BUS 350 Final Review

No matter what mode of listening they are using at any given time, effective listeners try to engage in ___________, making a conscious effort to turn off their own filters and biases to truly hear and understand what the other party is saying.

active listening

Nonverbal communication is the process of sending and receiving information, both intentionally and unintentionally, without using written or spoken language. Nonverbal signals include which of the following:

all of the above (facial expressions, gestures and posture, personal appearance, time and space)

To ensure productive meetings, be sure to do which of the following:

all of the above (keep the meeting on track, follow agreed-upon rules, encourage participation, participate actively)

Take care to avoid simple blunders that can torpedo a job search. Which of the following mistakes could cost you the job?

all of the above (not catching mistakes on your resume, misspelling the name of a manager to whom you are writing, tweeting something, unprofessional)

How might you share external good-news announcements?

all of the above (press release, news release, direct-to-consumer news release, social media release)

Email may not be the best choice for conversational communication. What electronic mediums are often better suited to conversational communication?

all of the above (various purpose built systems, blogs, IM)

Whenever you mail, email, hand-deliver, or upload your résumé, you should include a(n):

application or cover letter

The ___________ of your message usually has the greatest impact on your readers.

beginning, end

A _________ is a neutral, noncontroversial statement that is closely related to the point of the message but doesn't convey the bad news.

buffer

A résumé is a structured, written summary of a person's education, employment background, and job qualifications. Its function is a brief, persuasive business message intended to stimulate an employer's interest in meeting you and learning more about you. In a __________ résumé, the work experience section dominates and is placed immediately after your contact information/introductory information. In a __________ résumé, your skills and capabilities are emphasized.

chronological, functional

Given the importance of communication in business, employers expect you to be competent at a wide range of communication tasks including all but which of the following:

communicating unethically, even when choices aren't clear

A brief personal message sent to someone to comfort them after the death of a loved one is called a ________________.

condolence letter

Sentences come in four basic varieties. Which of the following is not one of those basic varieties?

conversational sentence

Which of the following is not a type of buffer?

corporation

Throughout your career, you will interact with people from a variety of cultures, people who differ in race, age, gender, sexual orientation, national and regional attitudes and beliefs, family structure, religion, native language, physical and cognitive abilities, life experience, and educational background. ___________ is an appreciation for cultural differences that affect communication and the ability to adjust one's communication style to ensure that efforts to send and receive messages across cultural boundaries are successful.

cultural competency

An important element of audience-centered communication is etiquette - the expected norms of behavior in a particular situation. Long lists of etiquette rules can be overwhelming. Fortunately, you can count on three principles to get you through just about any situation. Which of the following is not one of the three principles?

decoding

___________ give quantifiable characteristics of the people you're trying to persuade. __________ give information about lifestyle, attitudes, and psychological characteristics.

demographics, psychographics

A negative message using the __________ approach opens with the bad news, proceeds to the reasons for the situation or decision, offers any additional information that may help the audience, and ends with a positive statement aimed at maintaining a good relationship with the audience.

direct approach

Use the __________ when you know your audience will be receptive to your message. Use the __________ when you know your audience will be skeptical about or even resistant to your message.

direct approach, indirect approach

A team is a unit of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve their goal. While there are some disadvantages to working in a team, which one of the following is an advantage of working in a team:

diversity of views

Boost your confidence before an interview by doing all of the following except

dwell on your weaknesses

Which of the following is an effective means of revising for conciseness?

eliminating "it is" or "there are" to shorten a sentence and clarify its meaning

A ___________ is a small file that automatically includes such items as your name, title, company, and contact information.

email signature block

Words such as freedom, success, prestige, compassion, free, and comfort are words that might be used in a(n) __________. A(n) ___________ uses one of three types of reasoning.

emotional appeal, logical appeal

Microblogging systems for internal use are sometimes referred to as

enterprise microblogging and internal micro messaging

A good résumé will get you the job you want.

false

A polished, inviting design makes your document more difficult to read and may convey a sense of importance.

false

An unsolicited application (or cover) letter is used to target a current job opening within a specific company.

false

AutoCorrect lets you correct common typing errors. Style sheets/templates usually set overall document parameters and can be particularly handy if you create a variety of document types. You should rely on AutoCorrect and style sheets/templates to clean up your typing in every instance.

false

For routine requests and positive messages you should state the main requests or main idea, give necessary details, and close with a cordial request for a non specific action.

false

It is never appropriate to send an unsolicited letter to a potential employer.

false

The purpose of a résumé is to list all of your skills and abilities.

false

When seeking an entry-level position out of college, it's okay to strengthen your resume and/or cover letter by slightly inflating your current skills and qualifications, such as stating you're fluent in a foreign language when you may only have a working or conversational knowledge of it.

false

A variety of tools are available to help writers collaborate on everything from short documents to entire websites. Which of the following is not a technology for collaborative writing?

groupthink

If the negative news is likely to be a shock or particularly unpleasant for the reader, you'll want to use the __________ approach.

indirect

A negative message using the ___________ opens with a buffer then builds up the reasons behind the bad news before presenting the bad news itself.

indirect approach

According to your text, which of the following is not a choice for brief messages?

interoffice memorandums

You may find it helpful to hone your craft by viewing your writing at three levels. Which of the following is not one of those levels?

jargon words

Oral communication is best when you need to encourage interaction, express emotions, or ___________.

monitor emotional response

The final step in the AIDA model is the

motivating action, a call to action

Ethics are the accepted principles of conduct that govern behavior within a society. Ethical communication includes all relevant information, is true in every sense, and is not deceptive in any way. In contract, unethical communication can distort the truth ormanipslate audiences in a variety of way. Examples of unethical communication include all of the following except:

overquoting

___________ are designed to clarify job requirements, give employees feedback on their performance relative to those requirements, and establish a personal plan of action.

performance reviews

You have a responsibility to make sure the information you provide is accurate, ethical, and __________.

pertinent

IM offers many benefits. Which is not one of the benefits of IM?

potential for constant interruptions

Annual reports, financial statements, news releases, blogs, microblogs, marketing reports, and customer surveys are just a few of the many __________.

potential sources

After confirming the content, organization, and tone of your message, make a second pass to improve __________.

readability

The three-step writing process will help you create more effective messages in any medium. As you get more practice with the process, it will become easier and more automatic. Which of the following is not part of the three-step writing process?

storytelling

Match the type of interview with the definition below. Example: During this type of interview you might be asked questions to unsettle you. You might be subjected to long periods of silence, interruptions, and or even hostile reactions from interviewers.

stress interview

A respectful close should build goodwill, be sincere, and provide a look toward the future.

true

Audiences often respond unfavorably to over-the-top language, so keep your writing simple and straightforward.

true

Audiences tend to greet incoming messages with a selfish question: "What's in it for me?" You can improve your audience sensitivity by using the __________ attitude.

you

The hashtag symbol is __________ and makes it easy for people to label and search for topics of interest and monitor ongoing Twitter conversations about particular topics.

#

One of the most commonly used variations in persuasive messages is the __________.

AIDA model

All business messages have a general purpose. Which of the following is not a general business message purpose?

All are message purposes (to persuade, to collaborate, to initiate a conversation, to inform)

The basic communication model consists of eight steps. During the step known as decoding, after a message is received, the receiver needs to extract the idea from the message. Even well-crafted, well-intentioned communication efforts can fail at this stage because extracting meaning is a highly personal process that may be influenced by which of the following:

All of the above (culture, experience, learning; thinking styles, hopes, and fears; temporary moods)

Use the model for a(n) _____________ when you write an inquiry about a hiring decision.

Direct request

When developing an audience profile, you should ask yourself some key questions about the audience. Which of the following is not one of those key questions?

How much do they understand about your mood?

Before you submit your cover letter, résumé, or job application, you should research the industry and company of interest. Customizing your résumé to each job opening is an important step in showing employers that you will be a good fit.

true

When you compose business messages, look for the most powerful words for each situation. Try to use words that are familiar. You should also use as many clichés and buzzwords as possible when composing a business message.

false

White space, or any space free of text or artwork, and grey space may both be used to seperate elements in a document and help guide the reader's eye.

false

You should not contact interesting companies if they haven't advertised job openings to the public. A company is not hiring if they haven't advertised.

false

There are three major steps you should follow when writing a claim or requesting an adjustment. Which of the following is not one of those steps?

provide backup information (?)

Blogs and microblogs are easier to personalize and update and have become a major force in business communication.

true

For important messages, schedule time to put your draft aside for one or two days before you begin the revision process.

true

Making your writing parallel means expressing two or more similar ideas using the same grammatical structure.

true

Start thinking about networking now; your classmates could turn out to be some of your most important business contacts.

true

When you communicate with anyone outside your organization, you represent your company and therefore play a vital role in maintaining positive relationships with all of its stakeholders.

true

When you represent your company online, you must adhere to a high standard of etiquette and respect for others.

true

You represent your company when you are out in public--or communicating online under your own name--so etiquette continues to be important even after you leave the office.

true

You should assume that every message you send in any electronic medium will be stored forever and might be read by people far beyond your original audience.

true

__________ are brief printed documents traditionally used for the routine, day-to-day exchange of information within an organization.

Memos

Arial, Verdana and Calibri are all examples of serif typefaces.

false

When a team collaborates on reports, websites, presentations, and other communication projects, the collective energy and expertise of the various members can produce results that transcend what each individual could do alone. In a team, the following guidelines will help you collaborate more successfully:

All of the above (clarify individual responsibilities, avoid writing as a group, agree on project goals, and give your team time to bond0

Which of the following are tools for communicating effectively?

All of the above (web-based meetings, instant messaging, crowdsourcing and collaboration platforms, gaming technologies)

A high-context culture relies less on verbal communication and more on the context of nonverbal actions and environmental setting to convey meaning. The following country is an example of a high-context culture:

China

Which of the following is a tip for effective email messages?

adjust the level of formality

The most common routine messages are

all of the above (asking for recommendations, requesting adjustments and making claims, asking for action or information)

Transitions connect ideas by showing how one thought is related to another. Transitional elements include which of the following?

all of the above (connecting words, words that are frequently paired, pronouns, repeated words or phrases)

Ambition and great ideas aren't enough; you need to be able to communicate with people in order to succeed in business. Communication is the process of transferring information and meaning between senders and receiver using one or more of the following:

all of the above (written media, oral media, visual media, electronic media)

Which of the following is an effective means of revising for clarity?

avoiding awkward references using parallel construction

When speaking to people whose native language is not your own, you should do all but which of the following:

check infrequently for comprehension

People typically listen at no better than a 25 percent efficiency rate, remember only about half of what is said during a 10-minute conversation, and forget half of that within 48 hours. There are five steps to effective listening. Which of the following is not one of the five steps to effective listening?

communicating

___________ are brief written messages generally sent to recipients outside the organization. In addition to conveying a particular message, they perform an important public relations function in fostering good working relationships with customers, suppliers, and others.

letters

According to your text, ___________ are especially effective tools for highlighting and simplifying material.

lists

__________ links the virtual world of online social networking with the physical world of retail stores and other locations. One example is Foursquare.

location-based social networking

A single poorly planned or poorly run meeting can waste hundreds or thousands of dollars, so one should make sure every meeting is necessary and well managed. What is the first step in preparing for a meeting?

make sure the meeting is really necessary

What is the first thing you should do before you respond when your firm is at fault?

make sure you know the company's policy in such cases (?)

There are five goals of negative messages. Which is not one of the five goals?

manage the intensity of future correspondence in the matter

Match the type of interview with the definition below. Example: In this type of interview, you meet with several interviewers at once. Try to make a connection with each person, and keep in mind that each person has a different perspective, so tailor your response accordingly.

panel interview

There are three common categories of persuasive business messages. Which is not one of them?

presentation of facts

__________ is a medium's ability to convey a message through more than one information cue (visual, verbal, vocal), facilitate feedback, and establish personal focus.

richness

Bias-free language avoids words and phrases that unfairly and even unethically categorize or stigmatize people in ways related to gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, or other personal characteristics. Choose the word that best exhibits bias-free language:

salesperson

Match the type of interview with the definition below. Example: This type of interview is similar to a behavioral interview except that the questions focus on how you should handle various hypothetical situations on the job.

situational interview

The process of making informal connections with mutually beneficial business contacts is __________. This takes place wherever and whenever people talk: at industry functions, at social gatherings, at alumni reunions, and all over the Internet (from LinkedIn to Facebook to Twitter).

social networking

Match the type of interview with the definition below. Example: The interviewer or computer program asks a series of questions in a predetermined order. This helps identify candidates who don't meet basic job criteria.

structured interview

The right tone depends on the nature of your message and your relationship with the reader. Match the correct tone with the example below. Dear Ms. Navarro: Enclosed please find the information that was requested during our telephone communication of May 14. As was mentioned at that time, Midville Hospital has significantly more doctors of exceptional quality than any other health facility in the state. In the event that you have questions or would like additional information, you may certainly contact me during regular business hours. Most sincerely yours, Samuel G. Berenz

stuffy: too formal for today's audiences

A follow-up message after an interview is more than a professional courtesy; it's another chance for you to promote yourself to an employer.

true

The right tone depends on the nature of your message and your relationship with the reader. Match the correct tone with the example below. Example: Yo! Here's the 411 you requested. IMHO, we have more and better doctors than any other hospital in the state. FYI, we also have a large group of doctors and other health professionals w/ offices close to U at work/home. If U need a specialist, they'll refer U to the right one. Any? Just ring or msg. L8R. S

unprofessional: too causal for business communication

Ideally, businesses can communicate with employees, customers, and other stakeholders in their native language. However, translation isn't always cost effective or possible. To write effectively for people who may not be comfortable using your language, you should do all but which of the following:

use medium length paragraphs

Match the type of interview with the definition below. Example: This is the most realistic type of interview. You actually perform a job-related activity during the interview. You may be asked to lead a brainstorming session, solve a business problem, engage in role playing, or even make a presentation.

working interview