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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. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Telegraphic Style
Intensifiers

2. 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
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Repetition
Buzz Words

3. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

4. The skeleton of the document you are going to write--structures your writing by ensuring that it has a beginning - middle - and end.Types: topic outlines - sentence outlines etc.
Outlining
Rules for writing instructions
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

5. Correctness
Things to think through when planning a website
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Characteristics of job-related writing

6. Casual
Long Dashes
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Short report
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

7. 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)
Long Dashes
Key draft questions
Four keys to effective writing
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

8. 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
Wordiness
'You Viewpoint'
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

9. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Coherent writing
Sentence Length
Repetition
Main parts of internal proposals

10. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Key draft questions
Short report
Direct Statements
Intensifiers

11. Conciseness
Abstract words
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

12. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Rules for writing instructions
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Affectation
Outlining

13. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Repetition
Examples of medium s of business communication
Subordination
Your audience is the best guide for What and How

14. 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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15. What are three levels of Revision?
Sentence Length
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting

16. What is format of most Memos?
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Instructions
Emphasis

17. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Denotaion
Information needed for short report
Recursive

18. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Information needed for short report
similar
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Casual - Informal - or Formal

19. 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
Things to think through when planning a website
Main parts of instructions
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

20. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Sentence Type
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Guidelines for successful group writing
Affectation

21. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
'You Viewpoint'
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Selecting the proper medium
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

22. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Active Voice
Goal of a letter of application
Biased Language
Position

23. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Figures of Speech
Emphasis

24. What is critical to a message's success?
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Attractive and Readable Format
Strategy and Humanness
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

25. Steps to Successful Writing
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
similar
Direct Statements

26. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Characteristics of job-related writing
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Idioms

27. Clairty
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Coherent writing
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Figures of Speech

28. How do you know what to include in your message?
Concrete Words
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Sentence Length
Your audience is the best guide for What and How

29. What is Direct Order?
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Main parts of internal proposals

30. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Sentence Type
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Coherent writing
Tone

31. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Information needed for short report
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Denotaion

32. How to end an email
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Biased Language
Conciseness

33. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Information needed for short report
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;
Outlining

34. 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.
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Guidelines for successful group writing
Garbled Sentences
Abstract words

35. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Telegraphic Style
Climatic Order
One-third

36. Goal and audience
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Things to think through when planning a website
Intensifiers

37. Plan what you are going to say - polish what you wrote before you sent it - proofread everything

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38. 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
Sentence Variety
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Intensifiers

39. Stages can also be summarized as...
Three P's for success in writing a memo
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
Ethics in Business Writing

40. How is formatting important?
Sentence Type
Repetition
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Main parts of instructions

41. How do you present information in message?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Main parts of internal proposals
Recursive

42. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Position
Conciseness
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

43. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Telegraphic Style
Long Dashes
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Procedures

44. General considerations with Email Messages
Rules for writing instructions
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

45. What are Pros of Email?
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Concrete Words
Garbled Sentences

46. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Characteristics of job-related writing
Key draft questions
Euphemismss
Idioms

47. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Sentence Variety
Climatic Order
Affectation
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

48. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Instructions
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Telegraphic Style
Your audience is the best guide for What and How

49. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Abstract words
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Three P's for success in writing a memo

50. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Repetition
Four keys to effective writing
Active Voice