BC Test 1 – Flashcards

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Which of the following is an advantage of the direct strategy?
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Save's the reader's time
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Modifiers
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Must be placed close to the words they describe or limit
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• Which of the following uses only active voice in a complete sentence?
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A few unhappy customers criticized the company's rigid return policy
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• Which of the following is an advantage of the indirect strategy?
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Respects the feelings of the audience
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According to communication experts, what is the greatest failing of business writers?
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Poor Organization
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The indirect strategy is most appropriate for what kind of messages?
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the indirect strategy is appropriate for all answer choices
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Which of the following is a complex sentence?
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Because of rising insurance premiums, many companies are offering employee-wellness incentives
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Paragraphs are coherent when
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Ideas are linked; that is, one idea leads logically to the next
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A supporting sentence
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must relate to the topic sentence
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When brainstorming to generate ideas, you should
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Record ideas without judging them
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What is the recommended maximum number of words for a sentence?
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20
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Ahna is sending a persuasive memo to her staff asking them to participate in the new wellness program. Which of the following sources of information would be most appropriate to help Ahna shape an effective persuasive message for her staff?
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Questionnaires and surveys of employees
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Which of the following is a simple sentence?
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HMO and PPO insurance plans offer additional cost savings.
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What kind of sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause?
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Complex Sentence
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Effective paragraphs
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Are coherent, include supporting sentences, usually present the main idea
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All of the following are effective tips for creating an outline except
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use a single item under a major component
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All of the following would probably require informal research methods except
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long reports and complex business problems
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Which of the following sentences is most effective in de-emphasizing the bad news?
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Although cash refunds are not offered, you can exchange resalable merchandise
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Transitional expressions such as next, first, and finally are useful to show
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Time Association
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Which of the following sentences uses modifiers correctly?
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. To take advantage of the discounted pricing, place your order immediately.
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Which of the following sentences emphasizes an idea through style?
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Consider adding a statement of qualifications section on your résumé; but, most important, include specific and relevant previous employment information.
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When you expect a reader of your message to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should
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. explain all background information first.
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Active-voice sentences
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place the subject of the sentence as the doer of the action
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What is a run-on sentence?
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two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
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The direct strategy would be most appropriate when
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expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral
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All of the following are informal research methods except
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conducting a scientific experiment.
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Which of the following uses parallel structure?
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Big business demands superior forecasting, reporting, and analyzing.
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Quality Building Materials Inc. has developed a new whole-house weather blanket and needs to determine the price point at which builders would switch to this new product. The best research method for this is a(n)
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scientific experiment that presents price choices with controlled variables
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Which of the following business messages would not use the direct strategy?
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A letter to a customer denying his or her request for credit
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What is a sentence fragment?
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A broken-off part of a sentence
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As interns in human resource management, Brad and his team are administering a professionally developed employee questionnaire to collect information on workplace violence. This type of research produces data that is considered
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Firsthand information
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Which of the following is a formal research method?
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Investigating primary sources
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To emphasize an idea through mechanics, place it in
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Any of these techniques would emphasize the idea.
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Which of the following message openings is the most direct opening for an e-mail message announcing a new telecommuting plan?
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Our new telecommuting program will begin on August 1
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Parallel writing
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uses similar structures to express similar words
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The second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process begins with
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researching the topic
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paragraphs should
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contain eight or fewer printed lines
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To build paragraph coherence, a writer should
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All answer choices can build paragraph coherence
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Which formal research source is best to obtain firsthand information?
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interviews
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a topic sentence
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states the main idea of the paragraph
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transitions
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connect ideas
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when should passive voice be used in business writing?
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when you want to conceal the doer of the action
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What kind of sentence contains only one independent clause?
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simple sentence
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what is a comma splice?
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two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
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Which of the following kinds of business messages typically use the indirect strategy
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sensitive messages
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Before composing a business document, you should gather information that will answer which of these questions?
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What is the receiver to do?
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What kind of sentence contains two independent clauses?
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. Compound sentence
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What do most business writers use as the first sentence in a paragraph?
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topic sentence
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Technology has changed the working environments of employees, that is why employees are telecommuting more than ever is an example of a
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comma splice
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How many ideas should be developed in a paragraph?
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one
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Human Resources Manager Claire Siu must inform Anthony that company job changes will require him to seek retraining or lose his position. The best channel for Ms. Siu to deliver this message is
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a face-to-face conversation
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Before Melissa organizes and composes her message, she should ask two questions: (1) Why am I sending this message? and (2)
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What do I hope to achieve with this message?
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Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
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The office personnel will assist you with your forms
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You are selecting a channel for sending your message. Which of the following is not a factor to consider when making this decision?
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Your competitors' channel use
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Business writing should be economical. In this context economical can best be defined as
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presenting ideas clearly and concisely
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Travis must determine the appropriate channel for an important business message. In this context channel refers to the
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medium through which the message is sent.
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When preparing a business message, you should make your writing audience oriented. Audience oriented means you should
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concentrate on looking at the problem from the receiver's perspective.
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The primary purpose of business writing is typically to inform or persuade; a common secondary purpose is to
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promote goodwill
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Marketing Director Schultz must inform the board of directors that customers are not responding positively to the company's new advertising campaign. Which of the following sentences would be the most appropriate wording for the marketing director to use in her message to the board of directors?
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We have received reports from customers about our new ads
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Business writing should be purposeful. In this context purposeful can best be defined as
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solving problems and conveying information.
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Which of the following sentences best focuses on the audience?
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Register now to lock in your preferred travel dates
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According to writing experts, approximately what percentage of time should you spend on the prewriting phase of a business message?
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25 percent
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Which of the following sentences about jargon is most accurate?
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Jargon should be used only when the audience will understand it
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Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?
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All physicians must carry their own malpractice insurance
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Which of the following represents the best business writing?
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You can return all resalable merchandise for a store credit
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Which of the following is not an element of the communication process?
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displaying empathy
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Michael usually holds team meetings on Tuesday mornings, but he needs to reschedule next week's meeting to Wednesday morning. To tell team members of the date change for the next meeting, Michael should
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send e-mail
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One of the best ways to develop audience benefits is to use the "you" view, which
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emphasizes second-person pronouns instead of first-person pronouns
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communication noise
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is anything that interrupts the transmission of a message
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In the final phase of the writing process, check the message for clarity and readability, proofread for errors, and
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evaluate for effectiveness
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Business writers who use words such as interrogate, remuneration, and terminate are using language many readers would consider
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unfamiliar
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Lindsay is writing a property description for a new real estate brochure. To make her brochure more effective, Lindsay should anticipate her audience. This means she
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considers what the readers are like and how they will react to the message
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Adapting your message to the audience involves
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thinking of the right words and tone to use in your message.
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empathetic writers
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try to give something to the receiver
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The first phase of the writing process involves analyzing the audience and your purpose for writing, anticipating your audience's reaction to your message, and
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adapting your message to the audience
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During the second phase of the writing process, you conduct research,
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c. organize ideas, and compose the message
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Business messages should use positive language rather than negative language. Positive language
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tells what is and what can be done
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Jorge must inform Samantha that she is not eligible to have an August vacation for which she recently applied. Which of the following sentences best demonstrates the "you" view Jorge should use in denying Samantha's application?
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Although the August vacation schedule is full, you may qualify for a vacation in September if you apply now.
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When selecting a communication channel, you should follow two tips: use richer media for persuasive or personal communications, and
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use the richest media available.
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courteous business messages
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all answer choices are correct
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a communication channel
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is the medium over which the message travels
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Communication is defined as "the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another." The crucial element of this definition is
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meaning
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adaptation is the process of
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creating a message that suits the audience
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Communication is successful only when
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the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it
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Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
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Will you please credit my account for $125 due to the computer error on May 1.
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Business writing should be all of the following except
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sender oriented
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Which of the following communication channels is considered the richest medium?
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face-to-face conversation
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Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?
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Sheila will examine the job proposal carefully.
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feedback
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includes both the verbal and nonverbal responses from the receiver
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One technique that improves business writing is the use of empathy. Empathy refers to
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c. putting yourself in the receiver's shoes to adapt the message to the receiver's needs.
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Converting ideas into words or gestures to convey meaning is called
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encoding
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Which of the following sentences demonstrates effective business writing?
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enclosed is our latest catalog
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The process of translating a message from its symbol form into meaning is called
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decoding
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Profiling the audience for a business message helps the writer
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identify the appropriate tone, language, and channel
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Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the ____ stage of the writing process.
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revising
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The communication process begins when the sender
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has an idea
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Which statement about the communication process is most accurate?
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Feedback helps the sender know that the message was received and understood
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Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
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c. A record number of Japanese investors are purchasing real estate in the United States.
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Which of the following sentences demonstrates effective business writing?
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Your proposal demonstrates how our call center can better meet the needs of our customers
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Which of the following sentences demonstrates conversational business writing?
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a. I am upset about your return policy.
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Well-designed documents enhance readability and comprehension and
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make readers think the writer is a well-organized and intelligent person.
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It is important to avoid long lead-ins because they
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prevent the reader from reaching the meaning of the sentence
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Empty space on a page
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is called white space
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Which of the following sentences avoids buzzwords and slang?
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All companies must follow the guidelines outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
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Which of the following expressions is most modern?
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separately
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Which of the following sentences avoids clichés?
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Please encourage your department members to join the health club.
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Proofreading includes which of the following tasks?
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Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, names and numbers, and format
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Which of the following sentences contains the best use of vivid adjectives without overkill?
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The resort offered luxurious suites with Jacuzzi tubs and saunas
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Which of the following sentences uses the most precise language?
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The board approved a 34 percent budget increase
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Which of the following best avoids flabby expressions?
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. Although many employees have requested training, we can't afford the extra expense
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slang
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a. is composed of informal words with arbitrary and extravagantly changed meanings
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All of the following sentences contain unnecessary fillers except
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Three candidates are running for the board.
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When creating a bulleted or numbered list,
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express all ideas similarly.
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Which statement about proofreading is most accurate?
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Good business writers wait at least 24 hours or longer to proofread a document
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Which of the following sentences is most effective?
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Your account is now up-to-date.
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Trina has just completed researching, writing, and proofreading a long, complex business proposal for a customer. What should she do next?
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b. Evaluate its effectiveness by soliciting feedback from her receiver
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What is the best advice for proofreading a complex document?
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d. Be prepared to find errors
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All of the following are tips you should follow when microblogging except
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c. ignore spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors
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Taylor is enrolled in a business communications course at her local community college. She just received a paper back from her professor who noted that Taylor should review the principles for comma usage. How should Taylor handle this criticism?
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Accept the feedback and use it constructively to improve her future writing assignments.
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Which of the following is the best advice to follow when you proofread a routine document?
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Proofread the document using a printed copy.
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One way to improve the clarity of your writing is to apply the KISS formula. KISS stands for
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keep it short and simple
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Katelyn is writing a letter to thank a potential employer for her job interview. Which of these sentences contains modern expressions Katelyn should use?
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You will note that my coursework has thoroughly prepared me for your medical technician position.
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Which of the following best avoids a long lead-in?
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Yes, we will send the information you requested.
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Which of the following about writing and revising business documents is most accurate?
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Experts say only amateurs expect writing perfection on the first try.
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How many typefaces should you use in a business document?
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no more than two
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What is the most common serif typeface?
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Times New Roman
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Long sentence lead-ins
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are unnecessary introductory words
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microblogging
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c. consists of short messages exchanged on social media networks
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Which statement is most accurate?
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c. Business messages must be clear, concise, and readable.
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Dylan is designing his document to enhance readability and comprehension. What is the best advice you can give Dylan?
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Create white space by using headings, bulleted or numbered lists, short paragraphs, and effective margins.
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To improve readability and comprehension through white space,
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a. use approximately 20 or fewer words per sentence.
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Which of the following sentences demonstrates clear writing?
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Lindsey Goulet asked production employees to work on Saturday.
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Monica lost a promotion due to poor writing skills. Which phase of the writing process should she most focus on to demonstrate better writing skills?
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revising and proofreading
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Which of the following statements regarding bulleted or numbered lists is most accurate?
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Lists allow readers to review main ideas quickly.
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Tyler used a bulleted list on his résumé to describe his previous job duties. Which of the following items from his list does not demonstrate parallel structure?
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Troubleshooting of plant's chemical equipment
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The dangers of using slang in business writing include
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All answer choices are correct.
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Which of the following statements about revision is most accurate?
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Some business writers prefer to compose first drafts quickly and revise later; others prefer to revise as they go.
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Which sentence avoids redundant expressions?
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c. Let's not repeat our competitor's mistakes
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Words such as definitely, quite, actually, extremely, and totally are
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adverbs that should be used only sparingly in business writing.
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Effective communicators avoid the flabby expression in addition to the above by using the word(s)
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also
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Converting verbs into noun expressions
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reduces verb strength
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Which statement regarding type sizes and fonts is most accurate?
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Fonts include caps, boldfacing, italics, underlining, outlining, and shadowing.
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Cliches are
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overused expressions
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Which statement regarding headings is most accurate?
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d. Headings highlight information and improve readability
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Which statement about margins and text alignment is true?
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Margins define the reading area and provide important visual relief
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There is a new software company that will be hiring employees is an example of a sentence with
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a filler
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concise writing
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is easier to read and comprehend
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What is the best way to judge the success of your writing?
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Receiving feedback from your receiver
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Branch managers of First Federated Savings and Loan received this e-mail message: Please inform all personal that management retains the right to check personal belongings of employees before employees leave the bank. What error did the writer make?
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a proofreading error
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Which of the following sentences avoids noun conversion?
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c. The scholarship committee approved the plan.
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Which of the following sentences avoids noun conversion?
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c. The scholarship committee approved the plan.
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Which of the following sentences avoids noun conversion?
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c. The scholarship committee approved the plan.
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