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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. 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.
Things to think through when planning a website
Garbled Sentences
Telegraphic Style
Procedures

2. What is important in the Revising stage?
Get Feedback From Others!
Four keys to effective writing
similar
Three P's for success in writing a memo

3. What is format of most Memos?
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

4. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Mechanical Devices
Idioms
Garbled Sentences

5. Goal and audience
Things to think through when planning a website
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

6. How is formatting important?
Buzz Words
Climatic Order
Procedures
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

7. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Denotaion
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Concrete Words
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

8. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Abstract words
Conciseness

9. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Short report
Guidelines for successful group writing
Main parts of a set of instructions

10. What are three levels of Revision?
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Connotation
Mechanical Devices
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting

11. 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
Long Dashes
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Goal of a letter of application
Main parts of instructions

12. 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
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Rules for writing instructions
Key draft questions

13. 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?
Attractive and Readable Format
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Key draft questions
Mechanical Devices

14. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
Subordination
Guidelines for successful group writing
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Euphemismss

15. What is Indirect Order?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Procedures
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

16. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Goal of a letter of application
Characteristics of job-related writing
Key draft questions

17. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Sentence Variety
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Main parts of internal proposals

18. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Figures of Speech
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Euphemismss
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

19. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Characteristics of job-related writing
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

20. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Main parts of instructions
One-third
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Conciseness

21. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Position

22. What should you know about a Letter?
Purpose - Format - Composition
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Biased Language
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

23. Conciseness
Figures of Speech
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
Mechanical Devices
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

24. Stages can also be summarized as...
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Instructions
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

25. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Position
Guidelines for successful group writing
Instructions

26. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Denotaion
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Four keys to effective writing
Intensifiers

27. How do you begin the message?

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28. 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)
Short report
Sentence Type
Garbled Sentences
Four keys to effective writing

29. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Main parts of instructions
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
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
Procedures

30. Use Initialisms
Outlining
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Active Voice
Casual - Informal - or Formal

31. What are Pros of Email?
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Sentence Variety
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

32. The principle of of stressing the most important ieas in writing. You can achieve this with the careful use of: Position - Climatic Order - Sentence Type - Sentence Length - Sentence Length - Active Voice - Repetition - Intensifiers - Direct Stateme
Sentence Length
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
'You Viewpoint'
Emphasis

33. Etiquette
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
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
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

34. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Ethics in Business Writing
Abstract words
Strategy and Humanness
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

35. 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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36. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Get Feedback From Others!
Coherent writing

37. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Buzz Words
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
One-third
Position

38. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Direct Statements
Idioms
One-third
Euphemismss

39. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Examples of medium s of business communication
Wordiness
Outlining
Purpose - Format - Composition

40. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
similar
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Goal of a letter of application

41. What is a Memorandum?
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Sentence Type

42. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Sentence Type
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Climatic Order
Long Dashes

43. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Main parts of instructions
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Abstract words
Key draft questions

44. When to use Instant Messaging?
Wordiness
Ethics in Business Writing
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

45. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Sentence Type
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Main parts of instructions

46. Formality Considerations
Coherent writing
Casual - Informal - or Formal
'You Viewpoint'
Attractive and Readable Format

47. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Active Voice
Repetition
Four keys to effective writing
Information needed for short report

48. What is Direct Order?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Recursive
Buzz Words
Connotation

49. Correctness
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Mechanical Devices
Wordiness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

50. 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
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Get Feedback From Others!
Organizational - Professional - Personal