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Q:
One of the drawbacks of using email is its ________.
A) high cost
B) slow speed
C) privacy risks
D) formality
E) urgency
Q:
________ is a medium's ability to convey a message through more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish personal focus.
A) Media richness
B) Media versatility
C) Media synthesis
D) Media scalability
E) Media leanness
Q:
________ is the technology used to superimpose computer-generated text, graphics, or sounds onto a user's physical domain, either on a device display or directly onto the physical world itself.
A) Mind mapping
B) Augmented reality
C) VoIP
D) Cloud computing
E) Internet telephony
Q:
Telephone calls, teleconferencing, voice-mail messages, and audio recordings such as compact discs and podcasts are collectively known as ________.
A) electronic versions of written media
B) multimedia
C) visual media
D) electronic versions of oral media
E) electronic versions of visual media
Q:
Converting audio signals to computer data is known as ________.
A) voice synthesis
B) teleconferencing
C) augmented reality
D) voice recognition
E) voice activation
Q:
Which of the following is an advantage of visual communication methods over oral and written media?
A) They tend to be more persuasive.
B) They reach a large number of people efficiently.
C) They are easy to transmit and store.
D) They allow immediate feedback.
E) They convey complex ideas and relationships quickly.
Q:
A multinational company has a presence in several countries, and its employees come from different cultures and speak a variety of languages. The company needs to communicate information about a complex process to all its employees across the world. Which of the following classes of media should the company use for this purpose?
A) written media, so that the company has a record of the message it sends out
B) oral media, because a complex topic can best be explained through interpersonal communication
C) visual media, which require less language processing and can be standardized
D) electronic media, because these are the cheapest means of communication
E) multimedia, as it enables audience interaction
Q:
________ are brief printed documents traditionally used for the routine, day-to-day exchange of information within an organization.
A) Proposals
B) Letters
C) Instant messages
D) Mind maps
E) Memos
Q:
An organization has recently introduced radical changes in its methods of working. Managers of various departments must now ascertain employees' views on the changes and gauge morale. However, there is a concern that employees may not be fully honest about their reactions and may tend to present a positive picture of the situation. Which of the following communication media can managers use to obtain an accurate impression of the situation?
A) multimedia
B) written media
C) oral media
D) electronic media
E) visual media
Q:
D& J Ltd. is in the process of developing a new organization structure. The company wants inputs and feedback from the management of various departments about possible options. The topic is expected to generate some differing opinions, but the managers will need to work together to reach a consensus. Which of the following classes of media will be the most appropriate for this situation?
A) written
B) oral
C) electronic
D) multimedia
E) visual
Q:
________ give people the ability to see, hear, and react to each other, thereby encouraging people to ask questions, make comments, and work together to reach a consensus or decision.
A) Written media
B) Multimedia
C) Oral media
D) Visual media
E) Sensory media
Q:
Which of the following types of media is most effective when immediate feedback is required?
A) written
B) oral
C) electronic
D) visual
E) multimedia
Q:
A travel agency is advertising a new holiday package. Which of the following information about the destination is NOT pertinent for the target audience?
A) the climate of the place
B) the modes of transport there
C) the national income of the country
D) the scenic points along the route
E) the language and culture of the country
Q:
Which of the following reflects providing pertinent information to the audience?
A) The mathematical formulas in a customer report has failed to include some important data during calculation.
B) A speaker mentions his tips for writing effective reports to business students at a college.
C) The manager did not include a few weekly errors in the monthly accuracy report that goes to the top management of the company.
D) Due to personal problems, an employee sends an email communication for her manager that does not contain all the required information.
E) A popular men's health magazine launches a marketing campaign that provides free samples of a health supplement to everyone at the local mall.
Q:
Which of the following is true for gathering information for written communication?
A) Information for simple messages can be gathered using informal techniques.
B) Only formal methods of gathering information can be used for complex messages.
C) Informal research techniques are not reliable sources of information.
D) Asking the audience for input is not an acceptable method of gathering information.
E) Formal research techniques are always necessary in the case of simple messages.
Q:
Ethan was commissioned to research the market potential for a new fast food chain in a particular area. A trained market researcher, Ethan used complex statistical methods to analyze his data. He is in the process of preparing his research report with conclusions and recommendations for the top management of the fast food chain, who are located at the firm's headquarters in Boston. Which of the following must Ethan necessarily be aware of in order to draft his conclusions and recommendations in the most effective manner?
A) the median age of the audience
B) the audience's level of understanding
C) the geographic distribution of the audience
D) the latest market research tools and techniques
E) the male-to-female ratio of the audience
Q:
Amy needs to draft an email explaining income tax procedures to all the employees of her company. Which of the following should she find out to help her decide what to write?
A) the primary audience
B) the age structure of the company
C) the needs and expectations of the employees
D) the expected reaction from readers
E) the key decision-makers among the employees
Q:
Which of the following questions will NOT help determine the audience profile?
A) What is the audience composition?
B) What are the audience's expectations and preferences?
C) Where is the audience located?
D) How many people does the message need to reach?
E) Will the message change anything?
Q:
Amber Consulting decides to organize a public service ad campaign as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The company chooses the issue of water conservation and aims to inform people about the problem through its ad campaign. Which of the following will MOST weaken Amber Consulting's decision to start the campaign?
A) Statistics reveal that 60 percent of all industrial waste is dumped untreated in to natural water sources.
B) The company's previous CSR effort in the field of education did not yield as positive a response as was expected.
C) The water conservation campaign complements the company's long-running clean energy campaign.
D) This issue of water conservation has been in the news for the past several months and has been the subject of numerous campaigns.
E) Research suggests that most people are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious and are willing to act on their beliefs.
Q:
________ must be stated as precisely as possible, identifying which audience members should respond, how they should respond, and when.
A) The audience preferences
B) The general purpose
C) The audience needs
D) The specific purpose
E) The scope of the message
Q:
An example of a specific purpose for a business message would be to ________.
A) impart information to the audience
B) inform employees about the new vacation policy
C) persuade readers to take an action
D) obtain audience participation and collaboration
E) initiate a conversation about a product
Q:
Cosmetics company Go Beaux has a new competitor, Fresh & Clear. To help retain its market share, Go Beaux releases an ad campaign focusing on the unique features of its products in order to convince consumers to stay loyal to the brand. Which of the following is the general purpose of Go Beaux's ad campaign?
A) to persuade
B) to identify
C) to collaborate
D) to negotiate
E) to converse
Q:
Business messages usually have general and specific purposes. Which of the following is a specific purpose of a business message?
A) informing the audience
B) persuading the audience
C) collaborating
D) initiating a conversation
E) achieving precise sales goals
Q:
The activities of revising, producing, proofreading, and distributing a message take place in the ________ stage of the writing process.
A) writing
B) completing
C) planning
D) approaching
E) allotting
Q:
At which of the following stages in the three-step writing process do you step back to review the message to make sure it is clear, concise, and correct?
A) planning
B) writing
C) completing
D) allotting
E) approaching
Q:
Which of the following sets of activities is undertaken after a message is composed?
A) organizing information and adapting the message to the audience
B) gathering and organizing information
C) revising and producing the message
D) analyzing the situation and adapting the message
E) selecting the medium and producing the message
Q:
The second stage of the writing process includes ________.
A) gathering information that will inform, persuade, or motivate the audience
B) adapting the message to the audience and composing the first draft
C) revising and rewriting until the message is clear and effective
D) proofreading the message
E) selecting the right medium
Q:
Which of the following activities takes place during the planning stage of the writing process?
A) composing the message
B) adapting the message to the audience
C) organizing the information
D) reviewing the message
E) producing the message
Q:
The first stage of the writing process includes ________.
A) selecting the right medium
B) producing the message
C) composing the message
D) adapting the message to the audience
E) proofreading the message
Q:
The authorities at a university are about to introduce tough new security measures to prevent crime on campus. Students will have to carry identification at all times and some activities will be restricted. Draft a message explaining the new rules using either the direct or indirect approach. Explain which approach you think the university should use to communicate with the students and why.
Q:
Briefly describe at least four factors to consider in choosing a medium for your message.
Q:
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of oral and written media, and give examples of instances in which you would use each form of media.
Q:
Describe the activities involved in the final step of the writing process.
Q:
Briefly explain the activities involved in the planning step of the writing process.
Q:
Describe the three-step writing process.
Q:
Storytelling is an effective way to organize messages in a surprising number of business communication scenarios, from recruiting and training employees to enticing investors and customers.
Q:
If you expect an unfavorable audience response to your message, it is quite effective to state your conclusions and recommendations up front.
Q:
When writing a message, the direct approach opens with the main idea of the message and supports that with reasoning, evidence, and examples.
Q:
The mind-mapping technique asks who, what, when, where, why, and how questions to distill major thoughts from unorganized information.
Q:
Media richness refers to the relative costs of advertising in the various mass media.
Q:
The richest form of communication is face-to-face conversation.
Q:
Media richness depends in part on a medium's ability to facilitate feedback.
Q:
Today's email systems are electronic versions of oral media.
Q:
Written communication is best when you need to encourage interaction, express emotions, or monitor emotional responses.
Q:
The main advantage of oral communication over written communication is the ability to control the message.
Q:
Oral media include face-to-face conversation, speeches, presentations, and meetings.
Q:
In situations that require a report to be submitted to an audience whose needs are not apparent, it is best to avoid too many details because information was not specifically requested.
Q:
The general purpose of a business message is to inform, persuade, or collaborate with the audience.
Q:
Gathering information through formal or informal methods is usually done in the writing stage.
Q:
The second stage of the writing process involves adapting the message to the audience and composing the first draft.
Q:
Defining the purpose of your message, gathering the necessary information, and selecting the medium for delivering the message take place in the planning stage of the writing process.
Q:
Anna oversees the content management system for her company. She has to write a set of instructions for new employees, explaining how to add and edit content on the system. She begins by creating an outline of the major points to be included. Which of the following will be the most convenient way to structure this explanation?
A) Major points should deal with steps in the process.
B) Major points should represent events in the chronological chain of events.
C) Major points should develop a line of reasoning that proves the central message.
D) Major points should correspond to the sections of the system.
E) Major points should develop an argument that motivates the audience to act.
Q:
In the indirect approach to drafting a message, ________.
A) the main idea is usually followed by the supporting points
B) the main idea requires no explanation or argument
C) the main idea is usually presented at the beginning of the message
D) the main idea usually appears towards the end of the message
E) the main idea is usually uncontroversial and routine
Q:
Which of the following is true of the indirect approach to presenting information?
A) Tough issues are avoided as the audience is hostile.
B) It usually begins with a conclusion or recommendation and follows up with evidence.
C) Messages which are routine and noncontroversial are usually presented using this approach.
D) The main idea is withheld until a logical and persuasive case can be built up.
E) It is used when a positive reception is expected from the audience.
Q:
Which of the following is true of the direct approach to presenting information?
A) It is generally used when the audience is uninterested in the message.
B) It is used when the audience may react negatively to the message.
C) It generally presents evidence to build a case before reaching a conclusion.
D) It generally starts with the main idea and follows up with the evidence.
E) It is used when audience receptivity to the message is not known.
Q:
Leo needs to create a presentation on a controversial topic. Before beginning work, he outlines the major points and plans the flow of the presentation. Which of the following should Leo avoid in order to express his ideas clearly and concisely?
A) explaining the implications of the main idea
B) increasing the number of supporting points
C) limiting the scope of the presentation
D) providing examples and evidence
E) providing only a few strong examples
Q:
Which of the following statements about the scope of a message is true?
A) The amount of information in a message should be reduced for a skeptical or hostile audience.
B) A knowledgeable audience will necessitate a longer message with more supporting points.
C) Limit the scope of a message in order to convey the main idea as briefly as possible.
D) A greater number of supporting points will ensure that audience interest remains high.
E) Routine messages will generally be longer and more detailed than non-routine messages.
Q:
When writing, Alyssa finds it best to talk through a communication challenge before beginning to write. She records herself describing what she intends to write. When she listens to the playback, she identifies ways to tighten and clarify the message. The process Alyssa uses is known as ________.
A) brainstorming
B) mind mapping
C) the journalistic approach
D) a question-and-answer chain
E) the storyteller's tour
Q:
Which of the following approaches asks who, what, when, where, why, and how questions to distill major thoughts from unorganized information?
A) the storytelling approach
B) the journalistic approach
C) the brainstorming approach
D) the question-and-answer chain approach
E) the mind-mapping approach
Q:
Brainstorming ________.
A) wastes valuable time
B) is useful in the completing stage of writing messages
C) is not helpful when several people are collaborating on a message
D) can be effectively used by one person or many people
E) uses a graphic method to organize information
Q:
Leaner media are best used for messages that ________.
A) are routine
B) are highly emotional
C) are non-periodic
D) require feedback
E) must be personalized
Q:
________ media communicate in the simplest ways, provide no opportunity for audience feedback, and aren't personalized.
A) Direct
B) Traditional
C) Lean
D) Uniform
E) Rich
Q:
Media richness depends on ________.
A) the cost of using the medium
B) a medium's ability to facilitate feedback
C) how well a medium repeats the main idea
D) a medium's ability to quickly deliver the message
E) the formality of the medium
Q:
________ is the richest medium of communication.
A) Telephonic communication
B) Face-to-face communication
C) Visual communication
D) Multimedia communication
E) Written communication
Q:
In which of the following methods of communication are privacy and security concerns the highest?
A) electronic
B) visual
C) oral
D) written
E) audio
Q:
Which of the following is a disadvantage of written media?
A) restricts participation of those physically present
B) provides no permanent, verifiable record of the communication
C) reduces communicator's control over the message
D) offers no opportunity to revise or edit
E) offers no opportunity for nonverbal communication
Q:
________ is a medium's ability to convey a message through more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish personal focus.
A) Media richness
B) Media versatility
C) Media synthesis
D) Media scalability
E) Media leanness
Q:
________ is the technology used to superimpose computer-generated text, graphics, or sounds onto a user's physical domain, either on a device display or directly onto the physical world itself.
A) Mind mapping
B) Augmented reality
C) VoIP
D) Cloud computing
E) Internet telephony
Q:
Which of the following allows reports and other documents, that were once distributed on paper, to be transferred as electronic documents?
A) Skype
B) IM
C) VoIP
D) Flash
E) PDF
Q:
Creating audio signals from computer data is known as ________.
A) voice synthesis
B) augmented reality
C) voice over IP
D) Internet telephony
E) voice recognition
Q:
A primary advantage of written media is that they ________.
A) increase control over the message
B) are less expensive
C) allow for immediate feedback
D) are brief and to-the-point
E) allow recipients to ask questions
Q:
________ are brief printed documents traditionally used for the routine, day-to-day exchange of information within an organization.
A) Proposals
B) Letters
C) Instant messages
D) Mind maps
E) Memos
Q:
Which of the following is a disadvantage of oral media?
A) spontaneity
B) increased control over the message
C) wide reach
D) face-to-face interaction
E) giving people the ability to react to each other
Q:
Which of the following is an advantage of oral media?
A) increased control over the message
B) ability to revise and rework the message
C) wide audience
D) ability to express the emotions behind a message
E) minimal chances of message distortion
Q:
________ give people the ability to see, hear, and react to each other, thereby encouraging people to ask questions, make comments, and work together to reach a consensus or decision.
A) Written media
B) Multimedia
C) Oral media
D) Visual media
E) Sensory media
Q:
Which of the following types of communication is best for encouraging interaction, expressing emotion, or monitoring emotional responses?
A) print
B) oral
C) visual
D) electronic
E) multimedia
Q:
The term ________ refers to a centralized database that collects the experiences and insights of employees throughout the organization.
A) social-network platform
B) business intelligence system
C) knowledge-management system
D) teleconferencing system
E) workflow-management system
Q:
The New York headquarters of a multinational company typically houses a number of employees from its various branches across the world. English is the common language of communication, but most employees are not native speakers. How does this fact affect business communications addressed to all the employees located at the company's headquarters?
A) The primary audience will be difficult to determine.
B) Geographic location will be important in determining message composition.
C) Gathering information for the message will be difficult.
D) Cultural factors may inhibit understanding of the message.
E) The size of the audience will play an important role in determining message composition.
Q:
Milkman Foods has developed a malted milk powder for children. Which of the following questions is MOST relevant in helping the company identify the target audience for the promotional campaign of this product?
A) Who are Milkman's competitors in the market?
B) How often do people buy groceries?
C) What is the average consumption of milk in the area?
D) Who makes the buying decisions in households?
E) What do consumers expect from the product?
Q:
Which of the following purposes of a business message helps define the overall approach needed, from gathering information to organizing the message, without setting precise goals?
A) variable purpose
B) general purpose
C) explicit purpose
D) relative purpose
E) logical purpose