Deck 3: Managing the Communication Process

Question 1

The final step of the ACE process, evaluating, includes ________.

A) drafting your message
B) analyzing your audience
C) selecting the best medium
D) considering feedback
E) determining your purpose

Answer 1

D
Explanation: D) The evaluating step is the process of checking your message on multiple levels. Considering feedback from others about your draft is part of this process. The other choices describe aspects of the analyzing and composing steps of the process.

Question 2

If the purpose of your message is to inform parents about the new dismissal procedure designed to alleviate problems with the current process at your school, which of the following best represents the desired outcome of your message?

A) that parents will analyze the situation themselves
B) that parents will be willing to help
C) that parents will want to improve their children's experience
D) that parents will follow the new process that you are implementing
E) that parents will be involved in their children's educational goals

Answer 2

D
Explanation: D) The desired outcome of a message is what you actually want your audience to do as a result of the communication. If there is a problem with the current procedure of dismissal, your desired outcome is that parents will follow the new procedure which you have implemented to address the issue. The other choices are less relevant or less specific than this outcome.

Question 3

The primary audience of your message is ________.

A) the direct recipient of your message
B) anyone who hears about your message
C) anyone who receives a copy of your message
D) anyone who is forwarded a copy of your message from the secondary audience
E) the first person who agrees with your idea

Answer 3

A
Explanation: A) By definition the primary audience is the direct recipient of your message, while the secondary audience is anyone else who may receive a copy of it or hear about it, either from you or from the primary audience.

Question 4

You receive a flyer in the mail telling you about the new and improved cleaning power of Brite laundry detergent.
Which of the following is most likely to be the purpose of this message?

A) to document the scientific advances in the manufacturing of laundry detergent
B) to describe the technology that led to the new formula for Brite
C) to congratulate Brite's research department on their achievements
D) to persuade customers to buy Brite
E) to analyze the likelihood that customers will try Brite

Question 5

In the ACE process for communication, the first step is ________.

A) adapting
B) adjusting
C) analyzing
D) addressing
E) authoring

Question 6

Which of the following is done in the first step of ACE?

A) analysis of your purpose
B) organizing content
C) revising the content
D) formatting conventions
E) drafting the content

Question 7

When conducting the audience analysis for a persuasive message, which of the following is one of the recommended questions?

A) How should you organize the persuasive message?
B) What information does the audience need to know and why?
C) How should I design the format and delivery?
D) Does the content ensure complete information?
E) How will I benefit from my idea or proposal?

Question 8

If the purpose of your message is to ask local businesses to sponsor your event, your desired outcome would most likely be ________.

A) to inform them about your event
B) to promote understanding about your event's goal
C) to propose ways in which they could help
D) that the business will provide finance for the event
E) that the business will be excited about your event

Question 9

Which would be the best way to persuade your boss to implement a flex-time schedule in your office?

A) provide research that shows that this arrangement is workable and often results in increased productivity
B) give the boss the names of the employees who would be interested in working a flex-time schedule
C) tell the boss how happy it would make you to have the flexibility to accommodate your personal interests
D) inform the boss about the many leisure activities that employees would be able to engage in if the flex-time schedule were implemented
E) tell her that your friend's brother's company is considering a flex-time schedule at its local office

Question 10

Your company plans to increase the monthly fees it charges to its clients, starting in September. You are drafting a letter to mail to your clients, to inform them of this increase and hopefully persuade them to keep their businesses with you.
In analyzing your audience you determine that ________.

A) the clients need to be made aware of the fees they currently pay
B) the clients need to know how your company will use the revenue from the fee increase
C) the clients don't need this information until September since that is when the increase will go into effect
D) the clients need to be told what the new fee structure is
E) the clients cannot be expected to understand your message

Question 11

Which of the following does composing involve?

A) proofreading
B) revision
C) organizing the content
D) determining the purpose of the message
E) rereading the entire document from the audience's perspective

Question 12

________ is the ability to influence an audience to agree with your point of view, accept your recommendation, or grant your request.

A) Aggression
B) Persuasion
C) Ethnocentrism
D) Congregation
E) Polycentrism

Question 13

You come up with a cost-cutting measure for your department, and email the idea to your supervisor. He is so impressed by it that he forwards your message to the other members of your department, as well as the heads of operations and IT. The secondary audience of your message is ________.

A) your supervisor
B) your supervisor and the heads of operations and IT
C) the members of your department and the heads of operations and IT
D) your supervisor and the members of your department
E) your supervisor, the members of your department, and the heads of operations and IT

Question 14

Keeping your purpose and desired outcome in mind as you write your message is most likely to help you evaluate whether your content ________.

A) supports your goal
B) is formatted correctly
C) is using appropriate font style
D) has any spelling errors
E) is capable of being transmitted

Question 15

Which of the following communications will likely require persuasion?

A) informing a colleague about a room change for a meeting
B) sharing the minutes of the most recent team meeting
C) asking your boss to switch you to a different project team
D) providing instructions for the new log-in procedure
E) issuing a progress report to your client

Question 16

You receive a flyer in the mail telling you about the new and improved cleaning power of Brite laundry detergent.
Which of the following is most likely to be the desired outcome of this message?

A) The recipient will decide to purchase Brite.
B) The recipient will be impressed by the new cleaning power of Brite.
C) The recipient will do his or her laundry using a competing detergent.
D) The recipient will throw away packages of Brite with the old formula.
E) The recipient will compare Brite with other laundry detergents.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is correct about persuasion?

A) Persuasion is the ability to inform an audience about your point of view.
B) Persuasion is necessary for all business communication.
C) Persuasion does not involve convincing the recipient of your message to accept your recommendation.
D) Persuasion is required for purely informative communication.
E) Persuasion is used to get the audience to grant your request.

Question 18

Reviewing your message and considering feedback ________.

A) generally leads to less successful proposals
B) may lead you to return to the analysis step, to reconsider the decisions about purpose, audience, content, and medium
C) is part of composing, the second step of the ACE process
D) will be time consuming and unnecessary
E) sets the stage for your business message, helping you make good decisions, and should be done before you begin composing

Question 19

You want to ask your supervisor about working flexible hours. You think that her first concern will be whether you will still be able to accomplish all your necessary tasks, and you have found some research showing that flex-time employees are generally more productive than standard schedule workers. You think an email would probably be the best way to open the discussion, so that she can have time to go through the information and consider your proposal. You are engaged in which step of the ACE process?

A) adapting
B) analyzing
C) considering
D) composing
E) evaluating

Question 20

In the ACE process for communication, the second step is ________.

A) composing
B) cutting
C) collaborating
D) copying
E) considering

Question 21

The first draft of a message focuses on ________.

A) analyzing your audience
B) getting your thoughts on paper
C) evaluating your word choices
D) perfecting your grammar
E) creating a purpose statement

Question 22

________ research consists of information other people have collected.

A) Primary
B) Exploratory
C) Secondary
D) Integrated
E) Tertiary

Question 23

Brief messages, such as emails or short presentations at meetings, ________.

A) require elaborate outlines
B) require the use of a tree chart in order to be outlined properly
C) do not benefit from the outlining process
D) might only need a few bullet points or questions as their outlines
E) must follow a detailed traditional outline format

Question 24

Samantha is asked by her boss to attend the supervisors' meeting in the afternoon, and to participate in a brief discussion on the flex-time schedule proposal her department is supporting. Which of the following is true about Samantha's preparation for this meeting?

A) She should anticipate and outline the questions and objections the supervisors will have to this proposal, so that she can address them.
B) She should create a list of only a few bullet points focusing on the benefits this proposal has for herself and her coworkers.
C) She should create an elaborate outline and distribute it at the meeting.
D) It is best to enter a situation like this without an outline and just be spontaneous.
E) As long as she speaks from the heart, the organization of her message is irrelevant.

Question 25

Shannon needs to deliver some information quickly to a large group of people. Which of the following would be the best medium for her to use?

A) email
B) telephone
C) memo
D) letter
E) one-on-one conversations

Question 26

Why should a persuasive letter like this focus on audience benefits?

A) People are selfish and won't be interested in the message if they know that you are also getting benefits from the arrangement.
B) People won't pay attention to the message if it informs them about future threats so it is important to include benefits.
C) To convince someone to do what you want, you have to show them what is in it for them.
D) To influence someone's behavior, you should overstate the benefits if necessary.
E) People are more likely to accept your idea if you let them know how it will benefit you.

Question 27

Jenna requested and was granted a week's vacation time at the end of June. Due to an unforeseen crisis at the office her boss now needs to tell her that she must work during that week instead of going on vacation.
When communicating this message to Jenna, the best approach for her boss would likely be to ________.

A) state the main idea right away to get it over with
B) hint at the main idea and let Jenna read between the lines
C) tell Jenna the bad news first and then explain all the reasons why
D) build up to the main idea, stating the reasons, before actually giving her the bad news
E) give her the bad news right away so that she doesn't get impatient

Question 28

Which of the following statements would be best to include in this letter?

A) This increase will allow us to give well-deserved bonuses to our salespeople.
B) This increase will allow us to upgrade our infrastructures and better compete with our rivals.
C) This increase will allow us to embark on an aggressive media campaign to woo new clients.
D) This increase will allow us to provide you with additional benefits and with 24-hour support.
E) This increase will allow us to pay down some long-term debt.

Question 29

Which of the following is an example of an internal source?

A) a newspaper
B) an industry journal
C) a memo from your supervisor
D) web-based search tools
E) experts from other companies

Question 30

Primary research ________.

A) involves collecting your own original data
B) includes industry journals and experts outside your company
C) is the information that other people have collected
D) includes existing company reports and databases
E) is always more efficient than secondary research

Question 31

Tyrone decides that the best medium to use for his business message is a letter. Which of the following is true about the message Tyrone is communicating?

A) It must be delivered immediately.
B) It requires immediate feedback.
C) It needs to project a less formal image than email.
D) It should leave a permanent record.
E) It should allow interactive communication.

Question 32

Your boss asks you to create a proposal for an upcoming staff meeting which is going to be held after a month and estimates that you should devote about 15 hours to writing it. Spending one or two hours each day writing ________.

A) is an inefficient way to work
B) will not allow you to complete the proposal on time
C) is less effective than spending the two full workdays before the meeting in getting it done
D) allows you to have a fresh perspective each day and work more constructively
E) is more taxing and stressful than writing for an extended period

Question 33

When selecting a medium for a message, email ________.

A) is not efficient for disseminating information to many people
B) ensures immediate feedback
C) may not be appropriate for sending sensitive content
D) cannot create a permanent record
E) does not allow for quick communication

Question 34

Which of the following circumstances lends itself to the direct organization method?

A) informing your client that you have technical issues that are hampering the project
B) giving your client the statistics showing the workload on your team and asking for a later deadline
C) telling your client that you are running behind schedule
D) sending your client a recommendation from another customer
E) informing the client about the attrition resulting in slow work

Question 35

Which of the following key decisions is involved in composing?

A) What must be the purpose of the message?
B) Which mode of communication must be used?
C) How can the content be revised effectively?
D) How can the format be designed for best effect?
E) How can the audience and their needs be analyzed??

Question 36

Simple, well-planned messages ________.

A) don't require a first draft
B) should have exactly one draft
C) benefit from at least two drafts
D) require at least five drafts
E) tend to be less successful in conveying the information

Question 37

In most situations, the main idea of your message ________.

A) is best placed near the end of your communication
B) should never be stated at the beginning of your message
C) should be stated before the supporting details in most communications
D) should always be included near the end of your message so as not to be overshadowed by the supporting details
E) is best not stated explicitly

Question 38

In this situation ________.

A) the direct organization method is the best, since Jenna needs to be persuaded
B) the direct organization method is the best, since Jenna will have a positive reaction
C) the indirect organization method is the best, since Jenna will have a neutral reaction
D) the indirect organization method is the best, since Jenna will not be expecting this bad news
E) it doesn't matter which organization method is used, as either is appropriate for any situation

Question 39

In which of the following cases is the direct organization method most appropriate?

A) asking your boss for an extension on an assignment
B) recommending a controversial change in departmental procedure to your boss
C) requesting a day off during your company's busy season
D) explaining why your team failed to catch a problem
E) sending a status report indicating that you are on schedule for an assignment

Question 40

Which of the following is an example of an external source?

A) memos sent to the employees of the company
B) financial reports published by the company
C) company databases
D) experts within the company
E) industry journals

Question 41

Which of the following statements about revising a written communication is true?

A) The first draft will never include incomplete thoughts.
B) The first draft never contains awkward sentences.
C) Written communication provides the opportunity to revise your message as you are communicating it based on immediate feedback you receive.
D) Computer editing tools such as spelling and grammar checkers will catch all the problems in a written document.
E) By the time you get to the end of your first draft you may have discovered new ideas about what to say.

Question 42

Voice mail messages ________.

A) do not require you to consider the design, as they are an oral communication
B) are best done spontaneously
C) should focus on one topic
D) do not require you to leave contact information
E) should allude to your main point without becoming too specific, to arouse the recipient's curiosity and ensure a return phone call

Question 43

Which of the following is recommended as part of the revision process?

A) Change your message into passive voice.
B) Eliminate abstract wording.
C) Replace simple words with more impressive vocabulary.
D) Add slang to your message to make it more lively.
E) Be careful not to use a conversational style.

Question 44

Which of the following statements is most clearly and concisely worded?

A) It is with sincere gratitude for your endeavors in averting a crisis that I send you this message.
B) Thank you for your help on this difficult assignment.
C) My gratefulness is boundless at your exertions in this.
D) I am eternally thankful for your efforts when the chips were down.
E) Mere thanks seem inadequate to convey what I feel for your help.

Question 45

A document's format ________.

A) is only important to design professionals
B) will compensate fully for poor content
C) cannot undermine your credibility
D) varies wildly according to the choice of medium, with no consistent design principles applying to all media
E) can communicate professionalism to your audience

Question 46

John is responsible for researching and proposing a solution for the problem of breakdown of internal communication in his office, and creating a report of his findings. He is a bit nervous about this, as he suffered from a crippling writer's block in his most recent assignment prior to this. Which of the following pieces of advice would be useful to John regarding writer's block?

A) Try to avoid writer's block by waiting until the last minute to start the report.
B) If you're stuck, do not try to write down whatever comes to your mind without worrying if it is appropriate or meaningful.
C) Think aloud to get your ideas out in the air.
D) Write the toughest parts of the report first.
E) Stop frequently in the drafting process to evaluate what you have written, and don't move on to the next sentence until the last one is perfect.

Question 47

Writer's block ________.

A) occurs when you stop frequently during the drafting process to evaluate what you have written before finishing your thoughts
B) is never a problem if you use the ACE process
C) is often the result of procrastination or impatience
D) is best dealt with by ignoring the editor in your brain while you write
E) can be overcome by writing the hardest parts of your message first

Question 48

Which of the following examples includes redundancies?

A) past experience
B) unprecedented progress
C) considerable change
D) adverse effect
E) pleasant surprise

Question 49

"After your arrival at the airport, transportation to our office will be provided." Which of the following revisions best improves the sentence above?

A) replacing "arrival" with "descent to the runway"
B) replacing "transportation" with "car service"
C) replacing "to our office" with "to the location at which we do business"
D) replacing "at the airport" with "in the city that spawned our thriving business"
E) replacing "will be provided" with "will be graciously and warmly offered to your good self"

Question 50

You have completed a research project and have come up with some interesting and persuasive content. Although your ideas are spot-on, the format of your final report is difficult to read and a little confusing. This ________.

A) is problematic, as it will undermine your credibility
B) communicates to your audience, at a glance, that you are professional
C) is irrelevant, as the strength of your content will shine through
D) won't affect the reception of your report, as formatting is only a very minor issue
E) is unfortunate, but cannot significantly affect the impact of your report

Question 51

Which of the following statements would be best to include in a message?

A) Should the need arise, I will be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.
B) Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions that might occur.
C) Please contact me if you have any questions.
D) And of course, I will be available to answer any questions that arise.
E) It will be my pleasure to enlighten you on any topics requiring clarification.

Question 52

Business emails ________.

A) should focus on only one topic
B) should contain only one paragraph
C) should not contain bullet points
D) should use generic headings
E) should omit a salutation

Question 53

Rereading the entire document from the audience's perspective ________.

A) is best done as the final step in the revising process
B) leads to writer's block
C) helps you identify audience benefits that you forgot to include
D) is an inefficient revising technique
E) is only recommended if you have extra time

Question 54

A letter would be appropriate for which of the following situations?

A) sending the list of public holidays for the year to all employees
B) alerting employees that a flex-time schedule will go into effect
C) communicating news to a client
D) sending the project schedule to the team
E) dispatching the performance chart of the employees

Question 55

Which of the following statements is true about memos?

A) Memos and emails are both typically sent only to internal audiences.
B) Memos and emails have very little in common.
C) Unlike emails, memos should address multiple topics.
D) Like emails, memos should include complimentary closings and signatures at the end.
E) Memos are often longer than the recommended length for emails.

Question 56

Assume that the choices given below for effective communication are in the form of a sequential list of items that are each preceded by a bullet point. According to the rules for formatting important lists, which of the following steps is NOT grammatically parallel to the others?

A) select best medium for message
B) determine audience needs
C) the purpose of the message should be determined
D) anticipate questions and potential objections
E) identify desired outcome

Question 57

Which of the following statements includes redundant language?

A) Never at any time have I seen cooperation like this.
B) From my experience I can say that this teamwork was unprecedented.
C) My opinion is that our team did an outstanding job.
D) It was a pleasant surprise that our unit performed so well.
E) I am impressed by how well our group performed on this project.

Question 58

When you stare at a blank page or a blank computer monitor without a clue of how to begin you are ________.

A) engaging in free writing
B) suffering from writer's block
C) struggling with the perfectionist syndrome
D) thinking aloud
E) designing a professional format

Question 59

Sarah is engaged in the process of drafting her message. As she writes, she stops frequently to evaluate what she has written before finishing her thoughts. She feels that she should make each sentence thorough and accurate before she begins the next sentence. Sarah is ________.

A) suffering from the perfectionist syndrome
B) suffering from writer's block
C) correctly making sure that each sentence is perfect before she begins the next
D) accurately following the guidelines for effective drafting
E) switching between drafting and revising, a highly efficient way to compose a message

Question 60

Which of the following is a consistent design principle that applies to all medium options?

A) Start with a purpose-driven introduction.
B) Break the message into big chunks.
C) Avoid the use of words such as "first" and "second," that signal shifts in content.
D) Do not use parallel bullet lists.
E) Begin each paragraph right away without a topic sentence.

Question 61

Which statement is most appropriate if you want to emphasize what happened, not who did it?

A) The deadline was missed.
B) The team met its sales goal.
C) The HR department came up with new personnel guidelines.
D) I found a number of ways to save money.
E) You lost the client.

Question 62

The HR department sends out a memo to all department heads in the company, detailing the new mentoring program the company is planning to implement. The department heads discuss the new initiative with the supervisors who report to them at their monthly meeting. According to this information the department heads are the primary audience of the message but the supervisors are not part of the secondary audience because they did not receive a physical copy of the memo.

Question 63

Summer is fast-approaching, and your employees are anxious to find out if the flex-time schedule currently under discussion will be implemented. You need to inform them that a decision will not be made until all employees have returned a questionnaire requesting their input on this issue. Which of the following phrases this best?

A) Please turn in your questionnaires since a decision won't be made until you do so.
B) The decision will not be made until all employees have submitted their surveys.
C) We need your help, since the decision cannot be contemplated until all forms are turned in.
D) We will be able to make a decision once all the forms are submitted.
E) No decision will be made until all forms are turned in.

Question 64

Keeping your purpose and desired outcome in mind as you write your message helps you evaluate whether your content supports your goal.

Question 65

The desired outcome of your message is what you want your audience to know or do as a result of your communication.

Question 66

Purpose statements alone are too general to help you think strategically about the best content to use.

Question 67

The ACE process for communication can only be used in very complex situations.

Question 68

Messages have either primary audiences or secondary audiences, not both.

Question 69

Which of the following is worded most strongly and would be best to use in a message that will be sent to people from different countries, cultures, and social groups?

A) I want to make sure that we are all on the same page.
B) Let's make sure we're all singing the same tune.
C) It's mission critical that we're all seeing this through one set of eyes.
D) Let's be careful that we're not on different wavelengths.
E) I want to be sure that we are in agreement on this issue.

Question 70

Composing consists entirely of putting words on the page or speaking them aloud.

Question 71

Which of the following is a guideline for checking systematically for errors?

A) Proofread your work immediately after you finish it.
B) Read your work thoroughly only once.
C) Look for your own common errors.
D) Do not read your draft aloud.
E) Do not swap your document with a colleague.

Question 72

In the ACE process for communication, "E" stands for evaluating.

Question 73

If you're pressed for time, it's a good idea to skip the analysis step and jump ahead to composing your message.

Question 74

You should not show your message to anyone until you have finished the evaluating step of the ACE process.

Question 75

Which example uses a conversational style?

A) Enclosed please find my proposal for your perusal.
B) Thank you in advance for your prompt and careful attention to this matter.
C) Please return all forms within two business days.
D) Your kind attention to this issue will be much appreciated and will facilitate cooperation in our department.
E) As per your request I have provided all the various documents that you are in need of.

Question 76

Persuasion is required for all types of business communication.

Question 77

Which of the following statements is true?

A) The passive voice should be predominantly used in business writing.
B) In active voice sentences, the subject does not perform the action of the verb.
C) The passive voice leads to a clear and lively style of writing.
D) The active voice may be a good choice when you do not want to assign blame.
E) In passive voice sentences, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb.

Question 78

You need to reply to an angry customer about a problem with her recent purchase. From her message it is clear that the problem occurred because she incorrectly used the product. Which of the following would be best to include in your reply?

A) "Unfortunately this mistake is all your fault since you misused the product. You will have to buy a new one - would you like 10% off?"
B) "Operator error is not our responsibility. Even though we don't have to we will offer you a coupon good for a discount on your next purchase."
C) "If you had read the manual you would not have broken the product. Please accept a discount on a replacement item and next time don't forget to read the manual!"
D) "We appreciate your business and only wish that you hadn't misused the product. Unfortunately you will have to buy a new one yourself. We will also give you a discount."
E) "Use of the product in this manner is inconsistent with our recommendations, and is not covered by your warranty. In appreciation for your business we can offer you a discount on a replacement item."

Question 79

The passive voice ________.

A) leads to a clear and lively writing style
B) can help emphasize a certain word by placing it in the subject of the sentence
C) may be appropriate when you want to assign blame
D) is never appropriate in business writing
E) is grammatically incorrect

Question 80

For a business communicator, style ________.

A) refers to how you express yourself
B) is the content you express
C) pertains to what you don't say
D) doesn't impact the tone of the message
E) is irrelevant