Test your basic knowledge |

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. 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
Key draft questions
Instructions
Guidelines for successful group 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

2. How do you present information in message?
Position
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Short report
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

3. They dentify things that can be perceived by the 5 senses - such as diploma - manager - or keyboard
Mechanical Devices
Cliches
Concrete Words
Denotaion

4. When should email NOT be used?
Long Dashes
Tone
Information the reader will want - put it first.
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

5. Using short and long sentences strategically
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Main parts of instructions
Sentence Length

6. What are Individual Contexts
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

7. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Main parts of a set of 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
Four keys to effective writing
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status

8. The ___________ of a word are its meanings and associations beyond its literal definitions - words often have particular connotations for audiences within professional groups and organizations
Denotaion
Connotation
One-third
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

9. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Active Voice
Repetition
Coherent writing
Main parts of internal proposals

10. How is formatting important?
Intensifiers
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Goal of a letter of application
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

11. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness

12. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Garbled Sentences

13. 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.
Long Dashes
Garbled Sentences
Biased Language
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

14. Formal
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Intensifiers
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Three P's for success in writing a memo

15. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Short report
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
'You Viewpoint'

16. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
Euphemismss
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Instructions

17. Listing the ideas or facts within a sentence in sequence from least to most important
Emphasis
Climatic Order
Sentence Variety
Affectation

18. Where you put the idea - The first & last words of a sentence - paragraph - doc - stand out in readers' minds.
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Position
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Outlining

19. How do you know what to include in your message?
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Long Dashes
Get Feedback From Others!
Sentence Variety

20. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Denotaion
Strategy and Humanness
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

21. What is format of most Memos?
Purpose - Format - Composition
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports

22. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Things to think through when planning a website
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Main parts of internal proposals
Sentence Variety

23. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Strategy and Humanness
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Telegraphic Style

24. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Ethics in Business Writing
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Repetition

25. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Sentence Variety
Buzz Words
Date - To - From - Subject Headings

26. What is Direct Order?
Guidelines for successful group writing
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Wordiness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility

27. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Repetition
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Active Voice

28. 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)
Four keys to effective writing
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Telegraphic Style

29. Clairty
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Connotation
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
similar

30. Conciseness
Tone
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Four keys to effective writing

31. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Affectation
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Sentence Type
Procedures

32. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
similar
Euphemismss
Rules for writing instructions
Organizational - Professional - Personal

33. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Intensifiers
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress

34. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Short report
Connotation
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Mechanical Devices

35. Honesty - attractive - carefully organized - concise accurate - current information - relevance
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Main parts of instructions
Wordiness
Instructions

36. Stages can also be summarized as...
similar
'You Viewpoint'
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Conciseness

37. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Biased Language
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Information the reader will want - put it first.

38. Tell and show how to do something
Telegraphic Style
Idioms
Figures of Speech
Instructions

39. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Position
Active Voice
Abstract words
Selecting the proper medium

40. Plan what you are going to say - polish what you wrote before you sent it - proofread everything

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

41. Letters - memos - email - instant messages - telephone calls - Faxes - Face-to-face meetings - video conferences - web sites
Buzz Words
Sentence Length
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Examples of medium s of business communication

42. 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

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

43. 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
Intensifiers
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Wordiness
Garbled Sentences

44. 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
Garbled Sentences
Ethics in Business Writing
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
similar

45. 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
Position
Characteristics of job-related writing
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Cliches

46. When to use Instant Messaging?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Procedures
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision

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?
Climatic Order
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Key draft questions
Organizational - Professional - Personal

48. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
One-third
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Main parts of a set of instructions

49. Formality Considerations
Goal of a letter of application
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Characteristics of job-related writing

50. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Abstract words
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Garbled Sentences
Goal of a letter of application