Deck 7: Persuasive Techniques for Writing Long Reports

Question 1

Your choice of form for a report depends on which of the following?

A) The reason for writing the report, its context, and its audience
B) How much time you have to write a report
C) Your experience with report writing
D) Only the purpose of the report

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is not an example of a reliable secondary source?

A) Periodical
B) Academic journal
C) Governmental database
D) Wikipedia

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which part of an analytical report explains how the recommendations were developed?

A) In the appendices of the report
B) In the methodology section of the report
C) In the body of the report
D) Analytical reports do not usually explain how the recommendations were developed

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In a business report, where would you place the title of a table explaining the sales figures for Q1 2016?

A) Above the table
B) Under the table
C) There are no conventions regarding this matter
D) You do not need a title as long as you refer to the table in the text

Question 5

Which of the following entries accurately applies APA documentation style?

A) Mathew, I. (2017). The business escape: Planning a work free vacation. London: The Press.
B) Mathew, I. The business escape: Planning a work free vacation. London: the Press. (2017)
C) The Business Escape: Planning a Work Free Vacation. Mathew, I. London: The Press. (2017)
D) Mathew, Ivan. (2017). The business escape: Planning a work free vacation. London: The Press

Question 6

The introduction of a report includes which of the following?

A) A claim statement
B) The sources of your information
C) The analysis you conducted
D) Tables to substantiate claims

Question 7

Which of the following does not enhance the readability of a business document?

A) Eliminating second-level headings
B) Providing previews
C) Providing reviews
D) Including transitions

Question 8

Which of the following contributes to creating an explicit structure in a research report?

A) Using at least four typefaces in the document
B) Line spacing between headings and the start of a paragraph
C) Using at least three font colours in the document
D) Underlining headings

Question 9

Which of the following report titles is most effective?

A) Report on the external communications of Station 20 West
B) Report on Station 20 West
C) An External Communication Analysis Report
D) External Communication Analysis Report: Engaging the Community with Station 20 West

Question 10

Which of the following is true about the conclusion of a report?

A) It makes recommendations.
B) It does not include any new information.
C) It analyzes the information explained in the report.
D) It could be included in the beginning of the report.

Question 11

In APA documentation style, how are sources documented?

A) In a separate Works Cited section
B) In footnotes
C) In a separate Bibliography section
D) In a separate References section

Question 12

What should you use to enhance the logical flow of a report?

A) Short sentences
B) Punctuation
C) Headings
D) Transitions

Question 13

Which of the following statements provides an example for a summarizing transition?

A) Because of the discussed factors, the Saskatchewan Food Bank can attract 20% extra donations during the coming year.
B) In conclusion, the report provides strategies to increase donations to the Saskatchewan Food Bank by 20% over the coming year.
C) Above all, the report recommends strategies to increase donations to the Saskatchewan Food Bank by 20%.
D) The strategies in this report will increase donations to the Saskatchewan Food Bank by 20%.

Question 14

You are writing an industry research report for your business communication class. Which of the below is an appropriate first step for starting the report?

A) Gather published information about the industry
B) Interview people working in the industry
C) Develop a research plan
D) Create an outline for the research report

Question 15

Drawing on your knowledge from your business communication class, which of the following elements would you include in the body of an opportunity analysis report?

A) Evidence to substantiate the report's recommendations
B) The purpose of the report
C) The background of the task
D) Any report limitations

Question 16

What is a decision matrix?

A) A table that summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of a specific decision
B) A tool to analyze the external factors affecting a decision
C) A table that weighs all the criteria in a course of action; hence evaluating the alternatives involved in the decision.
D) A tool to analyze the internal factors affecting a decision

Question 17

Which of the following would you find in a report's appendix?

A) The purpose of the report
B) Evidence that support claims made in the report
C) Additional, relevant material
D) The context of the report

Question 18

Which of the following is true about effective visuals in a report?

A) They tell a story.
B) They are included in appendices.
C) They manipulate the data to make the point of the writer.
D) They are always created by visual design specialists.

Question 19

In a business report, what is the purpose of the recommendations section?

A) Summarize the report
B) State action items
C) Analyze the information in the report
D) Provide additional, relevant information

Question 20

What is the purpose of a progress report?

A) To describe what has been done and what needs to be done in a project or assignment
B) To summarize completed work
C) To analyze data to develop recommendations
D) To evaluate the feasibility of a project

Question 21

In formal reports, form and content are inseparable, so writers must pay attention to both.

Question 22

Transitions can be logical, structural, phrasal, or verbal.

Question 23

Reports all follow the same basic structure.

Question 24

Headings are examples of effective signposts.

Question 25

According to business writing conventions, figure number and figure caption should be placed at the top of the figure.

Question 26

Well-organized business reports never include a report summary in the beginning of the report.

Question 27

Visual aids in a report should be referred to and discussed in the text.

Question 28

Government databases are primary sources for information.

Question 29

The audience of a formal business report knows the context within which it was written, so you should not include a Background part in any formal business reports.

Question 30

When listing items in a formal report, it is best to use bullets unless the formatting guidelines specifically require numbers.

Question 31

What is secondary research? How is it different from primary research? Give an example for each type of research.

Question 32

What is the effect of interview design on the outcome of a research project? How are good interview questions designed?

Question 33

What are transitions? What is their purpose in a report?

Question 34

In business writing, how does simplicity help communicate your message?

Question 35

In a long business report, what is the function of an introduction? What elements would you include in it?

Question 36

A progress report is an example of an informational report. What is the purpose of a progress report?

Question 37

In the context of business reports, what do the words preview and review refer to?

Question 38

What is a claim statement? Why is it important to have a clear claim statement in the beginning of a long report?

Question 39

Visuals give data meaning, make your point at a glance, and simplify complex ideas. Before submitting a final report, what should you do to check the quality of your visuals?

Question 40

Briefly outline the guidelines for formal business language, format, and style.