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Journal of Business Communication, Vol. 22, No. 2, 5-8 (1985)
DOI: 10.1177/002194368502200201

Indirect Structure and Reader Response

Douglas Brent

The University of Calgary

This paper discusses the classic strategy of using buffer sentences to soften bad-news and sales messages. It argues that this strategy fails to take into account the reader's ability to suspend judgement and to skim-read, consequently irritating rather than mollifying the reader. The paper closes with a plan for deciding between direct and indirect structure on the basis of the type of argument and the situation rather than the palatability of the message.


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