Deck 7: Crafting Messages for Electronic Media

Question 1

In terms of social networking,UGC stands for

A) user-generated content.
B) underground correspondence.
C) urgent governmental communication.
D) ungrammatical conversation.
E) none of the above.

Answer 1

A
Explanation: A)User-generated content sites,where users rather than website owners contribute most or all of the content,have become serious business tools.

Question 2

In terms of the three-step writing process,podcasts differ mostly from written messages in the ________ step.

A) planning
B) writing
C) completing
D) transcribing
E) There are no significant differences.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: C)The completing step is where podcasting differs most dramatically from written communication.For more formal podcasts,start by revising your script or thinking through your speaking notes before you begin to record.Although it might not seem obvious at first,the three-step writing process adapts quite nicely to podcasting.

Question 3

Which of the following is a particularly helpful medium when you need to update content for a large audience quickly?

A) webpage
B) email
C) instant message
D) podcast
E) blog

Answer 3

E
Explanation: E)The ability to update content quickly and easily makes blogs and microblogs (such as Twitter)a natural medium when communicators want to get messages out in a hurry.Webpages and podcasts do get information out to a large audience,but not necessarily quickly.Email and instant messages get out messages quickly,but to a limited audience.

Question 4

Using "teasers" in electronic media as a way to pull readers or listeners into a story or other document

A) is unethical and should always be avoided.
B) is appropriate only when large purchases are not involved.
C) is acceptable, as long as the payoff is valuable and legitimate.
D) is never appropriate for microblogging sites.
E) was once an effective technique, but not any longer due to an Internet-savvy public.

Question 5

Which of the following is not true of instant messaging?

A) It allows a rapid response to urgent messages.
B) It is less susceptible to security and privacy problems.
C) It costs more than phone calls or email.
D) It is widely utilized in business.
E) It is more susceptible than email to problems with unwanted messages.

Question 6

When creating content for social media,

A) to reach a wide audience, you should write as informally as possible.
B) treat every message as a sales pitch.
C) write catchy headlines that play on words.
D) don't hide from criticism: take the opportunity to correct misinformation.
E) use plenty of jargon-even if your audience is not likely to understand it-so everyone will know you are an insider.

Question 7

Thanks to Facebook,you've recently connected with an old friend who lives in another state.She contacts you frequently using your work email account,often sharing racially charged jokes that you find offensive.Concerned about what would happen if your boss or coworkers saw her emails,you should

A) loosen up, since no one at your company has the right to read your email.
B) politely ask her to stop sending the jokes, and then speak privately with your boss about the problem and how you have addressed it.
C) simply delete her email messages from your computer so no one will ever know about them.
D) go online and see if you can find the jokes on the Internet; if so, there is no need to be concerned.
E) do none of the above.

Question 8

One of your sales representatives has begun using social networks to aggressively promote a new product line.The best response would likely be to

A) encourage him to continue.
B) discourage him from using blatant "salespeak" since it is likely to alienate the audience.
C) enact a policy forbidding employees from using social networks on company time.
D) do nothing.
E) fire him immediately.

Question 9

Social media postings on sites such as Twitter and Facebook

A) are personal and confidential, and cannot be used in a court of law.
B) cannot be forwarded or copied.
C) appear online for only a very short time, so if you post something inappropriate there is no need to worry.
D) have caused some employees to be fired.
E) cannot legally be used by employers to make personnel decisions such as those related to promotion or termination.

Question 10

You have decided to post a video on YouTube explaining how to use one of your company's new products.To be most effective,the video should be no more than ________ minute(s)long.

A) 1
B) 5
C) 25
D) 60
E) Any length is appropriate, as long as the content is compelling.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is true?

A) Despite their popularity for personal use, social networking technologies are not very useful in business.
B) Social networking technology is so complex that only high-tech companies take advantage of it.
C) Social networking capabilities have led to a fundamental change in business communication.
D) The use of social networks is declining.
E) Social networking sites have become increasingly difficult to use.

Question 12

Many companies are now using ________ to replace or supplement some conference calls,training courses,and other communication activities.

A) blogs
B) instant messaging
C) email
D) text messaging
E) podcasts

Question 13

Which of the following compositional modes for electronic media involves helping people find their way through an unfamiliar system or new subject?

A) conversation
B) comments and critiques
C) orientations
D) summaries
E) narratives

Question 14

When selecting the appropriate compositional mode for a communication task using electronic media,the central factor to consider is

A) which one you like the most.
B) which one will save you the most time.
C) which one is most likely to impress your boss.
D) what kind of information audience members are likely to need.
E) what medium you will use.

Question 15

Compared to social media sites,email

A) no longer offers any advantages.
B) is much more difficult to use.
C) still has compelling advantages that make it useful in many companies.
D) is far less private.
E) is much more difficult to track and monitor.

Question 16

Websites specifically designed to pool the inputs of multiple users in order to benefit the community as a whole are known as ________ websites.

A) hidden
B) open
C) user-friendly
D) community participation
E) open-source

Question 17

Email is to be used for external communication

A) regularly, although it has been replaced in many cases by other tools.
B) only for formal documents that you need to keep a record of.
C) in response to letters your customers have sent.
D) only if a superior approves the message.
E) when confidentiality is required.

Question 18

When it comes to writing messages in today's business environment,

A) printed letters are obsolete.
B) printed letters are still used for external communication.
C) email has completely replaced printed memos for all internal communication.
D) printed letters are used primarily for negative messages.
E) printed documents are considered highly informal.

Question 19

Compared to email,instant messaging

A) is slower and more complicated to use.
B) has not caught on in the business community.
C) is much faster, but more costly as well.
D) offers greater speed and is less susceptible to privacy problems.
E) has become much less popular for personal and business use.

Question 20

Despite your numerous emails and voicemail messages,a normally dependable vendor has not responded to your important question.Which of the following would be a sensible next step?

A) Consider sending a printed message.
B) Send more email messages, but flag them as "high-priority" or "urgent."
C) Send multiple copies of the same email message.
D) Use IM to bombard the vendor until he responds.
E) Find the CEO's mobile phone number and bombard it with text messages demanding a response.

Question 21

In the middle of an important meeting,you receive an unsolicited IM from a company informing you of their great rates on vacations in Hawaii.This is an example of

A) spam.
B) feedback.
C) spim.
D) viral marketing.
E) user-generated content.

Question 22

When using IM for business communication,acronyms such as FWIW and HTH

A) are perfectly appropriate.
B) may confuse some readers, who are new to the medium but meet the expectations of most.
C) should be used frequently since they indicate your comfort with the medium.
D) should not be used unless you are communicating with close colleagues.
E) are inappropriate for U.S. audiences, but fine for international readers.

Question 23

Because many email programs display the first few words or lines of incoming messages,you should

A) be vague in your first sentence, to entice the reader to open the message.
B) leave several blank lines at the beginning of each message.
C) treat the first sentence of the message as an extension of your subject line.
D) use phrases such as "MUST READ" in your first sentence.
E) try to limit all email messages to a single sentence.

Question 24

An important drawback of IM is

A) the need for user authentication.
B) the limited number of devices on which it is available.
C) its high cost.
D) the ease with which it can be misused to broadcast unwanted messages.
E) its stilted, formal feel.

Question 25

One important element of basic email etiquette is to

A) respect the chain of command.
B) use bullets and lists.
C) include headings on all emails.
D) capture your readers' attention.
E) send all messages prior to 12:00 noon on weekdays.

Question 26

Email etiquette requires that writers do all of the following except

A) make sure every email they send is absolutely necessary.
B) respect the chain of command.
C) be careful to keep their emotions in check when composing messages.
D) mark all emails as "urgent" to make sure they are read.
E) use an email signature file to give recipients your contact information.

Question 27

Email hygiene refers to

A) the absence of slang and informal language in email messages.
B) a nationwide movement to do away with information overload.
C) all the efforts companies make to keep email clean and safe.
D) refraining from using foul language in email.
E) software that scans email messages for misspelled addresses.

Question 28

Which of the following is an example of an effective subject line for an email requesting information about the August inventory for bananas?

A) Information needed
B) Banana inventories
C) Banana information needed
D) Please send August banana inventory
E) I need to know the exact inventory on bananas for August-please send it right away. Thanks.

Question 29

For years email has been the primary communication medium at your company.However,many of your employees now use IM daily for personal messages,and they've come to you asking your approval to begin using it to communicate with clients and vendors.Your greatest concern is likely to be

A) incompatibility between your company's IM system and those your vendors and clients use.
B) the need for users to learn complicated software.
C) the ability to use it only on expensive, highly specialized devices.
D) the high cost.
E) that employees will begin to write messages that are too long.

Question 30

When it comes to instant messaging (IM),the three-step writing process

A) should not be followed since it only slows things down.
B) is impossible to use, even for highly skilled communicators.
C) still applies, except for the planning step.
D) worsens the quality of your messages since IM is supposed to be spontaneous.
E) is compressed, but still helpful.

Question 31

SMS stands for

A) standard mobile subscription.
B) substitute messaging server.
C) short messaging service.
D) standalone mail system.
E) secure monitoring service.

Question 32

Which of the following is the best example of an effective email subject line?

A) Website redesign is on schedule
B) Status Report
C) Employee Parking
D) Read This!
E) All of the above are effective.

Question 33

Email messages

A) generally require less care than other messages, since email is temporary and easily deleted.
B) should be written with the assumption that they will be stored forever.
C) should always be less formal in business than messages in other media.
D) are preferable to face-to-face conversations when delivering bad news.
E) None of the above.

Question 34

When it comes to monitoring incoming and outgoing email,

A) most companies do not make the effort.
B) only about 10 percent of U.S. employers do it.
C) most employers view it as an invasion of employee privacy.
D) many employers do so, either with software, security staff, or both.
E) federal law strictly prohibits companies from doing it.

Question 35

Advantages of using IM rather than email include its

A) ability to completely eliminate the equivalent of "junk mail."
B) availability on a wide range of devices.
C) ability to mimic conversations.
D) ability to convey tone more effectively.
E) all of the above.

Question 36

To make email more readable,you should do all of the following except:

A) limit subject lines to describing the general topic of your message.
B) make your message easy to understand.
C) personalize your message.
D) observe email etiquette.
E) All of the above are strategies to make email more readable.

Question 37

The subject line of an email message

A) is rarely read by the recipient.
B) helps recipients decide whether or not to read the message.
C) should describe only the general topic of the message.
D) must never be longer than 3 words long.
E) does all of the above.

Question 38

Periodically making yourself unavailable for instant messaging

A) is a wise move that can increase your productivity.
B) is never a good idea in today's high-tech environment.
C) is acceptable, as long as you notify everyone who has access to your system to explain what you are doing.
D) has been shown to decrease overall productivity.
E) is helpful and expected unless you are a manager, supervisor, or executive.

Question 39

Overusing the "cc" function when sending email

A) is no longer a big deal since very few people pay attention to these messages.
B) is a violation of email hygiene.
C) can waste a great deal of time by generating more reply messages than necessary.
D) is a good way to protect yourself in a hostile work environment.
E) lets coworkers and clients know that you are well-connected.

Question 40

Email

A) should follow the convention of other business writing in formal situations.
B) should never be longer than one screen.
C) does not need to be proofread.
D) is the best medium for internal messages, regardless of their content.
E) should never include attachments, since they can harm the audience's computer.

Question 41

Creating effective social media content in business means taking every opportunity to promote your company's products.

Question 42

If your company draws criticism,it is best to respond promptly and honestly.

Question 43

In business communication,email is often being replaced by other tools that provide better support for instant communication and real-time collaboration.

Question 44

There are no important differences between instant messaging and text messaging.

Question 45

Which of the following would be the most effective headline for a new posting on a business blog?

A) You Might Already Know It, But ...
B) Random Thoughts From My Addled Brain
C) Things We Thought You Needed to Know
D) Seven Reasons To Switch Your Smartphone Carrier
E) Our New Products: A Brief Overview

Question 46

Podcasts are

A) great for entertainment, but not useful in business.
B) helpful for training in business, but not much else.
C) too technical to be practical for business use.
D) no longer viable as a medium for business communication.
E) none of the above.

Question 47

If a customer uses the comment feature to criticize the content of your business blog,

A) you should respond promptly and honestly.
B) ignore it unless the critic is incorrect.
C) post it, and follow with a blog entry to show your audience that it will not be tolerated.
D) you should immediately shut the blog down to avoid potential harm to your reputation.
E) do none of the above.

Question 48

"Viral marketing" is

A) the unethical practice of marketing products through computer viruses.
B) advertising products and services related to the health-care industry.
C) the transmission of messages about your company and products by individuals outside your organization.
D) marketing that uses hostile language to "shame" consumers into purchasing goods and/or services.
E) none of the above.

Question 49

Twitter is one example of a microblogging system.

Question 50

Many businesses now use blogs to

A) keep project teams up to date.
B) replace email in many cases.
C) inform employees about general business matters.
D) do none of the above.
E) do all of the above.

Question 51

One of the greatest drawbacks to using podcasts in business is

A) they require costly, specialized equipment you'll need to purchase regardless of the production quality you want.
B) the difficulty of finding people with good speaking voices.
C) the challenge listeners face when it comes to scanning back and forth to find specific parts of the message.
D) the high cost of distributing them.
E) none of the above

Question 52

If you do not have a constant supply of new information to post on a business blog,

A) your audience will appreciate not having to process information that changes constantly.
B) repost old material so your audience will not lose interest.
C) you should create a traditional website instead.
D) keep readers interested by adding daily comments on current events.
E) you should simply add "Nothing new just yet" each day to let readers know that the blog is still viable.

Question 53

The best known newsfeed,which allows blog followers to get new information automatically,is

A) RSS.
B) Digg.
C) YouTube.
D) Yelp.
E) Napster.

Question 54

Compared to blogs,podcasts are

A) much easier to edit.
B) more difficult to edit.
C) equally challenging when it comes to editing.
D) used only by high-tech companies.
E) far less effective for conveying emotion and tone.

Question 55

In general,user-generated content sites have yielded disappointing results for companies that have used them for business purposes.

Question 56

Because each electronic medium has unique requirements,basic communication skills do not usually transfer from one system to another.

Question 57

When it comes to blogging for business,

A) don't worry about proofreading-your audience doesn't expect it.
B) you should apply the three-step writing process as you would for any other business message.
C) don't spend a lot of time trying to define your audience: you're writing for everyone.
D) it is a waste of time unless you are selling high-tech products or services.
E) you can rely on your HTML editor to correct all errors in spelling and grammar.

Question 58

One advantage of blogging for business is that it enables you to update content quickly and easily.

Question 59

Sites such as Flickr,Facebook,and YouTube are valuable for social communication,but not for business.

Question 60

In a court of law,email messages and other electronic documents can have the same weight as printed documents.

Question 61

An effective email subject line is very short and describes only the general topic of the message.

Question 62

It is best to read from a prepared script when creating podcasts for business.

Question 63

With the variety of electronic media now available,sending a printed message is never preferable to sending an electronic one.

Question 64

In business-related email messages,it is a good idea to make frequent use of background colors and colored type to add visual appeal to the text.

Question 65

In email,"cc" stands for "carbon copy."

Question 66

SMS is another term for text messaging.

Question 67

It is illegal for your company to open and read email you send and receive at work.

Question 68

Unlike other business presentations,podcasts require little planning and are most effective when delivered impromptu.

Question 69

Using hashtags in microblogs is complicated and difficult.

Question 70

A podcasting channel offers regular recordings on a consistent theme,designed for a wide public audience.

Question 71

Blogs are useful tools for crisis communication.

Question 72

When writing for electronic media,you can choose from only three different compositional modes.

Question 73

If you are frustrated that virtually no one responds to your emails,you should set the message priority to "High" for all the messages you send.

Question 74

One drawback of current blogging software is that it takes a great deal of time to post new material.

Question 75

iTunes can be an effective venue for distributing a company's podcasts.

Question 76

Leaving the subject line out on important email messages will spark your readers' curiosity and increase their desire to read your email.

Question 77

Although they are popular for personal use,user-generated content sites such as Flickr and YouTube generally are not useful for business communication.

Question 78

Spelling,punctuation,and grammar do not matter in email; getting your message out quickly should be your only concern.

Question 79

Because many email programs display the first part of a message before it is opened,it is often helpful to "tweetify" the opening lines to get your reader's attention.

Question 80

One of the best ways to distribute podcasts is to use a blog that provides supporting information.