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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. Purpose - problem - plan/solution - conclusion
Strategy and Humanness
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Main parts of internal proposals
Figures of Speech

2. Sentences can vary in sentence length - word order - loose and periodic sentences
Sentence Variety
Abstract words
Direct Statements
Short report

3. Words and expressions that offend because they make inappropriate assumptions or stereotypes about gender - ethnicity - physical or mental disability - age or sexual orientation.
Denotaion
Purpose - Format - Composition
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Biased Language

4. Stages can also be summarized as...
Affectation
Sentence Length
Abstract words
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better

5. Iitalics - bold type - underlining etc.
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Mechanical Devices
Garbled Sentences
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

6. Formality Considerations
Tone
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Emphasis

7. How much time should a student spend in each writing stage?
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
One-third
Concrete Words
Repetition

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
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Guidelines for successful group writing
Characteristics of job-related writing
Goal of a letter of application

9. Why Avoid Perfectionism in Drafting?
Information the reader will want - put it first.
Helps include all important information; Makes you more willing to revise
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Sentence Length

10. What are three levels of Editing?
Revision - Editing - Proofreading
Tone
Things to think through when planning a website
Characteristics of job-related writing

11. When should email NOT be used?
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
Outlining
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications

12. What are the activities in the planning stage?
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume
Business Writing Style
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message

13. What is format of most Memos?
Date - To - From - Subject Headings
Things to think through when planning a website
Instructions
Attractive and Readable Format

14. Formal
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Guidelines for successful group writing
Strategy and Humanness
Sentence Variety

15. General considerations with Email Messages
Climatic Order
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Recipient's Name and Introduce Yourself
Cliches

16. What is the general Purpose of a Letter?
Selecting the proper medium
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.
Sentence Type

17. Techniques for writing memos and emails are...
similar
Main parts of internal proposals
Characteristics of job-related writing
Euphemismss

18. Using words like 'most - much - very' with caution - wthout overdoing it.
Intensifiers
Key draft questions
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Wordiness

19. The relationships among ideas are clear to readers. A logical sequence of related ideas and clear transitions between these ideas.
Coherent writing
What do you want to say - Say It - Say it Better
Use Direct Pattern if positive - Use Indirect Pattern if neutral or negative; State Objective - ALWAYS Consider Audience and Purpose
Emphasis

20. What is a Memorandum?
Information needed for short report
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
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

21. 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
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Key draft questions
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Sentence Variety

22. When to use Instant Messaging?
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.
Characteristics of job-related writing
Cliches
Attractive and Readable Format

23. Etiquette
Ethics in Business Writing
Sentence Type
Three P's for success in writing a memo
NO offensive or abusive emails should be sent - and no upper case - as that is considered SCREAMING

24. Purpose - findings - conclusion - and recommendations
Telegraphic Style
Information needed for short report
Characteristics of job-related writing
Concrete Words

25. To emphasize the performer of an action: make the performer the subject of the verb
Idioms
Active Voice
Proper Conversation - Personal Pronouns/Contractions - Sentences are Short - Organized - Well Structured;
Stress Brevity - uses abbreviations - Convey ideas completely - minimal need for response - Telephone message - but in writing.

26. Varying sentences by using a compound sentence - a complex sentence - or a simple sentence
Sentence Type
Emphasis
Attractive and Readable Format
Figures of Speech

27. What are three levels of Revision?
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Buzz Words
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
Guidelines for successful group writing

28. Provide practical information - give facts not impressions - provide visuals to clarify and condense information - give accurate measurements - state responsibilities precisely - persuade and offer recommendations -
Sentence Length
Sentence Type
Characteristics of job-related writing
Long Dashes

29. An organized presentation of relevant data on any topic that a company or agency tracks in its day-to-day operations
Short report
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Procedures
Conciseness

30. 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
Connotation
Characteristics of job-related writing
Sentence Length
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record

31. General ideas - qualities - conditions - acts or relationships-intangible things that cannot be detected by the five senses
Key draft questions
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Abstract words
Cliches

32. How do you know what to include in your message?
Telegraphic Style
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Get Feedback From Others!
Main parts of instructions

33. How to end an email
Examples of medium s of business communication
Your Name - Closing Statement such as Thanks - Regards in more formal messages
Conciseness
Information needed for short report

34. What should you know about a Letter?
Purpose - Format - Composition
Wordiness
Buzz Words
Main parts of internal proposals

35. 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
Guidelines for effective business e-mail messages
Main parts of a set of instructions
Biased Language
Rules for writing instructions

36. What techniques can be used for gathering information?
Climatic Order
Procedures
Visualize Readers - Keep their interests in mind - List Pertinent Facts - Brainstorming - Diagrams
Sentence Type

37. To set you apart from the others; show that you have customized your resume for that company/job opening
Telegraphic Style
Goal of a letter of application
Short report
Idioms

38. Audience's preferences - personal work style - how widely info needs to be distributed etc.
Most Important Information First - and then Descending Order
Selecting the proper medium
Ethics in Business Writing
Characteristics do employers like to see in a resume

39. 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?
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Business Writing Style
Wordiness
Key draft questions

40. Condenses writing by omitting articles - pronouns - conjunctions - and transitions - e.g. ' Per 5/21 email 12 copies of instruction needed asap'
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Telegraphic Style
Strive for Concreteness - Vigor - Precision - Short sentences and paragraphs

41. Conciseness
Sentence Variety
Cut out nonessentials - Minimize references to Previous Communications
Telegraphic Style
Represent writer and topic formally to recipient. Correspondence with People Outside the your organization.

42. Means that extraneous words - phrases - clauses - and sentences have been removed from writing without sacrificing clarity or appropriate detail.
Sentence Type
Three P's for success in writing a memo
Your audience is the best guide for What and How
Conciseness

43. Casual
Keep Distance between Writer and Reader - Avoid Personal References/Contractions - Longer Sentences - for people of Higher Status
Long Dashes
Revision of content - Organization - Formatting
Slang; Colloquialisms - Contractions - Short Sentences - for close friends only

44. 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
Concrete Words
Direct Statements
Business Writing Style

45. 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
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.
Preparation - Research - Organization - Writing - Revision
Outlining

46. Are these stages recursive or linear?
Purpose - Format - Composition
Conciseness
Gathering and Collecting Information - Analyzing and Organizing Information - Choosing the Form - Channel - and Format of the Message
Recursive

47. 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.
Casual - Informal - or Formal
Abstract words
Outlining
Purpose - Format - Composition

48. How is formatting important?
Internal Letters. Sometimes classified as Reports
Idioms
Connotation
It is integral in how your audience will receive and accept the information.

49. What types of research is done in gathering information?
Denotaion
Business Writing Style
Conciseness - Clarity - Etiquette - Correctness
Past Correspondence - Employees - Records - Warranties - Product Descriptions - Survey - Interviews

50. What are Pros of Email?
Strategy and Humanness
Write Correctly so others will not think you are stupid or lack credibility
Rules for writing instructions
Eliminates phone tag - saves time - facilitates fast decisions - cheap - provides written record