Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Chapter 9: Writing Reports and Proposals
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following is NOT a function of business reports?
A. data transfer
B. proposing a solution to some problem
C. providing information that helps the organization achieve its objectives
D. all of these
2. In what order is the groundwork of a report completed?
A. develop recommendations, define the problem, seek data
B. define the problem, develop recommendations, seek data
C. develop recommendations, seek data, define the problem
D. seek data, define the problem, develop recommendations
3. Which of the following factors should influence the format that a report takes?
A. audience
B. legality
C. direct order
D. indirect order
4. The pattern of organization for a report dealing with chronologically sequenced
material would be ______.
A. place
B. quantity
C. quality
D. time
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
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5. Organization by ______ is the most common organizational plan because it is so
broad.
A. quantity or size
B. criteria or factors
C. place
D. quality
6. Which of the following is a function of headings in a report?
A. headings minimize white space
B. headings spell out the significance of the material in a section
C. headings act as signposts to guide the reader through the report
D. all of these
7. A memo report ______.
A. always uses direct order
B. employs headings
C. always includes bulleted lists
D. does not include visual aids
8. The final paragraph of a letter report should contain ______.
A. a statement of goodwill
B. a summary
C. authorization details
D. a reminder of the contractual agreement
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
9. The report’s title page includes all of the following EXCEPT ______.
A. the heading “Title Page”
B. the report’s title
C. identifications of the writer and the intended reader(s)
D. date
10. The executive summary of a formal report is also known as the ______.
A. heading
B. table of contents
C. recap
D. synopsis
11. The executive summary should be ______ the length of the report.
A. 1/4
B. 1/6
C. 1/9
D. 1/10
12. Which is an optional element in the introduction of a formal report?
A. a plan of development
B. a statement of methodology
C. definitions of key terms
D. a statement of authorization
13. Which is NOT a correct form of back matter?
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
A. a reference list of secondary research
B. an executive summary
C. a bibliography of useful sources
D. supplemental material that would interrupt the continuity of the report proper
14. Which is NOT true of visual aids in reports?
A. they should clarify the information in the report
B. they should be referred to in the text
C. abbreviations should not be used
D. tables and figures are numbered as separate series
15. Which of the following is the most dramatic visual aid?
A. table
B. bar graph
C. pie chart
D. none of these
16. Which statement about visual aids is false?
A. They range from dramatic to informational.
B. They are placed close to the first reference or as back matter.
C. The choice of aid depends on the formality of the report.
D. They may appear as appendixes.
17. An example of an informal business report is a(n) ______.
A. trip report
B. proposal
C. RFP
D. annual report
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
18. Which of the following is NOT considered front matter of a formal report?
A. title page
B. introduction
C. executive summary
D. table of contents
19. Which of the following is NOT considered back matter of a formal report?
A. glossary
B. bibliography
C. acknowledgments
D. appendix
20. The formality of a report depends on ______.
A. its significance
B. precedent
C. effort
D. all of these
21. A popular format for formal business reports is ______.
A. PowerPoint decks
B. memos
C. e-mails
D. blogs
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
22. Indirect order is usually the best arrangement of points for ______.
A. routine reports
B. proposals
C. informative reports
D. good news
23. Direct order is usually the best arrangement of points for ______.
A. proposals
B. negative news
C. routine reports
D. long formal reports
24. The introduction of a memo report should include which of the following?
A. purpose
B. data sources
C. scope
D. all of these
25. Letter reports differ from memo reports according to ______.
A. format, tone, and audience
B. introduction, body, and conclusion
C. direct, neutral, and indirect order
D. all of these
26. How many tables and figures should be included in a report to warrant a list of
illustrations in the front matter?
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
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A. 1
B. 5
C. 10
D. 15
True/False
1. With the advent of new technology, written reports are being phased out.
2. The groundwork or preliminary effort a report writer makes before the report is written
often takes more time than actually writing the report.
3. Most of the data needed for business reports are primary data.
4. Formality and frequency are two elements by which reports can be classified.
5. Long reports tend to have a more informal appearance.
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
6. Reports requiring less effort should be written less formally.
7. Indirect order is usually preferred for short reports and proposals.
8. Organization by place is appropriate for a report dealing with simultaneous but
separate events.
9. Headings are a useful tool in guiding the reader through the report.
10. The memo report starts with a brief introduction that tells the purpose of the report
and who authorized it.
11. When intended readers are internal to the organization, a letter report is the
appropriate format.
12. Headings are NOT appropriate in a letter report because the length is usually only
5–8 pages.
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
13. Generally, the title page is the first page for most formal reports.
14. The title page serves to motivate the reader to read, interpret, and use the formal
report.
15. Back matter is optional for a formal report.
16. Visual aids can be incorporated into the report proper or attached as back matter,
depending on the material and on the audience.
17. In general, more sophisticated audiences and those already familiar with the
workings of a business will appreciate dramatic visual aids.
18. The most common reason that managers write reports is that someone asked them
to.
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
19. Actually writing the report takes more time than doing the preliminary groundwork.
20. A report writer should gather data before developing solutions or action items.
Short Answer
1. Explain the differences between dramatic and informational visual aids. Why is the
line graph both dramatic and informational?
2. What are the steps in composing an executive summary for a report?
3. How do headings in a report indicate the relative significance of the material?
Hynes, Managerial Communication 7e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
4. What purposes does the transmittal document serve?