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Quintanilla, Business and Professional Communication: KEYS for Workplace Excellence 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
Chapter 9: Business and Professional Writing
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Message clarity within written communication begins with which of the following?
a. organization
b. purpose
c. proofreading
d. outlining
2. Luke tells his team that they need to be more productive. Which is the best statement Luke
could make to clarify that request?
a. “Each of you need to generate three reports per week.”
b. “Be more productive or you will be demoted.”
c. “More productivity will increase the chance of a bonus.”
d. “Each of you need to work harder.”
3. Which of the following is part of the components of a writing startup sheet?
a. proposal
b. audience
c. rejection
d. proofreading
4. Cover letters should be written in the form of which of the following?
a. business report
b. business memo
c. personal letter
d. business letter
5. An employee’s positive performance should be documented in which of the following?
a. employee review
b. internal memo
c. business letter
d. thank-you letter
6. These are used when an organization or business wants to make an announcement to the
community.
a. business letters
b. press releases
c. business cards
d. employee reviews
7. Which of the following best applies to the most professional thank-you letters?
a. emailed for quick delivery
Quintanilla, Business and Professional Communication: KEYS for Workplace Excellence 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
b. sent with a full letter
c. handwritten
d. delivered in person
8. Why or to whom should memos be sent?
a. to everyone in the company
b. as frequently as possible
c. for critical information only
d. to reprimand employees
9. Linda’s organization has just changed their policy on reporting overtime. Linda should include
the information about the new policy in which of the following?
a. process directive
b. internal letter
c. external memo
d. proactive memo
10. Which of the following is a type of quantitative data?
a. interview transcript
b. survey results
c. open-ended comments
d. phrases
11. Which of the following would likely be included in an external communication plan?
a. employee orientation
b. meeting agenda
c. company update
d. proactive media strategy
12. Press releases are used to do which of these?
a. apologize to the public
b. announce job openings to agencies
c. make announcements to the media
d. assure the public that the company is in compliance
13. Proactive media writing is a form of written communication similar to a press release that
emphasizes an organization’s commitment to which of these?
a. safety and compliance
b. harming the environment
c. industry standards
d. city governments
14. “Dr. Black’s teacher evaluation scores ranked in the top 2% of the entire University results”
is an example of using which of the following?
Quintanilla, Business and Professional Communication: KEYS for Workplace Excellence 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
a. general language
b. a summary
c. a vivid illustration
d. specific language
15. Ted is writing a business request for his boss and is worrying about whether he should send
his message by hard copy or by email. Also, Ted is not sure when to send his request. Ted is
worrying about which aspect of his message?
a. timing
b. delivery
c. purpose
d. language
16. Which of the following should be included on a business letter with price quote?
a. scope of work
b. recommended changes to the requirements
c. deadline for payment
d. breakdown of profits
17. What is the purpose of a business letter for employee downsizing?
a. to inform other businesses about skilled employees available for employment
b. to inform employees they are being downsized
c. to motivate employees to increase value and production
d. to inform shareholders about company business
Quintanilla, Business and Professional Communication: KEYS for Workplace Excellence 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
18. What type of people should you use for letters of recommendation?
a. friends with whom you party
b. previous employers
c. neighbors
d. employees who worked for you
19. Dan was recently fired from his job after it was found out that he borrowed heavily from
another coworker on his business proposal (without giving proper credit). Dan crossed the
ethical boundary of which of these?
a. copying
b. plagiarism
c. stealing
d. grammar
20. Which of the following is an example of an external communication plan?
a. a companywide email explaining how to file a grievance with a superior
b. an employee drafting a new communication chart for the department
c. a department’s new outline on drafting press releases
d. a memo detailing the company’s policy on internet use
21. When would you want to use qualitative data in a business proposal?
a. when highlighting consumer feedback on a product
b. when outlining the sales growth percentage for a product
c. when comparing the gross versus net profits of a product
d. when identifying the highest sales via customer demographics on a product
22. Which of the following is an example of a networking note?
a. a note expressing appreciation to a coworker
b. a note thanking a customer for their business
c. a note offering new products and services to a community
d. a note reminding an employer about your interview and qualifications
23. John recently assessed several important issues facing his department and sent his findings
to his superior. This is an example of a(n) ______.
a. proposal
b. report
c. planning document
d. assessment
24. What does strategic planning encourage the development of?
a. plagiarism
Quintanilla, Business and Professional Communication: KEYS for Workplace Excellence 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
b. initiative
c. reduced productivity
d. lower sales and profits
25. Striving for written communication excellence involves paying attention to which of the
following?
a. thickness of the paper
b. message clarity
c. how many proofreaders see the communication first
d. downsizing the letter
26. “Come to my office to discuss the future” is an example of which of these?
a. general language
b. specific language
c. authoritarian language
d. democratic language
27. What question do you need to answer in order to identify your specific purpose or thesis
statement of your intended message?
a. What do I want to say?
b. What is the key message I want my audience to take away?
c. Why am I writing this?
d. What am I getting out of this?
Quintanilla, Business and Professional Communication: KEYS for Workplace Excellence 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
28. Which of these makes precise references?
a. specific language
b. general language
c. directive language
d. emergent language
29. Unlike spoken communication, there is a lasting ______ to your written communication.
a. impression
b. memory
c. visual element
d. aural aspect
30. Which of these is a list of questions that encourage the writer to think about audience,
purpose, key issues, and delivery?
a. writing startup sheet
b. rough draft
c. general guide
d. outline
31. Alicia was hoping to get promoted in the next 6 months. She had done all the things she
thought she needed to do, and her boss had told her as much in their informal conversations.
When her file went up for review, she was denied the promotion because there was no
documentation of her achievements and performance on file. Though she appreciated informal
praise for her work, what Alicia needed was
a. a boss that went to bat for her
b. employee reviews in her file
c. more experience
d. process directives
32. Which of these constitutes a method of informing employees how they can improve on the
job?
a. formal interviews
b. informal conversations
c. employee reviews
d. none of these
33. These are a form of thank-you letter used to remind employers of your interview and to
emphasize that you’re the right person for the job.
a. networking notes
b. Brown-nosing notes
c. follow-up notes
d. memos
34. This is a short note or update distributed in business.
a. thank-you letter
b. memo
c. email
d. text
35. Of the choices below, which is a plan that focuses on communication taking place inside the
daily operations of any given business?
a. internal communication plan
b. external communication plan
c. communication plan
d. general communication plan
36. Which of the following is a form of written communication similar to a press release that
emphasizes an organization’s commitment to safety and compliance?
a. proactive media writing
b. thank-you letter
c. employee review
d. examination
37. Tomas would live to know how he is doing at work and wants to be able to improve so he
can earn a future promotion. Which document will be the most useful to Tomas?
a. proactive media writing
b. thank-you letter
c. employee review
d. examination
38. Harold is working on his writing and message delivery. He has created a list of questions
that encourage him to think about his audience, his purpose, key issues, and his delivery. This is
known as which of the following?
a. writing startup sheet
b. proactive media writing
c. thank-you letter
d. memo
39. Which of these is a plan that focuses on communicating information about the organization
or business to citizens or employees’ families outside any given business?
a. external communication plan
b. thank-you letter
c. internal communication plan
d. quantitative data
40. Mr. Jackson is trying to determine how to formulate his proposal and has decided that he
will use data characterized by words, phrases, responses to open-ended questions, and
interviews. Mr. Jackson has decided to use which of these?
a. quantitative data
b. workforce communication assessment
c. process directives
d. qualitative data
True/False
1. Excellent written communication begins by reflecting on the general purpose.
2. Using general language in written communication can often lead to misunderstandings.
3. Writing startup sheets are used for employees to begin outlining press releases.
