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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. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Sentence Variety
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

2. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
One-third
Position
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Affectation

3. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Telegraphic Style
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Main parts of a set of instructions
'You Viewpoint'

4. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Long Dashes
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Examples of medium s of business communication

5. Tell and show how to do something
Instructions
Goal of a letter of application
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
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record

6. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Mechanical Devices
Repetition
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Buzz Words

7. 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
similar
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

8. 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?
Characteristics of job-related writing
Figures of Speech
Key draft questions
Active Voice

9. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Main parts of internal proposals
Denotaion
Wordiness
Three P's for success in writing a memo

10. Stages can also be summarized as...
Things to think through when planning a website
Mechanical Devices
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

11. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Main parts of a set of instructions
Characteristics of job-related writing
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Position

12. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Attractive and Readable Format
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Mechanical Devices
Key draft questions

13. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Biased Language
Short report
Examples of medium s of business communication
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

14. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Guidelines for successful group writing
Active Voice
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Sentence Variety

15. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Subordination
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Instructions

16. When to use Instant Messaging?
Tone
Climatic Order
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

17. Goal and audience
Characteristics of job-related writing
Things to think through when planning a website
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

18. Formal
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Information needed for short report
Direct Statements

19. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Figures of Speech
'You Viewpoint'
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Characteristics of job-related writing

20. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Cliches
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

21. What are Cons of Email?

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22. What is Direct Order?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Instructions

23. What is format of most Memos?
Information needed for short report
Concrete Words
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

24. 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
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
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
Buzz Words

25. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Business Writing Style
Main parts of a set of instructions
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

26. 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
Climatic Order
Cliches
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

27. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
similar
Idioms
Subordination
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

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. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Affectation
Three P's for success in writing a memo

30. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Cliches
Selecting the proper medium
Strategy and Humanness
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

31. What is critical to a message's success?
Attractive and Readable Format
Repetition
Intensifiers
Outlining

32. 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
Active Voice
Cliches
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Casual - Informal - or Formal

33. Steps to Successful Writing
One-third
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

34. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Characteristics of job-related writing
Examples of medium s of business communication
Denotaion
Rules for writing instructions

35. 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.
Garbled Sentences
Characteristics of job-related writing
Biased Language
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

36. What are three levels of Revision?
Sentence Type
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Denotaion
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

37. Conciseness
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
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Ethics in Business Writing

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

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39. How is formatting important?
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Characteristics of job-related writing
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

40. E.g. 'most important'
Sentence Length
Things to think through when planning a website
Direct Statements
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

41. General considerations with Email Messages
Main parts of internal proposals
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

42. 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
Ethics in Business Writing
Sentence Length
Conciseness
Things to think through when planning a website

43. What is Indirect Order?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Climatic Order
Direct Statements
Emphasis

44. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Abstract words
Figures of Speech
Outlining
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

45. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
One-third
similar
Subordination
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

46. What is a Memorandum?
Direct Statements
Garbled Sentences
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

47. How do you present information in message?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Tone
Telegraphic Style
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

48. How do you begin the message?

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49. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Attractive and Readable Format
Instructions
Tone
Concrete Words

50. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Tone
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Goal of a letter of application