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Q:
At the beginning of a research project, you need to
A) develop a formal outline that you plan to stick to throughout your researching and writing.
B) familiarize yourself with the subject.
C) just jump in by finding resources on the Internet and taking notes from them.
D) develop the conclusion you want to reach and start looking for evidence that supports that conclusion.
E) try Google to see if it provides enough information, and if not proceed to databases and other sources.
Q:
In an unsolicited proposal, the writer
A) must convince readers that a problem or opportunity exists.
B) analyzes the client's business in light of the competition.
C) uses a style approved by the American Association of Business Writers.
D) enumerates the client's options regarding such business decisions as product-line expansion.
E) has the upper hand.
Q:
A contractor receives a request from the owner of a company to bid on a large-scale construction project. The contractor will prepare a(n)
A) unsolicited proposal.
B) solicited proposal.
C) business plan.
D) request for proposal.
E) operations report.
Q:
You're writing an analytical report outlining the benefits of starting a recycling program. You need to explain how the program meets numerous criteria including reasonable cost, ease of implementation, and long-term impact. The ________ approach will probably be the best way to organize your report.
A) 2 + 2 = 4
B) scientific
C) direct
D) yardstick
E) modal
Q:
One drawback of using the yardstick approach to structure business reports is that
A) you must discuss all the alternatives, even if many of them turn out to be irrelevant and/or unproductive.
B) this approach is generally considered old-fashioned.
C) it forces you to ignore the fact that the problem may have multiple causes.
D) it is impractical in most business settings.
E) it often oversimplifies the topic.
Q:
Because of its natural feel and versatility, the ________ approach is generally the most persuasive way to develop an analytical report for skeptical readers.
A) 2 + 2 = 4
B) yardstick
C) direct
D) hypothetical
E) emotional
Q:
Unlike those focused on conclusions or recommendations, reports focusing on logical arguments
A) use the indirect approach.
B) are not very convincing.
C) emphasize the positive.
D) do not include outside evidence.
E) are too confusing for most audiences.
Q:
Any risks involved with your recommendations should
A) not be addressed, since they may discourage your audience.
B) be discussed in your report, but only in vague, general terms.
C) be addressed clearly in your report.
D) be outlined before you reveal the benefits that can be achieved.
E) none of the above
Q:
A report focused on recommendations should
A) first establish or verify the need for action.
B) not include conclusions.
C) avoid mentioning any potential risks.
D) outline costs, but not in detail.
E) always combine the direct and indirect approaches.
Q:
One potential drawback of focusing on conclusions in a report is that you may
A) reveal information you know about that has not been included in the report.
B) oversimplify the contents.
C) offend your audience.
D) compromise the integrity of your sources.
E) do all of the above.
Q:
Which of the following is not a common organizational format for analytical reports?
A) Focusing on conclusions
B) Focusing on recommendations
C) Focusing on information
D) Focusing on logical argument
E) All of the above are common formats.
Q:
Analytical reports for skeptical audiences should generally follow the ________ approach.
A) direct
B) indirect
C) hypothetical
D) aggressive
E) 1, 2, 3
Q:
Problem factoring is the process of
A) looking at a problem from many different angles.
B) considering how to divide responsibility for a problem.
C) creating problems instead of solving them.
D) breaking a problem down into a series of logical, connected questions.
E) listing all the factors that created the problem.
Q:
Unlike feasibility reports, justification reports
A) are designed to affirm decisions after they have been made.
B) are internal as opposed to external reports.
C) are always in memo format.
D) do not require a great deal of supporting data.
E) are never longer than one page.
Q:
Making generous use of descriptive labels, subheads, and other similar devices on a website
A) confuses and frustrates online readers.
B) helps online readers get oriented to your website.
C) is fine for amateurs, but professional web designers avoid it.
D) is unnecessary if your primary audience is made up of English speakers.
E) none of the above.
Q:
For most audiences, reading online is ________ than reading from a printed page.
A) easier
B) more difficult
C) neither easier nor more difficult
D) much faster
E) more comfortable
Q:
A business plan
A) is useful only before a company is launched.
B) always contains the same elements.
C) should not identify risks and problems, since these might discourage potential investors.
D) is sometimes prepared after a company is up and running.
E) is just another name for a SWOT analysis.
Q:
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.
Q:
A contractor submitting a weekly report on work done to date would be providing the client with
A) a progress report.
B) a compliance report.
C) a justification report.
D) a periodic operating report.
E) a position paper.
Q:
A public corporation filing a quarterly tax report would be providing
A) a progress report.
B) a compliance report.
C) a justification report.
D) a periodic operating report.
E) unnecessary information.
Q:
Most compliance reports are required by
A) parent companies.
B) accounting departments.
C) government agencies.
D) marketing departments.
E) unreasonable bosses.
Q:
The CEO of a pharmaceutical company asks you assess the company's adherence to laws governing television ads for prescription drugs. The CEO has requested a
A) personal activity report.
B) work plan.
C) compliance report.
D) policy report.
E) business plan.
Q:
Briefly explain several guidelines for adapting marketing and sales messages for social media.
Q:
Describe several ways you can de-emphasize price in sales messages.
Q:
Explain how to balance emotional appeals and logical appeals in persuasive business messages.
Q:
Describe each of the four phases of the AIDA model for persuasive messages.
Q:
Describe at least five strategies for establishing credibility when preparing persuasive messages.
Q:
Why is it especially important in marketing and sales messages to avoid implying offers or promises you cannot fulfill?
Q:
Briefly explain the difference between conversation marketing and social commerce.
Q:
Briefly explain the difference between selling points and benefits, and then give an example of each.
Q:
List three categories of common persuasive business messages.
Q:
What are three methods of reasoning you can use when making a logical appeal?
Q:
Rewrite the following email subject line to make it more interesting without revealing the main idea: "The case for switching to new medical insurance provider."
Q:
When your AIDA message uses an indirect approach and is delivered by email, what are two goals to keep in mind as you write the subject line?
Q:
What does AIDA stand for?
Q:
When is it a good idea to use the direct approach for persuasive messages?
Q:
In marketing terms, what are champions?
Q:
Briefly define social commerce.
Q:
What kinds of information should you research as you prepare to write marketing and sales messages?
Q:
What is circular reasoning?
Q:
Briefly define persuasion.
Q:
In preparing to write persuasive messages, what two types of information are vital to assess the needs of your audience?
Q:
________ ________ are the most attractive features of an idea or product.
Q:
________ is reasoning from a generalization to a specific conclusion.
Q:
Persuasive messages often follow a specialized four-phase format called the ________ model.
Q:
________ include information about an individual's personality, attitudes, lifestyle, and other psychological characteristics.
Q:
________ information includes age, gender, occupation, income, and education.
Q:
Because promotional messages are not legally binding contracts in most states, it is usually acceptable to imply offers or promises you cannot deliver.
Q:
A good way to open a marketing or sales message would be "We here at Colbert Corporation are proud to announce our new, improved all-weather tent."
Q:
Successful marketing and sales messages match the product's distinguishing benefit to the audience's primary needs or emotional concerns.
Q:
When writing a persuasive claim or request for adjustment, you should appeal to your audience's sense of fair play, goodwill, or moral responsibility.
Q:
Most persuasive business messages involve requests for action.
Q:
If you expect a hostile audience, you should be careful to present all sides of an issue before making the case for your own argument.
Q:
In developing persuasive messages, you should avoid the use of metaphors, as they will only confuse the reader.
Q:
Induction refers to reasoning from a generalization to a specific conclusion.
Q:
Deductive reasoning moves from specific evidence to a general conclusion.
Q:
When writing persuasive messages, one should be careful not to mix emotional and logical appeals.
Q:
Most persuasive messages combine logical and emotional appeals.
Q:
The AIDA model for persuasive messages works only with the indirect approach.
Q:
The primary purpose of the desire section of a persuasive message is to get the audience to keep reading (or listening) to your message.
Q:
The AIDA model can be used with both the direct and indirect approaches for persuasive messages.
Q:
The interest section of a persuasive letter provides details on how the message is relevant to the audience.
Q:
When it comes to persuasive messages, an up-front hard-sell approach is usually the most successful.
Q:
One of the best ways to gain credibility for your message is to support it with objective evidence.
Q:
Using simple language in persuasive messages usually increases your credibility.
Q:
When preparing persuasive messages for audiences in high-context cultures, you will be most successful if you use an aggressive, hard-sell approach.
Q:
Using polite language in business-related persuasive messages weakens your argument and reduces your chance of success.
Q:
If you possess little authority in your organization, the direct approach will generally be best for the persuasive messages you send.
Q:
Regardless of the audience's specific needs, if your product is good and your message is clear, you will likely persuade them to make a purchase.
Q:
Demographic information includes people's psychological characteristics, such as personality, attitudes, and lifestyle.
Q:
To devise an effective persuasive message, you need to analyze audience members and then appeal to their desires and interests.
Q:
Successful professionals understand that persuasion is the attempt to get your audience to make the choices you want them to make-even if those choices are not in their best interest.
Q:
The primary difference between a marketing message and a sales message is
A) so insignificant that the two can be used interchangeably.
B) that a sales message asks potential buyers to make a purchase decision right away.
C) that sales messages are longer.
D) that marketing messages are more aggressive.
E) that marketing messages are more difficult to compose.
Q:
Causation and correlation
A) are not the same, and confusing the two in persuasive messages can lead to faulty logic.
B) are essentially the same.
C) should not be addressed in persuasive business messages.
D) are so complex that only professional writers should attempt to address them.
E) make it difficult for audiences to assess the quality of a persuasive message.
Q:
Emotional appeals
A) have no place in persuasive business messages.
B) can help audiences care enough to respond positively to your persuasive message.
C) often backfire, and should be used only when addressing internal audiences.
D) are usually sufficient, on their own, to convince the audience to make important decisions.
E) are most effective in persuasive messages designed for international audiences.
Q:
In persuasive messages, suggesting that the action you want readers to take is easy
A) makes them suspect that you are hiding something.
B) encourages them to do what you have asked.
C) is insulting, since everyone will know it is not.
D) leads them to question the significance of your argument.
E) works only when you use a tone that is obviously sarcastic.
Q:
When it comes to persuasive messages, the completing step
A) is much simpler than it is for other types of messages.
B) is less important than it is for negative messages.
C) is especially important.
D) is unnecessary.
E) generally involves nothing more than a quick review.
Q:
Using simple language in persuasive messages
A) helps avoid suspicions of fantastic claims and emotional manipulation.
B) reduces your credibility, since jargon and complex terminology are impressive.
C) confuses the audience, since they expect you to show how much you know.
D) is harmful when addressing external audiences.
E) is fine as long as you overwhelm the audience with complicated charts and diagrams.
Q:
Establishing credibility in persuasive messages
A) is impossible unless the audience is already familiar with you.
B) is a waste of time, since data and evidence are the only things audiences find convincing.
C) requires a condescending, "know-it-all" tone.
D) works only when you make negative comments about your company's competitors.
E) is essential when you are trying to persuade a hostile or skeptical audience.
Q:
Differences in organizational culture
A) are not important when it comes to writing persuasive messages.
B) can profoundly affect the success of a persuasive message.
C) are important when addressing international audiences, but not those in the U.S.
D) are so complex that no one can truly understand them.
E) are important to consider for negative messages, but not for persuasive messages.