GEB3213 Reading Quizzes 1-6

What is the advantage of writing with a "you" perspective? A "you" perspective ensures that the writer limits detail. A "you" perspective motivates the audience to respond positively. A "you" perspective allows the writer to organize the message based on his or her own thought process. A "you" perspective is shorter, and therefore easier to produce. A "you" perspective quickly identifies what the writer wants.

A "you" perspective motivates the audience to respond positively.

In addition to an expression of gratitude, what is a typical element found at the end of a routine request? An indication of how to reach the writer An indication of consequences if the request is not fulfilled A reminder of reasons why the request should be granted A call for action An outline of alternatives

A call for action

Which of the following is most appropriate when writing a letter of appreciation to an American audience? A message that is formal and lengthy. A message which shows respect for the recipient by being indirect. A message that is personal, sincere, and short. A message focused on the context of the relationship. A message that is detailed and thorough.

A message that is personal, sincere, and short.

Which of the following is an example of an internal proposal? A proposal asking a foundation to fund a program for your community A proposal asking your supervisor to implement a new initiative A proposal asking a client to select your firm for an upcoming project A proposal asking local businesses to sponsor your charity event A proposal asking another company to do a joint venture

A proposal asking your supervisor to implement a new initiative

When using an indirect approach to a bad news message, what information should you include before the main idea? An attention-getting device An explanation A call to action An apology An alternative solution

An explanation

In which stage of the ACE process does a communicator determine the best medium to use in providing the bad news? Analyzing Composing Addressing Critiquing Evaluating

Analyzing

The term _________________ refers to the supplemental information provided in a proposal. It often includes examples of past projects, client testimonials, and technical specifications. Overview Executive Summary References Introduction Appendices

Appendices

Well written proposals include a specific course of action for an organization and show the audience how this course of action makes sense, creating a stronger __________________. Sense of integrity Ability to enforce the sales contract Business case Understanding of how others have benefited from a similar experience Justification for price

Business case

If you are not an authority on a particular subject, how can you add credibility to your message? Add numbers and statistics to the message Use industry jargon and slang to show you know how to talk business Discuss only areas where you are an authority Use phrases such as, "In my experience," or "I believe" Cite authorities and experts

Cite authorities and experts

Which of the following is a complex process of encoding and decoding information, ideas, and feelings? Feedback Confidence Professional Presence Communication Transmission Model

Communication

If an argument has merit, or is only partially correct, you may respond to the argument using a ____________________. Goal statement Refutation Concession Rebuttal Resistance statement

Concession

To ensure the audience will interpret the message in the way the writer intended, what type of words should be used? Synonyms Passive Abstract Active Concrete

Concrete

Establishing _____________ means showing that you have the ability to deliver what you propose. Adaptability Feasibility Agreeability Assimilability Credibility

Credibility

If your audience is expecting to hear from you, and the bad news is not a surprise, what organizational approach will benefit the message? Goodwill Persuasive Indirect Casual Direct

Direct

Putting ideas into words, images, or actions takes place during which step in the communication process? Decoding Medium determination Interaction Transmission Encoding

Encoding

To ensure you have implemented an effective persuasive strategy, what should be done before delivering the message? Determine the medium Outline the order of key points Compose the message according to the persuasive plan Evaluate the draft Idenitify the delivery method

Evaluate the draft

Which of the following is a separate, stand-alone mini-document that summarizes the document's main ideas? Project Analysis RFP Table of Contents Executive Summary Appendices

Executive Summary

To be effective, a bad news message should most importantly: Explain the reasons behind the bad news Disregard the reaction of the audience Demand clearly your desired outcome Apologize sincerely Diminish the importance of the bad news so as to soften the impact

Explain the reasons behind the bad news

When possible, which method of delivering bad news is usually the best choice? Email Phone call Tweet Face-to-face Text

Face-to-face

The details of a proposal must always prove that you are credible and that the plan is Cost effective Timely Feasible Transferable Deliverable

Feasible

Assuming a customer claim will be granted, what type of response will allow the company to build a better relationship with the customer? Direct Thank you Indirect Condolence Goodwill

Goodwill

In a lengthy proposal, using which of the following components is most likely to help the reader see the structure of the document at a glance? Appendices References Headings Glossary Footnotes

Headings

What is the first step in preparing a proposal? Identifying your target audience and their needs Identifying the deadline or due date Identifying a clear idea of your purpose Understanding the context of the issue Determining the content that you will include

Identifying a clear idea of your purpose

Which appeal is the foundation for most persuasive business messages? Refutation Logos Benefits Ethos Emotion

Logos

How can you, as the communicator, increase the likelihood that your message will be accurately understood? Look for nonverbal feedback from the audience Follow up the written communication with a phone call Ask the audience if they need any further information Include step-by-step instructions for the audience. Make the message easy for the audience to understand

Make the message easy for the audience to understand

Which of the following is a professional way to establish credibility? Avoid mentioning your key credentials to avoid sounding boastful Maintain a safe and respectful distance from the audience Do not mention your educational qualifications and expertise Present a biased point of view that favors your requirements Mention your relationship with someone your audience knows or respects

Mention your relationship with someone your audience knows or respects

Which of the following workplace activities is most likely to be the one in which your communication skills will be utilized? Analyzing the pattern of errors found in your new product Designing algorithms for the to-be-developed software Persuading your colleagues that your idea will likely lead to increased sales Formulating strategies to manage your new team Calculating whether sales are up this quarter using the latest figures

Persuading your colleagues that your idea will likely lead to increased sales

Which of the following are elements of nonverbal communication and professional presence? Team work and technical knowledge Polish, confidence, and passion Team work and writing skills Oral communication and the ability to process information Confidence and technical knowledge

Polish, confidence, and passion

Actions, attire, grammar usage, and proofreading all affect the ________ of an employee. Appropriateness Ethics Persuasiveness Professionalism Presentation

Professionalism

When concluding bad news messages, which of the following can you use to promote goodwill? Proposing an alternative Restating your main point Indicating the decision was not your own. Explaining how you will benefit from the bad news Subordinating the bad news

Proposing an alternative

A persuasive appeal that uses ______ may be supported by including a small or free gift. Liking Social proof Scarcity Consistency Reciprocity

Reciprocity

Which of the following terms best represents a response intended to prove an objection is wrong? Aggregation Concession Refutation Argumentation Accession

Refutation

___________________ is a logical process that involves evaluating the effectiveness of a message in relation to the needs of the audience and the purpose of the message. Evaluating Drafting Perfecting Revising Writer's block

Revising

Language that is difficult to understand or is ambiguous is indicative of what type of barrier? Feedback Physiological Semantic Physical Psychological

Semantic

What is the best way to ensure the audience understands the bad news? Use vague language State the bad news clearly Start the message with a hint that bad news is coming Invite the audience to contact you to discuss the bad news Imply the bad news

State the bad news clearly

One of the goals of delivering bad news is to: Gloss over facts that may cause legal complications State the news clearly, yet sensitively Protect the audience's self-esteem by only hinting at the news Do whatever is necessary to get the point across, even if offending your audience Budget additional time to re-explain the message

State the news clearly, yet sensitively

Most students believe they are best prepared in the area of critical and analytical thinking when they graduate from college. In which area do employers find students well prepared? Critical and analytical thinking Complex problem solving Written communication Applying knowledge to the real world Teamwork

Teamwork

To convince your boss to implement a procedural change in your department, which of the following best constitutes a concession in the context of a message? This change will be beneficial for the company in terms of profit. The changeover may cause some minor initial delays, but in the long run, this shift will increase the speed of transactions by approximately 50 percent. This changeover will require some additional training, and I know that we don't have the budget for that right now. Implementing this change would not require the system to be shut down during business hours.

The changeover may cause some minor initial delays, but in the long run, this shift will increase the speed of transactions by approximately 50 percent.

Which of the following is a benefit of sending a proposal via email? The receiver can print hard copies of sections of the proposal based on their interests Additional information not covered in the proposal can be included The proposal can be summarized in the email Costs and risks do not have to be included in the proposal, as they would be covered in the email The writer has the opportunity to include a strong business case

The proposal can be summarized in the email

Why are bad news messages challenging to compose? They require you to achieve a number of goals that are incompatible at first glance. They make it impossible to maintain your audience's goodwill. They demand that you begin with the bad news, which will likely alienate your audience. They force you to offend your audience. They must be lengthy and vague to avoid legal consequences

They require you to achieve a number of goals that are incompatible at first glance.

Which of the following is the purpose of using BCC when sending an email message? To protect the email addresses of recipients of the message. When you wish to avoid sharing sensitive information with everyone in the email. When blame must be placed on a specific individual or party. When attempting to minimize unfair advantage. When you are emailing a group and want every recipient to "reply all."

To protect the email addresses of recipients of the message.

A ____________ proposal is a proposal that the writer initiates. Solicited Internal Unsolicited External Formal

Unsolicited

When responding to questions face-to-face, how should you organize your response? Using a direct format. Using an indirect format. Using the same format you would use if you were responding in writing. Using the same format as a goodwill message. By asking for clarification.

Using the same format you would use if you were responding in writing.

When analyzing the audience for a persuasive message, which of the following is one of the recommended questions? What information does the audience need to know and why? How should I design the format and delivery? Does the content ensure complete information? How will I benefit from my idea or proposal? How should I organize the persuasive message?

What information does the audience need to know and why?

When would the indirect approach be a better choice for your message? When your audience will likely not understand your request without context. When the audience is likely to comply with your request. When you would want to have more time to develop the message. When you wish to take a more formal approach with the audience. When the audience must immediately understand your needs.

When your audience will likely not understand your request without context.

When using an online tool to schedule a meeting, which of the following must you include? A list of included attachments. When the auto-reminder will be sent The name of the meeting. Where, when, and what type of meeting you are scheduling. When you need to receive responses.

Where, when, and what type of meeting you are scheduling.

Before you decide what it is you want to communicate, what should be considered? How you can incorporate goodwill into the message If you have a deadline How long it will take to compose the message Why you are communicating Who the receiver will be

Why you are communicating

How can you use a buffer to soften the bad news? You can use the buffer to act as a courteous close You can use the buffer to emphasize the severity of the message You can use the buffer to provide context for the message You can use the buffer to specifically state the bad news You can use the buffer to offer alternatives to the bad news

You can use the buffer to provide context for the message

When making a claim by using online customer support, which information should you provide first? Statement of goodwill Your reason for writing Where you purchased the item and for how much A list of product defects Name and contact information

Your reason for writing

In the ACE process for communication, the first step is ____________________. addressing authoring adapting adjusting analyzing

analyzing

In the context of doing business with people from other cultures, effective communicators _______________. follow exclusively the communication conventions of their own culture. treat others as they would like to be treated. are ready to adapt to different cultural needs. memorize a list of cultural differences. treat everyone equally by ignoring cultural differences.

are ready to adapt to different cultural needs.

A false dilemma occurs when the argument: focuses on irrelevant issues to draw attention away from a central issue draws a conclusion from a sample that is either too small or does not represent the larger population asserts that only two choices exist, while ignoring other options attacks a person who disagrees with you rather than addressing the issues is supported by comparing it to something not comparable

asserts that only two choices exist, while ignoring other options

The direct approach is more likely to ________________________ when compared to the indirect approach because the reader can find the main point quickly. take more time to get to the point be the better choice for most requests get to the point slowly be difficult to understand include a request at the end of the message

be the better choice for most requests

Simple, well-planned messages _____________________. require at least five drafts do not require a first draft should have exactly one draft tend to be less successful in conveying the information benefit from at least two drafts

benefit from at least two drafts

A document's format ___________________. varies wildly according to the choice of medium, with no consistent design principles applying to all media cannot undermine your credibility can communicate professionalism to your audience will compensate fully for poor content is only important to design professionals

can communicate professionalism to your audience

Business emails should ___________________. use generic headings omit a salutation not contain bullet points focus on only one topic contain only one paragraph

focus on only one topic

The first draft of a message focuses on _________________. creating a purpose statement evaluating your word choices getting your thoughts on paper perfecting your grammar analyzing your audience

getting your thoughts on paper

When using a direct organization for a message, the main idea of your message ____________________. is best not stated explicitly is best placed near the end of your communication should be stated before the supporting details should not be stated at the beginning of your message should be included near the end of your message so as not to be overshadowed by your reasoning

should be stated before the supporting details

Good business communicators understand that ___________________. their message must be able to reach and resonate with their intended audience being a good reader is vital, as it is the only way to gain insight into audience concerns being a good writer is the only way to reach your audience their message must influence anyone who reads it being a good listener is not necessary to understand audience concerns

their message must be able to reach and resonate with their intended audience

To develop the most persuasive content for a communication, you must first understand: how to make your statistics compelling what content will best motivate the audience whether or not the audience finds you credible what key questions the audience might ask where the audience is located

what content will best motivate the audience