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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. 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?
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Key draft questions
Attractive and Readable Format
Business Writing Style

2. Use Initialisms
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Purpose - Format - Composition
Rules for writing instructions
Sentence Length

3. How do you know what to include in your message?
Figures of Speech
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

4. How do you begin the message?

5. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
Subordination
One-third
Goal of a letter of application
Idioms

6. 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
Rules for writing instructions
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Connotation
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

7. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
One-third
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Guidelines for successful group writing

8. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Guidelines for successful group writing
Characteristics of job-related writing
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Biased Language

9. General considerations with Email Messages
Repetition
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

10. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Abstract words
Examples of medium s of business communication
Sentence Variety

11. Clairty
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;
Ethics in Business Writing
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

12. Etiquette
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Intensifiers
Conciseness

13. 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.
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Idioms
Garbled Sentences
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

14. 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.
Rules for writing instructions
Climatic Order
Outlining

15. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Guidelines for successful group writing
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Characteristics of job-related writing
One-third

16. When to use Instant Messaging?
Sentence Variety
Main parts of a set of instructions
Get Feedback From Others!
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

17. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Instructions
Main parts of instructions
Connotation
Main parts of a set of instructions

18. Steps to Successful Writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Key draft questions
Active Voice
Position

19. 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)
Four keys to effective writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Outlining
Direct Statements

20. What is Direct Order?
Purpose - Format - Composition
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Information the reader will want - put it first.

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

22. How do you present information in long messages?
Attractive and Readable Format
Instructions
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

23. What are three levels of Revision?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Figures of Speech
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting

24. How is formatting important?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Climatic Order
Information needed for short report

25. When should email NOT be used?
Abstract words
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
Telegraphic Style
Long Dashes

26. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Get Feedback From Others!
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Intensifiers

27. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Affectation
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

28. Correctness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Sentence Variety
Subordination

29. E.g. 'most important'
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Get Feedback From Others!
Direct Statements
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

30. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Abstract words
Position
Short report
Characteristics of job-related writing

31. How do you Plan the message?
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

32. Using short and long sentences strategically
similar
Sentence Length
Emphasis
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself

33. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Sentence Type
Repetition
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

34. Formal
Sentence Type
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Selecting the proper medium
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

35. 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.
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Buzz Words
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Outlining

36. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Characteristics of job-related writing
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Mechanical Devices
Procedures

37. 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
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Denotaion
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Climatic Order

38. 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
Short report
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

39. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Information needed for short report
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Sentence Type

40. What should you know about a Letter?
Telegraphic Style
Cliches
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Purpose - Format - Composition

41. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Biased Language
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Characteristics of job-related writing
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

42. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Goal of a letter of application
Sentence Length
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

43. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Active Voice
Garbled Sentences
Intensifiers
Instructions

44. Formality Considerations
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Buzz Words
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Rules for writing instructions

45. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Tone
Biased Language
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Emphasis

46. What are Cons of Email?

47. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Cliches
Selecting the proper medium

48. Conciseness
'You Viewpoint'
Four keys to effective writing
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Climatic Order

49. Stages can also be summarized as...
Tone
Strategy and Humanness
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

50. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Figures of Speech
Wordiness
Denotaion
Main parts of internal proposals