Business Writing Chapter 5

AIM

1. Audience Analysis 2. Information gathering 3. Message development

In terms of tone, which two of the following do readers respond to most positively?

1. Concern for others 2. The projection of positivity

Which of the following are the ways an inexperienced newcomer can improve a professional reputation?

1. Dress in a manner that reflects the company's corporate culture 2. attend numerous meetings 3. ask to take on projects with greater responsibilities

The framing of the primary message is important for which of the following reasons?

1. It gives focus to an important argument 2. it highlights support for the message's key ideas 3. it emphasizes the message's premises

Three stages of effective business writing:

1. Planning 2. Writing 3. Reviewing

In a deductive business argument, the essence of the message can be gleaned from which three of the following?

1. The first paragraph 2. The last paragraph 3. the first sentence of the supporting paragraphs

Which of the following are means that business professionals employ to draw out superior ideas?

1. They brainstorm with team members 2. They draw diagrams 3. They write out notes

Which of the following are part of clearly understanding the outcome of a business professional wants to achieve while developing ideas for a business message?

1. achieving balance between ideal outcomes and work relationships 2. promoting a distinct position based on the level of commitment

Which of the following qualities are likely to be attached to a business message that continually uses the I-voice?

1. aggressive 2. egotistical

A listener-centered approach to a message focuses on the input of

1. clients 2. colleagues

when framing the primary message, authors of a business message should complete which of the following?

1. compose a brief message statement 2. define the primary message

which of the following are helpful ways of organizing the logic of a business message?

1. diagramming the logic 2. sketching the logic

Which of the following should be avoided in business writing?

1. emphasis on differences 2. implication of adversarial positions

Business writers who effectively craft their message do which of the following?

1. foresee the reaction of their audience 2. keep the needs of the secondary audiences in mind 3. remember the values of their audience

Message Development Components

1. frame the primary message 2. set up the structure and logic of the message

Which of the following are part of planning the basic message structure?

1. framing the primary message 2. arranging the logic of the primary message

During the planning stage of business message formation, anticipating a reader's reaction is tied to:

1. how the message will affect workplace relationships 2. the ways a reader will think and feel

Order from first to last

1. identify questions and problems 2. research and gather information 3. make conclusions and/or find solutions

Information gathering components

1. identify the business problems 2. analyze the business problems 3. clarify objectives

Which of the following are aspects of setting up the logic of a business message?

1. identifying supporting points 2. defining a call to action 3. arranging message logic

The description of products and services in a business message is more effective when it emphasizes their traits

1. in a positive manner 2. as assets

In general, which of the following are the results an author can expect from a carefully crafted business message with strong logic?

1. increased influence 2. stronger credibility

When writing an effective message, being flexible can involve which of the following?

1. listening to the ideas of others 2. being open to alternative ways to address an issue

to form a business message with confident claims and predictions, which of the following should be included?

1. measured and objective language 2. carefully crafted statements

The frame of a primary business message should be which of the following?

1. memorable 2. short

The professional reputation of entry-level business people can be improved relatively quickly through which of the following?

1. offering something of value to the work environment 2. being conscious of strengths and weaknesses

The success of business writers lies in their placing greater focus on which of the two stages?

1. planning 2. reviewing

Which of the following are parts of the process of crafting effective business messages?

1. planning 2. writing 3. reviewing

Which of the following are likely the effects of slanting the facts?

1. reader doubt about the message logic 2. potential loss of author credibility

Using exaggeration in a business message can effect the credibility of which of the following?

1. the message itself 2. the author

Readers interpret the tone of a business message primarily as a reflection of the writer's attitude toward which of the two of the following

1. the readers of the message 2. the message content

Which of the following statements about the goals and stages of writing effective business messages is true?

1. the stages include planning, writing, and reviewing 2. the stages often overlap

Which of the following statements about the framework of a deductive business message are true?

1. there are supporting paragraphs for each key point 2. the concluding paragraph has a call to action 3. it should be easy to scan and deduce the main ideas in seconds

For an effective frame, the primary message should be approximately _________ words in length.

10 to 15

Crystal believes that outsourcing the bookkeeping needs of her firm would save money. She researches various companies and runs the numbers for various scenarios to gather evidence of the potential savings. Which of the following best defines Crystal's message structure?

Crystal is identifying causes and effects

True of False: if sentences in a message are composed in a non-assertive tone, they will always be read as non-assertive by readers

False

the AIM process includes which of the following steps? a. information gathering b. audience analysis c. administrative management d. message development

Message Development

Which of the following statements about workplace priorities is NOT true?

Priorities are more constant than values

True or False: meta messages in your business communication can impact how others perceive your character.

True

Which statements are the most effective business messages? a. I am looking forward to resolving any issues at our meeting tomorrow b. It has been too long since we have met and a number of issues have arisen. c. We have many new staff members who are enthusiastic about getting started. d. We have a number of new hires who will take extra time to train

a. I am looking forward to resolving any issues at our meeting tomorrow c. We have many new staff members who are enthusiastic about getting started.

Knowing which secondary audience might view a business communication allows the author to

avoid including some confidential content

In writing a business message, the planning stage focuses on ensuring excellent

content

An audience's assessment of a business communication message is largely based on the author's

credibility

most business messages are crafted using a(n)________ approach.

deductive

In the business world, _______ are statements that can be relied on with a fair amount of certainty

facts

True or false: the use of templates is required when creating a business message?

false

your goal in framing a business message is to

help the audience see the issue from a strategic perspective

When solving business problems the first step is to

identify the problem

A listener-centered approach to business writing includes a focus on

learning and input from others

The underlying, overall message that people get from a business communication is called the _______ message of the communication =

meta

When a business professional sends mixed signals in a message, it typically leads to

negative meta messages

Which of the following generally enhances the writer's beneficial influence over others?

optimism

AIM is the process for ______ the writing of useful business messages

planning

When excellent business writers craft a message, they focus on the _______ stage first.

planning

Understanding the constraints of the audience of a business message means that the message should be crafted to:

provide value to the audience

To demonstrate the can-do attitude in a business message, the writer should use

realistic assertions

Strong analogies are important to the writing of business messages because they:

reinforce arguments

in effective business messages, any analogies should be rooted in

similarities

When crafting a business message with strong reasoning, it is important to back claims with:

supporting facts

When writing a business message with an indirect approach, which of the following are presented first?

supporting reasons

The writer of a business message gives the impression that she conducted an analysis bud does not mention another team member completed the analysis. The writer is

taking credit for the work of others

When business thinkers are mentally flexible, they posses the ability to

understand contrasting views

In the context of business messages, workplace _______ are the core beliefs about suitable ways of handling issues and problems

values

When writing a sentence in a business message that is intended for a work team, the most appropriate voice is usually the _______ voice.

we

When the tone of a business message is ______, there is a implied interest in the opinions and needs of the audience.

welcoming

Framing the primary message involves presenting the message

within the overall theme