BA 1500 FINAL

Which of the following illustrates a characteristic of an excellent business thinker?

Boris uses a variety of sources such as journal articles and colleagues' expertise.

A status update is also known as a

microblog

External persuasive messages tend to

focus more on promoting products and services.

Which of the following is least important when analyzing data related to a business problem?

focusing on tangential issues

Nearly all reports contain ______ to help readers quickly navigate through them.

headings

The use of familiar words in business messages is most likely to

help the readers to process the information easily.

In a blog post, you have _____ to draw your readers in.

5 to 15 seconds

Which of the following statements about a table of contents is true?

A table of contents is expected for nearly any report over ten pages long.

What is the recommended thing to do if you observe unethical behavior in the workplace?

Ask questions that challenge the rationalization of the behavior.

The FAIR test is seldom used for evaluating persuasive messages because they are not fact based.

False

The bar chart, due to its limited forms, is less versatile than the pie chart or the line chart.

False

Tony is creating a survey on customer satisfaction. An appropriate question to include would be "Please describe your ideal customer service experience and tell us whether your experience with Sailboat Hospitality lived up to your expectations."

False

Typically, an announcement is broadcast to very few receivers.

False

Using percentages in tables, as opposed to counts, makes it difficult for readers to make effective comparisons quickly.

False

Writers should typically use the active voice when they want to avoid blaming others or sounding bossy.

False

Your professional profile should not include any of your interests outside of work.

False

When conducting a FAIR test on a routine message, the most important aspect to consider is respect.

False (accuracy)

The use of buzzwords in business messages usually stirs positive feelings among readers.

Fasle

What does the "I" in the FAIR test of ethical business communication stand for?

Impacts on Stakeholders

Which of the following statements about leading questions is true?

In surveys, leading questions produce unreliable and unusable information.

The ______ Age is characterized by mass two-way communication and respect for expertise and position.

Information

Which of the following best summarizes the differences between internal and external persuasive messages?

Internal persuasive messages focus on promoting ideas, whereas external persuasive messages focus on promoting products.

Which of the following is a reason why greetings and names are omitted from emails?

Some professionals view emails as the equivalent of memos, which traditionally omit names and greetings.

Why might a writer decide to create a business report in a slide deck format?

to make it visually stronger and more creative

Spoken messages in the workplace are low in control but high in richness.

true

Which of the following techniques is most likely to make business messages more positive?

using constructive terms

Calvin, a human resources manager of K5 Textiles believes that the company can improve employee retention rates by improving employee benefits. In outlining his argument to the company's leadership team, he points out that a large technology firm had success with such a strategy. Calvin's message fails to convince K5's leadership team. Which of the following is the likely cause of their reaction?

weak analogy

Which of the following online actions is most likely to damage your professional reputation?

writing a glowing recommendation of a colleague with whom you have never worked

Karin supervises five teams. She wants to give an award to the team that has successfully created a high-trust relationship. Which team should she choose?

Team A, whose members communicate well and are easy to motivate

When bad-news message recipients know you are concerned about them, they generally respond without antagonism and even appreciate your honesty.

True

You can raise the credibility of your report by providing supporting details for your conclusions.

True

What can you do to encourage employees to read announcements?

Use a specific, catchy subject line that creates interest.

Which of the following is a common component of all routine messages, including messages that express sympathy?

a statement of goodwill

When he is working on his monthly reports, Gus has a habit of asking colleagues questions via IM instead of looking up data himself. Because of this, Gus is likely to be perceived as

a taker

Which of the following is an effective way of delivering a negative performance review?

adopting a team-centered orientation

Amira is managing the development of a reference book. She is in New York. Her lead writer is in California, and her fact-checking team is in India. The team is working under a tight budget. All parties need to communicate about strategy and schedule. Which communication channel is most likely to meet their needs?

an electronic discussion thread

Trevor has to inform one of his subordinates that he is no longer being considered for a promotion. In his message, he should end with

an expression of goodwill.

In a blog post structured like a press release, what does the first paragraph do?

answers basic questions

Dale has written a proposal for a new initiative. Which of the following will help him evaluate how his message will impact stakeholders?

applying the FAIR test`

It is important to ask colleagues to review persuasive messages because persuasive messages

are directed to people who resist your ideas, products, or services.

Serena, the owner of Cozy Cloud Spa, wants to know how her customers feel about the experience at her location. One of the questions in her survey questionnaire reads, "On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate our prices, comfort, and service?" This question is ineffective because it

asks about multiple ideas.

Veronica, a sales manager at West Wind Apparel Company, is reviewing the performance of her team. She observes that one of her subordinates, Melissa, has performed poorly in the last quarter. When giving Melissa a negative performance review, Veronica should ensure that she

asks for Melissa's perspectives on her poor performance.

Most business arguments employ a deductive approach. When employing this approach, you are most likely to

begin by stating the primary message, which is typically a recommendation.

A public relations team's first step is to

clarify the company's brand.

Logan dislikes email and texting because he cannot hear the other person's tone of voice or see facial expressions. Logan's frustration is related to a lack of

cues

Keiko manages a team of graphic designers. She distributes a document describing in detail each task for an upcoming project. Each task is assigned to a specific member of her team. What aspect of setting expectations does this accomplish?

describing responsibilities

Which of the following formatting methods increases the effectiveness of tables?

ensuring that each grid line serves a distinct purpose

Which of the following is typically included in the reviewing stage of writing an effective business message?

ensuring that the communication is fair

An employee congratulating his employer's son on his engagement is an example of social media complicating relationships between employees and employers.

false

Jorge, the shipping manager at Durable Products, writes a memo proposing that that they stop using RoadHog Trucking Company and ship everything by L.B. Haines. The reason he gives is that two of the accounts that have been shipping by L.B. Haines during the last year increased their orders by more than 10%, so he is certain that switching trucking firms will cause other accounts to grow too. The executives of the company do not accept Jorge's suggestion. Why was his memo unconvincing?

faulty cause/effect argument

James usually wants other people to think well of him, but when he is online, he feels anonymous enough to say profanely negative things. What is the term for such comments?

flames

Eric has been hired by Brooks Automotive to asses whether the company should air television commercials only in the local market. He is planning a study of the relationship between local television commercials and the sales of new vehicles. Which of the following is the best way for Eric to define his research problem?

Determine how effective television commercials are in convincing viewers to purchase new vehicles.

A manager who acts out of self-interest is more likely to be viewed as credible than one who does not.

False

Employees usually speak up when they observe potentially unethical behavior.

False

Generally, charts are the least effective way of quickly demonstrating a key point or relationship.

False

Mass sales messages in the form of emails have high success rates.

False

One characteristic of high-performing organizations is that employees will share bad news with superiors but not with each other.

False

Prepositional phrases should be used in business messages to increase clarity.

False

Readers will respond better to a business message that has an objective, uninvolved tone.

False

Strong nouns and verbs make persuasive messages seem dull or mundane.

False

In what way does caring help establish credibility in the business world?

It encourages people to demonstrate accountability.

Why has transparency become so important in the post-trust era?

It helps reduce the fear that unethical or dishonest practices are being conducted in secret.

How does having a high level of trust impact communication?

It improves communication because people feel less resistance to ideas.

Which of the following statements about paraphrasing is true?

Paraphrasing involves using your own words to express the meaning of the original speaker.

Malik uses appraisal software to provide regular feedback to his employees. Which of the following is an example of something he should not do with the software?

Rank each employee's performance on a scale from one to ten.

Raj tends to generalize in his writing because he believes that makes his writing easy for most people to understand. What is the likely effect of his generalizations on his readers?

They may doubt his competence on the subject he is writing about.

Which of the following statements accurately describes the use of figures of speech, such as idioms and metaphors, in business writing?

They should be avoided because they lack specificity.

Delivering bad news without knowing the details tends to cause unnecessary anxiety among receivers.

True

Exaggeration adversely impacts readers' perception of the credibility of a business message.

True

It is the duty of government employees to act visibly, predictably, and understandably when dealing with the public.

True

One advantage of giving bad news in a written communication is that you can ensure that you state the bad news with great care and accuracy.

True

Posting about excessive weekend partying on Twitter can damage a person's chances of getting a good job.

True

Research-based business reports are generally collaborative efforts.

True

Reviewing business messages minimizes the possibility of embarrassing and damaging mistakes.

True

The closer you match your writing style to the way your readers think and talk, the easier it is for them to process the information you present.

True

The foremost requirement of any expression of sympathy is that it be sincere.

True

Three components are central in setting expectations for those you manage: describing responsibilities, providing deadlines, and discussing coordination.

True

Which of the following is an example of a bad-news message that is characterized by high severity and low controllability?

laying off an employee

Shelly is a popular figure in Tia's community. Tia signs up to participate in a charity event when she finds out that Shelly is also participating. Tia's behavior illustrates the psychological principle known as

liking

Email communication is characterized by

little coordination.

Which of the following formatting methods decreases the effectiveness of pie charts?

locating the smallest pie slice at 12 o'clock

Which task are you most likely to do during the final pass of proofreading?

look for typographical mistakes

When you reduce the confidence and positivity in your message, you run the risk of

making your idea seem weak or unexciting.

A person with high emotional intelligence will usually

manage emotions to respond constructively to negative feedback.

The most successful people are those whose

personal values align with the corporate values where they work.

In all business messages, communicators should ideally aim at

projecting positivity.

Which of the following aspects of writing business reports relates to the component of credibility known as character?

reporting information transparently

Using Microsoft Word can help you write a professional looking report by

providing easy tools for accurate documentation.

Using the "you-voice" is most appropriate to emphasize

reader benefits in external persuasive messages.

Which of the following types of messages will probably require the least amount of time for planning and reviewing?

routine messages

Which of the following is characteristic of a strong routine message?

short paragraphs

Which of the following is most likely to lower a person's credibility?

slanting facts

Which of the following facilitates a one-stop work space containing project and meeting information, shared files, and communication platforms?

social networking

Which of the following are almost always more appropriate as attachments?

spreadsheets

Sandy is writing a brochure to explain the benefits of buying produce from local farmers at the farmers' market rather than from chain grocery stores. Which of the following is most likely to make her brochure effective?

stories about local farm families who participate in the farmers' market

What is the advantage of front-loading a routine message?

t makes it easier to grab the reader's attention.

Which of the following components of a formal report falls under the category of "back matter"?

the bibliography

During the Information Age, the role of public relations broadened, and it came to be seen as a key component of

the marketing mix

Aaron needs help to meet a big deadline. Katy, who is not normally on his team, volunteers to help out. They meet the deadline. Aaron writes a heartfelt email to Katy to thank her for her help, but Katy does not respond. Her behavior is likely an example of

the neutrality effect

Which of the following should contain all your research sources and should be provided at the end of your report?

the reference list