Question 1

Will Clive,an environmental activist,needs to prepare a report which will list out forest cover areas of different states in the United Kingdom.The report will help him in the first stage of the "Heritage Forest Campaign" that aims at preserving protected forest areas.Which of the following will ensure that the source of data is up-to-date?
A) Assessing objectivity of the source
B) Identifying the authors
C) Evaluating authenticity of data
D) Checking currency of information
E) Checking if the source is biased

Accepted Answer

While evaluating the source of data, it is important to identify the authors, check currency of the data as well as its objectivity, and completeness.

Question 2

It is ideal to use the word "you" in reports to help readers identify with one's recommendations.

Accepted Answer

One should ideally not use the word "you" in a report. In a document with multiple audiences, it is unclear who the word "you" refers to. It is best to instead use the company's name.

Question 3

The conclusions and recommendations section presents new information that has been missed out or not yet been mentioned in the report.

Accepted Answer

The conclusion section summarizes the body of the report while the recommendations section includes action items that would solve problems. No new information is provided in these sections.

Question 4

Allen Campbell is working on the "Save the forests" campaign in Virginia,which aims at spreading awareness about deforestation through electronic media.He now needs to prepare a report that will present the benefits and drawbacks of using electronic media.Which of the following patterns of organizing information will best serve his purpose?
A) Problem-solution
B) Chronological
C) Pro-and-con
D) Geographic
E) Spatial

Accepted Answer

The pro-an-con pattern provides arguments for and against a particular alternative under specific headings. This pattern is a variation of the compare/contrast pattern of organizing information.

Question 5

The _____ can be calculated by adding up all figures and dividing it by the total number of samples.
A) median
B) mean
C) range
D) variance
E) mode

Accepted Answer

When there are multiple numbers for items, an early analysis step is to figure the average, the median, and the range. The average or mean can be calculated by adding up all figures and dividing it by the total number of samples.

Question 6

The _____ pattern of organizing data is inefficient when there is a need to deemphasize drawbacks of a proposed solution.
A) compare/contrast
B) pro-and-con
C) problem-solution
D) elimination of alternatives
E) SWOT analysis

Accepted Answer

The pro-and-con pattern is inefficient when there is a need to deemphasize drawbacks of a proposed solution because it does not allow one to bury its drawbacks between neutral or positive material.

Question 7

The elimination of alternatives pattern is useful when the solutions a reader is likely to favor will not work,and the solution one recommends is likely to be perceived as expensive,intrusive,or radical.

Accepted Answer

The elimination of alternatives pattern starts with discussing the problems that will not work and then putting forward the most practical solution. This pattern is useful when the solutions the reader is likely to favor will not work and the solution one recommends is likely to be perceived as expensive, intrusive, or radical.

Question 8

The particular to general pattern of organizing information starts with the problem as it affects the organization and then proceeds to a discussion of parts of the problem and solutions to each of these parts.

Accepted Answer

The particular to general pattern of organizing information starts with the problem as the audience defines it and then moves on to larger issues of which the problem is a part.

Question 9

A summary abstract is used to present the most useful information in the least amount of space.

Accepted Answer

A summary abstract is used to present the most useful information in the least amount of space. It presents the logic skeleton of the report, i.e., the recommendation and its proof.

Question 10

In a compare/contrast pattern of organizing data,it is best to focus on the criteria when:
A) the criteria are difficult to differentiate or separate from one another.
B) one alternative is clearly superior from the other alternatives.
C) the audience grasps the alternative as a whole rather than its parts.
D) the audience wants to compare options independent of recommendations.
E) the audience focuses on the idea behind the alternative instead of its components.

Accepted Answer

In a compare/contrast pattern of organizing data, it is best to focus on the criteria when the audience wants to compare options independent of recommendations, when the superiority of one alternative to another depends on the relative weight assigned to various criteria or when the criteria are easy to separate.

Question 11

Talking heads focus on the structure of the report and provide very little information.

Accepted Answer

Talking heads tell the audience what to expect in a report. They provide specific information for each section in a report as well as for the entire report.

Question 12

Headings cannot be complete sentences because it will make them lengthy and ineffective.

Accepted Answer

Headings are single words, short phrases, or complete sentences that indicate the topic in each section. They must cover the entire material under it until the next heading.

Question 13

Repetition in a report should be used only if it serves a useful purpose.

Accepted Answer

Repetition in a report should be used only if it serves a useful purpose. Keeping repetition to a minimum, using clear engaging writing, in addition to sources and visuals are effective ways of presenting information in reports.

Question 14

John Rivers who works in the Colorado Department of Education needs to submit a report on the literacy rate of children in the State.He has to present statistical details in addition to ideas on developing the education system.Which of the following arrangements will be most useful for Rivers' audience?
A) Processing information before presenting it to the audience
B) Presenting information in the order in which he became aware of it
C) Working against the audience's expectations to draw its attention
D) Grouping information into a minimum of ten categories
E) Using the word "you" in the report if there are multiple audiences

Accepted Answer

It is important that information presented in a report is easy for the audience to understand and use. The data need to be processed before being presented. When there are large amounts of information, it should be broken down into three to seven categories.

Question 15

The _____ is the difference between the high and low figures for a particular variable.
A) range
B) mean
C) average
D) mode
E) median

Accepted Answer

When there is an even number, the median is the average of the two numbers in the center of the list. On the other hand, the range is the difference between the high and low figures for that variable.

Question 16

A list of illustrations enables audiences to refer to visuals comprising of tables and figures.

Accepted Answer

Report visuals comprise of figures and tables. Tables consist of words or numbers arranged in rows and columns. Figures refer to bar graphs, maps, and photographs among others.

Question 17

The _____ can be defined as a number that occurs most often in a list of observations.
A) median
B) range
C) mode
D) average
E) extension

Accepted Answer

The mode is a number that occurs most often. In contrast, a median is exactly in the middle in a ranked list of observations.

Question 18

If a title of a report does not contain a recommendation,it normally indicates what problem the report tries to solve.

Accepted Answer

The title of the report should be as informative as possible. If a title of a report does not contain a recommendation, it normally indicates what problem the report tries to solve or the topic it discusses.

Question 19

Sally Mitchell is preparing a report on "The Rate of Urban Development in different cities of Guinea." Which of the following is she most likely to include in the appendix of the report?
A) Analysis of causes and possible solutions
B) Information that directly relates to the discussion in the body
C) Information that is essential for the proof of the report
D) Supporting data that will be scrutinized by specialists
E) Crucial statistics on development rates in different cities

Accepted Answer

Supporting data that is examined later by specialists such as lawyers, accountants, and engineers are generally put in an appendix. In addition, information that is not crucial to the proof but something that a careful reader will require can also be a part of the appendix.

Question 20

_____ refers to producing or creating one thing by another.
A) Variance
B) Causation
C) Range
D) Extension
E) Dimension

Accepted Answer

Causation means that one thing produces another whereas correlation refers to two things happening at the same time which are positively or negatively related. These two terms are often confused and are common logic errors in analyzing data.

Quiz 18: Analysing Information and Writing Reports

It is ideal to use the word "you" in reports to help readers identify with one's recommendations.

The conclusions and recommendations section presents new information that has been missed out or not yet been mentioned in the report.

The _____ can be calculated by adding up all figures and dividing it by the total number of samples.

The _____ pattern of organizing data is inefficient when there is a need to deemphasize drawbacks of a proposed solution.

The elimination of alternatives pattern is useful when the solutions a reader is likely to favor will not work,and the solution one recommends is likely to be perceived as expensive,intrusive,or radical.

The particular to general pattern of organizing information starts with the problem as it affects the organization and then proceeds to a discussion of parts of the problem and solutions to each of these parts.

A summary abstract is used to present the most useful information in the least amount of space.

In a compare/contrast pattern of organizing data,it is best to focus on the criteria when:

Talking heads focus on the structure of the report and provide very little information.

Headings cannot be complete sentences because it will make them lengthy and ineffective.

Repetition in a report should be used only if it serves a useful purpose.

The _____ is the difference between the high and low figures for a particular variable.

A list of illustrations enables audiences to refer to visuals comprising of tables and figures.

The _____ can be defined as a number that occurs most often in a list of observations.

If a title of a report does not contain a recommendation,it normally indicates what problem the report tries to solve.

Sally Mitchell is preparing a report on "The Rate of Urban Development in different cities of Guinea." Which of the following is she most likely to include in the appendix of the report?

_____ refers to producing or creating one thing by another.