Deck 2: Writing Effectively for Your Audience, Purpose, and Medium

Question 1

Cloud computing makes it possible for nearly everyone in a business to have access to essential programs such as Microsoft Word.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A Venn diagram is commonly used to identify all the tasks needed to complete a project and to determine how much time each task will take.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

It is best to avoid the use of abbreviations when composing text messages.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

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

Question 5

The high costs associated with using email are the reason why most businesses do not use it for communicating with their internal audiences.

Question 6

Businesses use text messaging primarily for data reporting purposes.

Question 7

If your reader's software is not compatible with your version of Microsoft Word,saving to an earlier version will preserve all your formatting and styles.

Question 8

Using initialisms,such as "BTW" and "ASAP," is acceptable in informal business emails.

Question 9

Letters are the best channel of communication for business people to use when communicating with someone they do not know well.

Question 10

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

Question 11

Business writers should think of the three stages of writing as strictly chronological or separate.

Question 12

Good business writing skills are important because writers essentially have no safety net.

Question 13

Careful proofreading is still in order after a document has been checked with a spelling checker.

Question 14

You should avoid the use of informal language in business email messages,especially when writing to people you know only on a business basis.

Question 15

On the job,companies often monitor employees' computer activity to detect inappropriate or unethical behavior or disclosure of proprietary information.

Question 16

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

Question 17

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

Question 18

Business letters always use the most formal level of language and forms of address.

Question 19

While it is necessary to plan your message keeping your audience in mind,concentrating on the audience's interests in later stages will impede the writing process.

Question 20

If you have information that your readers will consider routine,neutral,or positive,present such information at the end of your message.

Question 21

The direct order plan of organizing information will be the most effective when you are writing

A) an email to employees announcing mandatory evening and weekend overtime.
B) an email to a pharmaceutical company informing it of the termination of its license.
C) a memo to an employee informing him of his dismissal from the company.
D) an email to the HR manager asking her how to access the new forms for reporting vacation time.
E) a letter to a vendor apologizing for a late payment.

Question 22

Regarding the writing process,which of the following steps is typically included as part of the planning process?

A) revising your content
B) determining your goals
C) editing your language
D) proofreading your documents
E) getting feedback from others

Question 23

As part of a product development team,Renata needs to collect information about the target market,potential suppliers of components of the new product,sites for producing the product,and projected labor costs.Which of the following technology tools will help her organize her notes as she does her research?

A) an outlining program
B) a statistical program
C) a database tool
D) multimedia presentation software
E) collaboration software

Question 24

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

A) examine your sentences to see if they emphasize the right things.
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 your message.

Question 25

Keiko wants to include a flowchart in her Microsoft Word document.Which of the following tools will help her to do that?

A) Quick Parts
B) a database tool
C) Smart Art
D) Styles
E) an equation builder

Question 26

You 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.You are doing the _____ level of the revision process.

A) editing
B) proofreading
C) organizing
D) drafting
E) revising

Question 27

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

A) in an automated email response to emails sent to a work email ID
B) in a letter to a government official requesting the renewal of one's work permit
C) in an email to a supplier asking for a fresh supply of raw materials
D) in an email to a supplier about the organization's plan to start using a different supplier
E) in an email containing the weekly newsletter,which describes the activities of the organization

Question 28

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

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

Question 29

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

A) They should spend an approximately 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 30

The first step in the process of writing is

A) planning.
B) drafting.
C) editing.
D) revising.
E) proofreading.

Question 31

Which of the following is the best practice to follow when writing messages?

A) Organize information in the order that will draw the most positive reaction from your readers.
B) Gather information through formal research rather than relying on memory or imagination.
C) Analyze your audience early in the planning process before determining the goal of your message.
D) Present information that you think could run the risk of evoking a negative response at the beginning of your message.
E) Ensure that your business goals and writing goals are disparate and do not influence each other.

Question 32

Julio has been researching various vacation policies for his employer.Now that he has gathered his information,he needs to organize it,but he does not feel ready to start creating an outline.Which of the following technology tools would be best for helping him experiment with ways to group information?

A) a statistical program
B) a database tool
C) collaborative software
D) multimedia presentation software
E) a concept-mapping program

Question 33

As director of the human resources department,Alex has to write an email to employees requesting them to volunteer at the company's annual United Way fund raiser.After determining the purpose of his message,which of the following steps should Alex take next in planning his message?

A) Alex should analyze and organize the information.
B) Alex should analyze his audience.
C) Alex should choose an appropriate channel.
D) Alex should gather information.
E) Alex should choose a document format.

Question 34

Which of the following should ideally be avoided during the drafting stage of the writing process?

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 the highest

Question 35

William wants to communicate information to a client,but he thinks that the information runs the risk of evoking a negative response.In this context,which of the following formats should William use to organize the information in his message?

A) chronological order
B) direct order
C) topical order
D) indirect order
E) spatial order

Question 36

Which of the following constitutes formal research in the context of gathering information for a message?

A) finding past correspondence
B) conducting a survey
C) reviewing sales records
D) consulting with employees
E) reviewing product descriptions

Question 37

In Microsoft Word,which of the following tools can be used to create a table of contents?

A) Styles
B) Format
C) Smart Art
D) Track Changes
E) Review

Question 38

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

A) The stages involved in the writing process are strictly chronological.
B) Preparing to write and improving what you have written are not as critical to success as the drafting stage.
C) Writers should spend most of their time on drafting and little time on the other two stages,planning and revising.
D) The stages involved in the process of writing are independent of one another.
E) The three stages involved in the process of writing are recursive and interrelated.

Question 39

Which of the following is true of written communication?

A) The punctuation used in written communication is characteristic of the object or concept that it represents.
B) The alphabets used in written communication are characteristic of the object or concept that they represent.
C) Representing something in words is relatively easier than representing it with a photograph.
D) In written communication,writers cannot rely on their tone of voice to make up for ambiguous wording.
E) Writing is,in every way,less difficult to do well than other kinds of communication.

Question 40

Michael is in the process of writing a message.He is trying to find out whether the words he has used to describe his goals emphasize the right things and if there are better,more concise ways of structuring his sentences.In the context of the different stages involved in writing,Michael is _____ his message.

A) formatting
B) scanning
C) revising
D) planning
E) drafting

Question 41

Casual language and informal language are similar in that they

A) do not use personal pronouns.
B) have the effect of conversation.
C) do not use colloquialisms.
D) are primarily used to communicate with unknown external audiences.
E) avoid using contractions.

Question 42

Which of the following about memos or memorandums is true?

A) Memos,at present,are used instead of emails as a means of communicating within a business.
B) Memos are primarily used to communicate with external audiences.
C) Memos have the same form as other messages.
D) Memos most often use casual or informal language.
E) Memos are especially useful for communicating with employees who use computers in their work.

Question 43

Which of the following statements about emails is true?

A) Writers can use only a limited number of characters in an email.
B) Email is the best channel for highly sensitive or difficult communication.
C) Emails can be archived and filed for easy access to a written record of correspondence.
D) Emails offer a great deal of confidentiality.
E) Emails are the least widely used means of written communication at workplace.

Question 44

In the context of writing email messages,a formal style of writing

A) maintains a shorter distance between writer and reader than an informal style.
B) makes extensive use of personal references and contractions.
C) uses sentences that are well structured and highly organized.
D) uses sentences that are short,unstructured,and incomplete.
E) uses mechanical emphasis devices and initialisms.

Question 45

Which of the following statements about informal writing is true?

A) It does not share any of the characteristics of casual writing.
B) It uses colloquialisms but more selectively than in casual writing.
C) It makes use of long,complex sentences to get the point across.
D) It has the effect of conversation and sounds like chitchat.
E) It entirely avoids the use of personal pronouns and contractions.

Question 46

If someone other than the primary recipient is to receive a copy of the message in such a way that the primary recipient will know who else has received a copy of the message,the sender should use the _____ field.

A) To
B) Cc
C) Subject
D) Attachment
E) Bcc

Question 47

A(n)_____ is primarily used to represent the writer and his or her topic rather formally to an external audience.

A) memorandum
B) instant message
C) short message service
D) text message
E) letter

Question 48

_____ are the oldest form of business messages.

A) Letters
B) Blogs
C) Emails
D) Telegraphs
E) Text messages

Question 49

Qing is writing a cover letter to a prospective employer,Chris Ryan,a sales manager at Durable Gasket Company.Qing took the name from the job posting,so he is unsure of Chris's gender.Even a search of the company website proved unhelpful.How should Qing address Chris in his letter?

A) Dear Durable Gasket Company
B) To Whom It May Concern
C) Dear Sir/Madame
D) Dear Chris Ryan
E) Dear Chris

Question 50

Which of the following statements about the use of letters is true?

A) Letters are primarily used to communicate information that is not routine or neutral.
B) Letters that are formal are required to include the attention line and subject line.
C) Letters are often the most appropriate form to use when corresponding with an external party whom you do not know well.
D) Letters have become less conversational over time and have replaced other forms of communications like email and memos.
E) Letters are used primarily for corresponding with people inside your organization.

Question 51

During the process of editing her report,Lexi discovers that she has consistently misspelled the name of a major customer.The most efficient way for Lexi to fix this mistake would be to use the ______ tool.

A) find and replace
B) track changes
C) spell check
D) grammar check
E) find

Question 52

Which of the following statements about grammar checkers is true?

A) Recent versions of grammar and style checkers are much more flexible than older versions.
B) Writers who use grammar checkers do not need to make grammatical decisions.
C) Grammar checkers are always correct in their assessment of writing.
D) Grammar checkers are still in preliminary development and do not offer much help.
E) Grammar checkers must be purchased separately from most word processing programs.

Question 53

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 54

With respect to the email format,Cc stands for

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

Question 55

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

A) wishes to stress that one or more of the recipients are not primary contact persons.
B) wants the recipient to forward the email to a specific set of people.
C) wants to forward copies of the email without the knowledge of the primary receiver.
D) does not want the recipients of the email to get in touch with each other.
E) wants to attach files to the email for the primary receiver to download.

Question 56

Which of the following is an advantage of email over text messaging,instant messaging,and social media?

A) Email provides the option of using images.
B) Email can be sent to internal and external audiences.
C) Email is relatively faster than the other modes of communication.
D) Email is less expensive to use than the other modes of communication.
E) Email does not limit the number of characters that can be used in a message.

Question 57

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

A) Your humble servant
B) Best regards
C) Cheers
D) Yours faithfully
E) Sincerely yours

Question 58

Memorandums can be distinguished from other messages primarily by their

A) purpose.
B) style.
C) language.
D) users.
E) form.

Question 59

In which of the following situations is it appropriate to use casual language in a business email?

A) inviting all department members to a meeting
B) asking for an appointment with one's supervisor
C) inviting a coworker who is also a friend to lunch
D) inquiring whether a coworker will meet a deadline
E) requesting vacation time

Question 60

Which of the following lists the four most common headings used in memorandums or memos?

A) Company,Address,Date,Subject
B) To,From,Subject,References
C) Date,Address,From,Subject
D) Date,To,From,References
E) Date,To,From,Subject

Question 61

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

Question 62

Discuss how business letters have evolved over the years.

Question 63

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of emails.

Question 64

Describe computer tools that can be used to help plan messages.

Question 65

Which of the following statements about text messaging is true?

A) The writing in text messages is exactly the same as the writing in more traditional message forms.
B) Text messaging does not place a limitation on the number of characters a writer can use in a message.
C) Text messaging is primarily used for sending detailed text messages from one computer to another.
D) The need for brevity in text messaging has led to the creation of many abbreviations.
E) Text messaging delivers messages at a much higher speed than instant messaging.

Question 66

Cloud computing is

A) the practice of storing software and information on the Internet.
B) a method for backing up computers onto external hard drives.
C) an early form of social media.
D) the most recent development in social media.
E) a program that combines message creation with video transmission.

Question 67

Which of the following forms of communication places a strong emphasis on brevity?

A) emails
B) text messages
C) letters
D) memos
E) white papers

Question 68

List and explain the different stages in the revising stage of creating a business message.

Question 69

Which of the following technologies is most likely to change the way customers access and use a business's services?

A) text messaging
B) email
C) mobile applications
D) social media accounts
E) robot calls

Question 70

Explain the effect of cloud computing on business communications.

Question 71

In which of the following messages would it be appropriate to use informal language?

A) a message from an HR manager to his company's CEO,requesting an appointment
B) a message written by a customer care executive to a new customer,welcoming her
C) a message written to a coworker,asking her 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 CIO of the company

Question 72

Describe the purpose and form of memorandums or memos.

Question 73

Which of the following about instant messaging in a business setting is true?

A) Instant messaging differs from text messaging in that instant messaging is primarily voice-based.
B) The use of emoticons in an instant message is dependent on the target audience.
C) The abbreviations used in instant messaging vastly differ from those used in text messaging.
D) The language used in instant messaging is mostly formal.
E) Instant messaging avoids the use of informal language.

Question 74

List and briefly explain the different steps involved in the planning stage of creating a business message.

Question 75

Which of the following writing styles should be used in an email report to the client of a research organization?

A) casual style
B) informal style
C) formal style
D) conversational style
E) chit-chat style

Question 76

Explain the three general classifications of email formality with examples.

Question 77

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 need to ensure brevity and the use of short sentences
D) the need to adapt messages according to the audience
E) the medium through which the messages are sent

Question 78

Describe computer tools that can facilitate the revision stage of creating a business message.

Question 79

Janet receives a text message from her coworker Donell saying he will be 15 minutes to their meeting.Janet replies "NP." This abbreviation stands for

A) no patience.
B) not permissible.
C) not professional.
D) no props.
E) no problem.

Question 80

Which of the following is true about social media?

A) Companies are not allowed to reject candidates based on social media information.
B) Social media sites do not restrict messages to a fixed number of characters.
C) Messages on social networking sites are private and cannot be accessed by the public.
D) Messages on a company's social networking site need to be brief and concise.
E) When using social media,one must present the main objectives of the message at the end.