Deck 10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals

Question 1

Fred has to prepare a detailed report on the status of his project.However,he is short on time and energy,your suggestion to him would be to start ________.

A)with the recommendations and work his way up
B)by visualizing the finished product and listing sources
C)by analyzing the situation and develop a work plan
D)by selecting effective design elements and a suitable layout for a professional appearance
E)by defining his main idea and narrowing down his scope

Answer 1

C
Explanation: C)Reports can be complex, time-consuming projects, so be sure to analyze the situation carefully before you begin to write.

Question 2

________ include reports to document progress,demonstrate compliance,and monitor and control operations.

A)Informational reports
B)Market analysis reports
C)Due diligence reports
D)Troubleshooting reports
E)Feasibility reports

Answer 2

A
Explanation: A)Informational reports include reports to monitor and control operations, implement policies and procedures, demonstrate compliance, and document progress.

Question 3

Which of the following reports contains data,facts,and feedback but not analysis or recommendations?

A)policy implementation reports
B)investment proposals
C)due diligence reports
D)funding proposals
E)troubleshooting reports

Answer 3

A
Explanation: A)Reports to implement policies and procedures are informational reports, which usually do not contain analysis or recommendations. These reports communicate organizational rules and positions (guidelines and positions papers).

Question 4

Which of the following is the first step in conducting effective business research?

A)locate the data and information you need
B)apply your findings
C)plan your research
D)process the data and information you located
E)manage information efficiently

Question 5

Bill needs to organize information for his report and he has been told to follow the direct approach.Bill should ________.

A)present the report's recommendations followed by the conclusions that led to that recommendation at the beginning of the report
B)present conclusions but no recommendations, at the end of the report
C)draw conclusions in the body of the report
D)present conclusions but no recommendations, in the body of the report
E)use the indirect approach if he is presenting only conclusions at the beginning

Question 6

Keeping in mind the importance of media requirements on her reports and how that reflects on her skills,Susan dresses up a routine marketing report in extensive multimedia.This act would be viewed as ________.

A)a confirmation of her technical skills
B)a good use of company resources
C)giving attention to detail
D)an expression of creativity
E)a waste of valuable company resources

Question 7

The statement of purpose ________.

A)describes the structure and navigational flow of all the parts of a website
B)is an informal list of tasks and a simple schedule
C)explains why you are preparing the report and what you plan to deliver
D)is a logical interpretation of facts and other information that are provided in the report
E)is a customized graphical presentation of key performance parameters

Question 8

________ include reports to assess opportunities,solve problems,and support decisions.

A)Operating reports
B)Policy reports
C)Compliance reports
D)Progress reports
E)Analytical reports

Question 9

Which of the following documents contains data,feedback,and other types of information,including recommendations?

A)informational reports
B)personal activity reports
C)position papers
D)compliance reports
E)due diligence reports

Question 10

Proposals which request decisions from parties outside the organization are ________.

A)grant proposals
B)project status proposals
C)trouble shooting proposals
D)diligence proposals
E)personal activity proposals

Question 11

You can apply your research findings by ________.

A)planning a detailed work plan
B)phrasing a statement of purpose
C)selecting the right medium
D)explaining why you are preparing the report and what you plan to deliver
E)developing recommendations or drawing conclusions

Question 12

In which of these scenarios is a more detailed work plan most appropriate?

A)a short report which needs to be prepared and mailed in a day
B)an informal report providing feedback about the new coffee machine in the office
C)an automated report generated by a software which analyzes data
D)a report prepared by a team manager regarding the new guidelines for organizational wikis
E)a report that involves collaboration between three teams that are based in different cities

Question 13

Which of the following is the concluding step in the process of conducting an effective business research?

A)efficient management of information
B)accurate referencing
C)search optimization
D)result visualization
E)data simplification

Question 14

________ judge the merits of past decisions.

A)General project proposals
B)Feasibility reports
C)Compliance reports
D)Due diligence reports
E)Operating reports

Question 15

Ron needs to show the regulation authorities that his company meets stipulated requirements.For this he needs to prepare a report to ________.

A)show project status
B)control operations
C)implement policies
D)demonstrate compliance
E)support decisions

Question 16

As a researcher,Dan is aware of how his research tactics will affect the people from whom he gathers data and information,the people who read his results,and the people who are affected by the way he presents those results.Hence,Dan is aware of his ________.

A)work plan
B)research strategy
C)sources for information
D)ethical responsibilities
E)medium of research

Question 17

________ are documents which present persuasive recommendations to audiences,often involving investments or purchases.

A)Position papers
B)Operating reports
C)General project proposals
D)Due diligence reports
E)Market analysis reports

Question 18

"To identify potential markets for our new range of breakfast cookies," is a good statement of purpose for informational reports.Which of the following is a good statement of purpose for analytical reports?

A)To provide feedback about the newly installed technical hardware.
B)To assess the benefits of investing in the manufacturing sector for the next quarter and include possible improvisations.
C)To update the board of directors on the progress of the River Drive project.
D)To submit statutory information to the government agency.
E)To show auditors that the company meets compliance requirements.

Question 19

Executive dashboards are customized ________.

A)proposals, which are generated in real-time
B)tools, which help in drawing up plans
C)graphical presentations of key performance parameters
D)tools built on the concept of the three-step writing process
E)proposals, which report only highlights and cannot be electronically modified

Question 20

"To update the board of directors on the progress of the research project," explains why you are preparing the report.This would typically be the ________.

A)title of the report
B)subject of the report
C)proposal statement
D)statement of purpose
E)executive summary

Question 21

Which of the following is true of recommendations?

A)It interprets information without suggesting an action.
B)It is based on information outside the scope of the test.
C)It presents the gist of the material in fewer words than the original.
D)It suggests what to do about the information.
E)It is presenting someone else's words as your own.

Question 22

Apart from regular Boolean operators and natural language searches,forms-based searches help you create powerful queries by ________.

A)using advanced Boolean operators
B)using metacrawlers which draw out hidden data
C)listing the specific steps needed to achieve the results
D)simply filling out an online form
E)providing keywords for searches

Question 23

Which of the following sources would you use for primary research?

A)interviews
B)magazines
C)public websites
D)books
E)newspapers

Question 24

________ help(s)boost website rankings in search results,but the ranking algorithms are kept secret to prevent unfair manipulation of the results.

A)Strategically-placed website logos
B)Search engine optimization techniques
C)Real-time customer feedback
D)Aggressive advertising strategies
E)Boolean operators

Question 25

Mark wants to overcome the differences in multiple search engines,so he decides to format his search request for multiple search engines.For this he needs to use ________.

A)search engine optimization techniques
B) human editors
C)open directories
D)metasearch engines
E)online-databases

Question 26

Which of the following sources would you use for secondary research?

A)telephone interviews
B)surveys
C)public websites
D)experiments
E)questionnaires

Question 27

Internet research tools fall into two categories: search tools and ________.

A)search engines
B)multipurpose tools
C)monitoring tools
D)optimization tools
E)web directories

Question 28

Rod is conducting secondary research for his report and has exhausted most of the online resources available to him.Which other secondary source of information should he consider?

A)historians
B)trade fairs
C)advertisements
D)museums
E)libraries

Question 29

To define a query,the common Boolean operators used are ________.

A)AND, OR, IF
B)AND, OF, NOT
C)AND, OR, NOT
D)AND, OR, NO
E)AND, IF

Question 30

Kathy has just completed primary research for the company's pilot product,"Jovial Jingles." Her manager has asked her to include secondary research information as well.For this,she should include ________.

A)information from research conducted using focus groups
B)information from research conducted only on specified core customers
C)information sourced from magazines, newspapers, public websites, books, and other reports
D)information from her review of the primary research
E)information from the repetition of the primary research and compare results

Question 31

April firmly believes in the power of the Google search engine.She rarely ventures beyond the first one or two pages of results though; this helps her save time and avoid getting overwhelmed by the results.Your suggestion to April would be ________.

A)to follow the direct approach and include Boolean expressions
B)that the algorithm used to rank the results might not reflect her priorities, so the first few hits might not be the best for her project
C)to use fewer search terms to find more results; use more search terms to find fewer results
D)to try variations of other search terms
E)to read the instructions, before using the search engines

Question 32

Neville needs to conduct online research for "tips for creating reports/proposals,but not presentations." Using Boolean operators,his search string should look like ________.

A)tips for creating reports and proposals, but not presentations
B)tips OR creating AND reports OR proposals NOT presentations
C)tips AND creating AND reports OR proposals NOT presentations
D)tips AND creating AND reports AND proposals NOT presentations
E)tips AND creating AND reports AND proposals OR presentations

Question 33

Leo is evaluating his information sources,so that he can avoid embarrassing and potentially damaging mistakes.To check if his material is current and complete,he should evaluate ________.

A)if the author is just someone with an opinion
B)if the entire source document was accessed or only a selection from it
C)if the sources are biased or unbiased
D)if the references support the research
E)the material stands up to logical scrutiny

Question 34

Seamus has to conduct market research on the viability of his company's new product.While planning his research he needs to define its purpose-the conclusion he needs to reach at the end of the process.He should therefore develop a(n)________.

A)problem statement
B)work plan
C)objectives document
D)statement of scope
E)statement of purpose

Question 35

Quoting a source means ________.

A)rewording the passage to enhance your argument
B)using your own sentence structures
C)reproducing the material exactly
D)listing references
E)sourcing information

Question 36

Instead of a logical interpretation of facts,Bertha concludes her report with these words-"I propose,that we import only the ferrites required for the product and not the unprocessed magnetite." Here Bertha is giving her a(n)________.

A)recommendation
B)conclusion
C)opinion
D)comparison
E)summarization

Question 37

Linda wants to quote a source in her research.To mirror business language,she rephrases the quotation in her own words while excluding unnecessary details.To keep the document short,she avoids crediting the source.This is ________.

A)plagiarism
B)quoting
C)paraphrasing
D)summarizing
E)de-crediting

Question 38

Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but ________.

A)it is generally used to conclude the document
B)it distills content to fewer words
C)it focuses only on relevant examples
D)it provides more details than conclusions
E)usually requires lesser source documentation

Question 39

Which of the following is a shortcoming of a conventional search engine?

A)time consuming nature of evaluation of quality of data
B)lack of better editing algorithms
C)inaccessibility to the hidden Internet
D)easy accessibility to the deep Internet
E)inability to compare multiple search engine data

Question 40

________ provide in-depth analysis coverage and analysis that often can't be found anywhere else,although they are less timely than newspapers,periodicals and online sources.

A)Directories
B)Almanacs
C)Business books
D)Government publications
E)Online databases

Question 41

Which of the following informational reports outlines policies and procedures that need to be implemented?

A)personal activity reports
B)position papers
C)operating reports
D)business plans
E)progress reports

Question 42

Which of the following scenarios reflects sampling bias?

A)Natasha surveys 50 people at two leading malls to study consumer behavior in Atlanta.
B)Robert has designed a 20 minute online survey on product preference for his marketing class.
C)Brian includes leading questions to help people taking his product satisfaction survey.
D)Marilyn formulates a short and easy-to-answer property survey for East Clapham Town.
E)Brandon develops a group administered survey for 200 students at the same school to check the frequency of visits on various websites.

Question 43

The introduction of e-book readers like Kindle and iPad has created a dramatic shift in reading habits.Which of the following,if true,would weaken the argument that most busy business professionals prefer online reports to offline reports?

A)Bad reading postures can cause repetitive strain injuries. Ergonomically designed chairs could help reduce these injuries.
B)If they can't find what they're looking for in a few minutes, most readers will not read through the entire report.
C)When browsing through reports posted online, readers can proceed in any order they please.
D)Reading speeds are 25 percent faster on paper than on an electronic screen.
E)With most reports being emailed, organizations are turning into paperless environments.

Question 44

________ is a term used by website designers to describe the structure and navigational flow of all the parts of a website.

A)Topical organization
B)Metacrawlers
C)Search engine optimization
D)Informational design
E)Information architecture

Question 45

Ron is setting up a website for his organization,which will cater to multiple target audiences like potential employees,customers,investors,and the news media.To organize his site effectively and help the readers explore on their own,he should ________.

A)develop the content and then plan the site structure
B)let his readers be in control by creating links and pathways
C)make a detailed work plan with a linear outline
D)keep information in large chunks, that are linked logically
E)provide a clear list of instructions

Question 46

Ricky has to prepare an informational report to simply present his company's annual sales,profits,and investments.Which of the following topical organizations is most suitable for such a report?

A)geography
B)sequence
C)category
D)similarities
E)chronology

Question 47

In a survey questionnaire,if we need to formulate questions to provide answers that are easy to analyze,we should ________.

A)not provide instructions
B)include leading questions
C)ask for opinions
D)base answers on numbers and facts
E)include compound questions

Question 48

Ruth has to prepare an informational report,highlighting the disadvantages of an older approach and the advantages of a newer approach.The topical organization of her material would involve ________.

A)comparison
B)category
C)similarities
D)sequence
E)chronology

Question 49

Which of the following is an important function achieved by documenting one's sources?

A)They help avoid plagiarism.
B)They help readers relate to the material.
C)They help readers explore the topic in more detail, if desired.
D)They help take advantage of the source documentation tools.
E)They are the logical conclusion to online research.

Question 50

________ provide the feedback that employees,managers,and others need in order to make decisions,take action,and respond to changes.

A)Informational reports
B)Market analysis reports
C)Troubleshooting reports
D)Due diligence reports
E)Analytical reports

Question 51

Which of the following is true about conducting interviews?

A)Open-ended questions elicit a specific answer, such as yes or no.
B)Interviews are more effective when done spontaneously, especially if you'd like to quote your subjects in writing.
C)Interviews can have a variety of formats, including email exchanges to group discussions.
D)Closed questions should be included to solicit opinions, insights, and information.
E)Include many closed questions to take full advantage of the interactive interview setting.

Question 52

Samantha needs to prepare and present a report which details the handling of certain hazardous materials in the organization's premises.For this she needs to prepare a ________.

A)compliance report
B)progress report
C)due diligence report
D)trouble shooting report
E)business plan

Question 53

A survey is valid and reliable,if it ________.

A)produces distinct results in similar conditions
B)includes compound questions
C)includes immeasurable variables and coefficients
D)captures only the opinions of people who want to participate
E)produces identical results if repeated under similar circumstances

Question 54

Which of the following should a website designer do in order to ensure that her site is organized effectively?

A)Plan the site structure and navigation before she writes.
B)Take a survey directed at the targeted audience to make the site user-friendly.
C)Make a note of similar Websites and attempt to create a similar atmosphere.
D)Give the sequence of the content more importance than the navigation.
E)Ensure insertion of various promotions and ads in order to make the site look more commercial.

Question 55

Richard needs to get in-depth information about a new performance analysis tool straight from an expert whose ideas would be quoted in a report.For this Richard should ________

A)use a simple survey format
B)ask closed questions to get the experts opinion
C)insist on a videotaped interview
D)email a copy of the questions to the expert, two days before the interview
E)ask questions which can only be answered in numbers or facts

Question 56

Sue needs to create a report that looks into the financial implications of acquiring another company.So she needs to prepare a(n)________.

A)failure analysis report
B)market analysis report
C)analytical report
D)feasibility report
E)due diligence report

Question 57

Justin needs to conduct and record interviews with potential customers,for a recently launched product.Which of these suggestions would you give him?

A)Focus generally on open-ended questions and provide the questionnaire before recording.
B)Focus generally on closed questions and these need not be recorded.
C)Use surveys to ask questions that include descriptors such as "often" or "frequently".
D)Never confuse the customer with both open and close questions.
E)Ask open-ended and closed questions but record with permission.

Question 58

Pam needs to conduct primary research on the effects of networking in organizations.Which of the following techniques is suitable for this?

A)electronic databases
B)trade journals
C)statistical databases
D)surveys
E)directories

Question 59

A survey is valid,if it ________.

A)produces identical results when repeated in different situations
B)measures what it is designed to measure
C)produces distinct results in similar conditions
D)captures only the opinions of people who want to participate
E)includes compound questions

Question 60

________ provide feedback on a wide variety of an organization's functions,including sales,inventories,expenses,shipments,and so on.

A)Business plans
B)Personal activity reports
C)Policy reports
D)Operating reports
E)Position papers

Question 61

A work plan for reports helps make the best use of your time.For simpler reports,the work plan can be an informal list of tasks and a simple schedule.

Question 62

Joe's company has incurred substantial losses due to a few unplanned investments in technology shares.He needs to prepare a report which brings out the lessons learned from this debacle.Reports of this kind are examples of ________.

A)policy reports
B)troubleshooting reports
C)failure analysis reports
D)due diligence reports
E)compliance reports

Question 63

Harry provides computer-based solutions to offices and helps them reduce their carbon footprint by reducing paper consumption.To expand his business,he is planning to send unsolicited proposals to a dozen offices.While doing this,he ________.

A)should use the direct approach
B)should avoid mentioning costs this early
C)should keep the proposal short
D)needs to convince his readers that a problem or an opportunity exists
E)should make sure that the proposal is mailed, proposals on paper are generally preferred

Question 64

Proposals that request funds from government agencies and other sponsoring organizations are ________ proposals.

A)investment
B)grant
C)sales
D)solicited
E)external

Question 65

Which of the following is true about proposals?

A)Unsolicited proposals are prepared at the request of external parties that require a product or service.
B)Solicited proposals include instructions that specify exactly the type of work to be performed or products to be delivered, along with budgets, deadlines, and other requirements.
C)Request for proposals offer more flexibility but are challenging because recipients aren't expecting to receive them.
D)Proposals can be grouped into two general categories: internal and external proposals.
E)A good proposal provides feedback on a wide variety of an organization's functions, including sales, inventories, expenses, shipments, and so on.

Question 66

Proposals that present solutions for potential customers and request purchase decisions are called ________.

A)investment proposals
B)grant proposals
C)sales proposals
D)policy papers
E)operative proposals

Question 67

Which of the following analytical reports assesses opportunities?

A)market analysis report
B)failure analysis report
C)troubleshooting report
D)feasibility report
E)justification report

Question 68

The direct approach is a better choice if the audience is unsure about your credibility because it gives you a chance to prove your points and gradually overcome audience reservations.

Question 69

Statement of purpose helps explain who you are preparing the report for and where you plan to deliver.

Question 70

Ryan needs to create a report,which will explore the potential ramifications of a decision,that he and the other managers are considering.For this he needs to create a ________ report.

A)market analysis
B)compliance
C)troubleshooting
D)feasibility
E)policy

Question 71

The first step of effective business research is to locate the data and information you need.

Question 72

Regardless of its format and structure,a good proposal ________.

A)will focus on the direct approach
B)will highlight the problems that the company might be facing
C)does not discuss costs right away
D)allows the reader to be in command, by letting him plan the course of action
E)explains how the recipient and his or her organization will benefit

Question 73

A(n)________ includes instructions that specify exactly the type of work to be performed or products to be delivered,along with budgets,deadlines,and other requirements.

A)unsolicited report
B)market analysis report
C)due diligence report
D)policy report
E)request for proposal

Question 74

Rupert is planning a report which will be presented to his colleagues at the company summit.Most conclusions in the report are summarized suggestions from his colleagues.While presenting he should use the direct approach and focus on ________.

A)keeping the issues simple
B)all the issues at hand
C)prioritizing the issues
D)not highlighting the methods
E)the conclusions

Question 75

Internal proposals ________.

A)examine the financial aspects of a proposed decision studies events that happened in the past, with the hope of learning how to avoid similar failures in the future
B)assess the likelihood of success for new products or sales
C)convey information showing similarities and differences between two or more entities
D)request decisions from managers within the organization
E)request decisions from parties outside the organization

Question 76

For a junior member of a status-conscious organization,the direct approach is the most popular and convenient for business reports; it saves time,makes the rest of the report easier to follow,and produces a more forceful document.

Question 77

The 2 + 2 = 4 approach for logical arguments ________.

A)attempts to convince readers by demonstrating that everything adds up to your conclusions
B)uses a number of criteria to decide which option to select from two or more possibilities
C)establishes the need for action in the introduction by briefly describing the problem or opportunity
D)communicates the main idea quickly by oversimplifying the situation.
E)describes the structure and navigational flow of all the parts of a website

Question 78

When planning analytical reports for audiences that are potentially skeptical or hostile,consider using the ________.

A)indirect approach and unfold your recommendations using a series of five steps
B)indirect approach to logically build toward your conclusion or recommendation
C)direct approach to highlight the actions you expect from your audience
D)direct approach, focusing immediately on your conclusions or recommendations
E)direct approach and arrange the material in a categorical order

Question 79

________ are generally prepared at the request of external parties that require a product or a service.

A)Business plans
B)Solicited proposals
C)Request for proposals
D)Policy papers
E)Due diligence reports

Question 80

Percy has been asked to suggest his recommendations after reviewing the new policy changes in the organization.Using the direct approach and the 5-steps to unfold his recommendations,Percy should conclude his recommendations by ________.

A)summarizing the problem
B)mentioning potential risks
C)summarizing the recommendations
D)listing the recommendations
E)giving details on procedures, costs, and benefits