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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. 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
Ethics in Business Writing
Intensifiers
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Things to think through when planning a website

2. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Intensifiers
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Biased Language
Selecting the proper medium

3. What is important in the Revising stage?
Get Feedback From Others!
Telegraphic Style
Main parts of instructions
Selecting the proper medium

4. E.g. 'most important'
Abstract words
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Sentence Length
Direct Statements

5. 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
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Emphasis

6. Informal
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Four keys to effective writing
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Coherent writing

7. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Get Feedback From Others!
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Goal of a letter of application
Biased Language

8. What is Indirect Order?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Characteristics of job-related writing
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

9. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Key draft questions
Affectation
Selecting the proper medium
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

10. Steps to Successful Writing
Telegraphic Style
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Mechanical Devices

11. 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
Selecting the proper medium
Telegraphic Style
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Connotation

12. Goal and audience
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Coherent writing
Goal of a letter of application
Things to think through when planning a website

13. 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
Ethics in Business Writing
Cliches
Examples of medium s of business communication

14. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Characteristics of job-related writing
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.
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

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
Guidelines for successful group writing
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Key draft questions
Goal of a letter of application

16. Stages can also be summarized as...
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
Active Voice
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Revision - Editing - Proofreading

17. Conciseness
Main parts of instructions
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Get Feedback From Others!

18. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Ethics in Business Writing
Four keys to effective writing
Mechanical Devices
Affectation

19. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Strategy and Humanness
Figures of Speech
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

20. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Telegraphic Style
Long Dashes

21. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Conciseness
Main parts of instructions
One-third
Long Dashes

22. Tell and show how to do something
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Instructions
Characteristics of job-related writing
Examples of medium s of business communication

23. Formal
Guidelines for successful group writing
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Get Feedback From Others!

24. 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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25. Etiquette
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Conciseness
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

26. How do you present information in message?
Active Voice
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Procedures

27. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Main parts of a set of instructions
Active Voice
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

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

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29. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Figures of Speech
Main parts of internal proposals
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Intensifiers

30. When to use Instant Messaging?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Tone
Information the reader will want - put it first.

31. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Examples of medium s of business communication
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Subordination

32. 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
Climatic Order
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Cliches

33. What is critical to a message's success?
Attractive and Readable Format
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
similar
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

34. What is format of most Memos?
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Strategy and Humanness
Denotaion
Short report

35. 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
Guidelines for successful group writing
Buzz Words
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.

36. How to end an email
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

37. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Emphasis
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Long Dashes

38. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Active Voice
Mechanical Devices
Coherent writing
Information the reader will want - put it first.

39. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Business Writing Style
Short report
Abstract words
Casual - Informal - or Formal

40. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Things to think through when planning a website
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Key draft questions

41. Correctness
Abstract words
Active Voice
One-third
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

42. What are Individual Contexts
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Biased Language
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

43. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Connotation
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Recursive
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

44. 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
Euphemismss
Business Writing Style
Key draft questions
Denotaion

45. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Repetition
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Wordiness
Garbled Sentences

46. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Business Writing Style
Climatic Order
Rules for writing instructions

47. How do you present information in long messages?
Key draft questions
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Get Feedback From Others!
Idioms

48. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Information needed for short report
Short report
Characteristics of job-related writing
Main parts of instructions

49. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Buzz Words
Sentence Variety

50. 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
Abstract words
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Rules for writing instructions