Q&A Hero

Q: When preparing numerical tables, you should express all items in a column in the same unit.

Q: Alternating rows of a table with contrasting colors serves no design purpose and qualifies as chartjunk.

Q: Tables presented in printed documents must contain fewer columns and rows than tables presented online.

Q: Tables are ideal for summarizing information that would be difficult or tedious to handle in the main text.

Q: Altering the horizontal or vertical scale on a line graph can profoundly influence your audience's perception of the data you present.

Q: The more decorative elements you can add to a graphic, the more interesting and useful it will be to the audience.

Q: In business presentations, images should always be arranged symmetrically around a central point or axis.

Q: A good way to distinguish between "operating expenses" and "equipment costs" on a pie chart illustrating monthly expenses would be to use contrasting colors.

Q: In business presentations, maintaining consistency among your visuals is less important than impressing the audience with a wide range of special effects.

Q: "Visual literacy" describes the abilities to create effective images and correctly interpret visual messages.

Q: U.S. government research suggests that only half of the adult population in the U.S. now has the literacy skills needed for success in the workplace.

Q: Poorly planned visuals are often more noticeable than grammatical errors in the text of your report.

Q: Including visuals in your report or presentation is a particularly powerful way to communicate with a culturally diverse audience.

Q: When designing visuals, you should keep in mind that elements such as shapes and colors have meanings, which can vary among cultures.

Q: Unlike words, visual images have connotative meanings that are consistent across cultures.

Q: When creating visuals, it is highly unethical to A) leave out important information. B) "airbrush" the photos of company executives to make them look more attractive. C) overload your report with unnecessary tables and charts. D) simplify data from other sources.

Q: Legends should be included with A) controversial reports. B) all visuals in business reports. C) complex graphs. D) all of the above.

Q: Which of the following is an example of a descriptive title for a visual? A) How CamCo Reduces Costs B) CamCo Cost Reductions Are Increasing Each Year C) Reducing Costs Is a Number-One Goal at CamCo D) Whither Camco: Is the Rollercoaster Ride Over?

Q: The primary difference between titles and captions of visuals is that A) titles are usually longer than captions. B) captions usually appear above visuals, whereas titles appear below. C) captions offer discussion of the visual's content. D) titles provide detailed descriptions of visuals, but captions give only short descriptions.

Q: In business reports, it is best to place each visual A) within, beside, or immediately after the paragraph it illustrates. B) just before the paragraph referring to it. C) together with other visuals at the end of each chapter. D) together with other visuals in an appendix at the end of the report.

Q: The reference to a bar chart in your report on advertising costs should A) come directly after the chart itself appears. B) precede the chart. C) come on the page following the chart, and refer to it as "the abovementioned pie chart." Answer: B

Q: The ideal balance between the visual and the verbal depends on A) the nature of your audience. B) the length of the report/presentation. C) the amount of money available for underwriting the costs of graphics. D) internal company guidelines.

Q: The style and quality that you choose for your visuals depends mostly on A) the gender of your audience. B) whether or not your topic is controversial. C) the subject matter and the situation at hand. D) all of the above.

Q: In computer graphics, a template A) is a tool for creating curves and geometric shapes. B) helps ensure an effective design, saves time, and makes decision making easier. C) is any kind of chart generated by a spreadsheet or illustration program. D) is a tool for creating classic architectural views.

Q: When designing important visuals in business, A) consider having a professional designer set up a template for the types of visuals you often create. B) use online clip art to enhance the effectiveness of what you produce. C) the more colors you can incorporate, the better. D) the best rule of thumb is to include as little text and as many photos as possible.

Q: Using video to enhance business messages A) has become difficult and expensive, since audiences now have such high expectations. B) is generally a bad idea, since it takes away from the main idea. C) is easier than ever, thanks to low-cost video cameras and video sharing sites such as YouTube. D) is effective for tech-savvy audiences, but a turn-off for most others.

Q: If you find a photograph online that you want to use in a document, A) you don't need permissionyou are protected by fair use doctrine. B) you don't need permission unless you are using it in marketing materials. C) if it is not specifically offered for free, you should assume that you will need to obtain permission to use it. D) none of the above.

Q: When it comes to using photographs in business communication, learning basic functions such as how to crop an image is A) best left to professional designers. B) too difficult for most people. C) helpful, since it can improve the effectiveness of your messages. D) worthwhile only if you tend to rely more heavily on images than on text.

Q: A potential drawback of using photographs in reports is A) that they can show too much detail. B) that they are difficult to change or manipulate. C) that appropriate photos are difficult to find. D) all of the above.

Q: CAD stands for A) charts automatically designed. B) complete audiovisual display. C) computer-aided design. D) computer adaptable display.

Q: Microsoft Visio is one example of specialized software used to create A) professional-quality illustrations. B) complex spreadsheets. C) cash flow tracking systems. D) none of the above.

Q: The best graphic element to identify the communication channels of an entire business organization is a(n) A) organization chart. B) bar chart. C) scatter diagram. D) Gantt chart.

Q: Flowcharts are used to A) summarize large amounts of statistical data. B) show the relative sizes of the parts of a whole. C) show how something looks or operates. D) illustrate processes and procedures.

Q: For determining numerical values, pie charts are generally ________ than bar charts or line charts. A) much better B) worse C) about the same D) slightly better

Q: The best way to illustrate what percentage of your firm's annual budget is spent on what would be a A) pie chart. B) line chart. C) organizational chart. D) flowchart.

Q: To track your team's progress toward completing an important project, you should use A) an organizational chart. B) a Gantt chart. C) a pie chart. D) a pictogram.

Q: A Gantt chart is a type of A) pictogram. B) line chart. C) time line chart. D) pie chart.

Q: A chart that uses symbols or graphic images instead of words or numbers to portray data is called a A) Gantt chart. B) surface chart. C) combination chart. D) pictogram.

Q: A segmented or stacked bar chart A) shows how individual components contribute to a total number. B) shows the correlation between two items. C) compares quantities that require different intervals. D) identifies positive and negative values.

Q: A bar chart would be particularly useful for A) illustrating what percentages of a company's monthly budget are spent on utilities and other expenses. B) comparing sales totals of three breakfast cereals from 2007 to 2009. C) showing the stages in production of a jet engine. D) depicting links between employees at a large firm.

Q: A surface chart is A) a type of three-dimensional pie chart. B) a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line. C) a type of map showing various terrains. D) used to show interrelationships within an organization.

Q: 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.

Q: When preparing a line chart, keep in mind that you should A) never leave out increments from the vertical axis. B) be especially careful to avoid distorting the data. C) never include negative numbers on the vertical axis. D) all of the above.

Q: The best type of visual for showing that annual consumer spending has decreased over the past ten years would be A) a table. B) a pie chart. C) a line chart. D) an organization chart.

Q: When preparing numerical tables, you should A) be sure to identify the units you are using. B) use at least three colors to hold the audience's attention. C) use a font no larger than 9 points. D) do all of the above.

Q: If you have a great deal of detailed, specific information to present to allow users to find specific data point values in decimal form, the best visual to use would be a A) table. B) pie chart. C) diagram. D) Gantt chart.

Q: Examples of ethical lapses to avoid in business visuals include all of the following except A) including photos that play on racial or gender stereotypes. B) expanding the detail of a graphic in order to make it more readable. C) altering photos or graphs to hide information that could make you look bad. D) distorting the axes on a line chart to make sales look like they have increased significantly over previous years.

Q: Clip art cluttering a bar chart is an example of A) a pictogram. B) chartjunk. C) a good way to grab reader interest. D) all of the above.

Q: U.S. government research shows that about ________ percent of the adult population in the U.S. has the literacy skills needed for success in today's workplace. A) 1 B) 10 C) 50 D) 75

Q: Compared to poorly written text, badly designed visuals are ________ to be noticed by your audience. A) less likely B) more likely C) just as likely D) not eligible

Q: Explain important considerations to keep in mind when deciding whether to conduct an interview face to face or via email.

Q: Describe six strategies for producing surveys that are both valid and reliable.

Q: List the three major disadvantages of Internet search engines, then briefly describe other electronic research tools that overcome those shortcomings.

Q: What are some criteria you can use in evaluating the credibility of an information source?

Q: Briefly describe five general procedures that can increase the productivity of your research.

Q: Provide an example of a conclusion, and then give an example of a recommendation on the same topic.

Q: Provide an example of an open-ended question, and then give an example of a closed question on the same topic.

Q: What is the difference between a reliable survey and a valid survey?

Q: Briefly explain the main difference between an Internet search engine and a web directory.

Q: What illusion should you resist when using search engines to find information on the Internet?

Q: Briefly explain the difference between trade journals and academic journals.

Q: Briefly explain the difference between primary research and secondary research.

Q: Explain why it is important to prioritize your research needs early in the process of conducting business research.

Q: You have been asked to help a company find ways to reduce the amount it spends on employee health and dental benefits. Write a problem statement for the report that you will produce.

Q: List three guidelines to follow in order to avoid ethical lapses when conducting research.

Q: A(n) ________ suggests what ought to be done in response to the information you have presented in your report.

Q: A(n) ________ is a logical interpretation of the facts in your report.

Q: A(n) ________ is a simultaneous change in two variables that you're measuring.

Q: When analyzing data, look for ________, which are definite patterns taking place over time, such as growth and decline.

Q: Unlike a paraphrase, a(n) ________ presents the gist of the material in fewer words than the original.

Q: When conducting an interview, you use ________ questions to get the interviewee to offer an opinion and not just a yes-or-no answer.

Q: A survey is considered ________ if it produces identical results when repeated. A survey is considered ________ if it measures what it's intended to measure.

Q: ________ law covers printed materials, audiovisual material, many forms of artistic expression, computer programs, maps, mailing lists, and even answering-machine messages.

Q: A(n) ________ ________ search lets you ask questions in normal, everyday English.

Q: A Boolean ________ operator placed between restaurant and Louie's will find all sites that include both the word restaurant and Louie's.

Q: You can narrow or broaden an Internet search by using ________ operators such as AND, OR, and NOT.

Q: Online ________ provide access to journals, electronic books, and other resources often unavailable through general purpose search engines.

Q: Online ________ ________ identify individual webpages that contain a specific word or phrase you've asked for.

Q: Books, periodicals, newspapers, and websites are all examples of ________ sources.

Q: A(n) ________ ________ defines the purpose of your research.