Question 1

Which of the following is not an example of a routine informational message?
A) An acceptance message
B) A positive answer to a request
C) A positive or neutral announcement
D) A sales pitch

Accepted Answer

A sales pitch is not considered a routine informational message because it is primarily persuasive in nature, aiming to convince the recipient to purchase a product or service, rather than simply informing them of facts or updates in a routine manner.

Question 2

Which of the following is true when writing routine messages?
A) You do not need to analyze your audience.
B) You do not need to be persuasive.
C) You need to attend to your audience's needs.
D) You never use a direct approach.

Accepted Answer

Routine messages should focus on attending to the audience's needs to ensure clarity and effectiveness.

Question 3

What is the desired outcome of well-thought-out workplace messages?
A) To increase discussion of the topic
B) To prevent user response
C) To reduce multiple exchanges on the same topic
D) To distract readers with the form of the message

Accepted Answer

The desired outcome of well-thought-out workplace messages is to reduce multiple exchanges on the same topic by providing clear, comprehensive information that addresses potential questions or concerns in advance.

Question 4

What is sentence Pattern 1 (simple) not useful for?
A) Delivering complex information
B) Showing the relationship between ideas
C) Adding impact to your assertion
D) Delivering instructions

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is sentence Pattern 1 (simple) not...

Question 5

What should you do when writing routine messages?
A) Assume your readers will reject the message
B) Tactfully convince your audience with your controversial topic
C) Use an indirect approach
D) Use a direct approach

Accepted Answer

Routine messages are straightforward and typically do not require persuasion or a build-up to the main point, making a direct approach most effective.

Question 6

Your marketing professor asks you to draw a chart representing Maple Leaf's market share figures in North America. What is the benefit of presenting this information in a chart?
A) To avoid getting into details
B) To not waste time writing out the details
C) To help visualize the data and illustrate what the market share figures mean to the company and the industry
D) To avoid writing a conclusion

Accepted Answer

Charts help in visualizing data, making it easier to understand complex information like market share figures and their implications for a company within its industry.

Question 7

Which of the following will not be on a checklist for writing routine requests?
A) Use a direct approach
B) Provide enough information to enable the reader to act on the request
C) Clearly explain any deadlines
D) Make sure you do not include any goodwill statements

Accepted Answer

Including goodwill statements is actually encouraged in business communication, including routine requests, to maintain and foster positive relationships.

Question 8

Which of the following does not enhance the readability of a memo?
A) Including headings
B) Using white space to separate paragraphs
C) Using bulleted and numbered lists
D) Indenting the paragraphs of the memo

Accepted Answer

Indenting paragraphs in a memo can actually disrupt the visual flow and make it harder to quickly scan the document, unlike headings, white space, and lists which organize and break up text for easier reading.

Question 9

Which sentence pattern does the following sentence fall into? While the students took notes, the professor continued to lecture.
A) Pattern 1 (simple)
B) Pattern 2 (compound)
C) Pattern 3 (complex)
D) Pattern 4 (compound-complex)

Accepted Answer

The sentence is complex because it contains an independent clause ("the professor continued to lecture") and a dependent clause ("While the students took notes").

Question 10

What can you expect of your audience when writing a direct message?
A) To receive the message with a grain of salt
B) To find the message controversial
C) To be positive or neutral about the content of the message
D) To be hostile or resistant to the message

Accepted Answer

Direct messages are typically straightforward and clear, aiming to convey information or requests in a manner that is easy for the recipient to understand and accept. Therefore, the audience is generally expected to be positive or neutral about the content, as these messages are often routine or expected communications.

Question 11

Which of the following is a routine informational message?
A) The layoff of an employee
B) A sales pitch
C) A fundraising letter
D) Announcement of first quarter sales that are higher than last year's first quarter sales

Accepted Answer

Routine informational messages are typically updates or announcements that do not require immediate action or emotional response, such as sales figures.

Question 12

The student body at your university is announcing the results of a survey about students' preferred on-campus food. Which of the following is the most effective subject line for the announcement?
A) Survey of students' preferences in regards to on-campus food
B) Students' On-Campus Food Preferences
C) Students' Survey Results
D) What Type of Food Do You Like?

Accepted Answer

B is the most effective subject line because it is concise and directly communicates the main topic of the announcement, which is about students' preferences for on-campus food.

Question 13

Which of the following subject lines will entice the student body to read Ling's Business Students' Society e-newsletter?
A) The September Issue
B) Ling's Business Students' Society News
C) What Have We Been Up To?
D) Students' Guide to Success

Accepted Answer

"Students' Guide to Success" is likely to entice students as it suggests valuable content that can help them achieve their goals, making it more engaging and relevant.

Question 14

What do you do in a routine informational message?
A) State the purpose of the message in the opening paragraph
B) Open with a joke to appear friendly
C) Write the purpose of your message in the middle paragraph
D) Never include a signature block

Accepted Answer

In a routine informational message, it's important to state the purpose of the message clearly and upfront in the opening paragraph to ensure the reader understands the context and importance of the information being shared. This helps in effective communication and ensures the message is received as intended.

Question 15

Your first assignment in a Business Communications class is to write a direct request letter to a business of your choice, asking it to collaborate with you on writing a report on its external communications. Which of the following closing sentences is the most effective? A) If you e-mail me the information by January 20^th, I will share the external communication report with you on February 21^st. B) I trust that you will find the report beneficial, so please send me the information at your earliest convenience. C) I hope that you can share the information with me. D) To send me the information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.

Accepted Answer

Option A is the most effective because it provides a clear, specific action and deadline for the recipient, and it also offers a direct benefit to the recipient for complying with the request.

Question 16

If you were not sure how to organize the information in a report, what would you do?
A) Focus on your needs and put them first
B) Find out how your audience is going to use the information, and organize the report to attend to your readers' needs
C) Use whatever approach you are familiar with
D) Share the information in chronological order

Accepted Answer

Understanding the audience's needs and how they will use the information is crucial for effective communication. Organizing the report to meet the readers' needs ensures that the information is accessible and useful to them, making this option the most effective strategy.

Question 17

Which of the following is true about a memo?
A) It is an advertisement tool.
B) It is an internal document used to communicate with people within your organization
C) It is an external document used to communicate with people outside your organization.
D) It is a versatile format that can be used for both external and internal communications.

Accepted Answer

Memos are primarily used as an internal communication tool within organizations to convey information, updates, or instructions among employees or departments. They are not typically used for external communication or as advertisement tools.

Question 18

Which of the following is most effective in enhancing the readability of an informational report?
A) Headings and subheadings
B) Bolded, italicized, and underlined headings
C) Colourful fonts
D) Uppercase letters

Accepted Answer

Headings and subheadings help organize content, making it easier for readers to find and understand the information they are looking for, thus enhancing the readability of an informational report.

Question 19

What do you do in the opening paragraph of an informational memo report?
A) Include social comments.
B) Write the order in which you gathered the report information.
C) Explain the methodology you used to gather the report information.
D) Provide an overview of the report content.

Accepted Answer

The opening paragraph of an informational memo report should provide an overview of the report content. This helps the reader understand what the report will cover and sets the context for the detailed information that follows.

Question 20

Which of the following sentences uses active voice?
A) $500 was received by Saskatchewan SPCA
B) Saskatchewan SPCA received $500 in donations
C) $500 was raised by Saskatchewan SPCA
D) $500 was donated to Saskatchewan SPCA

Accepted Answer

In sentence B, "Saskatchewan SPCA received $500 in donations," the subject (Saskatchewan SPCA) performs the action of receiving, making it an example of active voice.

Quiz 3: Routine and Informational Messages

Which of the following is not an example of a routine informational message?

Which of the following is true when writing routine messages?

What is the desired outcome of well-thought-out workplace messages?

What is sentence Pattern 1 (simple) not useful for?

What should you do when writing routine messages?

Your marketing professor asks you to draw a chart representing Maple Leaf's market share figures in North America. What is the benefit of presenting this information in a chart?

Which of the following will not be on a checklist for writing routine requests?

Which of the following does not enhance the readability of a memo?

Which sentence pattern does the following sentence fall into? While the students took notes, the professor continued to lecture.

What can you expect of your audience when writing a direct message?

Which of the following is a routine informational message?

The student body at your university is announcing the results of a survey about students' preferred on-campus food. Which of the following is the most effective subject line for the announcement?

Which of the following subject lines will entice the student body to read Ling's Business Students' Society e-newsletter?

What do you do in a routine informational message?

Your first assignment in a Business Communications class is to write a direct request letter to a business of your choice, asking it to collaborate with you on writing a report on its external communications. Which of the following closing sentences is the most effective?

If you were not sure how to organize the information in a report, what would you do?

Which of the following is true about a memo?

Which of the following is most effective in enhancing the readability of an informational report?

What do you do in the opening paragraph of an informational memo report?

Which of the following sentences uses active voice?