| Abstract in Chinese | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract in English | 第6-10页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第10-15页 |
| ·Introduction to the study | 第10-13页 |
| ·The significance of the study | 第13-14页 |
| ·The structure of the study | 第14-15页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第15-23页 |
| ·Theoretical background | 第15-18页 |
| ·Western model of politeness | 第15-17页 |
| ·Chinese model of politeness | 第17页 |
| ·Western model vs. Chinese model | 第17-18页 |
| ·Empirical studies | 第18-21页 |
| ·Studies on politeness strategies in learners' language | 第18-19页 |
| ·Studies on politeness strategies in business setting | 第19-21页 |
| ·Politeness and business correspondence | 第21-23页 |
| ·Politeness and principles of business correspondence | 第21-22页 |
| ·Classification of business correspondence | 第22-23页 |
| Chapter Three Brown and Levinson's Politeness Strategies | 第23-43页 |
| ·Bold on record strategies | 第23-25页 |
| ·Positive politeness strategies | 第25-35页 |
| ·Negative politeness strategies | 第35-43页 |
| Chapter Four Methodology | 第43-48页 |
| ·Research design | 第43页 |
| ·Research questions | 第43-44页 |
| ·Data-collection and sampling | 第44-45页 |
| ·Data analysis | 第45-47页 |
| ·Overall application of the politeness strategies | 第46页 |
| ·Application of negative strategies | 第46页 |
| ·Application of strategies in different letters and the application of sub-strategies | 第46-47页 |
| ·Limitations | 第47-48页 |
| Chapter Five Results and Discussion | 第48-66页 |
| ·Results | 第48-59页 |
| ·Results in the analysis of the overall application | 第48-52页 |
| ·Results in the analysis of negative politeness strategies | 第52-53页 |
| ·Results in the analysis in terms of correspondences and sub-strategies | 第53-59页 |
| ·Discussion | 第59-66页 |
| ·Discussion on the first research question | 第59页 |
| ·Discussion on the second research question | 第59-63页 |
| ·Discussion on the third question | 第63-66页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第66-69页 |
| ·Major findings | 第66页 |
| ·Implications | 第66-68页 |
| ·Theoretical implications | 第66-67页 |
| ·Methodological implications | 第67页 |
| ·Practical implications | 第67-68页 |
| ·Limitations and recommendations | 第68-69页 |
| Bibliography | 第69-73页 |
| Appendix: Examples of Sample Letters | 第73-76页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第76页 |
