Email Assignment Grading Criteria – 40 points · Content (15 points) · Informative subject line · Effective buffer sentence(s) followed by … · Clear, direct message that gives the most important information · Full explanation of “why” · Respectful, professional tone throughout · Structure (15 points) · Follows structure as outlined on “Email Writing” PPT · Message is organized logically (buffer, main point, reasons why, etc.) · No rambling/topic drift · Short paragraphs and sentences · Uses brevity tools to guide the reader and highlight key points · Language (10 points) · Use Grammar and Language Checklist as a guide ( Parallax & Stellar Distances NAME: ) ( Image 1 ) ( Image 2 ) ( _ ) Distance Measurement MethodsA. Parallax from Images In this exercise, you will determine the distances to stars that appear in a pair of images taken 3 months apart. Some stars are in different positions in the two images. You will also determine the minimum distance to those stars for which there is no measurable parallax. Take a look at the two star field images. You can assume that the patch of sky in these images is near the plane of the ecliptic. (Note that these images are actually artificial constructions to make it possible to measure many stellar parallaxes in one image. In reality, stars that are close enough to us to have measurable parallaxes wouldn’t be so close together on the sky.) The images are “negatives,” so that stars appear black on a white background. The size of a star in the images is determined not by the star’s physical dimensions, but by its brightness. The brighter stars appear bigger than faint ones. Step 1: Compare the two star images carefully, looking for stars that appear in different locations in the two images. You may find it helpful to lay image #1 on top of image #2, and hold them up to a light. Be careful to align the two images well (most stars will line up perfectly). You can also try using a ruler to check if separations or alignments between stars have changed. Step 2: Mark each star that has moved noticeably with an arrow on image #1 • Draw the arrows in BELOW the stars, so they point “up” at the stars. Label each star with a number, letter or name. Step 3: For each star that moves, estimate its center by eye as best you can on image #1，and make a small dot there with a pen or pencil. Then lay image #1 on top of image #2, and look for where each star moved to in image #2. Make a small dot on image #1 at the location where the star is centered in image #2. You should now have two dots on image #1 associated with each star that moves. Step 4: Use a ruler to measure how far each star has shifted in the three-month period between image #1 and image #2. Make the measurements in millimeters (mm), and record each measurement in the second column of Table 1 on your worksheet. Step 5: Convert your measurements in millimeters to an angular size using the f.

1. Email Assignment Grading Criteria – 40 points
· Content (15 points)
· Informative subject line
· Effective buffer sentence(s) followed by …
· Clear, direct message that gives the most important
information
· Full explanation of “why”
· Respectful, professional tone throughout
· Structure (15 points)
· Follows structure as outlined on “Email Writing” PPT
· Message is organized logically (buffer, main point, reasons
why, etc.)
· No rambling/topic drift
· Short paragraphs and sentences
· Uses brevity tools to guide the reader and highlight key points
· Language (10 points)
· Use Grammar and Language Checklist as a guide
(
Parallax
&
Stellar Distances
NAME:
)
(
Image
1
)

2. (
Image 2
)

3. (
_
)
Distance Measurement MethodsA. Parallax from Images
In this exercise, you will determine the distances to stars that
appear in a pair of images taken 3 months apart. Some stars are
in different positions in the two images. You will also
determine the minimum distance to those stars for which there
is no measurable parallax.

4. Take a look at the two star field images. You can assume that
the patch of sky in these images is near the plane of the ecliptic.
(Note that these images are actually artificial constructions to
make it possible to measure many stellar parallaxes in one
image. In reality, stars that are close enough to us to have
measurable parallaxes wouldn’t be so close together on the
sky.) The images are “negatives,” so that stars appear black on a
white background. The size of a star in the images is determined
not by the star’s physical dimensions, but by its brightness. The
brighter stars appear bigger than faint ones.
Step 1: Compare the two star images carefully, looking for stars
that appear in different locations in the two images. You may
find it helpful to lay image #1 on top of image #2, and hold
them up to a light. Be careful to align the two images well
(most stars will line up perfectly). You can also try using a
ruler to check if separations or alignments between stars have
changed.
Step 2: Mark each star that has moved noticeably with an arrow
on image #1 • Draw the arrows in BELOW the stars, so they
point “up” at the stars. Label each star with a number, letter or
name.
Step 3: For each star that moves, estimate its center by eye as
best you can on image #1，and make a small dot there with a
pen or pencil. Then lay image #1 on top of image #2, and look
for where each star moved to in image #2. Make a small dot on
image #1 at the location where the star is centered in image #2.
You should now have two dots on image #1 associated with
each star that moves.
Step 4: Use a ruler to measure how far each star has shifted in
the three-month period between image #1 and image #2. Make
the measurements in millimeters (mm), and record each
measurement in the second column of Table 1 on your
worksheet.
Step 5: Convert your measurements in millimeters to an angular
size using the following conversion:1 mm = 0.1 arc-second
The resulting shift in units of arc-seconds is the known as the

5. “parallax” of the star. Record the parallax values in the third
column of Table 1.
Step 6: Compute the distances to each of the stars that moved
noticeably. Use the parallax formula:
d = 1/p
Here d is the distance in parsecs (pc) and p is the parallax angle
measured in arc- seconds. For example, a star with a parallax of
0.5 arcsec has a distance of 1/(0.5) = 2.0 pc. Record your results
in the fourth column of Table 1.
Step 7: Compute the distances to each of the stars in light years
(ly), and record your results in Table 1. Use the conversion:1 pc
= 3.26 ly
Step 8: Estimate the smallest apparent shift you hypothetically
could have measured.
That is, how far in mm would a star need to have shifted for you
to be able to notice the shift? What does this smallest
measurable shift correspond to in arc-seconds? Then compute
the distance to a star that has this value of the parallax,
following steps 5 and 6 above. Record your answers on the
worksheet, and answer the following questions.
Q1: Look at your results from Step 6 (distance column in Table
1) above. What, if anything, can be said about the distances of
stars that didn’t seem to move from image #1 to image #2? [For
example, “they must be closer than.".” or “they must be farther
away than...." Fill in the blank with a number.]
Q2: Suppose you observed the same field of stars 3 months after
image #2 was taken. Describe in words how you would expect
the positions of stars to appear. Include a sketch if that would
help explain what you would see.
Q3: Suppose you observed the field once more 9 months after
image #2 was taken. Describe in words how you would expect
the apparent positions of stars to compare to those observed in
image #1 and/or image #2.
Q4: Put aside the images you’ve been working on for a moment.
Imagine that all the stars in the galaxy have the same intrinsic
brightness, like light bulbs all of the same wattage. Stars would

6. then appear brighter or fainter depending on whether they were
relatively close or relatively far away from the Earth. ]f this
were the case, which stars would appear brighter as seen from
Earth: those with large parallaxes, or those with small
parallaxes? Explain.
Q5: Now consider the results of your analysis of the two
images. Are the results consistent with the hypothesis that all
stars in the Galaxy have the same intrinsic brightness? Why or
why not? If not, give at least one specific example from this
exercise that proves your point.
TABLE 1: Stars with Measurable Parallaxes
Star
name
Amount of shift (mm)
Parallax
(Arcsec)
Distance
(parsecs)
Distance
(Light-years)

7. Step 8:
Smallest possible measurable shift: mm
Smallest possible measurable parallax: arcsec
Distance to star for which a parallax could just barely be
measured: pc

8. BA 2196: Email Writing Assignment
Worth 40 points (4% of your overall grade)
Instructions: Use what you have learned in this class about
business writing (audience awareness, concision, precision,
directness, simplicity, etc.) and craft a bad news email (see
scenarios below). Make sure that this email follows the content
and structure guidelines in the “Email Writing” PowerPoint that
we went over in class.
Format: Please format this assignment like an email, including a
“To:” line, a “From:” line and – importantly – a “Subject:” line.
Also, please end with an appropriate closing. You will lose
points if you fail to format this properly. Example:
To: Mary Smith
From: John Doe
Subject: Informative, attention-grabbing subject line that you
write
Dear Mary,
Your message in here.
All the best/Sincerely/some appropriate closing,
John Doe
Scenarios (select ONE of the following scenarios to use):
All scenarios were adapted from Guffey, Rhodes and Rogin,
Business Communication: Process and Product, South-Western
College Pub (2011).
1.) Request Refusal: Carnival Rejects Under-21 Crowd
The world’s largest cruise line finds itself in a difficult
position. Carnival climbed to the number one spot by promoting
fun at sea and pitching its appeal to younger customers who

9. were drawn to onboard discos, swim-up bars, and hassle-free
partying. But apparently the partying of high school and college
students went too far. Roving bands of teens had virtually taken
over some cruises in recent years. Travel agents complained of
“drunken, loud behavior,” as reported by Mike Driscall, editor
of Cruise Week.
To crack down, Carnival raised the drinking age from 18 to
21 and required more chaperoning of school groups. But young
individual travelers were still unruly and disruptive. Thus,
Carnival instituted a new policy, effective immediately. No one
under 21 may travel unless accompanied by an adult over 25.
Says Vicki Freed, Carnival’s vice president for marketing, “We
will turn them back at the docks, and they will not get refunds.”
You are a fairly new assistant director of marketing at Carnival,
and your boss has told you to answer an email inquiry from
Sheryl Kiklas of All-World Travel, a travel agency that features
special spring-and summer-break packages for college and high
school students. Sheryl is trying to book a cruise for the entire
cheerleading and football teams from Large Urban University,
the recent winners of the American Athletic Conference football
title. Sheryl is talking about more than 150 student athletes,
several dozen more students who support the team as managers
and trainers, and about a dozen coaches – essentially, a party
cruise for college football players and cheerleaders. All-World
Travel has been one of Carnival’s best customers. However,
Carnival no longer wants to encourage unaccompanied young
people. You must refuse the request of Ms. Kiklas to help set up
student tour packages. Carnival discourages even chaperoned
tours. Its target market is now families. You must write to All-
World Travel and break the bad news. Try to promote fun-filled,
carefree cruises destined for sunny, exotic ports of call that
remove guests from the stresses of everyday life. By the way,
Carnival attracts more passengers than any other cruise line –
more than 1 million people a year from all over the world. More
than 98 percent of Carnival’s guests say that they were well
satisfied.

10. Your Task: Write an email to Sheryl Kiklas, All-World Travel
Agency, [email protected], politely declining the booking of
Large Urban University’s athletic teams and informing her of
Carnival’s shift in focus from young pleasure seekers to
families; also let her know that you would like to continue
Carnival’s business relationship with All-World.
2.) Damage Control for Disappointed Customers: J. Crew Goofs
on Cashmere Turtleneck
Who wouldn’t want a cashmere zip turtleneck sweater for $18?
At the J. Crew website, many delighted shoppers scrambled to
order the bargain cashmere. Unfortunately, the price should
have been $218! Before J. Crew officials could correct the
mistake, several hundred shoppers had bagged the bargain
sweater for their digital carts.
When the mistake was discovered, J. Crew immediately
sent an e-mail to the soon-to-be disappointed shoppers. The
subject line shouted “Big Mistake!” Emily Woods, chair of J.
Crew, began her message with this statement: “I wish we could
sell such an amazing sweater for only $18. Our price mistake on
your new cashmere zip turtleneck probably went right by you,
but rather than charge you such a large difference, I’m writing
to alert you that this item has been removed from your recent
order.”
As an assistant in the communication department at J.
Crew, you saw the e-mail message that was sent to customers,
and you tactfully suggested that the bad news might have been
broken differently. Your boss says, “OK, hot stuff. Give it your
best shot.”
Your Task: Although you have only a portion of the message,
analyze the customer bad-news message sent by J. Crew Chair
Emily Woods and write an improved version. In the end, J.
Crew decided to allow customers who ordered the sweater at
$18 to reorder it for $118.80 to $130.80 (depending on size),

11. and you can use this information in your message. (Customers
were given a special order code at checkout to claim one of the
discounted sweaters.) Remember that J. Crew customers are
youthful and hip. Keep your message upbeat.
3.) Bad News to Employees: No Go for Tuition Reimbursement
Ashley Arnett, a hardworking bank teller, has sent a request
asking that the company create a program to reimburse the
tuition and book expenses for employees taking college courses.
Although some companies have such a program, your
organization – Fox Federal Credit Union – has not felt that it
could indulge in such an expensive employee perk. Moreover,
the CEO is not convinced that companies see any direct benefit
from such a program. Employees improve their educational
credentials and skills, but what is to keep them from moving
that education and skill set to another employer? Your company
has over 200 employees. If even a fraction of them started
classes, the company could see a huge bill for the cost of tuition
and books. Because the organization is facing stiff competition
and its profits are sinking, the expense of such a program is out
of the question. In addition, it would involve administration –
applications, monitoring, and record keeping. It is just too much
of a hassle. When employees were hard to hire and retain,
companies had to offer employment perks. But with a soft
economy, such inducements are unnecessary.
Your Task:As director of human resources, send an individual
response to Ashley Arnett. The answer is a definite no, but you
want to soften the blow and retain the loyalty of the
conscientious employee.