Chapter 03 Organizing and Drafting Business Messages

1. The second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process begins with _______.
a. analyzing the audience
b. composing the message
c. researching the topic
d. organizing the message

2. Before composing a business document, you should gather information that will answer which of these
questions?
a. Will I have enough time to complete thorough research?
b. What is the receiver to do?
c. What information will be the easiest to locate?
d. How will I use this information?

3. Which of the following would require a formal research method?

a. Routine e-mail messages
b. Business letters
c. Long reports and proposals
d. Oral presentations

4. All of the following are informal research methods except _______.

a. interviewing the target audience
b. conducting a scientific experiment
c. looking in company files
d. brainstorming for ideas

5. When brainstorming to generate ideas, you should _______.

a. critique each idea as it is suggested
b. record ideas without judging them
c. always work alone for greater efficiency
d. allow no more than five ideas to be discussed

6. Which of the following is a formal research method?

a. Talking with your boss
b. Investigating primary sources
c. Brainstorming
d. Looking in company files

7. Which of the following research sources will provide you with firsthand information?
a. Internet websites and articles
b. Reference books

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 c. Electronic databases
d. Interviews

8. 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 _______.
a. firsthand information
b. informal documentation
c. supplementary, secondary information
d. scientific experimentation

9. 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) _______.
a. manual search of other companies' price lists
b. interview with a local builder
c. Internet search of insulation values for weather blankets
d. scientific experiment that presents price choices with controlled variables

10. 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?
a. Tightly controlled scientific experimentation
b. Library research
c. Questionnaires and surveys of employees
d. Research in company files

11. According to communication experts, what is the greatest failing of business writers?
a. Poor spelling
b. Unclear sentence structure
c. Ambiguous wording
d. Poor organization

12. The direct strategy would be most appropriate when _______.

a. delivering bad news
b. presenting ideas requiring persuasion
c. expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral
d. revealing sensitive news

13. A scratch list for a message is _______.

a. a list of topics that should not be covered
b. a complex, hierarchical arrangement of your ideas
 c. a list of the general topics you wish to include
d. an inventory of illustrations or visuals you plan to include

14. Which of the following is an advantage of the direct strategy?

a. Minimizes a negative reaction
b. Respects the feelings of the reader
c. Saves the reader's time
d. Encourages a fair hearing

15. Which of the following business messages would use the indirect strategy?
a. An e-mail message to staff introducing a new employee
b. An oral presentation detailing the specifics of a new company wellness initiative
c. A letter to a coworker congratulating them on a recent promotion
d. A letter to a customer denying their request for credit

16. Which of the following message openings is the most direct opening for an e-mail message announcing a new
telecommuting plan?
a. A number of employees have asked about telecommuting options.
b. Many businesses have been implementing telecommuting programs, and we have studied their
programs extensively.
c. Rising gas prices have led many companies to allow telecommuting, and we think this might be a good
idea for our company.
d. Our new telecommuting program will begin on August 1.

17. Which of the following is an advantage of the indirect strategy?

a. Saves the reader's time
b. Respects the feelings of the audience
c. Reduces frustration
d. Sets a proper frame of mind

18. When you expect a reader of your message to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should
_______.
a. put the bad news first
b. begin with the main idea
c. explain all background information first
d. send the message via e-mail, text message, or IM

19. The indirect strategy is most appropriate for what kind of messages?
a. Bad-news messages
b. Sensitive messages
 c. Persuasive messages
d. The indirect strategy is appropriate for all the answer choices.

20. Which of the following kinds of business messages typically use the indirect strategy?
a. Nonsensitive memos
b. Routine requests
c. Informational reports
d. Sensitive messages

21. What kind of sentence contains only one independent clause?

a. Simple sentence
b. Compound sentence
c. Complex sentence
d. Compound-complex sentence

22. What kind of sentence contains two independent clauses?

a. Simple sentence
b. Compound sentence
c. Complex sentence
d. Compound-complex sentence

23. What kind of sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause?
a. Simple sentence
b. Compound sentence
c. Complex sentence
d. Compound-complex sentence

24. Which of the following is a complex sentence?

a. Visit our website to learn more about our newest product line.
b. The conference will be held on Monday, but few managers will be able to attend.
c. Employers are now using social media sites to screen applicants; therefore, job seekers are advised to
clean up their digital presence.
d. Because of rising insurance premiums, many companies are offering employee-wellness incentives.

25. Which of the following is a simple sentence?

a. If health insurance costs continue to rise, employee copays may increase.
b. Having healthy employees decreases the cost of monthly premiums; therefore, we will be
implementing a wellness program.
c. HMO and PPO insurance plans offer additional cost savings.
 d. Because we will be reducing employee health insurance benefits, some employees may be unhappy;
however, we must make sure that they understand the reason for the change.

26. What is a sentence fragment?

a. Two independent clauses connected without punctuation or a conjunction
b. Two independent clauses connected by a comma without a conjunction
c. A broken-off part of a sentence
d. The part of a sentence containing the verb

27. What is a comma splice?

a. Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
b. Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
c. A broken-off part of a sentence
d. Two dependent clauses

28. What is a run-on sentence?

a. Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
b. Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
c. A broken-off part of a sentence
d. An independent clause containing two dependent clauses

29. Technology has changed the working environments of employees, that is why employees are telecommuting
more than ever is an example of a _______.
a. complete sentence
b. fragment
c. fused or run-on sentence
d. comma splice

30. What is the recommended maximum number of words for a sentence?

a. 10
b. 20
c. 25
d. 30

31. Placing an idea in italic or bold font is an example of achieving emphasis through _______.
a. style
b. structure
c. mechanics
d. syntax
32. Which of the following sentences emphasizes an idea through style?
a. Consider adding a statement of qualifications section on your résumé; but, most important, include
specific and relevant previous employment information.
b. Add a statement of qualifications section on your résumé, but also include specific and relevant
previous employment information.
c. A résumé should include a statement of qualifications section and specific and relevant previous
employment information.
d. You should include a statement of qualifications section and specific and relevant previous
employment information on your résumé.

33. Which of the following sentences is most effective in de-emphasizing the bad news?
a. Although cash refunds are not offered, you can exchange resalable merchandise.
b. Although you can exchange returned merchandise, cash refunds are not available.
c. Because we only exchange merchandise, it is impossible for you to receive a cash refund.
d. Because of our exchange policy, you may not receive a cash refund.

34. Although most business writing should be in the active voice, passive voice is useful to _______.
a. stress the performer of the action
b. be more concise
c. make the message more direct
d. de-emphasize negative news

35. Which of the following uses only active voice in a complete sentence?
a. The company's rigid return policy was criticized by a few unhappy customers.
b. Because a few unhappy customers criticized the company's rigid return policy.
c. Managers were told about the unhappy customers who criticized the company's rigid return policy.
d. A few unhappy customers criticized the company's rigid return policy.