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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. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Main parts of internal proposals
similar

2. 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
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Buzz Words
Abstract words
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

3. How is formatting important?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Guidelines for successful group writing
Position
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

4. 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
Selecting the proper medium
Characteristics of job-related writing
Main parts of a set of instructions

5. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Business Writing Style
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Cliches
Mechanical Devices

6. 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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7. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Attractive and Readable Format
Selecting the proper medium
One-third
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

8. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Climatic Order
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Abstract words

9. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Climatic Order
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
'You Viewpoint'

10. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Figures of Speech
Main parts of a set of instructions
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

11. 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?
Connotation
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Key draft questions
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

12. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Wordiness
Main parts of instructions
Coherent writing
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

13. 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
Short report
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Rules for writing instructions
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

14. What are Cons of Email?

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15. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Examples of medium s of business communication
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Short report

16. 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
Coherent writing
Emphasis
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

17. 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)
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Four keys to effective writing
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Sentence Variety

18. Steps to Successful Writing
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Connotation

19. Using short and long sentences strategically
Conciseness
Guidelines for successful group writing
Position
Sentence Length

20. How do you know what to include in your message?
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Attractive and Readable Format
Conciseness
Guidelines for successful group writing

21. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Long Dashes
Repetition
Intensifiers
Direct Statements

22. What are three levels of Revision?
Information needed for short report
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

23. 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
Euphemismss
Ethics in Business Writing
Things to think through when planning a website
Mechanical Devices

24. How to end an email
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Long Dashes
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Information the reader will want - put it first.

25. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Main parts of internal proposals
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

26. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Main parts of a set of instructions
Euphemismss
Goal of a letter of application

27. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Position
Rules for writing instructions
Affectation
Information needed for short report

28. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Strategy and Humanness
Ethics in Business Writing
Repetition
One-third

29. What is important in the Revising stage?
Sentence Variety
Get Feedback From Others!
Wordiness
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

30. How do you present information in long messages?
Euphemismss
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Long Dashes
Outlining

31. Goal and audience
Things to think through when planning a website
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Characteristics of job-related writing
Main parts of internal proposals

32. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Telegraphic Style
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
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
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

33. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Emphasis
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Affectation
Wordiness

34. E.g. 'most important'
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Climatic Order
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Direct Statements

35. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Business Writing Style
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Biased Language
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

36. 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
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Guidelines for successful group writing
Wordiness

37. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Strategy and Humanness
Sentence Variety

38. Stages can also be summarized as...
Long Dashes
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Information needed for short report
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

39. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Recursive
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Repetition
Sentence Length

40. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Repetition
Instructions
Purpose - Format - Composition
Procedures

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

42. How do you begin the message?

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43. What are Pros of Email?
Telegraphic Style
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Purpose - Format - Composition
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

44. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Concrete Words
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
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting

45. 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.
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Garbled Sentences
Organizational - Professional - Personal

46. Formality Considerations
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

47. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Sentence Variety
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Sentence Type
Your audience is the best guide for What and How

48. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Examples of medium s of business communication
Instructions
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

49. What is Direct Order?
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Conciseness
Rules for writing instructions

50. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Conciseness
Get Feedback From Others!
Characteristics of job-related writing
Purpose - Format - Composition