Business communication test 2
Parallel writing
uses similar structures to express similar words.
The second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process begins with
researching the topic.
What is the recommended maximum number of words for a sentence?
20
According to writing experts, approximately what percentage of time should you spend on the prewriting phase of a business message?
25 percent
Which of the following kinds of business messages typically use the indirect strategy?
Sensitive messages
Which of the following business messages would not use the direct strategy?
A letter to a customer denying his or her request for credit
What is a sentence fragment?
A broken-off part of a sentence
Which of the following uses only active voice in a complete sentence?
A few unhappy customers criticized the company's rigid return policy.
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.
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.
Which of the following would probably best help a group achieve its goal?
Active listening skills
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 the best advice to follow when placing a business phone call?
All answer choices are good tips to follow when placing business phone calls.
Which of the following should be included in the minutes of a meeting?
All answer choices are items that should be included in the minutes of a meeting.
To build paragraph coherence, a writer should
All answer choices can build paragraph coherence.
Companies use virtual meetings to
All answer choices provide reasons companies use virtual meetings.
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 malpractice insurance.
Which of the following sentences is most effective in de-emphasizing the bad news?
Although cash refunds are not offered, you can exchange resalable merchandise.
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.
Which of the following is the best example of a response when answering calls for others?
Annette is away from her desk, but I will give her your message when she returns.
To emphasize an idea through mechanics, place it in
Any of these techniques would emphasize the idea.
Which of the following statements about meetings is most accurate?
As businesses become more team-oriented, people are attending more meetings than ever.
You are in a meeting receiving your performance review and are surprised that your supervisor has offered you many suggestions for improvement. How should you react to the criticism?
Ask for clarification of comments when necessary.
What is the first thing you should do before making a business telephone call?
Ask yourself if the phone call is necessary.
Which of the following is the best advice regarding workplace conversation?
Be courteous and attentive when conversing with managers, colleagues, subordinates, and customers.
What is the best advice for proofreading a complex document?
Be prepared to find errors.
Which of the following is a complex sentence?
Because of rising insurance premiums, many companies are offering employee-wellness incentives.
Which of the following uses parallel structure?
Big business demands superior forecasting, reporting, and analyzing.
Which statement is most accurate?
Business messages must be clear, concise, and readable.
What kind of sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause?
Complex sentence
What kind of sentence contains two independent clauses?
Compound sentence
Which of the following sentences emphasizes an idea through style?
Consider adding a statement of qualifications section on your résumé; but, most important, include specific and relevant previous employment information.
Proofreading includes which of the following tasks?
Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, names and numbers, and format
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.
What is your first task before holding a meeting?
Determining your purpose
How should a group leader keep a meeting progressing effectively?
Discourage members who monopolize the discussion
Which of the following is not an element of the communication process?
Displaying empathy
Which of the following statements about phones and phone usage in today's businesses is most accurate?
Effective business communicators know how to use phones productively, efficiently, and professionally.
Which of the following sentences demonstrates effective business writing?
Enclosed is our latest catalog.
Jeff will be leading a virtual team meeting. What should he do to make certain that the meeting runs smoothly and professionally?
Ensure that the technology is working for all participants before the meeting starts.
Which of the following is the best practice for a group when it begins a meeting?
Establish ground rules.
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.
Stephen is starting a new job and wants to demonstrate that he is a professional employee. What advice should he follow?
Exercise self-control and keep personal opinions of people private.
Which of the following about writing and revising business documents is most accurate?
Experts say only amateurs expect writing perfection on the first try.
Which of the following communication channels is considered the richest medium?
Face-to-face conversation
Which of the following statements about face-to-face communication is most accurate?
Face-to-face interaction is the most effective of all communication channels.
Which of the following would have a negative impact on a group?
Failing to stay on task
Which statement about the communication process is most accurate?
Feedback helps the sender know that the message was received and understood.
When the purpose of your meeting is to solve an intense problem, what is the recommended number of meeting participants?
Five or fewer
Which statement regarding type sizes and fonts is most accurate?
Fonts include caps, boldfacing, italics, underlining, outlining, and shadowing.
In what phase of team development do teams select members, become acquainted, build trust, and form a collaborative culture?
Forming
What is the ideal number of participants for most groups?
Four to five
Which of the following statements about workplace criticism is most accurate?
Giving and receiving criticism is a normal occurrence in the business world.
Which of the following is a simple sentence?
HMO and PPO insurance plans offer additional cost savings.
Which statement about proofreading is most accurate?
Good business writers wait at least 24 hours or longer to proofread a document.
How do recruiters and employers view the importance of professional behavior in the workplace?
Good manners and a businesslike, professional demeanor are among the top skills recruiters seek in applicants.
Which statement regarding headings is most accurate?
Headings highlight information and improve readability.
Shawn needs to record his outgoing message on his voice mail system. Which of the following outgoing messages is most professional?
Hi! You have reached the voice mail of Shawn Berg of Juarez Accounting. I am currently away from my phone but will return by 2 p.m. Please call back then. Thank you for calling.
Richard wants to prove that he is diligent and reliable. What is the best advice you can give him?
Honor his commitments and keep promises.
Which of the following sentences demonstrates conversational business writing?
I am upset about your return policy.
Which of the following statements about the power of the human voice is most accurate?
Individuals can learn to change their voice to make it more effective and powerful.
Which formal research source is best to obtain firsthand information?
Interviews
Which of the following is a formal research method?
Investigating primary sources
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.
Which of the following is the best advice to follow when dealing with conflict in a team?
Look for areas of mutual agreement.
Which statement about margins and text alignment is true?
Margins define the reading area and provide important visual relief.
Which of the following statements about professionalism in the workplace is most accurate?
More organizations are establishing procedures or policies to encourage professionalism.
How many typefaces should you use in a business document?
No more than two
Which of the following message openings is the most direct opening for an e-mail message announcing a new telecommuting plan?
Our new telecommuting program will begin on August 1.
In what phase of team development do members select alternatives, analyze effects, implement their plan, and manage their project?
Performing
Which of the following sentences avoids clichés?
Please encourage your department members to join the health club.
According to communication experts, what is the greatest failing of business writers?
Poor organization
Which of the following statement best provides constructive criticism?
Producing inferior work often causes this company to lose time and money.
Which statement about professionalism is most accurate?
Professionalism describes desirable workplace behavior.
Jue understands that soft skills and professional polish will ensure her long-term success on the job. Which of the following is not a soft skill?
Proficiency in using a variety of computer software packages
Which of the following is the best advice to follow when you proofread a routine document?
Proofread the document using a printed copy.
Ahna is sending a persuasive memo to her staff asking them to participate in the new wellness program. Which of the following sources of information would be most appropriate to help Ahna shape an effective persuasive message for her staff?
Questionnaires and surveys of employees
What is the best way to judge the success of your writing?
Receiving feedback from your receiver
Which of the following sentences best focuses on the audience?
Register now to lock in your preferred travel dates.
Which of the following is an advantage of the indirect strategy?
Respects the feelings of the audience
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
Which of the following is an advantage of the direct strategy?
Saves the reader's time
Elisha has just started a new job and must use a cell phone to communicate with coworkers and customers. What advice should she follow to demonstrate professional cell phone use?
Screen incoming calls if she is busy.
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.
What kind of sentence contains only one independent clause?
Simple sentence
Leticia has called a client and received his voice mail. What is the best advice you can give Leticia for leaving a message?
Smile when leaving her message to add warmth to her voice.
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.
Which of the following statements about workplace teams is most accurate?
Team members who are involved in the decision-making process show less resistance to change.
Which of the following statements about teams in today's business is most accurate?
Teams can be effective in solving problems and in developing new products.
Which of the following demonstrates the best example when answering a telephone call?
Thanks for calling Precision Integrations. This is Beth Dittmer. How may I help you today?
Which of the following sentences uses the most precise language?
The board approved a 34 percent budget increase.
The indirect strategy is most appropriate for what kind of messages?
The indirect strategy is appropriate for all answer choices.
Which of the following statements about the end of a meeting is most accurate?
The leader should provide a summary of accomplishments and a review of action items.
Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
The office personnel will assist you with your forms.
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.
All of the following sentences contain unnecessary fillers except
Three candidates are running for the board.
What is the most common serif typeface?
Times New Roman
You recently chaired a team implementing new federal confidentiality requirements. After implementation, you must evaluate each team member's performance. Which of the following suggestions about giving constructive criticism is not accurate?
To show more compassion, be as vague as possible.
Which of the following sentences uses modifiers correctly?
To take advantage of the discounted pricing, place your order immediately.
What do most business writers use as the first sentence in a paragraph?
Topic sentence
Tyler used a bulleted list on his résumé 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
What is a comma splice?
Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
What is a run-on sentence?
Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
Which of the following is the best advice to follow when receiving telephone calls for others?
Verify telephone numbers and spelling of names when taking messages.
What term describes groups of people who collaborate with one another to accomplish a shared task across space, time, and organizational boundaries using technology?
Virtual teams
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.
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 composing a business document, you should gather information that will answer which of these questions?
What is the receiver to do?
When should passive voice be used in business writing?
When you want to conceal the doer of the action
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 best avoids a long lead-in?
Yes, we will send the information you requested.
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.
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
Which of the following sentences demonstrates effective business writing?
Your proposal demonstrates how our call center can better meet the needs of our customers.
There is a new software company that will be hiring employees is an example of a sentence with
a filler.
The best definition of uptalk is
a rising inflection at the end of a sentence that makes statements sound like questions.
Paragraphs should
contain eight or fewer printed lines.
Words such as definitely, quite, actually, extremely, and totally are
adverbs that should be used only sparingly in business writing.
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.
The most successful workplace teams
agree on a purpose and procedures.
Effective communicators avoid the flabby expression in addition to the above by using the word(s)
also.
A meeting agenda should include the date and place of the meeting, start and end times, a brief description of each topic with its time allotment, and
any premeeting preparation expected of participants.
Long sentence lead-ins
are unnecessary introductory words.
A synonym for professionalism is
business etiquette.
Technology has changed the working environments of employees, that is why employees are telecommuting more than ever is an example of a
comma splice.
When preparing a business message, you should make your writing audience oriented. Audience oriented means you should
concentrate on looking at the problem from the receiver's perspective.
All of the following are informal research methods except
conducting a scientific experiment.
Transitions
connect ideas.
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.
Adaptation is the process of
creating a message that suits the audience.
The process of translating a message from its symbol form into meaning is called
decoding.
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.
Converting ideas into words or gestures to convey meaning is called
encoding.
In the final phase of the writing process, check the message for clarity and readability, proofread for errors, and
evaluate for effectiveness.
The direct strategy would be most appropriate when
expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral.
When you expect a reader of your message to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should
explain all background information first.
When creating a bulleted or numbered list,
express all ideas similarly.
As interns in human resource management, Brad and his team are administering a professionally developed employee questionnaire to collect information on workplace violence. This type of research produces data that is considered
firsthand information.
The communication process begins when the sender
has an idea.
Paragraphs are coherent when
ideas are linked; that is, one idea leads logically to the next.
Profiling the audience for a business message helps the writer
identify the appropriate tone, language, and channel.
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.
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.
All of the following would probably require informal research methods except
long reports and complex business problems.
Well-designed documents enhance readability and comprehension and
make readers think the writer is a well-organized and intelligent person.
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.
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.
Modifiers
must be placed close to the words they describe or limit.
A supporting sentence
must relate to the topic sentence.
How many ideas should be developed in a paragraph?
one
During the second phase of the writing process, you conduct research,
organize ideas, and compose the message.
Clichés are
overused expressions.
Active-voice sentences
place the subject of the sentence as the doer of the action.
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 from reaching the meaning of the sentence.
The primary purpose of business writing is typically to inform or persuade; a common secondary purpose is to
promote goodwill.
Saying words correctly and clearly with the accepted sounds and accented syllables reflects
proper pronunciation.
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.
When brainstorming to generate ideas, you should
record ideas without judging them.
Converting verbs into noun expressions
reduces verb strength.
Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the ____ stage of the writing process.
revising
Quality Building Materials Inc. has developed a new whole-house weather blanket and needs to determine the price point at which builders would switch to this new product. The best research method for this is a(n)
scientific experiment that presents price choices with controlled variables.
Michael usually holds 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.
Business writing should be all of the following except
sender oriented.
Professional behavior is comprised of six dimensions, including courtesy and respect, appearance and appeal, tolerance and tact, honesty and ethics, reliability and diligence, and
sharing and collegiality.
Business writing should be purposeful. In this context purposeful can best be defined as
solving problems and conveying information.
To use your voice effectively,
speak in a relaxed, controlled, well-pitched voice at about 125 words per minute.
A topic sentence
states the main idea of the paragraph.
Business messages should use positive language rather than negative language. Positive language
tells what is and what can be done.
Communication is successful only when
the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it.
Adapting your message to the audience involves
thinking of the right words and tone to use in your message.
Transitional expressions such as next, first, and finally are useful to show
time association.
The benefits of voice mail include eliminating unnecessary chit chat, telephone tag, inaccurate messages, and
time zone barriers.
Empathic 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.
All of the following are effective tips for creating an outline except
use a single item under a major component.
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 statements about professionalism is most accurate?
Demonstrating etiquette is important in the office and online.
An awareness of courtesy and etiquette
can improve an individual's chances of being hired and promoted.