Quiz 8: Sharing Informative and Positive Messages With Appropriate Technology

An informative message has the primary purpose of de-emphasizing any negative elements.

A hospital that refuses to deliver test results electronically will lose credibility.

Telepresence is a low-cost alternative to video conferencing and allows employees to connect and collaborate remotely with web cameras that are standard on many newer laptops or tablets.

A goodwill ending to an email should include your regards to the reader's family.

Phone calls are a better choice than face-to-face visits when a business requires negotiation or a dialogue.

When business decisions require delicacy and you would rather leave no record of your communications, the best medium to use is face-to-face conversation.

It is important to highlight information in a subject line if the information is neutral or negative.

A way to ensure that an email gets read is to use important information in the subject line.

A subject line helps in retrieving a message and tells readers why they need to read the message.

In order to summarize a document, you should start with some supporting evidence or the details of a message.

Which of the following is an example of a positive message? A) offering details to employees about the insurance benefits that a company offers B) informing employees of an upcoming pay freeze due to a financial crisis C) requesting monthly progress reports from the members of a sales department D) offering criticism and pointing out loopholes in a subordinate's presentation E) providing employees with sales target figures to be achieved for the upcoming quarter

Which of the following statements about informative messages is true? A) They are always lengthy and descriptive in nature. B) They elicit a neutral reaction from the receiver. C) They immediately ask a receiver to undertake action. D) They do not have any persuasive elements in them. E) They have a primary purpose to build a good image of the sender.

Which of the following would be classified as an informative message? A) denying an increase in credit limit by a bank to a customer B) informing a student that an application to the college has been rejected C) distributing the minutes of a meeting to all members of the meeting D) informing an employer that a client is taking his account to a competitor E) announcing to a customer that the payment for a policy is past due

Which of the following is a primary purpose of an informative message? A) to build a good image of the sender's organization B) to de-emphasize any negative information C) to eliminate future messages on the same subject D) to build a good image of the sender E) to have the receiver view the information positively

Zoya is a relationship manager at Orbit Bank in California. She needs to write to a customer to let him know that his application for an increase in credit limit has been approved. In her message, she includes information about the company's history and testimonials from other valued customers. What is the secondary purpose of including this additional information? A) building a good image of her organization B) cementing a good relationship with her manager C) making the customer view the information positively D) providing good news to the customer E) having the customer view the information neutrally

Which of the following represents a potential drawback to a business owner of using smartphone apps to grow a business? A) They limit customer access to company information and products. B) They allow a very small range of transactions compared to websites. C) They require time and money to develop and maintain. D) They occupy considerable space on users' phones. E) They are more expensive than websites for consumers to use.

Which of the following statements about information overload is true? A) It is a secondary purpose of informative and positive messages. B) It is made up of crucial data such as annual reports, which tend to be lengthy. C) It makes people become selective about the messages they open and read. D) It is desirable because it keeps people informed about vital happenings. E) It is a strategy to make employees in a company more efficient and productive.

In which of the following situations should phone calls be used as a mode of communication? A) when you intend to leave a paper trail B) when the tone of voice is important C) when you do not need an immediate response D) when you need to review detailed language in a document E) when you want both visual and aural cues

Itzel needs to schedule a meeting for her manager, Lee, with an important business client. She receives an email in the morning from the client's assistant. The email states that 11 a.m. on Tuesday suits them well and asks Itzel to confirm the time as soon as possible. Itzel needs to confirm the meeting by first checking if the time works well for Lee. Which of the following would be the best mode of communication for Itzel? A) email B) blog C) wiki D) telepresence E) phone

A lengthy post concerning updated company policies would be most appropriate to include on which media platform? A) Company website B) Facebook C) Instagram D) Linked In E) Twitter

Laila is a popular music artist. She recently had a chat with Jeremy, her public relations executive, asking him to work on increasing her online presence in order to build up her fan following. Jeremy then uses a microblog, which lets Laila's fans know what music album she is working on and concerts she will be giving through the use of short text messages. Which of the following modes of social media is Jeremy most likely using? A) Facebook B) Wikis C) Twitter D) Orkut E) LinkedIn

Emails are commonly used to A) avoid leaving behind a paper trail. B) ensure readers respond immediately. C) solve a problem when time is crucial. D) undertake controversial activities. E) save time and money.

Which of the following is the most distinguishing characteristic of Instagram? A) It uses a color coding system to categorize content. B) It is a platform for distributing brief textual comments with clickable links. C) It is designed primarily for laptops and tablets. D) It is driven by visual images and engagement. E) It is a data-driven platform for original or shared content.

Estefani works as a communication executive at a fashion publication in Paris. She has been asked by her editor to prepare a draft on prospective topics for their upcoming winter edition. Estefani wants to search for ideas from fashion websites and email her network of designers to know the current trends for the winter season. Which of the following communication hardware types will satisfy all of Estefani's needs? A) iPod B) portable media player C) videoconference D) smartphone E) telepresence

Which of the following social media sites allows professionals to connect with colleagues and other industry members, and use the site to network and earn recommendations from past and current clients? A) Facebook B) LinkedIn C) Instagram D) Twitter E) Orkut

Luisa is an executive assistant at a marketing company and needs to organize an important project meeting in the upcoming week. Although she has made all arrangements well ahead of time, the project manager needs to travel out of town on the day of the scheduled meeting. She needs to find a way to still organize the meeting with the active participation of all members, including the project manager. Which of the following would help Luisa arrange this meeting? A) smartphone B) mp3 player C) videoconference D) portable media player E) iPod

Which of the following is a function of telepresence? A) It creates virtual meetings that are almost lifelike. B) It allows users to conduct word processing. C) It facilitates sending and receiving of emails. D) It helps users make telephone calls. E) It facilitates access to a range of websites.

A social networking tool where users create a profile, chat, and share interests with other users is A) a blog. B) a wiki. C) Facebook. D) LinkedIn. E) Pinterest.

Which of the following is most likely a reason for the decline in the use of voicemail messaging? A) The use of text messaging has increased so much. B) The tone of the message is not clear in voicemail messages. C) Email is the preferred way to contact someone who cannot be reached by phone. D) Most voicemail systems delete messages too quickly because of storage limits. E) Voicemail messages provide fewer contextual cues than text messages do.

Mariko is a public relations executive at a charitable foundation and needs to invite Robert Johnson, a renowned author, for the institution's annual function in March. Mariko knows that Mr. Johnson has a busy schedule and travels around the globe for her work. Which of the following should Mariko undertake while composing her email, keeping in mind Mr. Johnson's time restraints? A) Put important details about the annual meeting in the middle paragraph. B) Use an overview if the email is less than one screen long. C) Limit the email to the main topic of the annual meeting. D) Avoid using headings if her email is more than one screen long. E) Use off-topic materials to make the email interesting.

Which of the following should you do when creating subject lines to help ensure that an email is read? A) Make the subject line ambiguous and general to cater to a large audience. B) Highlight the subject line if the information is neutral or negative. C) Use conversational tags, such as "hello" or "thank you," to give the message a friendly note. D) Name drop in the subject line to make an appropriate connection. E) Ensure the reader does not recognize the sender to eliminate possible bias.

It is not necessary to include benefits in positive and informative messages when A) presenting policies. B) presenting factual information only. C) presenting benefits that may not be obvious. D) stressing benefits that present the audience's motives positively. E) shaping your audience's attitudes toward the information or toward your organization.

Positive and informative messages should emphasize benefits when A) presenting factual information only. B) presenting benefits that may not be obvious. C) the benefits make the audience seem selfish. D) the audience's attitude toward the information is unimportant. E) the audience probably already knows the benefits.

Which of the following statements about a goodwill ending in positive and informative messages is true? A) It should work if the same basic message is sent to someone else with the same title. B) It is a good idea to end an email with "feel free to call." C) It should focus on the reader's hobbies, family, or personal life. D) It should not refer to the company's relationship with the reader's organization. E) It should show you see the reader as an individual.

Which of the following is the best example of a goodwill ending in a positive business email? A) Have a good day! B) Wish you a happy weekend! C) Convey my regards to your family. D) If you have any questions, please feel free to call. E) I am looking forward to receiving more orders from you.

Which of the following statements about using humor in business communications is true? A) There should be no restraints while using humor to convey informative messages. B) It should be completely avoided, as it always makes a message seem less important. C) Sexual and religious humor should be avoided, but political humor can be used. D) It can be directed at specific people if they never get to see the message. E) It can help increase the chances that a message is read or heard.

Which of the following strategies will make a response to a customer complaint more positive? A) Grant a customer's request for a benefit in the last sentence of a message. B) Talk about your own process in making the decision related to the message. C) Give a reason for the original mistake even if it does not give credit to a company. D) Show that you are listening and want to resolve the problem. E) Respond grudgingly if a customer's request is impractical and demanding.

Face-to-face visits are a good choice of communication when A) you want to leave a paper trail. B) you need something urgently. C) the interaction is not likely to be repeated. D) you want interaction to be the least intrusive. E) communication is short and noncritical.

Erika is a climate change campaigner and is working on a campaign to educate the public about global warming. She is currently working on the second stage of a project in which she needs to discuss educational strategies with Malik, the communications manager of the organization. She understands that her interaction with Malik will involve long discussions on the pros and cons of different strategies. She is also aware that the process is complicated, and she needs to efficiently understand Malik's views. Which of the following is most likely to be the ideal mode of communication for Erika and Malik? A) phone B) text message C) microblog D) email E) face-to-face visit

Crista, a team leader, knows that she and her co-workers are facing a sensitive decision about how to confront a team member who is not doing his share of the work. She decides that the best communication channel to use for this discussion is a face-to-face meeting. The most likely reason for her choice is to A) create a permanent record of the discussion. B) include as many team members as possible. C) observe body language as well as tone of voice. D) accommodate various people's schedules. E) make the discussion as brief as possible.

Kwame, a marketing director at an athletic apparel company, has written an email memo outlining the company's marketing objectives and strategies for the next quarter. Which of the following company employees is Kwame most likely to include in the list of those receiving a CC of his message? A) the purchasing agent who orders fabrics B) the assistant to the sales promotions manager C) the receptionist at the front desk D) the accounts payable manager E) the human resources coordinator

Pablo tweeted "The office meeting time has changed. It is now from nine to three. Have a great day! #change #newtime #officerules". Some people felt that Pablo's tweet was an inappropriate work place tweet because it A) is very informal. B) uses many hashtags. C) does not convey anything important. D) does not use acronyms. E) is too long.

Which of the following should you do when leaving a voicemail message for a co-worker? A) Describe the background of the situation, speaking for up to two minutes if necessary. B) Convey all relevant details, assuming the receiver will be taking notes. C) Make clear that you require an immediate response. D) Use a clear voice when stating the callback number. E) Create a bit of suspense as to the reason for your call.

Which of the following can be best communicated through an email? A) irony and sarcasm B) negative critiques C) routine activities D) nonverbal cues E) bad news

Which of the following is a disadvantage of email? A) It is expensive. B) It is time consuming. C) It does not create a paper trial. D) It can be sent to only one person at a time. E) It does not work well for sarcasm and irony.

Aliyah sent an email to her manager requesting two days off in the following week. If she does not get a reply immediately, she should A) send the same email again after a few minutes. B) ask the manager in person to reply to the email. C) wait for a day before emailing the manager again. D) call her manager to ask if the email was received. E) send another email with the subject line "READ NOW."

Which of the following is the best subject line for a neutral or positive message? A) Hello! Good news! B) Thank You for the Effort C) Office Will Be Closed Tomorrow D) Submit Reports by December 12 E) Points to Be Discussed in the Next Meeting

While drafting an email, you should A) use only capital letters in the subject line. B) cover as many topics as possible in one email. C) put the most important information in the last sentence. D) use an overview if the email is more than one screen long. E) always use high priority markers like URGENT in the subject line.

When using a basic pattern of organization in a message, you should A) understand the rationale or logic behind each of the patterns. B) remember that the pattern cannot be modified or changed. C) know that every message with the basic pattern will have all elements included. D) understand that you should always present several elements in one paragraph. E) remember that you should never have several paragraphs for just one element.

Dmitri is a publicity director for a transnational consumer electronics consortium. He has produced the company's annual report for the year 2017 and now intends to distribute it to the principal corporate stakeholders. Which of the following would be the most appropriate subject line for an email message with the report attached? A) Annual Report and strategic communications for external audiences B) Annual Report for the current year C) 2017 Annual Report D) Performance benchmarks and history from 2017 E) Details of the prior year's accomplishments

Which of the following strategies will help you manage information efficiently in messages? A) Place new material in the center of a message. B) Use overviews if a message is short and concise. C) Use multiple paragraphs while answering multiple questions. D) Use color to highlight new information. E) Place crucial information in an attachment.

Which of the following practices is useful for managing information in emails? A) Avoid bullets in long emails. B) Checklists are too elementary, so avoid them. C) When answering multiple questions in one email, number each answer. D) Put the most vital information in attachments rather than the email. E) When sending regular updates, place new materials at the bottom.

Which of the following statements about using stories in informative messages is true? A) They help people to remember information but not understand it. B) They are time consuming and should be avoided. C) They are usually detailed and one to two pages long. D) They enable people to put facts in context. E) They are fiction but not narratives.

Which of the following statements about a transmittal message is true? A) It should inform the reader what is being sent at the end. B) It should begin with a summary of the main points of a document. C) It should have only primary purposes, not secondary purposes. D) It should not include details of what will happen next, as those might be a distraction. E) It should include information that would help the reader understand the document.

Which of the following practices should be used when summarizing a message? A) Start with the main points and then move on to explaining supporting material. B) Use chronological accounts when summarizing data for external people. C) Build up to the main point of a meeting by giving a step-by-step account of what happened. D) Avoid stating obvious things like the topic of discussion or who attended a meeting. E) Summarize a visit with a client by describing it from your own point of view.

What are the primary and secondary purposes of informative and positive messages?

Ming is the sales director for a startup company that provides office systems and technical support designed for mid-sized manufacturers. The company's business plan calls for cultivating relationships with factory owners in a specific industry nationwide, gathering information about their specific needs, and informing them about the company's line of products. The company's marketing budget does not allow for extensive travel, so Ming must design a communication strategy. Which will be the single most effective medium for meeting his objectives, and why?

List the purpose of using emails in business.

How do videoconferences help enhance business communication?

Why is the use of humor in informative messages considered risky? How can the risks be avoided?

Dhiraj has recently joined a new project, for which he needs to regularly coordinate with his colleague Ken Bradley to discuss project activities. He understands that the content of their communication needs to be confidential and should not leave any paper trail. In addition, he wants to establish a good working relationship with Mr. Bradley for future projects. Explain what channel Dhiraj should use to establish communication efficiently with Mr. Bradley and why.

Describe the reasons why a business would want to create a Facebook page, and list some of the elements such a page should include.

What are some key points to remember while using a pattern to organize messages?

What features should a good subject line have?

List the order in which a transmittal should be organized.