Test your basic knowledge |

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. E.g. 'most important'
Direct Statements
Information needed for short report
'You Viewpoint'
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

2. 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
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Connotation
Strategy and Humanness

3. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Idioms

4. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Affectation
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Telegraphic Style
Mechanical Devices

5. What is Indirect Order?
Active Voice
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

6. When should email NOT be used?
Active Voice
Subordination
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
Outlining

7. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Recursive
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

8. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Wordiness
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

9. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Outlining
Climatic Order
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Rules for writing instructions

10. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Mechanical Devices
Main parts of a set of instructions
Garbled Sentences

11. How to end an email
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Main parts of instructions
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Examples of medium s of business communication

12. What are Cons of Email?

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

13. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Tone
Goal of a letter of application
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Affectation

14. What are three levels of Editing?
Goal of a letter of application
Coherent writing
Short report
Revision - Editing - Proofreading

15. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Garbled Sentences
Abstract words
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Euphemismss

16. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Guidelines for successful group writing
Procedures
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

17. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Characteristics of job-related writing
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Intensifiers
Climatic Order

18. What are Pros of Email?
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Purpose - Format - Composition
Main parts of instructions
Things to think through when planning a website

19. How do you begin the message?

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

20. Stages can also be summarized as...
Climatic Order
Idioms
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Main parts of internal proposals

21. How do you present information in long messages?
Direct Statements
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
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

22. Etiquette
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Main parts of a set of instructions

23. 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

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

24. Conciseness
Guidelines for successful group 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
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

25. How do you know what to include in your message?
Denotaion
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Tone

26. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Attractive and Readable Format
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
Intensifiers

27. 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
Climatic Order
Ethics in Business Writing
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Characteristics of job-related writing

28. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Position
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Intensifiers

29. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Get Feedback From Others!
Intensifiers
Main parts of instructions

30. 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
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Guidelines for successful group writing
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

31. Formal
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Selecting the proper medium
Four keys to effective writing

32. 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.
Purpose - Format - Composition
Procedures
Outlining
Sentence Type

33. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Sentence Type
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Characteristics of job-related writing
Short report

34. 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
Concrete Words
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Main parts of internal proposals
Business Writing Style

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
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Buzz Words
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

36. Tell and show how to do something
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Information needed for short report
Procedures
Instructions

37. 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)
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Four keys to effective writing
Idioms
Business Writing Style

38. How do you Plan the message?
Climatic Order
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Sentence Variety

39. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Long Dashes
Guidelines for successful group writing
Wordiness

40. Formality Considerations
Rules for writing instructions
Emphasis
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Casual - Informal - or Formal

41. 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
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Main parts of internal proposals
Rules for writing instructions

42. Casual
Goal of a letter of application
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

43. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Active Voice
Attractive and Readable Format
Information needed for short report

44. 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
Goal of a letter of application
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Emphasis
Purpose - Format - Composition

45. Steps to Successful Writing
Outlining
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Tone
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

46. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Biased Language
Euphemismss
Examples of medium s of business communication
Idioms

47. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Attractive and Readable Format
Emphasis
Idioms

48. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Abstract words
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
Purpose - Format - Composition
Idioms

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

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

50. How is formatting important?
Emphasis
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Sentence Length
Short report