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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. What are Cons of Email?

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2. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Mechanical Devices
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

3. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Euphemismss
Concrete Words
Intensifiers
Procedures

4. How is formatting important?
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Wordiness
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

5. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Connotation
Sentence Type
similar

6. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Cliches
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself

7. 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
Business Writing Style
Procedures
Biased Language
Conciseness

8. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Cliches
Sentence Variety
Figures of Speech
Main parts of a set of instructions

9. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Procedures
Euphemismss
Figures of Speech

10. The principle of of stressing the most important ieas in writing. You can achieve this with the careful use of: Position - Climatic Order - Sentence Type - Sentence Length - Sentence Length - Active Voice - Repetition - Intensifiers - Direct Stateme
Emphasis
Subordination
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Four keys to effective writing

11. Tell and show how to do something
Instructions
Emphasis
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

12. Clairty
Idioms
Denotaion
Attractive and Readable Format
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

13. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Mechanical Devices
Procedures
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

14. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Main parts of instructions
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

15. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Cliches
Biased Language
Connotation

16. Formal
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

17. Using short and long sentences strategically
Sentence Length
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Active Voice

18. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Telegraphic Style
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself

19. What is Direct Order?
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Euphemismss
Connotation

20. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Selecting the proper medium
Emphasis
Coherent writing

21. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Main parts of a set of instructions
Intensifiers
Garbled Sentences
Examples of medium s of business communication

22. What are three levels of Revision?
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Business Writing Style
Goal of a letter of application
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

23. A sentence that is so tangled with structural and grammatical problems that it cannot be repaired - often result from trying to include too many ideas in one sentence.
Garbled Sentences
Main parts of internal proposals
Concrete Words
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

24. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Direct Statements
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Information needed for short report
Attractive and Readable Format

25. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Telegraphic Style
Characteristics of job-related writing
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

26. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Main parts of internal proposals
similar
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

27. What should you know about a Letter?
Business Writing Style
Idioms
Purpose - Format - Composition
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

28. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Sentence Length
Characteristics of job-related writing
Subordination
Attractive and Readable Format

29. General considerations with Email Messages
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Selecting the proper medium

30. What is critical to a message's success?
Attractive and Readable Format
Connotation
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Rules for writing instructions

31. What is a Memorandum?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Rules for writing instructions
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Affectation

32. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Coherent writing
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

33. Expressions that have been used fro so long that they are no longer fresh but come to mind easily bc they are so familiar. Often wordy as well as vague and cab be confusing - especially to non-native English speakers - E.g. all over the map - run it
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Cliches
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Procedures

34. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Guidelines for successful group writing
Characteristics of job-related writing
Long Dashes
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

35. Casual
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Denotaion
Main parts of internal proposals

36. Make sure your e-mail is confidential and ethical - observe all of the proprietary requirements when using e-mail - use an acceptable format- follow all of the rules of 'netiqette' when answering e-mail - adopt a professional style - ensure that yo
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Sentence Length
Characteristics of job-related writing
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

37. What is important in the Revising stage?
Direct Statements
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Get Feedback From Others!
Recursive

38. Stages can also be summarized as...
Main parts of instructions
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Affectation
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

39. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
Active Voice
Subordination
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

40. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Wordiness

41. Etiquette
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Coherent writing
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Attractive and Readable Format

42. Steps to Successful Writing
Concrete Words
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

43. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Repetition
Main parts of a set of instructions
Outlining
One-third

44. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Repetition
'You Viewpoint'
Main parts of a set of instructions
Purpose - Format - Composition

45. Informal
'You Viewpoint'
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Procedures

46. Formality Considerations
Casual - Informal - or Formal
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

47. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Telegraphic Style
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

48. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Concrete Words
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Key draft questions
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

49. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Garbled Sentences
Concrete Words
Organizational - Professional - Personal

50. What are Individual Contexts
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Sentence Length
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed