Deck 12: Writing Reports and Proposals

Question 1

Communicating with people in other cultures often calls for more formality.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Computer software has made it easier to create visuals but they aren't always attractive and effective.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

When you are preparing a pie chart,place the largest segment wherever it looks best.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Bar charts have limited use because they can only be used to compare two sets of data.

Question 5

Word tables are most appropriate for survey results.

Question 6

An organization's normal communication channels are almost impossible to describe without the use of an organization chart.

Question 7

The visuals most commonly used to present data include tables,line and surface charts,bar charts,pictograms,Gantt charts,and pie charts.

Question 8

The body of your report presents,analyzes,and interprets the information you gathered during your investigation.

Question 9

You can plot just one line on a line chart.

Question 10

Line charts are commonly used to show trends over time.

Question 11

The style and quality of your visuals doesn't have any influence on your relationship with your audience.

Question 12

As with other written business communications,the text of reports and proposals has three main sections: an introduction (or opening),a body,and a close.

Question 13

In line charts showing trends,the vertical axis indicates time or quantity,and the horizontal axis indicates amount.

Question 14

Because of the costs of reproduction,photographs are not used in business reports.

Question 15

The best way to illustrate a sequence of events from start to finish is by using a flowchart.

Question 16

Pie charts are a good way of illustrating the parts of a whole.

Question 17

A surface chart is a type of bar chart in which the bars are represented by symbols.

Question 18

If a short proposal is directed toward an audience outside your organization,use a letter format.

Question 19

Tables are ideal when your audience needs information that would be either difficult or tedious to handle in the main text.

Question 20

Consistent use of colour,shape,size,texture and position helps to enhance the visual parallelism of your information and design

Question 21

A surface chart is ______________

A)a type of three-dimensional pie chart.
B)a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line.
C)a type of map showing various terrains.
D)used to show interrelationships within an organization.

Question 22

To make your tone more formal,use the impersonal style: emphasize objectivity,ensure that content is free from personal opinion,and build your argument on provable facts.

Question 23

The best way to illustrate the composition of a whole is with a ______________

A)pie chart.
B)line chart.
C)bar chart.
D)flow chart.

Question 24

One of the most common uses of maps in business reports is ______________

A)to show physical differences in variables.
B)to show market territories.
C)to show quality differences in variables.
D)to show directions.

Question 25

Titles,captions,and legends provide more opportunities to connect your visual and textual messages.

Question 26

Audiences assume that the most important points will receive the most visual emphasis.

Question 27

If you want to present a large set of numerical values or detailed textual information,then ___________ is the obvious choice.

A)a table
B)a pie chart
C)a diagram
D)point form in the main body of the report

Question 28

Readers should be able to follow the structure of your document and find items of interest from the headings.

Question 29

Using "you" and "I" gives a report a more informal tone.

Question 30

Drawings,or diagrams that contain enough information to stand alone are sometimes called ______________.

A)slideramas
B)infographics
C)textalites
D)slideuments

Question 31

Readers can become confused when you switch from tense to tense when describing the same research results.

Question 32

When preparing a pie chart,you ______________

A)limit the number of slices to no more than three.
B)place the largest segment at the 12 o'clock position.
C)arrange wedges of decreasing importance in a counterclockwise direction.
D)do all of the above.

Question 33

Flowcharts are used to ______________

A)summarize large amounts of statistical data.
B)demonstrate the relative sizes of the parts of a whole.
C)show how something looks.
D)illustrate processes and procedures.

Question 34

A bar chart would be particularly useful for ______________

A)summarizing the salaries of presidents at 20 corporations from 1987 to 1990.
B)comparing market shares of three breakfast cereals from 1987 to 1990.
C)showing the stages in production of a jet engine.
D)depicting the proportion of advertising dollars spent on various major media.

Question 35

Generally speaking,when designing documents,formal balance is ______________

A)calming and serious.
B)dynamic and engaging.
C)boring and obsolete.
D)only for bosses.

Question 36

In the text of a report,every visual aid should clearly be referred to by number.

Question 37

The best place to put a visual aid is within,beside,or immediately after the paragraph it illustrates.

Question 38

Reports and proposals that are highly technical,complex,or lengthy can put heavy demands on your readers,so _______________________________

A)the report or proposal should include pictures.
B)the "you" attitude takes on even greater importance with these long messages.
C)The company policy becomes even more important.
D)the nature of the subject matter should be emphasized.

Question 39

The best type of visual aid for showing trends over time is ______________

A)a table.
B)a pie chart.
C)a line chart or line graph.
D)an organization chart.

Question 40

Previews and reviews are NOT effective types of transitions.

Question 41

A(n)flow chart illustrates a sequence of events.

Question 42

You can quickly convert reports and proposals to PDF (portable document format)files that are easy and safe to share electronically.

Question 43

The best way of showing the composition (parts)of a whole is a(n)pie chart.

Question 44

A(n)descriptive title on a graphic simply identifies the topic,while a(n)descriptive title calls attention to the conclusion that ought to be drawn from the data.

Question 45

Effective transitions are useful tools for helping readers grasp what they've learned so far while preparing to receive new information.

Question 46

Transitional words and phrases ______________

A)tie ideas together and show how one thought relates to another.
B)help overcome poor organization.
C)are essential to analytical reports but unnecessary in informational reports.
D)do all of the above.

Question 47

Ethical problems can range from photos that play on racial or gender stereotypes to images that imply cause-and-effect relationships that may not exist.

Question 48

Surface charts are a form of line chart with a cumulative effect;all the lines add up to the top line.

Question 49

Legends are not _____________

A)necessary for simple graphs.
B)helpful in communicating your key points.
C)used for complex graphs.
D)often read.

Question 50

If you're addressing an audience with multiple language backgrounds or varied reading skills,what can you do to take your readers' specific needs into account?

A)You can shift the balance toward more visual elements.
B)You can make the report longer so as to add much detail and explanation.
C)You can ensure your grammar and spelling are correct.
D)You can shift the balance toward a more informal tone.

Question 51

The writing style for a report should be more formal if ______________

A)you know your readers reasonably well.
B)your report is internal.
C)the subject is controversial or complex.
D)the report is relatively short.

Question 52

A table is a type of visual aid that includes vertical columns and horizontal rows.

Question 53

When it comes to establishing a time perspective in your report,______________

A)you should feel free to shift back and forth between the past and present tenses.
B)you should be careful to observe the chronological sequence of events.
C)you should make sure that none of your material is dated.
D)you should keep everything in the past tense.

Question 54

To illustrate the positions,units,or functions of an organization and the way they interrelate,use a(n)organization chart.

Question 55

Review each visual to ensure __________________

A)that your readers will enjoy it.
B)that it will fit into the length of your report.
C)that it doesn't distort the meaning of the information.
D)that it doesn't contain more than six colours.

Question 56

When writing a business report,how can you make your tone less formal?

Question 57

Where transitions are concerned,it is best to ______________________

A)use as few as possible because they can confuse your audience.
B)use descriptive headings instead of transitions.
C)use short words to make it easier for your audience to read.
D)use them to guide readers from one thought to the next.

Question 58

Your report introduction needs to ____________________

A)introduce the purpose of the report.
B)emphasize the main points of the message.
C)present your credentials.
D)present conclusions and recommendations.

Question 59

Which of the following is an example of a descriptive title for a visual aid?

A)How CamCo Reduces Costs
B)How Cost Reductions Have Been Made at CamCo
C)Reducing Costs is a Number-One Goal at CamCo
D)CamCo Cuts Costs Through Outsourcing and Downsizing

Question 60

A line chart illustrates trends over time.

Question 61

If you find relevant information that does not support your line of reasoning,should you still include it in your report? Why or why not?

Question 62

Briefly explain the primary difference between linking and embedding files in business reports.

Question 63

What are the three main sections of a business report?

Question 64

List and briefly explain five characteristics of effective report content.

Question 65

List at least three strategies for increasing the formality of your writing in business reports.

Question 66

List at least two specific guidelines to follow in creating effective pie charts.

Question 67

In what forms can previews and reviews be written in a business report?

Question 68

Describe how the approach (direct or indirect)and the length (short or long)affect the close of a report.

Question 69

To help readers find what they're looking for and stay on track as they navigate through your documents,explain the use of three navigational aids.

Question 70

List and explain the function of five important technology tools for developing effective reports and proposals.

Question 71

What four topics are commonly covered in the introduction to a business proposal? Briefly explain each one.

Question 72

Describe six strategies (in addition to using the AIDA format)for strengthening your argument in business proposals.

Question 73

In a formal proposal,where does the Work Plan section normally appear and what information does it contain? Can it be changed later?

Question 74

Remember that the report close is your last chance to convince the reader.Would this be the place to introduce new facts if these help your case? Discuss.