Deck 14: Planning Reports and Proposals

Question 1

Which of the following is not a useful strategy in preparing business reports?

A)Understand and meet audience expectations.
B)Use the same format for reports, regardless of topic.
C)Keep your report as short as possible.
D)All of the above are useful strategies.

Answer 1

B
Explanation:B)Different report topics require different formats. Compliance reports, for example, require specific formats that would not be appropriate for other types of report. With regard to formatting, always try to match your format to goals of your report.

Question 2

In addition to offering information and analysis, ________ can also include recommendations.

A)indirect reports
B)analytical reports
C)informational reports
D)directive reports

Answer 2

B
Explanation:B)Analytical reports offer both information and analysis; they can also include recommendations.

Question 3

A writer who wants to use a ________ to build an informational report can choose from a number of arrangement patterns, such as geography, sequence, chronology, category, or importance.

A)talking pattern of organization
B)topical pattern of organization
C)demonstrative pattern of organization
D)representative pattern of organization

Answer 3

B
Explanation:B)A topical organization is built around the content itself, using such arrangements as comparison, importance, sequence, chronology, geography, or category.

Question 4

The basic purpose of informational reports is

A)to persuade the audience to act.
B)to present recommendations and conclusions to a superior for how to solve a particular problem.
C)to present data, facts, feedback, and other types of information, without analysis or recommendations.
D)to convince the reader of the soundness of your thinking.

Question 5

When you're preparing a formal work plan, include a ________ to clarify the problem you face and a ________ to describe what you plan to accomplish.

A)statistical analysis, hypothesis
B)problem statement, purpose statement
C)yardstick, problem statement
D)descriptive standard, goal analysis

Question 6

All of the following except ________ are elements in the planning phase of the three-step writing process.

A)analyzing the situation
B)adapting to your audience
C)gathering information
D)selecting the right medium

Question 7

Which of the following is the least clear statement of purpose?

A)"To determine which of four alternative investments will have the highest return."
B)"To analyze four potential investments."
C)"To answer the question, 'Which of four investments will provide the highest return?' "
D)"To evaluate and make recommendations based on data."

Question 8

The best way to phrase the purpose statement of a report is with

A)complex language.
B)an infinitive phrase.
C)a controversial statement.
D)jargon.

Question 9

When outlining the content of your report

A)it is preferable to use informative headings as opposed to descriptive ones.
B)you should use complex language for all headings.
C)keep in mind that you will have to use this same outline for your final report.
D)do all of the above.

Question 10

With an internal audience for your report, you

A)must avoid discussing sensitive information.
B)are more free to discuss sensitive information.
C)must avoid analysis.
D)must include analysis.

Question 11

When you're outlining your report, using ________ requires you to really think through the content, whereas using ________ simply requires you to identify topic areas.

A)prescriptive headings, parallel headings
B)effective headings, ineffective headings
C)informative headings, descriptive headings
D)multilateral headings, unilateral headings

Question 12

Which of the following is not a typical element in a formal work plan?

A)Statement of purpose
B)Statement of the scope of the investigation
C)Discussion of tasks to be accomplished
D)Conclusions and recommendations

Question 13

When you're writing a business plan, you must include a ________ section to explain the purpose of your business and what you hope to accomplish.

A)mission and objectives
B)design and development
C)products and services
D)financial projections and requirements

Question 14

An employee who describes the data she collected from six different plant managers without drawing any conclusions is preparing

A)an analytical report.
B)an informational report.
C)a proposal.
D)a work plan.

Question 15

A formal work plan includes all of the following except

A)a statement of the problem or opportunity addressed in your report.
B)plans for what will happen if funds for the project are cancelled.
C)plans for following up after delivering the report.
D)a statement of the purpose and scope of your investigation.

Question 16

All of the following except ________ are categories of informational reports.

A)reports to monitor and control operations
B)reports to demonstrate compliance
C)reports to document progress
D)reports to assess opportunities

Question 17

Answering the question, ________, will help you define the problem that you need to address in an analytical report.

A)What needs to be determined?
B)Why is this issue important?
C)Who is involved in the situation?
D)All of the above

Question 18

Compliance reports are generally required by

A)parent companies.
B)accounting departments.
C)government agencies.
D)marketing departments.

Question 19

The CEO of a pharmaceutical company asks you assess the company's adherence to laws governing television ads for prescription drugs. The CEO has requested a

A)personal activity report.
B)work plan.
C)compliance report.
D)policy report.

Question 20

When selecting the right medium for a report

A)you should choose the ones that are most convenient.
B)you should choose the ones that are most economical.
C)your decisions should reflect your audience's expectations.
D)you should always present your report in writing.

Question 21

Which of the following is not a common organizational format for analytical reports?

A)Focusing on conclusions
B)Focusing on recommendations
C)Focusing on information
D)Focusing on logical argument

Question 22

Analytical reports for skeptical audiences should generally follow the ________ approach.

A)direct
B)indirect
C)hypothetical
D)aggressive

Question 23

If your readers will want to know what they ought to do in a given situation, then your report should focus on

A)your conclusions.
B)your writing process.
C)your recommendations.
D)your sources of information.

Question 24

A ________ outlines an organization's official position on issues that affect its success.

A)policy report
B)position paper
C)feasibility report
D)business plan

Question 25

Any risks involved with your recommendations should

A)not be addressed, since they may discourage your audience.
B)be discussed in your report, but only in vague, general terms.
C)be addressed clearly in your report.
D)be outlined before you reveal the benefits that can be achieved.

Question 26

Unlike reports focused on conclusions or recommendations, reports focusing on logical arguments

A)use an indirect approach.
B)are not very convincing.
C)emphasize the positive.
D)do not include outside evidence.

Question 27

A public corporation filing a quarterly tax report would be providing

A)a progress report.
B)a compliance report.
C)a justification report.
D)a periodic operating report.

Question 28

A business plan

A)is useful only before a company is launched.
B)always contains the same elements.
C)should not identify risks and problems, since these might discourage potential investors.
D)is sometimes prepared after a company is up and running.

Question 29

If the audience for your report is likely to accept what you have to say, focus on

A)the logical arguments in your report.
B)your conclusions and recommendations.
C)the benchmarks used to compile your results.
D)the criteria used in your decision-making process.

Question 30

A report focused on recommendations should

A)first establish or verify the need for action.
B)not include conclusions.
C)avoid mentioning any potential risks.
D)outline costs, but not in detail.

Question 31

A contractor submitting a weekly report on work done to date would be providing the client with

A)a progress report.
B)a compliance report.
C)a justification report.
D)a periodic operating report.

Question 32

A group of managers who must make an important decision can request a ________ to explore the implications of that decision.

A)failure analysis report
B)due diligence report
C)market analysis report
D)feasibility report

Question 33

Unlike proposals, justification reports

A)are designed to affirm decisions after they have been made.
B)are internal as opposed to external reports.
C)are always in memo format.
D)do not require a great deal of supporting data.

Question 34

The problem-factoring process involves

A)looking at a problem from multiple perspectives.
B)considering how to allocate blame for a problem.
C)creating problems instead of solving them.
D)dividing a complex problem into a series of logical, connected questions.

Question 35

Which of the following is not a strategy for structuring reports focused on logical arguments?

A)2 + 2 = 4 approach
B)Direct approach
C)Yardstick method
D)An approach that compares a solution to a set of predetermined standards

Question 36

As it relates to a formal business plan, the ________ defines how the company will generate revenue and produce a profit.

A)marketing strategy
B)business model
C)action forecast
D)financial projection

Question 37

One potential drawback of focusing immediately on conclusions in a report is that you may

A)reveal information you know about that has not been included in the report.
B)make everything you say seem too simple.
C)offend your audience.
D)do all of the above.

Question 38

Topical organization strategies for informational reports include all of the following except

A)complexity.
B)sequence.
C)importance.
D)comparison.

Question 39

The 2 + 2 = 4 approach

A)generally works only with lengthy, nonroutine reports.
B)is the first logical argument strategy to try.
C)is far more complicated than any other organizational strategy.
D)is the only approach that is appropriate for any business report.

Question 40

A ________ suggests an individualized solution for a potential customer and requests a purchase decision.

A)grant proposal
B)sales proposal
C)solicited proposal
D)project proposal

Question 41

Very few reports require a work plan.

Question 42

Because of its natural feel and versatility, the ________ approach is generally the most persuasive way to develop an analytical report for skeptical readers.

A)2 + 2 = 4
B)yardstick
C)direct
D)hypothetical

Question 43

An email summarizing an employee's trip to a trade show would be an example of a personal activity report.

Question 44

In business reports, it is never appropriate to combine the direct and indirect approaches by revealing conclusions and recommendations as you go along.

Question 45

Internal reports are more likely to be misinterpreted than external reports.

Question 46

A contractor receives a request from the owner of a company to bid on a large-scale construction project. The contractor will prepare a(n)

A)unsolicited proposal.
B)solicited proposal.
C)blind proposal.
D)request for proposal.

Question 47

Progress reports are never more than updates in memo or email form.

Question 48

One drawback of using the yardstick approach to structure business reports is that

A)you must discuss all the alternatives, even if many of them turn out to be irrelevant and/or unproductive.
B)this approach is generally considered old-fashioned.
C)it forces you to ignore the fact that the problem may have multiple causes.
D)it is impractical in most business settings.

Question 49

The statement of purpose for a report is always presented as a question.

Question 50

You're writing an analytical report outlining the benefits of starting a recycling program. You need to explain how the program meets numerous criteria including reasonable cost, ease of implementation, and long-term impact. The ________ approach will probably be the best way to organize your report.

A)2 + 2 = 4
B)scientific
C)direct
D)yardstick

Question 51

An analytical report often ends by presenting a recommendation.

Question 52

The direct approach is the most popular strategy for business reports.

Question 53

Operating reports establish expectations and guidelines to direct future action.

Question 54

The statement of purpose for analytical reports will usually need to be more comprehensive than one for informational reports.

Question 55

When writing a work plan, it's important to begin by developing a problem statement.

Question 56

Sales call reports are a type of compliance report.

Question 57

If you're writing an unsolicited proposal, you may have to

A)convince readers that a problem exists that must be addressed.
B)analyze the client's business in light of the competition.
C)use a style approved by the American Association of Business Writers.
D)enumerate the client's options regarding such business decisions as product-line expansion.

Question 58

For long, complex reports, the indirect approach tends to be less effective than the direct approach.

Question 59

A primary goal in preparing monitor/control reports is to emphasize the good news and hide the bad news.

Question 60

An executive dashboard is a customized online presentation of highly summarized business information.

Question 61

When a business plan is written after a company is operating, it tends to serve as a ________.

Question 62

In reports focused on recommendations, it is best to avoid the direct approach.

Question 63

Focusing on conclusions in an analytical report involves using the direct approach to report organization.

Question 64

Proposals are classified in two ways: internal versus external, and solicited versus unsolicited.

Question 65

When you speculate about the cause of a problem, you are forming a(n)________, a potential explanation that needs to be tested.

Question 66

Whereas ________ reports focus on facts, ________ reports offer interpretation and can also include recommendations.

Question 67

Report writers often combine the ________ and ________ approaches-revealing their conclusions and recommendations as they go along instead of putting them first or last.

Question 68

All ________ reports are written in response to regulations of one sort or another.

Question 69

________ ________ reports study events that happened in the past, with the hope of learning how to avoid similar failures in the future.

Question 70

Reports that examine the financial aspects of a proposed decision, such as acquiring another company, are called due diligence reports.

Question 71

The statement of ________ defines why you are preparing a report.

Question 72

Breaking down a problem into a series of specific questions is called problem ________.

Question 73

A justification report is an internal report designed to persuade top management to approve a proposed investment or project.

Question 74

Whereas troubleshooting reports deal with problems as they occur, failure analysis reports seek to prevent problems before they happen.

Question 75

A landscaper bidding on a job at the request of a general contractor would submit an external, unsolicited proposal.

Question 76

A(n)________ report is written to validate a decision that has already been made.

Question 77

The primary purpose of an internal proposal is either to request funds and management support for new projects or to obtain permission to take action on specific projects.

Question 78

The yardstick approach is best for organizing reports when you and your audience do not agree on the criteria you're using in your analysis.

Question 79

The ________ approach is often the most persuasive and efficient way to develop an analytical report for skeptical readers-it's the approach to try first.

Question 80

"RFP" stands for "ratified final proposal."