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. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations






2. How is formatting important?






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






4. Goal and audience






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






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






7. 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






8. Using short and long sentences strategically






9. What are three levels of Revision?






10. What should you know about a Letter?






11. 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






12. What is Indirect Order?






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






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






15. Repeating keywords and key phrases






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






17. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'






18. What are three levels of Editing?






19. 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






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






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






22. 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?






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






24. What techniques can be used for gathering information?






25. What are the activities in the planning stage?






26. 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)






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






28. 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






29. Correctness






30. What are Pros of Email?






31. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.






32. 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






33. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?






34. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?






35. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications






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






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






38. What is critical to a message's success?






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






40. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.






41. Etiquette






42. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.






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






44. Are these stages recursive or linear?






45. Conciseness






46. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion






47. What is a Memorandum?






48. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion






49. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites






50. 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.