Deck 3: Organizing and Drafting Business Messages

Question 1

A  scratch list  for a message is

A)the ideas you have decided not to include
B)a complex, hierarchical arrangement of your ideas
C)a list of the general topics you wish to include
D)ideas for illustrations you plan to include

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Before composing a business document, you should gather information that will answer which of these questions?

A)Will I have enough time to complete thorough research?
B)What is the receiver to do?
C)What information will be the easiest to locate?
D)How will I use this information?

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Quality Building Materials Inc. has developed a new whole-house weather blanket and needs to determine the price point at which builders would switch to this new product. The best research method for this is a(n)

A)manual search of other companies' price lists.
B)interview with a local builder.
C)Internet search of insulation values for weather blankets.
D)scientific experiment that presents price choices with controlled variables.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The direct strategy would be most appropriate when

A)delivering bad news.
B)presenting ideas requiring persuasion.
C)expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral.
D)revealing sensitive news.

Question 5

Which of the following message openings is the most direct opening for an e-mail message announcing a new telecommuting plan?

A)A number of employees have asked about telecommuting options.
B)Many businesses have been implementing telecommuting programs, and we have studied their programs extensively.
C)Rising gas prices have led many companies to allow telecommuting, and we think this might be a good idea for our company.
D)Our new telecommuting program will begin on August 1.

Question 6

Which of the following is a formal research method?

A)Talking with your boss
B)Investigating primary sources
C)Brainstorming
D)Looking in company files

Question 7

When you expect a reader of your message to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should

A)put the bad news first.
B)begin with the main idea.
C)explain all background information first.
D)send the message via e-mail, text message, or IM.

Question 8

Which of the following kinds of business messages typically use the indirect strategy?

A)Nonsensitive memos
B)Routine requests
C)Informational reports
D)Sensitive messages

Question 9

When brainstorming to generate ideas, you should

A)critique each idea as it is suggested.
B)record ideas without judging them.
C)always work alone for greater efficiency.
D)allow no more than five ideas to be discussed.

Question 10

Which of the following business messages would not use the direct strategy?

A)An e-mail message to a staff introducing a new employee
B)An oral presentation detailing the specifics of a new company wellness initiative
C)A letter to a coworker congratulating him or her on a recent promotion
D)A letter to a customer denying his or her request for credit

Question 11

The indirect strategy is most appropriate for what kind of messages?

A)Bad-news messages
B)Sensitive messages
C)Persuasive messages
D)The indirect strategy is appropriate for all answer choices.

Question 12

All of the following would probably require informal research methods except

A)routine e-mail messages.
B)business letters.
C)long reports and complex business problems.
D)oral presentations.

Question 13

Which of the following is an advantage of the direct strategy?

A)Minimizes a negative reaction
B)Respects the feelings of the reader
C)Saves the reader's time
D)Encourages a fair hearing

Question 14

The second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process begins with

A)analyzing the audience.
B)composing the message.
C)researching the topic.
D)organizing the message.

Question 15

Which formal research source is best to obtain firsthand information?

A)Internet websites and articles
B)Reference books
C)Electronic databases
D)Interviews

Question 16

As interns in human resource management, Brad and his team are administering a professionally developed employee questionnaire to collect information on workplace violence. This type of research produces data that is considered

A)firsthand information.
B)informal documentation.
C)supplementary, secondary information.
D)scientific experimentation.

Question 17

Ahna is sending a persuasive memo to her staff asking them to participate in the new wellness program. Which of the following sources of information would be most appropriate to help Ahna shape an effective persuasive message for her staff?

A)Tightly controlled scientific experimentation
B)Library research
C)Questionnaires and surveys of employees
D)Research in company files

Question 18

All of the following are informal research methods except

A)interviewing the target audience.
B)conducting a scientific experiment.
C)looking in company files.
D)brainstorming for ideas.

Question 19

According to communication experts, what is the greatest failing of business writers?

A)Poor spelling
B)Unclear sentence structure
C)Ambiguous wording
D)Poor organization

Question 20

Which of the following is an advantage of the indirect strategy?

A)Saves the reader's time
B)Respects the feelings of the audience
C)Reduces frustration
D)Sets a proper frame of mind

Question 21

To avoid dangling modifiers, you can ask which of the following questions after writing an introductory phrase?

A)Why?
B)Who  or  What?
C)When?
D)How many?

Question 22

What is the recommended maximum number of words for a sentence?

A)10
B)20
C)25
D)30

Question 23

Which of the following sentences is most effective in de-emphasizing the bad news?

A)Although cash refunds are not offered, you can exchange resalable merchandise .
B)Although you can exchange returned merchandise, cash refunds are not available.
C)Because we only exchange merchandise, it is impossible for you to receive a cash refund.
D)Because of our exchange policy, you may not receive a cash refund.

Question 24

What is a run-on sentence?

A)Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
B)Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
C)A broken-off part of a sentence
D)An independent clause containing two dependent clauses

Question 25

What kind of sentence contains only one independent clause?

A)Simple sentence
B)Compound sentence
C)Complex sentence
D)Compound-complex sentence

Question 26

When should passive voice be used in business writing?

A)When you want to de-emphasize the action or the recipient of the action
B)When you want to emphasize the bad news
C)When you want to conceal the doer of the action
D)Never

Question 27

The use of similar structures to express similar ideas is known as ________ construction.

A)parallel
B)grammatical
C)mechanical
D)dependent

Question 28

Which of the following is a simple sentence?

A)If health insurance costs continue to rise, employee copays may increase.
B)Having healthy employees decreases the cost of monthly premiums; therefore, we will be implementing a wellness program.
C)HMO and PPO insurance plans offer additional cost savings.
D)Because we will be reducing employee health insurance benefits, some employees may be unhappy; however, we must make sure that they understand the reason for the change.

Question 29

Which of the following is a complex sentence?

A)Visit our website to learn more about our newest product line.
B)The conference will be held on Monday, but few managers will be able to attend.
C)Employers are now using social media sites to screen applicants; therefore, job seekers are advised to clean up their digital presence.
D)Because of rising insurance premiums, many companies are offering employee-wellness incentives.

Question 30

Which of the following sentences emphasizes an idea through style?

A)Consider adding a statement of qualifications section on your résumé; but, most important, include specific and relevant previous employment information.
B)Add a statement of qualifications section on your résumé, but also include specific and relevant previous employment information.
C)A résumé should include a statement of qualifications section and specific and relevant previous employment information.
D)You should include a statement of qualifications section and specific and relevant previous employment information on your résumé.

Question 31

Placing an idea in italic or bold font is an example of achieving emphasis through

A)style.
B)structure.
C)mechanics.
D)syntax.

Question 32

What is a sentence fragment?

A)Two independent clauses connected without punctuation or a conjunction
B)Two independent clauses connected by a comma without a conjunction
C)A broken-off part of a sentence
D)The part of a sentence containing the verb

Question 33

Technology has changed the working environments of employees, that is why employees are telecommuting more than ever is an example of a

A)complete sentence.
B)fragment.
C)fused or run-on sentence.
D)comma splice.

Question 34

What is a comma splice?

A)Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
B)Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
C)A broken-off part of a sentence
D)Two dependent clauses

Question 35

Active-voice sentences

A)are often more direct and concise.
B)clearly place the subject of the sentence as the doer of the action.
C)are generally preferred in business writing.
D)All of these are true.

Question 36

Which of the following uses only active voice in a complete sentence?

A)The company's rigid return policy was criticized by a few unhappy customers.
B)Because a few unhappy customers criticized the company's rigid return policy.
C)Managers were told about the unhappy customers who criticized the company's rigid return policy.
D)A few unhappy customers criticized the company's rigid return policy.

Question 37

Which of the following uses parallel structure?

A)Our new paralegal must be smart, efficient, and have flexibility.
B)The accident shattered her pelvis, dislocated her foot, and her spinal column was broken in three places.
C)Big business demands superior forecasting, reporting, and analyzing.
D)A good financial planner must be certified, competent, and must possess ethical standards.

Question 38

A(n)________ modifier occurs when the word or phrase it describes is not close in the sentence enough to be clear.

A)parallel
B)misplaced
C)distant
D)run-on

Question 39

What kind of sentence contains two independent clauses?

A)Simple sentence
B)Compound sentence
C)Complex sentence
D)Compound-complex sentence

Question 40

What kind of sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause?

A)Simple sentence
B)Compound sentence
C)Complex sentence
D)Compound-complex sentence

Question 41

Many communication experts regard poor organization as the greatest failing of business writers.

Question 42

One question writers should attempt to answer before drafting a message is What will happen if the receiver doesn't complete the requested action?

Question 43

To build paragraph coherence, a writer should

A)repeat a key idea by using the same expression or a similar one.
B)use pronouns to refer to previous nouns.
C)show connections with transitional expressions.
D)All answer choices can build paragraph coherence.

Question 44

A scratch list is a detailed, hierarchical plan for organizing ideas and information.

Question 45

Research is key to helping a writer shape a business message.

Question 46

A paragraph's supporting sentences provide

A)specific details.
B)explanations.
C)evidence.
D)all of these choices.

Question 47

Paragraphs are coherent when

A)all sentences are written in the active voice.
B)each sentence includes dependent and independent clauses.
C)ideas are linked; that is, one idea leads logically to the next.
D)All answer choices are correct.

Question 48

Transitional expressions such as next , first , and finally are useful to show

A)cause and effect.
B)illustration.
C)comparison and contrast.
D)time association.

Question 49

Conducting scientific experiments is a method to gather formal research.

Question 50

Looking in company files for information is considered formal research.

Question 51

How many main ideas should be developed in a paragraph?

A)Two
B)Three to five
C)One
D)As many as needed to convey effective meaning

Question 52

A topic sentence

A)provides specific details, explanations, and evidence that support the main idea of a paragraph.
B)links sentences within a paragraph.
C)is unnecessary in a paragraph.
D)states the main idea of the paragraph.

Question 53

Brainstorming is an ineffective research technique.

Question 54

In effective business writing, where in a paragraph does a topic sentence usually appear?

A)At the beginning, to let readers know what to expect
B)Midway through, to keep readers focused
C)At the end, to summarize what has been discussed
D)Topic sentences are unnecessary in business writing.

Question 55

Jonathan is researching the financial impact of a job-sharing benefit for employees. Talking with his boss about the possible effects of offering this benefit to employees is an effective method of formal research.

Question 56

The sentence that expresses a paragraph's main idea is called the

A)blueprint.
B)preview.
C)supporting content.
D)topic sentence.

Question 57

Which of the following transitions would help to clarify an idea?

A)Next
B)As a result
C)For example
D)Instead

Question 58

The prevalence of digital communication has de-emphasized writing skills in the workplace.

Question 59

Which of the following is true about paragraph length?

A)Shorter paragraphs are generally considered more readable.
B)Longer paragraphs make the writer appear more knowledgeable.
C)Paragraph breaks should be avoided because they may cause the reader to lose interest.
D)Paragraphs should contain multiple main ideas to save space.

Question 60

Most routine business messages require formal research.

Question 61

Although mechanical means are occasionally appropriate to create emphasis, more often a writer achieves emphasis stylistically.

Question 62

The following sentence effectively uses a stylistic device to de-emphasize the bad news: Although we don't have any available positions at this time, we were pleased to receive your application and will keep it on file for six months.

Question 63

In the active voice, the subject is acted upon. In the passive voice, the subject is the doer of the action.

Question 64

When you expect the reader to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral, use the indirect pattern of organization.

Question 65

When introductory dependent clauses precede independent clauses, they are always followed by a comma.

Question 66

The indirect strategy works well with three kinds of messages: (a)bad news, (b)ideas that require persuasion, and (c)sensitive news.

Question 67

The new software system will be installed on Monday; therefore, our intranet will be unavailable to employees is an example of a complex sentence.

Question 68

Business writers should strive for a balance of shorter and longer sentences within paragraphs to avoid monotony.

Question 69

Another name for the direct strategy is frontloading .

Question 70

Passive voice should never be used in business writing.

Question 71

The following sentence demonstrates parallel structure: Maggie was organized, punctual, and she was always positive.

Question 72

Employers want employees who can write messages appropriately they also want employees who can speak effectively with others is an example of a well-written sentence.

Question 73

Careful writers avoid labeling main ideas because they know that readers prefer to identify main ideas for themselves.

Question 74

A compound-complex sentence contains two complete but related thoughts.

Question 75

The most compelling and effective messages contain one repeated sentence pattern rather than a variety of sentences.

Question 76

One advantage of the indirect strategy is that it respects the feelings of the audience.

Question 77

A run-on-sentence results when a writer joins two independent clauses with a comma.

Question 78

One advantage of the direct strategy is that it saves the reader time.

Question 79

Words such as although , if , because , and since often introduce dependent clauses.

Question 80

When you develop a major component on an outline into subpoints, you must have at least two subpoints.