Q&A Hero

Q: If you plan to quote your interview subject in writing, it is a bad idea to provide him or her with a list of questions a day or two ahead of time.

Q: "Do you think the styling of the new Mini Cooper is a departure from previous styling?" is an example of an open-ended question.

Q: Which of the following are the most frequently used methods of communicating standard operating procedures and other instructions to employees? a. Memos and email messages b. Face-to-face meetings and phone conversations c. Phone conversations and instant messaging d. Reports and letters

Q: "Do you watch sports and news shows on TV?" is a compound question.

Q: Manual, a credit supervisor, must write a letter informing a new client that her credit application has been approved. What writing sequence should he use? a. Persuasive since he needs to confirm her choice of his company's products b. Inductive because he needs to give her an explanation first c. Deductive because he needs to give her the good news at the beginning of his message d. None of the above

Q: When selecting people to participate in a survey, the most critical task is getting a representative sample.

Q: When you provide credit information about another person, you have an ethical and legal obligation to a. yourself. b. the credit applicant. c. the business from whom credit is requested. d. all of the above.

Q: You have been asked to provide a credit reference for a customer. Which of the following will be part of your written response? a. your opinions about the customer b. a statement as to whether the client is a good credit risk c. a general statement about the client's credit history, followed by supporting details d. all of the above

Q: Valid surveys measure what they're intended to measure.

Q: Which of the following guidelines for writing messages extending credit is FALSE? a. The writer should include the credit terms. b. The writer should include the penalty fee for a late payment. c. The writer should omit any mention of sales promotion or resale. d. None of the above is false.

Q: When conducting an interview, use ________ questions to encourage the person you're interviewing to offer an opinion and not just a yes-or-no answer. A) truncated B) closed-ended C) insightful D) open-ended

Q: A well-written message acknowledging a customer's order usually will likely result in a. the customer requesting to be removed from the mailing list. b. the customer placing additional orders. c. a decrease in the cost of doing business. d. all of the above

Q: A survey is ________ if it produces identical results when repeated. A survey is ________ if it measures what it's intended to measure. A) valid; reliable B) reliable; utile C) reliable; valid D) valid; intentional

Q: When conducting an information interview, it is a good idea to A) learn about the person you are interviewing ahead of time. B) stick to using just one type of question. C) save the most important questions for last. D) avoid making an appointment, since you don't want the subject to think ahead about answers.

Q: Ola Jensen has placed her first order with your company. What is the BEST method to let her know you received her order? a. Send her a preprinted form letter acknowledging the order. b. Send her a copy of the sales order. c. Send her sales promotional material. d. Send her an individualized acknowledgment message about her order.

Q: Which of the following requires an individualized acknowledgment message? a. Initial order from a customer b. Custom order c. Delayed order d. All of the above

Q: A disadvantage of using too many closed questions in an interview is that they A) do not take full advantage of the interview format. B) prevent any important information from being revealed. C) diminish the interviewer's control over the interview. D) none of the above.

Q: Which of the following is NOT recommended when preparing form messages? a. Add variables to the standard text to tailor the message to the individual. b. Use pre-produced mailing labels. c. Use stored paragraphs that are selected according to the situation. d. Use good quality paper and a high quality printer.

Q: Which of the following is a closed-ended question? A) Would you rate the proposed expansion plan as likely to succeed or unlikely to succeed? B) What do you see as the primary benefit of the proposed expansion plan for your family? C) What corporate goals does the expansion help achieve? D) How will the expansion affect day-to-day operations?

Q: "How do you spend your leisure time on the weekends?" is an example of A) a closed-ended question. B) an open-ended question. C) a restatement question. D) an inappropriate question.

Q: Which of the following sentences is a good example of a beginning sentence in a favorable reply to a routine request? a. We can definitely assist you in having your regional conference at the Ritz-Carlton. b. Thank you for your request. c. Please let us know the number of rooms you require first. d. I read your request.

Q: Questions such as, "Do you shop at the mall often?" are A) perfect for most surveys. B) too ambiguous to yield useful information. C) likely to offend your respondents. D) too personal and will offend most audiences.

Q: Zappos, an Internet business success story, has built its success on outstanding customer service. Which of the following is NOT part of Zappos' strategy? a. free product shipping. b. free return product shipping. c. focus on repeat customers. d. more products on their website than are in their warehouse.

Q: People are more likely to respond to a questionnaire if A) they can complete it within a short time. B) you allow them plenty of time to research their answers. C) the questions are open ended. D) all of the above are the case.

Q: Persuasive requests differ from routine requests in that a. persuasive arguments need to be presented at the beginning of the message. b. routine requests require a forceful approach. c. routine requests begin with details and explanations first. d. persuasive messages are shorter in length.

Q: After consideration of a customer's request for a partial product refund due to repeated repairs, you have determined that you should comply. Which of the following is NOT part of your effective adjustment message? a. A fair response to a legitimate request b. A statement that "the claim is being granted" c. Resale or sales promotional material d. An attempt to regain possible lost goodwill

Q: A survey is not valid if it A) does not include at least 50 responses. B) is more than one year old. C) fails to measure what it is intended to measure. D) lacks secondary evidence to supplement it.

Q: You are writing to ABClothes.com to request an exchange for an ordered shirt that was recently sent to you in an incorrect size; the message you write will be a. a routine claim. b. a persuasive request. c. a negative news message. d. a goodwill message.

Q: You create a survey and administer it five times under identical conditions. Because it yielded completely different results each time, you should conclude that this survey is A) not valid. B) not reliable. C) valid. D) reliable.

Q: Which of the following is NOT good advice for writing a routine claim? a. Use the direct approach. b. Use a persuasive, forceful tone. c. Assume the request will be granted. d. Avoid an accusatory tone.

Q: The two most common primary research methods in the social sciences are A) not appropriate for test marketing. B) experiments and observations. C) surveys and interviews. D) test panels.

Q: An online survey is vulnerable to ________ because it captures only the opinions of those who visit the site and choose to complete the survey. A) sampling bias B) backchannel static C) circular reasoning D) transactional dysfunction

Q: In writing a routine claim, a. the message should begin with a request for action. b. the message should begin with the details and explanation. c. the message should begin with an expression of appreciation of the business relationship. d. none of the above.

Q: Claims related to product warranties, guarantees, or contractual conditions are typically ____ claims. a. persuasive b. inductive c. routine d. negative news

Q: Briefly explain the difference between primary research and secondary research.

Q: Observations, surveys, and experiments are all considered secondary sources of information.

Q: Ignacio is asking for a refund or a replacement for a recently purchased malfunctioning DVD player; his request for the refund or replacement would be considered a a. persuasive claim. b. complaint. c. routine claim. d. negative news message.

Q: According to the fair use doctrine, you can use other people's work only as long as you do not unfairly prevent them from benefiting as a result.

Q: Your staff has worked hard to successfully complete a project for a large advertising client. Which of the following is the BEST way for you to express thanks to the staff? a. Thank them at the staff meeting next month. b. Post a note on the company intranet. c. Ask your administrative assistant to post a note in the lunchroom. d. Send an email immediately to all staff.

Q: A work is not considered copyrighted until it is legally registered.

Q: A sincere apology message to a customer for a serious mistake made would likely be considered by the customer as a. a negative news message. b. an attempt to preserve a relationship. c. unwelcomed, since a verbal apology is more meaningful. d. a misdirected communication.

Q: Which of the following is recommended advice when writing an appreciation message? a. Time the message to arrive two to three weeks following the action or event. b. Use slight overstatements to communicate your favorable attitude. c. Avoid specific remarks about the receiver's performance or achievement. d. Consider sending a copy of the appreciation message to the individual's supervisor.

Q: Boolean operators include terms such as AND, OR, and NOT.

Q: Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the deductive sequence approach for a good-news message? a. The first sentence receives attention since it is in an emphatic position. b. The good news in the first sentence puts receivers in a good frame of mind. c. The organization is persuasive and calls for action. d. The receiver can understand the important idea and move quickly through the supporting details.

Q: A metacrawler enables you to use multiple search engines simultaneously.

Q: Shaneka is writing a message to an intercultural audience to explain the short-term goals of the organization. Which of the following should she NOT use when writing for her audience? a. Abbreviations, acronyms, and technical jargon b. Figures for expressing numbers c. Graphics and visual aids d. Simple terms

Q: Unlike most search engines, a web directory yields results that have been screened by human editors.

Q: Search engines and directories use different approaches to find and index websites.

Q: Mary has a neutral message to deliver to a co-worker. What delivery options would be the most effective? a. Letter, email, or telephone b. Memo, instant messaging, or letter c. Letter, phone, or in person d. Memo, email, or phone

Q: Email messages and memos differ from letters in that they are a. written to employees within a company. b. less formal in tone and formatting. c. subject to less grammatical scrutiny. d. more formal in tone.

Q: Some of the most useful and up-to-date resources available at libraries are online databases.

Q: The best general-purpose search engines are capable of reaching information on the hidden Internet.

Q: The steps for the deductive sequence approach for a good-news message are a. begin with the details, state the main idea, and end on a friendly thought. b. begin with the main idea, provide details and explanation, and end on a future-oriented closing thought. c. start with a friendly thought, provide details, and end with the main idea. d. none of the above

Q: The strategies for structuring effective good- and neutral-news messages a. follow the inductive sequence. b. vary dramatically from one company to another. c. can generally be applied to cultures around the world. d. are generally consistent among North American audiences.

Q: When using the Internet to conduct research, you can be reasonably sure that any information you find will be accurate.

Q: The organization of business messages should be organized based on a. a prediction of the receiver's reaction to the main idea. b. the deductive sequence. c. the inductive sequence. d. a reflection of the writer's mood and personality.

Q: The Statistical Abstract of the United States provides access to more than 750 periodicals and newsletters that focus on specific trades or industries.

Q: As compared to letters, memos and email are channels for sharing information of a somewhat ____ nature. a. formal b. informal c. negative d. personal

Q: The difference between primary sources and secondary sources is that primary sources are those you create specifically for your project.

Q: If you need to convey information that contains good- or neutral-news, you could use a. letters but not e-mail or voice mail. b. e-mail but not letters or voice mail. c. e-mail and letters but not voice mail. d. e-mail, memos, or voice mail.

Q: ________ covers the expression of creative ideas such as documents, web content, movies, musical compositions, lectures, and computer programs. A) Copyright law B) Trademark theory C) Patent protection D) Free-market case law

Q: Zappos has simplified the information-seeking process for customers through the FAQ section on the company website, effectively reducing the need for customers to call the company.

Q: A ________ lets you search the Internet by asking questions in normal, everyday English. A) code snippet B) metro-search engine C) colloquial paradigm D) natural language search

Q: Cookie blocking will prevent unwanted tracing of your computer activities while allowing subscribed online services to continue operating.

Q: Within the context of statistical analysis, the ________ is the "middle of the road" or the midpoint of a series. A) midst B) meridian C) median D) medium

Q: One recommended way to check the quality of your voice mail system is to pretend you don't know your direct line or extension number and place a call to yourself.

Q: You can narrow or broaden an Internet search by using ________ such as AND, OR, and NOT. A) Boolean operators B) Hyborian markers C) Metadata curators D) Cyber segues

Q: ________ scan millions of websites to identify individual webpages that contain a specific word or phrase and then attempt to rank the results from most useful to least useful. A) General-purpose search engines B) Category tagging sites C) Mobile content managers D) Multipurpose web portals

Q: Using numbers when possible eliminates potential confusion with international audiences because dates and amounts are conveyed in the same way throughout the world.

Q: Memos or email messages are the most frequent methods for sharing procedures and instructions for internal business communication when a written record is needed.

Q: You're preforming ________ when you consult books, periodicals, online databases, and other research reports looking for research that was done previously for another purpose. A) stealth research B) secondary research C) peripheral research D) primary research

Q: Asking a colleague or employee to walk through the steps outlined in a procedural document is recommended prior to finalizing the document.

Q: According to the fair use doctrine A) plagiarism is not an issue in the business world – it is a problem only in schools and academic circles. B) crediting sources is all that is necessary to avoid legal problems. C) once material is made public, it no longer belongs to the author. D) you can use other people's work only if you don't prevent them from benefiting as a result.

Q: The Equal Credit Opportunity Act requires that a credit applicant be notified of a credit decision within 10 days of receipt of the request or application.

Q: You would not need to cite a source if you have A) used a direct quotation of under 250 words from a book titled Modern Economics. B) used a table from the 1985 Farmer's Almanac. C) described, in your own words, a plan for organizing production lines, which appeared in a professional journal. D) provided general knowledge about your topic.

Q: When asked to provide credit information about an account holder, good advice is to report only facts and avoid opinions about the applicant.

Q: Innovations in research technology allow you to A) completely avoid unreliable information on the web. B) rely exclusively on standard search engines, regardless of your needs. C) access all online databases free of charge. D) find webpages, as well as the documents and webpages that are linked to those sites.

Q: Illustrators can stand on their own and often function as replacements for words.

Q: Common invasions of privacy resulting from the use of technology include which of the following? a. Organizations collecting excessive amounts of information for decision making. b. Employers monitoring the time employees spend on a task. c. Supervisors reading employees' electronic mail. d. All of the above.

Q: After you've developed a problem statement to define the problem or purpose of your research, your next step will involve A) evaluating sources of information. B) analyzing numerical data and textual information. C) creating a knowledge manipulation system to categorize your research. D) discovering the specific information gaps that your research must fill.