study guide 1

Which of the following statements about page layout for formal reports is true? All margins should be equal. The margin that you will be binding should be a half inch larger than the other margins. The top and bottom margins should be a half inch larger than the side margins. Margins should be no more than a half inch wide. The right and left margins should be an inch wide.

The margin that you will be binding should be a half inch larger than the other margins.

Wikipedia is usually not used as a main resource for research because it can be used only for primary research. is written by and maintained by volunteers. gives only an interpretive approach to a topic. utilizes electronic personal agents. cannot be used to learn about a new subject.

is written by and maintained by volunteers.

For printed rÈsumÈs, the most appropriate type size is 12 to 14 points for headings and 10 to 12 points for body text. 18 to 20 points for the heading and 6 to 8 points for body text. 10 to 12 points for the heading and 18 to 20 points for body text. 10 points for the heading and 10 points for body text. 20 to 30 points for the heading and 10 to 20 points for body text

12 to 14 points for headings and 10 to 12 points for body tex

Which of the following statements about headings in formal reports is true? All headings of various levels have much the same format. A given heading level must be used at least twice within that section of a report. It is acceptable for a subheading to directly follow a heading with no text between them. Headings should always be placed at the top of the page. Headings are most effective if they are centered.

A given heading level must be used at least twice within that section of a report.

Which of the following is true of transmittal messages? A transmittal message should be highly formal and not personalized. You should avoid using personal pronouns and conversational language when writing a transmittal message. The transmittal message and the executive summary should be presented separately in an informal report. A transmittal message should end with a pleasant, forward-looking comment. In informal situations, the transmittal message usually takes letter form

A transmittal message should end with a pleasant, forward-looking comment.

Sheena is writing a memo to her employees about an upcoming client meeting and is including a copy of the meeting's schedule. Which of the following should she note at the bottom of the memo? Enclosure Attachment Included Copy Addition

Attachment

Which of the following lists the four most common headings used in memorandums or memos Company, Address, Date, Subject To, From, Subject, References Date, Address, From, Subject Date, To, From, References Date, To, From, Subject

Date, To, From, Subject

Which of the following statements about emails is true? Writers can use only a limited number of characters in an email. Email is the best channel for highly sensitive or difficult communication. Emails can be archived and filed for easy access to a written record of correspondence. Emails offer a great deal of confidentiality. Emails are the least widely used means of written communication at workplace.

Emails can be archived and filed for easy access to a written record of correspondence.

If you are an interviewer, which of the following questions does the law permit you to ask What religion do you practice? How old are you? Are you married? Do you plan to have children? How much are you expecting to get paid?

How much are you expecting to get paid?

Which of the following questions would be asked as part of a behavioral interview? Why do you think we should hire you for this job? Are you comfortable working night shifts? How would you tackle a project with a deadline that you're sure you can't meet on your own? You have an excellent college record, but how does it translate into your being an efficient employee? Where do you see yourself five years from now?

How would you tackle a project with a deadline that you're sure you can't meet on your own

Which of the following statements is true about obtaining an internship? Interns always get paid for their time, expertise, and labor. Interns can gain real-world, marketable skills. Internships typically involve an employer taking unfair advantage of an unpaid or low-paid worker. Unlike a paid internship, an unpaid internship carries no value. Someone who takes part in a paid internship is more likely to receive a lower starting salary offer than someone who undertakes an unpaid internship.

Interns can gain real-world, marketable skills.

Which of the following is a characteristic feature of an online library catalog? Answers:It enables you to search the material in several ways. It provides only non-indexed content. It is the best source for primary research. It increases a blog's rating. It generates only archaic information.

It enables you to search the material in several ways.

When organizing the information in a rÈsumÈ, which of the following is true of a functional layout? It features a "Highlights" or "Summary" section that includes key points from the three conventional information groups: education, experience, and personal qualities. It is particularly good for those who have had many jobs, have taken nontraditional career paths, or who are changing fields. It presents your education and work experience from the oldest to the most recent. It is particularly good for those who have progressed in an orderly and timely fashion through school and work. It is the most common strategy for organizing the information a rÈsumÈ

It is particularly good for those who have had many jobs, have taken nontraditional career paths, or who are changing fields.

Which of the following is true about secondary research? It primarily involves gathering data through methods of direct observation. It uncovers information firsthand. It uses material that someone else has published. It includes user testing. It primarily involves gathering data through experiments.

It uses material that someone else has published

Which of the following statements about reports is true? All reports have a consistent format and an equal number of components. As the need for formality decreases, the number of components in a report increases. When the situation is informal and the report is short, prefatory pages are included. A business writer should decide the makeup of a report on the basis of its topic and cost. Less complex problems and less formal situations will require less elaborate reports.

Less complex problems and less formal situations will require less elaborate reports.

Which of the following about memos or memorandums is true? Memos, at present, are used instead of emails as a means of communicating within a business. Memos are primarily used to communicate with external audiences. Memos have the same form as other messages. Memos most often use casual or informal language. Memos are especially useful for communicating with employees who use computers in their work.

Memos most often use casual or informal language.

Which of the following is true about social media? Companies are not allowed to reject candidates based on social media information. Social media sites do not restrict messages to a fixed number of characters. Messages on social networking sites are private and cannot be accessed by the public. Messages on a company's social networking site need to be brief and concise. When using social media, one must present the main objectives of the message at the end

Messages on a company's social networking site need to be brief and concise.

In the context of finding an employer, which of the following is true of career centers? Career centers tend to charge for their services. Very few schools have career centers. Career centers primarily attract employers who are looking for experienced applicants for executive positions. Career centers do not maintain databases on registrants' school records, rÈsumÈs, and recommendations. Most career centers have directories listing major companies with contact names and addresses.

Most career centers have directories listing major companies with contact names and addresses.

Which of the following statements about impersonal and personal writing is true? Impersonal writing uses first and third person, but omits second person. Impersonal writing is usually easier to comprehend than personal writing. Personal writing is generally more conversational and interesting than impersonal writing. Personal writing uses only the third person. Impersonal writing should always be used when writing reports.

Personal writing is generally more conversational and interesting than impersonal writing.Personal writing uses only the third person.

Which of the following statements about purpose statements is true? Purpose statements are not used when the problem statement is stated in a business report. Infinitive phrases are avoided when writing purpose statements. Purpose statements are short constructions of one or two words and merely identify the topic of discussion. Purpose statements are placed at the end of business reports. Purpose statements are often written in the form of a question.

Purpose statements are often written in the form of a question.

The conventional outlining system uses _____ to show the major headings in a report irrational numbers letters of the alphabet Arabic numbers rational numbers Roman numerals

Roman numerals

Which of the following headings from a report violates parallelism of construction? Slight Increase in Bank Debits Freight Loadings Increase Slightly Shipping Receipts Remain Unchanged Online Sales Reach New High Construction Activity Ends

Slight Increase in Bank Debits

Which of the following statements about text messaging is true? The writing in text messages is exactly the same as the writing in more traditional message forms. Text messaging does not place a limitation on the number of characters a writer can use in a message. Text messaging is primarily used for sending detailed text messages from one computer to another. The need for brevity in text messaging has led to the creation of many abbreviations. Text messaging delivers messages at a much higher speed than instant messaging.

The need for brevity in text messaging has led to the creation of many abbreviations.

Which of the following organization patterns is best suited for creating an outline of a report regarding the progress of a company merger? the place-based pattern the quantity-based pattern the place-quantity pattern the time-based pattern the quality-based pattern

The time-based pattern

Which of the following about instant messaging in a business setting is true? Instant messaging differs from text messaging in that instant messaging is primarily voice-based. The use of emoticons in an instant message is dependent on the target audience. The abbreviations used in instant messaging vastly differ from those used in text messaging. The language used in instant messaging is mostly formal. Instant messaging avoids the use of informal language.

The use of emoticons in an instant message is dependent on the target audience.

Which of the following best describes the purpose of coherence helpers? They enable the reader to understand each section's importance relative to the report's overall goal. They allow the writer to present the report in a personal, informal manner of communication. They reduce the length of the report. They enable the writer to present information directly without the use of summaries or introductions. They avoid the use of such transitional devices as "second," "next," and references to previous points.

They enable the reader to understand each section's importance relative to the report's overall goal.

Which of the following is the most appropriate opening for a letter of transmittal? It is my pleasure to inform you that the report has finally been completed. Thank you for permitting me to work on this report. This environmental impact report was compiled in response to your request on January 14. On January 3, you gave me the task of studying the effects of water pollution. The effects of water pollution are serious and deserve our attention.

This environmental impact report was compiled in response to your request on January 14.

Which of the following is the most appropriate problem statement for a business report on a decline in sales? to determine why company sales have declined Why have company sales declined? Sales have declined 10 percent since the last fiscal year. What is the reason for the decline of company sales? to investigate the cause of the decline in company sales

What is the reason for the decline of company sales?

Which of the following statements about the introduction of a long, formal report is true? It should use the we-viewpoint. It is usually quite simple as the readers likely know the problem well and do not need an introduction. Whatever will help prepare readers to receive the report is an appropriate inclusion. It is usually prepared for a small number of readers. It is rarely kept for more than the amount of time needed to address the associated issue or problem.

Whatever will help prepare readers to receive the report is an appropriate inclusion.`

Which of the following is the first step you should take when searching for a job or an internship? You should analyze the job market. You should analyze yourself. You should analyze your potential employers. You should analyze the job counselor. You should analyze the industry.

You should analyze yourself.

Which of the following statements about making a good appearance at an interview is true? You should wear whatever you would wear on a normal day. You should wear trendy clothing. You should wear conservative colors, such as black, brown, navy, and gray. You should avoid conformity in dress and grooming. You should dress for the job you ultimately want, not necessarily the job you are interviewing for.

You should wear conservative colors, such as black, brown, navy, and gray.

Marcel's boss has asked him to put together a formal report on how their company can adopt more energy efficient practices in a cost-effective manner. Marcel conducts extensive research and uses information from many sources while writing the report. What should Marcel include to acknowledge his sources a table of illustrations a table of contents a bibliography an acknowledgements section a memo of transmitt

a bibliography

If your report uses published sources, you should include a bibliography. an appendix. a summary. a recommendations section. a report preview.

a bibliography.

Which of the following information is not included on the title page of a report? the title a subject line the recipient's name the writer's name the date

a subject line

Luciana is assembling a formal report that she wrote for her company's executive board. The report covers a lot of complex financial information, so she included several tables to make it easier for the executives to locate specific numbers and see how they relate to one another. Which of the following would Luciana include to help the executives find specific tables? a bibliography a table of illustrations letters of transmittal an acknowledgements section a table of contents

a table of illustrations

In the absence of any information establishing Mr. Simon Chavez as a good credit risk, you conclude he is a poor risk and turn down his application for a store credit card. Which fallacy is most likely to undermine the validity of your decision? irrelevant data acceptance of lack of evidence as proof to the contrary comparison of noncomparable data illogical cause-effect conclusions unreliable data

acceptance of lack of evidence as proof to the contrary

After completing his internship, Ivan decides to search for a job. He decides to begin his search by sending physical copies of his rÈsumÈ to prospective employers. When describing in his rÈsumÈ the duties he performed as an intern last summer, he should use action-oriented, present tense verbs. action-oriented, past tense verbs. verbs in progressive future tense. verbs in present continuous tense. action-oriented, future tense verbs.

action-oriented, past tense verbs.

When two search terms are linked with the Boolean operator OR, it narrows the search. eliminates citations with a particular term. performs bibliographic management. retrieves only those citations that contain both terms. adds variations to the basic search term.

adds variations to the basic search term.

Which of the following transitions is dissimilar from the others in terms of the type of transition it makes? on the other hand in spite of however also on the contrary

also

A listserv is the same thing as an RSS feed. an electronic mailing list. used to connect LinkedIn members to others in their profession. the list of results retrieved during a library search. used to evaluate the trustworthiness of a website.

an electronic mailing list.

Which of the following is a source of primary research? an encyclopedia a government publication an almanac an interview a website

an interview

Information about when, how, and by whom the report was authorized, referred to as the ______, may be included in the introduction. meeting minutes facts of authorization purpose statement scope limitations

authorization

In the course of writing a business report, once you've defined the problem and identified your purpose, the immediate next step is to determine what factors you need to investigate. gather the required information. analyze the available information. use the test of experience. use the negative test.

determine what factors you need to investigate.

A report written in the indirect order first states its main point and then supplies the supporting information. is especially beneficial for readers who are in a hurry to receive the most important information first. is more likely to use personal pronouns than a report written in the direct order. presents the main findings, recommendations, and conclusion in the executive summary. begins with supporting information before stating its main conclusion.

begins with supporting information before stating its main conclusion.

Examine the following sentence taken from a report. Which relationship to the preceding content is established by the transitional phrase? "For this reason, we need to increase our factory output by 15 percent." contrast cause-effect likeness explanation enumeration of subjects

cause-effect

When preparing a rÈsumÈ, the logical next step after you organize your information is to include contact information. include a statement of objective. construct the headings. include a goodwill ending. select the background facts.

construct the headings.

With respect to the email format, Cc stands for customer copy. check correction. company copy. client conformation. courtesy copy.

courtesy copy.

Garrett conducts a study of a company that shows that employees who work more than eight hours a day are paid more than their co-workers. This leads Garrett to believe that working longer hours results in higher pay rates. However, re-analysis of the data from the study shows that the employees working longer hours have salaried jobs and are paid the same rate no matter how many hours they work. Their higher pay rate is a result of their increased responsibilities. Which of the following errors in interpretation is illustrated by Garrett's initial conclusion? drawing an illogical cause-effect conclusion drawing a conclusion when the facts do not support one interpreting a lack of evidence as proof to the contrary coloring interpretations to make them appear interesting trusting data from an unreliable source

drawing an illogical cause-effect conclusion

The Boolean operator NOT is primarily used to add variations to the basic search term. eliminate citations with a particular term. expand a search. segregate synonymous citations. broaden the scope of the searc

eliminate citations with a particular term.

When presenting your education in your rÈsumÈ, you should Include details such as your age, religion, and political affiliation. provide an explanation if your GPA is low (e.g., you worked 40-hours per week). include your GPA no matter how low it is. emphasize grades, projects, honors, or special recognition. omit study-abroad experiences.

emphasize grades, projects, honors, or special recognition.

The _____ is the report in miniature. executive summary title page table of contents transmittal message title fly

executive summary

Memorandums can be distinguished from other messages primarily by their purpose. style. language. users. form

form

Rather showing that you developed one skill on one job and another skill on another job, you can use the ______, a strategy for organizing information on a rÈsumÈ that groups related skills and is particularly good for those who have had many jobs. combined layout reverse chronological organizational layout accomplishments layout functional layout targeted layout

functional layout

Casual language and informal language are similar in that they do not use personal pronouns. have the effect of conversation. do not use colloquialisms. are primarily used to communicate with unknown external audiences. avoid using contractions.

have the effect of conversation.

Authorities who favor the inclusion of a statement of objective in a rÈsumÈ reason that it helps increase the overall length of the rÈsumÈ and gives it a more professional look. provides a concise summary of the skills and qualifications of the candidate. includes information that is not suggested by the remainder of the rÈsumÈ. helps a recruiter see quickly where an applicant might fit into a company. limits the applicant to a single position and eliminates consideration for other jobs that may be available.

helps a recruiter see quickly where an applicant might fit into a company

Using present-time viewpoint requires that all Verbs used be in the present tense and the active voice. verbs used be in the past tense. verbs used be in the past continuous tense. current information be presented in the passive voice and the present progressive tense. information other than the current information be presented in its proper place in the past or future

information other than the current information be presented in its proper place in the past or future

Keith is writing a long, formal report on market response to his company's newest product. However, he had only enough time to conduct and analyze the results of an email survey, rather than the focus groups he thinks would have yielded more in-depth and accurate information. This constraint on time is a ______ that Keith should explain in his report so his readers know how to evaluate his information. limitation scope fact of authorization purpose method

limitation

Before appearing for an interview, you should avoid learning about the company so that you have plenty of questions to ask the interviewer. dress in clothes that express your personality and style. avoid wasting time on preparing answers or questions for the interviewer. let your emotions flow so that the interviewer can see your true colors. practice answers to common interview questions to help put yourself at ease.

practice answers to common interview questions to help put yourself at ease.

The pages that come before the actual report itself and that are included when the situation is formal and the report is long are referred to as appendices. prefatory pages. proposal notes. first-pass pages. supplements.

prefatory pages

The _____ statement of a business report provides a clear description of the situation that created the need for the report complimentary purpose salutation problem hypothesis

problem

Which of the following involves job seekers directly approaching potential employers by personal visit, mail, or email? headhunting job counseling sourcing job consulting prospecting

prospecting

Which of the following would you do while conducting secondary research? read a journal article ask interview questions engage in direct observation conduct an experiment hand out surveys

read a journal article

During the report-writing process, to minimize errors while interpreting your information you should add color to interpretations to make the report more interesting. always reach a conclusion. make the facts more exciting than they actually are. refrain from collecting representative data. refrain from interpreting a lack of evidence as proof to the contrary.

refrain from interpreting a lack of evidence as proof to the contrary

A metasearch engine allows you to search websites using more than one search engine. conduct online surveys quickly and efficiently. narrow your search much like the Boolean operator NOT. search the web itself rather than indexes. conduct primary research.

search websites using more than one search engine.

Which of the following is considered appropriate to include in your rÈsumÈ when listing personal information? social activities gender marital status race religion

social activities

Which of the following forms of communication places a strong emphasis on brevity? emails text messages letters memos white papers

text messages

What four elements are typically contained on the title page of a formal report? the publication date, the report title, the report's conclusion, the report website the name of the person for whom the report has been prepared, your company's name, your company's address, the date the report title, your name, your company's name, your company's address the report title, your name, the name of the person for whom the report has been prepared, the presentation date the report title, the presentation date, the number of pages in the report, your name

the report title, your name, the name of the person for whom the report has been prepared, the presentation date

The difference between a title fly and a title page is that a title fly only contains the report title. title page is only included to give the report a formal appearance. title fly is used to identify the reader, the writer, and the date. title fly also contains a summary. title page does not contain a subtitle.

title fly only contains the report title.

Once a job has been secured, which of the following activities should be avoided? keeping a finger on the pulse of the job market updating your rÈsumÈ only when applying for a new job keeping up on your professional reading assessing and acquiring different skills required for the job staying alert to better job opportunities

updating your rÈsumÈ only when applying for a new job

Which of the following is an appropriate practice for improving your interpretation of findings? drawing a conclusion by comparing two sets of dissimilar data adding color to interpretations to make the report more interesting accepting without question information from groups that advocate a position using research to determine whether a cause-effect relationship is likely

using research to determine whether a cause-effect relationship is likely

With respect to email format, the link "Bcc" or "blind courtesy copy" is used when the sender wishes to stress that one or more of the recipients are not primary contact persons. wants the recipient to forward the email to a specific set of people. wants to forward copies of the email without the knowledge of the primary receiver. does not want the recipients of the email to get in touch with each other. wants to attach files to the email for the primary receiver to download.

wants to forward copies of the email without the knowledge of the primary receiver.

Which of the following phrases from a rÈsumÈ is not in the same parallel grammatical form as the others? developed monthly client reports coordinated company projects negotiated with vendors was responsible for managing the sales team organized quarterly file audits

was responsible for managing the sales team

Which of the following is an internal factor that you need to consider when identifying an appropriate job? the projected job market economic needs your special qualifications the current job market your family's needs

your special qualifications