Q&A Hero

Q: ________ ________ are the most attractive features of an idea or product.

Q: ________ messages take a customer through the purchasing process without requiring a purchase.

Q: A marketing or sales message begins with an effort to gain the audience's ________.

Q: ________ reasoning is a logical fallacy in which you try to support your claim by using the premise of your statement.

Q: ________ is reasoning that works from a generalization to a specific conclusion.

Q: A(n) ________ appeal is based on the audience's feelings or sympathies rather than its rational assessment of the facts.

Q: Persuasive messages often follow a specialized four-phase format called the ________ model.

Q: It is particularly important to establish ________ with a skeptical or hostile audienceto convince them that you know what you're talking about and that you're not trying to mislead them.

Q: ________ include information about an individual's personality, attitudes, lifestyle, and other psychological characteristics.

Q: ________ information includes age, gender, occupation, income, and education.

Q: With MLA style, you should wait to compile the works cited list until the rest of your report is completed.

Q: If you use MLA style, your in-text citations include the author's last name and a page reference.

Q: In APA style, titles of articles are put in quotation marks and all important words are capitalized.

Q: The American Psychological Association style uses the author-date system.

Q: If you use unpublished materials, such as doctoral dissertations or public speeches, as resources, you do not need to cite them in your report.

Q: If a newspaper article doesn't have an author, your citation begins with the title of the newspaper.

Q: There is difference between endnotes and a bibliography.

Q: The functions of footnotes and endnotes are identical; the only difference between the two is their placement.

Q: Unlike source notes, content notes may supplement your main text with comments and/or cross-references.

Q: You should always use APA style for documentation in your reports, even if your employer or client normally uses a different form.

Q: In the list of works cited following MLA style A) the date comes immediately after the author's name. B) electronic sources are not included. C) the titles of books and periodicals are put in quotation marks. D) all the main words are capitalized in the titles of books and articles.

Q: With MLA style, you use A) the author-date system. B) the author-page reference system. C) superscripts and footnotes or endnotes. D) full citations within the text itself.

Q: When preparing the list of references following the APA style A) include all the works you consulted, even if you didn't actually cite them anywhere in the text. B) include full information on any personal communications or interviews you conducted in your research. C) include only those works that you specifically cited in the text. D) do all of the above.

Q: When citing journal articles using APA style A) use quotation marks around the title. B) capitalize only the first word of the title. C) you do not need to include the volume number. D) include only the first page of the article.

Q: With APA style, you use A) the author-date system. B) the author-page number system. C) superscripts and footnotes or endnotes. D) full citations within the text itself.

Q: Entries for the bibliography for a report following the Chicago style A) alphabetize magazine articles by the name of the magazine if no author is cited. B) use quotation marks around the titles of articles from newspapers and journals. C) capitalize only the first words of titles of books and articles. D) use only the name of the principal author, followed by "et al." to represent any other authors.

Q: With Chicago humanities style, the bibliography A) lists only those works actually cited in the text. B) lists works in the order in which they were cited in the text. C) can include annotations. D) does all of the above.

Q: A content note A) offers additional information or provides a cross-reference. B) documents direct quotes. C) documents paraphrased passages. D) documents visual aids.

Q: The purpose of a superscript in text is to let the reader know A) to read the marked line more carefully. B) how many sources the author consulted. C) that the report is scholarly. D) to look for source information.

Q: With Chicago humanities style, you use A) the author-date system. B) the author-page number system. C) footnotes or endnotes. D) full citations within the text itself.

Q: In formal business reports, every page should have a page number printed at the top.

Q: A memo should always contain a complimentary close and a signature.

Q: Most envelopes used in U.S. businesses are No. 10 that are 8 1/2 inches in length to accommodate standard letters that are 8 1/2 inches wide.

Q: In the simplified letter format, commas follow both the salutation and the complimentary close.

Q: The second page of a letter includes a heading that is different from the heading of the first page.

Q: Three blank lines are left between the complimentary close and the sender's typed name.

Q: If you are writing a business letter to someone you know well, it is acceptable to use his or her first name in the salutation.

Q: "Feb. 10th 2012" is the correct way to type the date in a letter.

Q: In business documents, abbreviations such as U.S.A. and M.B.A. must always contain periods.

Q: Letterhead stationery commonly includes the company's URL.

Q: When preparing a formal report that will be bound, leave at least a A) uniform 2-inch margin on all sides. B) 2-inch margin at the top and bottom and a 1-inch margin on the sides. C) 1-inch margin on three sides and a 1-1/2-inch margin on the bound side. D) uniform 1-1/2-inch margin on all sides.

Q: In memos, a courtesy title A) should always be used. B) is never appropriate. C) is required if you are discussing confidential matters. D) should be used only if you would use one in a face-to-face encounter with the reader.

Q: The top of a memo usually includes headings for A) to, from, date, subject. B) department, date, subject. C) attention, to, from, date. D) subject, to, date.

Q: To meet the needs of U.S. Postal Service equipment, envelopes used for bulk mailings A) are never made of colored paper. B) are addressed in capital letters. C) include all mailing instructions below the address area. D) adhere to all of the above guidelines.

Q: The letter format in which all parts begin at the left margin is called A) block. B) modified block. C) simplified. D) mixed.

Q: When is an enclosure notation required in a business letter? A) All business letters require enclosure notation. B) When the letter is typed by one person to express the sentiments of another person. C) When the letter is sent in hard-copy form as a printed document rather than electronic form. D) When the letter includes other documents.

Q: If you include an attention line in a business letter, you should place it A) at the top of the page, centered under the letterhead. B) below the salutation. C) two lines below the complimentary close. D) on the first line of the inside address.

Q: Which of the following is a salutopening? A) Dear Professor Milford: B) Dear Esteemed Professor Milford, It has come to our attention that you are interested in joining our research team in Winslow, Arizona. We think you can be a good fit! C) Thank you, Professor Milford, for your prompt response. D) Attention: Professor J. J. Milford

Q: The proper sequence for the standard parts of a letter is A) heading, date, inside address, salutation, body, complimentary close, signature block. B) date, heading, inside address, salutation, body, typewritten name, complimentary close. C) salutation, date, heading, inside address, body, complimentary close, signature block. D) inside address, heading, date, salutation, body, complimentary close, typewritten name.

Q: The quality of paper is measured by A) length and width. B) weight and cotton content. C) color and texture. D) whether or not it is imprinted with the name and address of the company.

Q: Explain the characteristics of an effective letter rejecting a job applicant.

Q: What are some viable options for refusing social networking recommendation requests?

Q: Provide at least five guidelines to observe when making negative organizational announcements.

Q: What four guidelines should you follow in writing effective closings to negative messages?

Q: You are faced with informing your supervisor about massive production delays. Company policy dictates that you must provide this information in writing. What questions should you consider when deciding between the direct and indirect approaches for your message?

Q: List at least three guidelines that can help you avoid being accused of defamation.

Q: List three techniques for de-emphasizing bad news.

Q: Briefly describe the elements of a negative message that uses the indirect approach.

Q: Explain how an effective buffer differs from one that is poorly written. Provide an example of a buffer that would be inappropriate for a message explaining that a student's grade appeal has been denied.

Q: What is a "buffer," and what function does it serve in negative messages?

Q: Briefly describe the elements of a negative message that uses the direct approach.

Q: What are the two benefits of stating the bad news at the beginning of a negative message?

Q: Rewrite the following negative message using positive words rather than negative ones: "Since you failed to send payment, we cannot ship your order."

Q: Rewrite the following sentence using more respectful wording: "You shouldn't have put the blender into the dishwasher."

Q: What are your five main goals when delivering bad news?

Q: When writing a(n) ________ message, present specific reasons for asking the employee to leave.

Q: When evaluating employees, it is important to ________ performance problems carefully to support any decisions that need to be made about pay, promotions, or termination.

Q: The main purpose of a(n) ________ review is to improve employee performance.

Q: Even when you are positive the person making a claim or request for adjustment is not telling the truth, it is vital to avoid saying or writing anything the recipient might interpret as ________. If you do not, you increase the likelihood that you and/or your company will be sued.

Q: Delivering bad news effectively requires special attention to ethics and ________.

Q: Customers who make a claim or request an adjustment tend to be ________ involved; therefore, the indirect method is usually best for refusals.

Q: One way to deemphasize bad news is to embed it in the middle of a(n) ________.

Q: Avoid hiding behind ________ ________ to justify the bad news you are delivering in a negative message.

Q: The ________ section of a negative message using the indirect approach should lead readers to your conclusion before you come right out and say it.

Q: In the ________ approach for negative messages, the bad news comes after the reasons supporting the decision.

Q: When using the indirect approach for a negative message, begin with a(n) ________ that softens the blow of the bad news.

Q: A negative message organized using the ________ approach starts with a clear statement of the bad news.

Q: When composing negative messages, it is important to use language that conveys respect and avoids a(n) ________ ________.

Q: Employees are more likely to accept negative news if it is delivered in ________, rather than in writing.

Q: A primary goal of negative messages is to gain ________ of the bad news.