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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. 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
Affectation
Cliches
Instructions
Procedures

2. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Selecting the proper medium
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Main parts of instructions

3. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Get Feedback From Others!
Climatic Order
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Information the reader will want - put it first.

4. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Procedures
Active Voice

5. 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
Key draft questions
Business Writing Style
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Idioms

6. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Abstract words
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

7. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Sentence Type
Information needed for short report

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
Emphasis
Wordiness
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Main parts of instructions

9. 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.
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Outlining
Tone
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

10. 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
Sentence Type
Things to think through when planning a website
Affectation
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

11. General considerations with Email Messages
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Guidelines for successful group writing
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

12. How do you present information in message?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Connotation
Abstract words

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

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14. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Attractive and Readable Format
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

15. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Conciseness
Short report
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

16. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Euphemismss
Subordination
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Conciseness

17. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Sentence Type
Instructions
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

18. E.g. 'most important'
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Direct Statements
Affectation
Get Feedback From Others!

19. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Conciseness
Rules for writing instructions
One-third
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

20. What are Pros of Email?
Business Writing Style
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Organizational - Professional - Personal

21. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Figures of Speech
Mechanical Devices
Affectation

22. 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
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Guidelines for successful group writing

23. Clairty
Recursive
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Three P's for success in writing a memo

24. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Examples of medium s of business communication
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

25. Steps to Successful Writing
Active Voice
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Attractive and Readable Format
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

26. Goal and audience
Affectation
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Things to think through when planning a website
Get Feedback From Others!

27. How do you Plan the message?
Main parts of a set of instructions
Main parts of internal proposals
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

28. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Concrete Words
Strategy and Humanness
Abstract words
Emphasis

29. Tell and show how to do something
Abstract words
Idioms
similar
Instructions

30. Etiquette
Conciseness
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Main parts of instructions

31. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Information needed for short report
Repetition
Ethics in Business Writing
'You Viewpoint'

32. Stages can also be summarized as...
Climatic Order
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Idioms
Mechanical Devices

33. How to end an email
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Outlining
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Recursive

34. How do you present information in long messages?
Subordination
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Procedures
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

35. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Main parts of a set of instructions
Key draft questions
Characteristics of job-related writing

36. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Sentence Length
Attractive and Readable Format
Procedures
Characteristics of job-related writing

37. 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
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Tone
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

38. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Sentence Variety
Connotation
Strategy and Humanness
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

39. When to use Instant Messaging?
Active Voice
Long Dashes
Characteristics of job-related writing
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

40. What is format of most Memos?
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Telegraphic Style
Repetition
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

41. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Short report
Outlining
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Conciseness

42. What is important in the Revising stage?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Get Feedback From Others!
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Telegraphic Style

43. What are Cons of Email?

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44. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Telegraphic Style
Conciseness
Main parts of instructions
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

45. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Concrete Words
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Attractive and Readable Format
Sentence Variety

46. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Selecting the proper medium
Recursive
Examples of medium s of business communication
Biased Language

47. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Purpose - Format - Composition
Main parts of instructions
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Sentence Length

48. What are three levels of Revision?
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Characteristics of job-related writing
Long Dashes
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting

49. How do you begin the message?

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50. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Denotaion
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Coherent writing