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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. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Connotation
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Affectation

2. 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
Position
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

3. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Cliches
Conciseness
Procedures
Mechanical Devices

4. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Figures of Speech
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

5. Steps to Successful Writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Business Writing Style
Characteristics of job-related writing
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

6. Informal
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Strategy and Humanness

7. 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
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Wordiness
Denotaion

8. E.g. 'most important'
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Direct Statements
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

9. 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
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Cliches
Climatic Order

10. 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
Examples of medium s of business communication
Guidelines for successful group writing
Connotation

11. What are three levels of Revision?
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Recursive
Strategy and Humanness
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

12. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Main parts of internal proposals
Intensifiers
Organizational - Professional - Personal

13. What is Indirect Order?
Position
Biased Language
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Examples of medium s of business communication

14. 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
Affectation
Garbled Sentences
Four keys to effective writing
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

15. Casual
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
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Tone

16. Use Initialisms
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Telegraphic Style
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

17. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Characteristics of job-related writing
Concrete Words
Main parts of instructions

18. 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)
Direct Statements
Four keys to effective writing
Intensifiers
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

19. 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.
Instructions
Garbled Sentences
Climatic Order
Tone

20. What is important in the Revising stage?
Sentence Variety
One-third
Things to think through when planning a website
Get Feedback From Others!

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

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22. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Tone
Characteristics of job-related writing
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Concrete Words

23. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Telegraphic Style
Sentence Variety
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

24. 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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25. 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
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Abstract words
Cliches
Intensifiers

26. 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
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Ethics in Business Writing
Outlining

27. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Emphasis
Rules for writing instructions
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Characteristics of job-related writing

28. How do you know what to include in your message?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Coherent writing
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Position

29. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Idioms
Tone
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
Key draft questions

30. What are Cons of Email?

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31. How to end an email
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Figures of Speech
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Sentence Variety

32. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Biased Language
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

33. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Outlining
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Figures of Speech

34. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Main parts of instructions
Idioms
Ethics in Business Writing
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

35. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Tone
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Coherent writing
Emphasis

36. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Figures of Speech
similar
Tone
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

37. What is format of most Memos?
Active Voice
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Garbled Sentences
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

38. Tell and show how to do something
Idioms
Biased Language
Instructions
Mechanical Devices

39. 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
Buzz Words
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Repetition

40. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Attractive and Readable Format
Position
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Buzz Words

41. Stages can also be summarized as...
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Wordiness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

42. 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
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Cliches
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Connotation

43. What is Direct Order?
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Organizational - Professional - Personal

44. What are Individual Contexts
Main parts of a set of instructions
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Procedures
Mechanical Devices

45. Correctness
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Conciseness
Intensifiers

46. 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?
Examples of medium s of business communication
Key draft questions
Active Voice
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

47. When to use Instant Messaging?
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
similar
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

48. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Emphasis
Euphemismss
Guidelines for successful group writing

49. How do you begin the message?

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50. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Main parts of a set of instructions