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Test your basic knowledge |
The Business Writing Process
Start Test
Study First
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. Use to call attention to a particular word or statement --
Long Dashes
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Four keys to effective writing
Telegraphic Style
2. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Four keys to effective writing
Active Voice
3. How is formatting important?
Active Voice
similar
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Characteristics of job-related writing
4. What are three levels of Revision?
Examples of medium s of business communication
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Main parts of instructions
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
5. How do you begin the message?
6. 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
Buzz Words
Sentence Type
Subordination
Rules for writing instructions
7. The use of language that is more formal - technical - or showy than necessary to communicate information to the reader.
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Affectation
Short report
Figures of Speech
8. 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
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Telegraphic Style
9. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Direct Statements
Emphasis
Conciseness
Position
10. What is current emphasis on for a Letter?
Ethics in Business Writing
Strategy and Humanness
Sentence Variety
Climatic Order
11. Formal
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Outlining
Cliches
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
12. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Biased Language
Things to think through when planning a website
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
13. How do you Plan the message?
Buzz Words
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Ethics in Business Writing
14. 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
Telegraphic Style
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Wordiness
15. Introduction; list of equipment and materials; steps for your instructions; warnings - cautions - and notes; conclusion
Main parts of a set of instructions
Four keys to effective writing
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Mechanical Devices
16. 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.
Strategy and Humanness
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Tone
Outlining
17. Goal and audience
Things to think through when planning a website
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Active Voice
Cliches
18. 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
Cliches
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
19. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Goal of a letter of application
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Short report
Main parts of a set of instructions
20. What are three levels of Editing?
Climatic Order
Key draft questions
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
21. Casual
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
similar
Selecting the proper medium
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
22. What is the best advice for Drafting?
Instructions
Main parts of instructions
Intensifiers
Be Flexible - Avoid Perfectionism - Keep Going - Keep making progress
23. Concern policies and regulations found in employee handbooks and other internal corporate communications
Procedures
Affectation
Sentence Type
Buzz Words
24. 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.
Garbled Sentences
Guidelines for successful group writing
Information needed for short report
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
25. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Main parts of internal proposals
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
'You Viewpoint'
Figures of Speech
26. What are Cons of Email?
27. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Direct Statements
Information needed for short report
Not Confidential - Doesn't Communicate Emotions - Tone of Voice - or Unspoken Communications - Can be Ignored or Delayed
Connotation
28. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Mechanical Devices
29. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Goal of a letter of application
Abstract words
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Mechanical Devices
30. An imaginative expression that often compares two things that are basically not alike but have at least one thing in common.
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
Figures of Speech
31. Clairty
Mechanical Devices
Sentence Type
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
32. 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
33. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
34. What is Indirect Order?
Organizational - Professional - Personal
Put it Last - using the opening to prepare the audience
One-third
Guidelines for successful group writing
35. A group of words that has a special meaning apart from its literal meaning. Someone who 'runs for office'
Buzz Words
Recursive
Idioms
Subordination
36. 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?
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Key draft questions
Coherent writing
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
37. 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
Cliches
Main parts of a set of instructions
Guidelines for successful group writing
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING
38. Informal
Biased Language
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
Outlining
39. 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
Active Voice
Cliches
Things to think through when planning a website
40. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Procedures
Coherent writing
Recursive
Direct Statements
41. How to end an email
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Buzz Words
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Three P's for success in writing a memo
42. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Sentence Variety
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
Purpose - Format - Composition
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
43. Repeating keywords and key phrases
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
Repetition
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Emphasis
44. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Guidelines for successful group writing
Examples of medium s of business communication
Characteristics of job-related writing
Mechanical Devices
45. Use Initialisms
Biased Language
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
46. An inoffensive substitute for a word or phrase that could be distasteful - offensive - or too blunt.
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Euphemismss
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
47. 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
Sentence Length
Connotation
Sentence Variety
Purpose - Format - Composition
48. How do you know what to include in your message?
Cautiously i.e. BTW: by the way
Emphasis
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Procedures
49. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs
similar
Mechanical Devices
Define the Problem - Consider the Audience and their Individual Contexts - Consider your own Contexts - Best Way to Achieve message;
50. Correctness
Purpose - Format - Composition
Ethics in Business Writing
Concrete Words
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility