Deck 15: Public Relations Writing

Question 1

The key to the practice of public relations remains

A) knowing protocol in international relations.
B) navigating the politics of bureaucracies.
C) communicating effectively in writing and speaking.
D) setting goals and objectives.

Answer 1

communicating effectively in writing and speaking.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT an objective of public relations writing?

A) to motivate
B) to inform
C) to persuade
D) to differentiate

Answer 2

to differentiate

Question 3

A hallmark of the practice of public relations is

A) knowing protocol in international relations.
B) navigating the politics of bureaucracies.
C) communicating effectively in writing for the ear and eye.
D) understanding the power of "cat and mouse disclosure."

Answer 3

communicating effectively in writing for the ear and eye.

Question 4

Most public relations teachers, supervisors and executive recruiters indicate that

A) public relations people excel at writing well.
B) public relations people, largely, are horrible writers.
C) public relations people ignore opportunities to improve their writing skills.
D) public relations people fail to recognize the added value knowing how to write will have for their career.

Question 5

Of great importance when writing for the ear is to

A) use passive verbs.
B) be brief.
C) avoid using contractions.
D) use complex sentence structure.

Question 6

Which of the following is a main trait needed to be an effective public relations writer?

A) knowledge of basic writing principles
B) good eye-hand coordination for keyboarding
C) skill at surfing the Internet
D) ability to multitask

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT an advantage a reader has over a listener?

A) opportunity to scan material
B) opportunity to study specific words and phrases
C) opportunity to encounter material only once
D) opportunity to dart ahead

Question 8

Which of the following is a major challenge of writing for a listener?

A) providing lots of statistics
B) grabbing the attention of the listener quickly
C) providing information that is easily reviewed
D) presenting lots of incidentals

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT fundamental to effective writing?

A) to think before writing
B) to draft and redraft till you have a polished, finished product
C) to write your material for all audiences rather than one specific audience
D) to write tightly

Question 10

The four-part formula for writers includes which of the following:

A) start with an idea before you start writing
B) avoid making drafts
C) add fancy words and abstract ideas
D) target as many people as possible

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT part of Sir Winston Churchill's writing formula?

A) Get straight to the point.
B) Use complex words.
C) Paint pictures.
D) Tell the truth.

Question 12

According to Rudolf Flesch, keys to making writing more readable include all EXCEPT

A) Use language readers understand.
B) Use brief, clear sentences.
C) Use words that demonstrate your knowledge of languages other than English.
D) Cover only one item per paragraph.

Question 13

Which of the following does NOT pertain to the inverted pyramid?

A) It is an exercise in creative writing
B) Journalistic writing style is the Flesch approach in action.
C) The climax of a story is at the beginning.
D) Provide details in descending order of importance.

Question 14

A lead is

A) what graphic artists call space between type-set words.
B) another name for the inverted pyramid.
C) the first one or two sentences or first paragraph in a news story.
D) the dramatic close in a news release.

Question 15

In public relations writing, ________ is often maligned but valuable and earns the "granddaddy of public relations writing vehicles" award.

A) the backgrounder
B) the photo opportunity
C) the news release
D) the media alert

Question 16

The overriding purpose of a news release is

A) to stimulate editors to consider covering a story.
B) to inform a targeted public-rather than the media-about what an organization is doing.
C) to create a document of record about what an organization is doing.
D) to justify the public relations function in an organization.

Question 17

A major element that helps media editors decide whether to read a news release is

A) how closely public relations writers follow accepted news release format.
B) how much attention is given to localizing the material.
C) a clear indication of the release date.
D) whom to contact if there are questions.

Question 18

A research scientist working for your company finds a cure for cancer, and you're asked to write the release. The newsworthy element inherent in the story is

A) oddity.
B) impact.
C) prominence.
D) conflict.

Question 19

A new chief executive for your organization has been named, so the news release depends on the ________ factor for its news value.

A) impact
B) oddity
C) known principal
D) conflict

Question 20

A story that touches on an emotional experience uses the ________ angle.

A) oddity
B) crisis
C) impact
D) human interest

Question 21

Of the following items, which one should a professional news release NOT include?

A) clear focus on one central subject
B) items of proven news value
C) hyperbole
D) a "boilerplate"

Question 22

A news release that has news value must

A) be newsworthy in the context of the organization.
B) must be subjective.
C) must be void of attribution
D) must include hyperbole

Question 23

Public relations and journalism students are taught that the lead should include

A) all elements indicated in the subhead.
B) the 5 Ws and occasionally the H.
C) a well-written quote above all else.
D) extensive details.

Question 24

Which of the following is a time-honored essential that will help news releases get considered for inclusion in print?

A) Relevance to the readers of the target media
B) Inclusion of different subjects as possible
C) Use of buzzwords and hyperbole
D) Use of inflated superlatives in quotes

Question 25

Which of the following is true of "style" in writing?

A) It must be flexible.
B) It is more critical than content.
C) It should use language that hasn't changed over time.
D) It can be overlooked in the interest of putting out a story quickly.

Question 26

The news style that most public relations writers follow has been established by the

A) American Psychology Association.
B) New York Times.
C) Associated Press.
D) B & C

Question 27

The style for capitalization writers in public relations follow is

A) up style.
B) down style.
C) mid-English style.
D) abbreviated style.

Question 28

The rule regarding numbers indicates that numbers through ________ should be spelled out.

A) nineteen
B) nine
C) ten
D) eight

Question 29

To avoid misspellings,

A) always find an alternative word.
B) verify words in a dictionary.
C) use a spell checker on your software.
D) always use the second spelling offered in a dictionary.

Question 30

Social media news releases do all the following EXCEPT

A) satisfy traditionalist professors of public relations.
B) reach nontraditional journalists.
C) include audio, video, and photos.
D) reach bloggers and podcasters.

Question 31

Which of the following is true of Internet news releases?

A) They should not be sent via e-mail.
B) Succinctness and brevity are essential.
C) They should be sent via "snail mail".
D) They can ignore newsworthiness criteria.

Question 32

Which of the following does NOT conform to the rules of writing Internet news releases?

A) List only one reporter on the "to" line.
B) Limit the length of the email..
C) Remember readability.
D) List several reporters on the "to" line.

Question 33

Which of the following rules about editing does not apply to Internet newswriting?

A) Follow the A's and B's of writing.
B) Carefully self-edit.
C) Use passive verbs whenever possible.
D) Avoid redundancies.

Question 34

The ability to write clearly, easily, coherently, and quickly distinguishes practitioners of public relations from other functionaries in an organization.

Question 35

Not knowing how to communicate well-especially how to write, or express ideas on paper-can reduce advancement opportunities for people in public relations.

Question 36

A frequent complaint from prospective employers about candidates for their public relations department is that they are "horrible writers."

Question 37

Knowing differences in writing for the eye and for the eye and ear is critical if you expect to be an effective public relations writer.

Question 38

An advantage readers have over listeners is time to ponder the words they encounter.

Question 39

An advantage listeners have over readers is the ease of comprehending what they hear.

Question 40

Essential to effective writing- whether you're a novelist or public relations writer-is devising an idea and then stating it simply and clearly for a particular audience.

Question 41

Critical to writing effectively is knowing your audience.

Question 42

Rudolf Flesch suggested that readability comes down to writing that is easily understood by a targeted audience.

Question 43

Flesch advocated leaving out the word "that"
to make writing more readable.

Question 44

Use of the inverted pyramid makes journalists and public relations writers similar to novelists because it forces them to reveal the so-called climax early in their materials.

Question 45

The lead is the most critical component in the structure of a news release.

Question 46

Newsworthy, localized news releases stand a better chance of being considered by editors.

Question 47

A news release that makes an announcement that affects society depends on impact for its newsworthiness.

Question 48

A solid news release should eschew jargon and hyperbole.

Question 49

"Boiler plate"
in a news release provides the date and place from which a news release is written.

Question 50

Proper use of style indicates the level of competency and professionalism of writers and organizations submitting material to a media editor.

Question 51

"Nourishing quotes"
are quotes that count; they advance a story.

Question 52

At one time, an organization that issued a release that had no news to announce would have lost credibility, but the Internet has changed that.

Question 53

Trying to stimulate a "conversation"
is a legitimate reason to send a social media release to a Website.

Question 54

Hammering home the headline and following the 5W format are among requisites for an Internet news release.

Question 55

Careful self-editing is critical to presenting a professionally developed piece of writing.

Question 56

When you're asked to write for a reader versus for a listener, what should you remember?

Question 57

What advice would Rudolf Flesch give a recent college graduate about how to succeed in public relations writing?

Question 58

To ensure the news releases you issue are considered for placement, what should you remember?

Question 59

What should a student aspiring to enter the world of public relations know about social media and writing for it?