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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. Provide practical info - give facts - not impressions - provide visuals to clarify - give accurate measurements - stating responsibility precisely - persuading and offering recommendations
Strategy and Humanness
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Main parts of instructions
Characteristics of job-related writing

2. How do you present information in message?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

3. What are Cons of Email?

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4. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Direct Statements
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Main parts of internal proposals

5. How is formatting important?
Climatic Order
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Tone

6. When to use Instant Messaging?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Main parts of internal proposals
Abstract words
Figures of Speech

7. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Subordination
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Attractive and Readable Format
Sentence Variety

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
One-third
Sentence Length
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Guidelines for successful group writing

9. 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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10. What is format of most Memos?
Procedures
Direct Statements
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

11. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Main parts of instructions
Climatic Order
Three P's for success in writing a memo

12. 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
Wordiness
Intensifiers
Ethics in Business Writing
Connotation

13. Stages can also be summarized as...
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Garbled Sentences
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

14. Formal
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Connotation
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

15. How do you present information in long messages?
Tone
Abstract words
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Recursive

16. What should you know about a Letter?
Purpose - Format - Composition
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

17. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Characteristics of job-related writing
Wordiness
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

18. 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.
Outlining
Emphasis
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Characteristics of job-related writing

19. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Idioms
Main parts of a set of instructions
Main parts of instructions
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

20. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Figures of Speech
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Repetition

21. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
One-third
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

22. What are Individual Contexts
Affectation
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Organizational - Professional - Personal

23. Using short and long sentences strategically
Wordiness
Sentence Length
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;

24. Conciseness
Direct Statements
Information needed for short report
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Sentence Type

25. Casual
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Ethics in Business Writing
Get Feedback From Others!
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

26. Etiquette
Abstract words
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages

27. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
One-third
Affectation
Key draft questions
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

28. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Idioms
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

29. How do you Plan the message?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Sentence Variety
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Biased Language

30. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Active Voice
similar
Coherent writing
Goal of a letter of application

31. Correctness
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
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
Mechanical Devices

32. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Strategy and Humanness
Instructions
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Telegraphic Style

33. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Cliches
Recursive
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Things to think through when planning a website

34. 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)
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Buzz Words
Garbled Sentences
Four keys to effective writing

35. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Examples of medium s of business communication
Strategy and Humanness
Position
Selecting the proper medium

36. What is a Memorandum?
Emphasis
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

37. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Climatic Order
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Biased Language

38. When should email NOT be used?
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
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
Get Feedback From Others!
Cliches

39. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Sentence Variety
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Information needed for short report

40. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Affectation
Repetition
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

41. What is Indirect Order?
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Active Voice
Outlining
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

42. 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
Subordination
Affectation
Emphasis
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

43. Steps to Successful Writing
Ethics in Business Writing
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Business Writing Style

44. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

45. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Climatic Order
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
similar
Affectation

46. Tell and show how to do something
One-third
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Instructions
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

47. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Information needed for short report
Cliches
Euphemismss
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

48. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Sentence Variety
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Guidelines for successful group writing
Information the reader will want - put it first.

49. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Main parts of instructions
Coherent writing

50. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Intensifiers
Get Feedback From Others!