If you have a personal webpage or e-portfolio, you should list it on your rsum under
“Contact Information.”
The most common supplementary parts to include in a formal report are the appendix,
the bibliography, and the index.
The more decorative elements you can add to a graphic, the more interesting and useful
it will be to the audience.
Virtual meetings offer more visual contact than traditional, face-to-face meetings.
You don’t need to verify information that you plan to use in a report.
If your purpose is to analyze, persuade, or collaborate, organize your speech around
conclusions and recommendations or a logical argument.
When adopting the “you” attitude, words such as “you” and “yours” should be replaced
with words such as “I,” “me,” “we,” and “us.”
Proposals are classified in two ways: internal versus external, and solicited versus
unsolicited.
The direct approach opens with a justification of your request.
Clarity can be improved by looking closely at organization, structure, and word choices.
Paraphrases do not require documentation of sources.
Grammarians and professional editors agree on the rules of grammar.
Buzzwords and clichs serve the same purpose in a message.
Building a strong relationship with the reader of your reports begins with the planning
process.
Headings should identify the topic, and do nothing else.
The primary purpose of an internal proposal is either to request funds and management
support for new projects or to obtain permission to take action on specific projects.
When a document is short and concise, readers will feel that not enough time was
devoted to the writing process.
Each generation in the workplace has been shaped by different world events that have
influenced communication, values, and expectations at the workplace.
Refusing a request to write a recommendation letter generally calls for using the
indirect approach and a great deal of diplomacy.
An application letter can follow the AIDA format for persuasive messages.
Revising your message is important because readers are likely to equate the quality of
your writing with the quality of your thinking.
It is ethically acceptable to omit some important information if you think your audience
will not be interested.
Because using a mobile device is so convenient, most mobile users aren’t pressed for
time; so, they enjoy receiving intricate promotional messages.
A job offer and a written acceptance of the offer can constitute a legally binding
contract.
Thanks to software such as PowerPoint, Keynote, and Prezi, preparing presentation
visuals now requires almost no planning.
Culture influences how messages are sent and received in the workplace.
When determining which color to use as a design element, it is important to remember
that color has different meanings in other cultures.
Operating reports establish expectations and guidelines to direct future action.
If you are writing to someone to request a recommendation letter for a job or
scholarship, you should include a stamped, preaddressed envelope for mailing.
If you get off to a bad start in a job interview, you can usually turn things around with a
strong finish during the closing stage.
Diversity has very little effect on the communication process if it is acknowledged in
the planning phase.
To increase the sophistication of your message, make liberal use of references such as
“the latter,” “the former,” “the aforementioned,” and “as mentioned above.”
To emphasize a dependent clause, it is better to place it at the end of a sentence rather
than in the middle.
Because promotional messages are not legally binding contracts in most states, it is
usually acceptable to imply offers or promises you cannot deliver.
What are fraudulent messages that trick users into giving out sensitive information or
access to a protected network?
A) Phishing
B) Viruses
C) Spam
D) Junk
E) Filters
When editing for conciseness, which of the following should be eliminated?
A) Headings
B) Verbs
C) “It is” and “There are” starters
D) Short paragraphs
E) Bullets and lists
Which of the following is the best choice for lengthy or complex private messages?
A) Instant messaging
B) Email
C) A secure channel
D) Acronyms
E) Mobile blogging
Which of the following can make it a challenge to define the audience for a blog?
A) It is less cost effective to target a small audience
B) You can’t determine the relationship you want with the audience members
C) You might get too many comments and questions from an audience that is too large
to manage
D) Most readers follow too many blogs
E) The audience needs to be large enough for the effort but narrow enough to create
focus
In a ________, one or more interviewers meet with several candidates at the same time.
A) conversational interview
B) stress interview
C) group interview
D) behavioral interview
Which of the following is the process of determining what the camera sees when you
aim it?
A) Prop placement
B) B-roll
C) Framing
D) Postproduction footage
E) Shot list
Which of the following can be used to show how ideas are connected to each other?
A) Unified paragraphs
B) Concrete words and phrases
C) Transitions
D) Topic sentences
E) Abstract words
Twitter followers consider ________ to be the most valuable type of tweets.
A) generic messages, such as saying “good morning”
B) messages that engage followers, such as asking them for advice
C) complaints from someone who’s stuck in traffic or having a bad day
D) random musings about a weekend at the beach
How do businesspeople influence audience members?
A) By showing the “you” attitude
B) By acting as an ethical and honest force
C) By providing information and aiding understanding
D) By determining their best interest, and getting the audience to agree
E) By maintaining the highest standards of business ethics
In order to do an effective job at proofreading a document,
A) scan each page as quickly as you can.
B) go through the document several times.
C) avoid using a systematic approach.
D) stop the process after you’ve run the spell-checker.
Which of the following is the most important element to include in support sentences?
A) New topics
B) Connotative words
C) Denotative words
D) Opinions
E) Evidence
Use ________ when you need to help your audience grasp key points about sets of data
or visualize connections between ideas.
A) facts and figures
B) descriptions
C) visual aids
D) narratives or stories
Nonverbal signals can ________ a verbal message.
A) strengthen
B) weaken
C) replace
D) all of the above
Bar charts can be used to compare more than one set of data.
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
Which of the following is one way utilizing mobile technology helps companies to
reduce costs and hire nontraditional employees?
A) By making it easier to consume content
B) By allowing telecommuting
C) By incorporating podcasts
D) By allowing text messaging grammar
E) By improving sensory and cognitive extensions
Which of the following should you look for when proofreading for missing elements?
A) Punctuation
B) Missing exhibits such as tables and graphs
C) Inconsistent fonts
D) Misspelled words
E) Incorrect margins
Which listening skill is being used when biases are minimized and there is an attempt to
understand what the other party is saying?
A) Persuasive
B) Active
C) Content
D) Empathetic
E) Critical
How should your rsum primarily be organized?
A) Based on your strengths
B) Based on your education
C) Based on your skills
D) Based on your previous experience
E) Based on your interests
Which type of report is used to judge the likelihood of success when launching new
products?
A) Troubleshooting
B) Feasibility
C) Market analysis
D) Failure analysis
E) Due diligence
When an organization links employees with a supplier or customer that shares their
interest, what type of network has been developed?
A) Knowledge organization
B) Community of practice
C) Intranet
D) Multimedia
E) Unified
Which one of the following visuals would do the best job of illustrating trends over
time?
A) Table
B) Line chart
C) Pie chart
D) Organization chart
E) Pictogram
You can make the material on your blog easier to locate by
A) opting out of newsfeed options.
B) tagging the material with descriptive words.
C) including long, complex headings.
D) eliminating links to other blogs and websites.
Bob N. Zing, the Director of Human Resources at CAP Co, Inc., has to write an internal
message to announce impending layoffs across the company. Rather than addressing the
layoffs directly, Bob decides to refer to them as restructuring operations and
eliminating redundancies. In this case, these euphemisms
A) reflect the standards of ethical information.
B) convey the “you attitude” for delivering bad news.
C) help employees understand the gravity of the situation.
D) fail to meet the “you” attitude test and ethical information standards.
The ________ of a message involves the total effect of elements such as page or screen
design, typography, and graphics.
A) resonance
B) semantic structure
C) production quality
D) information value
Which of the following is the process of reporting unethical or illegal behavior within a
company?
A) Buffering
B) Whistle-blowing
C) Defamation
D) Goodwill
E) Crisis management
Which of the following is one way to improve your understanding of nonverbal
communication?
A) Separate nonverbal signals from the communication process
B) Avoid replacing words with cues
C) Avoid physical touch if warmth and understanding needs to be displayed
D) Communicate at a time that works best for you
E) Watch for cues from gestures and posture
What is the advantage of using classroom or theater seating for a presentation?
A) There is more interaction among audience members
B) It encourages collaborative activities
C) Attention is focused on the speaker
D) The speaker can walk around the room to interact with the audience
E) It is easier to move into small groups for breakout sessions
Which of the following is a disadvantage of using Prezis to create visuals?
A) They are less flexible in how they can be structured
B) They can be difficult to access during a presentation
C) It is difficult to incorporate other media elements, such as video
D) The main idea can be lost as the presenter jumps from topic to topic
E) They are easy to create and edit
How can scheduling a messaging exchange make the exchange more efficient and
effective?
A) Lengthy and complex information can be included and discussed without
interruption
B) There will be less need to focus on the planning and completing aspects of the
three-step writing process
C) Planning time is reduced because writing style and tone will be less critical
D) The recipient can carry on multiple conversations at the same time and increase their
efficiency level
E) The recipient can treat the message like a scheduled meeting and be available
without interruption
Which of the following will help improve the clarity of a document?
A) Incorporate hedging sentences
B) Vary parallel construction
C) Break up overly long sentences
D) Add dangling modifiers
E) Use noun sequences whenever possible
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other technologies are key elements of the ________,
in which information tools can waste as much time as they save.
A) social media conundrum
B) time-space continuum
C) information technology paradox
D) digital efficiency enigma
When are photographs the most effective choice for visuals?
A) When you wish to emphasize relevant and specific parts
B) When it is important to show both concepts and ideas
C) When there is a structure narrative to the visual
D) When you need to show exact appearance
E) When the visual will function as a standalone document
Describe seven strategies for writing readable content for slides.
How can virtual reality be used in a training environment?
Discuss the key attraction of podcasting and how to make the process more effective.
List at least three benefits of effective listening in business.
Identify six “stock” questions you can expect to hear repeatedly during your interviews.
Briefly discuss strategies for responding to them.
Discuss ways to retain information when the information is important and might be
used later.
In preparing a presentation for a local community group, you need to describe the
process your plant uses to manufacture home appliances. What type of visual should
you use to describe the process, and why?
Today’s workplace includes the members of four generations: the Radio Generation,
Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. What challenges does the composition
of the contemporary workforce pose for on-the-job communication?
Briefly explain what the opening of a document should accomplish.
Discuss the importance of privacy and security when considering electronic distribution
methods.
Describe steps that will help when editing for clarity.
How is parallel construction used in writing?
What is the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse?
Discuss the type of information that should be in each section of an application letter if
you were using the AIDA plan.
Identify and define the four basic varieties of sentences.
What is culture?
When planning a presentation, what does it mean to analyze the situation? Briefly
explain each of the tasks involved.
Discuss ways to develop strong recommendations for your audience.
Discuss the power of visual elements in business communication.