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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. Stages can also be summarized as...
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Position
Connotation

2. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Repetition
Main parts of internal proposals
Garbled Sentences
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

3. What is a Memorandum?
'You Viewpoint'
Emphasis
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Telegraphic Style

4. When should email NOT be used?
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
Procedures
Outlining

5. How do you present information in message?
Outlining
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Goal of a letter of application
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order

6. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Instructions
Active Voice
Recursive
Characteristics of job-related writing

7. What is Indirect Order?
Four keys to effective writing
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

8. 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
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Guidelines for successful group writing
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

9. What are Pros of Email?
Short report
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

10. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Business Writing Style
Purpose - Format - Composition
Conciseness
Examples of medium s of business communication

11. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Connotation
Telegraphic Style
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

12. What are three levels of Editing?
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Business Writing Style
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

13. Using short and long sentences strategically
Intensifiers
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Connotation
Sentence Length

14. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Strategy and Humanness
Denotaion

15. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Short report
Conciseness
Idioms
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

16. Casual
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Selecting the proper medium

17. What are Cons of Email?

18. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Climatic Order
Repetition
Main parts of internal proposals
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

19. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Affectation
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Outlining
Recursive

20. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Mechanical Devices
Active Voice
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Coherent writing

21. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Conciseness
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Short report
Your audience is the best guide for What and How

22. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Main parts of instructions
Concrete Words
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Information needed for short report

23. What is Direct Order?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Instructions

24. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Euphemismss
Mechanical Devices
Conciseness
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

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
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Cliches
Outlining
Business Writing Style

26. 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
Ethics in Business Writing
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Buzz Words
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

27. Steps to Successful Writing
Euphemismss
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

28. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Direct Statements
Information needed for short report
Outlining
Strategy and Humanness

29. 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
Main parts of a set of instructions
Main parts of internal proposals
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Sentence Length

30. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
Position
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Examples of medium s of business communication
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

31. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Rules for writing instructions
One-third
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise

32. What are Individual Contexts
Main parts of a set of instructions
Cliches
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Ethics in Business Writing

33. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Buzz Words
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

34. Etiquette
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
'You Viewpoint'
Get Feedback From Others!

35. What is critical to a message's success?
Sentence Type
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Attractive and Readable Format
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

36. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Subordination
Purpose - Format - Composition
Short report
Abstract words

37. Correctness
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
similar
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

38. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Abstract words
Business Writing Style
Denotaion
Get Feedback From Others!

39. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Business Writing Style
Intensifiers

40. General considerations with Email Messages
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

41. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Idioms
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

42. Tell and show how to do something
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Instructions
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Main parts of a set of instructions

43. What is important in the Revising stage?
Long Dashes
Get Feedback From Others!
Buzz Words
Ethics in Business Writing

44. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Wordiness
Main parts of a set of instructions
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

45. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Euphemismss
Sentence Variety
Direct Statements
similar

46. 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?
Emphasis
Main parts of internal proposals
Key draft questions
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

47. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Concrete Words
Tone
Main parts of a set of instructions
Repetition

48. Formal
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Climatic Order
Subordination
Selecting the proper medium

49. The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject and his or her readers. May range depending on purpose etc.
Climatic Order
Tone
Active Voice
Three P's for success in writing a memo

50. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Concrete Words
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Main parts of a set of instructions
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume