Deck 11: Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals

Question 1

Which of the following is true about adapting reports and proposals to the audience?

A)If you don't know your audience, it is better to use an informal tone to make a start.
B)To make the tone formal, speak to readers in the first person, refer to them as you, and refer to yourself as I.
C)Communicating with people in other cultures often calls for more formality in reports.
D)To make the tone more informal, emphasize objectivity, avoid personal opinions, and build your argument on provable facts.
E)Include informal elements such as humor and casual language as they translate well from one culture to another and are good ice-breakers.

Answer 1

C
Explanation: C)Take into account that communicating with people in other cultures often calls for more formality in reports, both to respect cultural preferences and to reduce the risk of miscommunication. Informal elements such as humor and casual language tend to translate poorly from one culture to another.

Question 2

The ________ of a report is the last opportunity to make your message strong,clear and compelling.

A)opening
B)body
C)close
D)opening and body
E)preview

Answer 2

C
Explanation: C)Your close is often the last opportunity to get your message across, so make it clear and compelling.

Question 3

Simon has to create a long formal proposal.However,he is aware that today's readers are pressed for time and need help finding what they are looking for.To help the readers' navigation needs,Simon should ________.

A)limit previews and reviews
B)create shorter paragraphs
C)make good use of heading and links
D)put additional information in the appendix
E)exclude transitions

Answer 3

C
Explanation: C)To help today's time-pressed readers find what they're looking for and stay on track as they navigate through your documents, learn to make good use of headings and links, smooth transitions, and previews and reviews.

Question 4

When writing a report,the ________ presents,analyzes,and interprets the information you gathered during your investigation of the subject matter.

A)body
B)close
C)introduction
D)conclusion
E)preview

Question 5

When writing a proposal,include the statement of qualifications in the ________.

A)body
B)preview
C)close
D)introduction
E)review

Question 6

________ introduce(s)important topics by helping readers get ready for new information.

A)The preface
B)The introduction
C)Transitions
D)Review sections
E)Preview sections

Question 7

Jamie needs to prepare a report for an upcoming meeting with prospective clients.He wants to include a "road map" of the report to help readers understand what is coming in the report and why the information is included.Which of the following content elements is applicable here?

A)purpose
B)scope
C)body
D)organization
E)methods

Question 8

Kylie works in the U.S branch of a leading software company and is preparing a business report that will be sent to their colleagues in Japan.Which of the following elements should she be careful about?

A)monotonous writing
B)impersonal journalism
C)humor
D)formal language
E)length of the report

Question 9

Which of the following can help to strengthen an argument for a persuasive proposal?

A)Include humor, similes, metaphors, and colorful adjectives to avoid monotonous writing.
B)Research the competition so you know what other proposals your audience is likely to read.
C)Don't include details the audience already knows to leave out repetition.
D)Include plenty of graphics and multimedia to enhance communication.
E)Write using formal corporate-speak to communicate complex issues.

Question 10

Karen is aware that the introduction for a report depends on the nature and length of the report,the circumstances under which she is writing it,and her relationship with the audience.If she is trying to determine what is and what isn't covered in the report,she is ascertaining ________.

A)authorization
B)purpose
C)scope
D)background
E)sources

Question 11

If the document suggests change or some other course of action,the close ________.

A)presents and analyzes the information gathered during investigation
B)establishes the tone and the writer's relationship with the audience
C)introduces the subject matter and indicates why it is important
D)emphasizes the benefits to the reader
E)interprets the information gathered during investigation

Question 12

The body of the report ________.

A)summarizes the writer's key points
B)establishes the tone and the writer's relationship with the audience
C)introduces the subject matter and indicates why it is important
D)brings all the action items together in one place
E)interprets the information gathered during investigation

Question 13

Which of the following is true about adapting reports and proposals to the audience?

A)If you don't know your audience, it is better to use an informal tone to make a start.
B)To make the tone formal, speak to readers in the first person, refer to them as you, and refer to yourself as I.
C)Formal business reports and proposals should not be altered when communicating with people from different cultures to reduce the risk of miscommunication.
D)To make the tone more formal, emphasize objectivity, avoid personal opinions, and build your argument on provable facts.
E)Include informal elements such as humor and casual language as they translate well from one culture to another and are good ice-breakers.

Question 14

When writing a report,the introduction includes the background which ________.

A)describes what will and won't be covered in the report
B)describes the benchmarks for evaluating options and alternatives
C)discusses potential courses of action
D)reviews the historical conditions or factors that led up to the report
E)discusses the primary and secondary sources consulted and methods used

Question 15

________ come after a body of material and summarize the information for your readers,helping them absorb details.

A)Review sections
B)Footnotes
C)Preview sections
D)Callouts
E)Endnotes

Question 16

To help today's time-pressed readers find what they're looking for and stay on track as they navigate through your documents,first,________.

A)show how one idea is related to another
B)write clear headings and subheadings that let readers follow the structure of your document
C)use plenty of transitions to tie together ideas
D)include preview sections to help readers get ready for new information
E)write review sections after a body of material to summarize key points

Question 17

At minimum,an effective introduction ________.

A)summarizes the writer's key points
B)establishes the tone and the writer's relationship with the audience
C)presents and analyzes the information gathered during investigation
D)brings all the action items together in one place
E)interprets the information gathered during investigation

Question 18

Which section of a report brings all the action items together in one place?

A)introduction
B)opening
C)body
D)close
E)preview

Question 19

When a writer is discussing the factors beyond his/her control that affect report quality,he/she is determining the ________.

A)authorization
B)purpose
C)scope
D)background
E)limitations

Question 20

The appendix of the report usually includes ________.

A)discussion and analyses of potential courses of action
B)facts, statistical evidence, and trends
C)procedures or steps in a process
D)supporting reasons for conclusions or recommendations
E)additional information or less important details

Question 21

James is preparing an analytical report-specifically a troubleshooting report-using the direct approach.Such straight-forward reports generally need to ________.

A)discuss the problem and purpose in the body
B)state conclusions or recommendations in the introduction
C)use the introduction of the report to provide evidence and support
D)discuss background in the body of the report
E)reserve conclusions or recommendations for the body

Question 22

A work plan for a proposal,which describes how you'll accomplish what must be done,states when work will begin,how it will be divided into stages,when you'll finish,and whether follow-up will be needed.This is usually included in the ________.

A)introduction
B)scope
C)body
D)close
E)conclusion

Question 23

If you are creating a new wiki,think through your long-term purpose carefully because ________.

A)wikis cannot be created for a one-time project, like creating reports
B)modification of wikis is unrestricted, anybody can make changes
C)you need to set what rules and guidelines you will establish to guide the growth of the wiki
D)wikis don't need any security measures, since it is accessible by anyone
E)wikis have to be an ongoing project, such as maintaining "help" files for a software program

Question 24

Erin has been asked to maintain a "live" website.Therefore,she needs to ________.

A)use the inverted pyramid style
B)maintain outdated information on the website in chronological order
C)keep adding fresh content and deleting content that is out of date or no longer relevant to the organization's target audience
D)write effective headings and links that serve for both site navigation and content skimming
E)adapt her content for a global audience

Question 25

Review of arguments,reader benefits,and the merits of your approach are generally included in the ________ of the proposal.

A)introduction
B)background
C)body
D)close
E)scope

Question 26

In the body of her proposal,Ruth is describing her organization's experience,personnel,and facilities and relating them to readers' needs.She is also including a list of client references.This statement is known as the ________.

A)facts and evidence to support her conclusions
B)work plan
C)statement of qualifications
D)benchmarks
E)analysis of action

Question 27

Bart is relatively new to wikis and needs to practice his writing and editing skills.He should ________.

A)write and edit content on a notepad, before loading it to the wiki
B)use the sandbox
C)use the talk page
D)use screencasts
E)use different page templates and formatting options than the rest of the wiki

Question 28

In his proposal when Richard is indicating exactly how he will accomplish the solution,he is presenting the ________.

A)organizational plan
B)work plan
C)statement of qualifications
D)request for proposal
E)statement of solution

Question 29

While closing a proposal,summarize key selling points and ________.

A)provide necessary additional information
B)restrict additional information to the appendix
C)benefits, then ask for a decision from the audience
D)restate the purpose of the proposal
E)do not be redundant with the repetition of benefit statements

Question 30

In a report,discussing factors beyond your control that affect report quality is called ________.

A)an excuse for poor research
B)stating the problem/purpose
C)stating the scope
D)stating limitations
E)reviewing the background

Question 31

Compared to offline content,the composition of online content requires unique considerations.Which of these statements strengthens this argument?

A)Mia should make sure that all her content on the company website is accurate and bias-free because today's readers are very critical of the information they receive.
B)The article on inflation was useful and well written. The important concepts in the main article were hyperlinked, so that they can be explained in detail in the subsequent links.
C)Earlier most towns had just one newspaper, but today the number of newspapers has definitely grown.
D)To create effective headings, one should use meaningful keywords and avoid the temptation of resorting to clever wordplay.
E)Magazines, both online and offline, are finding it difficult to gain sufficient readership due to an increasing number of substitutes.

Question 32

Artie is aware that the content and length of the close of a report depend primarily on his choice of the direct or indirect approach.If he is using the direct approach,in the close he should ________.

A)present his conclusions or recommendations, if he hasn't done so in the body
B)introduce new facts in his close, to maintain interest
C)end with a summary of key points, listed in the order that they appear in the report body
D)outline the steps for a process
E)discuss the sources and methods used in the report

Question 33

Adapting online content for a global audience is the ideal,but it is expensive.Some companies deal with this issue by ________.

A)localizing the homepage of a website but keeping the more detailed content in its original language
B)avoiding reader-oriented content
C)localizing the entire website and charging for access
D)providing more detail than may be needed
E)accepting that the web is not conducive to localizing content

Question 34

Most online readers won't dig for buried information.If they can't find the right information quickly,they will move on to another page or site.To avoid this,online content developers should ________.

A)prevent readers from skimming to maintain an effective website
B)cover the most important information briefly at first and then gradually reveal successive layers of detail
C)avoid lists and summaries
D)present information in a concise, skimmable format
E)not accumulate many pages of outdated information

Question 35

The introduction of a proposal describes the problem you intend to solve or the opportunity you want to pursue,along with your suggested solution.However,proposal introductions can vary depending on whether the proposal is internal or external,direct or indirect,and most obviously when it is solicited or unsolicited.Which of the following proposal introductions would strengthen the argument that a solicited proposal should be direct in order to garner interest?

A)If you are an entrepreneur based out of your garage, or a work-from-home mother, a good home office will give you the necessary edge to stay focused at your tasks. So, we at JWS Remodeling Solutions would be happy to convert your existing living room into a home office according to your specifications, in the shortest possible time.
B)JWS Remodeling Solutions would be happy to convert your existing living room area into a home office according to the specifications mentioned in your request. As part of our early bird offer, you will receive a 10 percent discount on the quoted price. We can begin work on November 23 and we'll complete the project by December 15th. That is a week faster than requested.
C)JWS Remodeling Solutions has been in the business of helping entrepreneurs create better work places for the past two years. We would be happy to convert your existing living room area into a home office, in the shortest possible time, thanks to the revolutionary technology of interlocking rivets. As a bonus, it also helps save space!
D)JWS Remodeling Solutions would be happy to convert your existing living room area into a home office. Our construction approach is unique. We provide a full staff of licensed tradespeople and schedule our projects in a manner that seamlessly links the different stages of the project.
E)We understand that every effort counts in the struggle against global warming, and that is why all our materials are sourced from recycling plants and from renewable resources which have the lowest carbon footprint. JWS Remodeling Solutions would be happy to convert your existing living room area into a home office according to the specifications that you requested.

Question 36

Readers understand that a proposal is a persuasive message,so they're willing to accommodate a degree of ________ in your writing.

A)drama
B)monotony
C)inconsistency
D)promotional emphasis
E)humor

Question 37

To be a valuable wiki contributor,________.

A)include wordplay and let readers click through the site to figure out where they're going
B)let go of traditional expectations of authorship, including individual recognition and control
C)give as much information as possible and translate content
D)avoid using templates as it would interfere with individual creativity
E)post copyrighted material

Question 38

To help ensure that your content fits the same style as the rest of the wiki,use ________.

A)the sandbox
B)the safebox
C)page templates and other formatting options
D)screencasts
E)the inverted pyramid style

Question 39

The wiki environment should ________.

A)allow uploading copyrighted material
B)not allow robust disagreements
C)implement different page templates and formatting options
D)use monotonous language
E)encourage discussions

Question 40

In the inverted pyramid style you ________.

A)rely on word play and allow readers to click through and figure out where they're going
B)regularly add fresh content and delete content that is out of date
C)localize the entire website and charge for access
D)cover the most important information briefly at first and then gradually reveal successive layers of detail
E)translate content to adapt to a global audience

Question 41

Which of the following will be effective with multilingual audiences?

A)colorful adjectives and adverbs
B)pictures
C)similes and metaphors
D)humor
E)monotonous writing

Question 42

A ________ illustrates a sequence of events from start to finish; it is indispensable when illustrating processes,procedures,and sequential relationships.

A)line chart
B)histogram
C)bar chart
D)tag cloud
E)flowchart

Question 43

Jimmy is the assistant manager at a leading computer hardware manufacturing firm.He needs to illustrate the company's sales in the past quarter.Which of the following visual choices will be most effective?

A)line chart
B)flowchart
C)tag cloud
D)pie chart
E)bar chart

Question 44

A ________ is a commonly used tool for showing how the parts of a whole are distributed.

A)line chart
B)flowchart
C)pie chart
D)tag cloud
E)bar chart

Question 45

Pamela is asked to use a data visualization tool and show the relative frequency of the 50 most-used terms in survey responses.This information is to be posted on the company website.For this Pamela should use ________.

A)linkage maps
B)clustering
C)calender motifs
D)tag clouds
E)lists

Question 46

To create clear,effective tables ________.

A)always use screencasts
B)use common units and identify them
C)document the source of the data within the table
D)include chartjunk
E)use different templates and formatting options to make the content more dynamic

Question 47

Jane is a trainer at a publishing company and needs to illustrate the steps involved in the editorial stage of pre-production.Which of the following will be most effective here?

A)data visualization
B)histogram
C)surface chart
D)table
E)flowchart

Question 48

Julia needs to illustrate the smartphone market share of different companies.Which of the following visual choices will be most effective here?

A)line chart
B)pie chart
C)flowchart
D)histogram
E)bar chart

Question 49

Fred is an intern at a leading marketing company.He is assigned the task of creating a chart to illustrate the sale of Apple iPod classic over a period of five years by separating the consumers into three age groups.Which of the following visual choices will be most effective?

A)flowchart
B)surface chart
C)tag cloud
D)pie chart
E)table

Question 50

Carl has been asked to create an informal balance in the visual aspects of his organization's website.The aim is to make the website look dynamic and engaging.Therefore,Carl should ________.

A)depict items in contrasting colors, such as red and blue or black and white
B)emphasize similarities and make color differences more subtle
C)make sure he follows visual unparallelism
D)not distribute elements evenly, but still see that there is a balance maintained overall
E)make sure that elements in the images are arranged symmetrically around a central point or axis

Question 51

Bridgit needs to illustrate the relative frequency of search terms on her company's website.Which of the following visual choices will be most effective here?

A)tag cloud
B)pie chart
C)flowchart
D)histogram
E)bar chart

Question 52

Anita is an HR executive and needs to illustrate the positions held and functions of people in her company to the new employees.Which of the following will be the most effective here?

A)organization chart
B)clustering
C)surface chart
D)data visualization
E)flowchart

Question 53

You can achieve visual parallelism through ________.

A)the consistent use of color, shape, size, texture, position, scale, or typeface
B)the use of contrasting colors to emphasize differences
C)the symmetrical arrangement of images around a central point
D)the arrangement of strong and weak elements along a central axis
E)the uniform use of decorative elements even if they don't add information

Question 54

Quentin is preparing a trend of the U.S unemployment rate over the past decade.Which of the following visual choices is applicable here?

A)flowchart
B)inverted pyramid
C)line chart
D)pie chart
E)chartjunk

Question 55

Tables are ideal when your audience ________.

A)wants to cover the most important information briefly at first and then gradually reveal successive layers of detail
B)needs information that would be either difficult or tedious to handle in the main text
C)needs elements in the images to be arranged symmetrically around a central axis
D)wants the stronger and weaker elements to be distributed unevenly
E)wants to use similar page templates and formatting options

Question 56

Cecily works at a leading bank as a research manager.She needs to illustrate the bank's widespread network of branches and customers but does not need to show quantity.Which of the following will be the most effective here?

A)line chart
B)clustering
C)bar chart
D)tag cloud
E)table

Question 57

If a team uses wikis to collaborate on a report,the editing and upgrading of information should be done by ________.

A)anyone in the organization
B)the collaborating members
C)only the manager of the team
D)professional website developers
E)only the member who created the particular wiki

Question 58

Mark has been asked to reduce chartjunk on the company website so that it looks more organized and less cluttered.Mark should ________.

A)adapt a formal visual balance and arrange items symmetrically
B)adapt an informal visual balance and arrange items unevenly
C)remove the decorative elements that are irrelevant
D)only use 3-dimensional bar charts to maintain consistency
E)restrict the usage of graphs and charts

Question 59

A line chart ________.

A) illustrates trends over time or plots the relationship of two variables
B)portrays numbers with the height or length of its rectangular bars
C)shows the relative frequency of terms
D)is used to show how the parts of a whole are distributed
E)illustrates a sequence of events from start to finish

Question 60

Visual literacy is the ability to ________.

A)write effective links that serve for both navigation and content skimming
B)delete out-of-date content from wikis and replace with fresh content
C)cover the most important information briefly at first and then gradually revealing successive layers of detail
D)briefly summarize the key points of a report/proposal
E)create effective images and to correctly interpret visual messages

Question 61

Diagrams that contain enough visual and textual information to function as independent documents are sometimes called ________.

A)tag clouds
B)clusters
C)infographics
D)surface charts
E)histograms

Question 62

Veronica has to respond to an RFP with a proposal.In her proposal,she needs to ________.

A)follow the instructions in the RFP
B)include only the letter of transmittal
C)include data visualization
D)only mention the tracking number
E)have a separate letter of authorization

Question 63

When collaborating on wikis,include wordplay to enhance communication with the readers and let them click through and figure out where they're going.

Question 64

In the inverted pyramid style you cover the most important information briefly at first and then gradually reveal successive layers of detail.

Question 65

Robert needs to prepare a process report for top level managers.He understands that the audience will be short on time.He should ________.

A)use monotonous writing
B)present information in a concise and skimmable format
C)use corporate-speak to reduce the length
D)accommodate clustering and tag clouds
E)add headings and subheadings

Question 66

If you include a synopsis or an executive summary in your report,________.

A)exclude the introduction to avoid redundancy
B)keep the introduction long
C)keep your introduction brief to avoid redundancy
D)the introduction is optional
E)the introduction should be of a similar length

Question 67

A(n)________ is a brief overview (one page or less)of a report's most important points.

A)screencast
B)sandbox
C)appendix
D)synopsis
E)letter of transmittal

Question 68

Elements of authorization,such as "When,how,and by whom the report was authorized; who wrote it; and when it was submitted" should be a part of the body of the report.

Question 69

Moreno has created an extensive report about travel expense trends at the optical firm Eurovison.She has included the list of secondary sources that she has consulted in the supplementary part of the report.This part of the supplement is known as the ________.

A)appendix
B)source list
C)index
D)reference
E)bibliography

Question 70

A longer report may include a(n)________,a fully developed "mini" version of the report,for readers who lack the time or motivation to read the entire document.

A)executive summary
B)sandbox
C)appendix
D)call to action
E)letter of transmittal

Question 71

Online content does not require you to take special care to build trust with your audience because of the anonymity of the Internet.

Question 72

For online reports make generous use of hyperlinks to help your readers navigate the reports and access additional information.

Question 73

If a report calls for follow-up action of any kind,clearly identify who is going to do what,or what should happen next.

Question 74

You can improve your business report's readability by ________.

A)adding colorful adjectives and adverbs
B)using casual language
C)adding headings and subheadings
D)including humor
E)using corporate-speak

Question 75

If you are using the indirect approach in your report,the introduction provides a preview of the main idea.

Question 76

When writing for websites,present your information as elaborately as possible to develop your reader's trust.

Question 77

When integrating texts and visuals,a(n)________ helps readers "decode" the visual by explaining what various colors,symbols,or other design choices mean.

A)tag cloud
B)legend
C)title
D)caption
E)appendix

Question 78

To allow you to control how your document is displayed on your audience's computer,deliver the document ________.

A)using data visualization
B)in PDF format
C)in word processor format
D)using screencasts
E)through wikis

Question 79

When integrating texts and visuals,a(n)________ usually offers additional discussion of the visual's content and can be several sentences long,if appropriate.

A)tag cloud
B)legend
C)title
D)caption
E)appendix

Question 80

Review the merits of your approach in the introduction of the proposal.