Deck 11: Report and Research Basics

Question 1

Brad started his report with a description of the problem.He followed this with his facts and findings.Finally,he ended his report with his conclusions and recommendations.Brad has used the indirect pattern to write his report.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Most research projects should begin with looking for secondary (vs.primary)data.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Are you in favor of banning texting while driving to save lives? is an example of a leading question.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

All business reports have one or more of the following purposes: to convey information,to answer questions,and to solve problems.

Question 5

One reason it can be helpful to repeat searches for secondary information is that the ranking of "hits" can change depending on how often a link is accessed by Internet users.

Question 6

You are reading an article in The Wall Street Journal that discusses the research findings of a Centers for Disease Control study on workplace hazards.This newspaper article is an example of primary data.

Question 7

Formal experimentation produces data suggesting causes and effects.

Question 8

An expanded statement of purpose includes three additional factors: the scope,significance,and limitations of the report.

Question 9

Infographics are more difficult to read than written text because they display complex information.

Question 10

One purpose of documenting report data is to save time.

Question 11

Evan's boss has asked him to research and to recommend a new insurance provider for employees' health insurance.Everett should write an analytical report.

Question 12

Business researchers can safely assume that the great majority of Web sources are reliable.

Question 13

Michelle attended a professional conference and must submit a report to her supervisor.She should write an analytical report.

Question 14

Research reports prepared by consultants for their clients tend to be rather formal.

Question 15

The first step in the report-writing process is preparing a work plan.

Question 16

Based on their function,most business reports fall into two broad categories: informational or analytical.

Question 17

If readers are familiar with or supportive of the topic,the report should be organized indirectly.

Question 18

An example of a simple statement of purpose for a business report might be To recommend a new procedure for preparing quarterly financial statements.

Question 19

Yes-no questions produce the best results in an interview with an expert.

Question 20

The organizational strategy is indirect when the conclusions and recommendations,if requested,appear at the end of the report.

Question 21

Malcolm wants to come up with a graphic that will clearly show new staff members how a customer's order proceeds from sales to delivery.The best graphic for him to use is a flowchart.

Question 22

A report that provides data or findings,analyses,and conclusions is a(n)________ report.

A)analytical
B)informational
C)external
D)digital

Question 23

A report that presents data without analysis or recommendations is a(n)________ report.

A)analytical
B)informational
C)audit
D)persuasive

Question 24

To increase your report's credibility,you should quote directly as often as possible.

Question 25

The purpose of business reports is to convey information,answer questions,and ________.

A)generate new business
B)recruit employees
C)solve problems
D)start conversations

Question 26

Which of the following reports is an example of an analytical report?

A)A report giving the details about a training workshop attended
B)A report showing that a public company is in compliance with SEC regulations
C)A report describing the new company dress code
D)A report recommending one of four building alarm systems

Question 27

Many readers prefer the ________ organizational strategy because it seems logical and mirrors the way we solve problems.

A)direct
B)indirect
C)alternating
D)formal

Question 28

In which of the following situations should the direct pattern of organization be used for a business report?

A)When readers must be persuaded
B)When readers are unfamiliar with the problem
C)When readers may be disappointed or hostile toward the report's findings
D)When readers are familiar with the topic

Question 29

When the conclusions and recommendations appear ________ of a report,the organizational strategy is indirect.

A)at the beginning
B)at the end
C)in the body 
D)in the appendix 

Question 30

As long as you put the research you find into your own words,you don't have to cite your source.

Question 31

Examples of firsthand (or primary)research include conducting interviews,asking people to complete a survey,or conducting a scientific experiment.

Question 32

Which of the following reports is an example of an informational report?

A)A report that recommends one of six candidates for an executive assistant position
B)A report that compares three sites for a new clothing boutique location and recommends one
C)A report showing how a company has complied with IRS regulations
D)A report that presents several alternatives for decreasing employee absenteeism,including recommendations for the best solution

Question 33

The two most common citation formats are those presented by the Modern Language Association (MLA)and the American Psychological Association (APA).

Question 34

Which of the following statements about business reports is most accurate?

A)The larger an organization,the more vital the exchange and flow of information becomes.
B)Reports are prepared for internal readers,not external readers.
C)To be considered a business report,a document must be in writing.
D)To be considered a business report,the document must be at least ten pages in length.

Question 35

Including a footnote to a source prevents copyright infringement.

Question 36

The table is the most frequently used graphic in reports because it can clarify large quantities of data in small spaces.

Question 37

Bar charts are useful for comparing related items,illustrating changes in data over time,and showing segments as a part of the whole.

Question 38

Katherine wants to illustrate how her company's sales have increased over the past five years.She should use a pie chart to do this.

Question 39

In which of the following situations should the indirect pattern of organization be used for a business report?

A)When readers are familiar with the topic
B)When readers must be educated about the topic
C)When readers are supportive of the topic
D)The indirect method should be used in all these cases.

Question 40

Table 4 shows that three fourths of the respondents oppose the proposed tax is an effective reference to a visual aid in a report.

Question 41

________ are visual representations of data or information.They can display complex information quickly and clearly and are easier to understand than written text.

A)PDF files
B)Digital slide decks
C)Templates
D)Infographics

Question 42

You must write a business report for a client and want to use a formal writing style.Which of the following should you do?

A)Emphasize active-voice verbs.
B)Avoid including your own opinions and perceptions.
C)Use first-person pronouns.
D)Use contractions.

Question 43

The first step in writing a report is to ________.

A)prepare a work plan
B)determine your research strategy
C)understand the problem or assignment clearly
D)compose the first draft

Question 44

The issues or elements to be investigated in a research project are defined in the ________.

A)significance of the study
B)scope statement
C)recommendations to be offered
D)limitations of the study

Question 45

Short (eight or fewer pages)informal reports addressed to an internal audience are usually presented in _________.

A)memo format
B)manuscript format
C)letter format
D)template format

Question 46

Heidi is writing a report about ways to reduce the time it takes to process a customer return and is determining why the topic is worth investigating at this time.Heidi is considering the ________ of the report.

A)scope
B)limitations
C)significance
D)purpose

Question 47

Which of the following sentences uses the best writing style for a formal report?

A)After checking several references,the company decided to hire the consulting firm of Anderson,Williams,and Pardee.
B)After considerable research,we've decided to order the Aptura computer from ISB for our office staff.
C)I conducted extensive research that shows companies are recognizing the benefits of telecommuting.
D)My personal opinion is that we should implement the new tracking system at once.

Question 48

Dylan is anticipating the audience for a report he is writing.What question should he ask during this stage of the writing process?

A)What do my readers need to know about this topic?
B)How will my readers react to the information in my report?
C)What is the educational level of my readers?
D)Dylan should ask all these questions about her audience.

Question 49

Which of the following is an example of a digital report?

A)A report prepared as a PDF document
B)A PowerPoint slide deck that is posted online
C)A presentation using a cloud-based software solution such as Prezi or SlideRocket
D)All of these choices are examples of digital reports.

Question 50

Which of the following is an effective statement of purpose for an informational report?

A)To inform the reader of the many different features offered on the Apple iPad
B)To analyze ways to offer our customers the best service possible
C)To solve the problem of employee turnover at the company's Chamblee location
D)To determine which of three smartphones to purchase for our Sales Department staff

Question 51

In planning his report,Byron breaks the major investigative problem into subproblems.This process is sometimes called ________.

A)visualizing the problem
B)focusing the problem
C)factoring the problem
D)expanding the problem

Question 52

You are writing a short,routine report for your supervisor and want to use an informal writing style.Which of the following should you do?

A)Because you are writing to a superior,create a distance between yourself and the reader.
B)Avoid humor and figures of speech.
C)Use shorter sentences and familiar words.
D)Omit any colorful adjectives and adverbs.

Question 53

To help you understand the problem or assignment clearly when writing a complex report,prepare a written ________ to clarify the task.

A)statement of purpose
B)executive summary
C)problem statement
D)audience analysis

Question 54

Which of the following types of reports would not be sent to someone outside the organization?

A)Manuscript format
B)Digital format
C)Letter format
D)Memo format

Question 55

Preparing a work plan for your report helps you ________.

A)set priorities
B)outline a course of action
C)establish a schedule
D)with all of these

Question 56

Paige is writing a purpose statement for a report she will submit to her supervisor.To express clearly what she intends to do in the report,she should use ________.

A)action verbs
B)strong adjectives
C)passive voice
D)noun phrases

Question 57

An expanded statement of purpose for a study includes three additional factors.What are they?

A)Scope,significance,and limitations
B)Scope,conclusions,and recommendations
C)Work plan,significance,and limitations
D)Findings,conclusions,and recommendations

Question 58

Reports written in a formal style tend to project ________.

A)objectivity
B)authority
C)impartiality
D)all of these

Question 59

Which of the following reports would most likely be written using a formal writing style?

A)A routine report about the progress a task force is making
B)A research report about consumer trends written by a consultant for his client
C)A summary report written to your supervisor about a conference you attended
D)A short summary written for your boss of an article you read

Question 60

Which of the following reports would most likely be written using an informal writing style?

A)A thesis submitted by a PhD student
B)A research report about economic trends written by a consultant for her client
C)A summary report written to your supervisor about a conference you attended
D)A business proposal written to secure a contract with a governmental agency

Question 61

Tina will carefully document her sources in a report she must submit to her boss to protect herself from plagiarizing.What other purpose(s)will her diligent documentation serve?

A)Strengthening her argument
B)Instructing her reader
C)Saving time
D)All of these

Question 62

Tara,a student who is researching forensic accounting,is preparing to interview an experienced accountant.To conduct an effective interview,Tara should ________.

A)learn as much as possible about the field beforethe interview
B)try to do most of the talking during the interview to put the interviewee at ease
C)ask as many yes-or-no questions as possible to make things easier for the interviewee
D)engage the accountant in a debate to display her knowledge

Question 63

You should begin most business report assignments with________.

A)generation of primary data
B)determination of report length
C)evaluation of the available secondary data
D)selection of report format

Question 64

A good ________ for a business research project includes a work schedule,research strategy,and statement of the problem.

A)outline
B)work plan 
C)introduction
D)purpose statement

Question 65

Nadia is conducting research on the use of social networking sites by observing how her coworkers use these tools in the workplace.What type of data is she collecting?

A)Primary data
B)Secondary data
C)Online data
D)Survey data

Question 66

________ data result from reading what others have experienced or observed and written down.

A)Primary
B)Secondary 
C)Tertiary 
D)Survey

Question 67

Jared is analyzing the information he found on a website before he includes it in an analytical report for a client.In checking for evidence of bias,use of references,and errors in spelling and grammar,Jared is evaluating the ________.

A)currency of the website
B)authority of the website
C)content of the website
D)accuracy of the website

Question 68

Which of the following is a useful guideline for preparing effective surveys?

A)Use questions that produce qualitative answers.
B)Include as many questions on your survey as necessary,even if you may not use the information in your final report.
C)Avoid leading or ambiguous questions.
D)Never offer survey participants compensation as this will skew the results.

Question 69

Google,Bing,Yahoo Search,and Ask are examples of ________.

A)search tools
B)Web browsers
C)electronic databases
D)periodicals

Question 70

Sources of primary information include ________.

A)research databases
B)periodicals and newspapers
C)surveys and interviews
D)information on the Web

Question 71

Magazines,pamphlets,and journals are types of ________.

A)periodicals
B)primary research
C)websites
D)research databases

Question 72

Which of the following is an effective question to use in a survey?

A)Don't you agree that teachers are extremely deserving of a 7 percent pay increase because of the valuable services they provide for our community?
B)Do teachers deserve a 7 percent pay increase?
C)Should teachers accept a 7 percent pay increase,or should they go on strike?
D)Do teachers,one of the hardest-working and least-respected segments of American society,deserve a 7 percent pay increase?

Question 73

Business Source Premier (EBSCO)and Lexis Nexis Academic are examples of research ________.

A)periodicals
B)indexes
C)databases
D)reports

Question 74

Select the most accurate statement about sources found on the Web.

A)Information posted at most sites has undergone the same editing and scrutiny given to articles in scholarly publications.
B)Researchers can safely assume that the information posted on websites by individuals and companies is reputable.
C)Wikis,blogs,and discussion forum entries are short-lived and change constantly.
D)Wikipedia is reliable and should be used when conducting any scholarly research.

Question 75

Which of the following is the best advice for searching the Web?

A)Choose your favorite search tool and use it exclusively so that you can master it.
B)Use just one or two keywords when conducting a search.
C)Use quotation marks to search for phrases.
D)Include articles and prepositions to make your searches more accurate.

Question 76

Which of the following situations would most likely require observation or scientific experimentation?

A)You want to find out what tools are available to protect your computer network from hackers.
B)You need to determine the average time it takes your employees to produce a single piece of furniture.
C)You must find out which ten companies ranked highest for customer service in 2014.
D)You want to verify your supervisor's opinion on upgrading your department's accounting software.

Question 77

What is the most accurate statement about using books for business research?

A)Because books are obsolete,they should never be used for business research.
B)Books provide excellent historical,in-depth data.
C)Books are best for finding current data about technical trends.
D)Most business reports are based on research found in books.

Question 78

Melinda is evaluating the information she found on a website before she includes it in a proposal she is writing.She asks,"Who publishes or sponsors this website?" What is Melinda evaluating?

A)The currency of the website
B)The authority of the website
C)The content of the website
D)The accuracy of the website

Question 79

Evan is evaluating a website before using it as a source for his business report.In checking when the site was last updated,he is evaluating its ________.

A)currency
B)authority
C)content
D)accuracy

Question 80

Which of the following represents the best phrasing for a survey question?

A)How do you feel about a flat-rate income tax?
B)Do you approve of a flat-rate income tax?
C)What benefits do you feel a flat-rate income tax will offer?
D)Why are you in favor of a flat-rate income tax?