Q&A Hero

Q: Using the active voice is helpful when you A) want to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error. B) want to point out what's being done, without giving credit or assigning blame. C) want to make your writing more direct, livelier, and easier to read. D) need to avoid personal pronouns in order to create an objective tone. E) are unsure what action the subject of your sentence will take.

Q: Using the passive voice makes sense when A) you want to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error. B) you want your sentence to be easier to understand. C) you need to make your sentences shorter. D) you want to emphasize the subject. E) you are unsure what action the subject of the sentence will take.

Q: Identify the voice in the following sentence: "Based on negative client feedback, the marketing department abandoned the campaign." A) active B) passive C) vocative D) state of being E) conversational

Q: Which of the following sentences contains the strongest and most effective wording? A) Given the parameters of the situation, the most propitious choice would be to make adjustments in certain budget areas. B) We need to cut the operating budget by 12 percent or profits will decrease. C) Someone's going to need to do some budget cutting around here or heads will roll. D) Perusal of budgetary figures reveals that a 12 percent reduction in operations is called for if we are to stave off a negative impact on profits. E) Having dissected the latest budget figures, it is clear to me that we have a real need to re-examine our priorities and revamp the budget along the lines I have suggested herein.

Q: Plain language is a style of writing A) used only for casual correspondence. B) designed to make complex materials more understandable to the audience. C) aimed primarily at readers for whom English is a second language. D) inappropriate for business communication. E) used in industry to describe products and technical issues, but never in professional settings.

Q: Using humor in business messages is A) an effective way to build strong relationships with international clients you are not familiar with. B) usually not effective, and is always inappropriate for formal and intercultural messages. C) appropriate for external messages, but never for internal. D) expected in virtually every profession. E) a method to support the use of the "you" attitude.

Q: Most business communication should aim for a ________ tone. A) formal B) colloquial C) conversational D) confrontational E) passive

Q: Why should writers avoid phrases such as, "attached please find" and "we are in receipt of"? A) They are rude. B) They are too intimate. C) They are stale and pompous. D) They involve preaching and bragging. E) They are too conversational.

Q: The acronyms and shortcuts used in texting and IM are A) incompatible with professional business writing. B) your ticket to the inside track in today's multinational corporations. C) a great way to show coworkers and managers that you're tech-savvy. D) commonly used to communicate with top management. E) best used with customers and suppliers.

Q: List at least three personal characteristics that can help establish credibility with your audience.

Q: You can build credibility by letting your audience know that you believe in yourself and your message.

Q: Audience responses to your messages depend heavily on your ________, a measure of your believability based on how reliable you are and how much trust you evoke in others. A) persona B) savoir-faire C) credibility D) audience awareness E) performance

Q: To build, maintain, or repair your credibility, emphasize A) why the audience should agree with and welcome your message. B) become emotionally invested in your message. C) explain to the audience why the message is important to them. D) impressive communication skills. E) sincerity by pointing out specific qualities that warrant praise.

Q: In business messages, using terms such as "if," "hope," and "trust" is A) usually a bad idea since it takes away from the writer's credibility. B) a good way to show your modesty. C) common courtesy. D) acceptable for very formal contexts. E) a way to display a "you" attitude.

Q: To establish credibility with your audience, you should A) impress them with a long list of your accomplishments. B) be modest and deferential. C) show that you are confident and that you believe in yourself and in your message. D) use hedging words ("maybe," "perhaps") to demonstrate you're willing to tell your audience what they want to hear. E) directly state that you know more about your topic than they do.

Q: What is the difference between delivering negative news and being negative?

Q: Define bias-free language.

Q: List three strategies to become more sensitive to your audience's needs.

Q: Using the word "young" to describe an employee can have negative implications.

Q: Adopting a "you" attitude in business writing is simply a matter of using the pronoun "you" as much as possible.

Q: Regarding the use of the "you" attitude in business communication, A) cultural differences are not a concern, since it is universally acceptable. B) it is important to recognize and accommodate cultural differences. C) you should assume that members of high-context cultures would find it offensive. D) you should avoid it completely in intercultural communication. E) its no more complicated than using the word "you" as much as possible.

Q: To help foster a more successful environment for communication, use ________ to incorporate high standards of etiquette. A) biased words B) the word "you" liberally C) careful planning when writing for a mobile device D) redundancies E) words that trigger negative emotional reactions

Q: Using good standards of etiquette, emphasizing the positive, and using bias-free language are examples of incorporating ________ into a message. A) audience awareness B) the "you" attitude C) connotative language D) an indirect E) euphemisms

Q: Whether consciously or not, most readers in the workplace greet incoming messages by A) anticipating the new knowledge they will gain. B) setting aside enough time to read every one of them. C) tossing them all into the trash without opening them. D) asking the question, "What's in this for me?" E) looking for bias from the writer

Q: Replacing harsh, unpleasant terms with ________ can help you state your message without using words that may hurt or offend your audience. A) abstractions B) euphemisms C) redundancies D) idiomatic expressions E) nouns

Q: Bob N. Zing, the Director of Human Resources at CAP Co, Inc., has to write an internal message to announce impending layoffs across the company. Rather than addressing the layoffs directly, Bob decides to refer to them as restructuring operations and eliminating redundancies. In this case, these euphemisms A) reflect the standards of ethical information. B) convey the "you attitude" for delivering bad news. C) help employees understand the gravity of the situation. D) fail to meet the "you" attitude test and ethical information standards. E) place an emotional burden on the reader.

Q: To improve your audience sensitivity, A) limit the use of the "you" attitude. B) use language that is biased towards the audience. C) tell the audience what type of response you need from them. D) liberally use terms such as I, me, mine, we, us and ours. E) maintain good standards of etiquette.

Q: A euphemism is a word or phrase that is A) possibly offensive. B) general or abstract in meaning. C) highly technical. D) a milder term for one with negative connotations. E) often difficult to understand.

Q: When you are criticizing or correcting, it is best to A) focus on what the audience members can do to improve. B) emphasize the audience's mistakes so that they will not make the same ones again. C) be honest and call attention to the audience's failures or shortcomings. D) single out the guilty audience members as an example for everyone else to learn from. E) enlist a partner to echo and affirm your negative comments.

Q: Select the sentence with the most positive emphasis. A) We failed to complete the process audit on time. B) We hope to complete the process audit by Friday. C) We haven't completed the process audit. D) Because of Joan's inaccurate figures on the project, we are not finished with the process audit. E) We wish we could finish this interminable audit.

Q: Written and most forms of digital communication require ________ than oral communication. A) less care B) fewer nouns C) more tact D) more informality E) a stronger tone

Q: It is best to limit your use of the word "you" in business messages if A) you know your audience well. B) your organization prefers an informal, personal style. C) you are filling your audience's informational needs. D) it will make your message sound overly authoritative or accusing. E) it is being relayed digitally.

Q: Select the sentence with the best "you" attitude. A) Because your report was poorly written, we cannot accept it. B) Your report failed to meet company requirements. C) When we receive a report that is professional, we can act on your recommendations. D) Once your application is complete, you should receive a response within two weeks. E) You need to resubmit your report based on your lack of data.

Q: Use ________ to avoid categorizing or stigmatizing people based on their gender, race, ethnicity, age, level of ability, or other personal characteristics. A) abstract language B) descriptive language C) bias-free language D) denotative language E) positive language

Q: The best way to convey the "you" attitude is to express your message in terms of A) the needs and interests of your organization. B) your own personal needs and interests. C) a universal set of needs and interests. D) the needs and interests of your audience. E) the most direct method possible.

Q: Which of the following statements that would appear in a business message best reflects the "you" attitude? A) You failed to enclose a check for $25. B) We need a check from you for $25 so that we can send the merchandise by May 15. C) We will send you the merchandise as soon as we receive your check for $25. D) You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today. E) Your merchandise will be held until you send us a check for $25.

Q: Explain the advantages of thinking about the organization of a message before sending it out.

Q: Briefly distinguish between the direct and indirect approaches to organizing business messages.

Q: Poorly organized messages are unlikely to be effective, regardless of their content.

Q: The ideal length of a message depends on your topic, your audience members' familiarity with the material, their receptivity to your conclusions, and your credibility.

Q: To help generate creative ideas, ________ starts with the main idea and allows the writer to branch out and connect other related ideas. A) mind mapping B) storyteller's tour C) a question and answer chain D) a journalistic approach E) brainstorming

Q: The ________ begins by explaining evidence and builds up to the main idea. A) narrative approach B) outline C) direct approach D) process of building consensus E) indirect approach

Q: To present major points and supporting detail in the most logical and effective way, A) use a direct format for the communication. B) include meaningful visual aids for each main idea. C) treat complex messages as a series of smaller messages. D) incorporate storytelling. E) create an outline for key points.

Q: A well-developed message will include a main idea that will identify what the audience should do or think and A) how long the action will take. B) be direct. C) tell the audience why they should do so. D) include references. E) use persuasive techniques to gain support.

Q: To bolster a case while adding variety and credibility, ________ to back up your major supporting points. A) add facts and figures B) use a description C) include a story D) use a specific description E) reference an authority respected by the audience

Q: Taking the time to outline your points as you prepare business messages A) will save you time in the long run and lead to better results. B) is feasible only when you are working on long reportsotherwise it is a waste of valuable time. C) is a sign that your writing skills are weak, since good writers work from mental outlines only. D) eliminates the creative spontaneity you need to create dynamic messages. E) generally causes undue confusion, since you may not know exactly what you want to say.

Q: The scope of a message will generally be longer when A) the audience is unfamiliar with your topic. B) the audience is familiar with you and your credibility. C) the audience is supportive of your ideas. D) your subject is noncontroversial. E) the audience is familiar with the topic.

Q: Use ________ when you need to help your audience grasp key points about sets of data or visualize connections between ideas. A) facts and figures B) descriptions C) visual aids D) narratives or stories E) references to authority

Q: The ________ of a business message summarizes what you want your audience members to do or think and why they should do so. A) topic B) scope C) sequence D) main idea E) narrative

Q: In a business message, the range of information you present, the overall length, and the level of detail is known as your A) coverage. B) inclusion. C) depth. D) requirement. E) scope.

Q: Narrative techniques are A) inappropriate for professional communication. B) acceptable in business, but only for messages organized in the direct approach. C) an effective way to organize messages in a variety of business communication scenarios. D) a great way to help the audience grasp key points about sets of data. E) a way to minimize the effects of negative information.

Q: Whatever the length of your message, you should limit the number of major support points to roughly A) two. B) three. C) six. D) ten. E) fifteen.

Q: Which of the following is an example of a message topic? A) "To get the board of directors to increase the research and development budget" B) "Competitors spend more than our company does on research and development." C) "Funding for research and development" D) "The research and development budget is inadequate in our competitive marketplace." E) "Research and development should be more important to our organization."

Q: As it applies to business communication, presenting information in a well-organized manner A) helps your readers understand the message. B) allows the reader to find issues for discussion. C) takes more time to produce. D) softens the impact of the message. E) obscures the meaning for the reader.

Q: If your audience will be skeptical of or resistant to your message, A) state your main idea and then present your evidence. B) start with the evidence and build your case before presenting your main idea. C) start by asking rhetorical questions to arouse the audience's interest in your message. D) open your message with a humorous anecdote to establish rapport with the audience. E) present your conclusions first to arouse the audience's interest in your message.

Q: The scope of a business message pertains to A) a specific statement about the overall subject of the message. B) the range of information you present to support your main idea. C) the efforts you expend when you proofread the message. D) the act of conveying the message through more than one informational cue. E) thematic elements and metaphors in business messages.

Q: Use the ________ to organize a message if you believe your audience will be receptive to what you have to say. A) direct approach B) indirect approach C) dialectical structure D) persuasive pattern E) divergent model

Q: When you want to confirm, illuminate, or expand on the supporting points in a business message, use ________ if you believe that dramatic tension will stimulate your audience's interest. A) facts and figures B) narration or storytelling C) references to authority figures D) examples and quotations E) detailed description

Q: In general, audiences are likely to A) ignore poor organization if the message is important. B) draw inaccurate conclusions from poorly organized messages. C) fully understand most messages, even those that are poorly organized. D) feel more comfortable with free-flowing, disorganized messages than rigidly structured ones. E) use a poorly organized message to open a line of discussion.

Q: The ________ of a message is its overall subject, while the ________ is a specific statement about that overall subject. A) medium; theme B) topic; main idea C) scope; purpose D) focal point; rationale E) purpose; intent

Q: Briefly describe at least three factors to consider when choosing media for business messages.

Q: People use mobile phones and tablets to create and consume a wide variety of written, oral, and visual media. Identify and discuss four factors that you must consider if you're planning to create messages that will be viewed on mobile devices.

Q: Briefly define media richness and provide at least one example each of a rich medium and a lean medium.

Q: An effective communicator knows how to select the best combination of media and channels to reach his or her target audience. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of written medium with a digital channel.

Q: As long as your message is clear and interesting, the medium you choose doesn't really matter.

Q: The term visual media signifies any format in which one or more visual elements play a central role in conveying the content of a message.

Q: One of the disadvantages of using an oral medium with an in-person channel is A) limited opportunity for immediate feedback. B) reliance on nonverbal cues and voice inflections. C) the ability to express emotion in the message. D) more time to resolve misunderstandings. E) reduced control over the message by the communicator.

Q: When it comes to writing messages in today's business environment, A) digital messages trump written printed messages every time. B) printed messages are still preferred for formal correspondence or a court of law. C) email has completely replaced printed memos for all internal communication. D) printed messages are used primarily for negative messages. E) printed messages are becoming more casual.

Q: In the workplace of today, most business communication efforts will involve the ________ combination. A) written medium, print channel B) oral medium, digital channel C) written medium, digital channel D) visual medium, print channel E) oral medium, print channel

Q: A key distinction of the oral medium, in-person channel is ________ because it enables the nuances of nonverbal communication more than any other media-channel combination. A) being in the same physical space B) using digital means to transmit vocalizations C) conveying spatial relationships and technical processes D) overcoming barriers of time and location E) that it increases the chance of miscommunication

Q: When sending a video to someone who will view it on a smartphone, ________ may be a key concern for the mobile carrier and the customers alike. A) screen size and resolution B) data usage and operational costs C) connectivity limitations D) media richness E) input technology

Q: As a classic form of written business communication, ________ are brief written messages sent to customers and other recipients outside the organization. A) letters B) memos C) reports D) proposals E) emails

Q: Messages that combine powerful visuals with supporting text A) can be effective because visuals lower communication barriers for multilingual audiences. B) are more difficult to remember than purely textual descriptions or explanations. C) should not be used to describe complex ideas or processes. D) take more time to review than text only messages. E) are effective because visuals minimize the relationship between parts that make up the whole.

Q: When you have to enter data on a mobile device, using ________ in public areas or shared offices can expose private message content and annoy anyone within earshot. A) a stylus pen B) a portable computer keyboard C) voice recognition software D) a touchpad E) a wireless mouse

Q: A disadvantage of a written, printed message is that it A) limits opportunities for timely feedback. B) cannot reach geographically dispersed audiences. C) minimizes the writer's ability to plan and control a message. D) doesn't give recipients time to process the message before they respond. E) deemphasizes any inappropriate emotional components.

Q: A manager is using the ________ when he or she "walks-around" to chat with employees face-to-face, seek input, answer questions, and interpret important business events and trends. A) oral medium, digital channel B) visual medium, oral channel C) visual medium, in-person channel D) oral medium, in-person channel E) visual medium, digital channel

Q: According to your textbook, all of the following except ________ are factors you must consider when choosing a medium for a persuasive business message. A) urgency of the message B) cost of producing and sending the messages C) your personal preferences D) your audience's preferences E) security and privacy

Q: In high-context cultures, ________ media are often more effective than ________ ones. A) leaner; richer B) oral; written C) foreign; domestic D) leaner; written E) written; oral

Q: Of the following media, which is the richest? A) an electronic slide presentation that includes a prearranged series of images B) a social media site that invites users' opinions and feedback on relevant topics C) an audio podcast posted on Moodle D) a formal business letter that's written on corporate letterhead E) texting and IM

Q: Which of the following are advantages inherent in using a written digital channel to deliver a business message? A) limited reach and capability B) delivering messages quickly C) privacy D) increased productivity E) security of confidential information