Question 1

Which of the following guidelines is LEAST likely to produce good writing?
A)Have several different strategies to choose from.
B)Have clear goals focusing on purpose and audience.
C)Use rules as guidelines that can be broken.
D)Edit everything as soon as it is written.

Accepted Answer

Editing everything as soon as it is written may lead to interruptions in the flow of writing and hinder the ability to freely express thoughts and ideas. It's best to complete a draft before editing to ensure that the message is conveyed effectively.

Question 2

Which fraction of your total writing time should you plan to spend on planning and organizing?
A)One-tenth
B)One-fifth
C)One-third
D)One-quarter

Accepted Answer

Planning and organizing are crucial steps in the writing process, as they help you create a clear, cohesive and effective composition. Allocating one-third of your total writing time to these stages is a good rule of thumb to ensure that you have enough time to brainstorm ideas, outline your main points, develop your thesis statement and supporting evidence, and structure your paragraphs effectively. This way, you can avoid writer's block, stay focused, and produce a high-quality piece of writing.

Question 3

Which of the following strategies will enhance your style?
A)Clearly separate the subject and verb in long sentences
B)Always edit sentences for tightness, even short ones
C)Use long sentences when your subject matter is complicated or full of numbers
D)Use short sentences to create repetition

Accepted Answer

Editing sentences for tightness improves clarity and readability, making the text more engaging and easier to understand, regardless of sentence length.

Question 4

Melanie decides that the data section of her report is weak, so she adds two graphs and explanatory details.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?
A)Planning
B)Gathering
C)Revising
D)Editing

Accepted Answer

This activity represents the revising stage of the writing process, where the writer goes back and makes changes to the content, structure, or organization of the paper to improve clarity or effectiveness.

Question 5

Ben chooses a pattern of organization before he begins a letter.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?
A)Planning
B)Getting feedback
C)Brainstorming
D)Editing

Accepted Answer

The activity of choosing a pattern of organization is part of the planning stage of the writing process, where the writer decides on the structure and content of the piece.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT something to check during a thorough revision?
A)Style and tone
B)Organization
C)Punctuation and spelling
D)Content and clarity

Accepted Answer

Punctuation and spelling are typically checked during proofreading, not during the thorough revision process which focuses on style, organization, content, and clarity.

Question 7

Henri's teachers have told him that he has a problem with wordiness, so he goes through each line carefully, looking for places he can tighten his writing.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?
A)Planning
B)Gathering
C)Revising
D)Editing

Accepted Answer

Revising involves making changes to improve the clarity, organization, and effectiveness of a piece of writing.

Question 8

Amy analyzes her audience to determine how much company history she will need in her report.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?
A)Planning
B)Gathering
C)Evaluating
D)Editing

Accepted Answer

Analyzing the audience is a part of the planning stage in the writing process.

Question 9

Before writing a recommendation report to the CEO, Dee and Yossie distribute a survey to everyone in their company to determine which new benefits employees are most interested in.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?
A)Planning
B)Gathering
C)Evaluating
D)Editing

Accepted Answer

Distributing a survey to gather information from employees is part of the gathering stage of the writing process.

Question 10

Which of the following strategies will enhance web-based writing?
A)Try to be cute and clever, to maintain interest
B)Tell readers "click here," to enhance clarity
C)Incorporate as many hyperlinks as possible, to appear knowledgeable and well-connected
D)Make each page independent, to facilitate entry from anywhere in the site

Accepted Answer

Making each page independent allows readers to easily access the information they need without having to navigate through the entire site. This simplifies the user experience and enhances the overall effectiveness of web-based writing.

Note: A is incorrect as trying to be cute and clever can distract from the content and reduce its credibility. B is incorrect as "click here" is not descriptive and can be confusing for users relying on assistive technologies. C is incorrect as using too many hyperlinks can overwhelm readers and make it difficult to determine which links are most relevant.

Question 11

The problem with the sentence "CLECs exist in many markets" in a letter to the general public is:
A)CLEC has a negative connotation.
B)CLEC is emotionally charged.
C)CLEC has many possible denotations.
D)CLEC is technical jargon.

Accepted Answer

CLEC is technical jargon that may not be easily understood by the general public. It is important to use language that is clear and accessible to all readers.

Question 12

In which part of the writing process is it most important to know the rules of grammar and punctuation?
A)Editing
B)Revising
C)Proofreading
D)Every part of the process

Accepted Answer

The answer of In which part of the writing process...

Question 13

"It is the case that good communicators advance more quickly in the company." Which of the following would be the best revision of this sentence?
A)"It is the case that those who communicate well advance more quickly in the company."
B)"It is true that good communicators advance rapidly in the company."
C)"Evidence has shown that good communicators quickly advance in the company."
D)"Good communicators advance more quickly in the company."

Accepted Answer

The original sentence is already clear and concise, so the best revision would be to simply remove the unnecessary words and phrases. Option D accomplishes this while also maintaining the original meaning. Option A adds an extra phrase and changes the sentence structure, while options B and C unnecessarily use synonyms and add new information.

Question 14

Which of the following strategies is likely to create successful writing for the web?
A)Get to the point
B)Write for search engines more than for readers
C)Maintain the same document lengths that you have in hard-copy documents
D)Make sure you always use full sentences

Accepted Answer

Writing for the web requires brevity and getting straight to the point to keep readers engaged. Long documents or extensive descriptions may cause readers to lose interest and click away.

Answer: None of the others
 Writing for search engines and using full sentences are not necessarily the best strategies for successful writing on the web. Search engine optimization should be included but not at the expense of writing for the reader. Using full sentences may also come across as too formal or clunky in web writing. Maintaining the same document lengths as hard-copy documents may not be appropriate for the attention span of online readers.

Question 15

Which of the following writing strategies is NOT appropriate for writing to strangers?
A)Use abbreviations in email messages if they're part of the reader's business culture
B)Use grammatically correct sentence structures
C)Avoid formality, in order to establish a friendly relationship
D)Avoid clichés, in order to sound interesting and original

Accepted Answer

Avoiding formality might be perceived as unprofessional when writing to strangers, as it could create an impression that the writer is not serious or reliable. Therefore, it is better to maintain a polite and respectful tone, even if the writing aims to establish a friendly rapport. Additionally, it is necessary to avoid using slang, jargon, or cultural references that might not be familiar to the reader. This could also create a barrier to effective communication. Using correct grammar and avoiding clichés is always appropriate. Abbreviations should be used cautiously, only if they are commonly accepted in the specific context of the communication.

Question 16

Which of the following statements does NOT accurately describe the process known as "cycling"?
A)It's usually only used for internal documents
B)It's a fact of life in business, government agencies, and non-profit organizations
C)It's a useful way of getting feedback
D)It can usefully incorporate directed questions for readers about particular drafts

Accepted Answer

"Cycling" is a common process used in various industries to revise and improve documents. It is not limited to only internal documents. Therefore, statement A does not accurately describe the process.

Question 17

When Jacob realizes that his persuasive memo doesn't counteract the most obvious probable objections, he adds two additional paragraphs.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?
A)Planning
B)Gathering
C)Revising
D)Editing

Accepted Answer

This activity represents revising, as it involves making changes to the memo with the aim of improving its persuasiveness and addressing the most obvious probable objections. Revising involves reviewing and altering draft content to ensure that it flows logically, includes appropriate evidence and examples, and addresses potential objections or counterarguments.

Question 18

Which of the following strategies will improve your style, making it vivid and vigorous?
A)Read widely and write a lot
B)Read your draft silently to yourself, in full
C)Rely on your own judgment far more than on others' feedback
D)Try to maintain your existing sentence structures, wherever possible

Accepted Answer

Reading widely can expose you to different writing styles and techniques that you can incorporate into your own writing. Writing a lot also gives you more practice in expressing yourself and refining your voice.

Answer: B
 Reading your draft silently to yourself can help you catch any awkward phrasing, repetition, or other issues with your writing. It allows you to focus on the words and their flow without any distractions.

Answer: C
 While feedback from others can be helpful, relying too heavily on their opinions can stifle your unique voice and style. You should trust your own judgment and writing instincts as you work to develop your style.

Answer: None of the above
 Option D is not a strategy that is likely to improve your writing style. While maintaining a consistent structure can be useful for clarity, it should not come at the expense of varied tone and language.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a good strategy for dealing with a company that seems to have horrible "in house" style preferences?
A)Recognize that the company's preferred style may serve purposes other than communication.
B)Use good stylistic techniques to demonstrate good writing and possibly change readers' minds mind.
C)Don't ask your supervisor whether s/he actually endorses these preferences.
D)Help others in the company learn about good writing by sharing resources and research with them.

Accepted Answer

Asking your supervisor whether they endorse the company's style preferences can come across as confrontational or disrespectful. It's better to try to work within the existing framework and demonstrate good writing without challenging the company's preferences.

Question 20

Jaye realizes that she has used the word "your" when she meant "you're," so she replaces her original word with the correct term.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?
A)Planning
B)Gathering
C)Revising
D)Editing

Accepted Answer

This activity represents editing, which is the process of checking and correcting errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics of writing.

Quiz 3: Planning, Composing, and Revising

Which of the following guidelines is LEAST likely to produce good writing?

Which fraction of your total writing time should you plan to spend on planning and organizing?

Which of the following strategies will enhance your style?

Melanie decides that the data section of her report is weak, so she adds two graphs and explanatory details.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?

Ben chooses a pattern of organization before he begins a letter.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?

Which of the following is NOT something to check during a thorough revision?

Henri's teachers have told him that he has a problem with wordiness, so he goes through each line carefully, looking for places he can tighten his writing.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?

Amy analyzes her audience to determine how much company history she will need in her report.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?

Before writing a recommendation report to the CEO, Dee and Yossie distribute a survey to everyone in their company to determine which new benefits employees are most interested in.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?

Which of the following strategies will enhance web-based writing?

The problem with the sentence "CLECs exist in many markets" in a letter to the general public is:

In which part of the writing process is it most important to know the rules of grammar and punctuation?

"It is the case that good communicators advance more quickly in the company." Which of the following would be the best revision of this sentence?

Which of the following strategies is likely to create successful writing for the web?

Which of the following writing strategies is NOT appropriate for writing to strangers?

Which of the following statements does NOT accurately describe the process known as "cycling"?

When Jacob realizes that his persuasive memo doesn't counteract the most obvious probable objections, he adds two additional paragraphs.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?

Which of the following strategies will improve your style, making it vivid and vigorous?

Which of the following is NOT a good strategy for dealing with a company that seems to have horrible "in house" style preferences?

Jaye realizes that she has used the word "your" when she meant "you're," so she replaces her original word with the correct term.What part of the writing process does this activity represent?