BCOM 3360 Exam 2

The form a message takes is the __________ and the system used to deliver the message is the __________. A. medium; channel B. channel; content C. medium; content D. channel; medium E. content; channel

A. medium; channel

Your communication __________ is created by your word choice, the manner in which you use these words in sentences, and how you use sentences to build paragraphs. The __________ is the overall impression of your communication. A. style; tone B. method; style C. tone; style D. medium; channel E. channel; tone

A. style; tone

Which of the following BEST describes the difference between a cliché and a buzzword? A. A cliché is a term or phrase so commonly used that it has lost its power to communicate effectively; a buzzword is a new term that is associated with a current industry. B. A cliché is part of the specialized jargon of an industry; a buzzword is a word that expresses the implications of a term. C. A cliché is a word that expresses the literal meaning of a term; a buzzword is part of the specialized jargon of an industry. D. A cliché is a word that expresses the implications of a term; a buzzword is a part of the specialized jargon of an industry. E. A cliché is a new term that is associated with a current industry; a buzzword is a term or phrase so commonly used that it has lost its power to communicate effectively.

A. A cliché is a term or phrase so commonly used that it has lost its power to communicate effectively; a buzzword is a new term that is associated with a current industry.

Which of the following is a general guideline for writing business messages? A. Be careful with intimacy. B. Use lots of humor in formal messages to make your audience comfortable. C. Use texting phrases. D. Brag about your accomplishments to instill confidence. E. Use pompous language to impress your audience.

A. Be careful with intimacy.

Which of the following BEST describes the use of conversational language? A. Conversational language is appropriately casual but not overly casual, so it is just right for business communication. B. Conversational language is too casual and acronym-laden for appropriate business communication. C. Conversational language should only be used with middle-class clients for appropriate business communication. D. Conversational language should never be used for business communication. E. Conversational language is too formal and wordy for appropriate business communication.

A. Conversational language is appropriately casual but not overly casual, so it is just right for business communication.

Adriana is responding to a client and wants to make the client aware of her manager's involvement in the process. Which of the following should she use? A. Courtesy copy B. Reply C. Reply all D. Blind courtesy copy E. Forward

A. Courtesy copy

Before writing a business message, you decide to narrow your focus by writing everything that comes to mind on the topic for a set period of time. This scenario demonstrates which of the following? A. Free writing B. The journalistic approach C. Outlining D. The writing process E. Mind mapping

A. Free writing

Which of the following is an advantage of written media? A. It allows you to plan and control your message. B. It offers unlimited opportunities for timely feedback. C. It does not offer a permanent, verifiable record. D. It cannot be used to avoid immediate interactions. E. It cannot be used to reach geographically disbursed audiences.

A. It allows you to plan and control your message.

Which of the following is an example of bias-free language? A. Mary Jones has just joined our trust department. B. Shing-Tung Yau excels naturally in mathematics. C. Disabled workers face many barriers on the job. D. The typical executive spends four hours of his day in meetings. E. Tracy is an epileptic, but she has no trouble performing her job.

A. Mary Jones has just joined our trust department.

When editing a complex piece of writing, a writer should do which of the following? A. Set the work aside for a few days. B. Give the work to a professional editor. C. Have a friend revise the work. D. Edit immediately while the ideas are still fresh. E. Edit quickly to avoid overthinking the problem.

A. Set the work aside for a few days.

Which of the following BEST describes the difference between style and tone? A. Style involves word choice; tone involves the impression your message makes. B. Style involves the impression your message makes; tone involves word choice. C. Style is a templating script you might use on a website; tone is a templating script you might use in a word processing document. D. Style is the content of the message you create; tone is the word processing software you use to create your message. E. Style is the word processing software you use to create your message; tone is the content of the message you create.

A. Style involves word choice; tone involves the impression your message makes.

Valerie tweets a small piece of information about her upcoming novel to intentionally draw the attention of her readers without giving away the novel's plot. This is an example of which of the following? A. Teaser B. Narrative C. Reference D. Orientation E. Summary

A. Teaser

Which of the following is an example of positive phrasing? A. Thank you for sharing your concerns about your shopping experience. B. The damage won't be fixed for a week. C. I was shocked to learn that you're unhappy. D. You are clearly dissatisfied. E. Your request doesn't make any sense to me.

A. Thank you for sharing your concerns about your shopping experience.

In a long message, what is important to consider when evaluating the beginning of the message? A. The first few paragraphs establish the subject, purpose, and organization of the material. B. The headings grab the reader's attention. C. There is a summation of important information in the event the reader does not want to read the whole message. D. The first few paragraphs establish your expertise in the subject area. E. The first few paragraphs are vague to allow the writer to build a strong case later in the message.

A. The first few paragraphs establish the subject, purpose, and organization of the material.

Which of the following goals may NOT be appropriate when communicating negative information? A. To reduce or eliminate the need for future correspondence on the matter B. To convey the bad news C. To maintain as much goodwill as possible with your audience D. To maintain a good image for your organization E. To gain acceptance for the bad news

A. To reduce or eliminate the need for future correspondence on the matter

A podcast that is created for regular recordings on a consistent theme, designed for a wider public audience is called a podcasting __________. A. channel B. feed C. medium D. program E. station

A. channel

Podcasting and written communication differ the most in the __________ step of the writing process. A. completing B. organizing C. planning D. proofreading E. revising

A. completing

Revision is a step-by-step process. Revision for ________________________ should be done first. A. content B. readability C. tone D. organization E. style

A. content

Audiences are determining your __________ when they measure your believability based on reliability and trustworthiness. A. credibility B. technical ability C. professionalism D. intelligence quotient E. emotional quotient

A. credibility

In order to convey your meaning without negative connotations, you might consider whether the use of __________ would be more reader-friendly, while still remaining clear and ethical. A. euphemisms B. jargon C. idioms D. acronyms E. colloquialisms

A. euphemisms

The _________ approach for a negative message opens with reasons for the bad news before presenting the news itself. A. indirect B. business C. inverted D. direct E. diverted

A. indirect

A graphic method used to generate and organize ideas is known as ________. A. mind mapping B. a question-and-answer chain C. brainstorming D. the storyteller's tour E. the journalistic approach

A. mind mapping

The creation of __________ with digital media allows for large quantities of numerical or textual data to be searched online by data points and trends. A. reference materials B. narratives C. orientations D. comments and critiques E. summaries

A. reference materials

Which of the following sentences should Paul write to avoid using a cliché? A. "Our staff can read the writing on the wall." B. "This project will be very expensive." C. "This project will cost an arm and a leg". D. "Let's run this idea up the flagpole." E. "Our workers are fighting an uphill battle."

B. "This project will be very expensive."

A term or phrase so common that it has lost some of its power to communicate is known as which of the following? A. Adjective B. Cliché C. Buzzword D. Adverb E. Noun

B. Cliché

When making a routine request, which piece of advice should you follow? A. Demand action. B. Be specific. C. Do not consider the tone of the message. D. Be vague. E. Do not assume that your audience will comply.

B. Be specific.

Which of the following is an example of an abstract word? A. Software B. Beauty C. Chair D. Database E. Website

B. Beauty

Which of the following avoids words or phrases that unfairly categorize people in terms of gender, race, age, disability, or other characteristics? A. Gender-biased language B. Bias-free language C. Age-biased language D. Racially-biased language E. Ethnically-oriented language

B. Bias-free language

Which of the following is advised when selecting words for business communication? A. Use lots of jargon to impress your audience. B. Choose strong, precise words. C. Use as many buzzwords as possible. D. Choose unfamiliar words to impress your audience. E. Use clichéés.

B. Choose strong, precise words.

David has requested a raise and Brianna, the HR Manager, has to tell David that his request has been denied. What is the BEST way for Brianna to inform David that he will not be receiving a raise? A. In a letter B. In person C. In an instant message D. By email E. By interoffice mail

B. In person

Which of the following is an advantage of visual media? A. It can require more time to create than an equivalent amount of text. B. It can convey complex ideas and relationships quickly. C. It can require artistic skills to design. D. It requires some technical skills to create. E. It is more difficult to transmit and store than simple textual messages.

B. It can convey complex ideas and relationships quickly.

Checking that a message answers who, what, when, where, why, and how is known as which of the following? A. Planning B. Journalistic approach C. Outlining D. Free writing E. Group writing

B. Journalistic approach

Rena is editing a novel for a client. In which of the following cases should she edit the style to be more like her own? A. She finds the style confusing. B. She has been asked to rewrite in her own style. C. She finds the style complicated. D. She has difficulty keeping track of characters. E. She has difficulty following the plot.

B. She has been asked to rewrite in her own style.

When creating content for digital media, which of the following techniques should be used? A. Create content that is permanent and doesn't need updates, additions, or corrections B. Write informally but not carelessly C. Create content following a sales presentation style D. Use general headlines to attract as many readers as possible E. Create content in the first-person style

B. Write informally but not carelessly

When writing a routine business request, you should _________. A. use the indirect approach B. justify the request or explain its importance C. ask the most important questions last D. combine complex requests into questions that cover multiple topics E. explain the disadvantages of responding

B. justify the request or explain its importance

Traditionally, ________ are used for brief, external business correspondences. A. informal reports B. letters C. executive summaries D. memos E. formal reports

B. letters

Which of the following is an example of a concise sentence? A. "It is our intention to stock your items in our stores for our customers Tuesday." B. "It is our pleasure to inform you that on Tuesday, we will start the process of selling your items to our customers." C. "We will start selling your items in our store next Tuesday." D. "We intend to start making arrangements for the sale of your items on Tuesday." E. "We are pleased to inform you that as of next Tuesday we will begin developing plans to carry your product in our store."

C. "We will start selling your items in our store next Tuesday."

When using the __________ voice, the subject performs the action and the object receives the action. When using the __________voice, the subject receives the action. A. passive; active B. direct; indirect C. active; passive D. indirect; direct E. submissive; passive

C. active; passive

When editing a business document for tone, a writer should spend a few extra minutes on the __________ and the _________ of the message, because these areas usually have the most impact on the audience. A. tables; graphs B. introduction; executive summary C. beginning; end D. headings; lists E. grammar; readability

C. beginning; end

Which of the following allows another recipient to read an email message without the primary recipient being aware that the email was sent to the additional recipient? A. Courtesy copy B. Replay and carbon copy C. Blind courtesy copy D. Reply E. Reply all

C. Blind courtesy copy

"Let me know if there is anything else I can do to assist you" is an example of which of the following? A. Condescending tone B. Disappointing news C. Courteous close D. Main idea E. Concise opening

C. Courteous close

Which of the following is a benefit of email as compared to IM? A. Email mimics conversation more closely than IM. B. Email works better as a broadcast mechanism. C. Email is better suited for midsize messages as compared to IM. D. Email is faster than IM. E. Email results in a more rapid response to urgent messages.

C. Email is better suited for midsize messages as compared to IM.

Tools that empower stakeholders to be participants in the communication process by sharing, revising, responding, and contributing to content are called what? A. Electronic media B. Smartphones C. Social media D. Hackers E. Computers

C. Social media

A message's overall subject is known as which of the following? A. Medium B. Outline C. Topic D. Data analysis E. Assignment

C. Topic

In order to convey a business message, you decide to use a form of media that can convey complex ideas quickly and is less intimidating than long blocks of text. This illustrates which of the following types of media? A. Electronic B. Written C. Visual D. Oral E. Spoken

C. Visual

Just like other types of business messages, routine requests contain __________. A. an opening, a proposal, and a close B. an introduction, a list of actions, and a receipt C. an opening, a body, and a close D. an introduction, a proposal, and a close E. a salutation, a story, and an ending

C. an opening, a body, and a close

You should use a(n) __________ if you wish to record and distribute audio or video files online. A. microblog B. instant message C. podcast D. email E. video processor

C. podcast

A great way to keep followers up to date on your business is to utilize __________ online. A. summaries B. comments and critiques C. status updates and announcements D. orientations E. narratives

C. status updates and announcements

Talking through a communication challenge before trying to write it BEST illustrates ________. A. brainstorming B. the journalistic approach C. the storyteller's tour D. a question-and-answer chain E. mind mapping

C. the storyteller's tour

Which of the following is an advantage of oral, in-person communication? A. Allows for time-shifted consumption. B. Allows for increased accessibility and openness in an organization through broader sharing. C. Ability to convey complex ideas and relationships quickly. D. Ability to easily resolve misunderstandings and negotiate meanings. E. Ability to always offer a permanent, verifiable record.

D. Ability to easily resolve misunderstandings and negotiate meanings.

Using language to imply someone is too immature or too frail to perform his or her duties is an example of which of the following? A. Ethnic bias B. Racial bias C. Disability bias D. Age bias E. Gender bias

D. Age bias

The literal meaning of a word is known as which of the following? A. Connotative meaning B. Jargon C. Abstract language D. Denotative meaning E. Concrete language

D. Denotative meaning

Which of the following is a compelling advantage of email, keeping it in steady business use today? A. Email is secure because it can only be viewed on a specific system. B. Email is still the best medium for long messages. C. Email is an instantaneous form of communication. D. Email is still the best medium for many private, short- to medium-length messages. E. Email allows the sender to know when a person opens and reads the message.

D. Email is still the best medium for many private, short- to medium-length messages.

Alan has been given a writing assignment that is extremely vague, and he has no idea how to get started. Alan might want to use which of the following techniques? A. The journalistic approach B. The storyteller's tour C. Mind mapping D. Free writing E. A question-and-answer chain

D. Free writing

Which of the following questions should be considered while revising for content? A. Is the writing as concise as it can be? B. Who is the target audience? C. Are any points repeated unnecessarily? D. Is the information accurate? E. Can the readability be improved?

D. Is the information accurate?

Brenda writes the following request: "Send me the new sales figures right away." Which of the following errors has she made? A. Asking an important question first B. Addressing multiple topics per question C. Using reader's request last D. Using a demanding tone E. Using too casual a tone

D. Using a demanding tone

Media is grouped into which one of the following categories? A. Creative B. Subtextual C. Verbatim D. Visual E. Contextual

D. Visual

Which of the following sentences is written in active voice? A. Difficulties were encountered in receiving your product. B. The product was delivered to the wrong address. C. Shipping problems were encountered. D. You sent the product to the wrong address. E. Inadvertent errors were experienced in shipping.

D. You sent the product to the wrong address.

When writing a request, you should use the __________ of your message to explain or justify the request. A. opening B. courteous close C. introduction D. body E. appendix

D. body

The tool known as __________ is used to generate as many ideas as possible without taking time to criticize or organize. A. a question and answer chain B. mind mapping C. the journalistic approach D. brainstorming E. a storytelling tour

D. brainstorming

The __________ of routine messages is usually short and simple since things are left on a neutral or positive note. A. body B. introduction C. appendix D. close E. opening

D. close

The ________________ step is where podcasting differs most dramatically from written communication. A. gathering the information B. analyzing the situation C. planning D. completing E. organizing your material

D. completing

The __________ of a routine request should include a deadline, contact information, and an expression of goodwill. A. recommendation B. body C. executive summary D. courteous close E. Introduction

D. courteous close

When your assignment or objective is too vague, you should use __________, such as free writing, or even sketching, to determine what the audience needs to know. A. flowchart techniques B. database research C. primary research D. discovery techniques E. secondary research

D. discovery techniques

For an unexpected or unusual request, the __________ approach is the best strategy. A. forward B. direct C. business D. indirect E. good-news

D. indirect

A security risk to email is __________, which are fraudulent messages that prompt unwary users to reveal sensitive information or grant unauthorized access to protected networks. A. mass mail B. direct mail C. spam D. phishing E. instant messaging

D. phishing

When creating business email, you should take advantage of the email __________ feature to automatically include your full name, title, company, and contact information at the end of your messages. A. closing B. ending C. sign off D. signature E. completion

D. signature

At the beginning of his webpage, Byron used a(n) __________ to provide readers with all the key points while skipping over the details. A. reference B. teaser C. narrative D. summary E. orientation

D. summary

Jessica is composing a message, and she is first attempting to organize the information by asking a series of questions relating to the who, what, when, where, why, and how aspects of the information. This technique is known as ______________. A. the storyteller's tour B. brainstorming C. mind mapping D. the journalistic approach E. a question-and-answer chain

D. the journalistic approach

When writing a routine business request, you should ________. A. use the body to request specific action B. open by justifying your request C. use the indirect approach D. use the direct approach E. close by presenting your main idea

D. use the direct approach

__________ words are broad and encompass a category of ideas, while _________ words stand for something you can touch, see, or visualize. A. Concrete; abstract B. Concrete; precise C. Precise; abstract D. Abstract; precise E. Abstract; concrete

E. Abstract; concrete

Content submitted to a website that is not owned or created by the site's owner is known as which of the following? A. Marketing content B. Owner-generated content C. Crowdsourced content D. Fan-fiction content E. User-generated content

E. User-generated content

Which of the following is the meaning of the term buzzword? A. A word that expresses a concept, quality, or characteristic. B. A part of the specialized jargon of an industry. C. A term or phrase so commonly used that it has lost its power to communicate effectively. D. A word that expresses the implications of a term. E. A popular term that is often associated with current technology, business, or culture.

E. A popular term that is often associated with current technology, business, or culture.

Why is it important to include information in the subject line when sending an email? A. Subject lines are a good place to put emoticons, drawing attention to the email for a quicker response time. B. Recipients often use the subject line to forward personal emails to friends without viewing the text. C. Emails display the first few words of the message so a well-crafted email doesn't need a subject line dash- the receiver will know what it is about. D. The subject line is a good place to mark a message as "urgent." E. A subject line helps recipients decide which email to read and in which order to read them.

E. A subject line helps recipients decide which email to read and in which order to read them.

Adrie writes the following business request: "Would you please send me a copy of the latest sales documents and a list of the employees assigned to our new project?" Which of the following errors has she made? A. Asking irrelevant questions B. Asking the least important question first C. Not conducting a thorough audience analysis D. Using an overly polite tone E. Dealing with multiple topics per question

E. Dealing with multiple topics per question

Which of the following methods of electronic communication carry the same legal weight as other business documents? A. Podcasts B. Blogs C. Instant messages D. Text messages E. Email

E. Email

Rewording sentences to use no pronoun at all rather than referring to all individuals as "he" is a way to avoid which of the following? A. Age bias B. Ethnic bias C. Disability bias D. Racial bias E. Gender bias

E. Gender bias

Which of the following is an advantage of written digital media? A. Messages will not involve security risks. B. Messages cannot enable audience interaction. C. Messages cannot be multimedia. D. Messages cannot reach dispersed geographical audiences. E. Messages get delivered quickly.

E. Messages get delivered quickly.

Jonathan is a marriage counselor. His clients describe their problems and he helps them focus on their issues, not on their emotions. Which of the following is he demonstrating? A. Awareness B. Communication C. Honesty D. Credentials E. Objectivity

E. Objectivity

Heather adds a graphic to her blog post showing readers where to find key points. This is an example of which of the following? A. Reference B. Summary C. Narrative D. Teaser E. Orientation

E. Orientation

Jeff is responding to a customer complaint that he cannot interpret. Which of these examples is a positive restatement of "I can't understand what you want"? A. I can't make heads or tails of what you're asking. B. I don't know what you are trying to say. C. Your request doesn't make sense. D. Unfortunately, nobody here understands what you wrote. E. Please clarify your request, so we can consider it.

E. Please clarify your request, so we can consider it.

Which of the following is fueling the growth of networked organizations? A. Emailing B. Instant messaging (IM) C. Podcasting D. Blogging E. Social networking

E. Social networking

__________, or unsolicited bulk email, accounts for roughly 50% of all email volume. A. Mass mail B. Direct mail C. Phishing D. Instant messaging E. Spam

E. Spam

Which of the following BEST describes the use of stuffy language? A. Stuffy language should always be used for all business communication. B. Stuffy language should only be used with wealthy clients for appropriate business communication. C. Stuffy language is too casual and acronym-laden for appropriate business communication. D. Stuffy language is appropriately casual but not overly casual, so it is just right for business communication. E. Stuffy language is too formal and wordy for appropriate business communication.

E. Stuffy language is too formal and wordy for appropriate business communication.

Which of the following is TRUE regarding style? A. Style is the content of the message you create. B. Style is a templating script you might use on a website. C. Style involves the impression your message makes. D. Style is the word processing software you use to create your message. E. Style involves word choice.

E. Style involves word choice.

Which of the following should you do when writing routine replies and positive messages? A. Develop the single most important message during the writing process. B. Embed positive statements in negative contexts. C. Make sure that readers acknowledges their personal responsibility. D. End the message with the main idea. E. Use the direct approach.

E. Use the direct approach.

When might a writer use a routine or direct positive message? A. When setting up a meeting with a customer or client B. When writing to coworkers about a production problem C. When developing sales and marketing tools D. When asking employees to perform a task outside of their normal scope of activity E. When requesting a specific action

E. When requesting a specific action

Which of the following is an example of negative phrasing? A. Thank you for sharing your concerns about your shopping experience. B. Please verify the enclosed statement and provide a correct copy. C. The item will be repaired next week. D. I recognize that the product did not live up to your expectations. E. Your request doesn't make any sense.

E. Your request doesn't make any sense.

Podcasting differs the most from written communication in the __________ phase in the three-step writing process. A. planning B. creating C. organizing D. writing E. completing

E. completing

Most routine business messages will follow the __________. A. media approach B. journalistic approach C. writing approach D. indirect approach E. direct approach

E. direct approach

To maintain credibility, always be sincere and avoid _________, such as "you are the world's greatest employee." A. sincere compliments B. unbiased praises C. objective statements D. personal references E. hyperbole

E. hyperbole

When possible, bad news for employees should be delivered __________. A. by company email B. by company memo C. in a blog D. in a podcast E. in person

E. in person

When completing negative communications, you should deliver the correspondence __________. A. only after receiving a second notice B. by registered mail C. at the end of the month D. after a week cooling off period E. promptly

E. promptly

Sometimes a business may use the concept of _______ to reassure a customer of the wisdom of their purchase selection, using favorable comments to build customer relationships. A. advertising B. promotion C. public relations D. direct marketing E. resale

E. resale

Maria was asked to deal with a customer complaint that had not been satisfactorily dealt with over the course of 6 weeks, during which time many attempts to satisfy the customer's concerns failed. Maria began her message to the client by identifying herself as the Vice President of Customer Affairs. As a good communicator, she did this ________. A. to induce the customer to stop complaining and listen B. to show the customer the problem had escalated C. to let the customer know there were no options remaining to solve the issue D. to make the customer feel inferior to her E. to establish her credibility to speak for the company

E. to establish her credibility to speak for the company