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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. 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
Biased Language
Characteristics of job-related writing
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Cliches

2. Formal
Emphasis
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Examples of medium s of business communication
Tone

3. A sentence that is so tangled with structural and grammatical problems that it cannot be repaired - often result from trying to include too many ideas in one sentence.
Active Voice
Information needed for short report
Figures of Speech
Garbled Sentences

4. The ____________ of a word are its literal meanings - as defined in a dictionary.
Idioms
Four keys to effective writing
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Denotaion

5. What are three levels of Revision?
Direct Statements
Tone
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Figures of Speech

6. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Intensifiers
Sentence Type
Strategy and Humanness
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

7. 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
Buzz Words
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Business Writing Style
Examples of medium s of business communication

8. Steps to Successful Writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Characteristics of job-related 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
Position

9. What are three levels of Editing?
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Buzz Words
Main parts of instructions

10. 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
Business Writing Style
Main parts of instructions
Euphemismss
Garbled Sentences

11. 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?
Key draft questions
Idioms
Mechanical Devices
Revision - Editing - Proofreading

12. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Intensifiers
Position
Strategy and Humanness
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

13. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Rules for writing instructions
Idioms
Business Writing Style

14. How do you Plan the message?
Main parts of a set of instructions
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Rules for writing instructions
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;

15. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Short report
Mechanical Devices
Emphasis
Figures of Speech

16. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose

17. General considerations with Email Messages
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Main parts of instructions
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Garbled Sentences

18. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Business Writing Style
Recursive
similar
Short report

19. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Concrete Words
Direct Statements
Sentence Type
Rules for writing instructions

20. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Outlining

21. 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)
Strategy and Humanness
Four keys to effective writing
Denotaion
Main parts of a set of instructions

22. What are Cons of Email?

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23. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Biased Language
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Cliches
One-third

24. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Things to think through when planning a website
Figures of Speech
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
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

25. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Conciseness
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Attractive and Readable Format

26. Clairty
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Concrete Words
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting

27. Stages can also be summarized as...
Three P's for success in writing a memo
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;
Telegraphic Style

28. How do you begin the message?

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29. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Affectation
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Idioms
Guidelines for successful group writing

30. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Coherent writing
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
similar
Four keys to effective writing

31. 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
Instructions
Emphasis
Climatic Order
Cliches

32. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Information needed for short report
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Intensifiers
Euphemismss

33. 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
Key draft questions
Ethics in Business Writing
Things to think through when planning a website
Recursive

34. Correctness
Business Writing Style
Climatic Order
Affectation
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

35. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Four keys to effective writing
Abstract words
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Strategy and Humanness

36. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Conciseness

37. Places the reader's interest and perspective foremost. It is based on the principle that most readers are naturally more concerned about their own needs than they are about those of a writer or a writer's organization - often means using the words y

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38. 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
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Buzz Words
Guidelines for successful group writing
Conciseness

39. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Intensifiers
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Active Voice

40. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Characteristics of job-related writing
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Tone

41. Etiquette
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Garbled Sentences

42. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Euphemismss
Active Voice
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

43. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Repetition
Biased Language
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

44. Tell and show how to do something
Purpose - Format - Composition
Information the reader will want - put it first.
One-third
Instructions

45. 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
Things to think through when planning a website
Rules for writing instructions
Four keys to effective writing
Strategy and Humanness

46. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Rules for writing instructions
Idioms
Coherent writing
Recursive

47. What is Indirect Order?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Procedures
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Ethics in Business Writing

48. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Telegraphic Style
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Selecting the proper medium
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

49. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Sentence Variety
Selecting the proper medium
Tone
Main parts of internal proposals

50. How to end an email
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Emphasis
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages