Test #2 (Chapter 2, 3, 4, and 11)
According to writing experts, approximately what percentage of time should you spend on the prewriting phase of a business message
25 Percent
According to writing experts, approximately what percentage of time should you spend on the prewriting phase of a business message?
25 percent
Chris must lay off employees in his company and wants to hold a meeting with others to help him make an effective decision. How many people should he invite to this decision-making meeting?
5 or fewer people
Human Resources Manager Claire Siu must inform Anthony that company job changes will require him to seek retraining or lose his position. The best channel for Ms. Siu to deliver this message is
A face-to-face conversation
There is a new procedure that is now required for submitting time sheets is an example of a sentence containtng
A filler
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
Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
A record number of Japanese investors are purchasing real estate in the United States
Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
A record number of Japanese investors are purchasing real estate in the Untied 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
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
Words such as definitely, quite, extremely, very, and actually are _____
Adverbs that should not be used excessively in business writing
Courteous business messages
All Answer choices are correct
Courteous business messages
All answer choices are correct
Effective paragraphs ______.
All answer choices are correct
The dangers of using slang in business writing include
All answer choices are correct
Which of the following is an example of a soft skill? Listening to customers and coworkers Appreciating and valuing diversity All answer choices reflect examples of soft skills. Working effectively in teams
All answer choices reflect examples of soft skills.
Which of the following sentences avoids buzzwords and slang?
All companies must follow the guidelines outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?
All physicians must carry their own malpractices insurance
Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?
All physicians must carry their won malpractice insurance
Which of the following would most likely require informal research?
All would most likely require informal research.
Which of the following statements about teams is not accurate? Although employee morale may increase when businesses form teams, teams present more risks for individuals. Decisions arrived jointly are usually better received because team members are committed to the solution and are more willing to support it. Teams generally make better decisions than individuals. Teams are able to respond more quickly to issues and company needs than individuals.
Although employee morale may increase when businesses form teams, teams present more risks for individuals.
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
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.
Which of the following sentences effectively de-emphasizes the bad news?
Although the company cannot reimburse you for tuition costs, you may attend class during work hours.
Cape Aluminium must inform a customer that the storm doors she requested are unavailable. Which of the following sentences best demonstrates the "you" view Cape Aluminum should use in its message?
Although your requested storm door model is unavailable, you may choose from five excellent alternatives with longer warranties.
Lauren and Charlie are the first phase of the writing process as they prepare a formal report for a client. In this phase they should
Analyze the audience and determine the purpose of the message
Cliches ____
Are expressions that have become exhausted by overuse
Long sentence lead-ins
Are unnecessary introductory words
Which of the following phrases is not a trite business phrase
At your request
Business writing shoudl be purposeful, economical, and
Audience Oriented
What is the best advice for proofreading a complex document?
Be prepared to find errors
Which statement is most accurate?
Business messages must be clear, concise, and readable
When preparing a business message, you should make your writing audience oriented. Audience oriented means you shoudl
Concentrate on looking at the problem from the receiver's perspective
When preparing a business message, you should make your writings audience oriented. Audience oriented mean you should
Concentrate on looking at the problem from the receiver's perspective
Melissa is preparing a market analysis for her business plan and knows she will have to conduct formal research to gather the information she needs. To conduct formal research, she should ____
Conduct interviews and surveys or organize a focus group
Lindsay is creating a property description for a new real estate brochure. To make her brochure effective, Lindsay should anticipate her audience by
Considering what the readers are like and how they will react to the message
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
Proofreading includes which of the following tasks?
Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, names adn numbers, and format
Proofreading includes which of the following tasks?
Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, names and numbers, and fromat
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.
Adaptation is the process of
Creating a message that suits the audience
When microblogging, you should practice all of the following except
Creating long messages to demonstrate your writing skills
The process of translating a message form its symbol form into meaning is called
Decoding
The process of translating a message from its symbol form into meaning is called
Decoding
Translating a message from its symbol form into meaning involves
Decoding
Which of the following is not an element of the communication process?
Displaying empathy
Which of the following sentences uses language that is bias free?
Each nurse is responsible for charting the status of his or her patients
The third phase of the 3-x-3 writing process involves
Editing, proofreading, and evaluating your document
Paragraphs with _______ or fewer lines look inviting and readable.
Eight
Which of the following is not an advantage of frontloading?
Eliminates the need for researching
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
Which of the following sentences demonstrates effective business writing?
Enclosed is our latest catalog
Converting ideas into words or gestures to convey meaning is called
Encoding
Debi must conduct a virtual meeting with some of her employees who work in other states. As she plans and leads this meeting, what advice should she follow?
Encourage turn-taking and ask questions of specific people
All of the following statements regarding bulleted or numbered lists are accurate except
End punctuation should be added to all bulleted or numbered lists
In the final phase of the writing process, check the message for clarity and readability, proofread for errors, and
Evaluate for effectiveness
Trina has just completed researching, writing, and proofreading a long, complex business proposal for a customer. What should she do next?
Evaluate its effectiveness by soliciting feedback from her receiver
Which of the following about writing and revising business documents is most accurate?
Experts say only amateurs expect writing perfection on the first try
Business Manager Meagan Caldwell expects her employees to be displeased or even hostile when she announces a new work schedule that will become effective next month. An effective organizational strategy for Megan is to _____
Explain all background information first
When creating a bulleted or numbered list,
Express all ideas similarly
Which of the following communication channels is considered the richest medium?
Face-to-face conversation
Because of today's technologies, face-to-face communication is no longer essential in business transactions
False
Business writers who use official-sounding language such as commensurate and remuneration appear more impressive and are more effective than those who words such as equal or pay
False
Competition among team members leads to superior results.
False
Heading should be used in reports only; they are not appropriate for other business documents such as e-mail messages, letters, and memos.
False
Hello. How may I help you? is an appropriate greeting when answering a telephone call.
False
I am writing you this message to see if you are available for a meeting at 10 a.m. on Monday is an effective opening for an e-mail message
False
Phase 2 of the 3-x-3 writing process involves analyzing your purpose, anticipating your audience, and adapting you message to the audience.
False
The communication process begins when the receiver provides nonverbal or verbal feedback to the sender.
False
The direct organizational strategy works well with three kinds of messages: bad news, ideas that require persuasion, and sensitive news.
False
The following sentence demonstrates effective business writing: Finding a solution to the budget issues will be easier said than done
False
The following sentence demonstrates effective business writing: The hiring committee will perform an analysis of each candidate's applicaiton
False
The statement Every salesman who meets this year's quota will receive two additional vacation days represents effective business writing
False
The three phases of the writing process must be followed in proper sequence to create successful messages.
False
To emphasize a main idea through style, you should underline it, italicize it, or set it in boldface
False
Today's businesses are not concerned about employee relations.
False
Withdrawing from a team is viewed as an effective technique to deal with group differences.
False
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, udnerlining, outlining, and shadowing
For complex document it's best to proofread
From a printed copy
Which statement about proofreading is most accurate?
Good business writers wait at least 24 hours or longer to proofread a document
The communication process begins when the sender
Has an idea
Which statement regarding headings is most accurate?
Headings highlight information and improve readability
Collecting information before composing a message is important primarily because doing so
Help shape the message
Which of the following sentences demonstrates conversational business writing?
I am upset about your return policy
You should strive to make your paragraphs coherent in all business writing. Paragraph coherence occurs when ______.
Ideas are linked; that is, they hold together
Profiling the audience for a business message helps the writer
Identify the appropriate tone, language, and channel
Which of the following is the best advice to follow when you proofread a routine document?
If proofreading on screen, display the entire document at once
What is the best advice for making and receiving telephone calls professionally?
If you made the call, remember that it is your responsibility to end the call
All of the following are tips you should follow when microblogging except
Ignore spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors
Feedback
Includes both the verbal and nonverbal responses from the receiver
Matthew recently chaired a task force that developed a Web-use policy for his company. Now Matthew must critique the performance of each member of his task force. What advice should he follow?
Instead of focusing on what went wrong, use language that focuses on improvement.
Communication noise
Is anything that interrupts the transmission of a message
Empty space on a page
Is called white space
Slang
Is composed of informal words with arbitrary and extravagantly changed meanings.
Concise writing
Is easier to read and comprehend
A communication channel
Is the medium over which the message travels
Which of the following statements about jargon is most accurate?
Jargon describes technical or specialized terms within a field
Which of the following sentences about jargon is most accurate?
Jargon should be used 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
Well-designed documents enhance readability and comprehension and
Make readers think the writer is a well-organized and intelligent person
Which statement about margins and text alignment is true?
Margins define the reading area and provide important visual relief
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
Communication is defined as "the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another." The most important element of this definition is
Meaning
Cherrie must determine the channel for an important business message. Channel in this case can best be defined as the
Medium through which the message is sent
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
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
How many typefaces should you use in a business document
No more than two
How many typefaces should you use in a business document?
No more than two
Anything that interrupts the transmission of a message in the communication process is called
Noise
During the second phase of the writing process, you conduct research,
Organize ideas, and compose the message
Cliches are
Overused expressions
Which of the following sentences avoids cliches?
Please encourage your department members to join the health club.
Business writing should be economical. In this context economical can best be defined as
Presenting ideas clearly and concisely
It is important to avoid long lead-ins because they
Prevent the reader form reaching the meaning of the sentence
Which of the following identifies the three phases of the writing process?
Prewriting, drafting, and revising
The primary purpose of business writing is typically to inform or persuade; a common secondary purpose is to
Promote goodwill
The primary purposes of business writing are typically to inform and persuade; a common secondary purpose is to
Promote goodwill
Which of the following is the best tip for proofreading documents?
Proofread your document when it is in its final form
Antonio is writing an e-mail message to his employees, and he expects them to be pleased with the message. Antonio should ___
Put his main point in the first or second sentence
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
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.
What is the best way to judge the success of your writing?
Receiving feedback from your receiver
Serena has just started a new job and wants to project professionalism through her voice mail. What advice should she follow?
Record a personal greeting that includes her name, her phone number, and an invitation for leaving a message.
Converting verbs into noun expressions
Reduces verb strength
Which of the following sentences best focuses on the audience?
Register now to lock in your preferred travel dates
While receiving her performance review, Melanie is surprised by several comments that she feels are inaccurate. How should she react to the criticism?
Restate what she is hearing in her own words.
Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the ___ stage of the writing process
Revising
Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the ____ stage of the writing process.
Revising
Monica lost a promotion due to poor writing skills. Which phase of the writing process should she most focus on to demonstrate better writing skills?
Revising and proofreading
Many Job applicants post their resumes on company websites, some post on social networking sites such as LinkedIn is an example of a
Run-on sentence
What is the best advice for using cell phones professionally on the job?
Screen incoming calls and let voice mail take routine calls
Michael usually hold 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
Michael usually holds team meetings on Tuesday morning, 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
Business writing should be all of the following except
Sender oriented
Business writings should be all of the following except
Sender oriented
Which of the following expressions is most modern?
Separately
Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?
Sheila will examine the job proposal carefully
Business writing should be purposeful, In this context purposeful can best be defined as
Solving problems and conveying information
Business writing should be purposeful. In this context purposeful can best be defined as
Solving problems and conveying information
Which of the following statements about revision is most accurate?
Some business writers prefer to compose first drafts quickly and revise later; others prefer to revise as they go
Brian is participating in a work team. His team is currently identifying problems, collecting and sharing information, and establishing decision criteria. Brian's team is in the __________ phase of team development.
Storming
Business messages should use positive language rather than negative language. Positive language
Tells what is and what can be done
Which of the following sentences use the most precise language?
The board approved a 34 percent budget increase
Which of the following sentences does not include a redundant expression?
The fundamentals of our economy are strong
Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
The office personnel will assist you with your forms
Communication is successful only when
The receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it
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
Business writers prefer the active voice for most business writing because in active-voice sentences ______.
The subject is the doer of the action
Adapting your message to the audience involves
Thinking of the right words and tone to use in your message
All of the following sentences contain unnecessary fillers except
Three candidates are running for the board
The best way to evaluate the effectiveness of your writing is _______
Through feedback from your receiver
What is the most common serif typeface?
Times New Roman
Which of the following sentences does not contain a dangling or misplaced modifier?
To apply for financial aid, send in your application by January 1.
Tyler used a bulleted list on his resume 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
A digital message is any message that is generated, stored, processed, and transmitted electronically by computers using strings of positive and nonpositive binary cod.
True
A face-to-face conversation is a richer medium than a written report or proposal
True
A meeting agenda should be sent at least two days before a meeting.
True
A paragraph is unified when it develops a single main idea
True
Actions at work-related social functions such as dinners, picnics, and holiday parties can help or harm your career.
True
Adaptation is the process of creating a message that suits the audience
True
As you revise, make your writing clear by using specific verbs, concrete nouns, and vivid adjectives
True
Before placing a phone call, you should determine all the topics you need to discuss.
True
Business messages are most effective when they convey an informal, conversational tone instead of a formal, pretentious tone
True
Business writers should strive to keep sentences to 20 words or fewer.
True
Effective messages include balanced, or parallel, sentences.
True
Everything you write will be evaluated by others
True
Good manners and a businesslike, professional demeanor are among the top skills recruiters seek in applicants.
True
Humans Resources Manager Kris Royka is researching case studies as she prepares a diversity training workshop for her employees. An effective method of formal research is to print and online journal articles.
True
Microblogging consists of short messages exchanged on social media networks
True
No meeting should be called unless it is important, can't wait, or requires an exchange of ideas
True
One reason concise messages are essential in business is that they save money by saving time
True
Ragged-right margins increase white space and improve readability
True
Support sentences must relate to the topic sentence
True
The first step in composing a message is to identify its purpose
True
The process of converting an idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning is called encoding.
True
Well-organized messages group similar items together
True
You should strive to use a variety of sentence types in your writing
True
You should wait to proofread a document until it is in its final form
True
Empathetic writers
Try to give something to the receiver
Business writers who use words such as interrogate, remuneration, and terminate are using language many readers would consider
Unfamiliar
To improve readability and comprehension through white space,
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 communications, and
Use the richest media available
Which of the following techniques is not an acceptable way to correct a comma splice?
Using a colon between the two independent clauses
You can establish a professional yet conversational tone in business messages by
Using familiar words and pronouns such as I and You
Marketing Director Schultz must inform the board of directors that customers are not responding positively to the company's new advertising campaign. Which of the following sentences would be the most appropriate wording for the marketing director to use in her message to the board of directors?
We have received reports from customers about our new ads
Marketing Director Schultz must inform the board of directors that customers are not responding positively to the company's advertising campaign. Which of the following sentences would be the most appropriate wording for the marketing director to use in her message to the board of directors?
We have received reports from reports from customers about our new ads
Which of the following sentences avoids burying a verb in a wordy noun expression?
We hope to discover the reason our profits are declining
Which of the following is a compound sentence?
We know you'll want to vote in the next election; therefore, please register by October 20
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 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?
Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
Will you please credit my account for $125 due to the computer error on May 1
Which of the following bet avoids a long lead-in?
Yes, we will send the information you requested
Which of the following represents positive business writing?
You can participate in online bidding when you submit your credit application
Which of the following represents the best business writing?
You can return all resalable merchandise for a store credit
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
You are selecting a channel for sending your message. Which of the following is not a factor to consider when making this decision?
Your competitors' Channel use
You are selecting a channel for sending your message. Which of the following is not a factor to consider when making this decision?
Your competitors' channel use
Which of the following sentences demonstrates effective business writing?
Your proposal demonstrates how our call center can better meet the needs of our customers
Effective communicators avoid the flabby expression in addition to the above by using the words
also
All of the following are characteristics of successful work teams except __________. appointing a formal leader communicating effectively confronting conflict agreeing on a purpose
appointing a formal leader
There is a new software company that will be hiring employees is an example of a sentence with
concise wording
Professionalism __________.
describes desirable workplace behavior
Writers who put themselves in the receiver's shoes to focus a message on audience benefits are using the skill of
empathy
As a leader of a meeting, you should __________.
establish meeting ground rules during the introduction of the meeting
Face-to-face conversation __________.
is the most effective of all communication channels
To use your voice effectively, __________.
vary the pitch of your voice and talk at about 125 words per minute
