Test your basic knowledge |

The Business Writing Process

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?






2. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence






3. What are the activities in the planning stage?






4. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?






5. 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






6. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations






7. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.






8. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -






9. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?






10. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...






11. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.






12. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations






13. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance






14. 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






15. Are these stages recursive or linear?






16. What is Indirect Order?






17. Steps to Successful Writing






18. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?






19. Etiquette






20. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses






21. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.






22. What is format of most Memos?






23. What are three levels of Editing?






24. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?






25. 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






26. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion






27. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'






28. What is Direct Order?






29. 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






30. What techniques can be used for gathering information?






31. 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






32. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --






33. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.






34. How do you begin the message?


35. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb






36. Casual






37. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.






38. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.






39. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations






40. What are three levels of Revision?






41. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.






42. How do you know what to include in your message?






43. Formality Considerations






44. What is important in the Revising stage?






45. 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?






46. 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






47. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.






48. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important






49. 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)






50. E.g. 'most important'