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Test your basic knowledge |
The Business Writing Process
Start Test
Study First
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. Correctness
Attractive and Readable Format
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Active Voice
2. What is format of most Memos?
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Conciseness
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Figures of Speech
3. 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
Buzz Words
Active Voice
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
'You Viewpoint'
4. How do you Plan the message?
Abstract words
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Connotation
5. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Telegraphic Style
Active Voice
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
6. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Key draft questions
Long Dashes
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Active Voice
7. 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?
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
similar
Key draft questions
Figures of Speech
8. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Goal of a letter of application
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
One-third
Guidelines for successful group writing
9. 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
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
Cliches
Get Feedback From Others!
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
10. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Sentence Variety
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Goal of a letter of application
Affectation
11. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Ethics in Business Writing
Attractive and Readable Format
Telegraphic Style
12. 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
Connotation
similar
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
13. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Tone
similar
Long Dashes
14. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Euphemismss
Characteristics of job-related writing
Examples of medium s of business communication
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
15. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Idioms
Get Feedback From Others!
Goal of a letter of application
Four keys to effective writing
16. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Mechanical Devices
17. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
'You Viewpoint'
Biased Language
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Things to think through when planning a website
18. What are Pros of Email?
Main parts of a set of instructions
similar
Information needed for short report
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
19. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Characteristics of job-related writing
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Abstract words
20. Formal
Conciseness
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
21. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Conciseness
Figures of Speech
Concrete Words
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
22. 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
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Outlining
Wordiness
Characteristics of job-related writing
23. General considerations with Email Messages
Tone
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Cliches
24. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Idioms
Emphasis
Recursive
Figures of Speech
25. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Subordination
similar
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
26. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Active Voice
Garbled Sentences
Repetition
27. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Subordination
Active Voice
Main parts of a set of instructions
Ethics in Business Writing
28. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Guidelines for successful group writing
Sentence Variety
Main parts of instructions
29. What is Direct Order?
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Active Voice
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Information the reader will want - put it first.
30. Use Initialisms
Procedures
'You Viewpoint'
Examples of medium s of business communication
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
31. 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.
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Outlining
Garbled Sentences
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
32. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Rules for writing instructions
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Repetition
Position
33. What are three levels of Revision?
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
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
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Euphemismss
34. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Emphasis
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Affectation
Main parts of a set of instructions
35. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Direct Statements
Purpose - Format - Composition
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Examples of medium s of business communication
36. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Sentence Length
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Affectation
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
37. What is important in the Revising stage?
Long Dashes
Main parts of internal proposals
Get Feedback From Others!
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
38. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Coherent writing
One-third
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
39. When to use Instant Messaging?
Idioms
Long Dashes
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
40. 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
41. Using short and long sentences strategically
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Sentence Length
Direct Statements
Characteristics of job-related writing
42. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Position
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Direct Statements
43. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Idioms
Euphemismss
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Goal of a letter of application
44. 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
Intensifiers
Active Voice
Emphasis
Ethics in Business Writing
45. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Sentence Length
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Conciseness
46. When should email NOT be used?
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
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Sentence Type
47. What should you know about a Letter?
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Idioms
Examples of medium s of business communication
Purpose - Format - Composition
48. Conciseness
Ethics in Business Writing
Rules for writing instructions
Denotaion
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
49. How do you begin the message?
50. Etiquette
Key draft questions
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Garbled Sentences