To avoid awkward situations, it is always best to deliver bad news for employees in
writing.
Answer:
A podcasting channel offers regular recordings on a consistent theme, designed for a
wide public audience.
Answer:
Lengthy, complex reports often include two tables of contents: one that is very detailed
and another that lists only major headings.
Answer:
Most of the information that flows downward in an organization is geared toward
helping employees do their jobs.
Answer:
A new co-worker recently won a prestigious award for her work on green technologies.
Since you do not know her well, you should not send a note to congratulate her on the
achievement.
Answer:
One challenge in a screening interview is to keep your answers short while
distinguishing yourself from other candidates.
Answer:
When conducting business over a meal, you should wait to bring out business papers
until after the entrée plates have been removed.
Answer:
Skilled business writers keep all their sentences as short as possible.
Answer:
The ‘slide sorter view” in presentation software allows you to see a batch of slides,
either all at once or in significant portions.
Answer:
Any formal business report should include all of the following elements in the
introduction: authorization, problem/purpose, scope, background, sources/methods,
definitions, limitations, and report organization.
Answer:
Sites such as Flickr, Facebook, and YouTube are valuable for social communication, but
not for business.
Answer:
Even if a long report requires no immediate action from recipients, it’s best not to
mention that fact to ensure that they read the report.
Answer:
You should strive to use the passive voice as much as possible in business writing.
Answer:
In a court of law, email messages and other electronic documents can have the same
weight as printed documents.
Answer:
Very few reports require a work plan.
Answer:
Employers generally treat major job boards such as Monster as their last resort when
seeking qualified candidates.
Answer:
Ethics can be defined as not doing anything illegal.
Answer:
It would be inappropriate to mention community service activities on a résumé.
Answer:
The more decorative elements you can add to a graphic, the more interesting and useful
it will be to the audience.
Answer:
Because many email programs display the first part of a message before it is opened, it
is often helpful to “tweetify” the opening lines to get your reader’s attention.
Answer:
Short words are generally more vivid and easier to read than long words.
Answer:
You should prepare for a video interview in much the same way you would prepare for
an in-person interview.
Answer:
Using a buffer to begin a negative message is generally manipulative and unethical.
Answer:
When making a direct request, you should state what you want in the first sentence or
two and then follow with an explanation.
Answer:
Once your proposal is accepted, you can start altering the work plan to make the
schedule and costs more realistic.
Answer:
Culture is inborn, not learned.
Answer:
Readers can understand descriptive headings without reading the rest of the document.
Answer:
“Take an action” is an example of a camouflaged verb.
Answer:
Today’s powerful grammar checkers can easily determine whether your document states
your message correctly and communicates it clearly.
Answer:
Your boss has asked you to “find out everything you can about our newest competitor.”
Since you don’t really know what she’s after, the best approach is simply to limit your
research to what interests you.
Answer:
Factors such as poor acoustics and uncomfortable meeting rooms can be annoying but
are not really that important when it comes to communication.
Answer:
Combining conclusions and recommendations under one heading is not acceptable in
business reports.
Answer:
If you possess little authority in your organization, the direct approach will generally be
best for the persuasive messages you send.
Answer:
A helpful way to test the thoroughness of your message is to use the journalistic
approach: asking yourself whether you have covered the who, what, where, when, why,
and how.
Answer:
The best general purpose search engines are capable of reaching information on the
hidden Internet.
Answer:
You can deemphasize bad news by minimizing the space or time devoted to it.
Answer:
As long as your message is clear and interesting, the medium you choose doesn’t really
matter.
Answer:
An effective paragraph deals with more than the main topic and shows that the writer
intends to be as efficient as possible.
Answer:
In a long report, including review sections at the end of every major section block is
redundant and distracting.
Answer:
The buffer of a negative message
A) should be neutral and noncontroversial.
B) implicitly says no.
C) apologizes.
D) should be very vague about the subject of the message.
E) is a good place to say, “I told you this would happen.”
Answer:
When creating content for social media,
A) to reach a wide audience, you should write as informally as possible.
B) treat every message as a sales pitch.
C) write catchy headlines that play on words.
D) don’t hide from criticism: take the opportunity to correct misinformation.
E) use plenty of jargon—even if your audience is not likely to understand it—so
everyone will know you are an insider.
Answer:
When it comes to business communication, YouTube
A) is helpful for consumer-to-consumer interaction, but not for companies seeking to
communicate with consumers.
B) is not regarded as a viable medium, since anyone can post anything.
C) has caught on only as a venue for dissatisfied customers to air their complaints.
D) has quickly become an important medium for a variety of messages.
E) poses so many liability risks that smart companies tend to avoid it.
Answer:
You’re writing a proposal to allow certain employees at your company to telecommute.
You know management will be skeptical, so you should
A) be as straightforward as possible about stating your conclusions and
recommendations.
B) avoid stating your conclusions and recommendations.
C) use less evidence in support of your points.
D) introduce your proof gradually before revealing your conclusions and
recommendations.
E) be aggressive in making your case, saying that many good employees will leave if
the company fails to adopt your proposal.
Answer:
Posting a job opening on a major job board such as Monster is often
A) a company’s first step in seeking promising candidates.
B) helpful for high-tech companies, but not for others.
C) the most successful way for companies to discourage unqualified candidates from
applying.
D) an effective way for companies to limit the number of applications they receive.
E) a company’s last resort, after it has exhausted other possibilities for finding desirable
candidates.
Answer:
When you need to inform employees that a benefit will be eliminated
A) the best approach is to leak the news as a rumor rather than make a public
announcement.
B) minimize the impact of the bad news by presenting it in as positive a light as
possible.
C) use the direct approach.
D) use as many hedging words as possible.
E) it is best to be blunt and use a tone that shows you mean business.
Answer:
In requesting an adjustment, asking the company to make an assessment and then
advise you on how the situation could be fixed
A) is never effective.
B) shows uncertainty, and tends to work only with small companies.
C) is always more effective than proposing a solution of your own.
D) is helpful when you are uncertain about the exact nature of the problem.
E) is a viable option only if you have hired an attorney.
Answer:
The best visual for illustrating a manufacturer’s quality control process would be a
A) line chart.
B) flowchart.
C) scatter diagram.
D) pie chart.
E) Gantt chart.
Answer:
Thanks to Facebook, you’ve recently connected with an old friend who lives in another
state. She contacts you frequently using your work email account, often sharing racially
charged jokes that you find offensive. Concerned about what would happen if your boss
or coworkers saw her emails, you should
A) loosen up, since no one at your company has the right to read your email.
B) politely ask her to stop sending the jokes, and then speak privately with your boss
about the problem and how you have addressed it.
C) simply delete her email messages from your computer so no one will ever know
about them.
D) go online and see if you can find the jokes on the Internet; if so, there is no need to
be concerned.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
To ensure a consistent look for all company documents, many organizations provide
employees with approved
A) autocompletion software.
B) spreadsheets.
C) macros.
D) style sheets.
E) mail merge software.
Answer:
Topical organization strategies for informational reports include all of the following
except
A) complexity.
B) spatial orientation.
C) importance.
D) comparison.
E) All of the above are included.
Answer:
Delivering your presentation by reading it word-for-word is usually a bad idea except
when
A) your presentation is very lengthy.
B) you’re covering policy statements or legal documents that must be presented
verbatim.
C) the presentation is humorous.
D) the audience is hostile.
E) you are nervous.
Answer:
If you choose to apologize in a negative message, you should
A) phrase the apology in a conditional manner (“If I have offended anyone …”).
B) imply that not all of the blame lies with you or your company.
C) be sincere and make it a true apology.
D) always demonstrate sincerity, but never accept blame.
E) always urge the reader against taking legal action.
Answer:
Negative messages about business transactions should
A) confirm the customer’s expectations.
B) explain how you plan to resolve the situation.
C) show the audience that whatever has happened, your company is not at fault.
D) let the audience know which of your employees caused the problem.
E) keep you and your company from being held liable—even when it means unfairly
blaming another organization.
Answer:
Teams that have interpersonal friction
A) are doomed to failure.
B) can excel with effective leadership and team players committed to strong results.
C) can succeed, but only on relatively minor projects.
D) are very rare, and almost never present problems in today’s environment.
E) need to learn that teamwork requires happiness and harmony.
Answer:
The “information technology paradox” refers to
A) widespread confusion over how to utilize email and IM.
B) the idea that technology has cut down interpersonal communication in business.
C) the idea that information tools (such as email) can waste as much time as they save.
D) frustration surrounding incompatibility between Apple and Microsoft operating
systems.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
For business presentations, time restraints are usually
A) rigid, permitting little or no flexibility.
B) meaningless—audiences expect presenters to take a little more time than they’re
allotted.
C) imposed only on lower-level employees.
D) not important if you are presenting to your colleagues.
E) only a suggestion.
Answer:
Social media postings on sites such as Twitter and Facebook
A) are personal and confidential, and cannot be used in a court of law.
B) cannot be forwarded or copied.
C) appear online for only a very short time, so if you post something inappropriate there
is no need to worry.
D) have caused some employees to be fired.
E) cannot legally be used by employers to make personnel decisions such as those
related to promotion or termination.
Answer:
Selecting the right medium for your presentation is
A) easy—you’re simply giving a speech.
B) an important decision since technology offers a number of choices.
C) only an issue when addressing audiences from other cultures.
D) not something you need to think about early on.
E) unimportant, as long as your content is good.
Answer:
The list of secondary sources at the end of a report can be labeled “References” when
A) it contains fewer than 10 items.
B) it contains more than 50 items.
C) it is incomplete.
D) you want the tone of your report to be conversational.
E) you include works consulted but not mentioned in your report.
Answer:
You’re preparing a report on how to reduce network problems at your company’s home
office. Since the report is organized in the direct approach, the close should
A) present the conclusions and recommendations for the first time.
B) be relatively long.
C) be relatively brief.
D) end by asking readers what they think is the best course of action.
E) make it clear that it would be foolish and irresponsible to ignore your
recommendations.
Answer:
In the first step of the communication process, the sender
A) decides what to say.
B) chooses a communication channel.
C) has an idea.
D) chooses a communication medium.
E) evaluates his or her options.
Answer:
A type of résumé that emphasizes a candidate’s skills and accomplishments while also
including a complete job history is termed
A) a chronological résumé.
B) a functional résumé.
C) a combination résumé.
D) an indirect résumé.
E) a comprehensive résumé.
Answer:
When making a routine request, you should
A) use the inductive plan.
B) assume that the audience will comply.
C) demand immediate action.
D) explain the consequences of failing to comply.
E) assume that the audience will not comply.
Answer:
If you’re sending extremely large files, you should
A) use overnight delivery to send a hard copy rather than sending them electronically.
B) consider using recordable media such as DVDs or a file-hosting site.
C) always send them as MS Word attachments.
D) send them through the mail to avoid excessive costs.
E) send duplicate copies as email attachments to ensure that they reach your audience.
Answer:
If you must refer to someone’s disability, the best wording would be
A) an employee with physical handicaps.
B) a handicapped employee.
C) a crippled employee.
D) any of the above—all are equally effective.
E) none of the above—all are equally offensive.
Answer:
Addressing alternative positions in a persuasive message
A) enhances your credibility and can strengthen your argument.
B) weakens your argument, unless you use an aggressive tone.
C) shows that you lack confidence in your opinions.
D) is effective only with controversial subjects.
E) requires that you use the direct approach.
Answer:
In the introduction to a report on how to establish a paperless office, explaining the
historical conditions or factors that led up to the report
A) enables readers to understand how the opportunity developed.
B) is unnecessary in internal reports.
C) diminishes your credibility by wasting readers’ time.
D) is necessary only in very formal reports.
E) is likely to convince the audience without any further information.
Answer:
Despite your numerous emails and voicemail messages, a normally dependable vendor
has not responded to your important question. Which of the following would be a
sensible next step?
A) Consider sending a printed message.
B) Send more email messages, but flag them as “high-priority” or “urgent.”
C) Send multiple copies of the same email message.
D) Use IM to bombard the vendor until he responds.
E) Find the CEO’s mobile phone number and bombard it with text messages demanding
a response.
Answer:
Whereas Business Communication 1.0 tends to emphasize ________, Business
Communication 2.0 focuses more on ________.
A) discussion, lecture
B) collaboration, isolation
C) control, influence
D) permission, intrusion
E) receivers, senders
Answer:
Which of the following is the best example of an effective email subject line?
A) Website redesign is on schedule
B) Status Report
C) Employee Parking
D) Read This!
E) All of the above are effective.
Answer:
Briefly describe at least four software capabilities that can help business writers shape
their writing.
Answer:
List at least three examples of online etiquette.
Answer:
Describe four common types of communication barriers.
Answer:
In preparing a formal proposal, how should you determine whether to treat the letter of
transmittal as a positive, negative, or persuasive message?
Answer:
Describe five characteristics of effective business messages.
Answer:
List three guidelines to follow in order to avoid ethical lapses when conducting
research.
Answer:
Describe the elements of a formal business plan.
Answer:
How have the Internet and social media changed the way many companies use news
releases?
Answer:
You’ve been asked to give a presentation on cybercrime. List two steps that can help
you define the main idea of your presentation, and then provide an example of the
second step.
Answer:
Give three reasons that writing analytical reports presents a greater challenge than
writing informational reports.
Answer:
List three situations in which the passive voice can help you demonstrate the “you”
attitude.
Answer:
Define bias-free language.
Answer:
How can reading business-related blogs, microblogs, and podcasts help you prepare to
seek employment?
Answer:
Define “backchannel” and describe the risks and benefits it provides for business
presenters.
Answer:
What organizational method is generally best in refusing claims and requests for
adjustments, and why?
Answer:
What is meant by “quality of hire,” and how do companies use it?
Answer:
Provide at least five guidelines to observe when making negative organizational
announcements.
Answer:
What is workforce diversity?
Answer:
Rewrite the following sentence to eliminate the unnecessary phrases: “In view of the
fact that the customer service department is closed, we do not have the capability of
offering refunds until such a time as they reopen.”
Answer: