Business and Professional Communication 2e
Quintanilla and Wahl
Instructor Resource
Chapter 9: Writing With Professional Excellence
1. Message clarity within written communication begins with
2. Luke tells his team that they need to be more productive. Which is the best statement Luke
could make to clarify that request?
3. Which of the following is NOT part of the components of a writing startup sheet?
4. Cover letters should be written in the form of a
5. An employee’s positive performance should be documented in a(n).
6. How far in advance should letters of recommendation be requested?
7. The most professional thank-you letters are
8. Memos should be sent
9. Linda’s organization has just changed their policy on reporting overtime. Linda should include
the information about the new policy in a(n)
10. Which of the following is a type of quantitative data?
11. Which of the following would likely be included in an external communication plan?
12. Press releases are used to
13. Proactive media writing is a form of written communication similar to a press release that
emphasizes an organization’s commitment to
14. “Dr. Black’s teacher evaluation scores ranked in the top 2% of the entire University results”
is an example of using
15. Ted is writing a business request for his boss and is worrying about whether he should send
his message by hard copy or e-mail. Also, Ted is not sure when to send his request. Ted is
worrying about the _________ of his message.
16. Which of the following should NOT be included on a business letter with price quote?
17. What is the purpose of a business letter for employee downsizing?
18. What type of people should you use for letters of recommendation?
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
20. Which of the following is an example of an external communication plan?
21. When would you want to use qualitative data in a business proposal?
22. Which of the following is an example of a networking note?
23. John recently assessed several important issues facing his department and sent his findings
to his superior. This is an example of a(n)
24. What does strategic planning encourage the development of?
25. Excellent written communication begins by reflecting on the general purpose.
26. Using general language in written communication can often lead to misunderstandings.
27. Writing startup sheets are used for employees to begin outlining press releases.
28. Job applicants should use the business letter format of written communication to write
cover letters for job applications.
29. Anyone being asked to write a letter of recommendation should be specifically asked if they
would be willing to write a favorable letter.
30. Process directives are a form of written communication that addresses changes in company
policies.
Business and Professional Communication 2e
Quintanilla and Wahl
Instructor Resource
31. Written proposals should only include bulleted lists of objectives.
32. Interview data is a type of qualitative information included in business reports.
33. E-mail communication carries less formal expectations than written communication.
34. Thank-you notes should be sent after you have received a job offer.
35. Describe a situation in which a company would be advised to release proactive media
writing.
36. What should be included in employee reviews?
37. Why is written communication important?
38. Striving for written communication excellence involves paying attention to
39. “Come to my office to discuss the future” is an example of
40. What question do you need to answer in order to identify your specific purpose or thesis
statement of your intended message?
41. Excellence in writing requires you to evaluate your audience.
42. _________________ makes precise references.
43. Unlike spoken communication, there is a lasting _____________ to your written
communication.
44. A _________________ is a list of questions that encourage the writer to think about
audience, purpose, key issues, and delivery.
45. 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
46. ________________ are a method of informing employees how they can improve on the job.
47.________________ 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.
48. This is a short note or update distributed in business.
49. Process directives are filed as official documents of organizational policy.
50. A(n) ___________________ is a plan that focuses on communication taking place inside the
daily operations of any given business.