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The Business Writing Process

Subjects : writing-skills, business-skills

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Etiquette
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Position

2. E.g. 'most important'
Goal of a letter of application
Direct Statements
Guidelines for successful group writing
Cliches

3. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Euphemismss
Conciseness
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Short report

4. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Connotation
Repetition
Long Dashes
similar

5. What is Direct Order?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Concrete Words
Attractive and Readable Format

6. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Examples of medium s of business communication
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Repetition
Sentence Variety

7. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Guidelines for successful group writing
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Biased Language
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

8. Use Initialisms
Direct Statements
Concrete Words
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

9. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Active Voice
Rules for writing instructions
Long - Complicated - Requires Negotiation - Questions/Info need clarification/discussion - Info Confidential/Sensitive - Requires Security - Could be Misinterpreted - Emotionally Charged - Requires Tone of Voice - Sent to Avoid - Contains Sensitive I

10. What is a Memorandum?
Intensifiers
Examples of medium s of business communication
Main parts of internal proposals
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

11. Am I giving the reader too much or too little info? - does this point belong here? - is this point relevant? - am I repeating or contradicting myself? - have I ended appropriately?
Information needed for short report
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Key draft questions
Three P's for success in writing a memo

12. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Get Feedback From Others!
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

13. What are Cons of Email?

14. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Attractive and Readable Format
Connotation
Short report
Denotaion

15. Words or phrases that suddenly become popular and - because of an intense period of overuse - lose their freshness and precisness - E.g. interface (as a verb) - impact (as a verb) - skill sets - deliverables - slam dunk - bleeding edge - cash cow - 2
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Buzz Words
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

16. Modifiers that repeat an idea implicit or present in the word being modified contribute to wordiness by being redundant (basic essentials - final outcome) - Coordinated synonyms (each and every - first and foremost.) - Expletives - relative pronouns
Purpose - Format - Composition
Sentence Variety
Wordiness
Mechanical Devices

17. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Idioms
Short report
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself

18. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Cliches
Figures of Speech
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Short report

19. What are three levels of Revision?
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Main parts of internal proposals
Four keys to effective writing

20. When should email NOT be used?
Guidelines for successful group writing
Subordination
Long - Complicated - Requires Negotiation - Questions/Info need clarification/discussion - Info Confidential/Sensitive - Requires Security - Could be Misinterpreted - Emotionally Charged - Requires Tone of Voice - Sent to Avoid - Contains Sensitive I
Denotaion

21. What are three levels of Editing?
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Garbled Sentences
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Euphemismss

22. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Concrete Words
Procedures
Get Feedback From Others!
Euphemismss

23. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Direct Statements
Telegraphic Style
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

24. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Euphemismss
Subordination
Examples of medium s of business communication
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

25. The ___________ of a word are its meanings and associations beyond its literal definitions - words often have particular connotations for audiences within professional groups and organizations
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Key draft questions
Coherent writing
Connotation

26. Understand and agree on the important goals - organization - and deadlines for the report - Establish group rules early on and stick to them - Put the good of the group ahead of individual egos - Agree on the group's organization - Identify each mem
Guidelines for successful group writing
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Information needed for short report
Procedures

27. Identifying your audience - Establishing your purpose - Formulating your message - and Selecting your style (how something is written rather than what is written) and tone (expresses your attitude toward your topic and audience)
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Conciseness
Four keys to effective writing
Active Voice

28. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Subordination
Climatic Order
Sentence Length
Organizational - Professional - Personal

29. Correctness
Procedures
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Purpose - Format - Composition
Mechanical Devices

30. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

31. Steps to Successful Writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Information needed for short report

32. Informal
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Figures of Speech
Instructions
Cliches

33. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Sentence Length
Selecting the proper medium
Climatic Order
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

34. What are Pros of Email?
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Characteristics of job-related writing

35. How do you present information in message?
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Emphasis
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Casual - Informal - or Formal

36. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Abstract words
Attractive and Readable Format
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Sentence Type

37. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Information needed for short report
Characteristics of job-related writing
Get Feedback From Others!

38. How is formatting important?
Tone
Recursive
One-third
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

39. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Recursive
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Instructions
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

40. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Position
Main parts of a set of instructions
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Concrete Words

41. What is format of most Memos?
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Figures of Speech
Active Voice

42. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Active Voice
Examples of medium s of business communication

43. Avoid language that attempts to evade responsibility - Avoid deceptive language - Do not deemphasize or suppress important information - Do not emphasize misleading or incorrect information - Avoid using language that is biased - racist - or sexist o
Short report
Emphasis
Ethics in Business Writing
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

44. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Subordination
Main parts of instructions
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

45. What is critical to a message's success?
Attractive and Readable Format
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Sentence Length

46. Less formal than in the past - Varies from conversational style - The use of personal pronouns is important - In emails etc. something between conversational & business writing should be used - Only use we when it is company policy
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Business Writing Style
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

47. How to end an email
Buzz Words
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Concrete Words

48. How do you present information in long messages?
Intensifiers
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Ethics in Business Writing

49. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Main parts of a set of instructions
Ethics in Business Writing
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Strategy and Humanness

50. What is important in the Revising stage?
Get Feedback From Others!
Organizational - Professional - Personal
One-third
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports