Deck 11: Reporting in the Workplace

Question 1

Which of the following sentences uses the best writing style for a formal report?

A)After checking several references, the company decided to hire the consulting firm of Anderson, Williams, and Pardee.
B)After considerable research, we've decided to order the Aptura computer from ISB for our office staff.
C)I conducted extensive research that shows companies are recognizing the benefits of telecommuting.
D)My personal opinion is that we should implement the new tracking system at once.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In which of the following situations should the indirect strategy of organization be used for a business report?

A)when readers want results first
B)when readers are supportive
C)when readers may be disappointed or hostile toward the report's findings
D)when readers are familiar with the topic

Answer 2

C

Question 3

When the conclusions and recommendations appear at the end of the report, what is the organizational strategy?

A)indirect
B)spiral
C)direct
D)multifaceted

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following reports would most likely be written using a formal writing style?

A)a routine report about the progress a contracting firm is making
B)a research report about consumer trends written by a consultant for his client
C)a summary report about a seminar you attended written for your supervisor
D)a short summary of an article you read written for your boss

Question 5

In what order are most informational reports organized?

A)introduction/background, facts/findings, conclusions/recommendations, discussion/analysis
B)introduction/problem, conclusions/recommendations, facts/findings, discussion/analysis
C)introduction/background, facts/findings, summary/conclusion
D)summary/conclusion, introduction/background, facts/findings

Question 6

Which of the following types of report provides data or findings, analyses, and conclusions?

A)analytical
B)informational
C)informal
D)digital

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a purpose of business reports?

A)to convey information
B)to answer questions
C)to solve problems
D)to provide instructions

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of an analytical report?

A)a report giving the details about a training workshop attended
B)a report showing that a public company is in compliance with Canadian Securities Administration regulations
C)a report describing the new company dress code
D)a report recommending one of four building alarm systems

Question 9

Which of the following types of report presents data without analysis or recommendations?

A)analytical
B)informational
C)audit
D)yardstick

Question 10

In what order are most analytical reports organized?

A)introduction/background, discussion/analysis, facts/findings, summary/conclusion
B)introduction/problem, summary/conclusion, facts/findings
C)summary/conclusion, introduction/background, facts/findings
D)introduction/problem, conclusions/recommendations, facts/findings, discussion/analysis,

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of an informational report?

A)a report that recommends an event space for an upcoming conference
B)a report that compares three sites for a new clothing boutique location and recommends one
C)a report showing how a company has complied with Canada Revenue Agency regulations
D)a report that presents several alternatives for decreasing employee lateness, including recommendations for the best solution

Question 12

You must write a business report for a client and want to use a formal writing style. Which of the following should you do?

A)Emphasize by using the active-voice verbs.
B)Avoid including opinions and perceptions.
C)Use only first-person pronouns throughout.
D)Always use contractions throughout the report.

Question 13

Which of the following reports would most likely be written using an informal writing style?

A)a thesis submitted by a PhD student
B)a research report about economic trends written by a consultant for her client
C)a summary report written to your supervisor about a conference you attended
D)a business proposal written to secure a contract with a governmental agency

Question 14

In which of the following situations should the indirect strategy of organization be used for a business report?

A)when readers are familiar with the topic
B)when readers must be educated about the topic
C)when readers are supportive of the topic
D)when readers are only interested in recommendations

Question 15

Which of the following statements describes the function of business reports?

A)The larger an organization, the more vital the exchange and flow of information becomes.
B)Reports are prepared for internal readers, not external readers.
C)To be considered a business report, a document must be in writing.
D)To be considered a business report, the document must be at least ten pages in length.

Question 16

Which of the following types of reports would NOT be sent to someone outside the organization?

A)manuscript format
B)digital format
C)letter format
D)memo format

Question 17

Which of the following do reports written in a formal writing style tend to project?

A)subjectivity
B)authority
C)partiality
D)conviction

Question 18

Which of the following should you avoid when writing a formal report in today's business environment?

A)including detailed research
B)exploring controversial topics
C)referring to the writers of the report in third person
D)using figures of speech

Question 19

In which of the following situations should the direct strategy of organization be used for a business report?

A)when readers are familiar with the topic
B)when readers must be educated about the topic
C)when readers may be disappointed in the report's findings
D)when readers must be persuaded

Question 20

You are writing a short, routine report for your supervisor and want to use an informal writing style. Which of the following should you do?

A)Because you are writing to a superior, create a distance between yourself and the reader.
B)Avoid humour and figures of speech.
C)Use shorter sentences and familiar words.
D)Omit any colourful adjectives and adverbs.

Question 21

Which of the following is the best advice for a business report writer?

A)Prepare a written purpose statement at the beginning of the project.
B)Analyze only the primary reader of the report.
C)Work plans are useful for only the longest and most formal of reports.
D)If you have developed a comprehensive work plan, you do not need to consult with anyone else about your strategy.

Question 22

Jeremy is doing research for a report on diversity in the workplace. He needs reputable, full-text articles. Where should he begin his secondary research?

A)newspapers
B)books
C)electronic databases
D)websites

Question 23

Which of the following is the name for a collection of information stored electronically so that it can be accessed and search by computer or mobile electronic device?

A)periodical
B)book
C)database
D)card catalogue

Question 24

Which of the following would be part of a good work plan?

A)a detailed line chart
B)digital formatting
C)a clear research strategy
D)an annotated bibliography

Question 25

Where are the issues or elements to be investigated in a research project defined?

A)significance of the study
B)scope statement
C)recommendations to be offered
D)limitations of the study

Question 26

What type of data result from reading what others have experienced or observed and written down?

A)primary data
B)secondary data
C)unreliable data
D)sketchy data

Question 27

How should you begin nearly every business report assignment?

A)by generating primary data
B)by asking your colleagues for help
C)by evaluating the available secondary data
D)by selecting the type of paper on which you'll print the report

Question 28

An expanded statement of purpose for a study includes three additional factors. What are they?

A)scope, significance, and limitations
B)scope, conclusions, and recommendations
C)work plan, significance, and limitations
D)findings, conclusions, and recommendations

Question 29

Nadia is conducting research on the use of social networking sites by observing how her coworkers use these tools in the workplace. What type of data is she collecting?

A)primary data
B)secondary data
C)online data
D)questionable data

Question 30

Which of the following is the first step in writing a report?

A)Prepare a work plan.
B)Determine your research strategy.
C)Understand the problem or assignment clearly.
D)Compose the first draft.

Question 31

Heidi is writing a report about ways to reduce the size of some of her company's product packaging and is determining why the topic is worth investigating at this time. What is Heidi looking at?

A)scope
B)limitations
C)significance
D)purpose

Question 32

To help you understand the problem or assignment clearly when writing a complex report, which of the following written documents should you prepare to clarify the task?

A)statement of purpose
B)executive summary
C)problem statement
D)audience analysis

Question 33

In planning his report, Nolan breaks the major investigative problem into subproblems. What is this process sometimes called?

A)visualizing the problem
B)focusing the problem
C)factoring the problem
D)expanding the problem

Question 34

What are Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA) (ProQuest), EBSCO, and CPLQ examples of?

A)card catalogues
B)online catalogues
C)websites
D)research databases

Question 35

Which of the following is an effective statement of purpose for an informational report?

A)to tell the reader about the many different features offered on the Apple iPad
B)to analyze ways to offer our customers the best service possible
C)to solve the problem of employee turnover at the company's Charlottetown location
D)to determine which of three smartphones to purchase for our Sales Department staff

Question 36

Hailey will be writing a complex report about a research study she's conducting. Which of the following should she NOT do?

A)Prepare written purpose statements.
B)Start writing immediately.
C)Consider the needs of the primary and secondary readers.
D)Prepare a written problem question.

Question 37

In what format are long formal reports that are usually printed on plain paper?

A)memo format
B)manuscript format
C)letter format
D)handwritten format

Question 38

Which of the following statements about using books for business research is accurate?

A)Because books are obsolete, they should never be used for business research.
B)Books provide excellent historical, in-depth data.
C)Books are best for finding current data about technical trends.
D)Most business reports are based on research found in books.

Question 39

Which of the following is the best advice for searching the Web?

A)Choose your favourite search tool and use it exclusively so that you can master it.
B)Use just one or two keywords when conducting a search.
C)Use quotation marks to search for phrases.
D)Include articles and prepositions to make your searches more accurate.

Question 40

In what format are short (eight or fewer pages) informal reports addressed outside an organization usually presented?

A)memo format
B)manuscript format
C)letter format
D)handwritten format

Question 41

In which of the following ways do wise writers and speakers NOT use direct quotations?

A)to repeat identical phrasing of a source because of its precision, clarity, or aptness
B)to emphasize a point using as many quotations as possible
C)to duplicate the exact wording of a source before criticizing
D)to provide objective background data and establish the severity of a problem

Question 42

Tara, a student who is researching child psychology, is preparing to interview an experienced child psychologist. To conduct an effective interview, what should Tara do?

A)She should learn as much as possible about the field before conducting the interview.
B)She should try to do most of the talking during the interview to put the interviewee at ease.
C)She should ask as many yes-or-no questions as possible to make things easier for the interviewee.
D)She should engage the child psychologist in a debate to display her knowledge.

Question 43

Which of the following situations would most likely require observation or scientific experimentation?

A)You want to find out what tools are available to protect your computer network from hackers.
B)You need to determine the average time it takes your line employees to produce a single piece of furniture.
C)You must find out which ten companies ranked highest for customer service in 2017.
D)You want to verify your supervisor's opinion on upgrading your department's accounting software.

Question 44

Jing is evaluating the information he found on a website before he includes it in his business report. He asks, When was this website last updated? What is Jing evaluating?

A)the currency of the website
B)the authority of the website
C)the content of the website
D)the accuracy of the website

Question 45

Which of the following is the most accurate statement about sources found on the Web?

A)Information posted at most sites has undergone the same editing and scrutiny given to articles in scholarly publications.
B)Researchers can safely assume that the information posted on websites by individuals and companies is reputable.
C)Wikis, blogs, and discussion forum entries are short-lived and change constantly.
D)Wikipedia is reliable and should be used when conducting any scholarly research.

Question 46

Neveah has a large amount of quantitative data made up of exact figures to present in a report. What should Neveah use to present this data?

A)line chart
B)pie chart
C)table
D)bar graph

Question 47

Which of the following statements describes paraphrasing?

A)involves restating an original passage in your own words and in your own style
B)involves presenting ideas from another source using the exact wording of the original source
C)involves presenting ideas from another source without documentation
D)requires the report writer to use the same grammatical structure as the original author when presenting another's ideas

Question 48

Which of the following functions of the Canadian Copyright Act relies on "fair dealing" by the consumer of the material?

A)The Act gives creators the sole right to authorize the publication, performance, or reproduction of their work.
B)The Act applies to all original literary or textual works, dramatic works, musical works, and architectural works.
C)The Act applies to the Internet, so most works found there are protected.
D)The Act creates a limited number of exceptions, including private study, research, criticism, review, and news reporting

Question 49

Which of the following is an effective question to use in a survey?

A)Don't you agree that teachers are extremely deserving of a 7 percent pay increase because of the valuable services they provide for our community?
B)Do teachers deserve a 7 percent pay increase?
C)Should teachers accept a 7 percent pay increase, or should they go on strike?
D)Do teachers, one of the hardest-working and least-respected segments of Canadian society, deserve a 7 percent pay increase?

Question 50

Benjamin needs to illustrate the percentage each expense represents of total company expenses. Which of the following is his best choice for presenting that information?

A)pie chart
B)line chart
C)illustration
D)bar chart

Question 51

Amaya is evaluating the information she found on a website before she includes it in a proposal she is writing. She asks, Who publishes or sponsors this website? What is Amaya evaluating?

A)the currency of the website
B)the authority of the website
C)the content of the website
D)the accuracy of the website

Question 52

Which of the following is a useful guideline for preparing effective surveys?

A)Use questions that produce qualitative answers.
B)Include as many questions on your survey as necessary, even if you may not use the information in your final report.
C)Avoid leading or ambiguous questions that can affect a respondent's answer.
D)Never offer survey participants compensation as this will skew the results.

Question 53

Which of the following are sources of primary information?

A)research databases
B)periodicals and newspapers
C)surveys and interviews
D)information on the Web

Question 54

James is evaluating the information he found on a website before he includes it in an analytical report for a client. He asks, Do the facts that are presented seem reliable? What is James evaluating?

A)the currency of the website
B)the authority of the website
C)the content of the website
D)the accuracy of the website

Question 55

Which of the following is the most effective question to include in a survey?

A)How do you feel about a flat-rate income tax?
B)Do you approve of a flat-rate income tax?
C)What benefits do you feel a flat-rate income tax will offer?
D)Why are you in favour of a flat-rate income tax?

Question 56

Which of the following is the best choice for showing changes in a company's monthly sales for its fiscal year?

A)pie chart
B)line chart
C)flow chart
D)organization chart

Question 57

Which of the following statements would need to be documented in a report?

A)The stock market can be volatile at any time during a financial crisis.
B)Every year, many types of people invest in the stock market; some have great success while others have no success.
C)On May 6, 2010, the Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered a 998 point loss, which the media called the Flash Crash.
D)The Globe and Mail is a popular business newspaper that reports financial news.

Question 58

Blake wants to avoid copyright infringement for material he finds online. Which of the following should he do?

A)He should recognize that anything he finds on the Internet is in the public domain.
B)He should ask for permission before using material he finds online.
C)He should footnote every online source used, to protect him from copyright infringement.
D)He should assume that everything without a copyright notice is free to use.

Question 59

Tracey will carefully document her sources in a report she must submit to her boss. Which of the following is NOT a reason that Tracey should document her sources?

A)to strengthen her argument
B)to impress her reader
C)to protect herself against charges of plagiarism
D)to instruct her reader

Question 60

Which of the following statements about infographics is NOT accurate?

A)Infographics are new form of visual aid that first appeared at the beginning of the 21st century.
B)Today even amateur designers can create captivating infographics.
C)Infographics are most appropriate online.
D)Good infographics tell a story and allow the reader to make sense of ever-growing amounts of data.

Question 61

Primary data can be generated through surveys, interviews, observation, and experimentation.

Question 62

An expanded statement of purpose includes three additional factors: the scope, significance, and limitations of the report.

Question 63

All business reports have one or more of the following purposes: to convey information, to answer questions, and to solve problems.

Question 64

Based on their function, most business reports fall into two broad categories: informational or analytical.

Question 65

The first step in the report-writing process is preparing a work plan.

Question 66

Are you in favour of banning texting while driving to save lives? is an example of a leading question.

Question 67

Brad started his report with a description of the problem. He followed this with his facts and findings. Finally, he ended his report with his conclusions and recommendations. Brad has used the indirect strategy to write his report.

Question 68

Forms and templates are useful for presenting repetitive data, such as monthly sales reports, performance appraisals, merchandise inventories, and personnel and financial reports.

Question 69

Business researchers can safely assume that the great majority of Web sources are reliable.

Question 70

You are reading an article in The Globe and Mail that discusses the research findings of a study by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety on workplace hazards. This newspaper article is an example of primary data.

Question 71

If readers are familiar with or supportive of the topic, the report should be organized indirectly.

Question 72

The smaller an organization is, the more vital the exchange and flow of information becomes.

Question 73

An example of a simple statement of purpose for a business report might be To recommend a new procedure for preparing quarterly financial statements.

Question 74

Formal experimentation produces data suggesting causes and effects.

Question 75

Research reports prepared by consultants for their clients tend to be rather formal.

Question 76

Yes-no questions produce the best results in an interview with an expert.

Question 77

When incorporating a graphic in the body of your report, what should you do?

A)Use a good deal of colour to improve readability.
B)Manipulate the visual to make data look more dramatic.
C)Include a reference to the graphic in the text and position it close to the text.
D)Assume that the reader will draw the same conclusions you did from the set of data.

Question 78

Everett's boss has asked him to research and to recommend a new insurance provider for employees' health insurance. Everett should write an analytical report.

Question 79

Nearly every research project should begin with a search of primary data.

Question 80

Michelle attended a professional conference and must submit a report to her supervisor. She should write an analytical report.