Question 1

Which of these is NOT a variable "beneath the surface" of daily life in a culture?
A) distance between ranks
B) need to spell out details
C) prevalence of technology
D) distance between business and private life

Accepted Answer

While technology may impact daily life in a culture, it is not a variable "beneath the surface" that affects social interactions or hierarchies. The other options all involve social and cultural norms that may impact behavior in ways that are not immediately apparent.

Question 2

Which of these is a cultural variable "on the surface" that is easily observed?
A) tolerance of uncertainty
B) distance between ranks
C) distance between business and private life
D) prevalence of religion

Accepted Answer

The prevalence of religion is a cultural variable that is easily observed on the surface, as it may be reflected in visible signs such as religious symbols, dress, or practices. Tolerance of uncertainty, distance between ranks, and distance between business and private life are all deeper cultural variables that may not be as immediately apparent.

Question 3

You work for a semiconductor manufacturer. You are writing a quarterly report on the activities within your section of the company. One of the people who will read your report is Lila Waltman, divisional vice president. You search online for information about her. Which piece of information is most likely to help you as you write the report?
A) Lila is an active member of the local chapter of IEEE, a professional society for the electronics industry.
B) Lila is an active member of the local chapter of her university's alumni association.
C) Lila is an active member of the community board for a local animal shelter.
D) Lila is an active member of a distance-running group.

Accepted Answer

Lila's membership in IEEE indicates that she is likely knowledgeable and interested in the semiconductor and electronics industry, which is directly relevant to your report on activities within your section of the company. The other memberships may be interesting to know, but they do not provide as much relevant information for the quarterly report.

Question 4

Which terms below are used in Chapter 5 to describe types of audiences?
A) supplemental
B) primary
C) secondary
D) fundamental

Accepted Answer

In Chapter 5, the terms "primary" and "secondary" are used to describe types of audiences. There is no mention of "supplemental" or "fundamental" as audience types.

Question 5

what should you do once you have analyzed your audience and purpose?
A) Begin drafting.
B) Conduct research.
C) Get management's approval.
D) Outline the document.
E) Complete an audience profile.

Accepted Answer

The answer of what should you do once you have...

Question 6

Why should you use an audience profile sheet for a writing project?
A) It prompts you to ask questions about your target audience.
B) It helps you remember what you've learned about your target audience.
C) It helps you realize when you need to learn more about your target audience.
D) All responses are correct.

Accepted Answer

All responses are correct. Using an audience profile sheet will prompt you to ask important questions about your target audience, help you remember what you've learned, and also highlight areas where you may need to do more research to better understand your audience.

Question 7

Chapter 5 discusses certain variables that lead to differences among cultures. Which of these statements about cultural variables is true?
A) Different organizations within the same culture can vary greatly.
B) Cultural variables line up in clear, predictable patterns.
C) Each variable represents a small number of attitudes.
D) An organization's cultural attitudes tend to be static over time.

Accepted Answer

Different organizations within the same culture can vary greatly due to factors such as the organization's history, size, industry and leadership. Therefore, cultural variables are not always the same even within the same culture.

Question 8

Chapter 5 suggests that you consider five other individual characteristics of readers in addition to education. Which two of the following characteristics does the chapter suggest you consider?
A) the reader's professional experience
B) the reader's gender
C) the reader's temperament
D) the reader's job responsibility
E) None of the above responses are correct.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Chapter 5 suggests that you consider five...

Question 9

You are writing a report advocating that your company increase its use of social media. Your manager has said several times that she does not like to mix social media and business. She has pointed out several social-media problems that other companies have created for themselves. Which purpose statement would be best for a report to your manager?
A) The purpose of this report is to show how the coolest social-media apps can deliver content to a hip, urban audience.
B) The purpose of this report is to prove that social-media disasters rarely happen and that social media are the wave of the future.
C) The purpose of this report is to demonstrate how the speed and flexibility of social media can help our company reach a growing audience of young adults with controlled, targeted messaging.
D) The purpose of this report is to show how our company can get on the social-media bandwagon before it is too late.

Accepted Answer

This purpose statement addresses the concerns and objections of the manager by highlighting the benefits of social media, such as speed and flexibility, and emphasizing that messaging can be controlled and targeted. It also acknowledges the growing audience of young adults, which could be an important demographic for the company to reach. Option A focuses too much on the "cool" factor and may not be relevant to the company's goals. Option B dismisses the potential risks and concerns of the manager and is not a convincing argument. Option D uses fear tactics and does not provide a clear rationale for why the company should use social media.

Question 10

which approach is best when writing for multiple audiences?
A) a linear approach
B) an experiential approach
C) a modular approach
D) an attitudinal approach

Accepted Answer

A modular approach allows writers to create different modules or sections within the writing that can be customized for different audiences. This approach allows for flexibility and the ability to tailor content to specific groups without needing to completely rewrite the entire piece.

Question 11

One way to learn about the primary reader of your document is to interview people who know him or her. Which of these questions is NOT likely to help you learn useful information about your primary reader?
A) Does this person prefer to read hard-copy documents or electronic documents?
B) Does this person prefer to read detailed information or a summary that provides a big picture?
C) Does this person tend to review the sources listed in a bibliography after reading a report?
D) Does this person attend chapter meetings of professional associations?

Accepted Answer

Knowing whether or not the person attends chapter meetings of professional associations is not likely to provide information about their reading preferences or habits. It may be useful information in other contexts, but not for understanding the primary reader of your document.

Question 12

Chapter 5 identifies seven categories of cultural variables "on the surface." One category is political. Which of these is NOT a category of surface cultural variables?
A) economic
B) social
C) religious
D) philosophical
E) technological

Accepted Answer

The categories of surface cultural variables mentioned in Chapter 5 are political, economic, social, religious, technological, artistic, and linguistic. Philosophical is not one of the mentioned categories.

Question 13

Your supervisor might have several purposes in mind as he or she reads your documents. Which of the following describes one possible purpose?
A) to determine whether you should be assigned to this kind of project in the future
B) to determine the current status of the project you are describing
C) to evaluate part of your job performance
D) All responses are correct.

Accepted Answer

Your supervisor may have multiple purposes in mind while reading your document, including evaluating your job performance, determining the current status of the project, and deciding whether to assign you to a similar project in the future. Therefore, all responses are correct.

Question 14

Which of the following mistakes did McDonald's make when it printed takeout bags decorated with flags from around the world?
A) The bags showed a pair of hands holding a flag in a way that customers in some cultures would interpret as an obscene gesture.
B) The bags showed a Saudi flag, which depicts holy scripture from the Koran. The Saudis were offended because these bags would be thrown out.
C) The writing on the bags was in English, which offended numerous nonnative speakers.
D) All responses are correct.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following mistakes did McDonald's...

Question 15

Which phrase best defines the purpose of a workplace document?
A) what you want to accomplish with the document you are producing
B) what you propose to do when you receive permission
C) what you want to display in words or images
D) what you want to document for clarity

Accepted Answer

The purpose of a workplace document is essentially what you aim to achieve with the document you are creating, which involves communicating specific information, instructions, or requests to achieve a particular outcome or action.

Question 16

Your company has completed an audience analysis for the manual you are writing for users of a new accounting system. The manual will be given to the 750 employees in the company's accounting department. Some members of the audience are experienced accountants and others are not; some have MBA degrees and others have bachelor's or associate's degrees; some were recently hired and some are long-term employees; some are managers and some are bookkeepers. How might you best accommodate your audiences?
A) Include different sections for the different audiences.
B) Write the manual to the lowest level of the audience.
C) Write the manual to the highest level of the audience.
D) Prepare an audience profile sheet.

Accepted Answer

Including different sections for the different audiences would best accommodate the different levels of experience and education. This allows experienced accountants to skip over basic information and new hires to receive the necessary foundational information. It also ensures that the manual is not too basic or too advanced for any particular group. Additionally, including subsections within each section can further tailor the material to different levels of expertise.

Question 17

You are writing a report about new regulations that affect your company. Your primary audience of company executives is very busy and will read your report quickly, but secondary- and tertiary-audience members are likely to read more slowly and carefully. Which of the following options is most appropriate for your situation?
A) Include detailed footnotes on each page.
B) To save time, omit the executive summary and put more details in the body of your report.
C) Follow the patterns of writing that were successful for you in college English and history classes.
D) Break your report into modules and put highly detailed information in an appendix.

Accepted Answer

Breaking the report into modules and putting highly detailed information in an appendix will allow the primary audience to quickly skim through the main report while providing the secondary- and tertiary-audience members with the detailed information they need. This approach saves time for the busy executives and accommodates the needs of the other audiences. Including detailed footnotes on each page or following academic writing patterns may slow down the reading process for the primary audience, while omitting the executive summary may not provide enough context for the other audiences.

Question 18

You are writing a proposal to restructure your department's organizational chart. Your manager was a member of the committee that originally set up the department's current structure. Which purpose statement would be best for a proposal to your manager?
A) The purpose of this proposal is to show how we can reorganize our department to improve our efficiency while keeping intact the values that have allowed us to succeed to this point.
B) The purpose of this proposal is to show how to solve all of our productivity problems and remove all the barriers to effective communication.
C) The purpose of this proposal is to show why it's time for "out with the old and in with the new."
D) The purpose of this proposal is to explain why we have no choice but to scrap our ineffective organizational structure.

Accepted Answer

Option A addresses the need for improving the efficiency while emphasizing the importance of the current values. It is a professional approach that focuses on the need for changes rather than criticizing the previous organizational structure, which is likely to appeal to the manager who was a part of it. Option B and D use aggressive and negative language and choice C does not provide any reasoning or justification for the change.

Question 19

Which of the factors listed below did the writer of the following memo fail to take into account?
TO: University Faculty Advisers
FROM: David Gates, Ph.D., Department of Psychology
SUBJECT: New course offered-PSYC 499, Self-Fulfillment in a Global Society
Enclosed is a flyer briefly describing PSYC 499. After you read through the flyer, post it in a conspicuous place, e.g., on your door. Or, better yet, make copies and hand it out in your class. The course will explore how our society can maintain a sense of self in these increasingly uncertain times. So tell students in your courses and your advisees about this new timely course.
A) reader's attitude toward the writer
B) reader's attitude toward the subject
C) reader's expectations about the subject
D) reader's expectations about the document
E) All responses are correct.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the factors listed below did...

Question 20

Which of these is an example of a workplace document?
A) a podcast about Internet servers
B) an oral presentation about selecting appropriate insurance coverage
C) a video describing how a piece of equipment works
D) All responses are correct.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of these is an example of...

Quiz 5: Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Which of these is NOT a variable "beneath the surface" of daily life in a culture?

Which of these is a cultural variable "on the surface" that is easily observed?

Which terms below are used in Chapter 5 to describe types of audiences?

what should you do once you have analyzed your audience and purpose?

Why should you use an audience profile sheet for a writing project?

Chapter 5 discusses certain variables that lead to differences among cultures. Which of these statements about cultural variables is true?

Chapter 5 suggests that you consider five other individual characteristics of readers in addition to education. Which two of the following characteristics does the chapter suggest you consider?

which approach is best when writing for multiple audiences?

One way to learn about the primary reader of your document is to interview people who know him or her. Which of these questions is NOT likely to help you learn useful information about your primary reader?

Chapter 5 identifies seven categories of cultural variables "on the surface." One category is political. Which of these is NOT a category of surface cultural variables?

Your supervisor might have several purposes in mind as he or she reads your documents. Which of the following describes one possible purpose?

Which of the following mistakes did McDonald's make when it printed takeout bags decorated with flags from around the world?

Which phrase best defines the purpose of a workplace document?

You are writing a proposal to restructure your department's organizational chart. Your manager was a member of the committee that originally set up the department's current structure. Which purpose statement would be best for a proposal to your manager?

Which of these is an example of a workplace document?