Question 1

Identify the three criteria that effective buffers must fulfill.What are some statements that are often used as buffers?

Accepted Answer

To be effective,a buffer must put the reader in a good frame of mind,not give the bad news but not imply a positive answer either,and provide a natural transition to the body of the letter.The kinds of statements most often used as buffers are good news,facts and chronologies of events,references to enclosures,thanks,and statements of principle.

Question 2

While stating reasons in a negative message,it is good to use as many reasons as possible,including weak and strong ones.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 3

All kinds of negative messages should contain an apology in order to sound sincere.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 4

List the factors by which an audience's reaction is influenced.

Accepted Answer

The factors by which an audience's react

Question 5

Which of the following should be undertaken while creating disciplinary notices?

Accepted Answer

A)  Present them directly to prevent reducing importance of the notice 
B)  Present them by starting and ending with a positive statement 
C)  Minimize severity of an issue with the help of buffers 
D)  Use generalizations and inferences for all statements made 
E)  Avoid citing quantifiable observations of the employee's behavior 
A)  Present them directly to prevent reducing importance of the notice 
B)  Present them by starting and ending with a positive statement 
C)  Minimize severity of an issue with the help of buffers 
D)  Use generalizations and inferences for all statements made 
E)  Avoid citing quantifiable observations of the employee's behavior

Question 6

During layoffs and firings,a company should:

Accepted Answer

A)  avoid communicating the problem with employees. 
B)  ensure layoff notices come as a surprise to employees. 
C)  state reasons ambiguously to avoid confrontation. 
D)  give the employee an honest reason for the layoff or firing. 
E)  be professional by avoiding empathizing with affected employees. 
A)  avoid communicating the problem with employees. 
B)  ensure layoff notices come as a surprise to employees. 
C)  state reasons ambiguously to avoid confrontation. 
D)  give the employee an honest reason for the layoff or firing. 
E)  be professional by avoiding empathizing with affected employees.

Question 7

Which of the following is a good subject line for a negative message and ensures that it will not be ignored by a reader?

Accepted Answer

A)  Office closed on 24th April 
B)  Holiday in the coming week 
C)  Celebrate Easter on April 24th 
D)  Easter Holiday next week 
E)  Office Update on Holidays 
A)  Office closed on 24th April 
B)  Holiday in the coming week 
C)  Celebrate Easter on April 24th 
D)  Easter Holiday next week 
E)  Office Update on Holidays

Question 8

The best way to organize a negative message depends on the audience and on the severity of the negative information.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

A way for managers to prepare for possible negatives is by giving full information as and when it becomes available.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Jetline Airways regularly mails quarterly statements of frequent flier miles earned to their customers.To save money,they are going to stop mailing statements and ask customers to look up the information at their website.Which of the following should Jetline Airways state in their message to the customers which would convert the negative message into a positive one?

Accepted Answer

A)  "This is your last Preferred Passenger paper statement." 
B)  "Next month onwards, we will be unable to mail you frequent flier miles earned." 
C)  "New, convenient online statements will replace this quarterly mailing." 
D)  "Please check our website every time you need details about frequent flier miles earned." 
E)  "If you need updates about frequent flier miles earned, refer to our website." 
A)  "This is your last Preferred Passenger paper statement." 
B)  "Next month onwards, we will be unable to mail you frequent flier miles earned." 
C)  "New, convenient online statements will replace this quarterly mailing." 
D)  "Please check our website every time you need details about frequent flier miles earned." 
E)  "If you need updates about frequent flier miles earned, refer to our website."

Question 11

Deborah Banks has been asked by her manager to send the progress report of a campaign she worked on.To send the report,she needs to collect updates from the communication,advertising,and media manager of the project.Though she receives updates from the advertising and media manager on time,update from the communication manager comes in late.She could thus,not send the report on time.Which of the following should she say when she writes to the manager while sending the report?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Please consider my sincere apologies for the delay. I had to wait for the update from the communication manager." 
B)  "I am sorry I could not send the report in on time. The communication manager sent the update this afternoon." 
C)  "I needed the communication update before sending you the report. Now that I have it, please find enclosed the report." 
D)  "Do consider apologies from our entire team for not sending the report on time." 
E)  "I am sorry I could not meet the deadline for submitting the report. I can assure you it will not happen again." 
A)  "Please consider my sincere apologies for the delay. I had to wait for the update from the communication manager." 
B)  "I am sorry I could not send the report in on time. The communication manager sent the update this afternoon." 
C)  "I needed the communication update before sending you the report. Now that I have it, please find enclosed the report." 
D)  "Do consider apologies from our entire team for not sending the report on time." 
E)  "I am sorry I could not meet the deadline for submitting the report. I can assure you it will not happen again."

Question 12

Which of the following is true of claims in a business communication?

Accepted Answer

A)  They should always be conveyed through a paper trail instead of a phone call. 
B)  They should invariably start with a buffer to ensure they are seen as a strong claim. 
C)  They should include supporting facts such as what went wrong and the extent of damage. 
D)  They should be free from identifiers because they tend to cloud a reader's judgment. 
E)  They should ambiguously project the problem at the end of a message. 
A)  They should always be conveyed through a paper trail instead of a phone call. 
B)  They should invariably start with a buffer to ensure they are seen as a strong claim. 
C)  They should include supporting facts such as what went wrong and the extent of damage. 
D)  They should be free from identifiers because they tend to cloud a reader's judgment. 
E)  They should ambiguously project the problem at the end of a message.

Question 13

Jessica George has been a loyal customer of the International Bank of Japan for over ten years now.Over the years,she has never faced any major problem with the bank.However,when she applied for a house loan recently,her request got rejected.Which of the following is most likely to be a psychological reactance by George toward the bank?

Accepted Answer

A)  Recommending the bank's customer service to a friend 
B)  Opening a current account there to help grow her money better 
C)  Closing her current account and switching to another bank 
D)  Opting for Internet banking to keep track of her expenses 
E)  Discussing with the loan manager why her application was rejected 
A)  Recommending the bank's customer service to a friend 
B)  Opening a current account there to help grow her money better 
C)  Closing her current account and switching to another bank 
D)  Opting for Internet banking to keep track of her expenses 
E)  Discussing with the loan manager why her application was rejected

Question 14

While delivering negative messages to clients,one should make inconspicuous refusals so that it does not offend the reader.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

A message which contains a serious negative should always be delivered by e-mail.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Which of the following negative messages are the most difficult to write?

Accepted Answer

A)  Product recalls 
B)  Pamphlets 
C)  Sales letters 
D)  Press releases 
E)  Brochures 
A)  Product recalls 
B)  Pamphlets 
C)  Sales letters 
D)  Press releases 
E)  Brochures

Question 17

To maintain a good image of the communicator and the communicator's organization is a secondary purpose of a negative message.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

An audience's reaction can be influenced by whether it has been warned of possible negatives.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

A negative message to a customer should end with:

Accepted Answer

A)  a positive, forward-looking statement. 
B)  a statement restating the problem. 
C)  clear data about the negative information. 
D)  explanation of the history of the problem. 
E)  account of how the problem took place. 
A)  a positive, forward-looking statement. 
B)  a statement restating the problem. 
C)  clear data about the negative information. 
D)  explanation of the history of the problem. 
E)  account of how the problem took place.

Question 20

A person should write a buffer only when one is sure that he/she can write a good buffer.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Identify the three criteria that effective buffers must fulfill.What are some statements that are often used as buffers?

While stating reasons in a negative message,it is good to use as many reasons as possible,including weak and strong ones.

All kinds of negative messages should contain an apology in order to sound sincere.

List the factors by which an audience's reaction is influenced.

Which of the following should be undertaken while creating disciplinary notices?

During layoffs and firings,a company should:

Which of the following is a good subject line for a negative message and ensures that it will not be ignored by a reader?

The best way to organize a negative message depends on the audience and on the severity of the negative information.

A way for managers to prepare for possible negatives is by giving full information as and when it becomes available.

Which of the following is true of claims in a business communication?

While delivering negative messages to clients,one should make inconspicuous refusals so that it does not offend the reader.

A message which contains a serious negative should always be delivered by e-mail.

Which of the following negative messages are the most difficult to write?

To maintain a good image of the communicator and the communicator's organization is a secondary purpose of a negative message.

An audience's reaction can be influenced by whether it has been warned of possible negatives.

A negative message to a customer should end with:

A person should write a buffer only when one is sure that he/she can write a good buffer.

Succeeding in Business Communication

Adapting Your Message to Your Audience

Building Goodwill

Navigating the Business Communication Environment

Planning, Composing, and Revising

Designing Documents

Communicating Across Cultures

Working and Writing in Teams

Sharing Informative and Positive Messages With Appropriate Technology

Crafting Persuasive Messages

Building Resumes

Writing Job Application Letters

Interviewing, writing Follow-Up Messages, and Succeeding in the Job

Planning and Researching Proposals and Reports

Creating Visuals and Data Displays

Writing Proposals and Progress Reports

Analysing Information and Writing Reports

Making Oral Presentations

Filters

Exam 10: Delivering Negative Messages

Identify the three criteria that effective buffers must fulfill.What are some statements that are often used as buffers?

While stating reasons in a negative message,it is good to use as many reasons as possible,including weak and strong ones.

All kinds of negative messages should contain an apology in order to sound sincere.

List the factors by which an audience's reaction is influenced.

Which of the following should be undertaken while creating disciplinary notices?

During layoffs and firings,a company should:

Which of the following is a good subject line for a negative message and ensures that it will not be ignored by a reader?

The best way to organize a negative message depends on the audience and on the severity of the negative information.

A way for managers to prepare for possible negatives is by giving full information as and when it becomes available.

Which of the following is true of claims in a business communication?

While delivering negative messages to clients,one should make inconspicuous refusals so that it does not offend the reader.

A message which contains a serious negative should always be delivered by e-mail.

Which of the following negative messages are the most difficult to write?

To maintain a good image of the communicator and the communicator's organization is a secondary purpose of a negative message.

An audience's reaction can be influenced by whether it has been warned of possible negatives.

A negative message to a customer should end with:

A person should write a buffer only when one is sure that he/she can write a good buffer.

Succeeding in Business Communication

Adapting Your Message to Your Audience

Building Goodwill

Navigating the Business Communication Environment

Planning, Composing, and Revising

Designing Documents

Communicating Across Cultures

Working and Writing in Teams

Sharing Informative and Positive Messages With Appropriate Technology

Crafting Persuasive Messages

Building Resumes

Writing Job Application Letters

Interviewing, writing Follow-Up Messages, and Succeeding in the Job

Planning and Researching Proposals and Reports

Creating Visuals and Data Displays

Writing Proposals and Progress Reports

Analysing Information and Writing Reports

Making Oral Presentations

Filters