Business Communications!
CH 02 CASE
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CH 03: Click & Drag: Design Decisions!
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CH 03: Click & Drag: Letter Elements!
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CH 04 CASE
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Q #6: Malik is in the process of developing a business report. Which of the following conventions should he follow when adding visuals to his document? a) Malik should ensure that the visuals in his document use a variety of styles and fonts. b) Malik should consider including small and simple visuals in an appendix or attachment. c) Malik should make sure that all of his visuals have portrait orientation. d) Malik should use borders in his document to separate the visuals from the text. e) To maintain consistency, Malik should always use a full page to represent each visual in his document.
A #6: d) Malik should use borders in his document to separate the visuals from the text.
Q #7: Headings in the same level of a report must be grammatically parallel. Choose the answer that is parallel to the following heading: Taking the Next Step a) To Address Customer Concerns b) Potential Problems c) Advertising Tactics d) Capturing the Market Response e) After Results Are Received
A #7: d) Capturing the Market Response
Q #3: How many of your credit union members currently have debit cards? a) 46,500 b) 62,000 c) 15,500 d) 50,000 e) 13,000
A #3: a) 46,500 How to figure it out: 62,000 x 75 x .01 = 46,500
Q #5: "1e. Which of the following would be an appropriate way to label and number the visual?" a) either Graph 1 or Figure 4 b) either Chart 4 or Figure 1 c) either Chart 1 or Figure 4 d) either Chart 4 or Figure 4 e) either Chart 2 or Figure 2
A #5: e) either Chart 2 or Figure 2
Q #7: How important is it to communicate this information immediately (i.e., today)? a) Not important. The policy takes effect in 2.5 months; the information is not needed immediately. b) Important. You need to get the information out today so that you can move on to other tasks. c) Important. Readers should know this information today so they can use their debit cards by January 1. d) Not important. If people value their debit cards, they will use them. e) Not important. Even if members don't use their cards, the $15 fee is still less than what they would have spent on purchases with their debit cards.
A #7: c) Important. Readers should know this information today so they can use their debit cards by January 1.
Q #2: When determining how large to make a visual, your main consideration is a) how important and complex the information in the visual is. b) whether the visual will be in color or black and white. c) how many pages you need your report to be. d) whether the visual's content is negative or positive. e) how much room you will need for borders.
A #2: a) how important and complex the information in the visual is.
Textbook: Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach
Author: Kathryn Rentz
CH 04 CASE: OAKDALE HOSPITAL
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LEARNING TO COMMUNICATE IN A NEW JOB
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Q #2: A chain of parking garages recently offered customers the ability to pay for parking on their mobile phone instead of paying at an office or feeding a parking meter. This is an example of a business making use of the technology known as a) collaborative software. b) Internet tracking. c) a mobile application. d) concept mapping. e) cloud computing.
A #2: c) a mobile application.
Q #1: What is your main purpose for writing this message? a) to formally communicate a policy change to all credit union members and encourage them to sign up for debit cards if they do not have one b) to formally communicate a policy change to debit card users and encourage them to use their debit cards c) to remind debit card holders to use their debit cards by October 15 to avoid a penalty d) to promote the benefits of using a debit card and answer credit union members' questions e) to let all credit union members know that they should visit Facebook or Twitter to learn about your new debit card policy
A #1: b) to formally communicate a policy change to debit card users and encourage them to use their debit cards
Q #8: Fusion Foods owns several restaurants in a city that has recently raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour. The wage hike will happen over a period of four years, with an increase of $1.25 taking place each February. Fusion Foods executives are interested to see if there is a relationship between the change in the minimum wage and the profits of their restaurants, which cater to different target markets. What type of visual would best help Fusion Foods reveal a correlation? a) a decision tree b) a pictograph c) a Gantt chart d) a scatter diagram e) a stacked column chart
A #8: d) a scatter diagram
Choosing the Right Channel
Read the following scenario. Answer the questions regarding the scenario to choose which type of document you need to write to meet your communication goals
CH 03 Quiz!
10 QUESTIONS!
CH 04 QUIZ
10 QUESTIONS!
CH 02 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS.
Drag the labels to their corresponding elements on this business letter. Keep in mind that you will not need to use all of the labels.
1: Letterhead, 2: Dateline, 3: Inside Address, 4: Salutation, 5: Body, 6: Complimentary Close, 7: Signature Block, & 8: Information Notation.
Q #1: Which of the following correctly represents your best option for creating a visual to represent these data? a) a bar chart b) a pie chart c) a pie or bar chart d) a pie chart or a line graph e) a line graph, pie chart, or a bar chart
A #1: c) a pie or bar chart
Q #8: How important is the factor of cost in choosing whether to send a letter or post the message electronically? a) Important. The credit union wants the most cost-effective option for sending the message. b) Somewhat important. The credit union would prefer a cost-effective option unless one isn't available. Getting the message out is the driving factor in choosing the channel for delivering the message. c) Somewhat important. The credit union wants to protect its bottom line, but if an option is costly, the credit union can always pass the cost along to the members. d) Important. The credit union cannot afford the cost of postage. e) Not important. The cheapest option is probably an online message, and it is not the credit union's fault if people don't use the Internet.
A #8: b) Somewhat important. The credit union would prefer a cost-effective option unless one isn't available. Getting the message out is the driving factor in choosing the channel for delivering the message.
Choosing a Visual for Allied Distribution
When you are presented with raw data, you may have several options for which visual you choose to present the data. Some of these options will be more effective than others. Your job is to choose the one that best communicates your message.
Read the following business scenario and answer the questions that follow.
Scenario on next card.
To be an effective communicator, you need to be aware of the "big picture" in which your communications will take place. This activity will test your understanding of concepts that can help you grasp the communication environment where you work.
Read the scenario and use your understanding of the business environment to answer the questions
Run with it
Use bold text to format key words, Prefer left-justified text for paragraphs to avoid distracting extra spaces between words, Group related data, Use a color palette of blue and green to convey trustworthiness and wealth, Incorporate colors from the company logo, & Use a font such as Cambria or Futura to communicate a contemporary look.
CH 01 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS.~
Q #8: Which of the following statements is true about ill-defined problems? a) Ill-defined problems can be solved using pre-approved procedures b) Ill-defined problems have unique and perfect solutions to each problem c) Ill-defined problems come in neat packages, with the path to the best solution clearly implied d) Ill-defined problems cannot be solved using recursive communication processes e) Ill-defined problems need to be tackled with research, analysis, creativity, and judgement
A #8: e) Ill-defined problems need to be tackled with research, analysis, creativity, and judgement
Improving Communication at Oakdale Hospital
Businesspeople frequently work with large data sets that require them to determine how they will integrate all of that data into their communication in the form of visuals. This exercise will help you think through the process of planning for and integrating visuals from a large data set into a report. Analyzing this case requires an understanding of the various steps in the visual communication process. -Planning -Gathering and collecting -Analyzing and organizing -Choosing a form -Placing and interpreting -Evaluating
"Good Advice"
Carrie, Co-op Student, Grant, Janine, Upper-level Student, & Guest Speaker
"Bad Advice"
Lee, Uncle Bob, Eric, Jackson, & Judy
Scenario:
Sean Hempleman, a recent college graduate, has just joined the IT (information technology) department of a medical billing company. The company's clients are medical offices whose administrators prefer to contact out the billing for the services rather than billing the patients themselves. Sean's job is to help his department resolve employees' computer problems, keep the billing functioning efficiently and accurately, and prevent security breaches. Use his situation to test your understanding of the business communication environment.
01. Sean's boss asks him to write an email message to all employees to tell them how to request computer help. This message will be an example of: a) internal-operational communication b) external-operational communication c) personal communication d) both internal-operational and external-operational communication e) both internal-operational and personal communication
a) internal-operational communication
Q #2: If Ming wants a tertiary color, she should combine a) two primary colors b) two secondary colors c) two complementary colors d) a primary color with a related secondary color e) a primary color and a complementary color
A #2: d) a primary color with a related secondary color
Q #9: Manfred creates a bar graph and starts it at 50 because all of the bars represent numbers higher than 50. What error has Manfred committed? a) an error of interpretation b) an error of size c) an error of format d) an error of scale e) an error of process
A #9: d) an error of scale
More information:
Choosing the right channel is as critical to communicating your message as the words you use. This activity helps you think through the process of choosing a communication channel that is best suited to the type of message you are sending.
05. Sean's company employs about 100 people, all of whom work in the same building. The company's structure is hierarchical; the employees consist of about 70 billing clerks (who process bills that need to be sent from the medical clients to their patients), about 15 nonmanagerial professionals (in IT, accounting, sales, and customer relations), and about 15 managers/executives. Which is least likely to be true about his company's communication? a) For their internal communications, all employees use a friendly, casual tone b) The billing clerks do not send many communications to the executives or upper-level managers c) The nonmanagerial professionals tend to communicate more with each other and their manager than they do with the billing clerks d) There are written guidelines for many of the company's procedures e) The billing clerks' external communications follow standardized formats
a) For their internal communications, all employees use a friendly, casual tone
Q #10: McKimson Communications recently got rid of most of its bulky servers and moved the majority of its software and files to website storage systems. This is an example of a business making use of the technology known as... a) cloud computing b) internet tracking c) collaborative software d) concept mapping e) a mobile application
A #10: a) cloud computing
Q #4: How many of your credit union members who have debit cards have not used their debit cards at least twice in the last year? a) 62,000 b) 46,500 c) 13,950 d) 32,550 e) 8,700
A #4: c) 13,950 How to figure it out: 46,500 x 30 x .01 = 13,950
Q #5: Which of the following ought to be included in every memo? a) an address b) a signature block c) a subject d) a salutation e) a complimentary closing
A #5: c) a subject
Read the scenario regarding the design decisions required to format a report and then classify each decision as one that you would accept or reject.
SCENARIO ON THE NEXT CARD.
Today's workplace is quite different from the workplace of several decades ago. Rather than having rigid structures in which each employee performs a narrow set of tasks, organizations now operate in a fast-changing environment that requires employees to have many different skills. This activity will test your awareness of your employer's likely expectations.
To complete the activity, roll over each speaker to read his or her advice about preparing for professional success. Then, depending on the soundness of the advice, drag the speaker either to the "Good Advice" or "Bad Advice" area.
SCENARIO:
You have recently been asked to prepare a feasibility report about expanding your company's market to several cities in your state. You want the report to make a good impression in terms of both its content and its visual appeal, and you know that the design of the report will affect your professional image. You want to be seen as energetic, progressive, and modern. Plus, you want to make sure the design of the report facilitates reading and comprehension of all the good data you have gathered. You ask your assistant to help you by creating a design template and style guide for the report. She has provided you with her suggestions, and now it is up to you to accept each suggestion or reject it. Apply what you know about the principles of document design to run with or reject each design suggestion below.
Making Design Decisions
In our increasingly visual world, businesspeople depend on good document design to read and understand business documents. As a business professional, you will want to ensure that your choices regarding color, font, layout, and visuals are appropriate for the audience, context, and purpose of your communication. If you do so, your audiences will understand your messages and they will appreciate the time and care you took to ensure clear communication.
Scenario:
You are a communication specialist at Eastern Lakes Credit Union—one of your community's most successful financial institutions. Its involvement in the community, friendly staff, and variety of services make it a popular choice. In fact, the credit union prides itself on providing personalized service despite its size. Of your 62,000 members, 75 percent have debit cards. Of these 75 percent, 30 percent do not use their cards at least twice a year, though nearly all of them use credit cards. Unused cards are costly to the credit union. To encourage members to use their debit cards (or at least cancel the cards if they don't plan to use them), Eastern Lakes is going to charge a $15 annual fee to users who do not use their cards at least twice in a calendar year. Today is October 15. The policy takes effect January 1. The policy applies only to debit card use, not to credit card use. The credit union's database has identified the names of the 75 percent of the people who have debit cards. You have been asked to communicate the policy change to all of the people who hold debit cards, explain the need for the policy, and retain the audience's goodwill. People who receive or inquire about debit cards after today will have this information communicated at that time. Two strategies immediately come to your mind. One is to send a letter, but wow...the cost of the postage! Though the credit union will gladly pay the postage to ensure debit card users get the message, you also consider taking advantage of the credit union's web page and social networking tools—such as the credit union's blog, Facebook page, and Twitter—to communicate quickly and cost effectively to such a large audience. You already know that you don't have everyone's email address, so email is not an option. Because you're a smart business writer, you realize that you must carefully analyze your audience to determine whether your best option is to communicate via a letter or via electronic channels. Keep in mind that even if you eventually use both channels (printed channel/letter or electronic channel), you must initially choose one.
02. Sean's email message to the employees to tell them how to ask for computer help will be part of: a) the company's formal communication network b) the company grapevine c) intradepartmental communication d) cross-cultural communications e) the company's external network
a) the company's formal communication network
Q #9: What is included on the title fly? a) the report title b) the subject c) a salutation d) the author name e) the date
A #9: a) the report title
04. Sean will need to figure out both his department's and his company's culture in order to understand how he should communicate in his new job. Which of the following is not a true statement about organizational culture? a) Reading the company's mission statement is the most effective way to learn the culture b) It can take quite a while to learn the culture of a company c) While company leaders can influence the culture, they cannot fully control it d) The company culture is influenced by the many acts of communication that take place within it each day e) Watching what other employees say and do is essential for learning how you've expected to behave in the company
a) Reading the company's mission statement is the most effective way to learn the culture
Q #4: When creating a chart that uses color, which of the following options should you use to help color blind readers understand it? a) only blue and green b) only primary or tertiary colors c) different degrees of shading d) bright primary colors e) only secondary colors
A #4: c) different degrees of shading
Q #3: Which of the following is typically included in the planning stage of the writing process? a) revising your content b) creating the perfect draft c) choosing a form of communication d) editing your language e) proofreading your documents
A #3: c) choosing a form of communication
Q #5: Deshaun has to write a complex and lengthy year-end report, which is due by the end of January. Which of the following computer tools will help Deshaun schedule time to work on this into every business day? a) an electronic calendar b) an outlining program c) collaboration software d) a word processing program e) a database program
A #5: a) an electronic calendar
03. Emails from the IT department to the employees are an established genre in this company. This means that all such messages tend to: a) have a similar style b) treat the employees in a similar way c) represent the IT department in a consistent way d) include certain kinds of content and exclude other kinds e) all these answers are correct
e) all these answers are correct
Q #10: What will be your primary channel for communicating your message? What will be your secondary channels for communicating your message? a) Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will be the primary channel because most people use at least one form of it. A letter will be the secondary channel. b) Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will be the primary channel because most people use at least one form of it. You will not use a secondary channel such as a letter because mailing costs are too expensive. c) A letter will be the primary channel because all members have mailing addresses, while not all members use social media or email. Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will be the secondary channel. d) A letter will be the primary channel. Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will not be used at all because it is too time-consuming. e) You will hang colorful posters in your lobby so that people can see them when they visit the credit union. You will not use a letter or social media because of the time and cost associated with these channels.
A #10: c) A letter will be the primary channel because all members have mailing addresses, while not all members use social media or email. Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will be the secondary channel.
Q #10: Which of the following is true of scatter diagrams? a) They are especially good for showing percentage changes, and one can use them for any series in which plus and minus quantities are present. b) They contain columns that begin at a central point of reference and either go up or down. c) They are constructed by drawing the information to be illustrated as a continuous line on a grid that is scaled to show time changes from left to right. d) They allow users to validate hunches about cause and effect, but they can only be interpreted for correlation. e) They compare differences in quantities using differences in the lengths of bars to represent those quantities.
A #10: d) They allow users to validate hunches about cause and effect, but they can only be interpreted for correlation.
Recognizing Letter Elements
While it is true that email is the most common format for business correspondence, it is also true that many businesspeople use letters to communicate with external audiences, to send formal messages, or even to present short reports. Using standard letter format is an indication of your professionalism and credibility as a businessperson—it shows that you have taken the time to understand and use common business conventions in your writing.
Q #7: Kara is scheduled to present her new sales plan next week. She wants to emphasize one of her key points on a page that otherwise lacks visuals. Which of the following would she use to do this? a) a pull quote b) a bulleted list c) pictograph d) a flowchart e) a process chart
A #7: a) a pull quote
Q #2: Why should employees be wary of participating in the grapevine in a business? a) Managers typically use the grapevine to purposefully spread misinformation b) The grapevine is primarily made up of gossip and lies c) The grapevine ie seen by most supervisors as a form of insurrection d) Grapevine information is too complex for the average person to make sense of e) The grapevine can result in your unwise remarks making it back to your supervisor
A #2: e) The grapevine can result in your unwise remarks making it back to your supervisor
Q #6: Which of the following statements about informal writing is true? a) It is not used in text messages or instant messages. b) It is best restricted to external business communication messages. c) It uses colloquialisms less selectively than casual writing does. d) It shares some of the qualities of casual writing. e) It does not make use of contractions or personal pronouns.
A #6: d) It shares some of the qualities of casual writing.
Q #1: Which of the following is true about social media? a) Social media is used solely for personal purposes and not for business purposes. b) Social media presents a platform for extremely private exchanges. c) Messages on social networking sites are not restricted to a fixed number of characters. d) Messages on social media sites should be begin with the main point. e) Messages on social networking sites cannot be viewed by the public.
A #1: d) Messages on social media sites should be begin with the main point.
Q #1: Which of the following statements about business communication activities is true? a) A business's relation to its environment does not influence its communication practices b) The nature of a business rarely affects its communication practices c) A business with one location tends to require more formal, complex communication than one with multiple locations d) The content and quality of a company's communication have a great deal to do with employee's attitudes and behavior e) A relatively simple business, such as a repair service, requires far more communication than a complex business, such as an automobile manufacturer
A #1: d) The content and quality of a company's communication have a great deal to do with employee's attitudes and behavior
Q #2: Sondra wants to know which type of visual would best help her compare responses from patients and responses from employees on a question regarding safety at Oakdale. To answer the question, respondents rated their answers on a scale of 1-5. What would you tell her? a) Don't use any visual; use text when showing comparisons. b) Use a bar or column chart. c) Use a diagram. d) Use a line graph. e) Use a flowchart.
A #2: b) Use a bar or column chart.
Reject it
Use a different color for every heading to signal a new section, Minimize white space to create a shorter document, Use two serif fonts, one for the body and one for headings, & Format a serif font for the body text at a size of 8 points.
Q #10: Which of the following statements about professionalism is true? a) Professionalism is essentially the same thing as business etiquette b) Professionalism applies to spoken conversations, but not written communication c) Much like communication, professionalism is a simple concept d) It is only important to display professionalism while resume building e) Professionalism goes beyond just being courteous, having good manners, and dressing appropriately
A #10: e) Professionalism goes beyond just being courteous, having good manners, and dressing appropriately
Q #10: Derrick has written a formal report and plans to bind it on the top. Which of the following does he need to do? a) increase the top and bottom margins by 1/2 inch b) increase all the margins by 1 inch c) add an extra 1/2 inch to the left margin d) make sure all margins are at least 1 inch wide e) add an extra 1/2 inch to the top margin
A #10: e) add an extra 1/2 inch to the top margin
Q #3: Which of the following should typically determine the exact placement of a visual on a page? a) the source of the visual b) the content of the visual c) the color of the visual d) the type of the visual e) the size of the visual
A #3: e) the size of the visual
Q #4: Which of the following would be the best title for the visual? a) Respondents in the Survey b) Comparison of Respondents by Company Type c) Companies in the Survey d) Representations of Company Type e) Percentages of Company Types
A #4: b) Comparison of Respondents by Company Type
Q #4: If a business writer is constructing a table for a document and wants to emphasize the row totals, he or she should a) put them in italics. b) place them on the left side of the table. c) put them in bold. d) place them at the top of the table. e) place them on the right side of the table.
A #4: b) place them on the left side of the table.
Q #4: Visual literacy is best defined as the ability to: a) interact with data, see patterns in data, make data-based decisions, and use data to design for desired outcomes b) understand and adapt to the preference for individualism or collectivism, religious beliefs, political environment, and ideas about social hierarchy of different countries c) manipulate people into accepting one's viewpoint regarding religion d) effectively use analytical skills to create and interpret graphics e) determine the deeper, underlying meaning or significance of messages expressed by people
A #4: d) effectively use analytical skills to create and interpret graphics
Q #4: Which of the following best illustrates the declining formality of letters? a) the increased use of email and text messaging over letters b) the use of letters to communicate with external audiences rather than friends c) the development of a standardized format for letters for use in business scenarios d) the continued use of letters despite the emergence of other modes of communication e) the omission of old-fashioned salutations and the switch to more modern options
A #4: e) the omission of old-fashioned salutations and the switch to more modern options
Q #3: Which of the following terms is best defined as the ability of people to quickly assess the emotions of those around them and adapt their words, tone, and gestures accordingly? a) cross-cultural competency b) visual literacy c) computational thinking d) bypassing e) social intelligence
A #3: e) social intelligence
Q #1: Thomas works for a charity and wants to partner with a company to host events that would help his charity and also give the companies some good publicity. He wants to send a letter to the public relations department manager, but he doesn't know the manager's name. How should he write the salutation of his letter? a) He should write Dear Public Relations Manager. b) He should write Dear Sir or Madam. c) He should write Dear Mr. Smith. d) He should write Dear Sir. e) He should write To Whom It May Concern.
A #1: a) He should write Dear Public Relations Manager.
Q #1: A decision tree a) is a chart that shows comparisons of qualities at a moment in time. b) is a chart that is used to compare the subdivisions of percentages. c) is a chart that allows the readers to follow a particular path and arrive at an outcome. d) is a visual presentation that shows planning and scheduling activities e) is a chart that shows the hierarchy of levels and positions in an organization
A #1: c) is a chart that allows the readers to follow a particular path and arrive at an outcome.
Q #5: Which of the following is an example of something that would affect a communicator's particular context in business communication? a) the start of recession occurring weeks before the communicator's message b) the communicator's degree in psychology c) the communicator delivering the message at 3:30 PM d) the communicator delivering the message in the break room e) the implementation of a new tax on certain business transactions a year before the communicator's message
A #5: b) the communicator's degree in psychology
Q #5: The most frequently used chart in comparing the subdivisions of wholes is the a) combination chart. b) flowchart. c) pie chart. d) line chart. e) pictograph.
A #5: c) pie chart.
Q #8: Which of the following statements about memos is true? a) Memos have the same form as other communication forms. b) Memos are more formal than letters. c) Memos are currently more popular than emails. d) Memos are mostly used for communicating within an organization. e) Memos are currently the most widely used form of internal communication.
A #8: d) Memos are mostly used for communicating within an organization.
Q #9: One difference between memos and letters is that memos... a) are initialed by the writer than signed b) use specific headings that are common to all memos c) are the most widely used form of external communication d) do not use pre-defined templates and formats e) are more formal and use a highly formal style of writing
A #9: a) are initialed by the writer than signed
Q #9: Which of the following is an example of external-operational communication? a) Sasha and Reki are co-workers who meet to discuss the schedule for their upcoming presentation b) Jasmine sends a monthly company newsletter to employees who work from home c) Olivia calls one of her site managers to discuss an order he needs placed d) Adam creates and uploads an online advertisement that will be visible to the general public e) Andre sends an email to his supervisor to notify her of his progress on a project
A #9: d) Adam creates and uploads an online advertisement that will be visible to the general public
Q #9: What assumption can you make about your audience? a) People with debit cards are probably older but would still be likely to use the Internet. b) People who use debit cards are probably younger and likely to use the Internet. c) All debit card users will have access to the Internet. d) Not all debit card users may have access to the Internet. e) Debit card users would be more likely to pay attention to electronic communication than they would to a letter they receive in the mail.
A #9: d) Not all debit card users may have access to the Internet.
Q #3: Raj is writing a forecast report for one of his clients, and he wants to use more than one font to add some interest. Which of the following options should he use? a) a serif font for the main body, a sans serif font for the headings, a second sans serif font for the subheadings b) a serif font for the body of the text and a sans serif font for the headings c) one serif font for the text and a second serif font for the headings d) a serif font for the body text, a second serif font for the title page, and a sans serif font for the headings e) one sans serif font for the text and a second sans serif font for the headings
A #3: b) a serif font for the body of the text and a sans serif font for the headings
Q #5: The format you select for this particular audience and communication goal must enable you to: a) project a friendly image yet establish a formal tone with a major policy change b) communicate quickly and informally to a general audience c) demonstrate a friendly and informal tone that is consistent with a marketing or public relations campaign d) create a causal, friendly tone that lets credit members know the advantages of having a debit card e) establish a formal and serious tone so that people understand the differences between debit cards and credit cards
A #5: a) project a friendly image yet establish a formal tone with a major policy change
Q #1: Several committee members are stumped about how to select the types of visuals they will use in the report as well as where and when to include visuals in the report. You should tell them to do all except which of the following? a) Use visuals only to present quantitative data; avoid text-based visuals. b) Determine which data from each group's responses they want to emphasize. c) Determine whether the visual is appropriate for an audience that includes the CEO and public. d) Decide when in the report it will be most appropriate to present the visuals. e) Consider what colors will help them best convey the data.
A #1: a) Use visuals only to present quantitative data; avoid text-based visuals.
Q #2: Who is your target audience for this message? a) people who apply for debit cards between October 16 and January 1 and need the information immediately b) only individuals who currently have Eastern Lakes debit cards c) all Eastern Lakes Credit Union members who may or may not be interested in a debit card d) people who are not members of Eastern Lakes Credit Union but may want to become members e) people who are members of Eastern Lakes Credit Union and replied to a survey that they may want to get debit cards
A #2: b) only individuals who currently have Eastern Lakes debit cards
Read the overview below and complete the activities that follow.
You work for Allied Distribution, a food service distributor that offers wholesale prices to a variety of customers, including restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, and other types of businesses that offer food service to their employees. You recently conducted a survey of your major clients in Wisconsin and are now selecting visuals for your report. In planning your visuals, you have decided to include a visual that shows the distribution of the types of companies the respondents in your survey represent. Your purpose in using a visual to present these data is to show your reader what types of companies are represented in the survey and to give the reader an immediate understanding of how much any one type of company is represented. The distribution is as follows: restaurants, 35 percent; hotels, 22 percent; schools, 17 percent; hospitals, 13 percent; businesses/manufacturing firms, 8 percent; other, 5 percent. This visual will be the fourth one in your report. Two of the previous visuals are tables, and the third is a bar chart. The visual that follows the one you create for the above data will be a map showing where your clients are located throughout Wisconsin. Answer the questions to defend your choice of the format your visual will take and to explain how you will number and title the visual.
SCENARIO:
You work for Oakdale Regional Hospital. Oakdale serves a metropolitan area of approximately 100,000 people and has 15 satellite clinics in rural communities throughout the region. Recently, Oakdale hired a new CEO, Ramona Jackson, who wants to gain a better understanding of Oakdale's culture, its reputation among the people and community it serves, and how Oakdale accomplishes its mission. She charged a team with surveying employees, patients, vendors, and community members to assess their perceptions of Oakdale. She wants the survey results presented in a written report, which she plans to make public. You are a member of the team responsible for conducting surveys and writing the report. To get the best data possible, your team sent four different surveys (one each to employees, patients, vendors, and community members) to accommodate each group's relationship with Oakdale. The questions included yes/no questions and questions in which respondents rated items on a scale of 1 to 5. The purpose of these questions was to get quick, quantifiable, statistical data that would be represented well in quantitative visuals (e.g., charts and graphs). You also asked several open-ended questions that allowed respondents to share their thoughts and opinions. Even though this type of information does not lend itself well to quantitative visuals, you know that it can lend itself to some text-based visuals. The survey results are in. Each member of the team is assigned to write a section of the report, but even with the division of labor, the amount of data each person is working with is staggering. Because of your excellent analytical and communication skills, your team members have asked you to guide them in their use of visuals for their sections of the report. As your team members work on their individual sections of the report, they have several questions that you need to answer.
Q #6: How important is it to you to have your readers feel as though they have a personal connection to you? a) Important. Eastern Lakes sees personalized service as one of the reasons for its success. b) Not important. This is just a minor policy change; a general message to a mass audience will work. c) Not important. The number of debit card users is too large; a general message to a mass audience will work. d) Important. Eastern Lakes has a reputation to protect. e) Not important. People do not expect personalized service from large organizations.
A #6: a) Important. Eastern Lakes sees personalized service as one of the reasons for its success.
Q #6: Misha has written a multipage informal business report, and she has decided to format it as a memo. Which of the following does she need to do? a) include an action date b) include a header with the date, the reader's name, and the page number c) create a title page d) include the company letterhead e) include a salutation
A #6: b) include a header with the date, the reader's name, and the page number
Q #6: The rise of the Internet and social media has resulted in increased transparency when it comes to businesses' practices. As a result, ______ departments and initiatives have been developed to help companies embrace practices that improve their public image. a) verbal literacy b) computational thinking c) bypassing d) visual literacy e) corporate social responsibility
A #6: e) corporate social responsibility
Q #7: _____ are most identical to telephone conversations as the parties involved communicate in real time. a) Instant messages b) Letters c) Emails d) Tweets e) Memorandums
A #7: a) Instant messages
Q #7: Which of the following is true about personal communication? a) External-operational communication does not include elements of personal communication b) Personal communication helps make and sustain the relationships upon which business depends c) Personal communication mainly includes information that flows out of the organization to vendors, partners, and competitors d) Personal communication constitutes an official part of a business's operations e) Personal communication follows a set pattern of communication dictated by the rules of a formal network
A #7: b) Personal communication helps make and sustain the relationships upon which business depends
Q #8: Which of the following statements about a table of contents is true? a) The table of contents should include the report title and author information. b) The headings and subheadings in a table of contents should be formatted so they are distinguishable as different levels. c) The table of contents should directly follow the title fly. d) A table of contents should be included for all reports, regardless of length. e) The table of contents is only necessary for an informal report.
A #8: b) The headings and subheadings in a table of contents should be formatted so they are distinguishable as different levels.
Q #2: You would use a pie chart to represent these data to a) compare the differences in the percentages. b) examine discrete (individual) units of raw data. c) determine a trend in the percentages over time. d) compare each percentage (piece of information) relative to the entire set of data (the whole). e) view all the variables from a three-dimensional perspective.
A #2: d) compare each percentage (piece of information) relative to the entire set of data (the whole).
Q #3: Many team members have asked you about the best way to incorporate visuals into the report. Which of the following is sound advice? a) Start with a summary statement that introduces the visual, present the visual, and then call your reader's attention to specific points. b) Avoid signal phrases such as "As Table 1 shows..." c) Call your reader's attention to specific points in the visual, but do not include any kind of summary statement. d) Don't use the text to provide examples that call your audience's attention to findings; the visual should do this. e) Don't discuss exceptions to the idea conveyed in the visual; this will make your visual less credible.
A #3: a) Start with a summary statement that introduces the visual, present the visual, and then call your reader's attention to specific points.
Q #3: You would use a bar chart to represent these data to a) compare the differences in the percentages. b) examine discrete (individual) units of raw data. c) compare each percentage (piece of information) relative to the entire set of data (the whole). d) determine a trend in the percentages over time. e) view all the variables from a three-dimensional perspective.
A #3: a) compare the differences in the percentages.
