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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. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Tone
Figures of Speech
Euphemismss
Active Voice

2. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Ethics in Business Writing
Affectation
Mechanical Devices
Sentence Variety

3. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
One-third
Strategy and Humanness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

4. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Telegraphic Style
Selecting the proper medium
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

5. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Abstract words
Direct Statements
Position

6. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Mechanical Devices
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Long Dashes
Information needed for short report

7. E.g. 'most important'
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Direct Statements
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Figures of Speech

8. Conciseness
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Business Writing Style
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

9. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Business Writing Style
Instructions

10. Casual
Figures of Speech
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Abstract words

11. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Conciseness
Instructions
Main parts of a set of instructions

12. Goal and audience
Strategy and Humanness
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Things to think through when planning a website
Direct Statements

13. What is a Memorandum?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Subordination
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Rules for writing instructions

14. Stages can also be summarized as...
Casual - Informal - or Formal
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
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

15. How to end an email
Attractive and Readable Format
Conciseness
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

16. Clairty
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Cliches
Four keys to effective writing
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

17. What is Direct Order?
Cliches
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

18. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Coherent writing
Get Feedback From Others!
Information needed for short report
Conciseness

19. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Abstract words
Connotation
Coherent writing

20. 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
Selecting the proper medium
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

21. How do you present information in long messages?
Cliches
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Mechanical Devices

22. 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
Sentence Type
Ethics in Business Writing
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Emphasis

23. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Sentence Length
Climatic Order
Abstract words
Short report

24. What should you know about a Letter?
Climatic Order
Purpose - Format - Composition
Affectation
Procedures

25. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Long Dashes
Wordiness
Telegraphic Style
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

26. Steps to Successful Writing
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Main parts of a set of instructions
Guidelines for successful group writing

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)
Four keys to effective writing
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Euphemismss
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

28. Places the reader's interest and perspective foremost. It is based on the principle that most readers are naturally more concerned about their own needs than they are about those of a writer or a writer's organization - often means using the words y

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29. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Rules for writing instructions
Coherent writing
Mechanical Devices
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

30. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Goal of a letter of application
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Long Dashes

31. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Subordination
Long Dashes
Strategy and Humanness

32. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Main parts of internal proposals
Sentence Variety
Concrete Words
Biased Language

33. How do you begin the message?

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34. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Main parts of internal proposals
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Mechanical Devices
Sentence Variety

35. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Sentence Type
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Long Dashes

36. How do you know what to include in your message?
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
One-third
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting

37. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Emphasis
Cliches
Intensifiers
One-third

38. Put instructions is correct order - right amount of information only - group closely related items into 1 step - give reader hints on how to best accomplish task - state when 1 step affects another - insert graphics where needed
Rules for writing instructions
Get Feedback From Others!
Attractive and Readable Format
Selecting the proper medium

39. Correctness
Goal of a letter of application
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Procedures
Affectation

40. What are Pros of Email?
Sentence Type
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Get Feedback From Others!

41. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Long Dashes
Tone

42. General considerations with Email Messages
Telegraphic Style
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

43. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Attractive and Readable Format
Long Dashes
Repetition
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

44. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Mechanical Devices
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Buzz Words
Tone

45. 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
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Guidelines for successful group writing
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Figures of Speech

46. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
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
Concrete Words
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

47. What is format of most Memos?
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

48. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Concrete Words
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

49. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Characteristics of job-related writing
Business Writing Style

50. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Active Voice
Telegraphic Style
Affectation
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way