Business Communication Today, 14e (Bovee/Thill)
Chapter 15 Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals
1) To gain credibility with your audience in a business report, do all of the following EXCEPT
A) research all sides of your topic.
B) use credible sources to support your findings.
C) avoid setting unrealistic expectations.
D) allow your desires to determine the length of the report.
2) Which of the following will help a reader navigate a document more easily?
A) Visuals
B) A formal tone
C) An introduction
D) A strong closing section
E) Headings and links
3) When you’re writing a report, be sure to adapt to your audience by
A) being sensitive to their needs.
B) controlling your style and tone.
C) building strong relationships with them.
D) all of the above.
4) Which of the following is one of the advantages of using headings in a report?
A) They identify the framework of a report
B) They eliminate relationships between subordinate and main ideas
C) They indicate the importance of preview sections
D) They eliminate the need for review sections
E) They minimize style and tone
5) Which of the following can be used to visually indicate shifts from one idea to the next?
A) Paragraphs
B) Headings
C) Charts
D) Tables
E) Preview sections
6) When incorporating complex information into a report, how can you introduce new, important
topics?
A) Avoid transitions to avoid confusion with previous material
B) Use third level headings
C) Add links to additional information
D) Include review sections
E) Include preview sections
7) Which of the following can be used to help readers absorb details of complex information
while keeping track of the goal of the report?
A) Review sections
B) Headings
C) Transitions
D) Preview sections
E) White space
8) In order to help your readers understand and accept your message
A) use headings and links.
B) include smooth transitions.
C) provide previews and reviews.
D) do all of the above.
9) When is a more formal tone appropriate for an internal audience?
A) When the report is short
B) When you have already established your credibility
C) When you are using online tools to send the message
D) When the topic is complex or controversial
E) When you do not use preview or review sections
10) Which of the following can create a message that is formal, businesslike, and unemotional?
A) Use colorful, descriptive language
B) Use humor when possible
C) Add similes to aid explanation
D) Avoid using a journalistic writing style
E) Eliminate words such as “you” and “I”
11) If you’re writing a formal business report, you should
A) use the impersonal journalism style.
B) rely on first- and second-person pronouns.
C) focus on similes, metaphors, and colorful language.
D) use contractions to engage your audience.
E) use colorful language to add interest.
12) The writing style for a report should be more formal when
A) you know your readers reasonably well.
B) your report is intended for internal distribution.
C) the subject is controversial or complex.
D) the report is relatively short.
E) the report will be read online.
13) When writing business reports for outsiders (such as customers or suppliers), it is best to
A) use a more formal tone than you would for an internal audience.
B) use a less formal tone than you would for an internal audience.
C) avoid the use of headings, transitions, previews, and reviews.
D) sprinkle your writing with idioms, acronyms, and jargon.
E) start the report by explaining why they need your help.
14) Transitional words and phrases
A) connect ideas by helping readers move from one thought to the next.
B) should be removed from written material to make it more concise.
C) are essential to analytical reports but unnecessary in informational reports.
D) aren’t necessary in a report that uses a system of headings and subheadings.
E) should be used for headings and subheading.
15) Which of the following would be the most effective preview in a formal report?
A) Our sales in the eastern region have plummeted, but we think we know the cause, and it is
definitely not our fault.
B) So far, we have discussed three essential elements: price, service, and performance.
C) The next section will present the advantages of using social media to connect with your
customers.
D) Okay, now for the important part.
16) Effective transitions in business reports
A) are limited to keywords and short transitions.
B) should not exceed the length of one sentence.
C) may be as long as a paragraph.
D) are included between major sections but never within each section.
E) are cited when they were part of a study.
17) Effective business writers use ________ to help readers prepare for upcoming information
and ________ to help them verify and clarify what they’ve just read.
A) introductions; conclusions
B) previews; reviews
C) synopses; executive summaries
D) headings; subheadings
E) executive summaries; reviews
18) When preparing review sections in a report
A) always write them in narrative form, not as lists.
B) use multiple review sections if the report is long and complex.
C) introduce new facts and information to support the review points.
D) avoid headings and subheadings.
E) avoid restating technical information found in the report.
19) ________ come after a body of material in a report, and they summarize the information
included in that material.
A) Extension sections
B) Review sections
C) Transposition sections
D) Preview sections
E) Tables of content
20) If you use the impersonal journalism style to write a business message, your tone will not be
A) objective.
B) unemotional.
C) conversational.
D) businesslike.
21) Building a strong relationship with the reader of your reports begins with the planning
process.
22) In order to set a formal tone in a report, include first-person and second-person pronouns in
your writing.
23) List three ways to increase the formality of business reports.
24) Identify and discuss five elements that characterize credible, professional report content.
25) Discuss the value of using headings in reports and proposals.
26) How do transitions help a reader move through sections of a report?
27) Discuss key points of controlling the style and tone in a message.
28) Which section of a report helps the reader understand the context of the report by tying it to a
business problem or an assignment?
A) Conclusion
B) Recommendations
C) Close
D) Body
E) Introduction
29) Which section of a report presents and interprets information gathered during an
investigation?
A) Transition
B) Review
C) Close
D) Body
E) Introduction
30) Which section of a report is used to support conclusions and recommendations?
A) Transition
B) Review
C) Close
D) Body
E) Introduction
31) Which of the following is a key function of the close of a report?
A) It indicates why the subject matter is important
B) It interprets data
C) It supports your recommendations
D) It analyzes information gathered during research
E) It summarizes key points
32) In which section of a report should all action items be brought together?
A) Transition
B) Preview
C) Close
D) Body
E) Introduction
33) Which of the following is achieved when presenting all information, including information
that does NOT support your line of reasoning?
A) Documentation
B) Balance
C) Logic
D) Clarity
E) Accuracy
34) Which of the following will help make a report clear and logical?
A) Include all essential information even if it doesn’t support your line of reasoning
B) Tell the readers what they need to know, but no more, and no less
C) Identify ideas that belong together and organize them so they are easy to understand
D) Use primary and secondary sources and give proper credit to sources
E) Present all sides of the issue fairly and equitably
35) Which section are readers most likely to read when they are in a hurry and won’t read the
entire report?
A) Preview
B) Introduction
C) Body
D) Summary
E) Recommendations
36) The introduction (or opening) of a business report should
A) discuss your conclusions or recommendations.
B) include all of your information sources.
C) carry the full weight of your message.
D) help readers understand the context of the report.
E) offer a detailed course of action to be followed.
37) The detailed proof needed to support your conclusions and recommendations should appear
in the ________ of your report.
A) opening
B) body
C) close
D) appendix
E) summary
38) Don’t ________ in the closing section of a business report.
A) summarize the key points included in the report
B) introduce new material to expand the scope of the report
C) bring all of the action items together in one place
D) present the benefits of following the report’s recommendations
39) In order to help your readers make informed decisions
A) tell them what they need to know—no more, no less.
B) withhold information that doesn’t suit your needs.
C) present your raw data, so they can compile it as they see fit.
D) manipulate the data to smooth out negative trends.
E) include copies of all research articles used in compiling the report.
40) As stated in your textbook, effective report content is accurate. Therefore, information
presented in the report
A) should be positive.
B) must be easy to find.
C) should be relatively precise.
D) must be factually correct.
E) must include all alternatives.
41) When you’re using a direct approach to present a report, use ________; however, ________
will be more effective, if you’re using an indirect approach to present a report.
A) descriptive headings; informative headings
B) structured headings; unstructured headings
C) informative headings; descriptive headings
D) parallel headings; decorative headings
E) unstructured headings; subheadings
42) When you’re writing a(n) ________ for a report, present the report’s main points in the order
they appear in the text.
A) executive forecast
B) informative synopsis
C) descriptive synopsis
D) transactional document
E) recommendation
43) The general purpose of a proposal is to
A) showcase your writing skills.
B) adorn your company’s Facebook page.
C) educate readers about your company.
D) persuade readers to do something.
E) provide results from in-house focus groups.
44) As it applies to writing a business report, use ________ to compose sentences that are
uncluttered, carefully worded, and coherent.
A) accuracy
B) balance
C) clarity and logic
D) proper documentation
45) Using descriptive headings, such as “Effects of Pay Scales on Employee Turnover,” will help
you maintain a hard-hitting, direct tone in a business report.
46) In the workplace, readers will prejudge the quality of your products or services by the
proposal you submit.
47) You don’t need to verify information that you plan to use in a report.
48) When you’re composing a business report, only include the information that supports your
line of reasoning.
49) You don’t have to worry about documenting your sources of information when you’re writing
a report or proposal in the workplace.
50) What is a synopsis? How does it differ from an executive summary?
51) List at least three factors that can help you decide what parts to include in a business report.
52) List three functions of the close in a business report.