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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?
Key draft questions
Attractive and Readable Format
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Short report

2. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
'You Viewpoint'
Denotaion
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

3. 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

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4. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Coherent writing
Main parts of instructions
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

5. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Tone
Subordination
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

6. Use Initialisms
Sentence Length
Wordiness
Things to think through when planning a website
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

7. How do you present information in message?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Goal of a letter of application
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

8. What are Cons of Email?

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9. 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
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
One-third
Connotation
Intensifiers

10. When should email NOT be used?
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
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
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Strategy and Humanness

11. How do you know what to include in your message?
Intensifiers
Position
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

12. 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
Conciseness
Climatic Order
Cliches
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

13. What is Direct Order?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Affectation

14. Etiquette
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Idioms
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

15. 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
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Guidelines for successful group writing
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

16. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Sentence Variety
Wordiness
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

17. Formal
Denotaion
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Business Writing Style

18. Goal and audience
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Things to think through when planning a website
Goal of a letter of application
Main parts of instructions

19. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Ethics in Business Writing
Business Writing Style
Rules for writing instructions
Concrete Words

20. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Active Voice
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
One-third
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

21. How do you begin the message?

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22. What are Individual Contexts
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Direct Statements
Intensifiers
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

23. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Long Dashes
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Characteristics of job-related writing

24. When to use Instant Messaging?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Information needed for short report
Most Important Information First - and then Descending 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

25. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Instructions
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
One-third
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

26. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Conciseness

27. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Direct Statements
Main parts of a set of instructions
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

28. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Climatic Order
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Four keys to effective writing
Mechanical Devices

29. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Direct Statements
Short report
Emphasis
Coherent writing

30. 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
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Direct Statements
Emphasis
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

31. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Euphemismss
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Key draft questions

32. What is Indirect Order?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Guidelines for successful group writing
Examples of medium s of business communication
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

33. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
Key draft questions
Concrete Words
Subordination
similar

34. How to end an email
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Selecting the proper medium
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Tone

35. What are three levels of Revision?
Main parts of a set of instructions
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Instructions
Short report

36. How is formatting important?
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Concrete Words
Main parts of internal proposals
'You Viewpoint'

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
Goal of a letter of application
One-third
Sentence Length

38. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Sentence Variety
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Outlining
Climatic Order

39. 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
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Business Writing Style

40. General considerations with Email Messages
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

41. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Subordination
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

42. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Active Voice
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
similar

43. Formality Considerations
similar
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Main parts of a set of instructions
Abstract words

44. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Procedures
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Information needed for short report
Conciseness

45. 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.
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

46. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Position
Subordination
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Sentence Length

47. Stages can also be summarized as...
Repetition
Information needed for short report
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

48. Informal
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Intensifiers
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

49. Tell and show how to do something
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Rules for writing instructions
Instructions
Tone

50. How do you present information in long messages?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Abstract words
Main parts of instructions