Business Communication Final
Margins should be set for __________________ in a typical business document.
1 - 1.5 inches
Name the three goals of business writing.
1) Your writing should be economical. 2) You should be audience-oriented when writing in business. 3) You want your writing to be purposeful.
Name three of the five questions that can be used to guide ethical decision-making in business. These can be from the text or the equivalent list made in class.
1. Is the action legal? 2. Would you do it if you were on the opposite side? 3. Can you rule out a better alternative?
Determine the mode of the numbers 30, 25, 25, 45, and 70.
25
Describe the proofreading mark to indicate that the first letter of a word should be capitalized. (Include in your description specifically where the mark is located in relation to the word.)
3 underlines under the first letter of the word
Determine the median of the numbers 30, 25, 25, 45, and 70.
30
Determine the mean of the numbers 30, 25, 25, 45, and 70.
39
Experts say that we ignore, forget, distort, or misunderstand
75 percent of everything we hear.
Which of the following is an example of external organizational communication?
A brochure sent to a prospective customer
Which of the following reports is an example of an informational report?
A report showing how a company has complied with SEC regulations
Which of the following is an analytical report?
A report to determine whether a company should adopt a wellness program
Which of the following reports would most likely be written using an informal writing style?
A summary report written to your supervisor about a conference you attended
_______________ is the process of creating a message that suits your audience.
Adaptation
You can build paragraph coherence by incorporating which of the following techniques?
All of these choices
Which of the following are most likely to be uncomfortable with silence and impatient with delays?
Americans
Courts of law use four factors as a test in deciding disputes over fair use of copyrighted material. Which of the following is not one of those factors?
Amount of money paid to use the copyrighted information
Monica wants to make sure that her sentences are easily understood. How long should she make them?
An average of 20 words
Which one of the following should be organized in an indirect pattern?
An e-mail message to employees telling them that overtime will be eliminated
Which of the following situations requires an indirect strategy?
An invitation to a local politician to speak at your professional organization's awards banquet
List in order the AIDA organizational strategy for persuasive messages.
Attention Interest Desire Action
Which of the following is the best advice regarding nonverbal messages during your presentation?
Be enthusiastic and let your face show it.
Which of the following is the best advice when communicating bad news?
Because bad news disappoints, irritates, and sometimes angers the receiver, such messages must be written carefully.
Which of the following is a phrase?
Because you surpassed your sales goals
Amber will be writing a bad-news letter to a customer and wants to follow the four-part indirect plan. In what order should she organize her letter?
Buffer, reasons, bad news, closing
Which of the following is most likely to gain your audience's attention in the introduction of a presentation?
By the end of this presentation, you will know how to protect your customers' personal information from identity thieves.
Shannon had to write a letter to a job applicant, telling him that he was not selected for a position. Because she really liked the applicant, in the rejection letter she wrote, "I thought you were our top candidate." What has Shannon done that might lead to legal difficulties?
By trying to make herself look good, she is guilty of the "good-guy syndrome."
An example of a country with a high-context culture is
China
What is the best advice for closing a bad-news letter?
Close with something forward looking that assumes future business.
Madison is about to begin the second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process as she works on a letter to her clients. What will she do first in this phase?
Collect any necessary information.
Which of the following statements about conflict is most accurate?
Conflict is a normal part of every workplace and every team.
What is the most accurate statement about correlations?
Correlations between two or more variables suggest possible relationships that can help explain your research findings.
Select the most accurate statement about culture.
Culture is shaped by attitudes learned in childhood and later internalized in adulthood.
Which of the following takes place during the first phase of the 3-x-3 writing process?
Decide what techniques you will use to adapt your message to the audience.
What is the most important part of preparing for a presentation?
Deciding what you want to accomplish
Steve has been assigned the task of researching and recommending alarm systems for a new branch office. Some features are more important than others, and Steve wants to be able to assign relative weights to each feature to make sure that he makes the best decision. He should use a(n)
Decision Mix
Raymond has been appointed team leader of a group that will develop his company's five-year strategic plan. He wants to ensure that his team avoids groupthink. What should he do?
Develop systematic procedures for the team to follow.
Caroline needs information from a coworker in another office about an upcoming sales promotion. What is the best communication channel for Caroline to use to request this information?
E-mail, text, or IM
Phase 3 of the 3-x-3 writing process begins with doing which of the following?
Editing the message to improve content and sentence structure
The most effective statement in a letter to a local charitable organization refusing its request for a donation would be
Even though our budget won't allow a contribution this year, we hope to be able to contribute next year.
What should you do in the body of an adjustment letter?
Explain how you are complying with the claim.
Business researchers can safely assume that the great majority of Web sources are reliable.
False
Most businesspeople never have to deliver bad news.
False
T or F: "Thank you in advance for your cooperation" is an effective and professional way to show appreciation in a request letter.
False
T or F: A good rule for preparing the text for each slide of your multimedia presentations is to use complete sentences for bulleted items.
False
T or F: A stereotype, which is an oversimplified behavioral pattern applied uncritically to groups, is always false.
False
T or F: As long as you put the research you find into your own words, you don't have to cite your source in a business report.
False
T or F: Being ethical does NOT make good business sense if you want to make money
False
T or F: During a team brainstorming session, a good technique would be to critique and evaluate each idea as it is presented during the brainstorming session.
False
T or F: Most Facebook users live in the United States and Canada.
False
T or F: Oral messages are usually more expressive and more meaningful to receivers than written goodwill messages.
False
T or F: The more direct quotes you use in a business report, the more professional and credible it will seem.
False
T or F: Using animation and sound effects on every slide in a presentation is recommended to keep your audience's attention.
False
T or F: Very few businesses make adjustments promptly
False
T or F: Visual aids should be used only by experienced speakers.
False
T or F: Words like denigrate, the undersigned, and expropriate should be used in business messages because they will make you sound more professional.
False
You are reading an article in The Wall Street Journal that discusses the research findings of a Centers for Disease Control study on workplace hazards. This newspaper article is an example of primary data.
False
Jamie has been asked by her boss to sign off on financial statements that she believes are false. Although she feels uncomfortable doing this, she's afraid that she'll be fired if she doesn't comply. Into what ethical trap has Jamie fallen?
False necessity trap
According to Robert B. Cialdini, six psychological triggers prompt us to act and to believe. Which of the following is not one of these triggers?
Fear
Of the following, the least rich communication media are
Flyers or posters
When should the active voice be used?
For most business writing
What act passed in 1977 prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business?
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977
Martin must write a negative-news message to his boss to tell her that his monthly sales report will be late. He has just completed Phase 1 of the prewriting process and is beginning Phase 2. What should he do first?
Gather information and brainstorm ways to present the reasons for the bad news.
Deborah will be leading a committee meeting and wants to make sure it is effective and efficient. What should Deborah do to get the meeting started?
Go over ground rules at the beginning of the meeting.
Which of the following is an example of a soft skill?
Having good listening proficiency Being able to work well as part of a team Knowing how to engage in appropriate small talk at a business social function
Which of the following statements about wiring skills is most accurate?
Having good writing skills can improve your chances for promotion and can result in higher earnings.
Which of the following statements about readability is most accurate?
Headings can help a reader separate major ideas from details.
To make your business messages more readable, you can do which of the following?
Incorporate numbered and bulleted lists.
Which of the following is an example of a recommendation?
Institute a wellness program to encourage employees to improve their health
Informational reports should be organized using which of the following patterns?
Introduction/background, facts/data, summary/conclusion
Which of the following sentences does NOT contain any clichés?
Just do your best during your job interview.
You have to deliver confidential information to a client. What is the best communication channel to use?
Letter
The best choice for showing changes in a company's monthly sales for Fiscal Year 2014 is a(n)
Line Chart
During a meeting Matthew and Jennifer get into an argument about how to prepare a proposal. What is the first step they should take to try to resolve this conflict?
Listen carefully to make sure they understand the problem.
Which of the following is an informal research method?
Looking in the company files for information
An interview committee must decide which interviewee to hire as the company's new project manager. Committee members have decided to vote and then hire the candidate receiving the most votes. What method for reaching group decisions is this team using?
Majority
Sarah has agreed to be a team leader in her organization and wants to make sure that the team is ethically responsible. What advice should you give her?
Make sure that the team represents her organization's view. Respect the organization's privileged information. Avoid advocating actions that would endanger members of society at large.
Which of the following statements about intercultural ethics is most accurate?
Many companies require their employees to take ethics training programs.
Which of the following is a run-on (fused) sentence?
Many companies use Facebook to connect with customers some even use Twitter.
Because of budget cutbacks, you must lay off your receptionist. What is the best way for you to deliver this message?
Meet with her in a face-to-face conversation
Which of the following statements about "saving face" is most accurate?
Members of high-context cultures are indirect and go to great lengths to avoid giving offense by saying no.
Which of the following types of reports would not be sent to someone outside the organization?
Memo format
Which of the following sentences contains a comma splice?
Miguel will write the document, Alicia will proofread it.
A task force was formed to discuss ways to increase office productivity. The task force members had trouble at first but finally the tension subsided, roles became clear, and information began to flow between members. In what phase of team development is this task force?
Norming
Which of the following is a conclusion?
Offering a wide range of benefits is the best way to recruit high-quality applicants.
Which of the following would be the best way to begin a persuasive claim or complaintletter?
Open with an objective statement of the problem.
Which of the following statements comparing oral and written communication is least accurate?
Oral communication is preferred when presenting formal or complex ideas.
Many of the world's industrialized countries have formally agreed to a new global treaty that bans the practice of bribery of foreign government officials. What organization promoted this treaty?
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Which of the following is done during Phase 2 of the writing process?
Organizing
Which of the following sentences is free of opening fillers, redundancies, and flabby expressions?
Our company should go public for several reasons.
Which of the following sentences demonstrates parallelism?
Our new CEO's objectives are to improve employee morale, to boost revenues, and to enhance community relations.
Which of the following defines persuasion?
Persuasion may involve use of symbols. Persuasion involves an attempt to influence. Persuasion involves transmitting a message. Persuasion requires free choice.
Several factors may cause poor listening habits. Which of the following is not one of these factors?
Physical hearing disability
Which of the following is the best example of placing the most important information first in a routine information request message?
Please answer the following questions about your office printers.
Which of the following is an independent clause?
Please call with any questions you have.
You want your writing to sound positive and courteous. Which of the following sentences has the best choice of wording?
Please give us your feedback about your online ordering experience.
Which of the following sentences best demonstrates clarity?
Please let your employees know about next Friday's meeting.
Nadia is conducting research on the use of social networking sites by observing how her coworkers use these tools in the workplace. What type of data is she collecting?
Primary data
Which statement most accurately describes recommendations?
Recommendations should begin with an action verb.
Jake is working for a global consulting firm and will be writing letters to intercultural audiences around the world. Which of the following is good advice?
Replace two-word verbs such as put off with clear single words such as delay.
What is the best advice for concluding your presentation?
Review major points and focus on what you want listeners to do, think, or remember.
The best goodwill messages concentrate on the five S's. Name THREE out of the five words that begin with the letter "S" which should characterize goodwill messages.
Selfless, Specific, Sincere, Spontaneous and Short
Caitlin wants to convince her supervisor to invest in new iPads for the sales staff. What is the bestthing Caitlin can do in her proposal?
Show how the iPads will improve the ability of sales staff to stay in touch with clients, resulting in greater productivity and higher sales.
Monica will be traveling to Chile on business and wants to achieve intercultural competence while there. What is the best advice you can give her?
Show supportiveness with head nods, eye contact, facial expressions, and physical proximity.
Which of the following is an example of horizontal communication in an organization?
Six marketing reps meet to discuss ideas for targeting new customers.
Which of the following statements about social media is most accurate?
Social media are still relatively new and untried communication channels for some businesses.
Soon Lee was born in China and works for a large corporation there. Which of the following is most likely?
Soon Lee shows great deference to her boss because of her boss's position, seniority, and age.
Which of the following is NOT an acceptable technique to use when creating bar charts?
Start dollar or percentage amounts near the amount of the shortest bar.
What is the best advice for delivering the bad news?
Suggest a compromise or alternative.
Numerical data from questionnaires or interviews are usually summarized using systematic columns and rows in a
Table
Which of the following statements about team writing is most accurate?
Team members will usually gather at the beginning of a project to brainstorm.
You want to use precise, vigorous words to give your readers more information and keep them interested. Which of the following sentences has the best wording?
The March balance sheet reports a 10 percent decrease in expenses for the first quarter of the fiscal year.
Which of the following sentences does NOT contain a verb that has been converted into a noun?
The jury concluded that the defendant was guilty.
Which of the following statements about paragraphs is most accurate?
The primary idea always appears first in a paragraph.
What has led to the increase in the number of companies that operate globally?
The rise of new communication technologies and advanced forms of transportation The removal of trade barriers Expanding middle-class economies All of the above
Which of the following sentences does not show gender bias?
The servers at Cafe Divine are always professional.
What is the purpose of business reports?
To answer questions To solve problems To convey information
When should the passive voice be used?
To de-emphasize bad news
Which of the following is not one of the goals in communicating negative news?
To hide the real reason for the negative news
In Lisbeth's new job, she will be writing many professional business messages. What is the bestadvice you can give her?
To make writing easier, follow a systematic process when preparing and writing business messages.
A company can be legally liable for statements sent by an employee in an e-mail message or comment through the company's computer system or social media site.
True
A work plan gives a complete description of a research project, including how the investigator plans to generate or collect data.
True
Because employees act as agents of their organizations, their words, decisions, and opinions are assumed to represent those of the organization.
True
If readers are familiar with or supportive of the topic, the report should be organized directly.
True
T OR F: In making hiring decisions, employers often rank communication skills among the most-requested competencies.
True
T or F: A good agenda includes any premeeting preparation expected of participants.
True
T or F: According to the text, experienced writers usually spend the most time on the third phase of the writing process.
True
T or F: Every message you write should begin with the notion that your audience is thinking What's in it for me? (WIIFM)
True
T or F: Recommendations should focus on solutions to the reader's problem.
True
T or F: Serif typefaces have small features at the ends of strokes, and sans serif typefaces do not.
True
T or F: The most successful teams are made up of diverse members.
True
T or F: Visual aids improve audience comprehension and retention.
True
T or F: When little has been written on a research topic, some of the best information comes from interviews with experts in the field.
True
Tor F: Alexis is listening to her colleague and must judge and evaluate what he is saying. She is listening to decide whether her colleague's message is fact, fiction, or opinion. Sharon is engaging in discriminative listening.
True
Which of the following statements about virtual meetings is most accurate?
Two of the most significant reasons for the shift to virtual meetings are saving travel costs and reducing employee fatigue.
Which of the following is the best advice for searching the Web?
Use Boolean search words, such as "AND" or "NOT"
Your firm's policy is to respond to some of the comments your customers make on Facebook and Twitter. What should you do when responding to these comments?
Use a friendly, upbeat, professional tone.
Elizabeth wants to avoid monotony and add spark to her business messages. What should she do?
Use a variety of sentence types.
What is the most accurate statement about white space in a business document?
Use headings, bulleted or numbered lists, and effective margins to create the desired amount of white space.
Franco wants to emphasize the new features of a product he is selling. What should he do?
Use vivid words to describe the features.
As discussed in class, which company continues to struggle in international markets?
Walmart
Which of the following sentences best controls exuberance?
We are happy to learn that your banquet room is available on December 15.
Which of the following is the best example of an effective buffer in a bad-news letter telling a job applicant that she didn't get the position for which she interviewed?
We enjoyed meeting you last week to discuss your qualifications for the medical clerk position.
Which of the following is the best opening for an adjustment message?
We have credited your account for $24 to refund your dining bill.
Lydia is anticipating the audience for a report she is writing. What question should she ask during this stage of the writing process?
What do my readers already know about my topic? How will my readers react to the information in my report? What sources will my readers trust?
When should the direct pattern be used to communicate negative news?
When firmness is necessary
In which of the following situations should the indirect pattern of organization be used for a business report?
When readers must be educated about the topic
Effective persuaders may choose from different organizational strategies to get the results they want. Which of the following is the most accurate statement about organizational patterns?
When you expect resistance or when you need to educate the receiver, use the indirect organizational pattern.
Christopher, the head of his company's accounting department, is writing a persuasive message to encourage his staff to cut operating costs. What should he do to generate cooperation and buy-in?
Write the message with a positive, enthusiastic tone.
Mary has decided that she must apologize to a customer in her buffer. Which of the following is the bestexample of an effective apology?
You have every right to be concerned, and we sincerely apologize for the delay in filling your order. To prevent this from occurring again, we have upgraded our software and retrained our order takers.
Which of the following statements about anticipating and profiling your audience is most accurate?
You will adjust your tone, style, and content to accommodate the expectations and needs of your audience.
Which sentence best illustrates the "you" view?
You will receive your complete walking tour itinerary one month before your trip.
Which of the following is the most effective subject line for a routine response message?
Your June 5 Inquiry About Venice Travel Packages
Which of the following is the best closing sentence for a letter requesting information?
Your answers to these questions by May 31 will help us decide which product to purchase.
The best notes for oral presentations contain
a complete sentence or two introducing each major idea.
Business letters are preferred over e-mail messages when
a permanent record is required. a message is confidential. formality is necessary.
n conversation with a Korean businessperson who speaks English fairly well, Meaghan discovers that much of what she has just said was not understood by the Korean. In continuing the conversation, Meaghan should
accept blame for the misunderstanding and use simpler language.
Showing customers how your product or service specifically solves a problem, achieves a personal or work objective, or makes life easier is accomplished by
adapting the message to the audience.
The first step in writing a report is to
analyze the problem and purpose
Most job refusal letters
are general, simple, and short.
Communicators in high-context cultures
are more likely to be intuitive and contemplative.
Robert says that he will answer his client's questions "as soon as possible." Robert plans to answer the questions by early next week; his client expects the answers by the end of the day. This misunderstanding results from___________.
bypassing
According to the lead attorney for Ripoff Report, the first thing that a company should do when a public relations crisis occurs is
call and connect your legal counsel with your leader in public relations
The type of heading that starts at the beginning of a paragraph, is set off with bold or italic, and ends with a period is a _______________ heading.
category
Reading an oral presentation
causes the audience to lose confidence in the speaker's expertise.
Gerard's company will no longer store its data using in-house hardware and software; instead, data will be stored online at a remote location. This type of technology is called
cloud computing
Knowledge and information workers must be able to think critically, make sound decisions, and _______
communicate information to others
A team must decide whether to adopt a new procedure for submitting expense claims. Team members have decided to continue their discussion until all team members have aired their opinions and, ultimately, agree with the decision. What method for reaching group decisions is this team using?
consensus
Conclusions will usually be more objective if
consistent criteria are used in evaluating options.
The sentence "I am writing this e-mail message to let you know that we have received and processed your return."
contains a long lead-in.
During his research, Ryan notices that employees who wear suits to work have higher productivity figures. Ryan has identified a possible
correlation
Communication skills are
critical to effective job placement, performance, career advancement, and organizational success.
Speakers can establish credibility by
describing their qualifications.
Rebecca is writing a memo to her staff about an upcoming training session, and she is sure they'll be pleased with the news. Rebecca should use the
direct pattern.
Messages explaining instructions will be most readable if you
divide the instructions into steps list the steps in the order in which they are to be performed begin each step with an action verb
"So that your needs can better be met in the future, please complete the online survey about your shopping experience." This is an example of ______________
emphasizing receiver benefits.
The most effective groups and teams have members who are willing to
establish rules and abide by those rules.
Suzanne was born and raised in the United States. Because she has been taught that it is best to be direct when speaking in the workplace, Suzanne expects her Vietnamese coworkers to share her belief. Suzanne's misconception is the result of
ethnocentrism
The most significant trends in today's dynamic workplace include global competition, team-based projects, flattened management hierarchies, new communication technologies, and
expectations of around-the-clock availability
Jay includes the sentence "Let me know whether I can answer any questions" at the end of his e-mail message as a way to encourage ________________.
feedback
The statement "Did you know you can get home delivery of The Wall Street Journal for 40 percent less than the newsstand price?"
gains attention by asking a question that focuses on reader benefits.
Shauna has interviewed several of her colleagues to gather their ideas for improving productivity. She now has raw verbal data to analyze. What is the best tool to analyze raw verbal data?
grid
By tradition, Asian and Arab businesspeople typically place a high value on
group decision making.
One of the most important tasks in preparing well-organized messages is
grouping similar ideas together.
Thinking creatively and critically means
having opinions that are backed by reason and evidence.
The introduction to an oral presentation should accomplish three goals: capture your listeners' attention, preview your main points, and
identify yourself and establish your credibility.
The best placement for a statement of bad news in a message is
in a subordinate clause.
When incorporating a graphic in the body of your report, you should
include a reference to the graphic in the text.
In a letter advertising its recycling services, The Greenfield Recycling Company stresses that customers will feel the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped to preserve the environment. This persuasive technique relies on
indirect benefits to the reader.
Paraphrasing
involves accurately presenting ideas from another source in your own words and sentence structure.
In a recommendation letter, Nathan falsely accuses former employee Caroline of treating her supervisor disrespectfully. This action is considered to be
libel.
Instructions or directives moving downward from superiors to subordinates usually require
little persuasion.
Mina wants to use the communication medium with the highest social presence. Which of the following should she choose?
live chat
A strong motivator that encourages ethical behavior in business is the desire to
maintain one's reputation and credibility
Organizations form teams because teams are able to respond faster, demonstrate increased productivity, and ___________________________.
make better decisions
Robert must send an e-mail message to a client in Turkey. He is carefully selecting his words to ensure that his Turkish client, who speaks English as a second language, will understand them. He is involved in which part of the communication process?
message encoding
"To start your home water delivery service immediately, call us at 1-800-555-1111" is an example of
motivating action.
The indirect pattern of organization is best for readers who
must be persuaded.
The opening of a direct claim letter should
open with a clear statement of the problem or with the action you want the receiver to take
The sentence "There are four new items that we will add to our menu next month." could be made more concise by eliminating a(n)
opening filler
When a state senator told an audience that she learned to be a leader while playing on her college volleyball team, she was building rapport by using a(n)
personalized statistics
The best choice to graphically illustrate the percentage each expense represents of total company expenses is a(n)
pie chart.
Shauna is writing a document that will compare and contrast different retirement plans. She will most likely use the ____ paragraph plan.
pivoting
The body of a routine request or response message should
present details that explain your request or response.
A good introductory paragraph for a business report should
preview the main points and the order in which they will be developed. tell the purpose of the report. describe the significance of the report topic.
A cultural generalization that is flexible and open to new definitions is called a
prototype
The best way to evaluate your finished written message is by
receiving feedback
The purpose of a buffer statement in a negative message is to
reduce the reader's shock or pain related to the bad news
The statement "A Kodak all-in-one printer may cost a little more, but you'll pay far less for replacement ink than you will with other printers"
reduces resistance.
"Basic fundamentals," "exactly identical," and "necessary prerequisite" are all examples of
redundancies
To improve communication and to compete more effectively, many of today's companies have
restructured and reengineered themselves into smaller operating units and work teams
In her presentation Valerie says, "I will now discuss three possible solutions to our employee turnover problem." This is an example of _______
showing the organization of her presentation.
When price is an obstacle, the most effective sales messages reduce resistance by
showing the price in small units.
Proofreading includes checking ________________
spelling, grammar, and punctuation. format. names and numbers.
Communicators in low-context cultures
tend to be logical, analytical, and action-oriented.
When choosing the best channel for your message, you should consider the importance of the message, the necessity of a permanent record, the cost of the channel, the degree of formality desired, the confidentiality and sensitivity of the message, and
the amount and speed of feedback and interactivity required.
Ethan has a microwave oven that stopped working properly within the warranty period. He plans to write a claim letter to the company. Because he feels his request to have his microwave oven repaired at no cost is justified and will be granted, he should use
the direct strategy.
Routine request and response messages should be written using
the direct strategy.
Where should you place the main idea in a routine business letter?
the opening
The process of communication is successful only when
the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it.
The body of a short, 20-minute presentation should focus on
two to four main points.
A properly formatted business letter should __________
use block style or another accepted business letter format.
Helpful previews, summaries, and transitions in an oral presentation are examples of
verbal signposts.
Angelina uses her computer to access an online meeting room where she takes part in meetings with her department members. In this meeting room, participants are able to present PowerPoint slides and Word documents, share spreadsheets, demonstrate products, visit Web pages, and use a white board. Angelina and her colleagues are using what type of collaboration technology?
web conferencing
Which of the following statements would be the best closing for a persuasive claim or complaint letter?
"Please credit my account for $256 by August 31, which is when my next billing cycle begins."
