Questions and Answers of Excellence In Business Communication

What is the likely reaction of mobile shoppers if they encounter e-commerce websites that are slow to load or confusing to navigate?a. They will quickly abandon such websites.b. They will shift over
Which of the following steps should you take to make sure your persuasive messages are ethical?a. Align your interest with your audience’s interests.b. Choose words that offer multiple
If it adheres to all applicable federal laws, a marketing or sales message.a. Is certain to be both legal and ethical.b. Could still violate some state laws.c. Could still be unethical.d. Both b and c
Why is it important to understand the purpose for which source material was created?a. Knowing the purpose helps alert you to any potential biases.b. You are required to indicate this purpose in your
Select an article from a reputable business magazine, blog, or website. Read the article and highlight its key points. Summarize the article in fewer than 100 words, paraphrasing the key points.
Select any public company and find the following information.a. Names of the company’s current officers.b. List of the company’s products or services (if the company has a large number of
What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing? a. Quoting is for printed sources; paraphrasing is for electronic sources.b. Quoting is legal (as long as appropriate credit is given);
If you uncover critically important information (the sort that could make or break your company) that is from a credible source and appears to be unbiased, well documented, current, and complete but
Secondary research isa. Generally used before primary research.b. Generally used after primary research.c. Generally used at the same time as primary research.d. Another name for unpaid research.
Why is it important to fully understand the instructions for using an individual search engine, web directory, database, or other computer-based research tool?a. You can be fined if you use these
“Why do some consumers refuse to switch to smartphones?” is an example ofa. An open-ended question.b. A value statementc. A closed question.d. An in-depth question.
Which of the following is not a common way to organize informational reports?a. Comparisonb. Section sizec. Sequenced. Chronology.
From your college library, company websites, or an online service, find the annual reports recently released by two corporations in the same industry. Analyze each report and be prepared to discuss
The structure and navigational flow of all the parts of a website are commonly referred to as ____ ____ .
If you have a long history of success in business and are highly regarded by your audience, which two organizing models will probably be sufficient for most reports to this audience?a. Focusing on
What is the most significant factor to consider when planning a business proposal?a. Whether the recipient prefers printed or electronic media.b. Whether the proposal is solicited or unsolicited.c.
RFP stands fora. Request for proposals.b. Reason for proposing.c. Release form project.d. Research for proposal.
Would “Power to the People” be an effective headline for the section in an analytical report that recommends relaxing a company’s strict limits on employee use of social media at work? Why or
Why is the “you” attitude particularly important with long or complex reports and proposals?a. The “you” attitude takes less time to write, so you’ll save considerable time with long
If a company receives a solicited formal proposal outlining the solution to a particular problem, is it ethical for the company to adopt the proposal’s recommendations without hiring the firm that
Which of these does not belong in the body of an informational or analytical report?a. An explanation of weaknesses in the report.b. Facts, statistical evidence, and trends.c. Conclusions and
Where would you list action items in a report?a. In the opening.b. In the bodyc. In the close.d. Action items are never listed in reports.
Which of the following is not a recommended strategy for strengthening your proposal argument?a. Provide concrete examples of the value of your proposal. b. Demonstrate your knowledge.c.
If packaging and presentation are only superficial, why are they so important in proposal writing?a. Readers tend to prejudge the quality of your products and services based on the quality of your
Which of the following elements is usually not part of a proposal’s introduction?a. Background or statement of the problem.b. Detailed cost analysis.c. Organization of the proposal.d. Scope of the
______ goes a step beyond translating, making sure web content reflects not only the native language of your readers but also their cultural norms, weights, measures, currency, and other specific
The primary purpose of the body of a proposal is toa. List your firm’s qualifications for the project in question.b. Explain why the recipient needs to address a particular problem or
Compare the “About Us” pages on the websites of three companies in same industry. Which page is the most reader-friendly? Which is the worst? What specific elements make each of these pages
If a proposal is being sent in response to an RFP, how should the body of the proposal address the issue of costs?a. It should avoid any mention of costs.b. It should provide a total cost figure
Which of the following is the most effectively worded link to a webpage that describes a company’s products and services?a. Click here to learn more about what we do.b. Learn more about our
Using a spreadsheet, create a bar chart or line chart, using data you find online or in a business publication. Alter the horizontal and vertical scales in several ways to produce different displays
Which of the following best summarizes some key advice for wiki collaboration?a. Because so many writers can be involved in a wiki, managerial control of content and process is essential.b. Personal
Why is consistency important in visual design?a. It shows the audience that you’re not wasting precious time doing artistic designs.b. It reduces confusion by eliminating arbitrary changes that
Which of the following steps could you take to call attention to the most important elements in a visual?a. Use a dominant color for the important elements.b. Call attention to the important elements
Which of the following is a good candidate for illustrating in a report?a. Comparison of customer satisfaction ratings of 12 stores across a 12-month period.b. Percentage of employees who have
Which of the following is not a good reason to use a visual in a report?a. To communicate more effectively with multilingual audiences.b. To help unify the separate parts of a process, an
____ ____ overcomes several shortcomings of conventional charts and graphs—the inability to show only a limited number of data points before becoming too cluttered to interpret, a limited ability
Which of these is a good reason to use a diagram instead of a photograph?a. Diagrams are more colorful and aren’t limited to colors found in real life.b. Diagrams are more realistic than
Which of the following steps should you take to verify the accuracy of the visuals in your reports?a. Make sure that data presentations such as line charts and bar charts accurately portray the data
Assume that you have a line chart with a vertical axis scaled from 0 to 100 and data points that vary within a range of roughly 10 to 90. How would you influence audience perceptions if you increased
Which of the following is not one of the four major tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals?a. Revising the report’s organization, style, tone, and readability.b. Formatting the
In what situation should you consider including a letter or memo of authorization in a formal report?a. If you’re getting paid to write the report.b. If you received written authorization to write
What is the purpose of including a letter of acceptance in a formal report?a. It reminds your audience what you previously agreed to address in the report and why you were assigned to write it.b. It
A letter or memo of ____ is a specialized form of a cover letter that introduces your report to the audience.
A/an ____is a brief overview (usually one page or less) of a report’s most important points.
A/an ____ ____ is a fully developed “mini” version of the report itself.
Which of the following may contain headings, visual aids, and enough information to help busy executives make quick decisions?a. An executive summaryb. A synopsisc. Bothd. Neither
If you’ve submitted a proposal that is in response to an RFP, and the RFP doesn’t include specific instructions for referring to the RFP, what steps can you take to make sure the recipient
How should you handle the letter of transmittal for an unsolicited proposal?a. Treat the letter as a routine message; businesspeople get proposals all the time, so they don’t expect anything more
Why are PDF files a popular format for distributing reports digitally?a. Senders appreciate the ability to maintain control over how their documents appear on the receiving end.b. Receivers are often
What is the best strategy when you’ve sent a formal proposal in response to an RFP but you haven’t heard back within a week or two?a. Immediately follow up with the recipient, regardless of the
____ presentations are outlined like conventional messages and follow a predefined flow from start to finish; ____ presentations don’t flow in any particularly direction but rather give the
How do linear and nonlinear presentations differ?
Which of the following is the best way to know how much material you can cover in a given amount of time?a. Divide the amount of time you have for your presentation by 20 to figure out how many
If you are facing an audience that is apprehensive about what you might have to say in a presentation, which of the following approaches is best?a. Even if your presentation will confirm their worst
Why is speaking from notes usually the best method of delivery?
Which of the following is the best way to arouse interest in a presentation to a group of fellow employees on the importance of taking ownership of the problem whenever a customer calls in with a
If you suspect that your audience doesn’t really care about the topic you plan to discuss, how can you generate interest in your presentation?a. Look for ways to help them relate to the information
If you’re giving a presentation in a subject area you’ve researched thoroughly but in which you don’t have any hands-on experience (suppose your topic is coordinating a major facility
Which of the following would do the best job of holding an audience’s attention during a presentation on the growing importance of social networking in corporate communication? In this particular
Your company recently relocated from another state, and the owners are eager to begin building a positive relationship with the local community. You’ve been asked to speak to employees about
Identify a company whose prospects look bright over the next few years because of highly competitive products, strong leadership, fundamental changes in the market, or any other significant reason.
Which of these techniques is mentioned in the chapter as a way to hold an audience’s attention during a presentation? a. Speak louder than average.b. Tell people that management expects them
Which of the following is an advantage of structured slide designs over free-form designs?a. Structured designs are more colorful and therefore keep audience attention better.b. People are accustomed
Which of the following is a benefit of organizing a slide around a key visual such as a pyramid or a circular flow diagram?a. Slides without key visuals are always boring and repetitive.b. The key
Which of the following is a problem that results from cramming too much text on a slide?a. It forces the audience members to spend more time reading than listening to speaker.b. It forces the
Find a business-related slide presentation online and analyze the design. Do you consider it structured or free form? Does the design help the audience understand and remember the message? Why or why
Charts and tables used for presentations should bea. Simpler than charts and tables used for printed documents.b. More complex than charts and tables used for printed documents.c. Exactly the same as
In a team of six students, develop a 10-minute Prezi or slide presentation on any topic that interests you. Nominate one person to give the presentation; the other five will participate via a Twitter
Slide ____ control how one slide replaces another, whereas slide ____ control how text and graphical elements are revealed on an individual slide.
How does the completion stage of the three-step writing process differ between reports and presentations?a. Completion is exactly the same for reports and presentations.b. Presentations are never
What advice would you give to a novice presenter regarding practicing before a big presentation?a. Don’t practice; it destroys the spontaneity you need to give an upbeat presentation.b. Make
What is the best approach to developing handout materials?a. Create them after you’ve planned, developed, and tested your presentation so that you can see which points are confusing and could
Which of the following is an effective way to respond if you feel nervous right before giving a presentation?a. Think up a short joke to begin your presentation; the audience’s laughter will help
Which of these actions should you take when an audience member asks you a question?a. Observe the questioner’s body language and facial expression to help determine what the person really means.b.
If you receive a question that is important and relevant to the topic you’re presenting but you lack the information needed to answer it, which of the following would be the best response?a.
What is the best strategy for using the Twitter-enabled back-channel in a presentation?a. Build automated Twitter feeds into your presentation slides that send out capsule points as you move through
Which of the following is a disadvantage of conducting presentations online?a. The lack of audio communicationb. The inability of most people to participate, since businesses have different Internet
Which of the following is an advantage of online presentations?a. Lower costs as a result of less travelb. More opportunities for employees to meet customers in personc. The ability to multitask
How does writing the “story of you” help you plan your job search and craft your résumé?a. It helps you focus your résumé on your needs, rather than on the employer’s.b. It helps you think
How can you “think like an employer” if you have no professional business experience?
What is the first step that employers usually take when they need to find candidates to interview for a job opening?a. They search online for personal websites and e-portfolios that might contain
Which of these most accurately characterizes the respective approaches that employers use to find new employees and employees use to find new opportunities? a. Employers and employees look in
Which of the following best describes the process of networking as it applies to your career?a. Making sure you are plugged into the online scene so that you don’t miss out on any new Internet
If you don’t yet have significant work experience but still want to become a valued network member, which of the following tactics should you consider?a. Limit your networking to people whose work
A/an ________ résumé highlights employment experience, listing jobs in reverse order from most recent to earliest.
A/an ________ résumé focuses on a person’s particular skills and competencies, without itemizing his or her job history.
Working with another student, change the following statements to make them more effective for a résumé by using action verbs. Have some experience with database design.
Working with another student, change the following statements to make them more effective for a résumé by using action verbs.Assigned to a project to analyze the cost accounting methods for a large
Which of the following is an advantage of the chronological résumé?a. It helps employers easily locate necessary information.b. It highlights your professional growth and career progress.c. It
Assigned to a project to analyze the cost accounting methods for a large manufacturer. I was part of a team that developed a new inventory control system.
Why are many employers suspicious of the functional résumé?a. It allows applicants to hide or downplay lengthy periods of unemployment or a lack of career progress.b. It doesn’t scan into
Assigned to a project to analyze the cost accounting methods for a large manufacturer.Am responsible for preparing the quarterly department budget.
Which of the following is a disadvantage of the combination résumé?a. It is impossible to convert to scannable format.b. It tends to be longer than other formats and can be repetitious.c. It
Assigned to a project to analyze the cost accounting methods for a large manufacturer.Was a manager of a department with seven employees working for me.
Which of the following sections should be included in any résumé, regardless of the format you’ve chosen?a. Contact information, education, and work experience.b. Contact information, education,
Assigned to a project to analyze the cost accounting methods for a large manufacturer.Was responsible for developing a spreadsheet to analyze monthly sales by department.
Why do some experts recommend against using a career objective as the introductory statement on your résumé?a. It can limit your possibilities as a candidate, particularly if you want to be
How does a qualifications summary differ from a career summary?a. They are identical.b. A qualifications summary offers a brief view of your most important skills and attributes, whereas a career
Which should come first on your résumé, your education or your work experience?a. Education should come first.b. Work experience should come first.c. It depends on which is more meaningful to an

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