Which of the following is one way to improve your cultural competency?
A) Use good quality translation software whenever possible
B) Use a direct and focused communication style
C) Exercise tolerance, flexibility, and respect
D) Always begin with personal stories and questions
E) Follow the tenets of the official religion of the United States
How can viewing a message on a mobile device affect comprehension?
A) Graphics make key points easier to find
B) Messages are often ignored
C) Viewers will postpone reading a message until they are at their workspace where
notes can be taken
D) Viewers only read topic sentences
E) Viewers can easily scroll past key information without noticing it
Which of the following is the process of assigning meaning to sound, based on your
values and beliefs?
A) Decoding
B) Remembering
C) Receiving
D) Evaluating
E) Responding
Which of these approaches to website design works particularly well on mobile
devices?
A) Vertical
B) Embedded
C) Linked
D) External
E) One-page
Match the style and quality of the visuals you use in a business message with
A) whatever is available to you on the Internet.
B) your personal communication preferences.
C) the subject matter and the situation at hand.
D) the cost of finding or creating the visual.
E) the ease of creation.
Which of the following is one of the benefits of using a wiki when writing
collaboratively?
A) Accuracy of material
B) Workflow features for page design
C) Knowledge from multiple experts can be captured
D) Freedom to post and revise material
E) Files can only be changed with permission
For effective document design in business communication, you should
A) fit as much material as possible on each page.
B) mix different typefaces and decorative touches throughout the document.
C) let “simpler” and “fewer” be your guiding concepts.
D) use a one-size-fits-all approach to balance design elements.
When would a printed message be more suitable than a digital message?
A) When cost is an issue
B) When you would like comments and critiques on the document
C) When you need an unchangeable or secure record
D) When you wish to include reference material
E) When providing tutorials
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.
E) replaces the summary found at the end of the report.
How has social media influenced the use of knowledge management in organizations?
A) It is easier for more people to contribute and benefit from shared knowledge.
B) It is easier for non-experts to offer their opinions on policies and procedures.
C) It is more difficult to keep information confidential within the knowledge
management system.
D) It has increased the use of collaborative recommendations.
E) It has improved the accuracy of statistics within documents.
Which of the following is one of the three key questions to ask in order to create a
productive agenda?
A) Who should be prepared to supply information?
B) What are the goals of the meeting?
C) How long will the meeting take?
D) What will be considered a successful meeting?
E) Who should attend the meeting?
When terminating an employee, which of the following should be included in the
message?
A) Clear reasons for the action
B) A statement of what could have been done to avoid the action
C) Contact information if the employee needs to discuss the action further
D) An indication of what can be done to be reinstated
E) A clear expression of thanks for the employee’s dedication and service
Effective headlines for social media messages are
A) clever and witty.
B) pithy and enigmatic.
C) brainteasers with a twist of irony.
D) concise, specific, and informative.
People are more likely to respond to a questionnaire if
A) they can complete it within a short time.
B) you allow them plenty of time to research their answers.
C) the questions are open ended.
D) there is a reward for correct answers.
E) they can take it home and study the questions before answering.
A ________ offers additional discussion of the content of a visual; a ________ helps
readers decode a visual.
A) legend; tag cloud
B) table; chevron
C) caption; legend
D) diagram; matrix
Which of the following personal data should be included in the rsum when applying to
U.S. companies?
A) Age
B) National origin
C) Salary history
D) Email address
E) Reasons for leaving jobs
What should be your goal when defining the purpose of your message?
A) You understand the members of your audience
B) The purpose is clear and meaningful
C) You understand the needs of your audience
D) The message is relevant to the audience’s needs
E) The audience should want to see and hear more
Which of the following describes the content structure and navigational flow of a
website?
A) Augmented reality
B) Versatility
C) Information architecture
D) Message strategies
E) Collaboration
If you can’t be sure which medium will be best to convey your persuasive message to a
diverse audience, you should
A) choose the one that is most economical.
B) select the one that is easiest to use (such as email).
C) use two or more media at the same time.
D) choose one at random and see how well it works.
E) ask the audience about their preference.
Which of the following indicates respect for the audience and helps foster successful
communication?
A) Avoiding the “you” attitude
B) Jargon and buzzwords
C) Euphemisms
D) High standards of etiquette
E) Biased language
Using the “return receipt requested” feature when you send an email
A) announces that your message is urgent.
B) asks the person who receives your email to fill out a questionnaire.
C) triggers a message back to you when the recipient receives or opens your email.
D) plays a short audio file when the receiver opens your message.
Which of the following is one of the ways used to encourage collaboration among new
team members?
A) Assume things are going well if there is no negative feedback
B) Allow members bonding time
C) Invite all interested parties to collaborate
D) Encourage each team member to work in a style best suited to their personality
E) Compose written information as a group
Which of the following is an advantage of incorporating visual images into a
document?
A) Readers will only have to look at the visuals and can skip reading the text
B) Readers are drawn more deeply into the report
C) Visuals take less time to plan and prepare for
D) Visuals reinforce the idea that research was done in support of the document
E) Visuals create connotative meaning where none existed
When providing information on the company and your priorities, which type of
information are you providing to those who respond to your RFP?
A) Decision criteria
B) Proposal requirements
C) Submission and contact information
D) Company background
E) Project description
Why is appearing to be fair and objective as important as actually being fair and
objective?
A) Perception is a fundamental aspect of successful communication
B) Fairness is now a legal requirement in nearly all countries
C) Today’s companies simply will not hire unfair communicators
D) Biased language, while sometimes unpleasant, is often more effective
E) Neutral language removes much of the power from your communication efforts
A metasearch engine is
A) a highly specialized directory that focuses on a specific subject matter area.
B) a search engine that examines only newsgroup messages.
C) a type of aggregator that offers subscribers all-day information on their desktops.
D) a special type of engine that searches several search engines at once.
E) an online compilation of newspapers, magazines, and journals.
Before volunteering someone’s name as a reference, always
A) assume you have permission to do so.
B) ask that person’s permission.
C) describe your relationship with that person.
D) list that person’s address and phone number for ease of contact.
E) check their social media presence.
Flipcharts are great for creating ________ during brainstorming sessions.
A) “linear slide decks”
B) “modular modality”
C) “structured understanding”
D) “group memory”
E) “groupthinking”
What type of culture relies more on verbal communication and less on circumstance
and cues to convey the meaning of a message?
A) Xenophobic
B) High-context
C) Inclusive
D) Low-context
E) Pluralistic
Which of these can be used to help control the number of messages you receive?
A) Twitter streams
B) Only reading messages marked “urgent”
C) Gamification technology
D) Filtering features
E) Radical connectivity
Do not include items on your rsum that could encourage discrimination, such as
A) home address.
B) previous job titles.
C) sexual orientation.
D) military service.
E) desired salary.
Which structure should message organization take if a message will be viewed on a
mobile device?
A) Indirect
B) Linear
C) Diffuse
D) Focused
E) Elliptical
Persuasive messages often follow a specialized four-phase format called the
A) PDQ plan.
B) AIDA model.
C) ASAP model.
D) DEFF approach.
Which of the following is used to begin a routine request when using the direct
approach?
A) Details and explanations
B) Justification for the request
C) Main idea
D) Reasons for the request
E) Specific action you need taken
As you’re delivering a presentation, connect your ideas by ________ every time you
shift topics.
A) encouraging your audience to check out your Facebook page
B) relying on verbal flourishes and dropping sound bites
C) reaching out to the backchannel via Twitter
D) summarizing what you’ve said, and previewing what’s to come
Why is it important to always take the reader’s specific needs into consideration when
maintaining a balance between words and illustrations?
List at least three factors that can help you decide what parts to include in a business
report.
Discuss the value of outlining your content before you begin the actual writing process.
What is a synopsis? What’s the difference between an informative synopsis and a
descriptive synopsis?
As it pertains to a visual, what are the functions of a title? Identify and compare the two
types of titles.
What are the “five Cs” to consider when you’re deciding which points to illustrate with
visuals?
Sharing information via microblogging is fast and easy. How can you maximize
microblogging’s speed and simplicity when you’re using it for business communication?
Explain five types of materials that are often best presented on handouts.
Why are appreciation messages important? What should they include?
Your work history includes a lengthy gap in employment. How can you handle this
challenge when writing a rsum?
Describe the ethical implications of engaging in content curation.
Identify how to use topic sentences in business writing.
What potential risk should you consider before including a career objective on your
rsum?
Provide at least five guidelines to observe when making negative organizational
announcements.
How can you identify points that are best illustrated with a visual?
Discuss the ways a writer can find his or her focus when working on a message with a
vague or unclear objective.
Describe the four steps to organizing a presentation effectively.
