Essentials of Business Communications 2, 3, 4

What is the recommended maximum number of words for a sentence?

20

According to writing experts, approximately what percentage of time should you spend on the prewriting phase of a business message?

25 percent

What is a sentence fragment?

A broken-off part of a sentence Rationale: A fragment is usually a broken-off part of a sentence. A run on occurs when two independent clauses are run together without punctuation or a conjunction, and a comma splice is created when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a conjunction. The part of a sentence containing the verb is the predicate.

Which of the following uses only active voice in a complete sentence?

A few unhappy customers criticized the company's rigid return policy.

Which of the following business messages would not use the direct strategy?

A letter to a customer denying his or her request for credit Rationale: Typical business messages that follow the direct strategy include routine requests and responses, orders and acknowledgments, nonsensitive memos, e-mail messages, informational reports, and informational oral presentations. A letter denying credit to a customer should be organized indirectly.

Branch managers of First Federated Savings and Loan received this e-mail message: Please inform all personal that management retains the right to check personal belongings of employees before employees leave the bank. What error did the writer make?

A proofreading error Rationale: This sentence contains a proofreading error that spell check may not catch. By proofreading carefully, you would find that "personnel" should replace the first use of "personal."

Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?

A record number of Japanese investors are purchasing real estate in the United States.

Taylor is enrolled in a business communications course at her local community college. She just received a paper back from her professor who noted that Taylor should review the principles for comma usage. How should Taylor handle this criticism?

Accept the feedback and use it constructively to improve her future writing assignments.

Courteous business messages

All answer choices are correct Rationale: Courteous business messages avoid using words that sound demanding or preachy by turning demands into rhetorical questions. As a result, courteous business messages avoid hostility and anger.

The dangers of using slang in business writing include

All answer choices are correct. Rationale: Slang is composed of informal words with arbitrary and extravagantly changed meanings that can obscure the message. Slang words quickly go out of fashion and lose appeal when everyone begins to understand them. Thus all choices are correct.

To build paragraph coherence, a writer should

All answer choices can build paragraph coherence. Rationale: To build paragraph coherence, writers can repeat a key idea by using the same expression or a similar one, use pronouns to refer to previous nouns, and show connections with transitional expressions.

Which of the following sentences avoids buzzwords and slang?

All companies must follow the guidelines outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Concise writing

All of these are true. Rationale: Concise writing is easier to read and comprehend, saves businesses time and money, and is necessary for both informal and formal messages.

**Active-voice sentences

All of these are true. Rationale: In active-voice sentences, the subject of the sentence is the doer of the action. Although sentences can be written in either voice, business writers generally use active voice because it is direct, clear, and concise.

Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?

All physicians must carry their own malpractice insurance.

Which of the following sentences is most effective in de-emphasizing the bad news?

Although cash refunds are not offered, you can exchange resalable merchandise.

Which of the following best avoids flabby expressions?

Although many employees have requested training, we can't afford the extra expense.

Jorge must inform Samantha that she is not eligible to have an August vacation for which she recently applied. Which of the following sentences best demonstrates the "you" view Jorge should use in denying Samantha's application?

Although the August vacation schedule is full, you may qualify for a vacation in September if you apply now.

**In effective business writing, where in a paragraph does a topic sentence usually appear?

At the beginning, to let readers know what to expect

What is the best advice for proofreading a complex document?

Be prepared to find errors. Rationale: Follow these tips when proofreading a complex document: proofread from a printed copy, read the document at least twice, wait at least one day before proofreading, reduce your reading speed, use a proofreading buddy, use standard proofreading marks, be prepared to find errors, and allow adequate time.

Which of the following is a complex sentence?

Because of rising insurance premiums, many companies are offering employee-wellness incentives.

**Due to the fact that is a flabby expression that could be shortened to the word(s)

Because.

Which of the following uses parallel structure?

Big business demands superior forecasting, reporting, and analyzing. Rationale: Only "Big business demands superior forecasting, reporting, and analyzing" uses parallel structure. Other choices fail to use similar grammatical structures to express similar ideas.

What kind of sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause?

Complex sentence Rationale: A complex sentence contains one independent and one dependent clause.

What kind of sentence contains two independent clauses?

Compound sentence Rationale: Compound sentences contain two complete but related thoughts joined with a coordinating conjunction, a semicolon, or a conjunctive adverb.

Which of the following sentences emphasizes an idea through style?

Consider adding a statement of qualifications section on your résumé; but, most important, include specific and relevant previous employment information.

**Business messages are most effective when they convey which type of tone?

Conversational

Proofreading includes which of the following tasks?

Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, names and numbers, and format

Dylan is designing his document to enhance readability and comprehension. What is the best advice you can give Dylan?

Create white space by using headings, bulleted or numbered lists, short paragraphs, and effective margins.

Which of the following is not an element of the communication process?

Displaying empathy

**Which of the following statements about revising business messages is most accurate?

Effective revision saves time, avoids confusion, and optimizes your credibility.

*Which of the following about writing and revising business documents is most accurate?

Evaluating your message involves analyzing whether your message achieves its purpose.

**Which of the following would help to create a conversational but professional tone in a business message?

Familiar words and personal pronouns

Which statement about the communication process is most accurate?

Feedback helps the sender know that the message was received and understood.

Which statement regarding type sizes and fonts is most accurate?

Fonts include caps, boldfacing, italics, underlining, outlining, and shadowing.

**Which of the following transitions would help to clarify an idea?

For example

**Monica's supervisor has expressed concern about the readability of her messages, claiming that paragraphs are often too long. What aspect of her writing should Monica focus on to address this issue?

Formatting

Which statement about proofreading is most accurate?

Good business writers wait at least 24 hours or longer to proofread a document.

Which of the following is a simple sentence?

HMO and PPO insurance plans offer additional cost savings.

Which statement regarding headings is most accurate?

Headings highlight information and improve readability.

*Which of the following sentences demonstrates conversational business writing?

I am upset about your return policy.

Which formal research source is best to obtain firsthand information?

Interviews

Which of the following is a formal research method?

Investigating primary sources

Which of the following sentences about jargon is most accurate?

Jargon should be used only when the audience will understand it. Rationale: Jargon describes technical or specialized terms within a field. These terms enable insiders to communicate ideas briefly, but to outsiders they mean nothing. Therefore, the best advice is to use jargon only when the audience will understand it.

One way to improve the clarity of your writing is to apply the KISS formula. KISS stands for

Keep It Short and Simple.

Which sentence avoids redundant expressions?

Let's not repeat our competitor's mistakes.

Which of the following sentences demonstrates clear writing?

Lindsey Goulet asked production employees to work on Saturday.

Which of the following statements regarding bulleted or numbered lists is most accurate?

Lists allow readers to review main ideas quickly.

Which statement about margins and text alignment is true?

Margins define the reading area and provide important visual relief.

How many typefaces should you use in a business document?

No more than two

**How many main ideas should be developed in a paragraph?

One

Which of the following message openings is the most direct opening for an e-mail message announcing a new telecommuting plan?

Our new telecommuting program will begin on August 1.

Which of the following sentences avoids clichés?

Please encourage your department members to join the health club.

According to communication experts, what is the greatest failing of business writers?

Poor organization

Which of the following is the best advice to follow when you proofread a routine document?

Proofread the document using a printed copy. Rationale: Most routine documents require a light proofreading. If you read on screen, use the down arrow to reveal one line at a time to help you focus. A safer proofreading method, however, is reading from a printed copy and looking for typos and misspellings that were not found by a spell-checker.

Ahna is sending a persuasive memo to her staff asking them to participate in the new wellness program. Which of the following sources of information would be most appropriate to help Ahna shape an effective persuasive message for her staff?

Questionnaires and surveys of employees

What is the best way to judge the success of your writing?

Receiving feedback from your receiver

Which of the following sentences best focuses on the audience?

Register now to lock in your preferred travel dates.

Which of the following is an advantage of the indirect strategy?

Respects the feelings of the audience

Which of the following is an advantage of the direct strategy?

Saves the reader's time Rationale: The direct strategy saves the reader's time. The direct strategy also sets a proper frame of mind and prevents frustration.

Which of the following kinds of business messages typically use the indirect strategy?

Sensitive messages Rationale: Business messages that refuse requests, reject claims, or deny credit usually reflect the indirect strategy. Business messages that follow the direct strategy include routine requests and responses, orders and acknowledgments, nonsensitive memos, e-mail messages, informational reports, and oral presentations.

Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?

Sheila will examine the job proposal carefully. Rationale: The most acceptable business writing is "Sheila will examine the job proposal carefully" because it uses precise language (will examine). Other answer choices contain imprecise or dull language ("think about," "a change in profits," or "to pay higher amounts").

**Which of the following is true about paragraph length?

Shorter paragraphs are generally considered more readable. Rationale: Although no rule regulates the length of paragraphs, business writers recognize the value of short paragraphs. Paragraphs with eight or fewer printed lines look inviting and readable. In addition, a paragraph should focus on only one idea and repeat key words to build coherence.

What kind of sentence contains only one independent clause?

Simple sentence Rationale: A simple sentence contains one complete thought with a subject and predicate (verb)

Which of the following sentences uses the most precise language?

The board approved a 34 percent budget increase.

The indirect strategy is most appropriate for what kind of messages?

The indirect strategy is appropriate for all answer choices. Rationale: The indirect strategy works well with bad-news messages, sensitive messages, and persuasive messages.

Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?

The office personnel will assist you with your forms.

Which of the following sentences contains the best use of vivid adjectives without overkill?

The resort offered luxurious suites with Jacuzzi tubs and saunas.

Which of the following sentences avoids noun conversion?

The scholarship committee approved the plan.

**Which of the following is the best example of bias-free language?

The servers at Cafe Divine are always professional.

All of the following sentences contain unnecessary fillers except

Three candidates are running for the board. Rationale: Only "Three candidates are running for the board" avoids the use of unnecessary fillers ("there are," "there is," "it is," or "it was").

What is the most common serif typeface?

Times New Roman Rationale: The most common serif typeface is Times New Roman. Other popular serif typefaces are Century, Georgia, and Palatino. Serif typefaces suggest tradition, maturity, and formality. Therefore, they are frequently used for body text in business messages, books, newspapers, and magazines.

Tyler used a bulleted list on his résumé to describe his previous job duties. Which of the following items from his list does not demonstrate parallel structure?

Troubleshooting of plant's chemical equipment

What is a comma splice?

Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction

What is a run-on sentence?

Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction

**One technique that improves business writing is the use of empathy, which allows you to adapt the message to the readers' needs. An acronym that you should keep in mind to help you do this is

WIIFM. Rationale: Every message you write should begin with the notion that your audience is thinking WIIFM (What's in it for me)?

**Which of the following sentences is written in active voice?

We will provide your password after you have completed the form.

Before Melissa organizes and composes her message, she should ask two questions: (1) Why am I sending this message? and (2)

What do I hope to achieve with this message?

Before composing a business document, you should gather information that will answer which of these questions?

What is the receiver to do?

When should passive voice be used in business writing?

When you want to conceal the doer of the action

**To avoid dangling modifiers, you can ask which of the following questions after writing an introductory phrase?

Who or What?

Which of the following best avoids a long lead-in?

Yes, we will send the information you requested.

Which of the following represents the best business writing?

You can return all resalable merchandise for a store credit.

**You are selecting a channel for sending your message. Which of the following is an important factor to consider when making this decision?

You should consider all of these. Rationale: Consider the following factors when selecting a communication channel: importance of the message, amount and speed of feedback and interactivity required, necessity for a permanent record, cost of the channel, degree of formality required, and confidentiality and sensitivity of the message.

Katelyn is writing a letter to thank a potential employer for her job interview. Which of these sentences contains modern expressions Katelyn should use?

You will note that my coursework has thoroughly prepared me for your medical technician position.

Which of the following sentences is most effective?

Your account is now up-to-date.

**Think outside of the box is an example of

a cliche.

*As Human Resources Manager, Claire must inform Anthony that company job changes will require him to seek retraining or lose his position. The best channel for Claire to deliver this message is

a face-to-face conversation.

**The richest mode of communication among the following would be

a face-to-face interaction, because it provides both verbal and nonverbal messages Rationale: Written modes of communication are always leaner than face-to-face interactions, which permit more interactivity and feedback.

There is a new software company that will be hiring employees is an example of a sentence with

a filler.

**A scratch list for a message is

a list of the general topics you wish to include

A topic sentence

a sentence that states the topic of its paragraph

The first phase of the writing process involves analyzing the audience and your purpose for writing, anticipating your audience's reaction to your message, and

adapting your message to the audience.

Words such as definitely, quite, actually, extremely, and totally are

adverbs that should be used only sparingly in business writing.

**Document design techniques to improve readability include

all of these choices. Rationale: Document design techniques to improve readability include use of white space, margins, typefaces, fonts, numbered and bulleted lists, and headings for visual impact.

**A paragraph's supporting sentences provide

all of these choices. Rationale: Support sentences illustrate and strengthen the topic sentence by providing specific details, explanations, and evidence.

Long sentence lead-ins

are unnecessary introductory words

**Expressions that are intended to impress rather than express are known as

buzzwords.

Technology has changed the working environments of employees, that is why employees are telecommuting more than ever is an example of a

comma splice.

*When preparing a business message, you should make your writing audience oriented. Audience oriented means

concentrating on looking at the message from the receiver's perspective.

All of the following are informal research methods except

conducting a scientific experiment. Rationale: Informal research methods include searching company files, talking with the boss, interviewing the target audience, conducting an informal survey, or brainstorming for ideas.

Lindsay is writing a property description for a new real estate brochure. To make her brochure more effective, Lindsay should anticipate her audience. This means she

considers what the readers are like and how they will react to the message.

Microblogging

consists of short messages exchanged on social media networks.

Adaptation is the process of

creating a message that suits the audience.

The process of translating a message from its symbol form into meaning is called

decoding.

One of the best ways to develop audience benefits is to use the "you" view, which

emphasizes second-person pronouns instead of first-person pronouns.

White space refers to

empty space on the page

Converting ideas into words or gestures to convey meaning is called

encoding.

In the final phase of the writing process, check the message for clarity and readability, proofread for errors, and

evaluate for effectiveness.

The direct strategy would be most appropriate when

expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral.

When you expect a reader of your message to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should

explain all background information first. Rationale: When you expect a reader to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should place the main idea later in the message (after the details, explanation, or evidence). In addition, bad news should not be sent via e-mail, text message, or IM.

As interns in human resource management, Brad and his team are administering a professionally developed employee questionnaire to collect information on workplace violence. This type of research produces data that is considered

firsthand information.

The communication process begins when the sender

has an idea.

Paragraphs are coherent when

ideas are linked; that is, one idea leads logically to the next.

Profiling the audience for a business message helps the writer

identify the appropriate tone, language, and channel.

All of the following are tips you should follow when microblogging except

ignore spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Rationale: When microblogging, include only main ideas, choose descriptive but short words, personalize your message if possible, and be prepared to write several versions striving for conciseness, clarity, and correctness in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Feedback

includes both the verbal and nonverbal responses from the receiver.

Communication noise

is anything that interrupts the transmission of a message.

A communication channel

is the medium over which the message travels.

All of the following would probably require informal research methods except

long reports and complex business problems. Rationale: Long reports and complex business problems generally require some use of formal research methods. However, routine tasks such as drafting e-mails, memos, letters, informational reports, and oral presentations require research that can be collected informally.

**"Tightening" your message refers to

looking for shorter ways to say what you mean.

Communication is defined as "the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another." The crucial element of this definition is

meaning.

**Placing an idea in italic or bold font is an example of achieving emphasis through

mechanics.

Travis must determine the appropriate channel for an important business message. In this context channel refers to the

medium through which the message is sent.

**A(n) ________ modifier occurs when the word or phrase it describes is not close in the sentence enough to be clear.

misplaced

During the second phase of the writing process, you conduct research,

organize ideas, and compose the message.

**The use of similar structures to express similar ideas is known as ________ construction.

parallel

Business writing should be economical. In this context economical can best be defined as

presenting ideas clearly and concisely.

**The primary purpose for sending business messages is typically to inform or persuade. A secondary purpose should be to

promote goodwill.

One technique that improves business writing is the use of empathy. Empathy refers to

putting yourself in the receiver's shoes to adapt the message to the receiver's needs.

When brainstorming to generate ideas, you should

record ideas without judging them.

Converting verbs into noun expressions

reduces verb strength.

The second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process begins with

researching the topic.

Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the ____ stage of the writing process.

revising

Quality Building Materials Inc. has developed a new whole-house weather blanket and needs to determine the price point at which builders would switch to this new product. The best research method for this is a(n)

scientific experiment that presents price choices with controlled variables.

Michael usually holds team meetings on Tuesday mornings, but he needs to reschedule next week's meeting to Wednesday morning. To tell team members of the date change for the next meeting, Michael should

send an e-mail.

**There is and It is are examples of

sentence fillers. Rationale: There is/are and It is/was are examples of unnecessary fillers, which take up space and delay getting to the point of the sentence.

**Getting burned is an example of a(n) ____________ expression.

slang

Business writing should be purposeful. In this context purposeful can best be defined as

solving problems and conveying information.

**A good standard to apply to your writing is to remember that it

takes the place of a personal appearance.

**Positive language in business messages

tells what is and what can be done.

**Media richness refers to

the extent to which a channel represents all of the information available

Communication is successful only when

the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it.

**Listed items should reflect parallel structure, which means that

they should be expressed using the same grammatical structure.

Adapting your message to the audience involves

thinking of the right words and tone to use in your message.

Transitional expressions such as next, first, and finally are useful to show

time association.

**The sentence that expresses a paragraph's main idea is called the

topic sentence.

Business writers who use words such as interrogate, remuneration, and terminate are using language many readers would consider

unfamiliar. Rationale: These words would be unfamiliar to many readers. Wise business writers use more familiar alternatives, such as "question" rather than "interrogate," "pay" rather than "remuneration," and "end" rather than "terminate."

To improve readability and comprehension

use approximately 20 or fewer words per sentence.

*When selecting a communication channel, you should follow two tips: use richer media for persuasive or personal messages and

use the richest media available.