Deck 23: Short Reports

Question 1

When you have a choice, write a short report rather than a long one.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Informative reports and closure reports are the same thing.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Informative reports mostly argue a position, informing the reader accordingly.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Reports generally are more successful when you match the reader's expectations for the kind of report.

Question 5

Any recommendation offered in a recommendation report will appear in the concluding paragraph,

Question 6

In an informative report, use an introductory paragraph to summarize the problems or successes of the project.

Question 7

Delaying action can always be among the alternatives in a feasibility report.

Question 8

The concluding paragraph of an informative report should avoid suggestions for later action, as these would be presumptuous in a report that only provides information.

Question 9

Readers for feasibility reports aren't looking for an explanation as to why a process or procedure might work.

Question 10

In a feasibility report, whether a recommendation comes at the beginning or end depends on the reader for the report.

Question 11

Justification reports can have more than one pattern of organization.

Question 12

There are eight basic patterns useful in organizing reports.

Question 13

In the Comparison/Contrast pattern of organization, take up each alternative in turn, discussing strengths and weaknesses.

Question 14

In functional patterns, discuss the problems and solutions of each functional unit.

Question 15

Tightening your writing is a good idea when revising a report.

Question 16

Always use the same style for reports as you would for other business documents.

Question 17

"Say what you mean"is a good approach when creating a writing style for a report.

Question 18

Specific questions usually encourage specific answers.

Question 19

Because justifying reports is difficult, making them longer is always the best course of action.

Question 20

Justification reports can be used to settle disputes over copyrights and patents and should end by asking the reader to approve your request.

Question 21

A closure report should end by asking the reader to approve a specific request.

Question 22

How much detail you need to give in a justification report depends less on the reader's attitude toward your recommendation than on the corporate culture.

Question 23

In the Elimination of Alternatives pattern of organization, after discussing the problem and its causes, discuss the practical solutions first, showing why they will work.

Question 24

The General to Particular pattern of organization starts with the problem as the audience defines it and then moves to larger issues of which the problem is a part.

Question 25

Strategy reports are unlikely to use a functional pattern of organization.

Question 26

It's not necessary to define technical terms in a formal report because the primary audience will know what they mean.

Question 27

Blueprints are the same thing as headings.

Question 28

There's no reason to respect cultural norms about politeness if the norms are not part of the dominant culture.

Question 29

Transitions are words, phrases or sentences that help to reader to move from one point to the next.

Question 30

A topic sentence is the same thing as a talking head.

Question 31

Subheads must not only be parallel to each other, but also to subheads under other headings.

Question 32

Closure reports

A) Recommend a purchase, investment, or change in policy.
B) Summarize completed work or research.
C) Evaluate several alternatives and recommend one of them.
D) Propose a new project or service.
E) None of the above.

Question 33

In a recommendation report, the recommendation should be based on

A) Speculation.
B) Opinion.
C) Criteria.
D) Proof.
E) None of the above.

Question 34

Justification reports

A) Recommend a purchase, investment, or change in policy.
B) Summarize completed work or research.
C) Evaluate several alternatives and recommend one of them.
D) Propose a new project or service.
E) None of the above.

Question 35

Feasibility reports

A) Recommend a purchase, investment, or change in policy.
B) Summarize completed work or research.
C) Evaluate several alternatives and recommend one of them.
D) Propose a new project or service.
E) None of the above.

Question 36

If the reader will be reluctant to grant the request in your justification report, you should

A) Describe the organizational problem after you show how the disadvantages of your solution are outweighed by the advantages.
B) Show why easier or less expensive solutions will not solve the problem before summarizing the action needed to implement your recommendation.
C) Present your solution impersonally before showing why easier or less expensive solutions will not solve the problem.
D) Ask for the action you want before you present your solution impersonally.
E) None of the above.

Question 37

Which of the following is the BEST pattern of organization to use for a sales report?

A) Comparison/contrast.
B) Problem-solution.
C) Elimination of alternatives.
D) General to particular or particular to general.
E) Geographic or spatial.

Question 38

Which of the following patterns of organization is characterized by a movement from the problem as it affects the organization to a discussion of the parts of the problem and solutions to each of these parts?

A) Particular to general.
B) General to particular.
C) Eliminating alternatives.
D) Problem-solving.
E) None of the above.

Question 39

Justification reports should

A) Never provide detailed information, as they are meant to be short
B) Rarely provide detailed information, as they are meant to be short.
C) Provide detailed information, as they are meant to be long.
D) Provide as much detail as necessary for your reader.
E) None of the above.

Question 40

Which of the following patterns of organization is characterized by a recording of events in the order in which they happened or are planned to happen?

A) Particular to general.
B) General to particular.
C) Eliminating alternatives.
D) Problem-solving.
E) None of the above.

Question 41

You are writing a report that recommends renovation projects in several buildings on your campus. The MOST appropriate organizational pattern would be

A) Pro and con.
B) Functional.
C) Geographic or spatial.
D) Chronological.
E) None of the above.

Question 42

If you want to recommend that your company buy color printers for each department, it would be MOST likely that you would write a

A) Feasibility report.
B) Justification report.
C) Closure report.
D) Proposal.
E) None of the above.

Question 43

One of your employees tells you that a co-worker may be routinely leaving early for lunch. The employee states that he is willing to let the unnamed employee-who only recently joined the organization-know casually to stop, but you ask point-blank who the employee is. The employee declines to answer and looks embarrassed. Chances are

A) The employee comes from a culture where such a direct question is rude, especially after the employee offered to help solve the problem without naming the other employee.
B) The employee who approached you is the guilty party and is really gauging what your reaction will be if he's caught.
C) The employee is just looking for attention; why else would he have approached you in the first place?
D) The employee wants you to pay more attention to what's going on in the department.
E) None of the above.

Question 44

Which of the following is LEAST likely to help your reader follow your report easily?

A) Talking heads.
B) Transitions.
C) Topic sentences.
D) Prepositions.
E) None of the above.

Question 45

You have come up with a solution which, although it has drawbacks, is the best solution for the problem at this time. Which of the following patterns of organization is LEAST likely to be effective?

A) Problem-solution.
B) Eliminating alternatives.
C) General to particular.
D) Pro and con.
E) Any of the above will work equally well.

Question 46

List the two patterns for organizing justification reports.

Question 47

List the seven patterns of organizing information in reports.

Question 48

_________ reports recommend or justify a purchase, investment, hiring, or change in policy.

Question 49

A _________ _________ or __________ ________ summarizes completed work or research that does not result in action or recommendation.

Question 50

_________ _________ focus on the structure of the report.