Deck 7: Writing in the Workplace

Question 1

Words that create sharp,vivid images and stimulate reader interest are known as ______.

A)jargon
B)denotation
C)concrete
D)abstract

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Although active voice is usually preferred over passive in business writing,its main advantage is that it is ______.

A)diplomatic
B)shorter
C)direct
D)emphatic

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The context of managerial writing includes ______.

A)the fragmented workday
B)the extent of collaboration and delegation
C)the size and culture of the organization
D)all of these

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Writing in a conversational style means using ______.

A)colloquialisms
B)jargon and slang
C)words in your speaking vocabulary
D)answers to your own questions

Question 5

When in the planning stage of writing,which of the following considerations is necessary?

A)who: intended readership
B)when: timing of a message
C)why: justification for a message
D)all of these

Question 6

Which of the following is an advantage of collaborative writing?

A)Everyone is a team leader.
B)group decision-making
C)Everyone contributes to the project at all times.
D)It fosters formal chains of communication and authority.

Question 7

The team leader in a collaborative writing group is responsible for ______.

A)setting the guidelines for the group
B)coordinating the team's collaborative efforts
C)resolving conflicts among individuals and functional departments
D)Both coordinating the team's collaborative efforts and resolving conflicts among individuals and functional departments

Question 8

Writing "he made five errors in six attempts" instead of "he really messed up" is an example of ______.

A)abstraction
B)conciseness
C)sexism
D)concreteness

Question 9

On the average,the executives that Mintzberg observed had a full half hour of uninterrupted time only once every ______ day(s).

A)4
B)2
C)6
D)5

Question 10

Which of the following is a type of mechanical transition?

A)repeating key words
B)a smooth line of thought
C)using jargon
D)using clichés

Question 11

The technical language or specialized terms that become part of the everyday vocabulary of an organization or discipline are known as ______.

A)clichés
B)jargon
C)wordy phrases
D)hackneyed expressions

Question 12

Which one of the following was not mentioned as an advantage of writing over oral communication?

A)economy
B)efficiency
C)accuracy
D)immediate feedback

Question 13

Written business messages should be ______.

A)economical and efficient
B)wordy and intelligent
C)effective and ambiguous
D)accurate and complex

Question 14

Which of the following is not a guideline that helps writers to develop effective paragraphs?

A)start writing all ideas on paper
B)decide whether a deductive or inductive pattern is appropriate
C)present one major idea in a paragraph
D)keep paragraphs relatively short

Question 15

"It is thought that interest rates will fall" is an example of a(n)______.

A)fact
B)tautology
C)passive voice
D)expletive

Question 16

Which of the following meanings of a word is the subjective one that is largely determined by a person's previous experiences or associations?

A)denotation
B)connotation
C)euphemism
D)malapropism

Question 17

A business writer should always ______.

A)consider the power positions of both sender and receiver
B)closely scrutinize all information
C)disregard previous communication problems
D)conduct an audience analysis,even for routine messages

Question 18

Studies show most effective sentences in business messages have an average length of ______.

A)five to 10 words
B)10 to 15 words
C)15 to 20 words
D)20 to 40 words

Question 19

Revising involves which of the following?

A)writing a paper with as few errors as possible
B)rewriting the paper as many times as necessary
C)neatness
D)reading what has been written for clarity,accuracy,and tone

Question 20

What is the term for a group of people who think in similar ways about how to communicate subjects to be dealt with and how to approach them?

A)social network
B)workgroup
C)discourse community
D)culture

Question 21

When should a writer edit a document?

A)before revising
B)at the same time as revising
C)after revising
D)instead of revising

Question 22

A deductive pattern in a paragraph means the main idea is in which position?

A)at the end
B)in the middle
C)at the beginning
D)anywhere

Question 23

Which of the following is not a disadvantage of collaborative writing?

A)Collaboration takes more time.
B)Collaboration causes conflicts.
C)Members may not contribute their fair share.
D)The final document has a corporate style.

Question 24

Oral managerial communications offer strategic advantages such as economy,efficiency,accuracy,and official permanence.

Question 25

Collaboration is thought to improve writing quality.

Question 26

Research shows that managers spend about 20 hours per week writing messages such as e-mails,memos,letters,and reports.

Question 27

Denotative meanings are subjective while connotative meanings are objective.

Question 28

A Janus statement consists of a(n)______.

A)explanation
B)review and preview
C)calendar for January
D)deduction

Question 29

When writing to readers outside the organization,managers should use jargon since this will impress the readers and increase credibility.

Question 30

The difference between positive and negative wording is more a matter of content than emphasis.

Question 31

A euphemism is an expression with intended positive connotations.

Question 32

Accordingly,again,also,and additionally are examples of ______.

A)transitions
B)pronouns
C)overused words
D)parallelism

Question 33

Using more words guarantees that a message will be easier to understand.

Question 34

Many states have plain language statutes designed to ensure that government messages are clear,concise,well-organized,and easy to read.

Question 35

Only collaborative writing groups with reoccurring conflicts should elect a team leader.

Question 36

Concrete words are more efficient and stay with the reader longer than abstract words.

Question 37

The way in which managers communicate messages is influenced by the type of authority they are perceived to have.

Question 38

Generally speaking,the more positive the stimuli in a written message,the more positive the response.

Question 39

Which of the following is not a strategy for emphasizing a main idea?

A)repeating it
B)highlighting it in boldface
C)using the "you" viewpoint
D)being indirect

Question 40

One of the more serious problems associated with collaborative writing is dealing with conflicts that arise.

Question 41

Business managers are a discourse community because they have unique writing challenges.

Question 42

Your boss says,"Don't waste time revising or editing your documents.People will figure out what you mean,even if there are some grammar and spelling errors." How should you reply? (Hint: Give reasons to revise)

Question 43

What can a manager do to encourage collaboration when the team is tackling a writing task?

Question 44

To avoid sexism in writing,switching to "he or she" or "he/she" is preferred over switching to "you."

Question 45

What are four strategic advantages of written managerial communication?

Question 46

Paragraphs bring separate thoughts together and arrange them to convey a single important idea.

Question 47

The chapter suggests that when revising and editing,a manager should be guided by the "Seven C's" of good business writing.List and discuss four of these principles.

Question 48

A conversational style is important in the writing of business letters,as it aids in developing the "you viewpoint."

Question 49

Good writing is useful only in business settings.

Question 50

Using online collaborative writing technology will minimize emotional conflicts among collaborators.