Business Communications
Which of the following should you do when responding favorably to questions in a routine inquiry message?
Answer the most important question first.
The conventional outlining system typically uses _____ to show the lesser headings in a report.
Arabic numbers
Which of the following is a commonly used complimentary close in today's business letters?
Best regards
Which of the following is true of bulleted lists?
Bulleted lists are used to list points and sub-points within the text.
Which of the following is true about clichés?
Business clichés can sometimes increase your credibility with other business people.
Which of the following statements about email is true?
Email revolutionized business communication.
Which of the following sentences contains unnecessary repetition?
Every week, my boss requires us to attend weekly forecast meetings.
How does the delivery of a webinar differ from that of an actual presentation?
In a webinar, the speaker delivers the presentation from a desktop using a microphone.
Which of the following is true of developing an agenda for a meeting?
In an agenda, items that explain or lead to other items should come before the items that they explain.
Which of the following statements about space and culture is true?
In some cultures, keeping two feet of distance from the person with whom you are speaking is considered impolite.
Which of the following is true of written communication?
In written communication, writers cannot rely on their tone of voice to make up for ambiguous wording.
Which social media platform is primarily for photo and video posts?
When preparing yourself to speak, talking in strong, clear tones is a technique that projects the appealing personal trait of
confidence.
At the beginning of any unsolicited proposal, it is important to
gain attention.
Knowledge of sales message techniques helps in writing business messages because
most business messages directly or indirectly involve selling something.
Which of the following organization patterns is best suited for creating an outline of a report regarding the progress of a company merger?
the time-based pattern
Baby Boomers refer to those people who
were born soon after World War II.
When is it best to use the indirect approach in creating a message?
when the message is likely to evoke a negative response from the reader
The you-viewpoint is also called the
you-attitude.
Which of the following is an external factor that you need to consider when identifying an appropriate job?
your family's needs
Which of the following statements about writing bad-news messages is true?
A direct approach may be appropriate if you need to convince your readers that there is a problem they must act to solve.
Which of the following statements is true of using a strategic buffer in bad-news messages?
A strategic buffer is an opening that is relevant to the message but does not state the bad news.
Which of the following sentences de-emphasizes the negative?
Although we have chosen to go with another candidate, we would be interested in working with you in the future and will keep your information on file.
Gina has learned of a job opening for which she is qualified through an acquaintance who works at the hiring company. Which of the following is the best way for Gina to begin her cover letter?
At the suggestion of Mr. Lloyd Davis of your staff, I am sending the following summary of my qualifications for work as your bookkeeper.
Which of the following is most appropriate when denying credit to a customer?
Because your credit score is 620 (700 is required), a credit payment is not an option; however, you may pay with cash.
Which of the following is the most appropriate phrase to use in an adjustment refusal message?
Company policy states that...
Colette is a business executive from France, and Franz is a business executive from Germany. Colette does not speak German, nor does Franz speak French. Which language are they most likely to conduct business in?
English
If you have a negative message to deliver, what should you do?
Focus on what you can do.
Which of the following is the most appropriate phrase to use in a message refusing a request?
For these reasons, what we can do is...
Which of the following falls under the "organize the material" step of collaborative writing projects?
Group participants must base the report's structure on the time, place, quantity, factor, or other relationships in the data.
Adedayo is giving a presentation on ways to improve communication between teams. He asks the audience to identify the best way to improve communication, but no one answers. What should Adedayo do?
He should rephrase the question in a more provocative way.
Hayao is speaking to investors about a project his team has been working on. The project has been going well, but whether it continues to receive funding depends in part on this presentation, so Hayao wants to form a real connection with his listeners to show them that he has genuine interest in them. He knows that one way to do this is to make good eye contact, but he finds that making eye contact with various members of the audience tends to make him lose his train of thought. What should Hayao do?
He should simply look at people's faces rather than into their eyes.
Oliver plans to give an informative presentation on how a new state law will affect the way his company stores records. He knows that his listeners will quickly grow bored if he spends a lot of time discussing background information on the law. What should Oliver do?
He should use the direct structure for his presentation.
Jean Luc and Oscar own a small manufacturing company in Louisiana, and they are meeting with two executives of a Mexican retail chain in the hopes of convincing them to carry their products. Jean Luc begins the pitch, and after a couple of minutes, Oscar jumps in to say, "Jean Luc really hit the nail on the head when he said these products offer better value than what you're currently carrying." The Mexican executives both speak English, but they look at each other in confusion. What mistake did Oscar make?
He used a colloquialism.
If you were evaluating a website according to the structure criteria, which of the following questions would you be attempting to answer?
How is the site organized?
Which of the following statements about negotiation is true?
If a negotiation does not look financially advantageous, your audience may lose interest.
Which of the following statements about back translating is true?
If the translations are good, the second translation will match the original message.
Which of the following statements about audience interaction is true?
If you are giving a training presentation, you may give listeners a moment to practice something on their own.
Which of the following is a characteristic feature of an online library catalog?
It enables you to search the material in several ways.
Which of the following is an advantage of using Boolean logic?
It helps to get relevant Internet-based information.
Which of the following statements is true about the actual organizational culture of a company?
It is the medium of preferred values and practices in which the company's members do their work.
Which of the following best defines ethics?
It is the study of the principles that guide how people interact and the choices they make.
Which of the following best describes conversational language?
It is warm, engages the reader, and is easily understood.
Which of the following statements about initials and acronyms is true?
It may be necessary to define initials and acronyms for readers.
Which of the following is true about the technique of scenario painting as used in advertisements?
It puts the reader in a simulated context that brings out a product's appeal.
Why is the following statement potentially insulting to its recipient?
It tells the recipient how they should feel.
Which of the following is true about meeting minutes?
Minutes vary in format across organizations.
Which of the following illustrates the most positive way of explaining a shipping delay?
Our silk dyeing process resumes on February 1; your order of 20 bolts of dyed silk will arrive on March 30.
Which of the following is true of treating research participants ethically?
Participants in a research study have the right to informed consent.
Which of the following is an ideal opening for a direct claim?
Please adjust invoice 3459 to show that we ordered six office chairs, not seven.
Which of the following sentences is most likely to build goodwill in a routine inquiry message?
Please sign and return the paperwork by October 5 so that we may keep to the proposed schedule.
Which of the following headings from a report violates parallelism of construction?
Recreation Costs Are Rising
Which of the following is the most appropriate problem statement for a business report on a decline in sales?
Sales have declined 10 percent since the last fiscal year.
Which of the following differentiates short reports from long reports?
Short reports are more likely to be written in the direct order.
Which of the following is true of short reports?
Short reports, such as inventory reports, do not require introductory material.
Which of the following headings from a report violates parallelism of construction?
Slight Increase in Bank Debits
Which of the following statements is true about ill-defined problems?
Solving ill-defined problems requires analytical skill and good judgment.
In Microsoft Word, which of the following tools can be used to create a table of contents?
Styles
Which of the following statements about informative presentations is true?
The audience's information needs are the most important consideration.
Which of the following statements about factors that affect culture is true?
The climate of a country can impact the habits and values of that country's culture.
Which of the following statements about internal-operational messages is true?
The formality of such communication ranges from casual to moderately formal to formal.
Which of the following guidelines will help create an effective good-news message?
The message should be concluded with an appropriate, friendly comment.
Which of the following guidelines should be followed when writing an effective message carrying good news?
The objective of the message should be made clear within the first paragraph.
Which of the following sentences uses a cluttering phrase?
The reason why Marcy missed the meeting was because she was sick.
Which of the following statements would be best included in making your case in an adjustment refusal?
The warranty on the product expired in 2015.
Which of the following statements about adjustment refusals is true?
They are made when facts require that you deny a claim.
Which of the following sentences does not use slang or a cliché?
They decided to schedule the meeting at an earlier date.
Which of the following statements about good cross-cultural communication skills is not true?
They eliminate the chance that there will be culture-related misunderstanding.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of coherence helpers?
They enable the reader to understand each section's importance relative to the report's overall goal.
What is the advantage of RSS feeds?
They keep users up-to-date on the Internet information they're interested in.
Which of the following statements about postscripts in sales messages is true?
They may be used to suggest the reader pass along the sales message.
Which of the following is a defining characteristic of qualitative researchers?
They use research tools that primarily generate verbal data.
Which of the following is the most appropriate opening for a letter of transmittal?
This environmental impact report was compiled in response to your request on January 14.
Victoria Sanchez has a telephone job interview scheduled with Kiara Turner, the HR manager at the hiring company. In order to be courteous, which of the following would be the most appropriate way to begin the telephone conversation?
This is Victoria Sanchez. May I speak with Ms. Kiara Turner? We have a telephone interview scheduled today.
An angry customer has emailed Kurtis wanting to know why the custom luggage he ordered three weeks ago hasn't arrived yet. When Kurtis looks up the order, he discovers that the customer never chose the type and color of hardware he wanted. How should Kurtis respond to avoid blaming the customer?
To complete your order, please use the attached form to choose the style and color of hardware that you prefer.
Which of the following sentences presents the bad news most effectively?
To keep our costs low and our prices competitive, we give refunds only for unused merchandise returned within 30 days with a receipt.
Which of the following statements about colloquialisms is true?
Unfamiliar colloquialisms can cause problems even for native English speakers.
Which of the following best exemplifies the way a sentence should be structured when delivering negative news?
We cannot make a refund, but you may choose a comparable product from our website.
Which of the following sentences is the least formal?
We use high quality parts in our products.
Which of the following is the best way to begin the sentence containing your refusal?
What we can do is...
Which of the followings statements about language and international business is true?
When executives have no common language, they are likely to use English.
Which of the following is the best way to begin a message refusing an adjustment on a clothes dryer?
You are right to expect your clothes dryer to withstand normal use.
Which of the following sentences best illustrates effective sales writing?
You can now enjoy the great taste of Apollo hummus in two new flavors—spicy jalapeno and roasted garlic and herb.
Which of the following is one of "The Ten Commandments of Listening"?
You must empathize with the speaker because this will result in a true exchange of information.
Which of the following statements risks insulting the reader?
You need to complete the energy efficiency report if you want to include it in the proposal.
Which of the following statements about preparing your presentation is true?
You should always plan the scope and duration so that you will stay within your time limit.
Which of the following statements about referring to your visuals during a presentation is true?
You should elaborate on what is on your slides.
Which of the following is the best strategy to set up negative news in an indirect order message?
You should explain the fairness of a certain action.
Which of the following statements about the timing of a conversation is true?
You will get the best results if you delay your conversation until your audience is likely to be most receptive.
Which of the following is an effective way to increase the accuracy of your interpretation while listening?
You will need to think in terms of what the words mean to the speaker who uses them.
Which of the following phrases would be the most appropriate to begin an adjustment refusal message?
Your April 7 request for adjustment...
Which of the followings sentences exhibits the you-viewpoint?
Your concerns have been heard, and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Which of the following is true of writing negative announcements that maintain goodwill?
Your first step should be to determine your overall strategy.
Which of the following concluding sentences is most likely to build goodwill in a routine inquiry message?
Your prompt reply to our proposal by August 31 will allow us to start our work on time.
Which of the following statements best illustrates the you-viewpoint?
Your refund has been approved, and your account will be credited with the amount.
Which of the following is an example of a stereotype?
Zoe must like spicy food because she is Cuban.
Marcel's boss has asked him to put together a formal report on how their company can adopt more energy efficient practices in a cost-effective manner. Marcel conducts extensive research and uses information from many sources while writing the report. What should Marcel include to acknowledge his sources?
a bibliography
Which of the following is the most appropriate beginning for a typical routine inquiry message?
a brief statement to orient the reader
The following is an email from Devi to her co-worker, Ilya:
a casual internal-operational message.
Dante is a manager attending a retreat with his company. During the retreat, Dante gives a presentation to praise his employees for their hard work over the last year and gives them gift certificates as thanks for their hard work. This would best be defined as
a ceremonial presentation.
The Molinari Company has shipped the wrong dining room set to Martha. In the hopes of correcting the situation, Martha plans to write
a claim message.
You are most likely to build goodwill with your readers by using
a closing that is tailored to your message.
Selina has been interviewed by several companies and has received two job offers which she needs to decide on within the next few days. However, she is still waiting to hear back from the company she thinks would be the best fit. What type of message should she send to check on the status of her application with the company?
a follow-up message
Which of the following is an example of an internal proposal?
a manager's email persuading her superiors to hire an additional team member to ease workloads
Which of the following is the ideal posture to assume when presenting an oral report?
a naturally poised and alert posture
Which of the following should be included in the body of a direct claim?
a paragraph explaining the problem to help your reader understand your requirements
Which of the following is an example of an external proposal?
a presentation by a graphic designer in which she proposes to design a new website for a company
When you are responding to a crisis or giving an important announcement, which of the following methods of presentation are you most likely to use?
a presentation where you read a prepared speech
Which of the following is a web-based get-together, usually for a small group of people who have chosen to conduct their interactions online rather than in a conference room?
a web meeting
After completing his internship, Ivan decides to search for a job. He decides to begin his search by sending physical copies of his résumé to prospective employers. When describing in his résumé the duties he performed as an intern last summer, he should use
action-oriented, past tense verbs.
Which of the following transitions is dissimilar from the others in terms of the type of transition it makes?
also
Which of the following best illustrates an advertisement based on emotional appeal?
an advertisement primarily stressing how a product can make a person more interesting
A listserv is
an electronic mailing list.
Which of the following is an example of an internal proposal?
an employee's email persuading her superior to replace the outdated phone system
Which of the following qualifies as a proposal?
an office manager's request to purchase new computers
To do a good job of searching periodicals at your library, you should use
an online database such as LexisNexis.
Rubber stamps are expressions that
are used out of habit and not adapted to specific situations.
Less important information can best be de-emphasized in a business message by including it
as a modifying phrase.
In cultures that have low power distance
authority is shared between many people.
"By accepting the proposal, you will have not only saved $1,500 off the standard price but also taken the first step toward a more efficient, productive organization." This statement primarily focuses on the
benefits of the proposal.
Consider the following statement which is a part of a proposal: "By accepting the proposal, you will have not only saved $1,500 off the standard price but also taken the first step toward a more efficient, productive organization." This statement primarily focuses on the
benefits of the proposal.
Dayson wears a suit, tie, and polished dress shoes to a meeting with clients to convey the message that he respects them and takes their business relationship seriously. What type of nonverbal communication is Dayson using?
body language
The excessive use of positive emphasis can be unethical because it
can cause the reader to overlook an important negative message.
Examine the following sentence taken from a report. Which relationship to the preceding content is established by the transitional phrase? "For this reason, we need to increase our factory output by 15 percent."
cause-effect
In the proofreading stage of the writing process, you are most likely to
check the mechanical and grammatical elements of your message.
Which of the following will help you set up your reasons for bad news effectively?
citing the expert opinion of authorities whom both you and your reader respect
Employment agencies are
companies that specialize in finding jobs for employees.
Combining two or more questions in a sentence
de-emphasizes each question.
The first step in creating a persuasive request is
determining a strategy.
Regarding the writing process, which of the following steps is typically included as part of the planning process?
determining your goals
Business writers use the _____ in short reports when the readers' main concern is to get the information needed to make a decision.
direct order
Words that refer negatively to groups of people because of their gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, or some other trait are
discriminatory.
Standard expressions of politeness, such as "please," "thank you," and "I'm sorry,"
do not always make the recipient feel understood and appreciated.
The leader of a meeting should
encourage participation from those group members who talk too little.
Danny is an American whose company has sent him to handle a business deal in Japan. While he is there, Danny's host offers him unfamiliar foods, refuses to make prolonged eye contact, and bows frequently. Danny thinks the food and frequent bowing are weird and that refusing to make eye contact is rude. In his mind, the way things are done in the United States is the "right" way. What tendency is Danny exhibiting?
ethnocentrism
The tendency to see only the features of your own culture as "normal" is called
ethnocentrism
Cultures that exhibit a high power distance
expect employees to do as their superiors direct.
Information about when, how, and by whom the report was authorized, referred to as the ______, may be included in the introduction.
facts of authorization
Rather showing that you developed one skill on one job and another skill on another job, you can use the _____, a strategy for organizing information on a résumé that groups related skills and is particularly good for those who have had many jobs.
functional layout
Shalene works for a hotel and needs to write a bad-news message to a group that has asked to use the hotel's conference space at a drastically reduced rate that wouldn't cover the expense of setting up the room and cleaning it after. In setting up her negative news, Shalene's goal is to
get the group to see the refusal as a reasonable business decision.
A sales description based on factual material will most likely
have a rational appeal.
Audiences typically expect persuasive presentations to
have an interesting opening and a high level of enthusiasm from the speaker.
Short reports differ from long reports in that short reports
have less need for coherence helpers.
Casual language and informal language are similar in that they
have the effect of conversation.
Authorities who favor the inclusion of a statement of objective in a résumé reason that it
helps a recruiter see quickly where an applicant might fit into a company.
A culture with strong group orientation and coherent, stable traditions that make it possible for shared assumptions to stand in for explicitly stated background information is a ______ culture.
high-context
In which of the following cases will the indirect order plan of organizing information be most effective?
in an email to a supplier about the organization's plan to start using a different supplier
A good place for general explanatory material in a routine inquiry with multiple questions is
in the body of the message along with the questions.
Which of the following is a current challenge for business communicators?
increased focus on corporate social responsibility
Rewards that fulfill a reader's desire to gain prestige or have more freedom are called _____ rewards.
intangible
The coordination of sales messages across several forms of media is known as
integrated marketing communications.
Being able to admit your mistakes and being true to your ethical principles in any situation are signs of
integrity
Messages that stay within a business and are used to complete the work of the business are referred to as ______ messages.
internal-operational
A report's form and contents should be based on _____ to meet the reader's needs.
its formality and length
Given below is a list of rules to be followed while designing a logo. Which of the following items is not parallel with the other items?
keeping it simple
If a separate table of contents would be too formal for a report, you should
list the topics that your report will cover in the introduction.
A culture where people tend to express themselves directly and explicitly is a(n) ______ culture.
low-context
Background information is explicitly stated in a ______ culture, but is largely implied in a(n) ______ culture.
low-context; high-context
Which of the following provide a written record of a group's activities and decisions, a history that includes announcements, reports, significant discussions, and decisions?
minutes
When meeting with clients, Rachelle avoids spending time chatting about things like what they did last weekend or what movie they saw most recently. Instead, she focuses on getting down to business so that the meeting ends on time and she can move on to her next task for the day. Rachelle most likely belong to a(n) ______ culture.
monochronic
Agnetha, a CEO, is very angry with one of her managers for lying to a client about the progress of a project. As she talks to the manager about this, she speaks forcefully and emphasizes certain words and phrases to convey her feelings. What type of nonverbal communication does this represent?
paralanguage
A form of email sales message that is gaining respectability and acceptance is called _____ because it requires customers to sign up for email promotions on a company's website.
permission-based email
When including bad news in a favorable response, you should
place the bad news in secondary positions.
Barron and Gyeong want to convince Amaro that his tools supply store should buy their company's brand of ratchets. When they all meet, instead of beginning their sales pitch, Barran asks Amaro if he caught the local soccer team's most recent match. This leads to a discussion of the team's season and then to talk about Gyeong's son, who plays soccer for the nearby university. Eventually, after they have each talked about their families, Barron and Gyeong bring the conversation around to their product. This meeting would most likely happen in a ______ culture.
polychronic
Rosita has a meeting scheduled for 2:00 p.m. today, but she already knows she won't be there until at least 2:15. However, this doesn't bother her. In her mind, she'll get there when she get's there. Furthermore, she knows that the client she's meeting with will also show up late. No one will feel impatient or rushed just because they are not starting on time. Rosita and her client most likely belong to a ______ culture.
polychronic
Which type of culture thinks extensive planning is unwise and views being on time to an event as being fairly unimportant?
polychronic
When you believe that your reader's response will be ________ or _______, the direct organizational plan is appropriate.
positive; neutral
The pages that come before the actual report itself and that are included when the situation is formal and the report is long are referred to as
prefatory pages.
Ovsanna is the advertising manager at her company. She has noticed that Gerard, one of her employees, regularly arrives late to work and doesn't turn work in on time. She has talked to him about it, but he has not made any progress. Ovsanna believes it is time to speak with her superiors about firing Gerard. To do this, she will most likely write a ______ report.
problem-solving
Dina and Ephraim have been working on a project for work. Every so often, they provide their boss with a report that explains what tasks they have completed, any issues they have encountered, and a summary of what they plan to accomplish in the future. The reports Dina and Ephraim and submitting are ______ reports.
progress
Deandra's best friend's father works for Prime Tech, and he has arranged for Deandra to make a personal visit to their office to talk about possible employment. Deandra is engaging in
prospecting.
Which of the following is the most useful way of emphasizing the positive and de-emphasizing the negative in your message?
putting more positive points in the beginning
Which of the following would you do while conducting secondary research?
read a journal article
You can help give your documents a courteous effect by
refraining from blaming the reader.
The primary means by which organizations solicit proposals is the RFP. RFP stands for
request for proposals.
A progress report is a
routine operational report except that it tends to be submitted on an as-needed basis.
A metasearch engine allows you to
search websites using more than one search engine.
When presenting bad news, you should avoid using
second person.
Persuasive oral presentations are primarily intended to
sell.
The first step in the communication process is to
sense the need for communication.
In an adjustment refusal, your refusal
should be the logical result of your explanation.
The request for action in the close of a sales message
should take the reader through the steps of what he or she must do.
The sampling technique that gives every member of the group under study an equal chance of being included is known as _____ sampling.
simple random
When preparing yourself to speak, which of the following elements generates trust and conviction when combined with competence?
sincerity
A(n) _____ message is written in response to an actual job opening.
solicited cover
In terms of effective phone procedures, when initiating a phone conversation, you should
state your purpose and use the listener's time efficiently by sticking to the point.
When composing a transmittal letter, you should begin the message by
stating the attached report's topic and purpose.
The main place for getting attention in email messages is the
subject line.
Primary research produces new information through the use of things like
surveys.
Which of the following is the best approach to use when a message is likely to evoke a positive response from the reader?
the direct approach
Which of the following parts of the prefatory pages are sometimes combined in a report?
the executive summary and the letter of transmittal
In which of the following parts of a speech do you need to convey the central topic to and make a personal connection with the audience?
the introduction
Which of the following methods of presentation is the most difficult and usually results in the speaker becoming flustered if he or she misses out a word or two in the presentation?
the memorizing method
The direct approach could be a good choice for a bad-news message if you expect
the news to be accepted as a routine part of a business relationship.
Which of the following is the most common strategy for organizing the information in a résumé?
the reverse chronological organizational layout
Which of the following contains only the report's title and is included solely to give the report a more formal appearance?
title fly
The difference between a title fly and a title page is that a
title fly only contains the report title.
When should you pause during a presentation?
to emphasize upcoming content
Which of the following should be the first step when preparing a negative announcement?
to use a buffer that sets up justification for the bad news
Cross-cultural competency is best defined as the ability to
understand and adapt to the preference for individualism or collectivism, religious beliefs, political environment, and ideas about social hierarchy of different countries.
When constructing visuals in a document, you should
use background colors that provide high contrast with the data in the document.
When delivering negative news, you should
use little space on stating the negative point and a lot of space helping the reader receive it as positively as possible.
Luciana, a newly recruited apartment leasing assistant, has been given the responsibility of creating a weekly occupancy report. Like the previous analyst, Luciana has to send the finished report to the property manager. In this scenario, Luciana should
use the direct order to present the information in her report.
When using visuals in delivering an oral presentation, it is recommended that you avoid
using an 18 point-type for text.
Which of the following best defines a flowchart?
A flowchart is a chart that shows the sequence of activities in a process.
Which of the following sentences provides the best example of the use of abstract words?
A significant portion of the time, she is able to close the deal without a hitch.
As director of the human resources department, Alex has to write an email to employees requesting them to volunteer at the company's annual United Way fund raiser. After determining the purpose of his message, which of the following steps should Alex take next in planning his message?
Alex should analyze his audience.
Which of the following is an example of a sentence in which one idea is subordinated to the other?
Although the company invested large amounts of money in research and development, it did not see an increase in quarterly profits.
Which of the following is true about numbering visuals in a document?
By convention, tables are numbered separately from figures, which includes all other types of visuals in a document.
If someone other than the primary recipient is to receive a copy of the message in such a way that the primary recipient will know who else has received a copy of the message, the sender should use the _____ field.
Cc
Lance is an executive at a manufacturing company, and he needs to write a letter thanking Amoreena Sanchez, a partner at a law firm that sometimes represents his company in disputes, for the congratulatory bottle of champagne she sent to his office after they successfully defended against a lawsuit. Lance and Amoreena also happen to be good friends who grew up on the same block. How should Lance compose the letter's salutation?
Dear Amoreena:
Which of the following is an advantage of email over text messaging, instant messaging, and social media?
Email does not limit the number of characters that can be used in a message.
Which of the following pieces of advice will help you use paragraphing to your best advantage?
Ensure that the different bits of information within each paragraph are logically related to each other.
Which of the following sentences uses an incorrect two-word expression?
He knew the names of all of his employees from heart.
Which of the following best exemplifies a personal context influencing communication?
Jason, upset because he recently broke up with his girlfriend, writes a rude email to a coworker.
Janice Redish recommends that you follow which of the following guidelines when presenting content online?
Keep lines of text short, usually between eight and ten words.
Which of the following statements about the four common letter formats is true?
Lines within paragraphs should having single-spacing.
Which of the following is true about social media?
Messages on a company's social networking site need to be brief and concise.
Which of the following best exemplifies a communicator's professional context influencing communication?
Morgan, an architect, prefers to communicate ideas visually.
Which of the following is true about paragraph design?
Most paragraphs feature a topic sentence.
Identify the impact of new media on communication.
New media have made it easier to tap the intelligence of people outside an organization.
Which of the following statements about multi-page letters is true?
Pages two and onward should be printed on plain paper.
Which of the following is true regarding the construction and placement of titles and captions for visuals?
Short captions and titles for visuals must be typed using title case.
Which of the following statements about sentence length is true?
Short sentences generally create more emphasis than long sentences.
Which of the following is true about source acknowledgments?
Source acknowledgments are the bottom-most components of a visual.
Which of the following sentences uses a camouflaged verb?
The company had little choice but to make the merger with the competition.
Which of the following is true of paragraphs in business documents?
The concluding paragraph is often only one or two sentences long.
Which of the following is true about topic sentences?
The most common paragraph arrangement is to begin with the topic sentence.
Which of the following statements is true about increasing gender, age, and ethnic diversity in the workplace?
The requirement for cultural agility in workplace communication has increased significantly.
Which of the following is true of the factors involved in the presentation of visuals?
The size of a visual is determined by its contents and importance.
Which of the following statements about page numbers in formal reports is true?
The title page is not numbered, even though it is the first page.
Which of the following is true regarding the construction of titles and captions for visuals?
The titles or captions of each visual should concisely describe their contents.
Which of the following about instant messaging in a business setting is true?
The use of emoticons in an instant message is dependent on the target audience.
Roberta works for a company that manufactures furniture. Over the last year, a couple of the company's plants have ramped up production, while others have slowed production. Roberta wants to compare the increase or reduction in production as a percentage of last year's production numbers for each plant. Which type of chart would be fit her purpose?
a bilateral column chart
A company that manufactures and sells three different types of tires wants to compare its yearly sales of each type of tire for the last four years. What type of graph or chart would best suit this purpose?
a clustered bar chart
A phrase that can be replaced by a shorter wording without changing the meaning of the sentence where it appears is ______ phrase.
a cluttering
Julio has been researching various vacation policies for his employer. Now that he has gathered his information, he needs to organize it, but he does not feel ready to start creating an outline. Which of the following technology tools would be best for helping him experiment with ways to group information?
a concept-mapping program
A company requires the heads of its five departments to send a project update email to the company vice president each Friday afternoon. This is an example of a stable form of communication referred to as
a genre.
Delia owns a company that makes metal and cement garden art. She is meeting with a small group of business people in the hopes of convincing some of them to invest in her company so that she can hire more employees and expand production. One of the things she wants to show them is how sales have risen consistently over the last five years. What type of chart would best help her do this?
a line chart
Which of the following is an example of internal-operational communication?
a memo from the company president to her subordinates regarding sales targets
Which of the following is rarely used in business letters?
a postscript
Serenity is crafting a letter to one of her clients to advise him of some changes in the forecasts for the coming year. It is important to her that it be easy to read, and she plans to print it out and send it in paper form. What type of font would best suit her purposes?
a serif font
Keep lines of text short, usually between eight and ten words.
a stacked column chart.
Juan's company owns and operates a chain of fast food restaurants. The company is looking to open a store in a new state and is trying to determine which county in that state would be most appropriate for the new store. They will look at many factors, including population. Juan wants to create a visual to show the population of different counties in the state by clearly outlining each area and using formatting techniques to indicate the differences. Which of the following types of visual would best suit his purpose?
a statistical map
Miranda is working on a financial summary for company investors. In the document, she makes sure that the body of her text is positioned along the left side of the page, that her headings are centered, and that images are all placed along the right margin. Together, these choices are best described as examples of which design principle?
alignment
The direct order plan of organizing information will be the most effective when you are writing
an email to the HR manager asking her how to access the new forms for reporting vacation time.
Which type of chart shows the hierarchy of levels and positions within a business or group?
an organizational chart
The communication problem that arises when two people using the same word think that they agree on its meaning but actually do not is referred to as
bypassing.
A word may have several ______, or social and emotional associations.
connotations
In the process of communication, once the primary sender of a message has defined the situation, the next step is to
consider possible communication strategies.
With respect to the email format, Cc stands for
courtesy copy.
Part of having ______ means understanding that businesspeople from other countries may have very different attitudes about punctuality and efficiency.
cross-cultural competency
Which of the following is an error of format?
distracting use of grids and shading
For a business document, you ideally want your margins to be
equal in size.
Which of the following should ideally be avoided during the drafting stage of the writing process?
focusing on creating a perfect draft on the first attempt
Memorandums can be distinguished from other messages primarily by their
form.
Which of the following writing styles should be used in an email report to the client of a research organization?
formal style
Felipe needs to write a letter to Salma, a manager at another company. However, he thinks it is important that the letter be addressed to the company rather than Salma directly. In this case, where should he first use Salma's name?
in the attention line
The advent of new media has
increased the need for employees who have social intelligence.
Which of the following should typically be covered through visual presentation?
information that is too detailed to be covered in words
A visual rendering of your company's general contact information, its address, and often its logo, is referred to as
letterhead
Which of the following is a form of external-operational communication?
meetings that executives hold with leaders of community organizations
When a writer mixes two different types of sentences into a single sentence, it is known as
mixed construction.
Which of the following technologies is most likely to change the way customers access and use a business's services?
mobile applications
Myron has written a report discussing his company's latest project, and he has several visuals that he mentions and wants to include. Ideally, where should he place these visuals?
near the places where they are discussed in the document
Where should the row heads be repeated if the rows in a table are long?
on the right
Miguel grew up in a large family in a rural area of Texas, while Marissa is an only child who grew up in New York City. This information details Miguel and Marissa's ______ contexts.
personal
Most people visit websites in order to accomplish a task, so when designing a page, you should
present your main point first.
Hiro is writing a list of tasks that need to be done in order to get his company's new product to market. Some of these items can only be accomplished by certain departments, such as Marketing or Production, so instead of writing one long list, he breaks it down into a series of shorter lists that are separated by headings that name the department responsible for completing each list. Hiro is using the design principle of
proximity.
Social intelligence is best defined as the ability to
quickly assess the emotions of those around them and adapt their words, tone, and gestures accordingly.
Logan is writing a lengthy year-end report for the owners of his company. At the beginning of every section, he includes the company logo at the top of the page and centers and sets the title of the section in 16 point Times New Roman font. Within each section, he puts subheadings on their own line and sets them in bold. Together, these choices are best described as examples of which design principle?
repetition
Michael is in the process of writing a message. He is trying to find out whether the words he has used to describe his goals emphasize the right things and if there are better, more concise ways of structuring his sentences. In the context of the different stages involved in writing, Michael is _____ his message.
revising
A font that has little "tails" or "feet" is known as a ______ font.
serif
Which of the following measures determines a font's point size?
the height of the letter "x" in the font
Ahmed visits a website where he searches for specific information on that company's sales numbers. He clicks on links to reach relevant pages and skips pages that he knows won't contain the information he needs. What is this an example of?
the nonlinear nature of online text
What four elements are typically contained on the title page of a formal report?
the report title, your name, the name of the person for whom the report has been prepared, the presentation date
The various techniques that are needed to tie the information together in a paragraph are known as _____ devices.
transitional
When creating and placing a visual, rules can be
used to distinguish one section of the visual from another.
Which of the following will most likely enhance the readability of your message?
using short sentences
Which two colors should you mix to get a tertiary color?
yellow and orange
When you have created a visual based on data that you or your staff gathered
you may omit a source acknowledgment.