MCOM 3010 Grant Midterm

Which of the following should be done when answering many questions in a favorable response message? Address each question in a separate message so that each response stands out. Begin with a general statement and answer all the questions in a single paragraph. Answer the most important question in one message and all the other questions in a different message. Begin the message by letting the reader know that you are complying with his/her request. Request the sender to limit the number of questions.

Begin the message by letting the reader know that you are complying with his/her request. When a response involves answering a single question, you should begin by answering that question. When it involves answering two or more questions, one good plan is to begin by answering one of them—preferably the most important. An alternative is to begin by stating that you are giving the reader what he or she wants—that you are complying with the request.

Which of the following sentences will be most effective in attracting attention in a routine inquiry? There is some information that I need from you. I am the human resources director of Dave Consulting and am wondering if you could send... Your banquet facilities appear to be just what we need. Could you please send the following information regarding... It is important that I know how many...

Could you please send the following information regarding... Sentences that merely hint at a need for information do not attract much attention. The questions that stand out are those written in question form. Such a beginning is most direct and lets the reader know what he/she can expect in the message.

Which of the following sentences uses the active form of the verb? The quarterly inspection of the supplies department will be carried out by the new inspector, Mr. Timothy Pool. Equipment sales for January 2010 increased by 4 percent to reach the $2 million figure. The management was very supportive of the new quality initiatives suggested by the shop-floor staff. A marginal increase of 3 percent in expenses was reported in the results posted last week. The employees were intimated about the change in policy a little too late.

Equipment sales for January 2010 increased by 4 percent to reach the $2 million figure. The sentence "Equipment sales for January 2010 increased by 4 percent to reach the $2 million figure" uses the active form of the verb. A sentence with a verb that can take a direct object (the recipient of the action) can be written either in a direct (active) pattern or an indirect (passive) pattern. You can make your verbs livelier by using active voice.

Which of the following sentences illustrates the correct usage of idioms? We had to comply to this policy. The new employee is equally as bad as his predecessor. Sally acted in accordance to the guidelines. I completely agree with you. We cannot comply to your request.

I completely agree with you. The sentence "I completely agree with you" uses the idiom "agree with" correctly. Idioms are word combinations that have become standard in a language.

In which of the following cases will the indirect order of organizing information be most appropriate? In an email response approving an employee's leave request In a letter to a colleague requesting for certain sales reports In an email sent to a supplier asking for raw materials In an email containing the weekly newsletter which details the activities of the organization In an email apology to a customer for dispatching the wrong order

In an email apology to a customer for dispatching the wrong order

The use of a buffer in a negative message indicates _____. a direct delivery of the bad news without any explanation the writer's unwillingness to offer an alternative solution the writer's frank and blunt manner of expressing news the writer's consideration for the feelings of the reader that the writer is not trying to cushion the bad news

In terms of writing bad-news messages, a buffer gives readers a chance to prepare for the news—and even if they suspect that it will be negative, the use of a buffer indicates consideration for their feelings.

Which of the following is true of extrinsic benefits and intrinsic benefits? Intrinsic benefits are relatively short-lived. Intrinsic benefits are those that a reader gets automatically by complying with a request. Extrinsic benefits are relatively long-lived. Intrinsic benefits are the added benefits that emphasizes product features. Extrinsic benefits are emphasized in persuasive messages.

Intrinsic benefits are benefits that readers get automatically by complying with the request in a persuasive message.

Which of the following is true about social media? Social media is used solely for personal purposes and not for business purposes. Messages on social networking sites are not restricted to a fixed number of characters. Messages on social networking sites cannot be viewed by the public. Messages on social media sites should be presented in the inverted pyramid style. Social media presents a platform for extremely private exchanges.

Messages on social media sites should be presented in the inverted pyramid style. Messages on social media sites should begin with your main point (what you need your reader to do, think, feel, or believe as a result of reading your message) and then follow with details in order of importance. This style is exactly the same as the inverted pyramid style, where the main point is presented first, followed by supporting information and then by any historical or background information.

Which of the following is a powerful strategy for maintaining goodwill while presenting bad news? Delivering the message directly without asking a third person to do so Trying to buffer the bad news at the cost of concealing the truth Conveying the message after the reader has gathered the news from other sources Taking out time to provide an alternative solution to the reader Using a forward-looking note with promotional material and an apology

Taking out time to provide an alternative solution to the reader For this reason, it is one of the most powerful strategies for maintaining goodwill.

Which of the following is a feature shared by both print and online texts? The sharpness of the letters and images The paper and window size The linearity of content The resolution The color pattern for writing

The color pattern for writing As with printed text, writers should use colors that are appropriate for an audience's culture and visually appealing. For most readers, this tends to be a dark text on a light background.

Which of the following is an abstract statement? Operating expenses for the last quarter of 2012 were higher by 12 percent. The majority of last week's call monitoring reports was found to be above par. Of the 22 candidates who applied for the supervisory post, eight scored below 35. The new product research division will be launched in August 2015. John got his final promotion on the 20th of April 2012.

The majority of last week's call monitoring reports was found to be above par. The sentence "The majority of last week's call monitoring reports was found to be above par" is an abstract statement. Concrete is the opposite of abstract. While abstract words are vague, concrete words stand for things the reader can see, feel, taste, or smell.

Which of the following should be avoided for clear communication? Removing redundant words in sentences Removing see-saw sentences Removing stringy words Using shorter substitution for cluttering phrases Using long sentences for emphasis

Using long sentences for emphasis Sentence length affects emphasis. Short sentences carry more emphasis than long, involved ones. They call attention to their contents by conveying a single message without the interference of related or supporting information.

One of the differences between print and Web text is that _____. print text is reader-centered Web text tends to be more accurate Web text is nonlinear print text can produce comprehensive data more concisely Web text does not use bulleted lists

Web text is nonlinear Print text can be distinguished from Web text in that print text tends to be linear, while Web text is nonlinear. When people read print documents, they often start at the beginning and continue reading until they reach the end. By contrast, online readers scan for relevant information and may be diverted by links or other features of the display in their search.

Which of the following is the most appropriate way to make an inquiry in a routine inquiry message? I had a problem accessing the office email from home yesterday. I am not sure if there is a way to access email on mobile devices. Would you please tell me how I could access email on my cell phone? Many employees carry cell phones and would like to access office email on these devices. Hey, my name is Andrew. You may know I work for the sales team.

Would you please tell me how I could access email on my cell phone?

If a routine inquiry involves only one question, it is best to _____. use the we-viewpoint instead of the you-viewpoint present the question at the end of the message ask the question immediately and then move to a goodwill ending embed the question in the body of the message employ a writer-centered approach

ask the question immediately and then move to a goodwill ending

The direct order of organizing information in a message is likely to produce the most effective result _____. a. in a letter to the parents of a student regarding his absenteeism b. in an email to a customer offering to replace a defective product c. in a memo to an employee informing her of the termination of her service d. in an email appreciating the best-performing employees of the quarter e. in a letter to a customer apologizing for the non-availability of a product

d. in an email appreciating the best-performing employees of the quarter

The persuasive appeals identified by Aristotle that are based on the character of the speaker are referred to as _____. ethos pathos catharsis logos hamartia

ethos Aristotle had categorized persuasive appeals into three kinds: those based on logic (logos), those based on emotion (pathos), and those based on the character of the speaker (ethos).

The opening of a persuasive request is to lead into the central strategy. However, the opening of any persuasive request also has the important function of _____. gathering information about the reader gaining the attention of the reader making the request clear and positive summarizing the contents of the entire message getting straight to the point of the message

gaining the attention of the reader