Deck 3: Managing the Communication Process

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of an internal source?

A) A newspaper
B) An industry journal
C) A memo from your supervisor
D) Web-based search tools
E) Experts from other companies

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of an external source?

A) Memos sent to the employees of the company
B) Financial reports published by the company
C) Company databases
D) Experts within the company
E) Industry journals

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The primary audience of your message is ________.

A) the direct recipient of your message
B) anyone who hears about your message
C) anyone who receives a copy of your message
D) anyone who is forwarded a copy of your message from the secondary audience
E) the first person who agrees with your idea

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Primary research ________.

A) involves collecting your own original data
B) includes industry journals and experts outside your company
C) is the information that other people have collected
D) includes existing company reports and databases
E) is always more efficient than secondary research

Question 5

Which of the following does composing involve?

A) Proofreading
B) Revision
C) Organizing the content
D) Determining the purpose of the message
E) Rereading the entire document from the audience's perspective

Question 6

________ research consists of information other people have collected.

A) Primary
B) Exploratory
C) Secondary
D) Integrated
E) Tertiary

Question 7

You develop a cost-cutting measure for your department,and email the idea to your supervisor.Your supervisor forwards your message to the other members of your department,as well as the heads of operations and IT.The secondary audience of your message is ________.

A) your supervisor
B) your supervisor and the heads of operations and IT
C) the members of your department and the heads of operations and IT
D) your supervisor and the members of your department
E) your supervisor, the members of your department, and the heads of operations and IT

Question 8

Reviewing your message and considering feedback ________.

A) generally leads to less successful proposals
B) may lead you to return to the analysis step
C) is part of composing, the second step of the ACE process
D) will be time consuming and unnecessary
E) sets the stage for your business message, helping you make good decisions, and should be done before you begin composing

Question 9

In the ACE process for communication,the first step is ________.

A) adapting
B) adjusting
C) analyzing
D) addressing
E) authoring

Question 10

Keeping your purpose and desired outcome in mind as you write your message is most likely to help you evaluate whether your content ________.

A) supports your goal
B) is formatted correctly
C) is using appropriate font style
D) has any spelling errors
E) is capable of being transmitted

Question 11

In what stage of the writing process does determining the best medium to deliver your message take place?

A) Analysis
B) Content review
C) Composing
D) Evaluation
E) Sending

Question 12

Which of the following communications will likely require persuasion?

A) Informing a colleague about a room change for a meeting
B) Sharing the minutes of the most recent team meeting
C) Asking your boss to switch you to a different project team
D) Providing instructions for the new log-in procedure
E) Issuing a progress report to your client

Question 13

The final step of the ACE process,evaluating,includes ________.

A) drafting your message
B) analyzing your audience
C) selecting the best medium
D) considering feedback
E) determining your purpose

Question 14

________ is the ability to influence an audience to agree with your point of view,accept your recommendation,or grant your request.

A) Aggression
B) Persuasion
C) Ethnocentrism
D) Congregation
E) Polycentrism

Question 15

Which would be the best way to persuade your boss to implement a flex-time schedule in your office?

A) Provide research that shows that this arrangement is workable and often results in increased productivity
B) Give the boss the names of the employees who would be interested in working a flex-time schedule
C) Tell the boss how happy it would make you to have the flexibility to accommodate your personal interests
D) Inform the boss about the many leisure activities that employees would be able to engage in if the flex-time schedule were implemented
E) Tell her that your friend's brother's company is considering a flex-time schedule at its local office

Question 16

If the purpose of your message is to inform parents about the new dismissal procedure designed to alleviate problems with the current process at your school,which of the following best represents the desired outcome of your message?

A) That parents will analyze the situation themselves
B) That parents will be willing to help
C) That parents will want to improve their children's experience
D) That parents will follow the new process that you are implementing
E) That parents will be involved in their children's educational goals

Question 17

When selecting a medium for a message,email ________.

A) is not efficient for disseminating information to many people
B) ensures immediate feedback
C) may not be appropriate for sending sensitive content
D) cannot create a permanent record
E) does not allow for quick communication

Question 18

In the ACE process for communication,the second step is ________.

A) composing
B) cutting
C) collaborating
D) copying
E) considering

Question 19

Which of the following is done in the first step of ACE?

A) Analysis of your purpose
B) Organizing content
C) Revising the content
D) Formatting conventions
E) Drafting the content

Question 20

When conducting the audience analysis for a persuasive message,which of the following is one of the recommended questions?

A) How should you organize the persuasive message?
B) What information does the audience need to know and why?
C) How should I design the format and delivery?
D) Does the content ensure complete information?
E) How will I benefit from my idea or proposal?

Question 21

Samantha is asked by her boss to attend the supervisors' meeting in the afternoon,and to participate in a brief discussion on the flex-time schedule proposal her department is supporting.Which of the following is true about Samantha's preparation for this meeting?

A) She should anticipate and outline the questions and objections the supervisors will have to this proposal, so that she can address them.
B) She should create a list of only a few bullet points focusing on the benefits this proposal has for herself and her coworkers.
C) She should create an elaborate outline and distribute it at the meeting.
D) She should focus on only the benefits of the proposal.
E) It is best to enter a situation like this without an outline and just be spontaneous.

Question 22

Voice mail messages ________.

A) do not require you to consider the design, as they are an oral communication
B) are best done spontaneously
C) should focus on one topic
D) do not require you to leave contact information
E) should allude to your main point without becoming too specific, to arouse the recipient's curiosity and ensure a return phone call.

Question 23

Brief messages,such as emails or short presentations at meetings,________.

A) require elaborate outlines
B) require the use of a tree chart in order to be outlined properly
C) do not benefit from the outlining process
D) might only need a few bullet points or questions as their outlines
E) must follow a detailed traditional outline format

Question 24

Business emails should ________.

A) focus on only one topic
B) contain only one paragraph
C) not contain bullet points
D) use generic headings
E) omit a salutation

Question 25

What should a writer focus on when writing a persuasive message?

A) Audience focused benefits
B) The secondary audience
C) Emphasis on benefits for the writer
D) The primary audience's needs
E) Proving benefits

Question 26

When using a direct organization for a message,the main idea of your message ________.

A) is best placed near the end of your communication
B) should not be stated at the beginning of your message
C) should be stated before the supporting details
D) should be included near the end of your message so as not to be overshadowed by the supporting details
E) is best not stated explicitly

Question 27

The first draft of a message focuses on ________.

A) analyzing your audience
B) getting your thoughts on paper
C) evaluating your word choices
D) perfecting your grammar
E) creating a purpose statement

Question 28

Which of the following key decisions is involved in composing?

A) What must be the purpose of the message?
B) Which mode of communication must be used?
C) How can the content be revised effectively?
D) How can the format be designed for best effect?
E) How can the audience and their needs be analyzed?

Question 29

Which of the following describes the similarities of memos and emails?

A) Memos and emails are both typically sent only to internal audiences.
B) Memos and emails have very little in common.
C) Unlike emails, memos should address multiple topics.
D) Like emails, memos should include complimentary closings and signatures at the end.
E) Memos are often longer than the recommended length for emails.

Question 30

Before you decide what it is you want to communicate,what should be considered??

A) Who the receiver will be
B) Why you are communicating
C) Is there a deadline
D) How long it will take to compose the message
E) How you can incorporate goodwill into the message

Question 31

Writer's block ________.

A) occurs when you stop frequently during the drafting process to evaluate what you have written before finishing your thoughts
B) is never a problem if you use the ACE process
C) is often the result of procrastination or impatience
D) is best dealt with by ignoring the editor in your brain while you write
E) can be overcome by writing the hardest parts of your message first

Question 32

Using company databases,reports,and in-house experts to conduct research requires using _____ sources.

A) external
B) secondary
C) primary
D) objective
E) internal

Question 33

In which of the following cases is the direct organization approach most appropriate?

A) Asking your boss for an extension on an assignment
B) Recommending a controversial change in departmental procedure to your boss
C) Requesting a day off during your company's busy season
D) Explaining why your team failed to catch a problem
E) Sending a status report indicating that you are on schedule for an assignment

Question 34

A document's format ________.

A) is only important to design professionals
B) will compensate fully for poor content
C) cannot undermine your credibility
D) varies wildly according to the choice of medium, with no consistent design principles applying to all media
E) can communicate professionalism to your audience

Question 35

Who is the direct recipient of a message?

A) The secondary audience
B) Anyone moved to act after reading the message
C) The primary audience
D) Anyone who receives benefits from the message
E) Potentially, anyone within the organization

Question 36

Which of the following circumstances lends itself to the direct organization approach?

A) Informing your client that you have technical issues that are hampering the project
B) Giving your client the statistics showing the workload on your team and asking for a later deadline
C) Telling your client that you are running behind schedule
D) Sending your client a recommendation from another customer
E) Informing the client about the attrition resulting in slow work

Question 37

Which of the following is a consistent design principle that applies to all medium options?

A) Start with a purpose-driven introduction.
B) Break the message into big chunks.
C) Avoid the use of words such as "first" and "second," that signal shifts in content.
D) Do not use parallel bullet lists.
E) Begin each paragraph right away without a topic sentence.

Question 38

Simple,well-planned messages ________.

A) don't require a first draft
B) should have exactly one draft
C) benefit from at least two drafts
D) require at least five drafts
E) tend to be less successful in conveying the information

Question 39

A letter would be appropriate for which of the following situations?

A) Sending the list of public holidays for the year to all employees
B) Alerting employees that a flex-time schedule will go into effect
C) Communicating news to a client
D) Sending the project schedule to the team
E) Dispatching the performance chart of the employees

Question 40

If a communication is short,but requires a very detailed explanation,what medium might be most effective?

A) Social media
B) Report
C) Letter
D) Face-to-face meeting
E) Presentation

Question 41

Which of the following will help ensure a communication that is more concise?

A) Active voice
B) Slang
C) Clichés
D) Wordy phrases
E) Fillers

Question 42

_____ is a logical process that involves evaluating the effectiveness of a message in relation to the needs of the audience and the purpose of the message

A) Drafting
B) Evaluating
C) Perfecting
D) Revising
E) Writer's block

Question 43

What does using short sentences and positive wording help create?

A) A conversational style
B) Fillers
C) Antonyms
D) A passive voice
E) An academic style

Question 44

The image that is developed based on word choice is referred to as _____.

A) style
B) concreteness
C) abstract
D) synonyms
E) tone

Question 45

By stating the main point of the communication at the beginning of the message,what type of organization is being used?

A) Indirect
B) Outlining
C) Direct
D) Drafting
E) Perfectionist syndrome

Question 46

When writing,when should evaluation take place?

A) Before delivering your message
B) After delivering your message
C) When planning the message
D) When presenting the message
E) When responding to the audiences questions

Question 47

What is used at the beginning of each paragraph to identify the main point of the paragraph?

A) A provocative question
B) The writer's opinion of the topic
C) A summary of what it to follow
D) A recommendation for the reader
E) A topic sentence

Question 48

Words that can be interpreted in multiple ways are _____.

A) concrete
B) synonyms
C) abstract
D) antonyms
E) passive

Question 49

Errors in the substance of the message are _____ errors.

A) spelling
B) content
C) format
D) usage
E) grammatical

Question 50

Unnecessary information,words,and phrases are considered to be _____,and do not help the communicator achieve their purpose.

A) redundancies
B) fillers
C) style
D) tone
E) conversational

Question 51

Which of the following allows for a logical and easy way to plan the organization of a message?

A) Direct organization
B) Outlining
C) Topic sentences
D) Revising
E) Drafting

Question 52

_____ creates an optimistic,encouraging,and often more informative message.

A) Tone
B) Style
C) Positive wording
D) Redundancies
E) Conciseness

Question 53

Using bullets that do not align,different fonts,and other inconsistencies in design techniques are _____ errors.

A) systematic
B) grammatical
C) format
D) usage
E) typographical

Question 54

_____ refers to the relationship between subject and verb in a sentence.

A) Slang
B) Clichés
C) Conciseness
D) Antonyms
E) Voice

Question 55

To ensure the audience will interpret the message in the way the writer intended,what type of words should be used?

A) Passive
B) Active
C) Synonyms
D) Concrete
E) Abstract

Question 56

The act of organizing content so that it is understandable from the audience's perspective takes place during what stage of the writing process?

A) Composing
B) Analyzing
C) Researching
D) Persuading
E) Evaluating

Question 57

To increase the chances of finding as many errors as possible,what proofreading technique should be used?

A) Check systematically for errors
B) Look for your own common errors
C) Read your work later
D) Read your work multiple times
E) Read your draft aloud

Question 58

When writing for cross-cultural audiences,which of the following will be most effective in aiding the audiences' understanding of the message?

A) Use short, simple words
B) Use jargon and slang
C) Use descriptive and complex phrases
D) Limit the use of visual aids
E) Use long, detail sentences

Question 59

If the audience can easily understand your intended meaning,you have achieved _____ in writing.

A) conciseness
B) clarity
C) tone
D) objectiveness
E) style

Question 60

Communicators use _____ to effectively express themselves,

A) tone
B) redundancies
C) passive voice
D) writing style
E) fillers

Question 61

Persuasion is required for all types of business communication.

Question 62

Which of the following statements is most clearly and concisely worded?

A) It is with sincere gratitude for your endeavors in averting a crisis that I send you this message.
B) Thank you for your help on this difficult assignment.
C) My gratefulness is boundless at your exertions in this.
D) I am eternally thankful for your efforts when the chips were down.
E) Mere thanks seem inadequate to convey what I feel for your help.

Question 63

Composing consists entirely of putting words on the page or speaking them aloud.

Question 64

If you're pressed for time,it's a good idea to skip the analysis step and jump ahead to composing your message.

Question 65

Messages have either primary audiences or secondary audiences,not both.

Question 66

Which of the following examples includes redundancies?

A) Past experience
B) Unprecedented progress
C) Considerable change
D) Adverse effect
E) Pleasant surprise

Question 67

The passive voice ________.

A) leads to a clear and lively writing style
B) can help emphasize a certain word by placing it in the subject of the sentence
C) may be appropriate when you want to assign blame
D) is never appropriate in business writing
E) is grammatically incorrect

Question 68

Rereading the entire document from the audience's perspective ________.

A) is best done as the final step in the revising process
B) leads to writer's block
C) helps you identify audience benefits that you forgot to include
D) is an inefficient revising technique
E) is only recommended if you have extra time

Question 69

Which proofreading method slows the reading pace and allows you to examine information out of context?

A) Reading from the bottom up
B) Asking a colleague for help
C) Reading the work multiple times
D) Reading the work later
E) Looking for common errors

Question 70

The desired outcome of your message is what you want your audience to know or do as a result of your communication.

Question 71

For a business communicator,style ________.

A) refers to how you express yourself
B) is the content you express
C) pertains to what you don't say
D) doesn't impact the tone of the message
E) is irrelevant

Question 72

Outlining is not recommended for brief messages,such as emails or short presentations at a meeting.

Question 73

Concise communication is short and to the point,expressing ideas clearly in the fewest possible words.

Question 74

While researching a proposal you find a case study demonstrating that your supposedly cost-cutting measure might actually be more expensive in the long run.If you fail to address this information in your report,you are committing an ethical error of omission.

Question 75

What software feature will allow multiple people to make writing changes,leave comments,and identify who makes the changes to a document?

A) Spell check
B) Grammar check
C) Find and replace
D) References
E) Track changes

Question 76

Which of the following statements includes redundant language?

A) Never at any time have I seen cooperation like this.
B) From my experience I can say that this teamwork was unprecedented.
C) My opinion is that our team did an outstanding job.
D) It was a pleasant surprise that our unit performed so well.
E) I am impressed by how well our group performed on this project.

Question 77

Which writing style is most effective for business writing?

A) Academic
B) Negative
C) Conversational
D) Redundant
E) Creative

Question 78

Which of the following is recommended as part of the revision process?

A) Change your message into passive voice.
B) Eliminate abstract wording.
C) Replace simple words with more impressive vocabulary.
D) Add slang to your message to make it livelier.
E) Be careful not to use a conversational style.

Question 79

The ACE process for communication can only be used in very complex situations.

Question 80

Keeping your purpose and desired outcome in mind as you write your message helps you evaluate whether your content supports your goal.