Deck 4: Planning Business Messages

Question 1

Determining whether a message will be transmitted by e-mail or delivered in person is part of

A) selecting the appropriate audience for the message.
B) using the correct tone for the message.
C) adapting a message to the audience.
D) selecting an appropriate form or channel for the message.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Business writing should do which of the following?

A) Show your thought processes and prove that you internalized the subject matter.
B) Present information clearly and concisely.
C) Look at problems and situations from the writer's perspective.
D) Strive to impress the reader with your extensive knowledge, powerful vocabulary, and graceful phrasing.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following takes place during the third phase of the 3-x-3 writing process?

A) Edit the message to make sure it is clear, conversational, concise, and readable.
B) Proofread the message for spelling, grammar, punctuation, names, numbers, and formatting errors.
C) Evaluate the message to decide whether it will achieve its purpose.
D) All of these choices

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Chandra is writing an e-mail message to her colleagues to encourage them to attend a voluntary training program.Her primary purpose is to

A) inform.
B) promote goodwill.
C) persuade.
D) intimidate.

Question 5

In Lisbeth's new job, she will be writing many professional business messages.What is the best advice you can give her?

A) To make writing easier, follow a systematic process when preparing and writing business messages.
B) Include many references to your feelings to humanize your messages.
C) Make your business messages and reports fairly lengthy to show how much work you put into them.
D) Draw on your prior writing experience and imagination to produce creative ideas for your business messages.

Question 6

Jorge is working on a sales brochure to promote a new product.Which of the following will Jorge do during the third phase of the writing process?

A) Anticipate how customers will react to the message.
B) Proofread the brochure carefully for correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
C) Conduct all necessary research to make sure that the brochure will meet his customers' needs.
D) Decide how to organize the brochure to make it most persuasive to his customers.

Question 7

The primary purpose of messages that explain procedures, announce meetings, answer questions, or transmit findings is to

A) persuade.
B) inform.
C) promote goodwill.
D) sell.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about business writing is least accurate?

A) Business writing is different from writing done in high school and college classes.
B) When writing business documents, quantity enhances quality.
C) Business writers should have a definite purpose to fulfill in each message.
D) Business writing should be focused on the reader.

Question 9

Giorgio is writing an e-mail message to a customer to tell him that the customer's order has been shipped.His primary purpose is to

A) inform.
B) persuade.
C) sell.
D) promote goodwill.

Question 10

How can one become a better business writer?

A) Follow a systematic process such as the 3-x-3 writing process.
B) Study models of successful business messages.
C) Practice writing a variety of business messages.
D) Do all of these choices.

Question 11

Jenny is an event planner and is responding to an e-mail request from a client.What should Jenny do during the second phase of the writing process?

A) Check the format of the message.
B) Proofread for spelling and grammar errors in the message.
C) Determine the best organizational pattern for her reply message to the client.
D) Analyze the situation and anticipate how her client will respond to her message.

Question 12

The primary purpose of messages that sell products, convince managers, motivate employees, and win over customers is to

A) persuade.
B) inform.
C) promote goodwill.
D) educate.

Question 13

Which of the following occurs during the second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process?

A) Decide on the purpose of your message.
B) Profile your audience.
C) Conduct research to gather the data you need to provide facts.
D) Evaluate whether your message will achieve its purpose.

Question 14

Which of the following takes place during the first phase of the 3-x-3 writing process?

A) Edit the message to make sure it is clear, conversational, concise, and readable.
B) Write the rough draft.
C) Gather any needed information through formal or informal research techniques.
D) Decide what techniques you will use to adapt your message to the audience.

Question 15

Emma is writing a proposal to solicit business from a potential client.She should expect to spend the most time on

A) analyzing the purpose of the message and anticipating the needs of the client.
B) revising, proofreading, and evaluating the proposal.
C) composing the first draft of the proposal at her computer.
D) researching the information to include in the proposal.

Question 16

The best business writing is purposeful, persuasive, audience oriented, and

A) technical.
B) economical.
C) aggressive.
D) feelings oriented.

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a message with a secondary purpose?

A) An e-mail message inviting employees to attend a seminar about benefit options
B) A proposal listing important reasons to implement a telecommuting program for employees
C) A sales letter containing a bulleted list of key product features
D) A company's letterhead stationery that is printed on quality paper and includes a carefully designed logo representing the company

Question 18

A company's annual report describes the company's efforts to give back to the community.The primary purpose of this report is to ____; the secondary purpose is to ____.

A) inform; promote goodwill
B) persuade; inform
C) inform; persuade
D) promote goodwill; persuade

Question 19

Which of the following statements about the 3-x-3 writing process is most accurate?

A) Experienced writers usually spend the most time on the third phase of the writing process.
B) The steps of the writing process must always be followed in order.
C) The 3-x-3 writing process is useful only for longer, more complex documents.
D) The writer decides whether a document achieves its purpose in the first phase of the writing process.

Question 20

As a customer service rep, Joseph is responding to a customer's question sent to him via e-mail.What is the very first task Joseph should do?

A) Hit the "Reply" button.
B) Determine the purpose of the message he will send as a response.
C) Start composing his reply.
D) Conduct any necessary research.

Question 21

You want to maintain a positive tone in an e-mail message you are writing to your colleagues about an upcoming event.What should you do?

A) Spotlight audience benefits.
B) Cultivate the "you" view.
C) Sound conversational but professional.
D) All of these choices

Question 22

Which of the following sentences uses conversational, middle-level diction?

A) Hey, dude! UR not gonna believe this! Come by 2C me B4 you leave 2day.
B) Salutations! I deem it possible that you will be perplexed by what has transpired on this very day. Please approach my office to confer with me before you depart for the present day.
C) Hello! You will not believe what I just learned. Drop by my office before you leave today to discuss it.
D) All of these sentences use conversational, middle-level diction.

Question 23

Which of the following is the best wording to avoid racial, ethnic, age, and disability bias?

A) Hsiao-Nan Yi, a Chinese American, was elected board president.
B) James O'Keefe, 56, will deliver the keynote address at the awards banquet.
C) AARP membership is open to anyone age 50 or over.
D) Our new receptionist is confined to a wheelchair.

Question 24

Which of the following sentences does not show gender bias?

A) Two policemen will provide security for our awards banquet.
B) Every flight attendant must submit her security clearance card before boarding.
C) All managers and their wives are invited to Friday's cocktail party.
D) The servers at Circa are always professional.

Question 25

Gerald is writing a sales letter about a new delivery service.In anticipating and profiling the audience, he should

A) call or e-mail all members of his audience to learn more about them.
B) realize that he can't write a good letter unless he knows exactly who the readers will be.
C) try to get a general idea of who his audience is.
D) look in the files to see how previous sales letters were written.

Question 26

Because of budget cutbacks, you must lay off your receptionist.What is the best way for you to deliver this message?

A) Send her an e-mail message
B) Send her a brief text message
C) Meet with her in a face-to-face conversation
D) Leave her a voice mail message

Question 27

Which sentence best illustrates the "you" view?

A) Our walking tours include free admission to all museums.
B) We are happy to send you our current calendar of walking tours.
C) We look forward to having you join us on one of our exciting walking tours.
D) You will receive your complete walking tour itinerary one month before your trip.

Question 28

____ is the process of creating a message that suits your audience.

A) Anticipation
B) Adaptation
C) Researching
D) Analyzing

Question 29

You want your writing to sound positive and courteous.Which of the following sentences has the best choice of wording?

A) Please give us your feedback about your online ordering experience.
B) You claim that your order arrived with two damaged items.
C) We cannot process your order until we receive your credit card number.
D) Turn in your sales figures by Monday.

Question 30

Which of the following statements about the "you" view is most accurate?

A) The "you" view emphasizes first-person pronouns such as I, we, and our.
B) Be careful because second-person pronouns such as you and your can be overused and misused.
C) The "you" view can be used effectively in all business messages.
D) First-person pronouns such as I, we, and our should be avoided in business messages because they take the focus off the reader.

Question 31

Nicole is putting together the results of a month-long study containing complex data on employee satisfaction.Which communication channel will she most likely use?

A) Memo
B) E-mail
C) Fax
D) Report

Question 32

____, which is conveyed largely by the words in a message, affects how a receiver feels upon reading or hearing a message.

A) Attitude
B) Organization
C) Tone
D) Empathy

Question 33

You are in charge of preparing a sales brochure and must profile your audience.What question should you ask to profile your primary audience?

A) What do I know about this person's education, beliefs, culture, and attitudes?
B) How much does this person know about the subject?
C) Should I expect a neutral, positive, or negative response to my message?
D) You should ask all these questions.

Question 34

So that your needs can better be met in the future, please complete the online survey about your shopping experience is an example of

A) identifying the purpose of your message.
B) emphasizing receiver benefits.
C) emphasizing sender benefits.
D) analyzing the task.

Question 35

When choosing the best channel for your message, you should consider the importance of the message, the necessity of a permanent record, the cost of the channel, the degree of formality desired, the confidentiality and sensitivity of the message, and

A) the amount and speed of feedback and interactivity required.
B) the ability of the channel to showcase your technical expertise.
C) your own communication channel preferences.
D) the ability of the channel to make your company look cutting edge.

Question 36

You have to deliver confidential information to a client.What is the best communication channel to use?

A) Fax
B) E-mail
C) Letter
D) Voice-mail message

Question 37

You must schedule a meeting with team members located in various countries.The best communication channel to use when group interaction is important but group members are geographically dispersed is a

A) blog.
B) videoconference or audioconference.
C) instant messaging.
D) face-to-face meeting.

Question 38

Your virtual team is working on several shared documents.You want to use a communication channel that will allow all team members to add, remove, and edit digital content easily.Your best choice is

A) a wiki.
B) a blog.
C) e-mail.
D) a text message.

Question 39

Jonathan is starting his first full-time job after graduating from college, and he wants to sound conversational but professional on the job.What is the best advice you can give him?

A) Avoid using instant messaging on the job because doing so will make him look unprofessional.
B) Strive for an informal, conversational tone in most business messages.
C) Use IM abbreviations and slang in his professional messages to be concise and to show that he's up-to-date with technology.
D) Use high-level diction in most business messages.

Question 40

Which of the following statements about anticipating and profiling your audience is most accurate?

A) If you don't actually know your readers, it is impossible to picture what they are like.
B) Messages to management and decision makers may be the easiest to write.
C) You will adjust your tone, style, and content to accommodate the expectations and needs of your audience.
D) You should profile your primary audience only.

Question 41

Business communicators generally spend the most time on the prewriting phase of the 3-x-3 writing process.

Question 42

You want to simplify your language and use short, familiar words that your audience will recognize.Which of the following sentences has the best wording?

A) Your remuneration will be commensurate with your results.
B) Please substantiate that the new color scheme doesn't obfuscate the overall message.
C) Employees are invited to attend a special luncheon.
D) Your presence at Friday's meeting is compulsory.

Question 43

Select the most accurate statement about team writing.

A) Collaborative writing is especially important for short documents, such as memos, letters, and information briefs.
B) Because collaboration usually takes longer, collaborative writing is not useful for documents with short deadlines.
C) Members of effective teams are usually eager to implement their recommendations.
D) Team-written documents and presentations are not standard in most organizations because collaboration has many disadvantages.

Question 44

Employee evaluations should contain

A) an assessment of traits such as a person's reliability.
B) negative statements about the employee even if they cannot be substantiated.
C) information about specific incidents, such as "working effectively with a team to produce a ten-page proposal."
D) All of these choices

Question 45

What is the most accurate statement about copyrights?

A) The Copyright Act of 1976 protects authors of published works only.
B) Under fair use, individuals must obtain permission to use any copyrighted material.
C) The Internet has made the concept of fair use even more vague.
D) The distinctions between fair use and copyright infringement are clearly defined.

Question 46

What should you do to avoid copyright infringement?

A) Assume that nearly everything created privately and originally after 1989 is copyrighted and protected.
B) Realize that Internet items are not in the public domain.
C) Ask for permission to use copyrighted materials.
D) All of these choices

Question 47

Business writers are usually most focused on discussing their feelings and displaying their knowledge when writing most business messages.

Question 48

You can enhance the quality of your business writing by making it lengthy and by adding complex vocabulary words.

Question 49

Robert is gathering data for a business proposal he is writing.Robert is in the first phase of the writing process.

Question 50

The first question to ask yourself when composing a business message is "What channel should I use to send the message?"

Question 51

Anthony is part of a virtual team collaborating on a written proposal.Which of the following collaboration tools can help his team work together on this shared document?

A) Mailing lists and discussion boards
B) Blogs and wikis
C) Groupware and portals
D) All of these choices

Question 52

Kenna is part of a team that will be preparing a presentation to a potential client about her company's services.What will her team likely do the first time they meet?

A) Brainstorm for ideas.
B) Begin their research.
C) Start preparing PowerPoint slides.
D) All of these choices

Question 53

Preparing a business message or presentation is easier and more efficient if you have a systematic process to follow.

Question 54

The steps in the 3-x-3 writing process must be followed in order.

Question 55

You want to use strong verbs and concrete nouns to give your readers more information and keep them interested.Which of the following sentences has the best wording?

A) Your order will ship next week.
B) Please contact me if you have any questions.
C) Our latest income statement shows a decrease in profits.
D) The January balance sheet reports a 10 percent decrease in liabilities.

Question 56

Sharon is trying to decide whether to call her boss or to send an e-mail message.Sharon is in the first phase of the writing process.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about team writing is most accurate?

A) In preparing big projects, teams will usually function together for each phase of the writing process.
B) Team members are more likely to work together during Phase 2 of the writing process than any other phase.
C) To save time, teams should go through the revision and evaluation phase just one time.
D) Team members will usually gather at the beginning of a project to brainstorm.

Question 58

Business writing should be purposeful, persuasive, economical, and audience oriented.

Question 59

Which of the following sentences contains the least dangerous wording?

A) We would like to inspect your facilities next week.
B) We assure you that our stock prices will rise over the next year.
C) I plan to visit your department tomorrow.
D) Our site visit will determine whether the building meets fire codes.

Question 60

The third phase of the writing process involves revising, proofreading, and evaluating your message.

Question 61

You can start lowering your energy expenses immediately is an example of an audience-focused sentence.

Question 62

Instant messages, e-mail messages, business letters, memos, and reports are most effective when they use a formal tone.

Question 63

Good attorneys always defend their clients demonstrates better business writing than A good attorney always defends his client.

Question 64

Professional business messages should not include IM abbreviations such a BTW, slang, sentence fragments, or chitchat.

Question 65

You need to make a decision by the end of the day is an example of sentence that uses a positive tone.

Question 66

The only thing that matters when choosing a channel to send a business message is the cost involved.

Question 67

The sentence You neglected to provide your account information makes good use of positive language.

Question 68

Exhibiting sarcasm or anger in a business message can help you get your point across or meet your goals.

Question 69

Because jargon can be confusing, it should never be used in business writing.

Question 70

Profiling the audience means anticipating how both primary and secondary audiences will react to a message.

Question 71

Anticipating and profiling the audience for a message helps a communicator determine what to emphasize, how to be convincing, and what words and tone to use.

Question 72

I have decided to allow you to take Friday off effectively applies the "you" view.

Question 73

Business messages that persuade sell products, convince managers, motivate employees, and win over customers.

Question 74

Business messages that inform explain procedures, announce meetings, answer questions, and transmit findings.

Question 75

Meaghan must deliver confidential information to her boss.She should choose e-mail as her communication channel.

Question 76

A face-to-face conversation is considered a richer medium than a written report or proposal.

Question 77

Deciding whether the receiver of your business message will be neutral, positive, or negative will help you to effectively organize the message.

Question 78

Words like denigrate, the undersigned, and expropriate should be used in business messages because they will make you sound more professional.

Question 79

The "you" view emphasizes second-person pronouns instead of first-person pronouns.

Question 80

Race, ethnicity, and age should never be mentioned in business writing.