Deck 12: Informal Business Reports

Question 1

Another word for mode is average.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The median of the numbers 46,20,20,50,and 24 is 24.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A report comparing four resort facilities being considered for a firm's annual retreat would be most effective if organized by criteria.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Analytical reports should always be prepared using an indirect organizational pattern.

Question 5

Rafael wants to compare male and female responses to a survey about perceived effectiveness of new campus safety efforts.To do so,he should cross-tabulate the data.

Question 6

The conclusions and recommendations sections of a report are the most widely read parts of a business report.

Question 7

Examples of talking report headings include Introduction,Background,Findings,and Conclusions.

Question 8

Good report introductions let readers know the purpose of the report,the significance of the topic,and the main points to be covered.

Question 9

An annual sales report covering the Medical Instruments Division,Computer Supplies Division,and Consumer Products Division should be organized by component.

Question 10

The mode of the numbers 15,40,40,25,58,62,and 30 is 40.

Question 11

Conclusions and recommendations serve the same purpose.

Question 12

Transitional expressions such as moreover,therefore,however,to conclude,and for instance help report readers see the logical flow of ideas in a report.

Question 13

All words in a heading should be capitalized,including articles,conjunctions,and short prepositions.

Question 14

Report recommendations should use command language such as Begin using social media sites to market our products and services to communicate with customers.

Question 15

Leanne has noticed that employees working in offices with windows have lower absentee rates.This correlation proves that offices with natural light are healthier for employees.

Question 16

The headings Implementing Security Measures,Communicating With Employees,and Organizing Teams are grammatically balanced.

Question 17

An example of a recommendation is Both managers and classified staff members report that employee absenteeism has increased since the company's relocation.

Question 18

Drawing conclusions naturally involves a degree of subjectivity,but your goal should be to remain objective.

Question 19

Technology Todaymagazineis sharing the insights of technology experts on future business uses of social media.This information will be easiest to comprehend if presented in a pie chart.

Question 20

Agendas,minutes of meetings,progress reports,and procedures are usually organized by importance.

Question 21

Investigative reports deliver data for specific situations and so are nonrecurring.

Question 22

Unlike informational reports,analytical reports evaluate the data presented and typically try to persuade the reader to accept the conclusions and act on the recommendations.

Question 23

Determine the mean of the numbers 30,25,25,45,and 70.

A)195
B)25
C)30
D)39

Question 24

After conducting research,you must often ________ large amounts of data.

A)simplify
B)summarize
C)classify
D)all of these 

Question 25

Because Kyle is sure that his boss will be interested in his recommendation for a new process to streamline hiring practices,he should organize his recommendation report directly.

Question 26

Numerical data from questionnaires or interviews are usually summarized using systematic columns and rows in a ________.

A)pie chart
B)flowchart
C)bar chart
D)table

Question 27

When people say average,they usually intend to indicate the __________,or arithmetic average.

A)mean
B)mode
C)median
D)margin

Question 28

Much of the information that allows decision makers to run their organizations effectively in the digital age comes to them in the form of ________.

A)Web searches
B)reports
C)Wikipedia entries
D)employees' comments during meetings

Question 29

Informational reports are usually organized using the direct pattern.

Question 30

An effective summary saves time by reducing a report or article by 85 to 95 percent.

Question 31

Reese attended a professional conference and must submit a report to her boss.She should arrange her conference report chronologically and include details about every aspect of the conference.

Question 32

To contrast responses of employees with children against responses of employees without children from a survey on attitudes toward on-site child care,________.

A)use cross-tabulation
B)determine the range of responses
C)determine the average response
D)determine the standard deviation

Question 33

Which of the following is not one of the three Ms that measure central tendency?

A)Mean
B)Mode
C)Median
D)Margin

Question 34

Jenna is determining which of three cities should be the site for a new branch office.To select the new site,she is comparing labor costs,tax breaks,housing costs,and land availability in each city.Jody will most likely compile this information into a feasibility report.

Question 35

Michelle has collectedlarge amounts of data for a business report she is writing,and she wants to ensurethat the data are meaningful to her readers.What should she do?

A)Write the problem statement.
B)Ask for help on a social media site.
C)Organize the data into tables.
D)Omit the data from her report to avoid confusing her readers.

Question 36

Rachel is writing a report in which she will recommend a new procedure for processing payroll.This is an example of an analytical report.

Question 37

A total of 1,000 students responded to a survey about using student fees to build a new health care center on campus.Of those responding,700 students said they "strongly agree" with this proposal.What percentage of students strongly agree?

A)14.28 percent
B)30 percent
C)70 percent
D)Impossible to determine with data provided

Question 38

Determine the mode of the numbers 30,25,25,45,and 70.

A)195
B)25
C)30
D)39

Question 39

Enrico must recommend to his reluctant boss that the company allow employees to work a compressed workweek.Enrico's justification/recommendation report on this sensitive topic should be organized directly.

Question 40

A progress report should describe current problems,as well as anticipate future problems and possible solutions.

Question 41

During his research,Anthony notices that employees who dress professionally in the workplace have higher productivity figures.Anthony has identified a possible ________.

A)correlation
B)standard deviation
C)average
D)tabulation

Question 42

What is the most accurate statement about correlations?

A)Apparent correlations between two or more variables can stimulate investigation and present possible solutions to be explored.
B)Correlations prove cause-and-effect relationships.
C)Correlations are not useful as statistical analysis tools.
D)All of these choices

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of a recommendation?

A)Institute a wellness program to encourage employees to improve their health by adopting healthy habits.
B)Employees who take part in wellness programs have fewer absences.
C)A wellness program can be an effective recruiting tool.
D)Having a wellness program can lead to reduced employee absenteeism.

Question 44

The conclusions of a report ________.

A)should be written using command language
B)offer specific suggestions for actions that can solve a report problem
C)should analyze information logically and show how the data answer questions and solve problems
D)All of these choices

Question 45

Because the ________ section summarizes and explains the findings,it represents the heart of a report.

A)table of contents
B)introduction
C)appendix
D)conclusions

Question 46

Select the best wording for a recommendation.

A)Our college campus should extend café hours to meet the needs of evening students.
B)Extend the campus café hours to meet the needs of evening students.
C)Perhaps we should extend the campus café hours to meet the needs of evening students.
D)Busy students are taking more evening classes and should be able to use the campus café before class.

Question 47

The most widely read portions of a report are generally the ________.

A)table of contents and introduction
B)conclusions and recommendations
C)executive summary and letter of transmittal
D)appendices and bibliography

Question 48

Which statement about recommendations isleast ​accurate?

A)Recommendations and conclusions may be combined.
B)Short reports may omit conclusions and move on to recommendations.
C)Recommendations should be general.
D)Recommendations should focus on solutions to the reader's problem.

Question 49

Arianna has interviewed several of her colleagues to gather their ideas for improving productivity.She now has raw verbal data to analyze.What is the best tool to analyze raw verbal data?

A)Pie chart
B)Grid
C)Line chart
D)Bar chart

Question 50

Recommendations should be phrased as ________.

A)questions
B)commands
C)generalities
D)quotations

Question 51

Which statement about conclusions is least accurate?

A)Any set of data can produce a variety of meaningful conclusions.
B)The best conclusions show the audience how the data relate to the problem being studied.
C)Report writers may choose to expand the conclusion section by explaining each item and citing supporting evidence.
D)Report writers should try to draw conclusions that are subjective.

Question 52

Of the three Ms,the ________ is generally the easiest to determine.

A)mean
B)mode
C)median
D)margin

Question 53

Of the three Ms,the ________ is especially useful when extreme figures may warp the average.

A)mean
B)mode
C)median
D)margin

Question 54

Which of the following is phrased as a conclusion?

A)Offering a wide range of benefits is the best way to recruit high-quality applicants.
B)Offer a wide range of benefits to recruit high-quality applicants.
C)Change your computer passwords once every six weeks.
D)Let me know your hiring decision by Friday.

Question 55

Liam is writing a report to his supervisor about using social media sites to improve communication with customers.His supervisor has no experience using social media for marketing.What organizational style should Liam use for his report?

A)Direct pattern
B)Spiral pattern
C)Indirect pattern
D)Any of these choices

Question 56

Conclusions will usually be more objective if ________.

A)consistent criteria are used in evaluating options
B)the data are manipulated to support a predetermined outcome
C)the researcher relies on personal experience related to the report problem
D)you use strong language to sensationalize your findings

Question 57

Which of the following is most likely to be distorted by an extreme number at either end?

A)Margin
B)Median
C)Mode
D)Mean

Question 58

Determine the median of the numbers 30,25,25,45,and 70.

A)195
B)25
C)30
D)39

Question 59

The range for daily sales for the week,$89,000,$75,000,$98,000,$66,000,and $99,000,is ________.

A)$33,000.
B)$85,400.
C)$427,000.
D)$89,000.

Question 60

The indirect pattern of organization is best for readers who ________.

A)must be educated or persuaded
B)are knowledgeable about the report topic
C)are supportive of the report content
D)are receptive to the information

Question 61

Background,Findings,Staffing,and Budget are examples of ________.

A)talking headings
B)functional headings
C)generic headings
D)transitional headings

Question 62

Danielle wants to be sure that she is designing her business reports for optimal readability.Which option for margins should she choose?

A)Full justification (aligned on the left and right)
B)​Left justification (ragged right margins)
C)Right justification (ragged left margins)
D)All of these choices are equally effective.

Question 63

When should youwrite the introduction to a business report?

A)As your first step in writing the report
B)After you have completed the report
C)About halfway through
D)The introduction can be effectively written at any point.

Question 64

Introductions,transitions,and headings in reports provide important ________ to prevent readers from getting lost.

A)​topics
B)data
C)cues
D)recommendations

Question 65

At the same time,but,however,though,andyet are generallyused to ________.

A)suggest agreement
B)contrast ideas
C)show time and order
D)​clarify points

Question 66

A report that compares the services offered by three wireless companies should be organized by ________.

A)time
B)criteria
C)component
D)convention

Question 67

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

A)A report recommending that an organization begin offering on-site child care to employees
B)A report describing a new procedure for submitting expense claims
C)A report analyzing reasons for a company's high turnover rate
D)A report determining which wireless carrier to use for the sales staff's smartphones

Question 68

An effective introductory paragraph of a business report will ________.

A)preview the main points and the order in which they will be developed
B)tell the purpose of the report
C)describe the significance of the report topic
D)do all of these

Question 69

Which of the following transitional expressions suggest cause and effect?

A)After,before,first,finally,now,previously,to conclude
B)For example,for instance,in other words
C)At the same time,but,however,though,yet
D)Accordingly,as a result,consequently,therefore

Question 70

Mary-Beth is using transitional expressions such as for exampleandin other wordsin a report.In using these phrases,she is attempting to ________.

A)suggest cause and effect
B)contrast ideas
C)clarify points
D)show time and order

Question 71

________ assist readers in comprehending the organization of a report by highlighting major ideas.

A)Title pages
B)​Page numbers
C)Headings
D)​Appendices

Question 72

Informational reports should be organized using which of the following patterns?

A)Introduction/problem,facts/findings,conclusions/recommendations,discussion/analysis
B)Introduction/problem,conclusions/recommendations,facts/findings,discussion/analysis
C)Introduction/background,facts/findings,summary/conclusion
D)Summary/conclusion,introduction/background,facts/findings

Question 73

You are responsible for recording the minutes of an important executive board meeting.The best way to organize these minutes is by ________.

A)importance
B)time
C)convention
D)criteria

Question 74

Angelina is writing a report to her supervisor about implementing a new employee orientation process.Her supervisor is highly supportive of the idea and wants to learn the details quickly.What organizational style should Angelina use for her report?

A)Direct pattern
B)Spiral pattern
C)Indirect pattern
D)Any of these choices

Question 75

Which of the following headings is not grammatically balanced with the other headings?

A)Increasing Employee Productivity
B)Recruiting High-Quality Job Applicants
C)Prevent Identify Theft
D)Improving Employee Morale

Question 76

Which of the following is an example of a talking heading?

A)Findings
B)Recommendations
C)Labor Costs
D)Employees Show Support for Stock Options

Question 77

Eric must submit a weekly sales data report that contains headings established by his supervisor.This recurring report is organized by ________.

A)criteria
B)time
C)component
D)convention

Question 78

Which of the following factors is the most important in determining the organization of a report?

A)Writer convenience
B)Reader comprehension
C)Report frequency
D)Report length

Question 79

An informational report presenting quarterly sales data for a clothing boutique's four branches would most likely be organized by ________.

A)time
B)importance
C)component
D)criteria

Question 80

Matt is preparing headings for a report he is writing.What is the best advice you can give him as he creates his headings?

A)Include end punctuation in all headings for clarity.
B)Underline all headings.
C)Include at least one heading per report page.
D)Matt should do all of these.