Negative documents are used for a number of purposes, often to apologize or explain a negative situation. Types of negative documents include rejections, disciplinary notices, negative performance appraisals, layoffs and firings. To build or repair goodwill, writers of negative documents may attempt to recast the information as positive or persuasive. Writers of recast negative documents must ensure that the negative elements are still understood and that the audience understands the document’s intended message.