| 摘要 | 第1-8页 |
| Abstract | 第8-9页 |
| Figures | 第9-10页 |
| Tables | 第10-11页 |
| Typographical Conventions | 第11-12页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第12-15页 |
| ·General Description of the Research | 第12页 |
| ·Rationale and Objectives of the Research | 第12-13页 |
| ·Key Research Questions | 第13页 |
| ·Outline of the Thesis Structure | 第13-15页 |
| Chapter 2 Literature Review | 第15-25页 |
| ·An Overview of Business Letters | 第15-18页 |
| ·Business Communication and Business Letters | 第15-16页 |
| ·Classification of Business Letters | 第16-17页 |
| ·Politeness and Politeness Strategies in Business Letters | 第17-18页 |
| ·An Overview of Politeness Theories | 第18-23页 |
| ·The Social-norm View | 第18页 |
| ·The Conversational-maxim View | 第18-20页 |
| ·The Face-saving View | 第20-23页 |
| ·Studies on Politeness Strategies in Business Letters | 第23-24页 |
| ·Specific Research Questions of the Study | 第24-25页 |
| Chapter 3 Methodology | 第25-27页 |
| ·Research Design | 第25页 |
| ·Data Collection and Sampling | 第25-26页 |
| ·Research Procedures | 第26-27页 |
| Chapter 4 Application of Politeness Strategies in Business Letters | 第27-47页 |
| ·Positive Politeness Strategies | 第27-36页 |
| ·Application of Positive Politeness Strategies in Business Letters | 第28-35页 |
| ·Summary of Positive Politeness Strategies Application | 第35-36页 |
| ·Negative Politeness Strategies | 第36-43页 |
| ·Application of Negative Politeness Strategies in Business Letters | 第37-43页 |
| ·Summary of Negative Politeness Strategies Application | 第43页 |
| ·Off-record Strategies | 第43-45页 |
| ·Bald-on-record Strategies | 第45页 |
| ·Summary | 第45-47页 |
| Chapter 5 Data Analysis and Results | 第47-63页 |
| ·Analysis of Politeness Strategies in Four Types of Illocution-based Business Letters | 第47-54页 |
| ·Politeness Strategies in Collaborative Business Letters | 第47-49页 |
| ·Collaborative Business Letters | 第47-48页 |
| ·A Sample Analysis: Positive and Negative Politeness Strategies in Collaborative Business Letters | 第48-49页 |
| ·Politeness Strategies in Convivial Business Letters | 第49-50页 |
| ·Convivial Business Letters | 第49页 |
| ·A Sample Analysis: Positive and Negative Politeness Strategies in Convivial Business Letters | 第49-50页 |
| ·Politeness Strategies in Competitive Business Letters | 第50-52页 |
| ·Competitive Business Letters | 第50-51页 |
| ·A Sample Analysis: Positive and Negative Politeness Strategies in Competitive Business Letters | 第51-52页 |
| ·Politeness Strategies in Conflictive Business Letters | 第52-54页 |
| ·Conflictive Business Letters | 第52-53页 |
| ·A Sample Analysis: Positive and Negative Politeness Strategies in Conflictive Business Letters | 第53-54页 |
| ·Distribution of Positive and Negative Strategies in Four Types of Business Letters | 第54-61页 |
| ·Distribution of Sub-strategies of Positive and Negative Politeness | 第54-57页 |
| ·Distribution of the Overall Use of Positive and Negative Strategies | 第57-61页 |
| ·Summary | 第61-63页 |
| Conclusion | 第63-67页 |
| References | 第67-70页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第70-71页 |
| Appendix A 攻读学位期间所发表的学术论文目录 | 第71-72页 |
| Appendix B Extracts from Business Letter Samples | 第72-76页 |
| Appendix C Raw Data | 第76-80页 |
| Appendix D 详细中文摘要 | 第80-82页 |
