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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. 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 the reader will want - put it first.
Coherent writing
Subordination

2. 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.
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Outlining
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

3. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Purpose - Format - Composition
Wordiness
Figures of Speech
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

4. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Abstract words
Telegraphic Style
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Euphemismss

5. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Tone
Denotaion
Wordiness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

6. Steps to Successful Writing
Short report
Instructions
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Key draft questions

7. Formality Considerations
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Mechanical Devices
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Casual - Informal - or Formal

8. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Long Dashes
Intensifiers
Conciseness
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

9. What are Cons of Email?

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10. 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
Four keys to effective writing
Instructions
Business Writing Style
Your audience is the best guide for What and How

11. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Connotation
Sentence Variety
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

12. 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
Euphemismss
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
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Emphasis

13. When to use Instant Messaging?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Sentence Type
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

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

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15. What is important in the Revising stage?
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Active Voice
Get Feedback From Others!
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

16. 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 Variety
Intensifiers
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

17. What are three levels of Editing?
Business Writing Style
Characteristics of job-related writing
Sentence Variety
Revision - Editing - Proofreading

18. 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
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Guidelines for successful group writing
Short report
Things to think through when planning a website

19. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Connotation
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Long Dashes

20. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Get Feedback From Others!
Rules for writing instructions
Recursive
Emphasis

21. What is the best advice for Drafting?
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Wordiness
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting

22. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Sentence Type
Telegraphic Style
Coherent writing
Active Voice

23. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Sentence Length
Main parts of instructions

24. What is a Memorandum?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Long Dashes
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Main parts of a set of instructions

25. 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
Things to think through when planning a website
Main parts of a set of instructions
Characteristics of job-related writing

26. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Repetition
Abstract words
Four keys to effective writing
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

27. E.g. 'most important'
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
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Emphasis
Direct Statements

28. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Abstract words
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Purpose - Format - Composition

29. Etiquette
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Conciseness
Information needed for short report

30. 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)
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Main parts of internal proposals
Wordiness
Four keys to effective writing

31. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
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
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Business Writing Style
Coherent writing

32. Formal
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Mechanical Devices
Rules for writing instructions
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

33. How to end an email
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Abstract words

34. General considerations with Email Messages
Things to think through when planning a website
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Ethics in Business Writing
Repetition

35. Clairty
Main parts of internal proposals
Affectation
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

36. 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
Examples of medium s of business communication
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Things to think through when planning a website
Buzz Words

37. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Connotation
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Direct Statements

38. How is formatting important?
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

39. Stages can also be summarized as...
Business Writing Style
Subordination
Main parts of instructions
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

40. Correctness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Figures of Speech

41. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Mechanical Devices
Tone
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

42. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Intensifiers
Procedures
Attractive and Readable Format
Abstract words

43. Informal
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Denotaion

44. How do you present information in long messages?
Characteristics of job-related writing
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Emphasis

45. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Affectation
Figures of Speech
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

46. Use Initialisms
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Garbled Sentences

47. 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
Sentence Type
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Wordiness
Emphasis

48. How do you know what to include in your message?
Procedures
Direct Statements
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Your audience is the best guide for What and How

49. Tell and show how to do something
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Instructions
Four keys to effective writing
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

50. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Key draft questions
Denotaion
Characteristics of job-related writing
Connotation