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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. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Long Dashes
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Abstract words

2. What is Indirect Order?
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Main parts of a set of instructions
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

3. What is a Memorandum?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Four keys to effective writing

4. What are Individual Contexts
Selecting the proper medium
Intensifiers
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience

5. Formal
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Main parts of internal proposals
One-third

6. How do you present information in message?
Recursive
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Euphemismss
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

7. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Main parts of internal proposals
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Figures of Speech

8. What is critical to a message's success?
Figures of Speech
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Direct Statements
Attractive and Readable Format

9. What are three levels of Revision?
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Wordiness

10. 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
Examples of medium s of business communication
Rules for writing instructions
Wordiness
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed

11. 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
'You Viewpoint'
Casual - Informal - or Formal
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Business Writing Style

12. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Selecting the proper medium
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

13. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Affectation
Sentence Length
Business Writing Style

14. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Outlining
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Information the reader will want - put it first.

15. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Wordiness
Attractive and Readable Format
Goal of a letter of application

16. What is Direct Order?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Selecting the proper medium

17. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Attractive and Readable Format
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Business Writing Style
Sentence Type

18. Formality Considerations
Things to think through when planning a website
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Intensifiers
Mechanical Devices

19. Use Initialisms
Cliches
Selecting the proper medium
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

20. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Abstract words
Tone
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Position

21. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Sentence Variety
Information the reader will want - put it first.

22. How do you know what to include in your message?
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Direct Statements
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way

23. Tell and show how to do something
Information needed for short report
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Instructions
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;

24. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Examples of medium s of business communication
Characteristics of job-related writing

25. When to use Instant Messaging?
Biased Language
Wordiness
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Information the reader will want - put it first.

26. Steps to Successful Writing
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

27. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Main parts of a set of instructions
Short report
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

28. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Active Voice
Goal of a letter of application
Figures of Speech
Attractive and Readable Format

29. 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.
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Subordination
Garbled Sentences

30. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Main parts of a set of instructions
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Concrete Words

31. What types of research is done in gathering information?
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Characteristics of job-related writing
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

32. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Denotaion
Characteristics of job-related writing
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

33. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Recursive
Denotaion
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record

34. How to end an email
'You Viewpoint'
Telegraphic Style
Biased Language
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages

35. Used to show - by the structure of a sentence - the appropriate relationship between ideas of unequal importance.
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Procedures
Subordination
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

36. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Recursive
Long Dashes
Tone
Climatic Order

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
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Attractive and Readable Format
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Position

38. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Get Feedback From Others!

39. Conciseness
Sentence Variety
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Position

40. Stages can also be summarized as...
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Purpose - Format - Composition
Instructions
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

41. 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

42. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Selecting the proper medium
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Short report

43. How do you present information in long messages?
Instructions
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Subordination

44. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Buzz Words
Biased Language
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams

45. Casual
Sentence Length
Intensifiers
Denotaion
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

46. General considerations with Email Messages
Sentence Length
Examples of medium s of business communication
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

47. 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?
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Biased Language
Key draft questions
Casual - Informal - or Formal

48. What are Pros of Email?
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Abstract words
Main parts of internal proposals
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record

49. 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
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Procedures
Recursive
Ethics in Business Writing

50. Introduction - list of materials - actual steps - warnings - cautions - and notes - conclusion when necessary
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Long Dashes
Main parts of instructions
Sentence Variety