Question 1

If you want to represent the percentage of respondents in a survey who preferred your product to products from four of your competitors, the best graph to use would be a ________.

Accepted Answer

A) 100% column chart 
B) pie chart 
C) horizontal bar chart 
D) histogram 
E) scatter plot

Question 2

A(n)________ is essentially a targeted marketing letter directed to someone you believe may benefit from your products or services.

Accepted Answer

A) solicited sales proposal 
B) unsolicited sales proposal 
C) RFP 
D) competitive proposal 
E) grant proposal

Question 3

When preparing a competitive proposal in response to an RFP, ________ for judging.

Accepted Answer

A) price is never the most important criterion 
B) your ability to meet very specific requirements is always the top priority 
C) your ability to deliver your product or service quickly will be viewed as most important 
D) you won't know what criteria will be used 
E) the RFP will outline the important criteria used

Question 4

In a proposal, use ________ to describe services you will provide and the activities your audience must complete.

Accepted Answer

A) passive voice rather than active voice 
B) active voice rather than passive voice 
C) "you" language rather than "I" language 
D) "I" language rather than "you" language 
E) abstract language rather than concrete language

Question 5

Brendan's boss asks him to respond to an RFP. Right away, Brendan knows that ________.

Accepted Answer

A) the proposal is noncompetitive 
B) his audience will not be considering any offers except his 
C) his audience is not aware that a problem or opportunity exists 
D) the indirect approach is preferred since he will first need to prepare his audience for his idea 
E) important criteria for the proposal will be provided to him

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT true of progress reports?

Accepted Answer

A) They are short, routine business reports. 
B) They update your status on a long-term project. 
C) They indicate any potential problems or issues on a project. 
D) They are considered informational reports. 
E) They are a type of analytical report.

Question 7

You're working on a proposal to install a new software system for a small local company. You have an extensive list of testimonials and a history of successfully completing other similar projects for area businesses. You know that the plan you propose will meet the client's needs, but due to other scheduling commitments you think it is unlikely that you will have the system up and running in six weeks as the customer requested. You decide to provide a timeline that commits to the customer's deadline, deciding that if you cannot honour it, you will create a story about a late delivery or another excuse to explain the need for an extra week or two. Discuss the implications of this situation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You're working on a proposal to install...

Question 8

Jeremy's supervisor asks him to prepare a trip report. Which of the following best describes the supervisor's motivation in asking for this report?

Accepted Answer

A) giving Jeremy busywork to keep him occupied until he is ready to begin another assignment 
B) making sure Jeremy was actually conducting business and not pleasure on his trip 
C) getting a clear picture of the new business opportunities discovered by Jeremy 
D) learning of Jeremy's status on his long-term project 
E) discovering whether Jeremy thinks a particular plan is feasible

Question 9

In a formal report, ________.

Accepted Answer

A) parenthetical citations should not be used 
B) figures that come directly from a source do not need citations 
C) direct quotations require sufficient information for a reader to find the original source 
D) introductory text must be on the same page as the tables or graphs they introduce 
E) appendices should not be referenced in the body of the report

Question 10

________ are any phrases, sentences, paragraphs-even single, distinctive words-that you take from any of your sources.

Accepted Answer

A) Paraphrases 
B) Quotations 
C) Summaries 
D) Citations 
E) Footnotes

Question 11

A sales proposal ________.

Accepted Answer

A) is used exclusively as a persuasive tool 
B) cannot legally serve as a sales contract 
C) represents a commitment between both parties when signed by a client 
D) in no way guarantees what you will deliver to your client, when, or for how much 
E) should not get into the details of the schedule and budget

Question 12

You are submitting an unsolicited proposal to a client, so the organization of your proposal must be direct.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The first step in writing a report is to ________.

Accepted Answer

A) choose the best medium 
B) identify the business question you are answering 
C) focus the information you include in your report 
D) determine what information the audience needs to know 
E) provide general background information about your topic

Question 14

Business reports often rely on numbers. Data graphics are the best tools for communicating these numbers.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Which of the follow is NOT true of a proposal?

Accepted Answer

A) It is complicated to prepare. 
B) It should provide details on how to implement the proposal. 
C) It is a form of persuasive writing. 
D) It must meet your audience's needs. 
E) It should not address costs.

Question 16

Proposals would be designed for all of the following purposes EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

A) to persuade a business decision maker to adopt a plan 
B) to persuade a retailer to repair damage not covered under your warranty 
C) to persuade your boss to approve a project 
D) to persuade a client to choose your company's product or service 
E) to persuade an investor to supply funding

Question 17

After reading the ________, your audience should understand your main ideas without having to read the entire proposal.

Accepted Answer

A) analysis 
B) introduction 
C) overview 
D) context 
E) requirements

Question 18

A business case should not discuss the risks of the project.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Which of the following does NOT describe a communication purpose of a trip report?

Accepted Answer

A) getting a picture of potential new business 
B) planning resources for potential new business 
C) reviewing and evaluating follow-up plans for trip activities 
D) serving as a checklist against which to measure progress on new business opportunities 
E) analyzing whether new business plans can be implemented as proposed

Question 20

If you acknowledge all your sources, no one will accuse you of plagiarism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 11: Preparing Effective Business Reports and Persuasive Business Proposals

If you want to represent the percentage of respondents in a survey who preferred your product to products from four of your competitors, the best graph to use would be a ________.

A(n) ________ is essentially a targeted marketing letter directed to someone you believe may benefit from your products or services.

When preparing a competitive proposal in response to an RFP, ________ for judging.

In a proposal, use ________ to describe services you will provide and the activities your audience must complete.

Brendan's boss asks him to respond to an RFP. Right away, Brendan knows that ________.

Which of the following is NOT true of progress reports?

Jeremy's supervisor asks him to prepare a trip report. Which of the following best describes the supervisor's motivation in asking for this report?

In a formal report, ________.

________ are any phrases, sentences, paragraphs-even single, distinctive words-that you take from any of your sources.

A sales proposal ________.

You are submitting an unsolicited proposal to a client, so the organization of your proposal must be direct.

The first step in writing a report is to ________.

Business reports often rely on numbers. Data graphics are the best tools for communicating these numbers.

Which of the follow is NOT true of a proposal?

Proposals would be designed for all of the following purposes EXCEPT ________.

After reading the ________, your audience should understand your main ideas without having to read the entire proposal.

A business case should not discuss the risks of the project.

Which of the following does NOT describe a communication purpose of a trip report?

If you acknowledge all your sources, no one will accuse you of plagiarism.