Deck 6: Developing Your Writing Process and Choosing the Best Form

Question 1

The process of writing moves from planning to drafting to revising, and is strictly a linear activity.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The high-cost involved with email is the reason that businesses do not use it for communicating with their internal audiences.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Memos cannot be used to communicate factual, problem-related information.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The memo's function of communicating within a business has been largely replaced by email.

Question 5

Information is gathered and analyzed during the planning stage of the writing process.

Question 6

On the job companies often monitor employees' computer activity.

Question 7

Memos are primarily used for corresponding with people outside an organization.

Question 8

Formatting decisions should not be included in the planning stage of composing a message.

Question 9

Each person's way of developing a piece of writing for a given situation is unique.

Question 10

Businesses use text messaging primarily for data reporting purposes.

Question 11

Abbreviations have no place in text messaging.

Question 12

In the inverted pyramid style of organizing Web content, the information supporting the main point is presented first.

Question 13

The bcc in an email message stands for "backup confidential copy."

Question 14

All business communication should be driven by the audience's needs.

Question 15

Taking time to make careful formatting decisions during your writing process will significantly enhance your chances of achieving your communication goals.

Question 16

Business writers use social networking solely for external communication.

Question 17

Relatively inexperienced business writers should spend roughly a third of their writing time on each of the three main stages of writing.

Question 18

Using intialisms such as BTW and ASAP is acceptable in casual business emails.

Question 19

Proofreading for mechanical and grammatical elements is the final step in the revision process.

Question 20

When planning a message, it is important to ensure that your message is not guided by your audience.

Question 21

You are most likely to focus on your style and examine your sentences to see if they pace the information in such a way that the reader can easily follow it, if they emphasize the right things, and if they combine pieces of information coherently at the _____ level of the revision process.

A) editing
B) planning
C) channel selecting
D) form selecting
E) medium selecting

Question 22

Which of the following is true about the stages involved in the writing process?

A) They are strictly chronological.
B) They are not recursive.
C) They are interrelated.
D) The revising stage of the writing process becomes redundant when a message is well drafted.
E) Skipping the planning stage saves time and makes the writing process more efficient.

Question 23

Which of the following is true regarding the amount of time business writers should ideally spend on each part of the writing process?

A) They should spend an equal amount of time on each of the three stages.
B) They should spend an equal amount of time on drafting and planning and skip revising.
C) They should spend most of their time on drafting and revising and skip planning.
D) They should spend most of their time on planning and less time on drafting and revising.
E) They should spend most of their time on revising and less time on planning and drafting.

Question 24

Which of the following statements is true about the planning stage of the writing process?

A) It is the last stage in the writing process.
B) A business writer should spend more time on drafting and skip the planning stage.
C) The planning stage is independent of the drafting stage.
D) It involves determining the goals of a message.
E) A business writer should spend more time on planning and skip revising.

Question 25

The act of generating different possible solutions to communication problems without censoring any of them is called _____.

A) groupthink
B) brainstorming
C) proofreading
D) social loafing
E) free riding

Question 26

In the proofreading stage of the writing process you are most likely to:

A) examine the relevancy of your content.
B) choose the right channel for transmission.
C) analyze your audience.
D) select an appropriate medium for delivering your message.
E) check the mechanical and grammatical elements of a message.

Question 27

Which of the following is true about written communication?

A) The punctuation used in written communication is characteristic of the object or concept it represents.
B) The alphabets used in written communication are characteristic of the object or concept they represent.
C) Representing a complex reality in words is much easier than representing it through a photograph.
D) Writers can't rely on their tone of voice to make up for wording that isn't quite what they mean.
E) The stages involved in the process of writing are not recursive.

Question 28

The wide range of established forms of communication is collectively called _____.

A) variables
B) genres
C) bypasses
D) memorandums
E) heuristics

Question 29

When using the direct order plan to organize your information in a message, you will most likely:

A) put those information first which are considered routine by the readers.
B) put those information at last which are considered positive by the readers.
C) put those information at last which are considered neutral by the readers.
D) avoid beginning your message by stating your objective.
E) refrain from delivering good-news.

Question 30

In which of the following cases will the direct order plan of organizing information be most effective?

A) A letter to the parents of a student regarding his detention
B) An email to a pharmaceutical company informing about the cancellation of their license
C) A memo to an employee informing about the termination of her service
D) An email to the HR manager asking for the details of an employee
E) A letter to a customer apologizing for the delay in delivering a shipment

Question 31

Which of the following is typically included in the planning stage of the process of writing?

A) Revising your content
B) Determining your goals
C) Editing your language
D) Proofreading your documents
E) Getting feedback from others

Question 32

The first step in the process of writing is _____.

A) planning
B) reviewing
C) editing
D) revising
E) proofreading

Question 33

Which of the following should ideally be avoided in the drafting process to create an effective message?

A) Creating a flexible draft that can be changed over time
B) Focusing on creating a perfect draft on the first attempt
C) Focusing on the primary purpose of the message
D) Moving forward at a reasonably steady pace with as little stalling as possible
E) Working on a draft when productivity is highest

Question 34

In the planning process of writing, once the goal of a communication is set, the immediate next step is to:

A) choose a format for writing the message.
B) proofread the message.
C) choose a channel for communicating the message.
D) send a message immediately.
E) analyze the audience.

Question 35

In which of the following cases will the indirect order plan of organizing information be most effective?

A) An automated email response to emails sent to a company's email ID
B) A letter to a government official requesting the renewal of one's work permit
C) An email sent to a supplier asking for raw materials
D) An email to a supplier about the organization's plan of switching to a different supplier
E) An email containing the weekly newsletter which details the activities of the organization

Question 36

The indirect order plan of organizing information in a message is best suited for:

A) bad-news.
B) neutral data.
C) routine data.
D) positive message.
E) routine enquiry.

Question 37

Which of the following is true about written communication?

A) The stages involved in the writing process are strictly chronological.
B) The alphabets used in written communication are characteristic of the object or concept they represent.
C) Representing a complex reality in words is much easier than representing it through a photograph.
D) The stages involved in the writing process are independent of one another.
E) The stages involved in the process of writing are recursive.

Question 38

Which of the following is true about the direct order plan of organizing information in a message?

A) When using the direct plan, you will most likely put those information first which are considered neutral by the readers.
B) When using the direct plan, you will most likely put those information at last which are considered positive by the readers.
C) When using the direct plan, you will most likely put those information at last which are considered routine by the readers.
D) When using the direct plan, you will most likely avoid beginning your message by stating your objective.
E) When using the direct plan, you will most likely refrain from delivering good-news.

Question 39

In which of the following cases will the direct order plan of organizing information be most effective?

A) A letter to the parents of a student regarding his poor academic performance
B) An email to an employee informing him about his dismissal
C) An email to a client who has requested the shipping details for a purchased product
D) An email to a supplier informing about the organization's plan of switching to a different supplier
E) A letter to a customer apologizing for the delay in delivering a shipment

Question 40

As director of the human resources department, Alex has to write an email to the employees requesting them to volunteer at the company's annual United Way fund raiser. Alex's first step in writing his message should be to:

A) choose an appropriate form.
B) analyze his audience.
C) choose an appropriate channel.
D) proofread the message.
E) choose a document format.

Question 41

Which of the following is true about the revision stage of the writing process?

A) In this stage a writer checks whether or not all the necessary information has been included in the message.
B) It is independent of the other stages in the writing process.
C) This stage is not necessary when the message is well drafted.
D) At this stage a writer should not waste time in creating a perfect draft of the message.
E) Specific decisions about a document's format or visual design cannot be made at this stage.

Question 42

The similarity between casual language and informal language is that:

A) they follow a conversational style.
B) they do not use personal pronouns.
C) they do not use colloquialisms.
D) they are primarily used to communicate with unknown external audiences.
E) they avoid using contractions.

Question 43

When communicating with close friends, the email messages that are exchanged everyday are mostly _____ in nature.

A) casual
B) formal
C) unfamiliar
D) official
E) vague

Question 44

Which of the following is a commonly used complimentary close in today's business letters?

A) "To Whom It May Concern"
B) "Best Regards"
C) "Dear Sir/Madame"
D) "Respected Sir"
E) "Dear Ladies and Gentlemen"

Question 45

To ensure that your audiences read what you write and get your ideas and information, you should:

A) use unfamiliar words in order to arouse their interest.
B) pay attention to the physical format of the message.
C) be vague so that multiple interpretations of your message is possible.
D) avoid using the active voice.
E) avoid using the you-viewpoint.

Question 46

With respect to email format, the link Bcc or blind courtesy copy is used when:

A) the sender wants to stress that one or more of the recipients are visually impaired.
B) the sender wants the recipient to forward the email to a specific set of people.
C) the sender wants to forward copies of the email to other recipients without the knowledge of the primary receiver.
D) the sender wants the recipients of the email to get in touch with each other.
E) the sender attaches files to the email for the primary receiver to download.

Question 47

For which of the following messages is informal language most appropriate?

A) A message written by the HR manager to the newly appointed company president requesting an appointment
B) A message written by a customer care executive to a new customer welcoming her to their family
C) A message written to a coworker asking about her plans for the day
D) A letter written to a government official requesting for the renewal of one's work permit
E) A message written by a line manager to the CEO of the company

Question 48

Which of the following is true about instant messaging?

A) It is a type of text-based communication.
B) The use of emoticons in instant messaging is not dependent on the target audience.
C) Voice-based instant messaging is not possible.
D) It is not conversational in nature.
E) Instant messaging avoids the use of informal language.

Question 49

In today's business world, _____ are the most widely used form of written communication.

A) text messages
B) instant messages
C) letters
D) memos
E) emails

Question 50

The oldest form of business messages are:

A) letters.
B) blogs.
C) emails.
D) telegraphs.
E) text messages.

Question 51

Which of the following statements is true about letters?

A) Letters are primarily used to correspond with people inside an organization.
B) Letters have become more formal over time.
C) Letters are the oldest form of business messages.
D) Letters have become less conversational over time.
E) Letters use a fixed form of address regardless of the recipient.

Question 52

_____ are commonly used to represent the writer and his or her topic rather formally to an unfamiliar external audience.

A) Memorandums
B) Instant messages
C) Short message services
D) Text messages
E) Letters

Question 53

Which of the following statements is true about the formal writing style?

A) It maintains a smaller distance between writers and readers than an informal style.
B) It makes extensive use of personal references.
C) Its sentences are well structured and highly organized.
D) It makes extensive use of contractions.
E) It maintains a smaller distance between writers and readers than a casual style.

Question 54

With respect to email format, Bcc stands for:

A) basic customer copy.
B) business communication clarification.
C) backup client confirmation.
D) brief change confirmation.
E) blind courtesy copy.

Question 55

Which of the following statements is true about informal writing?

A) It does not share any of the qualities of casual writing.
B) It is not used in text messages.
C) It makes use of long, convoluted sentences to get the point across.
D) It is the written form of a polished conversation.
E) It entirely avoids personal pronouns and contractions.

Question 56

With respect to email format, Cc stands for:

A) customer copy.
B) check correction.
C) courtesy copy.
D) client conformation.
E) company copy.

Question 57

Which of the following statements is true about emails?

A) Emails are used solely for informal communications.
B) Emails are used solely for formal communications.
C) Emails can be archived and filed for easy access to a written record of correspondence.
D) Text messages are more popular than emails for formal communications.
E) Emails are used solely for communicating within an organization.

Question 58

Text messaging is also called:

A) short message service.
B) mass message service.
C) standard message service.
D) multimedia message service.
E) serial message service.

Question 59

Which of the following is true about memos or memorandums?

A) Memos are currently more popular than emails.
B) Memos are usually sent to external audiences.
C) Memos have the same form as other communication channels.
D) Memos generally use casual or informal language.
E) Memos are currently the most widely used form of internal communication.

Question 60

Which of the following statements is true about text messaging?

A) The writing in a text message is the same as other traditional forms.
B) A text message is not restricted by a fixed number of characters.
C) Text messaging is also called mass messaging system.
D) Text messaging has led to the creation of many abbreviations.
E) Text messaging is different from other communication forms as it focuses on the sender and not the receiver.

Question 61

Which of the following factors is common to all forms of written communication?

A) The format in which the information is displayed
B) The length of sentences used in conveying the messages
C) The audiences the messages reach out to
D) The need to adapt the messages according to the audience
E) The medium through which the messages are sent

Question 62

Which of the following is true about social media?

A) Social media is used solely for personal purposes and not for business purposes.
B) Messages on social networking sites are not restricted to a fixed number of characters.
C) The messages on social networking sites are not public.
D) Messages on social networking sites are brief and concise.
E) Messages exchanged in social networking sites focus more on the reader rather than the writer.

Question 63

Discuss how the business letter has evolved over the years.

Question 64

Explain the inverted pyramid structure of organizing Web pages and list some common design elements that can be applied in Web pages.

Question 65

Describe the purpose and form of memorandums or memos.

Question 66

Detail the advantages and disadvantages of emails.

Question 67

Explain how the personal usage of social media differs from business usage.

Question 68

Which of the following statements is true regarding print text and online text?

A) Online text uses fragments and abbreviations more frequently than print text.
B) Print text as well as online text tend to be linear.
C) Online text incorporates less information compared to print text in the same space.
D) Print text tends to be nonlinear while online text tends to be linear.
E) Print text can produce comprehensive data more concisely than online documents.

Question 69

Compare and contrast print text and online text.

Question 70

Explain the three general classifications of email formality with examples.

Question 71

Discuss the effects of text messaging and instant messaging on business communication.

Question 72

The style of organizing Web pages such that the main point is presented first, followed by supporting information and then by the historical or background information is called the _____ style.

A) vertical pyramid
B) indirect
C) horizontal
D) roundabout
E) inverted pyramid

Question 73

Which of the following must be avoided when creating an online document or a Web page?

A) Using a dark text on a light background
B) Incorporating text files with audio files
C) Using long sentences instead of short ones
D) Incorporating screen visuals with the text
E) Adapting design elements according to the audience

Question 74

List and briefly explain the different steps involved in the planning process of a message.

Question 75

List and explain the different stages in the revising process of a message.