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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 ___________ of a word are its meanings and associations beyond its literal definitions - words often have particular connotations for audiences within professional groups and organizations
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Sentence Type
Connotation
Repetition
2. 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
Main parts of instructions
Outlining
Cliches
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
3. Steps to Successful Writing
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Short report
4. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Four keys to effective writing
Long Dashes
Selecting the proper medium
5. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Coherent writing
6. Understand and agree on the important goals - organization - and deadlines for the report - Establish group rules early on and stick to them - Put the good of the group ahead of individual egos - Agree on the group's organization - Identify each mem
Guidelines for successful group writing
Procedures
Sentence Length
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
7. Formality Considerations
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Buzz Words
Ethics in Business Writing
8. 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
Selecting the proper medium
Emphasis
Main parts of instructions
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
9. Use Initialisms
Instructions
Four keys to effective writing
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
10. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Climatic Order
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
11. 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
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Mechanical Devices
Business Writing Style
Examples of medium s of business communication
12. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Conciseness
Sentence Length
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Emphasis
13. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Idioms
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Attractive and Readable Format
similar
14. What should you know about a Letter?
Abstract words
Main parts of a set of instructions
Purpose - Format - Composition
Conciseness
15. How do you begin the message?
16. What is a Memorandum?
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Cliches
Characteristics of job-related writing
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
17. What are Cons of Email?
18. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Examples of medium s of business communication
Main parts of a set of instructions
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Sentence Type
19. 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
20. 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
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Rules for writing instructions
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
21. What is Indirect Order?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Selecting the proper medium
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Outlining
22. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Main parts of instructions
Active Voice
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Guidelines for successful group writing
23. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
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;
Position
Connotation
24. How do you present information in message?
Get Feedback From Others!
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Things to think through when planning a website
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
25. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Short report
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Coherent writing
26. Goal and audience
Purpose - Format - Composition
Recursive
Things to think through when planning a website
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
27. How is formatting important?
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Affectation
28. Stages can also be summarized as...
Short report
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Rules for writing instructions
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
29. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Denotaion
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Telegraphic Style
Characteristics of job-related writing
30. When should email NOT be used?
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
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
Outlining
Sentence Variety
31. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Idioms
Instructions
32. Tell and show how to do something
Things to think through when planning a website
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Instructions
33. 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
Information needed for short report
Concrete Words
Telegraphic Style
34. What are Individual Contexts
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Rules for writing instructions
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Short report
35. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Subordination
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Euphemismss
36. Correctness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Four keys to effective writing
Recursive
similar
37. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Repetition
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
38. What are three levels of Revision?
Strategy and Humanness
Concrete Words
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
39. When to use Instant Messaging?
Subordination
Intensifiers
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
40. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Abstract words
Active Voice
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Euphemismss
41. 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.
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Four keys to effective writing
Goal of a letter of application
Outlining
42. What are three levels of Editing?
Telegraphic Style
Conciseness
Sentence Length
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
43. Etiquette
Buzz Words
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Organizational - Professional - Personal
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
44. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Main parts of a set of instructions
Guidelines for successful group writing
Climatic Order
Casual - Informal - or Formal
45. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Four keys to effective writing
Purpose - Format - Composition
Mechanical Devices
46. How do you Plan the message?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Biased Language
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
47. 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?
Instructions
Ethics in Business Writing
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Key draft questions
48. E.g. 'most important'
Direct Statements
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
49. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Short report
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Conciseness
Sentence Length
50. 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
Abstract words
Business Writing Style
Characteristics of job-related writing
Wordiness