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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. How is formatting important?
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Ethics in Business Writing
Coherent writing
Abstract words

2. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Four keys to effective writing
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Short report
Intensifiers

3. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Key draft questions
Mechanical Devices
Strategy and Humanness
Figures of Speech

4. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Recursive
Intensifiers
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

5. What is a Memorandum?
Conciseness
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Sentence Variety
Sentence Length

6. What are Pros of Email?
Direct Statements
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Four keys to effective writing

7. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Cliches
Biased Language
Affectation
Rules for writing instructions

8. How do you Plan the message?
Intensifiers
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Ethics in Business Writing

9. What is Direct Order?
Mechanical Devices
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Garbled Sentences
Get Feedback From Others!

10. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
Biased Language
Abstract words
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Subordination

11. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Sentence Length
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Telegraphic Style
Denotaion

12. What are Cons of Email?

13. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Long Dashes
'You Viewpoint'
Outlining
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

14. Etiquette
Outlining
Goal of a letter of application
Short report
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

15. Formality Considerations
Repetition
Subordination
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Casual - Informal - or Formal

16. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Repetition
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Four keys to effective writing
Subordination

17. 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
Emphasis
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

18. Stages can also be summarized as...
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Emphasis
Direct Statements

19. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Examples of medium s of business communication
Main parts of instructions
Sentence Variety

20. Informal
Wordiness
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Three P's for success in writing a memo

21. Correctness
Direct Statements
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Organizational - Professional - Personal

22. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Sentence Length
Main parts of a set of instructions
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

23. Tell and show how to do something
Strategy and Humanness
Repetition
Instructions
Connotation

24. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Euphemismss

25. 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
Sentence Variety
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Buzz Words
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

26. 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
Main parts of internal proposals
Connotation
Telegraphic Style
One-third

27. General considerations with Email Messages
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Figures of Speech
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Key draft questions

28. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
'You Viewpoint'
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

29. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Euphemismss
Examples of medium s of business communication
Telegraphic Style

30. What is Indirect Order?
Procedures
Get Feedback From Others!
Sentence Type
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

31. Steps to Successful Writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Buzz Words
Four keys to effective writing
Direct Statements

32. 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.
Recursive
Characteristics of job-related writing
Garbled Sentences
Four keys to effective writing

33. Use Initialisms
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Ethics in Business Writing
Get Feedback From Others!

34. Conciseness
Examples of medium s of business communication
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

35. Casual
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Euphemismss
Long Dashes
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

36. What is format of most Memos?
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Selecting the proper medium
Ethics in Business Writing

37. What are three levels of Editing?
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

38. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Main parts of a set of instructions
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

39. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Active Voice
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Affectation
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

40. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Strategy and Humanness
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

41. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Procedures
Characteristics of job-related writing
Subordination
Cliches

42. 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.
Direct Statements
Cliches
Tone
Outlining

43. How do you begin the message?

44. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Guidelines for successful group writing
Purpose - Format - Composition
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Sentence Type

45. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Position
Repetition

46. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Affectation
Garbled Sentences
One-third
Main parts of internal proposals

47. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Characteristics of job-related writing
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Tone

48. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Characteristics of job-related writing
Cliches
similar
Get Feedback From Others!

49. Using short and long sentences strategically
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Sentence Length
Active Voice
Three P's for success in writing a memo

50. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Goal of a letter of application
Denotaion
Purpose - Format - Composition
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume