The Inductive Approach to Writing a Business Argument – Flashcards
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Which of the following factors reduces the incidence of unethical behavior?
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A. opposing personal and corporate values B. unaccountable business leaders C. a closed communication structure D. a transparent atmosphere E. the subjective interpretation of business values Answer: D In situations where the law and ethical principles do not provide a clear answer, transparency is key: Decision making needs to be open, documented, and based on the collective conscience of your work team and affected stakeholders.
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Which of the following is true of credibility?
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A. Its importance in the post-trust era has decreased. B. It has no relationship to transparency and accountability. C. It is an important basis for effective communication. D. People gain credibility more easily than they lose it. E. Neither words nor actions can damage a reputation for credibility. Answer: C In most business situations, others make judgments about what you say, write, and do based on your credibility. The importance of credibility as a basis for effective communication is universal.
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In low-trust relationships, people tend to
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A. expend extra effort toward meeting team goals. B. be more willing to cooperate with each other. C. assume credibility easily. D. regard the actions of other people negatively. E. communicate more efficiently. Answer: D In low-trust work environments, people tend to assume the negative regarding others' actions. In higher-trust work environments, people tend to give others the benefit of the doubt and assume the positive, until proven otherwise.
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Which of the following factors reduces the incidence of unethical behavior?
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A. the subjective interpretation of business values B. a closed communication structure C. opposing personal and corporate values D. unaccountable business leaders E. a transparent atmosphere Answer: E In situations where the law and ethical principles do not provide a clear answer, transparency is key: Decision making needs to be open, documented, and based on the collective conscience of your work team and affected stakeholders.
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A business leader can cultivate a sense of community by
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A. having a communication style that is we-oriented, not me-oriented. B. developing new strategies to sell different products to different markets. C. refusing to give in to pressure by the stakeholders. D. encouraging employees to work as individuals rather than as a team. E. prioritizing the development of his company at the expense of his employees. Answer: A When interviewed, accomplished business leaders characteristically used the term "we" rather than "I" in discussing success within the organization. Instead of thinking in terms of individual accomplishment, most tended to think in terms of what their management teams had achieved.
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The rules of conduct or moral principles that guide individual or group behavior are known as
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A. values. B. character. C. ethics. D. transparency. E. accountability. Answer: C Ethics are rules of conduct or moral principles that guide individual or group behavior.
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The FAIR (Facts, Access, Impacts, Respect) test is intended to evaluate
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A. the relationship between stakeholders of different companies. B. the financial state of your company. C. the profits made by your company's investors. D. the credibility of your business communication. E. the contemporary relevance of your business's ethics. Answer: D One way to evaluate your communications is to use the FAIR test. The FAIR test helps you examine how well you have provided the facts; how well you have granted access to your motives, reasoning, and information; how well you have examined impacts on stakeholders; and how well you have shown respect.
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_____ refers to a reputation for adhering to high moral and ethical values.
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A. transparency B. community C. accountability D. competence E. character Answer: E Managers can control their reputation as credible communicators by focusing on three well-established factors: competence, caring, and character. Character refers to a reputation for staying true to commitments made to stakeholders and adhering to high moral and ethical values.
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Which action demonstrates that Joaquin acts with transparency?
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A. He considers himself accountable only to himself. B. He keeps conversations with stakeholders confidential. C. He accepts gifts... and gratuities from clients D. He shares his company's trade secrets with its competitors. E. He shares all relevant information with stakeholders. Answer: E Transparency involves sharing all relevant information with stakeholders. A company that does not share all relevant information with stakeholders is not being transparent.
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What is the definition of business ethics?
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A. communication patterns that are me-oriented, not we-oriented B. the extent to which employees care for the needs of the company C. the ability to seize business opportunities when they present themselves D. commonly held principles in the business community for acceptable behavior E. the skills needed to solve and overcome business problems Answer: D Ethics are rules of conduct or moral principles that guide individual or group behavior. Business ethics are the commonly accepted beliefs and principles in the business community for acceptable behavior.
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What is the process of interpreting messages from others into meaning?
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A. encoding B. decoding C. noise D. feedback E. receiver Answer: B Decoding is the process of interpreting messages from others into meaning.
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Which of the following is characteristic of learner mind-sets?
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A. viewing differences of opinion as normal B. working by a firm set of rules and guidelines C. displaying an unwillingness to hear other people's point of view D. agreeing with everything you hear E. ascribing negative traits to people with opposing views Answer: A In a learner mind-set, you show eagerness to hear others' ideas and perspectives and listen with an open mind. You do not have your mind made up before listening fully. When you disagree, you stay open to the possibility of finding common ground and mutually beneficial solutions. Under the learner mind-set, difference of opinion is considered normal, even healthy, and potentially solution producing.
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Which of the following is a solution-oriented question?
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A. Now that we know we want to reduce the company budget, what subcategories should we consider? B. What did you learn in the meeting you had with our colleagues in Baltimore last week? C. In what way do you think our shipping practices contribute to our high expenses? D. How can we reduce our expenses for office supplies to meet our budget goals? E. Is your suggestion consistent with our goal to reduce our overall budget? Answer: D
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Matt and LaRita grew up in communities that view authority in very different ways, so they have difficulty understanding each other at times. The problem is being caused primarily because of
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A. a filter of lifetime experiences. B. differences in emotional intelligence. C. emotional hijacking. D. differences in self-awareness. E. psychological noise. Answer: A All outgoing messages are encoded and all incoming messages are decoded through a filter of lifetime experiences, which is an accumulation of knowledge, values, expectations, and attitudes based on prior personal experience.
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People who speak out constructively about differences of opinion are most likely to have
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A. low self-management skills. B. high self-awareness. C. low self-awareness. D. high relationship management skills. E. low empathy. Answer: D
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In tense and emotionally charged situations, it is important to
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A. speak loudly and assertively. B. maintain your point of view. C. be uncompromising. D. ask cross-examination questions. E. hold judgment. Answer: E People will only share their ideas and feelings with you if they feel safe. Holding judgment is particularly important in tense and emotionally charged situations. One of the best ways to make others feel comfortable expressing themselves fully is to demonstrate a learner mind-set rather than a judger mind-set.
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Which of the following is a sign of a person paying attention?
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A. a cursory glance accompanied by a smile B. a nod to indicate acknowledgement C. a closed body position D. a slouched and relaxed position E. a deep breath to relax oneself Answer: B Paying attention requires active nonverbal communication. Your body language, including appropriate eye contact, should show you are eager to understand the other person. Lean forward. Keep an open body position. Sit up straight. Nod to show you are listening. Smile as appropriate.
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Frank is having difficulty hearing the point his coworker is making because of loud hammering outside the window. What type of noise is Frank experiencing?
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A. physical B. physiological C. semantic D. psychological E. cognitive Answer: A Physical noise is external noise that makes a message difficult to hear or otherwise receive. Examples include loud sounds nearby that interrupt verbal signals or physical barriers that prevent communicators from observing nonverbal signals.
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What is sight-reading?
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A. the process of interpreting messages from others into meaning B. intelligent observation of nonverbal communication C. the discipline to hold off emotions to meet long-term intentions D. understanding your emotions as they occur and how they affect you E. understanding and managing emotions to serve goals Answer: B Sight reading is the intelligent observation of nonverbal communications. It is the act of anticipating intentions and moods through the perceptive examination of nonverbal clues.
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In the interpersonal communication process, the messages exchanged are
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A. simultaneous and exclusionary. B. sequential and mutual. C. sequential and individual. D. simultaneous and mutual. E. simultaneous and individual. Answer: D
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Which of the following is typically included in the planning stage of writing an effective business message?
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A. considering whether the message is effective B. removing distractions from the message C. making the message easy to read D. generating the best ideas to address a business issue E. setting a positive and other-oriented tone Answer: D In order to create an effective business message, during the planning stage you should understand the needs of the audience, generate the best of ideas to address a business issue, and identify the primary message and key points.
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What is the most likely impact of slanting facts?
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A. It reduces the credibility of a business message. B. It restricts the scope for using the me-first attitude. C. It discourages the use of either/or logic. D. It eliminates the possibility of using the deductive approach for business messages. E. It eliminates the possibility of using the inductive approach for business messages. Answer: A Slanting means only presenting those facts that are favorable to your position. To maintain your credibility, avoid slanting in all cases.
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Which of the following is typically included in the reviewing stage of writing an effective business message?
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A. setting a positive and other-oriented tone B. giving importance to the I-voice C. removing distractions from the message D. identifying the primary message and key points E. finding the needs of the audience Answer: C In order to create an effective business message, during the reviewing stage you should ensure that the communication is fair, consider whether your message is effective, and remove any distractions.
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In order to make business messages more positive, writers should focus on actions they can accomplish and demonstrate a realistic optimism. However, they should be careful
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A. to avoid supported generalizations. B. to avoid diplomatic terms. C. not to exaggerate facts. D. not to use strong analogies. E. not to use the other-oriented voice. Answer: C In order to make business messages more positive, you should focus on actions you can accomplish and demonstrate a realistic optimism. At the same time, be careful not to exaggerate or set unrealistic expectations.
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Tulip has been asked to create an effective business message aimed at making the employees understand the benefits of working in a group. In the process of creating the business message, she studies the background of the employees and their needs and priorities. This action belongs to which step of the AIM planning process used for developing influential messages?
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A. idea analysis B. idea development C. message review D. audience analysis E. message structuring Answer: D This is an example of audience analysis. The planning process for developing influential messages should include analyzing the needs of your audience. Effective business communicators possess an uncanny ability to step into the shoes of their audience members. They think about their needs, priorities, and values. They envision how their readers will respond when getting the message—in thought, feeling, and action.
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In all business messages, communicators should ideally aim to
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A. slant facts to their benefit. B. effectively use either/or arguments. C. use the I-voice. D. exaggerate facts appropriately. E. project concern for others. Answer: E Business communicators should aim to project positivity and concern for others in all business messages.
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In the course of creating an effective business message, excellent business thinkers are most likely to
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A. encourage one-way linear thinking. B. be rigid in their approach to business problems. C. gather information from a single strong source. D. identify and articulate key questions and problems. E. avoid using the other-oriented tone. Answer: D Excellent business thinkers possess a number of characteristics. First, they clearly and precisely identify and articulate key questions and problems. Second, they gather information from a variety of sources. Third, they make well-reasoned conclusions and solutions. Fourth, they remain open to alternatives to approaching and reasoning about the business problem—that is, they are mentally flexible.
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While examining the pros and cons of introducing a stress-busting yoga program for the employees of Hillock Inc., Juanita learns that the pros far outnumber the cons and decides to recommend implementation of the yoga program. Which of the following statements is most likely to increase the positivity of her proposition?
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A. The yoga program would increase the efficiency of the employees. B. I would like to present my argument for why we should continue with the yoga program initiative. C. The yoga program would increase the expenditure of the company. D. Let me know if you want me to keep working on the implementation plan. E. Employees will need to spend additional time in the office due to the yoga program. Answer: A In order to make business messages more positive, you should focus on actions you can accomplish and demonstrate a realistic optimism. Stressing that the yoga program would increase the efficiency of employees accomplishes this.
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Which of the following is most likely to be true about excellent business writers?
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A. They ensure that the facts presented in the message are slanted. B. They avoid using an other-oriented tone. C. They avoid wasting time planning and begin drafting right away. D. They spend a significant amount of time reviewing their work. E. They spend more time creating the draft than planning it. Answer: D Expert business writers not only produce more effective written communications, but they also do so more quickly than average writers. Their secret is to devote a much higher percentage of their time to the planning and reviewing stages.
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Which of the following should ideally be one of the goals of a business communicator?
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A. to exaggerate facts appropriately in the message B. to focus on the negative traits of products in the message C. to slant facts to gain as much benefit as possible D. to express the message in a way that respects others E. to avoid the use of the we-voice Answer: D One of your primary goals as a communicator is to express your messages in ways that respect and inspire others.
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Writers of business messages should avoid sentences that begin with "it is" or "there are" because they
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A. contain nonliteral meanings. B. contain more words than necessary. C. are not flexible enough to allow slanting of facts. D. require a specific subject. E. involve the use of action verbs. Answer: B Readers naturally want to know precisely who or what the subject of a sentence is, particularly in business writing, where specificity is so important. Most sentences that begin with "it is" or "there are" fail to provide a specific subject and generally contain more words than necessary
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Which guideline for navigational design is most likely to improve the ease of reading for business messages?
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A. Avoid numbered lists. B. Avoid bulleted lists. C. Use several different fonts. D. Use white space appropriately. E. Avoid headings. Answer: D Your readers will form an immediate impression about your document based on how much white space it has. Documents with too much text and not enough white look daunting or cluttered. On the other hand, documents with too much white space may look insufficient.
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People are most likely to process the information in a message quickly when writers
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A. exaggerate the facts. B. use the passive voice. C. avoid parallel language. D. use a lot of buzzwords. E. use action verbs. Answer: E People can generally process information more quickly when writers use action verbs.
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When writers use long paragraphs in business messages, it
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A. reassures the reader that the information is complete. B. has little impact on the reader of business messages. C. conveys how knowledgeable the writer is. D. shows disrespect for the reader's time. E. helps improve the accuracy of business messages. Answer: D Long paragraphs can signal disorganization and even disrespect for the reader's time.
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Which of the following is the effect of using active voice while writing business messages?
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A. It emphasizes the business orientation of action. B. It confuses the reader by emphasizing the object of action. C. It allows for slanting of facts, which increases the credibility of the message. D. It diverts the attention from the subject so that the writer does not sound bossy. E. It decreases accuracy by emphasizing action rather than facts. Answer: A Using active voice in writing includes many benefits. The doer-action-object pattern allows for faster processing because most people's natural thinking occurs in this way. It also emphasizes the business orientation of action. Perhaps most important, it specifies the doer. Since business activities depend on accountability and coordination, knowing the identity of the doer of an action is usually important. Furthermore, writing in the active voice usually results in fewer words.
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The use of uncommon words in a business message is most likely to
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A. increase the other-orientation of the message. B. increase the specificity of the message. C. ensure that you do not sound arrogant. D. make it more difficult for readers to interpret the message. E. help you appear creative and intelligent. Answer: D Whenever possible, one should choose short, conversational, and familiar words in business messages so that it is easier for readers to interpret. Using longer, less common words to "sound smart" rarely pays off. They slow processing and distract from your message. They may even inadvertently send the signal that you are out of touch, quirky, or arrogant.
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The less specific you are while writing your business messages, the greater the possibility that your readers will
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A. focus on the main message. B. be assured that you are not hiding facts. C. read your message more carefully. D. scan and skim your message. E. be assured of your credibility. Answer: D If you are not specific while writing your business messages, your readers may become impatient and begin scanning and skimming for the information they want. If they cannot find that information, they are unlikely to respond to your message as you intend.
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Which of the following steps typically belongs to the reviewing process?
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A. determining the key points B. proofreading the document C. identifying the primary message D. analyzing the audience E. conducting market research Answer: B The reviewing process includes three interrelated components: conducting the FAIR test, proofreading, and getting feedback.
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Which of the following statements about navigational designs will help improve the ease of reading?
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A. Readers are likely to be distracted by bullets and numbered lists. B. Avoid formatting features that distract readers from the main message. C. Documents with too much white space look cluttered. D. Consider visual appeal first for all written business communications. E. Do not use headings in information-rich and complex messages. Answer: B As you design your document, focus first on easy navigation for your reader. Avoid formatting features that distract from the main message.
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To help business writers make their messages easier to read, they should
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A. use many buzzwords. B. use short sentences. C. avoid using action verbs. D. not use parallel language. E. use the passive voice. Answer: B Like relatively short paragraphs, short sentences allow your readers to comprehend your ideas more easily.
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The team that is planning the annual company sales meeting has members in several offices. They need to have a conversation about the agenda for the sales meeting. Which of the following will they most likely use?
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A. email B. a conference call C. texting D. social networking E. blog posts Answer: B Conference calls are used for team conversations. They are typically less rich than one-to-one phone conversations because many participants do not provide cues continuously during the conversations.
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Which of the following is an advantage of using phone conversations as a communication channel?
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A. They are the best method for communication among a large group. B. They increase people's ability to plan and strategically develop messages. C. They have more permanence than most other communication channels. D. They give people access to more cues than videoconferencing does. E. They are better for building relationships than more recent technologies such as email. Answer: E Compared to less rich channels such as email, phone calls generally allow business professionals to connect more deeply, resolve problems more quickly, make important decisions better, and manager conflict more effectively.
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Which of the following guidelines should be followed to minimize e-interruptions?
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A. Reply to all the messages immediately. B. Avoid unnecessarily lengthening an email chain. C. Turn on message alerts. D. Check digital messages after every 10 minutes. E. Avoid the use of automatic messages. Answer: B One of the guidelines to be followed to minimize the e-interruptions is to avoid unnecessarily lengthening an email chain.
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In an email, the most critical information should be placed
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A. at the beginning of a message. B. in a post script after the signature block. C. as close to the signature block as possible. D. in the subject line. E. in an attachment. Answer: A Get to the point within three or four sentences, and keep your paragraphs about half the size of those in business documents—ideally 30 to 50 words long. Consider placing the most critical information at the beginning so readers gather the most relevant information immediately. This is an important strategy, since most people are so inundated with messages that they often pay more attention to the beginning, skimming or skipping latter portions.
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Which statement correctly describes the current state of texting in the workplace?
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A. Texting is a new, undeveloped form of communication in the workplace, and attitudes toward it vary significantly. B. Texting is an established form of communicating in the workplace, and everyone agrees it should be formal. C. Texting is a new, undeveloped form of communication in the workplace, and attitudes toward it are consistent. D. Texting is an established form of communicating in the workplace, and everyone agrees it should be informal. E. Texting is an established form of communicating in the workplace, and attitudes toward it vary significantly. Answer: A Texting is a new, undeveloped form of communication in the workplace, and attitudes toward it vary significantly.
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The heavy volume of digital messages received on a daily basis makes it necessary for business professionals to perform the delicate task of balancing the
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A. need to respond to others with the need to write more emails. B. need to respond to others with their own need to focus on work. C. need to answer emails with the need to answer texts. D. time they spend reading messages with the time they spend writing messages. E. time they spend in spoken conversation with the time they spend on work. Answer: B In most business positions, you need to respond to others as soon as possible. This places you in a delicate balancing act; how can you stay responsive to others yet stay focused enough on your own tasks to achieve peak performance?
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Javier and Carol have never worked together before. When they exchange texts about setting up a time to discuss a mutual project, Javier texts, "I look forward to the meeting." Carol replies, "Gr8. TTYL." What would you suggest to make their communication go more smoothly?
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A. Carol should confront Javier and insist that he write more informally. B. Javier should confront Carol and insist that she write more formally. C. Both Javier and Carol should adjust their style to be more like each other's. D. They should stop texting and write emails instead. E. They don't need to change anything at this point. Answer: C Unless their company has a standard texting style, they should each adapt their style to be somewhat more like the other's. Carol should adopt more standard language conventions to match Javier's style, while Javier might consider using some common texting abbreviations to engage Carol better.
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The first thing you should do on a business call is to
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A. start discussing your first action item. B. spend at least five minutes on social chat. C. announce your agenda. D. set a timer to keep the call from going too long. E. greet the other person warmly by name. Answer: E When participating in a business call, you should open with a warm greeting and use the other person's name.
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Which of the following communication channels is low in richness but high in control?
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A. phone conversations B. email C. conference calls D. webinars E. spoken communication Answer: B Emails are low in richness but high in control.
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Ella and Pasha work for the same company in two different locations. They need to quickly discuss and clarify issues related to a mutual project. Which of the following should they use?
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A. email B. texting C. phone conversations D. blogs E. social networking Answer: C Phone conversations are used for one-to-one conversations between parties in in different locations. They constitute a fairly rich communication channel that enables workers to quickly discuss and clarify workplace issues.
