, polite,
positive or sincere.
Tone is highly
inappropriate to
the relationship
and audience. OR
the message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Discourse
semantics
Organisation of
ideas
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Excellent use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Effective use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Some effective
use of explicit and
implicit attitude.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive.
Attempts to use
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation of
information and/or
attitude.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion. 5 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 12
Lexico-grammar Grammar and
vocabulary
Clear, and
completely free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Clear, and
generally free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Generally clear,
but may contain a
few vague or
unnecessary
expressions.
Generally clear,
but contains
noticeable errors
and some vague
or unnecessary
expressions.
Comprehensible,
but contains
significant errors
and/or vague,
unnecessary
expressions.
Hard to
understand due to
significant
grammar and
vocabulary issues
OR the message
is too incomplete
to assess this
criterion.
[Consult student
services]
5 marks
Graphology Formatting,
spelling, and
punctuation
Formatted
correctly, and
contains no
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Mostly formatted
correctly or
contains only
minor spelling or
punctuation errors.
Formatted with
some minor errors
or contains a few
obvious spelling or
punctuation
problems.
Formatted with
some errors or
contains a few
significant spelling
or punctuation
problems.
Not formatted
appropriately or it
contains
significant spelling
and punctuation
problems.
Lack of formatting
impairs
comprehension, or
the message
contains many
significant spelling
and punctuation
problems OR the
message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
4 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 13
Media release (25 marks, 10%)
Aspect of
communication
diagram
Criteria
Description
7
(High Distinction)
85-100%
6
(Distinction)
75-84%
5
(Credit)
65-74%
4
(Pass)
50-64%
1-3
(Fail)
1-49%
Incomplete
0%
Marks
Genre Structure All structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present, though
some minor
elements may be
not be correct,
distinct, complete,
or in appropriate
order.
Most structural
elements are
present, though
several minor
elements may be
not be correct,
distinct, complete,
or in appropriate
order.
One or more major
structural element is
incorrect, unclear,
incomplete, or not in
appropriate order.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion. 3 marks
Purpose The headline and
the first paragraph
contain key
information, and
grabs attention.
The headline and
the first paragraph
contains key
information.
The first paragraph
contains key
information about
the issue, but the
headline may lack
some information.
The first paragraph
contains key
information about
the issue. The
headline may not
be clear.
The first paragraph
lacks key
information about
the issue. The
headline may not
be clear.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Register Journalistic
writing
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Highly persuasive
comments
included as quoted
speech, using
appropriate
reporting verbs.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Persuasive
comments
included as quoted
speech.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Comments
included as quoted
speech, but may
not be persuasive.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive.
Comments
included as quoted
speech, but are
not persuasive.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation
of information
and/or quoted
speech.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Discourse
semantics
Organisation of
ideas
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Excellent use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Effective use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Some effective use
of explicit and
implicit attitude.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive. Attempts
to use of explicit
and implicit
attitude.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation
of information
and/or attitude.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion. 5 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 14
Lexico-grammar Grammar and
vocabulary
Clear, and
completely free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Clear, and
generally free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Generally clear,
but may contain a
few vague or
unnecessary
expressions.
Generally clear,
but contains
noticeable errors
and some vague
or unnecessary
expressions.
Comprehensible,
but contains
significant errors
and/or vague,
unnecessary
expressions.
Hard to
understand due to
significant
grammar and
vocabulary issues
OR the message is
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
[Consult student
services]
5 marks
Graphology Formatting,
spelling, and
punctuation
Formatted
correctly, and
contains no
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Mostly formatted
correctly or
contains only
minor spelling or
punctuation errors.
Formatted with
some minor errors
or contains a few
obvious spelling or
punctuation
problems.
Formatted with
some errors or
contains a few
significant spelling
or punctuation
problems.
Formatted
appropriately or it
contains significant
spelling and
punctuation
problems.
Lack of formatting
impairs
comprehension
OR the writing
contains many
significant spelling
and punctuation
problems OR the
message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
4 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 15
CEO statement (25 marks, 10%)
Aspect of
communication
diagram
Criteria
Description
7
(High Distinction)
85-100%
6
(Distinction)
75-84%
5
(Credit)
65-74%
4
(Pass)
50-64%
1-3
(Fail)
1-49%
Incomplete
0%
Marks
Genre Structure All structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present. Some
minor elements
may be not be
correct, distinct,
complete, or in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present. Several
minor elements
may be not be
correct, distinct,
complete, or in
appropriate order.
One or more major
structural element is
incorrect, unclear,
incomplete, or not in
appropriate order.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Purpose Creates a highly
positive self-image
by always
effectively
neutralising
negatives and
enhancing
positives.
Creates a
generally positive
self-image by
consistently and
effectively
neutralising
negatives and
enhancing
positives.
Creates a
generally positive
self-image by
neutralising
negatives and
enhancing
positives. There
may be some
moderate errors.
Creates a
somewhat positive
self-image, by
generally
neutralising
negatives &
enhancing
positives. May be
some moderate
errors.
Consistently fails
to create a positive
self-image.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Register Authoritative
writing
Makes use of
authoritative first-
person voice and
targets the
communication to
a generic business
audience without
error.
Makes use of
authoritative first-
person voice and
targets the
communication to
a generic business
audience. The
writing may have
one or two minor
issues in formality
or perspective.
Makes use of
authoritative first-
person voice and
targets the
communication to
a generic business
audience. The
writing may have a
few minor issues in
formality or
perspective.
Makes use of
authoritative first-
person voice and
targets the
communication to
a generic business
audience. The
writing may have a
few significant
issues in formality
or perspective.
Fails to make use
of authoritative
first-person voice
or consistently fails
to target the
communication to
a generic business
audience.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Discourse
semantics
Organisation of
ideas
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Excellent use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Effective use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Some effective use
of explicit and
implicit attitude.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive. Attempts
to use explicit and
implicit attitude.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation
of information
and/or attitude.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 16
Lexico-grammar Grammar and
vocabulary
Clear, and
completely free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Clear, and
generally free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Generally clear,
but may contain a
few vague or
unnecessary
expressions
Generally clear,
but contains
noticeable errors
and some vague
or unnecessary
expressions.
Comprehensible,
but contains
significant errors
and/or vague,
unnecessary
expressions.
Hard to
understand due to
significant
grammar and
vocabulary issues.
OR message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
[Consult student
services]
5 marks
Graphology Formatting,
spelling, and
punctuation
Formatted
correctly, and
contains no
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Mostly formatted
correctly or
contains only
minor spelling or
punctuation errors.
Formatted with
some minor errors
or contains a few
obvious spelling or
punctuation
problems.
Formatted with
some errors or
contains a few
significant spelling
or punctuation
problems.
Formatted
appropriately or it
contains significant
spelling and
punctuation
problems.
Lack of formatting
impairs
comprehension, or
writing contains
many significant
spelling and
punctuation
problems. OR is
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
4 marks
MGTS7610 Management Communication
Assessment task 1: Business writing portfolio
This guide was updated 10/8/22 to clarify some points. These changes have been highlighted in yellow.
Semester 2 2022
Read through these instructions carefully before attempting to begin your paper. Additionally, review them
and the criteria sheet before finalising your work and submitting it to be graded.
In this assessment task, you will create a portfolio of written documents suited to different business
situations, using the techniques learned in Weeks 1-5.
Your portfolio will include a formal letter (max. 1 page), an internal email (max. 1 page), a media release
(max. 1 page), and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) letter for inclusion in your company’s Corporate
Sustainability Report (CSR) (max. 1 page).
Due date Friday 26 August 2022, 4PM (Brisbane time)
Weighting 40%
Length Maximum 4 pages
Format Formal letter
Media release
CEO letter
Submission Submit online via Turnitin (access via Blackboard)
Return of grade Graded assessment tasks will be returned approximately 3 weeks after
submission, via Turnitin
Learning
Objectives
1. Express your opinions clearly by using words and sentence structures
efficiently.
2. Communicate with colleagues and customers in a polite and effective way.
3. Make a convincing argument by structuring your ideas coherently and
persuasively.
Criteria The full grading criteria (rubric) is available at the end of this document.
1. Overview
You will craft multiple pieces of written communication that aim to respond to a crisis event for a fictitious
company. Details of this event are included below (see “2. Crisis event”).
Create a single word document for submission that includes your responses.
Your final portfolio should contain the following:
1. A letter informing your CEO of the problem.
2. A company-wide email explaining the situation to staff and telling them how they should / should not
communicate with the media, customers, and friends and family.
3. Media release to the public responding to the problem with an apology.
4. A letter from the CEO to be included in this year’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report.
More detailed instructions are provided below (see “3. Instructions”)
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 2
2. Crisis event
All four pieces of communication must address the following situation:
Note: this is a fictional situation.
Last night an exposé on the ABC Four Corners program revealed that the Australian drink company Bevvies
was using greenwashing tactics to create greater market interest in their bottled water products.
The program identified that
• bottled water has a negative impact on ecosystems that is 1,400 times worse than that of tap water,
• Bevvies senior leaders knew about this negative impact, but
• Bevvies tried to cover up this impact by using phrases like ‘natural’, ‘as Mother Nature intended’, and
‘environmentally friendly’ on its packaging, as well as the colour green on their products.
Bevvies was not the only company mentioned on the TV program, but it was the most prominent. The
program announced that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission was investigating Bevvies
for their misleading advertising.
As the Bevvies Public Relations coordinator, you need to manage this crisis. You must respond quickly, but
clearly.
You know that
• Bevvies faces a big challenge, to minimize the damage to its reputation caused by the TV program and
to rebuild trust with customers, shareholders and other stakeholders.
• responding with ‘no comment’ is not usually effective in crisis situations.
• instead, senior leaders should apologise by: (1) taking explicit responsibility for the company’s actions;
(2) personally stating their regret for the company’s actions; (3) stating how the company will correct its
actions; and (4) promising not to repeat those actions.
• other staff members should (1) not speak to the media, unless authorised to do so, and (2) present a
united front (i.e., not contradict the senior leaders), when speaking with customers.
You have developed a communication strategy to help Bevvies respond to the crisis by presenting an
appropriate image to both the media and company stakeholders (staff, customers, shareholders).
This strategy includes four steps:
1. you will write a formal letter to the CEO, explaining the situation and outlining how she should respond in
media interviews.
2. you will prepare an internal email for all staff, to explain the situation and tell them (1) that they should
not communicate with the media, and (2) what they can say if customers (or friends and family) ask them
about the TV show.
3. you will prepare a media release, including a public apology by the CEO, to manage relationships with
the media and general public.
4. you will prepare a letter from the CEO, for inclusion in Bevvies’ annual CSR report (which is due to be
published around six months after the TV program went to air).
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 3
3. Instructions
3.1 Letter
You will write a letter to your CEO, using the business letter genre you learned in class. This needs to be a
very formal and accurate message, because legal representatives may review your communication in future.
Key details to include:
• Your CEO’s name: Ms Helen Stevens
• Summarize the background to this crisis situation:
o The Bevvies CSR Director, Mr Lachlan Barr, learned about the environmental impact of bottled
water in January 2018, after reading an academic research article.
o However, Mr Barr did not believe this article was relevant to Bevvies because (i) the research
took place in another country which has high water pollution, (ii) Bevvies only sells Australian
water, and (iii) Australia is known to have some of the purest water in the world.
o In January 2021, Mr Barr contracted public relations firm Porterman & Sons to design a
marketing campaign for Bevvies. This included redesigning Bevvies’ packaging, to highlight that
they contain only Australian water.
o Mr Barr did not tell Porterman & Sons – or anyone else at Bevvies – about the research article.
o Last night an exposé on national television revealed that Bevvies was using greenwashing
tactics to create greater market interest in their products, despite knowing about the negative
environmental impact of bottled water.
• Outline your 4-step communication strategy: letter; email; media release; CEO statement in CSR report.
• Politely instruct the CEO to apologise during any media interviews. Her apology should (i) take explicit
responsibility for the company’s actions, (ii) personally state her regret for those actions, (iii) state how
Bevvies will correct its actions, and (iv) promise not to repeat those actions.
• Politely recommend that Bevvies should
o immediately appoint a new CSR Director
o contract Dr Cle-Anne Gabriel (a sustainability consultant) to run educational workshops with all
Bevvies staff (include a brochure from Dr Gabriel’s consulting firm with your letter); and
o hire Porterman & Sons to redesign their marketing campaign and Bevvies’ packaging.
Remember the structure of a formal business letter:
1. Letterhead (you don’t
need to include this in
your assessment)
2. Recipient details
3. Date
4. Subject line
5. Greeting
6. Background
7. Detail
8. Action
9. Goodwill
10. Sign off
11. Signature
12. Sender details
13. Any other details (e.g.
enclosures)
Please note you may create your own fictional details where needed and/or relevant.
Additional note: there may be some variations between sources about the order of the beginning end
ending information, such as the date going before the recipient details. Please ensure you follow either the
above or the guide in Shirley Taylor’s 2012 Model Business Letters, Emails and other Business
Documents.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 4
3.2 Company email
Bevvies staff may be approached by media looking for a story for their news outlets. They might also be
asked about the TV program by customers, friends and family.
It is important to help them know how they should respond in these situations. So, you will send an urgent
email to all staff, copying in the CEO.
Because this email is going to everyone in the company (CEO, middle managers, office workers, factory
workers), you should
• provide only enough detail to help staff understand (i) the basic facts of the current situation, and (ii)
what they should (and should not) say, if approached by the media, customers, friends or family.
• choose the right tone for delivering bad news.
• avoid including any details or using vocabulary that might make the situation worse, if repeated
publicly.
Key details to include:
• a very brief (1-2 sentence) summary of the current situation (i.e., that Bevvies was one of several
companies featured on ABC’s Four Corners show, and what the program was about)
• advise staff not to speak to the media, or post on social media, about this issue
• refer staff (and customers, friends, and family) to the “Bevvies Responds” webpage, if they have any
questions.
Remember the structure of business emails:
1. In ‘block’ form
o To:
o CC:
o BCC:
o Date:
o Subject line:
1. Greeting
2. Background
3. Detail
4. Action
5. Goodwill
6. Sign off
7. Sender details
NOTES:
You do not need to attach anything to your
email.
However, if you wish to attach something to
your email,
• make sure you refer to the attachment
in your email.
• you do not need to supply the
attachment for this assessment task.
Please note you may create your own fictional details where needed and/or relevant.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 5
3.3 Media release
In addition to communicating internally, you need to communicate externally to manage (and hopefully limit)
the reputational damage to Bevvies.
You will prepare a media release, to be provided to news outlets. This media release needs to (i) take
responsibility for the company’s actions, and (ii) reduce the impact of the ABC’s 7.30 Report program on your
company’s reputation.
Key details to include:
• a brief (1-2 sentence) summary of the current situation (i.e., that Bevvies was one of several companies
featured on ABC’s Four Corners, and what the program was about)
• a statement about Bevvies’ corporate values (i.e., Communication. Respect. Integrity. Excellence.
Sustainability.)
• an apology quotation from the CEO – you may choose one of these two options, or create your own:
o “We mistakenly thought that, because Australian water is beautifully pure, bottling it had no negative
impact on the environment. But we’ve learned that we were wrong and we’re sorry. We’re committed to
learning from our mistakes, and I promise not to repeat those mistakes.”
o “I’m sorry that ABC’s Four Corners attacked Bevvies publicly, instead of speaking to me before
their program. I would have been happy to explain what happened, and why.”
• a summary of the actions Bevvies is taking to address this situation
o immediately appointing a new CSR Director
o contracting a sustainability consultant to run educational workshops with all Bevvies staff
o redesigning their marketing campaign and Bevvies’ packaging.
Remember the structure of media releases:
1. Date of the release
2. Headline
3. Subheadline (optional)
4. Lead, with the location of the writer
5. Additional information
6. Comment
7. Additional information (optional)
8. Indication that the media release has
ended
9. About (this is sometimes called a
‘boilerplate’)
10. Media contact
Please note you may create your own fictional details where needed and/or relevant.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 6
3.4 CEO letter
The CEO statement is a letter included in the company’s annual report and Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) Report. Your CEO has asked you to prepare this letter on their behalf for the CSR report. If they like
what you have written, they will sign it and agree for it to be included in the report.
The CSR report is not due to be published for another few months, by which time the crisis will probably
have ended.
However, crises are always significant events in a company’s year, so it should be mentioned in the CSR
report.
Key details to include:
• a very brief (1 sentence) summary of the crisis situation (i.e., that Bevvies was one of several companies
featured on ABC’s 7.30 Report, and what the program was about)
• a statement about Bevvies’ corporate values (i.e., Communication. Respect. Integrity. Excellence.
Sustainability.)
• an apology (you may include the CEO’s quotation from your media release, but it should not be
formatted as a quotation, because this letter will be signed by the CEO)
• a summary of the actions Bevvies took to address the situation
o immediately appointed a new CSR Director
o contracted a sustainability consultant to run educational workshops with all Bevvies staff
o redesigned their marketing campaign and Bevvies’ packaging.
Remember the structure of the CEO statement:
1. Salutation
2. Values & beliefs
3. CSR Performance
4. Outlook for the future
5. Closing (sign off, signature, position in the
company)
Please note you may create your own fictional details where needed and/or relevant.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 7
4. Additional requirements
4.1 Submission
Go to the course site on Learn.UQ and click on ‘Assessment’ on the left‐hand menu. Go to the folder for the
assessment item. Inside this folder you will find a Turnitin submission link for which you need to click
‘View/Complete’. Follow the prompts to upload your assignment. Make sure you have successfully uploaded
your assignment by reviewing the ‘View/ Complete’ button to see your submission again.
You may submit multiple times before the deadline to check your similarity reports.
4.2 Formatting
Your submission should:
• Be a single word document (you may convert to PDF before submission)
• Use 11pt Calibri font
• Use 1.5‐line spacing
• Start each communication item on a new page (using a page break is ideal)
• Use “normal” margins (choose “normal” in Microsoft Word – this is the default for new documents)
• Use clear spacing between paragraphs
An example formatted document has been uploaded to Blackboard.
5. Assignment checklist
Use this checklist to help finish your assignment:
I have read through this instruction guide multiple times to make sure I understand the requirements.
Whenever I have been confused, I have asked my tutor clarifying questions.
I have followed the required genre structure for each communication item.
I have checked my work to ensure that I have
designed each item for the required audience
adopted an appropriate tone
used appropriate sentence structure and vocabulary
included appropriate cohesive devices (e.g., known-new)
I have double-checked my work against the grading criteria at the end of this instruction guide.
I have formatted my work according to the instruction guide.
I have submitted my work to check for accidental plagiarism issues.
I have submitted my work by the deadline.
6. Relevant assessment policies
• Late submissions incur a penalty of 10% per day late, as outlined in the Electronic Course Profile (ECP)
• Papers that exceed the page count (4 pages) may incur additional penalties
• Submissions will not be graded if submitted more than 7 days after the due date
• Your work must adhere to Assessment policies defined by the university.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 8
7. Support
For help in understanding and preparing this assignment, please refer to your weekly learning materials.
Use these learning materials to understand…
Week 1 • the communication model underpinning the grading criteria in this course
Week 2 • how to structure business correspondence genres
• how to write clearly and make the most of sentence structure
• how to use appropriate tone
Week 3 • the purpose, structure and features of crisis communication, including
corporate apologies
• how to position yourself and your audience
Week 4 • what “gender equity” and “greenwashing” are
• the purpose of CSR reports
• how to connect your ideas
Week 5 • how news articles are structured
• how sources are quoted in news articles
• the structure and purpose of a media release
If you have questions about this assessment task:
1. Ask your tutor, during your tutorial. Attending every tutorial is the best way to prepare for the
assessment in this course.
2. Check the Blackboard Discussion Forum, because an answer to your question may already have
been provided.
3. If there isn’t already an answer to your question on the Discussion Forum, you may post a
new question. Please allow 48-72 hours for a response, excluding weekends and public holidays.
If you have a personal question or concern, email the Course Coordinator:
mgts7610@business.uq.edu.au. Please allow 48-72 hours for a response, excluding weekends and public
holidays.
If you need an extension, please follow the instructions outlined here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-
and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-extension. Please note:
• the Course Coordinator cannot grant extensions.
• you must apply before the due date, using the online system.
If you are facing problems beyond this course, contact the UQ Business School or UQ Student
Support https://my.uq.edu.au/contact.
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 9
8. Business Writing Portfolio Rubric (100 marks, weighted at 40%)
Email (25 marks, 10%)
Aspect of
communication
diagram
Criteria
Description
7
(High Distinction)
85-100%
6
(Distinction)
75-84%
5
(Credit)
65-74%
4
(Pass)
50-64%
1-3
(Fail)
1-49%
Incomplete
0%
Marks
Genre Structure All structural elements
are correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present, though
some minor
elements may be
not be correct,
distinct, complete,
or in appropriate
order.
Most structural
elements are
present, though
several minor
elements may be
not be correct,
distinct, complete,
or in appropriate
order.
One or more major
structural element is
incorrect, unclear,
incomplete, or not in
appropriate order.
Response is
inappropriate OR
the email is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Purpose The subject line and first
paragraph contain
highly effective
indications of both topic
and purpose.
The subject line
and first paragraph
contain indications
of both topic and
purpose.
The subject line
OR the first
paragraph contain
indications of both
topic and purpose.
The subject line
OR the first
paragraph contain
indications of
either topic or
purpose.
The subject line
and first paragraph
contain no clear
indication of topic
or purpose.
Purpose of the
email is unclear
OR the email is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Register Tone The tone is highly
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. It is
professional, polite,
positive and sincere.
The tone is mostly
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. Mostly
professional,
polite, positive and
sincere, with some
minor slips.
The tone is
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. There
may be a few
expressions that
are excessively
formal or casual.
The tone is
generally
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. Some
expressions may
be excessively
formal, casual, or
defensive.
The tone is
inappropriate to
the relationship
and audience.
Many expressions
are not
professional,
polite, positive or
sincere.
The tone is highly
inappropriate to
the relationship
and audience OR
the email is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Discourse
semantics
Organisation
of ideas
Information is clear,
sufficient and cohesive.
Excellent use of explicit
and implicit attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Effective use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Some effective use
of explicit and
implicit attitude.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive. Writing
attempts to use
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation
of information
and/or attitude.
Response is
inappropriate OR
the email is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 10
Lexico-
grammar
Grammar and
vocabulary
Clear, succinct, and
completely free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Clear, succinct,
and generally free
of grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Generally clear,
but may contain a
few vague or
unnecessary
expressions.
Generally clear,
but contains
noticeable errors
and some vague or
unnecessary
expressions.
Comprehensible
but contains
significant errors
and/or vague,
unnecessary
expressions.
Hard to understand
due to significant
grammar and
vocabulary issues
OR the message is
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
[Consult student
services]
5 marks
Graphology Formatting,
spelling, and
punctuation
The message is
formatted correctly, and
contains no spelling or
punctuation errors.
The message is
mostly formatted
correctly and
contains only
minor spelling or
punctuation errors.
The message is
formatted with
some minor errors
and/or contains a
few obvious
spelling or
punctuation
problems.
The message is
formatted with
some errors or
contains a few
significant spelling
or punctuation
problems.
The message is
not formatted
appropriately or it
contains significant
spelling and
punctuation
problems.
The lack of
formatting impairs
comprehension
OR the message
contains many
significant spelling
and punctuation
problems OR the
message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
4 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 11
Letter (25 marks, 10%)
Aspect of
communication
diagram
Criteria
Description
7
(High Distinction)
85-100%
6
(Distinction)
75-84%
5
(Credit)
65-74%
4
(Pass)
50-64%
1-3
(Fail)
1-49%
Incomplete
0%
Marks
Genre Structure All structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present. Some
minor elements
may be not be
correct, distinct,
complete or in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present. Several
minor elements
may be not be
correct, distinct,
complete, or in
appropriate order.
One or more major
structural element is
incorrect, unclear,
incomplete, or not in
appropriate order.
Response is
inappropriate OR
the message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Purpose The subject line
and first paragraph
contain highly
effective
indications of both
topic and purpose.
The subject line
and first paragraph
contain indications
of both topic and
purpose.
The subject line
OR the first
paragraph contain
indications of both
topic and purpose.
The subject line
OR the first
paragraph contain
indications of
either topic or
purpose.
The subject line and
first paragraph
contain no clear
indication of topic or
purpose.
Purpose of the
email is unclear
OR the message
is too incomplete
to assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Register Tone Tone is highly
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. It is
professional,
polite, positive and
sincere.
Tone is mostly
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. It is
mostly
professional,
polite, positive and
sincere, with some
minor slips.
Tone is
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. There
may be a few
expressions that
are excessive or
casual.
Tone is generally
appropriate to the
relationship and
audience. Some
expressions may
be excessive,
casual, or
defensive.
Tone is
inappropriate to the
relationship and
audience. Many
expressions are not
professional, polite,
positive or sincere.
Tone is highly
inappropriate to
the relationship
and audience. OR
the message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Discourse
semantics
Organisation of
ideas
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Excellent use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Effective use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Some effective
use of explicit and
implicit attitude.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive.
Attempts to use
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation of
information and/or
attitude.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion. 5 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 12
Lexico-grammar Grammar and
vocabulary
Clear, and
completely free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Clear, and
generally free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Generally clear,
but may contain a
few vague or
unnecessary
expressions.
Generally clear,
but contains
noticeable errors
and some vague
or unnecessary
expressions.
Comprehensible,
but contains
significant errors
and/or vague,
unnecessary
expressions.
Hard to
understand due to
significant
grammar and
vocabulary issues
OR the message
is too incomplete
to assess this
criterion.
[Consult student
services]
5 marks
Graphology Formatting,
spelling, and
punctuation
Formatted
correctly, and
contains no
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Mostly formatted
correctly or
contains only
minor spelling or
punctuation errors.
Formatted with
some minor errors
or contains a few
obvious spelling or
punctuation
problems.
Formatted with
some errors or
contains a few
significant spelling
or punctuation
problems.
Not formatted
appropriately or it
contains
significant spelling
and punctuation
problems.
Lack of formatting
impairs
comprehension, or
the message
contains many
significant spelling
and punctuation
problems OR the
message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
4 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 13
Media release (25 marks, 10%)
Aspect of
communication
diagram
Criteria
Description
7
(High Distinction)
85-100%
6
(Distinction)
75-84%
5
(Credit)
65-74%
4
(Pass)
50-64%
1-3
(Fail)
1-49%
Incomplete
0%
Marks
Genre Structure All structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present, though
some minor
elements may be
not be correct,
distinct, complete,
or in appropriate
order.
Most structural
elements are
present, though
several minor
elements may be
not be correct,
distinct, complete,
or in appropriate
order.
One or more major
structural element is
incorrect, unclear,
incomplete, or not in
appropriate order.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion. 3 marks
Purpose The headline and
the first paragraph
contain key
information, and
grabs attention.
The headline and
the first paragraph
contains key
information.
The first paragraph
contains key
information about
the issue, but the
headline may lack
some information.
The first paragraph
contains key
information about
the issue. The
headline may not
be clear.
The first paragraph
lacks key
information about
the issue. The
headline may not
be clear.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Register Journalistic
writing
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Highly persuasive
comments
included as quoted
speech, using
appropriate
reporting verbs.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Persuasive
comments
included as quoted
speech.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Comments
included as quoted
speech, but may
not be persuasive.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive.
Comments
included as quoted
speech, but are
not persuasive.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation
of information
and/or quoted
speech.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Discourse
semantics
Organisation of
ideas
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Excellent use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Effective use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Some effective use
of explicit and
implicit attitude.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive. Attempts
to use of explicit
and implicit
attitude.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation
of information
and/or attitude.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion. 5 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 14
Lexico-grammar Grammar and
vocabulary
Clear, and
completely free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Clear, and
generally free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Generally clear,
but may contain a
few vague or
unnecessary
expressions.
Generally clear,
but contains
noticeable errors
and some vague
or unnecessary
expressions.
Comprehensible,
but contains
significant errors
and/or vague,
unnecessary
expressions.
Hard to
understand due to
significant
grammar and
vocabulary issues
OR the message is
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
[Consult student
services]
5 marks
Graphology Formatting,
spelling, and
punctuation
Formatted
correctly, and
contains no
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Mostly formatted
correctly or
contains only
minor spelling or
punctuation errors.
Formatted with
some minor errors
or contains a few
obvious spelling or
punctuation
problems.
Formatted with
some errors or
contains a few
significant spelling
or punctuation
problems.
Formatted
appropriately or it
contains significant
spelling and
punctuation
problems.
Lack of formatting
impairs
comprehension
OR the writing
contains many
significant spelling
and punctuation
problems OR the
message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
4 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 15
CEO statement (25 marks, 10%)
Aspect of
communication
diagram
Criteria
Description
7
(High Distinction)
85-100%
6
(Distinction)
75-84%
5
(Credit)
65-74%
4
(Pass)
50-64%
1-3
(Fail)
1-49%
Incomplete
0%
Marks
Genre Structure All structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
correct, distinct,
complete, and in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present. Some
minor elements
may be not be
correct, distinct,
complete, or in
appropriate order.
Most structural
elements are
present. Several
minor elements
may be not be
correct, distinct,
complete, or in
appropriate order.
One or more major
structural element is
incorrect, unclear,
incomplete, or not in
appropriate order.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Purpose Creates a highly
positive self-image
by always
effectively
neutralising
negatives and
enhancing
positives.
Creates a
generally positive
self-image by
consistently and
effectively
neutralising
negatives and
enhancing
positives.
Creates a
generally positive
self-image by
neutralising
negatives and
enhancing
positives. There
may be some
moderate errors.
Creates a
somewhat positive
self-image, by
generally
neutralising
negatives &
enhancing
positives. May be
some moderate
errors.
Consistently fails
to create a positive
self-image.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
3 marks
Register Authoritative
writing
Makes use of
authoritative first-
person voice and
targets the
communication to
a generic business
audience without
error.
Makes use of
authoritative first-
person voice and
targets the
communication to
a generic business
audience. The
writing may have
one or two minor
issues in formality
or perspective.
Makes use of
authoritative first-
person voice and
targets the
communication to
a generic business
audience. The
writing may have a
few minor issues in
formality or
perspective.
Makes use of
authoritative first-
person voice and
targets the
communication to
a generic business
audience. The
writing may have a
few significant
issues in formality
or perspective.
Fails to make use
of authoritative
first-person voice
or consistently fails
to target the
communication to
a generic business
audience.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Discourse
semantics
Organisation of
ideas
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Excellent use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Effective use of
explicit and implicit
attitude.
Information is
clear, sufficient
and cohesive.
Some effective use
of explicit and
implicit attitude.
Information is
appropriate, but
may not be
consistently clear,
sufficient or
cohesive. Attempts
to use explicit and
implicit attitude.
Response has
significant issues
with organisation
of information
and/or attitude.
Response is
inappropriate OR
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
5 marks
Rubric continued over page
MGTS7610 Business Writing Portfolio Assignment Guide 16
Lexico-grammar Grammar and
vocabulary
Clear, and
completely free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Clear, and
generally free of
grammar and
vocabulary errors.
Generally clear,
but may contain a
few vague or
unnecessary
expressions
Generally clear,
but contains
noticeable errors
and some vague
or unnecessary
expressions.
Comprehensible,
but contains
significant errors
and/or vague,
unnecessary
expressions.
Hard to
understand due to
significant
grammar and
vocabulary issues.
OR message is too
incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
[Consult student
services]
5 marks
Graphology Formatting,
spelling, and
punctuation
Formatted
correctly, and
contains no
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Mostly formatted
correctly or
contains only
minor spelling or
punctuation errors.
Formatted with
some minor errors
or contains a few
obvious spelling or
punctuation
problems.
Formatted with
some errors or
contains a few
significant spelling
or punctuation
problems.
Formatted
appropriately or it
contains significant
spelling and
punctuation
problems.
Lack of formatting
impairs
comprehension, or
writing contains
many significant
spelling and
punctuation
problems. OR is
too incomplete to
assess this
criterion.
4 marks
