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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 do you present information in message?
Denotaion
Sentence Variety
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

2. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Procedures
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Information needed for short report

3. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Characteristics of job-related writing
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Telegraphic Style
Main parts of instructions

4. What is critical to a message's success?
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Attractive and Readable Format
Intensifiers
Three P's for success in writing a memo

5. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
One-third
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Long Dashes
Purpose - Format - Composition

6. 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.
Long Dashes
Garbled Sentences
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Instructions

7. Informal
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Concrete Words
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

8. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Long Dashes
Ethics in Business Writing
Tone
Main parts of internal proposals

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

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10. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Emphasis
Coherent writing
Euphemismss
Recursive

11. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Denotaion
similar
Active Voice
Selecting the proper medium

12. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Information needed for short report
Long Dashes
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

13. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Position
Guidelines for successful group writing
Biased Language

14. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Procedures
One-third
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Repetition

15. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Climatic Order
Selecting the proper medium
Recursive

16. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Conciseness
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

17. Steps to Successful Writing
Biased Language
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Active Voice

18. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Examples of medium s of business communication
Instructions
Characteristics of job-related writing
Organizational - Professional - Personal

19. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Cliches
Intensifiers
Repetition
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

20. How do you begin the message?

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21. When to use Instant Messaging?
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Coherent writing
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

22. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Repetition
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Affectation
Coherent writing

23. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Concrete Words
Three P's for success in writing a memo

24. How do you present information in long messages?
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Affectation

25. What is important in the Revising stage?
Get Feedback From Others!
Characteristics of job-related writing
Instructions
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

26. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Strategy and Humanness
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Ethics in Business Writing

27. What are three levels of Editing?
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Guidelines for successful group writing
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

28. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Mechanical Devices
Abstract words
Organizational - Professional - Personal

29. 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
Purpose - Format - Composition
Biased Language
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

30. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Emphasis
Direct Statements
Information needed for short report

31. Formality Considerations
Idioms
Affectation
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Your audience is the best guide for What and How

32. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Main parts of instructions
Sentence Length
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Affectation

33. 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
Active Voice
Affectation
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

34. What is a Memorandum?
Things to think through when planning a website
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

35. How to end an email
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Conciseness
Coherent writing

36. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Direct Statements
Affectation
Four keys to effective writing
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself

37. 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
Sentence Length
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Rules for writing instructions
Sentence Variety

38. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Telegraphic Style
Examples of medium s of business communication
Main parts of a set of instructions
Concrete Words

39. What are Cons of Email?

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40. Tell and show how to do something
Attractive and Readable Format
Instructions
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Goal of a letter of application

41. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Short report
'You Viewpoint'
Guidelines for successful group writing
Biased Language

42. How is formatting important?
Purpose - Format - Composition
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Direct Statements

43. What are three levels of Revision?
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Conciseness
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Attractive and Readable Format

44. How do you know what to include in your message?
Information needed for short report
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

45. What is Direct Order?
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
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

46. 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
Short report
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Active Voice

47. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
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
Selecting the proper medium
Sentence Type
Short report

48. Clairty
Abstract words
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Sentence Length

49. What should you know about a Letter?
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Purpose - Format - Composition
Main parts of instructions
Sentence Variety

50. What are Individual Contexts
Organizational - Professional - Personal
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
Instructions