question

When making a routine request, you should

answer

assume that the audience will comply.

question

In the body of a routine request, you should

answer

explain and justify your request.

question

explain and justify your request.

answer

request a specific response and mention the time limits.

question

Before volunteering someone's name as a reference, always

answer

ask that person's permission.

question

The opening of a request for a recommendation should include

answer

a statement of why the recommendation is needed.

question

When making claims or requesting adjustments, you should begin by

answer

providing a straightforward statement of the problem.

question

Routine, positive messages should do all of the following except

answer

use an indirect approach.

question

In a positive message, you should explain your point completely in the

answer

body.

question

If you have strongly negative information to deliver as part of a positive message, you should

answer

use the indirect approach.

question

The close of a routine reply or positive message should

answer

clearly state who will do what next.

question

The categories of routine replies and positive messages include all of the following except

answer

refusing requests.

question

When responding to a customer request for an adjustment, it is usually reasonable to assume that

answer

if you handle the situation well, the customer will be even more loyal than before.

question

When responding to a claim when your company is at fault, it is best to

answer

take (or assign) personal responsibility for setting matters straight.

question

When responding to a request for adjustment when a third party is at fault, the best approach is to

answer

respond promptly, explaining how the problem will be solved.

question

If you have serious concerns about the qualifications of a job candidate who has asked you for a recommendation, it is best to

answer

refuse to write the recommendation.

question

Use the direct approach with a negative message if

answer

the situation is one in which people readily acknowledge the possibility of receiving bad news.

question

When using the direct approach to deliver negative messages, you

answer

should end the message on a respectful note.

question

Instead of beginning your negative message with a blunt announcement of the news, you can use

answer

a buffer.

question

A poorly written buffer

answer

misleads the reader into thinking good news follows.

question

If you are responding negatively to a request, a buffer

answer

assures the reader of your attention to the request.

question

In a negative message organized using the indirect approach, the reasons for the decision

answer

come directly after the buffer and follow naturally from it.

question

One way to be tactful when giving your reasons for bad news is to

answer

highlight, if possible, how your negative decision benefits your readers.

question

A good way to deliver bad news kindly is to

answer

deemphasize it by embedding it in the middle of a paragraph or use parenthetical expressions.

question

To clearly and kindly say no, do all of the following except

answer

use phrases such as, "Much as I would like to help you."

question

When delivering bad news, wording such as "We must turn down," "I am unable to," and "We cannot afford to"

answer

is likely to cause pain and anger in the reader.

question

Which of the following is the most effective close for a letter rejecting a job applicant?

answer

I wish you the best of luck as you begin your new career.

question

When you are refusing a routine request, you

answer

should use the indirect approach if you're forced to decline a request that you might have said yes to in the past.

question

Whether or not you should apologize when delivering bad news about transactions depends mainly on

answer

none of the above.

question

To avoid being accused of defamation, you should

answer

refrain from using any kind of abusive language.

question

refrain from using any kind of abusive language.

answer

minimize the impact of the bad news by presenting it in as positive a light as possible.

question

Which of the following is not an example of demographic information?

answer

Lifestyle

question

If you can't be sure which medium will be best to convey your persuasive message to a diverse audience, you should

answer

use two or more, such as following up an email campaign with printed letters.

question

Most persuasive messages combine

answer

logical and emotional factors.

question

AIDA stands for

answer

attention, interest, desire, action.

question

The purpose of the interest section of a persuasive message is to

answer

explain the relevance of your message to your audience.

question

An effective ending for a persuasive message would be:

answer

Simply take the enclosed coupon to any of our service centers by June 15 for your free oil and filter change.

question

The AIDA approach for persuasive messages should be used with

answer

either the direct or the indirect approach.

question

An advertisement stating that a new resort offers "freedom and comfort along with great value" is using

answer

both logical and emotional appeals.

question

Which of the following uses a deductive approach to persuasion?

answer

Because the stock market is expected to fall next month, shares of our company stock will probably also decline.

question

One way to overcome audience resistance to your message is to

answer

present all sides of the issue before making the case for your position.

question

When writing a persuasive request for action, you should

answer

demonstrate that helping you will indeed solve a significant problem.

question

In marketing and sales messages, what is the primary difference between selling points and benefits?

answer

Selling points focus on the product rather than the user.

question

If the audience for your marketing or sales message promoting a new security system is made up of wealthy professionals, which of the following consumer benefits would you want to emphasize most?

answer

the reliability of the system when protecting the consumer's property

question

In marketing and sales messages, you can deemphasize the price of your product by

answer

mentioning it in the middle of a paragraph after you've presented benefits and selling points.

question

Which of the following would not be an effective technique for gaining audience attention in sales messages?

answer

Emphasizing how badly you need to make some sales.

question

Despite the variety among them, many analytical reports include a

answer

section of recommendations.

question

Which of the following is an infinitive phrase?

answer

to update clients

question

A formal work plan includes all of the following except

answer

a list of all the sources you will use.

question

When selecting media for a report

answer

your decisions should reflect your audience's expectations.

question

When outlining the content of your report

answer

it is helpful to use informative headings as opposed to descriptive ones.

question

An employee who writes a report on her experiences during last week's sales calls is preparing a(n)

answer

informational report.

question

Most compliance reports are required by

answer

government agencies.

question

A contractor submitting a weekly report on work done to date would be providing the client with

answer

a progress report.

question

A business plan

answer

is sometimes prepared after a company is up and running.

question

Making generous use of descriptive labels, subheads, and other similar devices on a website

answer

helps online readers get oriented to your website.

question

Problem factoring is the process of

answer

breaking a problem down into a series of logical, connected questions.

question

Which of the following is not a common organizational format for analytical reports?

answer

Focusing on information

question

A report focused on recommendations should

answer

first establish or verify the need for action.

question

Unlike those focused on conclusions or recommendations, reports focusing on logical arguments

answer

use the indirect approach.

question

The 2 + 2 = 4 approach

answer

is the first strategy to try when writing reports that include recommendations.

question

When you write in a formal style, you should

answer

eliminate references to I and me.

question

Which of the following statements has the most formal tone?

answer

The financial analysis clearly shows that buying TramCo is the best alternative.

question

Whereas a(n) ________ file in a report requires readers to be online so the file can be updated, a(n) ________ file does not.

answer

linked; embedded

question

The detailed proof needed to support your conclusions and recommendations should appear in the ________ of your report.

answer

body

question

In the introduction to a report on how to establish a paperless office, explaining the historical conditions or factors that led up to the report

answer

enables readers to understand how the opportunity developed.

question

In the close of a report intended to prompt sales personnel to meet specific goals, you should

answer

make sure your readers understand exactly what's expected of them and when it's expected.

question

Generally speaking, an effective proposal can

answer

follow the AIDA model.

question

Which of the following is not an element normally included in the introduction of a proposal?

answer

Statement of qualifications

question

In the body of a proposal, you should describe

answer

all of the above.

question

Describing your organization's qualifications in a formal proposal is

answer

an essential part of the body.

question

When writing content to post on the web, keep in mind that readers tend to be ________ of online content.

answer

skeptical

question

Including transitions and other directional aids is important

answer

whether your report is in print or online.

question

Transitional words and phrases

answer

tie ideas together and show how one thought is related to another.

question

Which of the following would be the most effective preview in a formal report?

answer

The next section discusses the advantages of advertising on the Internet.

question

Which of the following would be the most effective review in a formal report?

answer

As this section has shown, our current marketing strategy is highly effective.

question

The revision process for business reports is essentially the same as it is for other messages, except that it

answer

may take considerably more time.

question

Which of the following is not included in the prefatory parts of a formal report?

answer

Introduction

question

You should include a title fly with business reports when you want to

answer

add a touch of formality to the report.

question

The letter of transmittal

answer

may follow the direct or indirect plan.

question

For printed reports, the letter of transmittal is most often positioned

answer

right before the table of contents.

question

In a complex formal report, it is often helpful to include

answer

two tables of contents: a high-level table that shows only major headings, followed by a detailed table that includes all headings and subheadings.

question

If you will create a PDF file of a business report for electronic distribution, each entry in the table of contents should be

answer

a clickable link that takes readers to the appropriate place in the report.

question

The synopsis of a formal report may also be called a(n)

answer

abstract.

question

An executive summary

answer

gives a fully developed "mini" version of the report.

question

You've prepared a 7-page report for a local government official outlining the potential for your company's involvement with downtown revitalization. In this short report it would be reasonable to

answer

do any of the above.

question

Which of the following is not a typical function of the introduction to a report?

answer

Documenting sources

question

In a proposal designed to persuade clients to order surge protection equipment from your company, the close should

answer

describe the action(s) you would like readers to take.

question

The authors of an informational report have referred to a multitude of data on the spending habits of 18- to 25-year-old Americans. They want to provide readers with access to this information, but realize it's too lengthy to include in the body of the report. Where should they place it?

answer

In an appendix.

question

Placing detailed supporting materials online instead of in a traditional appendix

answer

Placing detailed supporting materials online instead of in a traditional appendix

question

The list of secondary sources at the end of a report is labeled "Works Cited" when it contains

answer

only those secondary works that were mentioned in the report.

question

When you prepare a speech or presentation, your first step involves

answer

analyzing the situation.

question

One of the steps in analyzing your audience is to

answer

determine their likely emotional state.

question

When organizing a speech or presentation, your first step is to

answer

define the main idea.

question

For business presentations, time restraints are usually

answer

rigid, permitting little or no flexibility.

question

If you are not given a time limit for your presentation, you should

answer

keep the presentation as short as possible while accomplishing your purpose.

question

Longer speeches and presentations are organized like

answer

reports

question

When preparing an outline for your speech, keep in mind that

answer

it can include delivery cues, such as where you plan to pause for emphasis or use visuals.

question

Formal presentations differ from informal ones in that

answer

Formal presentations differ from informal ones in that

question

One effective way to arouse interest at the start of a speech is to

answer

unite the audience around a common goal.

question

"Now that we've reviewed the problem, let's take a look at some solutions" is an example of

answer

a good transition between major sections of a speech.

question

At the close of a business presentation,

answer

be clear about what you want the audience to do next.

question

If there is a lack of consensus among the audience at the end of your presentation, you should

answer

make the disagreement clear and be ready to suggest a method for resolving the differences.

question

You should always close your speech

answer

on a memorable note.

question

Delivering your presentation by reading it word-for-word is usually a bad idea except when

answer

you're covering policy statements or legal documents that must be presented verbatim.

question

Speaking from notes or an outline is often effective because

answer

you can maintain a natural speaking flow.

question

Including an application letter with your résumé is

answer

always a good idea.

question

Compared to writing a solicited application letter, composing an unsolicited application letter is

answer

much more difficult.

question

The best salutation for an application letter is

answer

one that addresses a specific individual by name.

question

Because application letters are ________ messages, the AIDA approach is ideally suited for them.

answer

persuasive

question

In the opening paragraph of an application letter, it is vital to

answer

give the recipient a reason to keep reading.

question

In the Interest and Desire sections of a solicited application letter, discussing each requirement specified in the job ad

answer

helps demonstrate your understanding of the employer's needs.

question

If your application letter and résumé fail to bring a response within a week or so after the position close date,

answer

follow up by email or telephone.

question

Most employers interview an applicant ________ before deciding to make a job offer.

answer

multiple times

question

During a screening interview, your best approach is to

answer

keep your answers short, providing a few key details to distinguish you from other candidates.

question

The second stage of interviews (following screening) is the ________ stage.

answer

selection

question

If you are asked back for a final job interview, you should expect the interviewer to focus on

answer

selling you on the advantages of joining the organization.

question

In a(n) ________ interview, the candidate meets with several interviewers at once.

answer

panel

question

Interviews in which job candidates are asked how they would respond to various hypothetical situations on the job are known as ________ interviews.

answer

situational

question

In a working interview,

answer

the candidate actually performs a job-related activity during the interview.

question

Preparing for a video interview is generally

answer

similar to preparing for a face-to-face interview, but requires familiarizing yourself with the equipment and process.

question

One of your first steps in preparing to seek employment should be to

answer

write the story of you, including the things you are passionate about, your abilities, and so forth.

question

Posting a job opening on a major job board such as Monster is often

answer

a company's last resort, after it has exhausted other possibilities for finding desirable candidates.

question

When conducting a job search, you can use the Internet to

answer

do all of the above.

question

The best way to find job opportunities is usually

answer

identifying the companies you want to work for and focusing your efforts on them.

question

The vast majority of all job openings in the U.S. are

answer

never advertised to the general public.

question

When it comes to the job search, volunteering

answer

can provide valuable networking opportunities.

question

Career counseling

answer

often provides valuable advice, training, and services for job seekers.

question

Creating a traditional paper résumé is

answer

still useful, even if most or all of your application efforts take place online.

question

When employers find lies on an applicant's résumé, most will

answer

refuse to hire the applicant, even if it means withdrawing a formal job offer.

question

The primary difference between a résumé and a CV is that the CV is likely to be ________ than the résumé.

answer

more detailed

question

The most common way to organize a résumé is

answer

chronologically.

question

Using your résumé to tell employers you are detail oriented, a team player, and a hard worker

answer

is generally not helpful unless you also include concrete proof and evidence to support your claims.

question

If you are planning a career change and want to deemphasize lengthy unemployment or lack of career progress, the best organizational plan for your résumé would be

answer

functional

question

The best way to handle frequent job changes on a résumé is to

answer

group similar jobs under a single heading.

question

When it comes to including keywords on résumés,

answer

you should incorporate them into your introductory statement and other sections

Business Comm Final Exam – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards