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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. 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)
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Four keys to effective writing
Cliches
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record

2. How to end an email
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Connotation
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

3. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Telegraphic Style
Selecting the proper medium
Abstract words
Conciseness

4. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Affectation
Concrete Words
Abstract words

5. Use Initialisms
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Coherent writing
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Telegraphic Style

6. What types of research is done in gathering information?
One-third
Get Feedback From Others!
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Revision - Editing - Proofreading

7. 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
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Characteristics of job-related writing
Rules for writing instructions
'You Viewpoint'

8. What is Direct Order?
Direct Statements
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

9. 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
Characteristics of job-related writing
Emphasis
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Attractive and Readable Format

10. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Recursive
Four keys to effective writing
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

11. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Coherent writing

12. When should email NOT be used?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
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
One-third
Conciseness

13. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Repetition
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Ethics in Business Writing

14. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Strategy and Humanness
Main parts of instructions
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Active Voice

15. Stages can also be summarized as...
Telegraphic Style
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Long Dashes
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself

16. Formal
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Key draft questions
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Biased Language

17. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Subordination
Idioms
Connotation
Four keys to effective writing

18. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Four keys to effective writing
Concrete Words
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Characteristics of job-related writing

19. Using short and long sentences strategically
Subordination
Sentence Length
Main parts of instructions
Idioms

20. Clairty
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Ethics in Business Writing
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

21. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Short report
Main parts of internal proposals
Sentence Length
Information the reader will want - put it first.

22. General considerations with Email Messages
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Conciseness
Figures of Speech
Casual - Informal - or Formal

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

24. 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
Figures of Speech
Biased Language
Buzz Words
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

25. 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
Concrete Words
Sentence Length
Ethics in Business Writing
Main parts of internal proposals

26. How do you know what to include in your message?
Long Dashes
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Recursive
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

27. What is important in the Revising stage?
Get Feedback From Others!
Purpose - Format - Composition
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

28. How do you present information in message?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Purpose - Format - Composition
Direct Statements
Information needed for short report

29. How do you present information in long messages?
Biased Language
Instructions
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

30. Etiquette
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Procedures
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Sentence Length

31. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Short report
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

32. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Sentence Type
Euphemismss
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
One-third

33. What is Indirect Order?
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Emphasis
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

34. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Attractive and Readable Format
Conciseness
Four keys to effective writing
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

35. What are Pros of Email?
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Intensifiers
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

36. 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
Selecting the proper medium
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Information needed for short report

37. 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
Characteristics of job-related writing
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

38. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Main parts of instructions
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Key draft questions
Concrete Words

39. How do you begin the message?

40. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Abstract words
Sentence Variety
Position

41. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Main parts of instructions
Guidelines for successful group writing
Sentence Variety
Sentence Type

42. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Recursive
Selecting the proper medium
Climatic Order
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record

43. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Coherent writing
Sentence Variety
Examples of medium s of business communication

44. 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
Euphemismss
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

45. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Denotaion
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Ethics in Business Writing
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

46. What should you know about a Letter?
Outlining
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
Climatic Order
Purpose - Format - Composition

47. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Tone
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

48. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Information needed for short report
Things to think through when planning a website
Goal of a letter of application
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

49. 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
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Rules for writing instructions
Wordiness
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

50. When to use Instant Messaging?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Attractive and Readable Format
Instructions