Deck 6: Improving Readability With Style and Design

Question 1

Long paragraphs in a business message can signal disorganization.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: Long paragraphs can signal disorganization and even disrespect for the reader's time.

Question 2

By eliminating redundancies, you can reduce the overall word count in a business message.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: One way to reduce word count and make your messages easier to read is to avoid redundancies, which are words or phrases that repeat the same meaning.

Question 3

While reviewing your business messages, you should ideally avoid going to others for feedback.

Answer 3

False
Explanation: One of the best ways to ensure that your communication is effective and fair is to get feedback from others.

Question 4

If you are specific in your message, then your readers are more likely to respond to your message as you intend.

Question 5

The use of buzzwords in business messages always stirs positive feelings among readers.

Question 6

When you use consistent grammatical patterns for items in lists and series, readers can process the information far more naturally and quickly.

Question 7

Prepositional phrases should be used excessively in business messages as they increase clarity.

Question 8

One primary cause of overly lengthy paragraphs is placing more than one main idea or topic in the paragraph.

Question 9

Accuracy, unlike specificity, has no impact on your readers' perceptions of your credibility.

Question 10

When you write concisely, your message is far easier to read.

Question 11

Most sentences that begin with "it is" or "there are" generally contain more words than necessary.

Question 12

People generally process simple, short words more quickly than long, complex ones.

Question 13

Typically the active voice should be used when attempting to avoid blaming others or sounding bossy.

Question 14

Documents with too much text and not enough white look daunting or cluttered.

Question 15

Reviewing business messages minimizes the possibility of embarrassing and damaging mistakes.

Question 16

In business messages, prepositional phrases should not be converted into single-word verbs.

Question 17

The closer you match your writing style to the way your readers think and talk, the easier it is for them to process the information you present.

Question 18

People can generally process information more quickly when writers use passive verbs.

Question 19

Providing too much information can distract the readers and weigh a business document down.

Question 20

When readers see long paragraphs, they often enter skim mode-searching for certain words and ideas rather than reading.

Question 21

The less specific you are while writing your business messages the greater the possibility:

A)of your readers doubting your competency.
B)of your readers avoiding scanning and skimming your message.
C)of your readers being patient and reading your message more carefully.
D)that your readers will be assured that you are not hiding facts from them.
E)that your readers will not be distracted from the main message.

Question 22

Which of the following is most likely to have a negative impact on your readers' perceptions of your credibility?

A)Using strong analogies
B)Using inaccurate statements
C)Avoiding slanting
D)Avoiding exaggerations
E)Using the other-oriented tone

Question 23

Typically, paragraphs in a business message should contain:

A)100-150 words.
B)40-80 words.
C)150-200 words.
D)200-300 words.
E)80-100 words.

Question 24

In the context of business messages, conciseness implies:

A)removing relevant information.
B)omitting needless words.
C)omitting the other-oriented tone.
D)removing the active voice.
E)removing the action verbs.

Question 25

In order to ensure the completeness of a business message, one should:

A)be specific.
B)avoid using the other-oriented tone.
C)exaggerate facts.
D)skillfully slant facts.
E)use the "me-first" attitude.

Question 26

Why should long paragraphs ideally be avoided while writing business messages?

A)Long paragraphs signal disorganization.
B)Long paragraphs reduce the possibility of using unsupported generalizations.
C)Long paragraphs do not allow slanting of facts.
D)Long paragraphs do not allow exaggeration of facts.
E)Long paragraphs do not allow the use of active voice.

Question 27

Which of the following is a basic requirement for creating a complete business message?

A)Being accurate
B)Exaggerating efficiently
C)Slanting accurately
D)Being flexible and vague
E)Using the "me-first" attitude

Question 28

Typically, accurate information is:

A)exact.
B)vague.
C)wordy.
D)redundant.
E)flexible.

Question 29

Which of the following statements is the most specific way for a company to convey the message that it wanted to reduce the size of its current workforce by half?

A)The company will have to lay off a few employees.
B)The company will have to terminate a small percentage of its employees.
C)The company will have to terminate 50 percent of its employees.
D)The company will have to terminate the majority of its employees.
E)The company will have to lay off some of its employees.

Question 30

Inaccuracies in business messages are most likely to result from:

A)specificity.
B)the use of parallel language.
C)miscalculations.
D)the use of active voice.
E)the use of action verbs.

Question 31

The authorities at Lavender garment manufacturing company conducted a survey with the intention of standardizing the productivity of the employees so as to increase the company profits.Based on their findings, they set their standards and circulated the following message, "Every employee should manufacture as many shirts as possible." However it failed to clearly deliver the intended message.Which of the following is most likely to be the reason for this failure?

A)Use of the other-oriented tone
B)Slanting of facts
C)Exaggeration of facts
D)Lack of specificity
E)Lack of buzzwords

Question 32

Which of the following is most likely to have a positive impact on your readers' perceptions of your credibility?

A)Using unsupported generalizations
B)Being specific
C)Slanting facts
D)Exaggerating facts
E)Using wordy prepositional phrases

Question 33

In the context of writing a business message, your goal of completeness specifically means that:

A)your message exaggerates facts.
B)your message provides all the information necessary to meet the intended purpose.
C)your message is concise.
D)your message has a lot of text and few white spaces.
E)your message has a lot of buzzwords.

Question 34

The less specific you are while writing your business messages the greater the possibility:

A)that your readers will be ensured of your credibility.
B)of your readers avoiding scanning and skimming your message.
C)of your readers being patient and reading your message more carefully.
D)that your readers will question your intention of keeping them informed.
E)that the clarity of your message would be high.

Question 35

Which of the following guidelines should be followed to ensure that you are creating a complete business message?

A)In order to provide all but only relevant information, plan, write, and review your message strategically.
B)Slant the facts as it increases the credibility of a business message.
C)Avoid parallel language as it can distract the readers from the main message you want to deliver.
D)Emphasize on the drawbacks of the products and services rather than on the advantages as it improves the positivity of the message.
E)Use lot of empty phrases while writing the business message.

Question 36

Which of the following guidelines should be followed by business writers for improving the ease of reading for their readers?

A)They should avoid very long paragraphs.
B)They should avoid using parallel language.
C)They should avoid using action verbs.
D)They should avoid using active voice.
E)They should avoid using the other-oriented tone.

Question 37

Which of the following is most likely to help you in writing concisely?

A)Using longer sentences
B)Avoiding redundancy
C)Using wordy phrases
D)Avoiding the active voice
E)Using buzzwords

Question 38

In the context of creating a complete business message, which of the following is true?

A)Providing too much information can distract the readers and weigh a business document down.
B)Slanting, i.e.presenting those facts that are favorable to your position is important as it increases the credibility of a business message.
C)You should carefully hold back information even when it is relevant, so as to increase the curiosity of the readers.
D)Emphasizing on the drawbacks of the products and services rather than on the advantages, improves the positivity of the message.
E)Parallel language should be avoided as it can distract the readers from the main message you want to deliver.

Question 39

Being specific in your business writings is most likely to:

A)make your readers doubt your competency.
B)result in your readers losing patience and wanting to scan your message.
C)assure your readers that you are not hiding any facts from them.
D)lower the possibility that your readers would respond to your message as you intend.
E)decrease the credibility of the message.

Question 40

One primary cause of overly lengthy paragraphs is:

A)using active voice in the paragraph.
B)placing more than one main idea in the paragraph.
C)using active verbs in the paragraph.
D)being specific.
E)being accurate.

Question 41

One way to immediately improve your writing is to use active rather than passive voice in most sentences.The main reason behind this is that:

A)the active voice diverts attention from the doer.
B)people tend to think in a doer-action-object pattern.
C)the active voice makes it possible to slant facts efficiently.
D)people tend to sound bossy when using the active voice.
E)the use of active voice facilitates the use of wordy prepositional phrases.

Question 42

For most written business communications, the first consideration should be to:

A)present the message in a visually appealing manner.
B)get the message across in an easy-to-read manner.
C)slant facts in an effective manner.
D)construct the message in the passive voice.

Question 43

As a rule of thumb, for routine messages, the sentence length should be kept at:

A)15 or fewer words.
B)more than 20 words but fewer than 50 words.
C)50 or more words.
D)30 or more words.
E)more than 30 words but fewer than 50 words.

Question 44

Which of the following is true about using active voice while writing business messages?

A)It diverts the attention from the subject so that the writer does not sound bossy.
B)It helps in slanting facts which increases the credibility of the business message.
C)It allows for faster processing of the business message.
D)It makes the message difficult to navigate.
E)It negatively affects your credibility.

Question 45

To keep your writing natural and engaging, make sure you:

A)exaggerate facts.
B)slant facts.
C)do not use buzzwords.
D)avoid active voice.
E)avoid action verbs.

Question 46

Consider the following statement, "To motivate employees to increase their productivity, a manager can use some of our tools for motivation." The best way to make this statement concise is by:

A)omitting the active voice.
B)removing the action verb.
C)adding a figure of speech.
D)adding a buzzword.
E)removing the redundant words.

Question 47

In order to improve the ease of reading with natural style, a writer should:

A)avoid using action verbs.
B)use parallel language.
C)avoid using active voice.
D)use figures of speech.
E)use wordy prepositional phrases.

Question 48

In the context of ease of navigation, which of the following is true?

A)In information-rich and complex messages, headings should be avoided.
B)Visual appeal should be the first consideration for all written business communications.
C)Documents with too much text and not enough white look daunting or cluttered.
D)Readers are likely to be distracted by bullets and numberings in a document.
E)Typically, you should use special formatting as much as you can so that your main ideas do not stand out.

Question 49

Figures of speech, such as idioms and metaphors should ideally be avoided while writing business messages because they:

A)lack specificity.
B)inadvertently send the signal that you are out of touch with the subject of the message.
C)cannot slant facts.
D)shorten the message.
E)are too precise.

Question 50

One way to reduce word count and make your messages easier to read is to:

A)slant facts.
B)avoid using wordy prepositions.
C)avoid using parallel language.
D)avoid using action verbs.
E)avoid using active voice.

Question 51

Which of the following is most likely to improve the ease of navigation in information-rich and complex messages?

A)Using headings
B)Avoiding the use of numbered lists
C)Using different font styles for different headings
D)Avoiding a consistent formatting
E)Using as much white space as possible

Question 52

Buzzwords should ideally be avoided while writing business messages.This is mainly because they:

A)are not flexible and do not allow slanting of facts.
B)have a very broad technical context.
C)become trite due to overuse and can stir negative feelings among some readers.
D)shorten the length of the message.
E)do not allow the use of the other-oriented tone in the message.

Question 53

People are most likely to process information quickly when writers:

A)use wordy propositional phrases.
B)use action verbs.
C)avoid the use of other-oriented tone.
D)slant the facts.
E)do not mention subject in the sentence.

Question 54

While writing business messages, one should avoid sentences that begin with "it is" or "there are" because they:

A)fail to provide a specific subject.
B)contain nonliteral meanings.
C)are not flexible enough to allow slanting of facts.
D)negatively affect the navigational design of the message.
E)cause your readers to doubt your intentions.

Question 55

In order to improve the ease of reading with natural style, a writer should:

A)avoid using the other-oriented tone.
B)avoid using parallel language.
C)avoid using active voice.
D)avoid using buzzwords.
E)avoid using action verbs.

Question 56

The use of familiar words in business messages is most likely to:

A)distract attention from the message.
B)decrease the credibility of the message.
C)help the readers to process the information easily.
D)help the writers to efficiently slant facts.
E)decrease the specificity of the message.

Question 57

It becomes easier for your readers to process the information you present when you:

A)match your writing style to the way your readers think and talk.
B)make excessive use of prepositional phrases as they increase the clarity of the message.
C)slant the facts so that the readers are exposed to the information that is relevant to them.
D)avoid using parallel language which makes it difficult for readers to distinguish between the information provided.
E)include a lot of text in your message and very few white spaces.

Question 58

People reading a sentence in a business message are most likely to be confused when:

A)action verbs are used in the sentence.
B)active voice is used in the sentence.
C)the facts presented in the sentence are not slanted.
D)the other-oriented tone is used in the sentence.
E)the subject is not mentioned in the sentence.

Question 59

In the context of using headings in business documents, which of the following guidelines would improve the ease of reading?

A)Avoid using headings in complex messages.
B)Use different font styles and formatting for different headings.
C)As you develop your headings, make sure you accurately convey the contents of a section.
D)Use wordy prepositional phrases as headings.
E)Avoid using headings in information-rich messages.

Question 60

Consider the statement, "In order to build a sustainable organization, it is important to hire employees with sustainable qualities." One way to make this statement more precise is by:

A)omitting the active voice.
B)removing the action verb.
C)replacing the wordy prepositional phrase.
D)adding a buzzword.
E)adding a figure of speech.

Question 61

The difference between expert business writers and average business writers is that expert business writers:

A)avoid the use of the other-oriented tone.
B)prefer the passive voice over the active voice.
C)effectively slant facts whenever required.
D)use buzzwords and figures of speech frequently throughout the message.
E)devote more time to planning and reviewing as compared to drafting.

Question 62

In the course of conducting a FAIR test to review your business message, when you attempt to determine whether you have been open about your motives, or if you have a hidden agenda, you are most likely checking:

A)if the facts you have stated are accurate.
B)if you have granted enough access to the message recipients to provide input.
C)how your message would impact others.
D)if you have demonstrated respect for the inherent worth of others.
E)if you have shown that you value others.

Question 63

In the course of conducting a FAIR test to review your business message, when you attempt to determine whether in your message, you are open about your motives, you are most likely checking:

A)if the facts you have stated are accurate.
B)if you have granted enough access to the message recipients to provide input.
C)if you have thought about how the message will impact various stakeholders.
D)if you have demonstrated respect for the inherent worth of others.
E)if you have shown that you value others.

Question 64

Discuss two ways by which you can reduce the overall word count in business messages?

Question 65

List the various components of the reviewing stage that are involved in the process of developing a business document.

Question 66

One of the best ways to ensure that your communication is effective and fair is to:

A)use the "me-first" attitude.
B)focus less on accuracy.
C)avoid using parallel language.
D)avoid the other-oriented tone.
E)get feedback from others.

Question 67

Describe the significance of using white spaces in a business document.

Question 68

List three ways by which you can ensure the completeness of business messages.

Question 69

Discuss how to proofread a business document.

Question 70

Is visual appeal the most important factor for creating a good business document?

Question 71

Why is it important to use parallel language for series and lists?

Question 72

Which of the following components typically belong to the reviewing process?

A)Audience analysis
B)Identifying the primary message
C)Determining the key points
D)Determining the structure of the message
E)Conducting the FAIR test

Question 73

Why is it necessary to ensure that business messages are accurate?

Question 74

Which of the following is one of the advantages of using the FAIR test to review business documents?

A)It allows business writers to efficiently slant facts.
B)It helps the business writers in ensuring that the communication is ethical.
C)It eliminates the need of feedback.
D)It allows writers to exaggerate facts whenever needed.
E)It ensures that the document is easy to navigate.

Question 75

What are the advantages of using the active voice in business messages?

Question 76

Which of the following questions are you most likely to ask while analyzing the factual accuracy of a business message in the course of conducting the FAIR test?

A)Are there any logical errors?
B)Have you granted enough access to the message recipients to provide input?
C)Have you thought about how the message will impact various stakeholders?
D)Have you evaluated impacts on others from an ethical perspective?
E)Have you shown that you value others?

Question 77

Suggest a technique to ensure that readers can easily identify key ideas in information-rich and complex business documents.

Question 78

In the context of the reviewing process, the "F" in the FAIR test stands for _____.

A)freedom
B)facts
C)fluency
D)fairness
E)flexibility

Question 79

In the course of conducting a FAIR test to review your business message, when you attempt to determine whether you have shown that you value others, you are most likely checking:

A)if the facts you have stated are accurate.
B)if you have granted enough access to the message recipients to provide input.
C)if you are open about your motives.
D)if you have demonstrated respect for the inherent worth of others.
E)if you have made any logical errors.

Question 80

In the course of conducting a FAIR test to review your business message, when you attempt to determine how your message will affect others from ethical, corporate, and legal perspectives, you are most likely checking:

A)if the facts you have stated are accurate.
B)if you have granted enough access to the message recipients to provide input.
C)how your message will impact various stakeholders.
D)if you have demonstrated respect for the inherent worth of others.
E)if you have made any logical errors.