Q&A Hero

Q: For reports organized in the indirect approach, you should use an informative synopsis instead of a descriptive one.

Q: A synopsis of a 15-page report should usually be at least four pages long.

Q: The table of contents should always include all levels of headings for the report.

Q: If a report does not have a synopsis, the letter of transmittal can be used to summarize the major findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Q: The letter of transmittal should always use the indirect approach, especially if the report is an analytical one.

Q: The letter of transmittal says what you would say if you were handing the report directly to someone.

Q: If you received written authorization to prepare a business report, you should respond with a letter of acceptance.

Q: It is sometimes acceptable for the title page to serve as the report cover.

Q: Every business report should include a title fly, but only the most formal require a title page.

Q: A report title should always begin with "A Study of" or "A Report on."

Q: Covers for business reports are typically blank sheets of card stock that serve to protect the contents.

Q: Because they fall at the beginning of a report, the prefatory parts are usually written first.

Q: All prefatory parts (such as the table of contents) should always start on their own page.

Q: The number of components a report contains varies according to the type of report you are writing.

Q: If your report will be posted online, you should be especially careful to make the report easy to skim.

Q: Three weeks ago you sent a proposal to a client who had asked for information on upgrading his company's security system. You've heard nothing in response. You should A) inquire politely about your proposal and offer to answer any questions regarding what you offered. B) take it as a sign that the client agrees with what you had to say and is likely to hire you. C) assume that the report has not been read. D) demand to know why you haven't received a response yet.

Q: Proofreading reports is different from proofreading other kinds of business messages in that A) reports usually have more typographical errors. B) the visual elements in reports don't usually need proofing. C) reports often have elements that aren't included in other business messages. D) none of the abovereports do not differ significantly from other business messages.

Q: When proofreading formal reports and proposals, you should A) go back and use the most impressive words you can find to describe key concepts. B) proof your visuals thoroughly. C) not worry about typosonly content. D) simply rely on your software's spelling and grammar checkers to find any errors.

Q: The body of a proposal should A) capture the reader's attention. B) explain the complete details of how the job will be done. C) make whatever promises it takes to win the contract. D) do all of the above.

Q: The text of a proposal A) must always follow the AIDA plan. B) is usually presented in outline form. C) consists of the introduction, body, and close. D) should be less than six pages.

Q: You're sending an unsolicited proposal to a local restaurant in an effort to become their primary food vendor. The letter of transmittal to accompany the proposal should follow the format for A) persuasive messages. B) bad-news messages. C) good-news messages. D) routine messages.

Q: In a formal, unsolicited proposal, a synopsis or executive summary may be A) essential for highlighting your competitive advantage. B) useful if the proposal is fairly short. C) placed in an appendix. D) unnecessary.

Q: The approach taken with letter of transmittal should be A) persuasive if the proposal is unsolicited. B) persuasive if the proposal is solicited. C) friendly in tone if the proposal is lengthy. D) friendly in tone if the proposal is short.

Q: The prefatory parts of a formal proposal may include A) a letter of authorization. B) a copy of the RFP. C) an index. D) visual elements.

Q: Unlike reports, most proposals A) contain many supplementary parts. B) contain few supplementary parts. C) never contain an appendix. D) are never analytical.

Q: Proposals addressed to potential customers and investors A) are nearly always formal. B) rarely include a copy of the RFP. C) are less formal than those addressed to internal audiences. D) should never include visuals.

Q: An index A) may include the names of important persons or subjects mentioned in your report. B) lists only the names of authors cited in the report. C) lists the names of things and ideas, but not individual people or authors of works. D) involves all of the above.

Q: You've used information from several websites to support your argument in a formal report. You shouldA) not worry about documenting the sources since that's only necessary in school not in business.B) provide information on your sources only if the audience requests it.C) clearly document the sources in the report.D) determine whether the websites are copyrighted, and then decide whether or not to document them.

Q: The list of secondary sources at the end of a report is labeled "Works Cited" when it contains A) all the secondary sources consulted in preparing the report. B) more than ten entries. C) only those secondary works that were mentioned in the report. D) anonymous sources.

Q: All appendixes should be A) listed in the table of contents, but not mentioned in the text of the report. B) mentioned in the text of the report, but not listed in the table of contents. C) mentioned in the text of the report and listed in the table of contents. D) included in the index but not listed in the table of contents.

Q: Materials in an appendix are not incorporated into the text because A) they are controversial. B) they include bad news. C) they are too long, or not relevant to everyone in the audience. D) they are boring.

Q: The authors of an informational report have referred to a multitude of data on the spending habits of 18- to 25-year-old Americans. They want to provide readers with access to this information, but realize it's too lengthy to include as a footnote and only some readers will find it relevant. Where should they place it? A) Nowhereit should simply be left out. B) In an appendix C) In the body of the report D) In the introduction

Q: In a report designed to organize a new task force, the close should A) identify the report's authors. B) include your analysis of the data you've presented. C) list the action that you would like readers to take. D) discuss why the report was written.

Q: You're preparing a report on how to reduce network problems at your company's home office. Since the report is organized using 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) not mention a specific course of action you want the reader to take.

Q: Which of the following is not a typical function of the introduction to a report? A) Telling the audience what the report is about B) Explaining to readers why they should be concerned about the topic C) Outlining how the report is organized D) Documenting sources

Q: The best way to decide what to include in an introduction is to A) consult with more-experienced report writers. B) focus on the information that will most help your readers follow and comprehend the report. C) put in as many standard topics as you can cover in 10 pages or less. D) do a quick survey of potential readers.

Q: You've prepared a 7-page report for a local government official outlining the potential for your company's involvement with downtown revitalization. In this short report it would be reasonable to A) not include an executive summary. B) not include a synopsis or an executive summary. C) combine the executive summary with the letter of transmittal. D) do any of the above.

Q: An executive summary A) is never longer than a few paragraphs. B) may contain headings and visual elements. C) comes before the synopsis in the prefatory section of a report. D) is always included with reports longer than 10 pages.

Q: An executive summary A) is shorter than a synopsis. B) gives 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.

Q: The synopsis of a formal report is A) a concise overview of the report's most important points. B) a short summary containing subheadings and visual elements. C) usually anywhere from two to five pages. D) never more than five lines in length.

Q: The recommended format for a table of contents for a complex formal report should include A) every level of heading in the report plus all illustration and table titles. B) two tables: a high-level table with only major headings, and a detailed table with all other headings. C) everything but prefatory parts. D) everything but supplementary parts.

Q: One of the section headings in your report is, "Unexpected Price Increases." In the table of contents, the section heading should A) be worded exactly the same way. B) not be included. C) be paraphrased. D) be in boldface type.

Q: The letter of transmittal should A) discuss the scope and methods of the project. B) highlight important sections of the report. C) thank the reader for the assignment, if appropriate. D) do all of the above.

Q: The letter of transmittal A) may follow the direct or indirect plan. B) has a more formal style than the report itself. C) is usually included as an appendix. D) should be written in an informal, chummy tone.

Q: A letter of ________ is a specialized cover letter that introduces your report to the audience. A) authorization B) acceptance C) transmittal D) introduction

Q: You should include a title fly with business reports when you want to A) give the name of the company for which the report has been prepared. B) add a touch of formality to the report. C) protect the report from dirt and careless handling. D) provide a page for the reader to make notes on.

Q: Suppose you work for the Angstrom Corporation. What would be the most concise and compelling title for a formal report on your company's proposed acquisition of Freedman Fasteners? A) "To Acquire or Not to Acquire" B) "A Study of the Feasibility of Angstrom Corporation Inc. Acquiring the Concern Currently Operating as Freedman Fasteners" C) "The Pros and Cons of Acquiring Freedman" D) "Why Angstrom Should Focus on Its Core Issues and Abandon Its Ancillary Efforts"

Q: Which of the following is not included in the prefatory parts of a formal report? A) Cover B) Letter of authorization C) Introduction D) Table of contents

Q: The prefatory parts of a report should A) help readers decide whether and how they need to read the report. B) be prepared and written before the text of the report. C) include an introduction to the report. D) do all of the above.

Q: The four tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals include all of the following except A) distributing. B) revising. C) producing. D) composing.

Q: Define "RFP" and discuss its typical components.

Q: In a formal proposal, how do you determine the organizational approach to use in the letter of transmittal?

Q: What considerations should guide you when selecting an effective title for your report?

Q: Explain the difference between a title fly and a title page.

Q: Explain why it is generally best to prepare the prefatory parts of your report after you've written the text.

Q: List at least three elements normally included in the body of a formal proposal.

Q: Briefly explain how the components of a formal proposal often differ from those of other formal reports.

Q: List at least three types of materials commonly included in appendixes.

Q: What three main parts make up the text of a report?

Q: Briefly explain the difference between an informative synopsis and a descriptive synopsis.

Q: Briefly explain the difference between a synopsis and an executive summary.

Q: When should you include a separate list of illustrations with your report?

Q: Describe the primary function of the letter of transmittal.

Q: What is one advantage of starting each section of your report on a separate page?

Q: List at least three factors that can help you decide what parts to include in a business report.

Q: The ________ section is your last opportunity to urge readers to act on your proposal.

Q: In an unsolicited proposal, the letter of transmittal follows the pattern for ________ messages.

Q: Instead of a letter of authorization, solicited proposals refer to the ________ issued by the client.

Q: A(n) ________ is a list of secondary sources consulted when preparing a report.

Q: A(n) ________ contains materials that are too lengthy or too bulky to include in the main body of a report.

Q: A bibliography and an index are the ________ parts of a formal report.

Q: Explain the wiki philosophy, and describe at least three points wiki contributors should keep in mind to increase their effectiveness.

Q: In a formal proposal, where does the Work Plan section normally appear, and what information does it contain? Can it be changed later?

Q: What four topics are commonly covered in the introduction to a business proposal? Briefly explain each one.

Q: Describe six strategies (in addition to using the AIDA format) for strengthening your argument in business proposals.

Q: List and briefly explain five characteristics of effective report content.

Q: Briefly explain how to write effective links in online content.

Q: In what forms can previews and reviews be written in a business report?

Q: What does it mean to "package your proposal attractively"? Why is it important to do so?

Q: In a business report, what options do you have in terms of defining terms that might be unfamiliar to your audience?