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Business Communication
Q:
IMs are quick, short, and once sent are gone forever.
Q:
Discuss ways in which mobile technology is challenging the way in which businesses communicate.
Q:
When using a PowerPoint presentation to develop a sales message, the communicator is using PowerPoint as which of the following?
A. Random noise
B. Channel
C. Delivery system
D. Medium
E. Encoding device
Q:
Because IMs are personalized, you may want to use them in ways that reflect your own personality rather than the norms of business communication in your specific organization.
Q:
A message is neutral if
a. you anticipate that the reader will do as you ask without having to be persuaded.
b. the reader will comply if you mention the benefits to him or her that will follow a positive response.
c. you can ask politely and have a 50-50 chance of success.
d. you are requesting a small discount off a full-price item.
e. you expect that the reader will not question your credibility.
Q:
The method used to share an idea with an audience is called what?
A. Channel
B. Encoding
C. Medium
D. Decoding
E. Delivery
Q:
Describe what the six distinct traits of professionalism are.
Q:
Instant messaging is a good choice for simple or complex messages that require quick responses.
Q:
Audience-centered communication is based on objective, fact based information, not etiquette or other social norms.
Q:
When a communicator expresses an idea with words or images, they are doing which of the following?
A. Encoding the idea as a message
B. Writing the idea into a message
C. Sharing the idea as a message
D. Transmitting the idea to the audience
E. Developing the idea they want to communicate in the message
Q:
When writing a routine reply, you can build goodwill for your company or product by including extensive sales promotion details.
Q:
Digital information fluency is often expected of employees by employers.
Q:
When writing a routine reply, use objective, clear language to answer the reader's implied and stated questions.
Q:
Which of the following represents the expected norms of behavior in a particular situation?
A. Ethics
B. Professionalism
C. Being a team player
D. Etiquette
E. Communication
Q:
In a routine reply, avoid answering a reader's question if the answer is not what the reader wants to know.
Q:
When you expect reader resistance to your idea, you should use the indirect organizational plan for your message.
Q:
A communicator's ability to listen, understand and meet the needs of the reader is an example of what type of communication?
A. Audience-centered
B. Etiquette based
C. Digital
D. Chain of command
E. Ethical
Q:
The first paragraph of a positive routine reply should build goodwill by approaching the topic in an indirect manner.
Q:
Professionalism includes knowing how to contribute to a larger cause, and includes ________.
A. Being positive
B. Being ethical
C. Being a team player
D. Being dependable
E. Being respectful
Q:
When you use the direct organizational plan for a routine message, you present the details before the primary idea.
Q:
Research shows that many customers expect a response to a routine request within 24 hours.
Q:
Crafting a message to generate a specific response from an audience requires the use of what type of information?
A. Practical
B. Factual
C. Concise
D. Clear
E. Persuasive
Q:
Which of the following is nota good guideline for writing clearly?
a. Be sure the message is accurate and complete.
b. Use familiar words and phrases.
c. Emphasize compound sentences.
d. Avoid dangling expressions.
e. Eliminate unnecessary jargon.
Q:
Performing at a high level and conducting oneself with purpose and pride is an example of what?
A. Ethical behavior
B. Strong communication skills
C. Being a team player
D. Ethics
E. Professionalism
Q:
A routine reply that grants the reader's request should follow the direct organizational pattern.
Q:
An audience-centered approach means focusing on what?
A. The corporation's needs
B. The sender's needs
C. Technology use
D. The audience's needs
E. Time
Q:
Identify the sentence that does not contain a mechanical error.
a. Please call the Springfield; MO, office.
b. He ordered 6 new computer systems for the office.
c. I understand the brochure is completed please send me a copy.
d. The new ceo plans to improve productivity by 15% in one year.
e. We use special packaging to protect our products.
Q:
When developing a recommendation for action that might be construed negatively by stakeholders, what technique should be incorporated in the communication?
A. Practical and useful information only
B. Factual information that supports the opinion
C. Conciseness to save people's time
D. Clearly identified concepts
E. Persuasive techniques
Q:
Strong communication skills provide an opportunity to stand out from the competition.
Q:
Using concrete and specific language and including evidence to support a conclusion is an example of what type of information?
A. Practical
B. Factual
C. Concise
D. Clear
E. Persuasive
Q:
Mechanics include all of the following except
a. content.
b. punctuation.
c. number expression.
d. word division.
e. abbreviations.
Q:
Giving opinions and vague impressions allows the reader to form their own opinion about the validity of information provided.
Q:
Style consists of
a. the effective use of words, sentences, paragraphs, and tone.
b. creative ideas presented in subjunctive form.
c. the balanced use of complex, compound, and negative language.
d. business messages organized with the main point first.
e. frequent use of redundancy to reinforce important points.
Q:
In which of the following fields would the ability to share complex ideas about a project be critical?
A. Engineering
B. Sales
C. Human resources
D. Entrepreneurial start ups
E. Independent contractors
Q:
Identify the sentence that contains specific, concrete language.
a. The committee met several times to discuss the proposal.
b. Many employees are dissatisfied with the change in retirement benefits.
c. A substantial number of complaints were received from customers.
d. Three new representatives will complete their training this week.
e. The speaker used an emotional tone when addressing the sales meeting.
Q:
Which of the following least supports the purpose of communication?
A. Providing data
B. Providing information
C. Providing inspiration
D. Providing control
E. Providing insight
Q:
Techniques for creating paragraph coherence include using transitional words, creating redundancy, and building parallelism.
Q:
Which of the following is the result of using an effective communication process in an organization?
A. An effective communication process slows down the problem-solving time, allowing for better analysis of options before decisions are made.
B. An effective communication process hampers employee satisfaction and increases employee turnover.
C. An effective communication process increases timely, reliable information, leading to "information overload" during the decision making process.
D. An effective communication process is more costly than other communication processes.
E. An effective communication process provides the ability to influence others and their perceptions both in the workplace and in the greater community.
Q:
Writers should ask themselves "What's in it for me?" and then write so that the answer is obvious.
Q:
Which of the following best supports the need for effective communication in a person's career?
A. The more technical the position, the less likely the employee will need to communicate outside of the organization.
B. The higher in the organization an employee is, the more likely the employee will need to communicate effectively both internally and externally to the organization.
C. The higher in the organization an employee is, the less likely the employee will need to communicate effectively both internally and externally to the organization.
D. Top executives spend very little of the workday communicating with others.
E. Top executives spend more time listening than communicating.
Q:
All else being equal, an idea with more space devoted to it will be judged as more important than an idea covered more briefly.
Q:
Parallel structure is essential in report headings, but less important on bulleted lists on presentation slides.
Q:
Which of the following best describes the process of communication?
A. Transferring of information between senders and receivers
B. Using digital media to convey data
C. Providing inspiration to others
D. Agreed upon meaning
E. Selling an idea to those who may need it
Q:
To achieve a sincere tone, avoid obvious flattery.
Q:
A competent communicator frequently uses the word you, regardless of whether positive or negative news is conveyed.
Q:
Which of the following communication skills is least likely to be a major advantage for a recent college graduate in the workplace?
A. Computer skills
B. Writing skills
C. Listening skills
D. Speaking skills
E. Adjusting communications skills to any given situation
Q:
Using the passive voice when discussing a reader's mistake is often appropriate.
Q:
How does communication affect the leadership process?
A. The higher in the organization one moves, the more employees one has to handle communication issues.
B. The lower in the organization one is, the more one is judged on communication skills.
C. The lower in the organization one is, the more often one's work is reviewed for accuracy and attention to basic communication conventions.
D. The higher in the organization one moves, the more time one spends on the task of communicating.
E. The higher in the organization one moves, the less time one spends on the task of communicating.
Q:
Because emails are short and informal, writers using this channel may begin most sentences with "I."
Q:
You look selfish if your message focuses only on what the reader will get from doing what you request in your message.
Q:
When your message emphasizes how you, as the writer, will benefit, you are applying the "you" attitude.
Q:
When writing a letter to a customer, emphasize what your organization can do rather than what it can't do.
Q:
To build goodwill in a business letter, use neutral expressions such as cannotand will not.
Q:
Using positive expressions helps you build goodwill among audience members.
Q:
Using words such as deny and cannot helps you make a positive impression on your audience.
Q:
To avoid influencing readers' attitudes toward an idea, you should imply but not actually say that it is of "primary importance."
Q:
You are acting ethically if you imply but do not state that an idea is much more important than it is.
Q:
Three mechanical ways to emphasize an idea are enumeration, indenting from the margin, and use of italics.
Q:
You can emphasize an idea by putting it into the first or last paragraph.
Q:
Putting an idea in a short, simple sentence emphasizes its importance.
Q:
Effective communicators do not signal which of the ideas in a message are the most important, because readers should be encouraged to draw their own conclusions.
Q:
The statement "I am amazed that you filled in the form correctly" has a courteous tone.
Q:
One way to avoid exaggeration and sound more sincere is to use only an appropriate number of modifiers.
Q:
Obvious flattery detracts from the sincerity of your message.
Q:
Adapting your language to the reader's needs helps you convey an appropriately condescending attitude.
Q:
Using platitudes will give readers the sense that you have a condescending attitude.
Q:
Writing "I am sure that you will agree" in a business letter conveys an appropriate level of confidence.
Q:
Revise these sentences to conform to standard business communication principles. Add details as needed.a. If you want to order a copy of the training video, call 1-800-555-1234.b. I hope that my analogies help you understand the hierarchical structure of a file server.c. Perhaps you'd like to try the facial cream for a 30-day trial period. You might be pleased with the results.d. I realize that you are a busy account executive, but we would appreciate your completing this questionnaire.e. I know that my qualifications are worthy of an interview.f. Customers like you are this company's most valuable asset.g. Surely you realize that our business can't exist if you do not pay your bills on time.h. I am very surprised that you didn't think you'd win the election for student body president.i. Assume you are comparing the following features of two computer systems. Write a sentence that emphasizes the best feature of each system. Then write a sentence that compares the two systems in terms of memory. Finally, write a sentence comparing them in terms of capacity and stating that the lower hard-drive space is sufficient for your needs.Feature21 st CenturyWizardHard drive40.5 GB35 GBCost$2,850$2,500RAM (memory)64 MB64 MBMonitor Size15"19"j. The well-written report was prepared by the new assistant. (Emphasize the doer of the action.)k. The female supervisor will discuss the dress code for male assistants.l. We need more manpower to get the project done on time.m. Businesswomen like the extended mall hours during the holiday season.n. Mr. Johnson and Emily Warden will attend the board meeting.o. Each restaurant waiter and waitress must purchase his or her own attire.p. Each student must submit his report by the end of the month.q. The plaintiff's 60-year-old Hispanic attorney is known for winning cases.r. The snack machine gypped me out of my money.s. Teresa and Mindy, two lesbian secretaries, are great proofreaders.t. I mailed the money order on Monday.u. We have already budgeted money for another charity.v. You failed to indicate the number of dependents on the tax form.w. You need more evidence to support your claim.
Q:
In what situations should you not focus attention on the reader?
Q:
What is the "you" attitude? What are the major principles of the "you" attitude?
Q:
Revise the following sentences to conform to standard business communication principles. Add appropriate details as needed to complete the ideas.
a. There is no reason for the manager to criticize the intern's performance.
b. The warranty does notcover labor charges.
c. Your account will be delinquent if you do not pay the amount owed by March 1.
d. Our company is unable to contribute to your charitable organization.
Q:
Discuss the following principle: "Prefer positive language." Specifically, what are the general assumptions and guidelines? What words should you avoid?
Q:
List five of the seven strategies for emphasizing ideas.
Q:
Explain how the placement of an idea affects its emphasis. Discuss how much emphasis each section of a message receives, and provide examples of what types of information should be placed in each section.
Q:
Describe the levels of emphasis conveyed by (a) a simple sentence, (b) a compound sentence, and (c) a complex sentence.
Q:
Discuss the following communication principle: "Use a courteous and sincere tone." Explain how to achieve this tone and what to avoid. Include examples to illustrate your discussion.
Q:
How can you achieve a confident writing style?
Q:
Why are paragraphs that are too long or too short ineffective in business writing?
Q:
To emphasize an idea in a document, you can
a. put it in a simple sentence.
b. explain it in the second clause of a compound sentence.
c. position it after the topic sentence.
d. use parallel structure.
e. refer to it using the proper pronouns.
Q:
If you use too many modifiers or too strong modifiers in your writing, you
a. will have to support your ideas in more than one paragraph.
b. must be sure that your sentences have parallel structure.
c. could alienate your reader by appearing overconfident.
d. may sound insincere because of exaggeration.
e. can control paragraph length by using shorter sentences.