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Test your basic knowledge |
The Business Writing Process
Start Test
Study First
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 is critical to a message's success?
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Purpose - Format - Composition
Attractive and Readable Format
Garbled Sentences
2. 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
Figures of Speech
Rules for writing instructions
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
3. Conciseness
Garbled Sentences
Idioms
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Characteristics of job-related writing
4. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Intensifiers
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
Connotation
One-third
5. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Buzz Words
Euphemismss
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Sentence Type
6. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Short report
Active Voice
Rules for writing instructions
7. 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
Business Writing Style
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
8. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Information needed for short report
Wordiness
Climatic Order
9. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Tone
10. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Characteristics of job-related writing
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
similar
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
11. How to end an email
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Characteristics of job-related writing
12. General considerations with Email Messages
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Casual - Informal - or Formal
One-third
Affectation
13. E.g. 'most important'
Goal of a letter of application
Affectation
Attractive and Readable Format
Direct Statements
14. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Biased Language
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Conciseness
15. Steps to Successful Writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Conciseness
16. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Mechanical Devices
similar
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
17. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Climatic Order
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Main parts of a set of instructions
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
18. 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
Main parts of internal proposals
Telegraphic Style
Idioms
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
19. What are Individual Contexts
Organizational - Professional - Personal
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
Repetition
20. Stages can also be summarized as...
Abstract words
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Sentence Type
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
21. Using short and long sentences strategically
Long Dashes
Sentence Length
Recursive
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
22. Etiquette
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Main parts of instructions
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
23. When to use Instant Messaging?
Tone
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
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;
24. 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
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Subordination
Wordiness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
25. Plan what you are going to say - polish what you wrote before you sent it - proofread everything
26. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
'You Viewpoint'
Long Dashes
Cliches
Procedures
27. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Four keys to effective writing
Selecting the proper medium
28. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Concrete Words
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
similar
29. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Euphemismss
Telegraphic Style
Garbled Sentences
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
30. How do you Plan the message?
Telegraphic Style
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Idioms
31. Formality Considerations
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Denotaion
One-third
Wordiness
32. What is Indirect Order?
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Direct Statements
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
33. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Goal of a letter of application
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
34. How do you know what to include in your message?
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Things to think through when planning a website
Denotaion
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
35. Correctness
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Casual - Informal - or Formal
36. What are three levels of Revision?
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Mechanical Devices
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
37. 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.
Garbled Sentences
Short report
Recursive
Long Dashes
38. 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
Business Writing Style
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Outlining
Guidelines for successful group writing
39. 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
Position
Connotation
Concrete Words
Four keys to effective writing
40. What is important in the Revising stage?
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Affectation
Get Feedback From Others!
Attractive and Readable Format
41. Goal and audience
Cliches
Things to think through when planning a website
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
42. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Guidelines for successful group writing
Intensifiers
Biased Language
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
43. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
One-third
Purpose - Format - Composition
Position
44. Use Initialisms
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Affectation
45. 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
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Cliches
Wordiness
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
46. 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
Rules for writing instructions
Euphemismss
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
47. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Examples of medium s of business communication
Figures of Speech
Sentence Length
Business Writing Style
48. What is a Memorandum?
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
Sentence Variety
Tone
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
49. What are three levels of Editing?
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Ethics in Business Writing
Concrete Words
50. 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
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Ethics in Business Writing
Short report
Guidelines for successful group writing