Businesses in the United States value punctuality and the efficient use of time.
Internal reports are more likely to be misinterpreted than external reports.
Due to potential legal problems, many companies have a policy that prevents
employees from providing recommendation letters.
Unlike words, visual images have connotative meanings that are consistent across
cultures.
Storytelling can serve as a means of strategic business analysis.
Induction refers to reasoning from a generalization to a specific conclusion.
The first design element to appear in a letter, after the letterhead, is the name of the
person the message is being sent to.
When reviewing the conclusion, you must make sure the recommendations are
complete.
Including hyperlinks limits your ability to customize a linear presentation for different
audiences and situations.
Now that technology is so vital in the workplace, few executives view listening as an
important skill.
During the question-and-answer phase of an interview, keep your answers short and to
the point.
Because routine messages are so common in business, it is not necessary to pay
attention to your tone when writing them.
Drawing pictures, or sketching, is one way to find your focus when writing.
Altering the horizontal or vertical scale on a line graph can profoundly influence your
audience’s perception of the data you present.
“The evaluator noted several shortcomings” is written in the active voice.
Mobile devices can help you learn another language or communicate with someone
who doesn’t speak your language.
For long, complex reports, the indirect approach tends to be less effective than the
direct approach.
As a rule, most abstract terms relate to the tangible material world.
Withholding or delaying bad news can be unethical, or even illegal.
It is not necessary to ask someone’s permission before listing his or her name as a job
reference.
Face-to-face communication is the richest medium.
When delivering presentations online, it is especially important to ask the audience for
frequent feedback.
Many employers interview an applicant multiple times before deciding whether to offer
a person a job.
When you’re filming a business video, move the camera randomly to add creativity and
flair to the footage.
Plans provide feedback on a wide variety of an organization’s functions.
An advantage of the direct approach for communicating bad news is that it keeps the
message short.
Adopting the “you” attitude is part of developing an audience-centered approach to
communication.
The appropriate clothing for most job interviews is something conservative, such as a
dark blue suit.
A writer should never use an indirect approach when writing for a mobile device.
Almost any routine message can be used as a way to build goodwill.
Visuals should be used to help the audience understand complex information.
A functional rsum is structured around a list of skills and abilities and focuses on the
person’s areas of competence.
Informational reports are used when employees and managers need to make decisions
or take action.
Always read from a prepared script when creating podcasts for business.
Most persuasive business messages involve requests for action.
Presenting with the help of an outline or notes is the most effective and easiest delivery
mode.
What is the tendency to judge others according to our own culturally based standards?
A) Xenophobia
B) Stereotyping
C) Pluralism
D) High-context
E) Ethnocentrism
Which of the following perceptual tricks can be used when proofreading to make sure
you are not missing an obvious error?
A) Make multiple passes
B) Take your time
C) Stay focused
D) Avoid reading a large document in one sitting
E) Read the document out loud
Which of the following are advantages of collaboration and brainstorming gamification
systems?
A) The identification of leadership potential based on influence within an online
community
B) The ability to reward product champions
C) Reducing the number of apps employees have to access to do their job
D) Customers can determine the outcome of a social media campaign
E) Increased connections and sharing of ideas
How should a message begin when you’re using the direct approach?
A) Main idea
B) Recommendations
C) Conclusion
D) Scope
E) Evidence
If you create a podcast channel, how can you keep your audience interested?
A) Surprise them with topics outside your channel’s main theme
B) Determine the distribution method
C) Avoid steering devices such as headings
D) Have a sustainable purpose
E) Try to capture exact wording from a prepared script
Companies can use ________ to identify and capitalize on market opportunities that are
contained in large, complex, or dynamic sets of data.
A) telepresence
B) enterprise IM systems
C) data visualization
D) crowdsourcing
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.
When preparing an outline for your speech, keep in mind that
A) it can include delivery cues, such as where you plan to pause for emphasis or use
visuals.
B) you should keep each item to two- to three-word descriptions of what you will say.
C) you can leave out all transitions.
D) this is not the place to include “stage directions.”
E) slides should be used as the outline.
The social media and technological skills of ________ are helping to change business
communication practices.
A) Generation X
B) Generation Q
C) Generation Y
D) Generation Z
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.
E) using the same format for every RFP used by the organization.
Which of the following should be the goal when deciding to use a photograph in a
communication?
A) To add communication value
B) To save the reader time
C) To increase decorative value
D) To add visual interest
E) To extend the length of the communication
Some people use ________ to tune out anything that doesn’t conform to their beliefs or
their self-images.
A) empathetic listening
B) constricted listening
C) egocentric listening
D) defensive listening
Which approach to bad news should be taken if the news is particularly important or
consequential to the reader?
A) Indirect
B) Persuasive
C) Leading
D) Direct
E) Routine
If you’re writing an unsolicited proposal, you may have to
A) convince readers that a problem exists that must be addressed.
B) analyze the client’s business in light of the competition.
C) use a style approved by the American Association of Business Writers.
D) enumerate the client’s options regarding such business decisions as product-line
expansion.
E) explain why your organization is the most capable of solving the problem.
Which of the following is an advantage of using words that are frequently paired
together, such as profit/loss?
A) They act as topic sentences
B) They replace denotative ideas
C) They provide evidence
D) They act as transitional elements
E) They eliminate the need for support sentences
A ________ is a set of technologies, policies, and procedures that can allow a company
to capture and share information throughout the organization.
A) process superstructure
B) desktop search protocol
C) cross-departmental interchange
D) knowledge management system
E) statistical analysis
How should examples and evidence be incorporated in a message?
A) To create a persuasive message
B) To allow for mind mapping
C) To identify the focus of the message
D) To create topic sentences
E) To confirm or expand the supporting points
Which of the following should be considered when determining the approach to take
and software to use in developing presentations?
A) Use software to tell the story
B) Limit slides to linear flow
C) Match the tool to the task
D) PowerPoint is most effective when it includes bullet points
E) Zooming in and out of a Prezi as interest and engagement
Why does writing for social media need a different approach to writing than for
traditional media?
A) The relationship between the sender and the receiver is different
B) Companies are integrating social media to external communication practices
C) Companies use social media internally, not just externally
D) There is an increase in word-of-mouth communication
E) The communication is less like a conversation than in the past
Which of the following is one of the differences between email for personal use and for
business use?
A) Business emails can be viewed on digital devices at any time
B) Business emails use the first sentence of the message as part of the subject line
C) Business emails don’t go to spam
D) Business emails use emoticons
E) Business emails are more formal
Effective transitions in business reports
A) are limited to keywords 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.
E) are cited when they were part of a study.
When using the three-step writing process, when should you review a written message
for design and layout effectiveness?
A) When writing it
B) When printing or posting it
C) When producing it
D) When planning it
E) When composing it
When you want to express thoughts in a way that is specific and dynamic, which type
of word should be used?
A) Jargon
B) Buzzwords
C) Clichs
D) Familiar
E) Strong and precise
Which of these techniques can help a writer identify main ideas and groups of
supporting ideas?
A) Identify the scope
B) Limit the number of main ideas to three
C) Brainstorm
D) Evaluate the sense of urgency for the receiver
E) Form a topic sentence
Yelp has used a ________ strategy to become a major influence on the behavior of
consumers and businesses in large cities across the United States.
A) voice of reason
B) voice of the crowd
C) voice in the city
D) voice of the customer
Race, age, parental status, and thinking style are elements of what?
A) Diversity
B) Minority
C) Cultural competency
D) Ethnocentrism
E) Xenophobia
If you’re marketing a new security system to an audience of wealthy professionals, the
consumer benefit you would most want to emphasize is
A) protection of the consumer’s property.
B) the low cost of the system.
C) the low monthly payments for the service.
D) easy, do-it-yourself installation.
E) attractiveness and design features.
________ conveys information that’s part of your message; ________ doesn’t convey
textual or numerical information.
A) Decorative artwork; functional artwork
B) Background artwork; foreground artwork
C) Functional artwork; decorative artwork
D) Transformational artwork; symbolic artwork
E) Decorative artwork; transformative artwork
Which of these steps can help you improve your effectiveness in intercultural
conversations?
A) Rephrase your ideas often
B) Use overly simplified sentences
C) Ignore nonverbal feedback that is culturally different
D) Speak slowly and clearly
E) Assume the listener will ask questions if they are unsure about something
Which of the following is a concern about delivery methods when a communication
contains sensitive information?
A) Time
B) File compression method
C) Convenience
D) Cost
E) Security
You can use a ________ to recap your career, with a focus on your increasing levels of
responsibility and performance.
A) career objective
B) qualifications summary
C) career summary
D) key activity matrix
E) list of classes taken during college
Which of the following is one of the greatest appeals of social media?
A) Improved sales pitches
B) The feeling of conversation
C) Fewer rumors in the marketplace
D) Less interaction between users
E) The ability to eliminate concise, specific headings
Which of the following is an advantage to utilizing the three-step writing process?
A) Your message will be more effective
B) Your message will take less time to write
C) Your audience will have a deeper appreciation of your efforts
D) The message will be able to clarify the situation in very few words
E) You will spend less time proofreading the message
________ is the practice of collecting, filtering, and republishing material on a
particular topic.
A) Clickable collation
B) Content curation
C) Media massing
D) Social media repatriation
Why is it important to open a routine message with the main idea?
A) To keep the opening concise
B) To minimize the effect of the message
C) To help prevent confusion of the audience
D) To prepare the audience for the details to follow
E) To establish a supportive tone
Discuss various business applications of microblogs.
Describe how social media can be used to better understand your target market.
Explain what you should include in an effective recommendation letter.
How is the denotative meaning of a word different from its connotative meaning?
Discuss four fallacies about the purpose of a rsum and discuss what the rsum really can
do for a candidate.
What two essential questions do employers seek to answer about each candidate in
interviews?
List at least three personal characteristics that can help establish credibility with your
audience.
You’re preparing an internal blog post about this year’s annual company picnic. The
message is generally positive, but you need to say that—unlike past picnics—the event
will not be catered. What approach is best for conveying mildly disappointing
information such as this in the context of a positive message?
In designing visuals for business reports, what tasks are best suited for bar charts? List
at least two.
Discuss the three categories of analytical reports.
Discuss six principles to keep in mind when designing visuals regarding the aesthetic
and symbolic aspects of graphic art.
How can blogs be used for market research and word-of-mouth marketing efforts?
Why is it important to use plain language in business writing, especially when writing
to non-native English speakers?
When working with businesspeople from the United States, what should be
remembered about individualism, equality, and personal space at work?
List three situations in which the passive voice can help you demonstrate the “you”
attitude.