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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. Etiquette
Affectation
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Direct Statements

2. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Wordiness
Figures of Speech

3. Formality Considerations
Main parts of a set of instructions
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Direct Statements

4. Using short and long sentences strategically
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Sentence Length
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

5. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Main parts of internal proposals
Sentence Length
Active Voice
'You Viewpoint'

6. What are Pros of Email?
Business Writing Style
Key draft questions
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

7. 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
Affectation
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Emphasis
Conciseness

8. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Euphemismss
Characteristics of job-related writing
Information needed for short report

9. What are Individual Contexts
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Concrete Words
Long Dashes
Organizational - Professional - Personal

10. What are Cons of Email?

11. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Attractive and Readable Format
Purpose - Format - Composition
Guidelines for successful group writing
Position

12. Goal and audience
Things to think through when planning a website
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Cliches

13. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Position
Biased Language
Short report
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

14. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Euphemismss
Telegraphic Style
Connotation

15. 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
Cliches
Conciseness
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Figures of Speech

16. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Get Feedback From Others!
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Repetition
Purpose - Format - Composition

17. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Sentence Variety
Concrete Words
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

18. 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?
Main parts of instructions
Subordination
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Key draft questions

19. E.g. 'most important'
Garbled Sentences
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Strategy and Humanness
Direct Statements

20. General considerations with Email Messages
Affectation
Cliches
Garbled Sentences
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

21. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Key draft questions
Short report
Garbled Sentences

22. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Climatic Order
Recursive
Short report
Tone

23. How do you begin the message?

24. 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
Sentence Variety
Business Writing Style
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

25. What is critical to a message's success?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Attractive and Readable Format
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

26. What are three levels of Revision?
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Four keys to effective writing
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Organizational - Professional - Personal

27. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Climatic Order
Information needed for short report
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Connotation

28. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Position
Guidelines for successful group writing
Garbled Sentences
Long Dashes

29. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Main parts of instructions
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Figures of Speech

30. How is formatting important?
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
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

31. How do you present information in long messages?
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Climatic Order
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

32. Correctness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Euphemismss
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

33. How to end an email
Conciseness
Mechanical Devices
Recursive
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

34. What is format of most Memos?
Coherent 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
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

35. When to use Instant Messaging?
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
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Affectation
Mechanical Devices

36. How do you Plan the message?
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Sentence Length
Characteristics of job-related writing
Connotation

37. Casual
Direct Statements
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Emphasis
Guidelines for successful group writing

38. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Subordination
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Tone
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record

39. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Examples of medium s of business communication
Sentence Variety
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

40. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Main parts of internal proposals
Cliches
Sentence Type
Coherent writing

41. Stages can also be summarized as...
similar
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Characteristics of job-related writing

42. What is important in the Revising stage?
Short report
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Get Feedback From Others!
Euphemismss

43. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
similar
Sentence Type

44. 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
Connotation
Examples of medium s of business communication
Long Dashes
Instructions

45. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Characteristics of job-related writing
Tone
Long Dashes
One-third

46. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Direct Statements
Affectation
Instructions

47. 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
Denotaion
Guidelines for successful group writing
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Casual - Informal - or Formal

48. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Strategy and Humanness
'You Viewpoint'
Subordination
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

49. Steps to Successful Writing
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

50. When should email NOT be used?
Key draft questions
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
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
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume