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Test your basic knowledge |
The Business Writing Process
Start Test
Study First
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. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Tone
Connotation
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Emphasis
2. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Denotaion
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Intensifiers
3. Goal and audience
Euphemismss
Things to think through when planning a website
Mechanical Devices
Four keys to effective writing
4. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Characteristics of job-related writing
Telegraphic Style
Guidelines for successful group writing
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
5. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Concrete Words
Coherent writing
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
6. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Recursive
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Abstract words
Key draft questions
7. What is Indirect Order?
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Tone
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
8. 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
9. Conciseness
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Attractive and Readable Format
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Sentence Length
10. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Rules for writing instructions
Sentence Type
Intensifiers
11. How do you Plan the message?
Long Dashes
Information needed for short report
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
12. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Examples of medium s of business communication
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Cliches
Characteristics of job-related writing
13. How do you begin the message?
14. What is a Memorandum?
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Biased Language
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
15. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Business Writing Style
Biased Language
Main parts of a set of instructions
Telegraphic Style
16. General considerations with Email Messages
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Long Dashes
Rules for writing instructions
Four keys to effective writing
17. What are three levels of Revision?
Examples of medium s of business communication
Selecting the proper medium
Intensifiers
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
18. 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
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Procedures
Strategy and Humanness
19. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Buzz Words
Concrete Words
Information needed for short report
Active Voice
20. 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
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Sentence Length
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
21. Use Initialisms
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Get Feedback From Others!
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Connotation
22. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Repetition
Procedures
Intensifiers
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
23. 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
Figures of Speech
Wordiness
Active Voice
24. 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
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Rules for writing instructions
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
25. What is Direct Order?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Attractive and Readable Format
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Four keys to effective writing
26. How do you present information in long messages?
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
Main parts of instructions
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
27. When to use Instant Messaging?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Instructions
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Ethics in Business Writing
28. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Intensifiers
Tone
Strategy and Humanness
One-third
29. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Conciseness
Mechanical Devices
Tone
Selecting the proper medium
30. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Idioms
Sentence Length
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
31. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Examples of medium s of business communication
Sentence Variety
Characteristics of job-related writing
Procedures
32. Stages can also be summarized as...
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Organizational - Professional - Personal
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
33. 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
Recursive
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Euphemismss
34. 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)
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Four keys to effective 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
35. 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
Outlining
Procedures
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Ethics in Business Writing
36. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Conciseness
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Key draft questions
Figures of Speech
37. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Position
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Key draft questions
Casual - Informal - or Formal
38. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Recursive
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
One-third
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
39. How do you know what to include in your message?
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
40. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Get Feedback From Others!
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Four keys to effective writing
41. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Characteristics of job-related writing
Selecting the proper medium
One-third
Strategy and Humanness
42. Steps to Successful Writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Instructions
Sentence Variety
43. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Long Dashes
Idioms
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Sentence Variety
44. 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
Get Feedback From Others!
Recursive
Rules for writing instructions
45. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Coherent writing
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Sentence Type
Long Dashes
46. Less formal than in the past - Varies from conversational style - The use of personal pronouns is important - In emails etc. something between conversational & business writing should be used - Only use we when it is company policy
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Coherent writing
Business Writing Style
47. E.g. 'most important'
Recursive
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Cliches
Direct Statements
48. What is important in the Revising stage?
Get Feedback From Others!
Biased Language
Subordination
Rules for writing instructions
49. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Sentence Type
Subordination
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Business Writing Style
50. What are Pros of Email?
Buzz Words
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Instructions