Business Communication Today, 12e (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) 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.
3) Being sensitive to the needs of your audience is important because
A) long technical documents put heavy demands on readers.
B) audience members can have widely different information needs.
C) today’s readers may lack the time or inclination to read a report from top-to-bottom.
D) all of the above.
4) 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.
5) 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.
6) 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.
7) 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.
8) The primary benefits of using a system of headings in a workplace document do not include
A) improving the document’s readability.
B) filling up “dead space” in the document.
C) indicating shifts from one idea to the next.
D) identifying the framework of the document.
9) 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.
10) Effective transitions in business reports
A) are limited to key words 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.
11) 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
12) 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.
13) 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) do all of the above.
14) Which of the following would be the most effective way to phrase a review in a formal
report?
A) As this section has shown, our current marketing strategy is highly effective.
B) The next segment illustrates potential challenges that our company faces in the coming
decade.
C) Having outlined the details, I will now offer a few other points.
D) Now that the body of the report is finished, supporting evidence needs to be provided.
15) 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.
16) The ________ is not included in the prefatory parts of a formal report.
A) cover
B) letter of authorization
C) introduction
D) table of contents
17) 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
18) 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
19) 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.
20) 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.
21) 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
22) The general purpose of a ________ is to persuade the audience to do something.
A) proposal
B) presentation
C) press release
D) research report
23) The writing approach for a proposal is similar to the approach used for persuasive sales
messages, so you can
A) follow the AIDA model.
B) follow the good-news message plan.
C) minimize the “you” attitude.
D) open with a buffer statement.
24) Which of the following is not an element normally included in the introduction of a
proposal?
A) Background/statement of the problem or opportunity
B) Proposed solution to the problem
C) The scope of the proposal
D) Statement of qualifications
25) In a formal proposal, the work plan section
A) reviews the situation at hand and explains the need for action.
B) describes your action plan for accomplishing the work that must be done.
C) describes your organization’s experience, personnel, and facilities.
D) emphasizes the benefits and advantages of your proposed solution.
26) Describing your organization’s qualifications in a formal proposal is
A) considered arrogant and should be avoided.
B) appropriate, but only in the introduction.
C) an essential part of the body section of the proposal.
D) a good idea only when your recommendations are controversial.
27) The close of a proposal should
A) summarize how your proposed solution will benefit the reader.
B) reemphasize why your firm is the right choice for the job.
C) ask for a decision from the reader.
D) do all of the above.
28) In a proposal to install an air conditioning system, statements such as “Our company has over
25 years of experience installing heating, plumbing, and air conditioning systems” should appear
in what section?
A) Introduction
B) Body
C) Close
D) Appendix
29) Which of the following is not a typical function of the introduction to a report?
A) Telling the audience what the report is about
B) Explaining to readers why they should be concerned about the topic
C) Outlining how the report is organized
D) Documenting the sources of information used in the report
30) The introductory section of a formal proposal includes all of the following except
A) a statement of your qualifications.
B) the scope or boundaries of the proposal.
C) background information or a problem statement.
D) an overview of how the document is organized.
31) Which of the following would be the most effective way to deliver a report that you’ve
prepared for a small group of managers in your local office?
A) Delivering the report to them in person
B) Texting them to download the report from your personal webpage
C) Spending extra money to hire a professional courier to deliver the report
D) Saving the report in an open-source format on a USB drive and sending it to them via snail
mail
32) Within the context of preparing formal reports and proposals, the term limitations refers to
A) the boundaries of your proposal, what you can and can’t do.
B) excuses for inadequate research or a poorly written report.
C) factors beyond your control that have affected the report’s outcome.
D) the risks, rewards, costs, and benefits of a specific course of action.
33) If you want to call attention to the visuals in a formal report, you should
A) create a table of contents.
B) include a list of illustrations.
C) submit them in a separate document.
D) cite their sources in the bibliography.
34) Include a title fly with business reports when you want to
A) give the name of the company for which the report has been prepared.
B) add a touch of formality to the report.
C) protect the report from dirt and careless handling.
D) provide a page for the reader to make notes on.
35) All of the following except ________ are important functions of a transmittal document in a
formal report.
A) introducing the report
B) offering to provide additional information or assistance
C) authorizing the completion of the report
D) acknowledging help received while preparing the report
36) An executive summary
A) is shorter than a synopsis.
B) presents a fully developed “mini” version of the report.
C) provides additional information (not covered in the report) that executives will need.
D) is unnecessary if the report is not intended for executives.
37) The synopsis of a formal report is
A) a brief overview of the report’s most important points.
B) a fully developed “mini” version of the report.
C) usually from one to five pages in length.
D) a list of all the headings and subheadings in the report.
38) Materials in an appendix are not incorporated into the text because
A) they are controversial.
B) they include bad news.
C) they are lengthy, or lack direct relevance to the report.
D) they will not be interesting to anyone who reads the report.
39) An index in a formal report
A) lists names, places, and subjects mentioned in the report.
B) lists only the names of authors cited in the report.
C) lists the names of things and ideas, but not individual people or authors of works.
D) involves all of the above.
40) The prefatory parts of a solicited proposal may include
A) a letter of authorization.
B) a copy of the RFP.
C) an index.
D) visual elements.
41) In a formal, unsolicited proposal, a synopsis or executive summary may be
A) essential for highlighting your competitive advantage.
B) useful if the proposal is fairly short.
C) placed in an appendix.
D) unnecessary.
42) If your company or client expects you to distribute a report online
A) double-check that you’ve uploaded the correct file.
B) make sure that you put the file in the right location.
C) verify how the report displays and functions on screen.
D) all of the above.
43) The requirements section in a request for proposals should
A) let bidders know how and when you’ll be making a decision.
B) spell out everything you expect from potential vendors.
C) provide contact information for someone who can answer detailed questions.
D) give potential bidders some background information on your organization.
44) When you’re preparing an RFP, identify decision criteria and choose information to measure
against those criteria. Otherwise, you will
A) place unreasonable demands on bidders.
B) cause unnecessary complications in your review process.
C) discourage some potentially attractive bidders from responding.
D) all of the above.
45) Managing RFPs can be labor-intensive and time-consuming. However, you can maximize
the effectiveness of the RFP process if you use a smart management approach that involves
A) identifying your decision-making criteria.
B) pressuring bidders to respond as quickly as possible.
C) maintaining a manual system for tracking responses to RFPs.
D) waiting until all bids have been received before you finalize your information needs.