Question 1

The statement Driving while under the influence of alcohol is dangerous to everyone on the road because it is unsafe is an example of
A) circular reasoning.
B) logical reasoning.
C) begging the question.
D) post hoc (after, thus, because).

Accepted Answer

The statement is an example of circular reasoning because it uses the premise that driving under the influence is unsafe to conclude that it is dangerous, essentially restating the same idea without providing new evidence or reasoning.

Question 2

Which of the following sentences best motivates action in a persuasive message?
A) We know that you'll want your employees to complete our ethics training program, so we'll drop by tomorrow to finalize the contract.
B) If you think that our ethics training program might benefit your employees, we hope you'll consider hiring us.
C) The ethics training we provide will help your employees effectively resolve workplace-related ethical dilemmas. Please call me by August 1 so that your training sessions can begin by August 15.
D) All of these choices would effectively motivate action.

Accepted Answer

This sentence clearly states the benefits of the training program and creates a sense of urgency by providing a deadline to enroll. It also uses a call to action, asking the reader to call by a specific date to begin the training sessions. This is more persuasive than simply assuming the reader wants the program (A) or hoping they'll consider it (B), and it provides a specific action to take. Choice D is incorrect because not all of the options are equally effective - A and B are not as strong as C.

Question 3

Which of the following is an effective way for persuasive writers and speakers to establish credibility with an audience?
A) Establish your expertise.
B) Offer counterarguments.
C) Request a response from the receiver.
D) Suggest new ideas, directives, or recommendations for change that will be of interest to the audience.

Accepted Answer

Establishing your expertise is an effective way to establish credibility with an audience. By showcasing your expertise on the topic, you demonstrate to the audience that you have knowledge and experience in the subject matter, making it more likely for them to trust and accept your persuasive message. Offering counterarguments, requesting a response, or suggesting new ideas can also be effective strategies but do not necessarily establish credibility on their own.

Question 4

Constance is writing a proposal for her board of directors to request that her company implement a wellness program.The first thing she should do is
A) decide on the purpose of her proposal.
B) prepare an outline.
C) compose a rough draft of the proposal.
D) gather information to include in the proposal.

Accepted Answer

Deciding on the purpose of the proposal is the first step as it sets the direction and objectives for the entire document, guiding subsequent steps like gathering information and drafting.

Question 5

Leila is writing a persuasive message to her staff and includes the opening sentence Your hard work and dedication are what make this company a success.She is gaining her reader's attention by using what type of opening statement?
A) A description of the problem
B) A compliment
C) A reader benefit
D) A stimulating question

Accepted Answer

The opening sentence is a compliment, which is an effective way to gain the reader's attention and make them more receptive to the message that follows.

Question 6

To start your home water delivery service immediately, call us at 1-800-555-1111 is an example of
A) reducing resistance.
B) motivating action.
C) gaining attention.
D) building interest.

Accepted Answer

The statement is aimed at motivating action by providing a clear call to action for customers to call and start the home water delivery service immediately.

Question 7

Showing customers how your product or service specifically solves a problem, achieves a personal or work objective, or makes life easier is accomplished by
A) adapting the message to the audience.
B) organizing your message.
C) collecting information for your message.
D) analyzing the purpose of the message.

Accepted Answer

Adapting the message to the audience involves understanding their unique needs and presenting your product or service as the solution to their problem or objective. This can help customers see how your offering can make their life easier or achieve their goals. Organizing the message, collecting information, and analyzing the purpose are all important steps in creating a persuasive message, but adapting to the audience is specifically focused on showing customers how your product or service can meet their individual needs.

Question 8

Which of the following sequences works best for most persuasive messages?
A) Motivate action, gain attention, build interest, request order
B) Gain attention, build interest, reduce resistance, motivate action
C) Build interest, gain attention, motivate action, reduce resistance
D) Gain attention, build interest, motivate action, request order

Accepted Answer

The sequence "Gain attention, build interest, reduce resistance, motivate action" is effective for persuasive messages as it follows a logical flow that captures the audience's attention, engages them, addresses any objections, and finally encourages them to take action.

Question 9

Christopher, the head of his company's accounting department, is writing a persuasive message to encourage his staff to cut operating costs.What should he do to generate cooperation and buy-in?
A) Not worry about it too much. After all, he's the boss, so he has the right to demand compliance.
B) Threaten employees with concrete examples of what will happen if they don't cooperate.
C) Remind employees that he is the one in charge.
D) Write the message with a positive, enthusiastic tone.

Accepted Answer

Writing the message with a positive, enthusiastic tone will likely generate cooperation and buy-in from the staff since it will create a positive attitude towards cutting costs, rather than a negative mindset associated with threats or reminding employees of authority. A positive tone can also be motivating because it can instill a sense of purpose and inspire workers to take ownership of the initiative.

Question 10

Mallory was just hired as a sales rep for a large telecommunications company.She knows her new job will require her to be persuasive.Which of the following is a persuasion technique that Mallory should use on her new job?
A) Make her requests realistic, doable, and attainable.
B) Create trust in her readers and listeners.
C) Use printed resources, statistics, and examples to support her view.
D) Mallory should do all of these.

Accepted Answer

All of the options are effective persuasion techniques that Mallory should use in her new job. She should make her requests realistic and achievable, create trust in her readers and listeners, and use data and examples to support her views. By combining all these techniques, Mallory can become an effective and persuasive sales rep for the telecommunications company.

Question 11

In a letter advertising its recycling services, The Greenfield Recycling Company stresses that customers will feel the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped to preserve the environment.This persuasive technique relies on
A) direct benefits to the reader.
B) expert opinion.
C) facts and statistics.
D) indirect benefits to the reader.

Accepted Answer

The persuasive technique used in the letter is indirect benefits to the reader. The company is emphasizing the feeling of satisfaction that customers will have by using their recycling services, which is not a direct benefit, but rather an emotional one.

Question 12

Effective persuaders may choose from different organizational strategies to get the results they want.Which of the following is the most accurate statement about organizational patterns?
A) When writing a persuasive message, always use the indirect organizational strategy.
B) If you are asking for something that you know will be approved, use the indirect organizational strategy.
C) When you expect resistance or when you need to educate the receiver, use the indirect organizational pattern.
D) The organizational strategy used is unimportant in persuasive messages.

Accepted Answer

The indirect organizational pattern is best used when the receiver is expected to resist the message or needs to be educated. However, there are other organizational patterns such as problem-solution, cause-effect, and chronological that can also be effective in persuasive messages depending on the situation. Therefore, option D is not accurate. Option A is not always true as sometimes using a direct approach can be more effective. Option B may not always work as there is no guarantee of approval.

Question 13

Coleton has analyzed his purpose and his audience and has considered how he will adapt his message to meet his audience's needs.What should he do next according to the 3-x-3 writing process?
A) Collect data and organize it.
B) Start writing his final draft.
C) Edit what he's done so far.
D) Sleep on it.

Accepted Answer

After analyzing his purpose and audience and considering how to adapt his message, Coleton should move on to the next step of the 3-x-3 writing process, which is collecting data and organizing it. This will help him to have a clear direction and structure for his message before he begins writing the final draft.

Question 14

Using the statement Our incompetent CEO should be replaced without supplying solid evidence is an example of
A) circular reasoning.
B) logical reasoning.
C) begging the question.
D) post hoc (after, thus, because).

Accepted Answer

This statement is an example of begging the question because it assumes that the CEO is incompetent without providing any evidence or logical reasoning to support the claim. It is circular in nature because it assumes what it is trying to prove, making the argument fallacious. Logical reasoning would involve providing evidence and reasons for why the CEO should be replaced, rather than simply making a statement without any support. Post hoc reasoning involves drawing a false cause and effect relationship between two events that are not necessarily related.

Question 15

In which of the following situations is the writer being unethical?
A) Phillip convinces his employees that they will need to take a 3 percent pay cut but truthfully promises them that it will only be temporary.
B) Taylor writes an e-mail message focusing on a small perk offered in the new health coverage, but she deliberately de-emphasizes a reduction in total coverage.
C) Shane interviews four people but cites only the three who have the necessary qualifications in her recommendation report.
D) Instead of writing a standard e-mail message, a CEO releases a video that explains major changes in the company.

Accepted Answer

Taylor intentionally downplays an important aspect of the health coverage, which is dishonest and unethical. The other options do not involve deliberately misleading or withholding information.

Question 16

The statement A Kodak all-in-one printer may cost a little more, but you'll pay far less for replacement ink than you will with other printers
A) builds interest in a product.
B) gains attention by describing a problem.
C) reduces resistance.
D) motivates action.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The statement A Kodak all-in-one printer may...

Question 17

Nicole wants to ask her boss if she can telecommute two days a week, but she's afraid her boss will oppose her request.What should she do first in her written request?
A) Reduce resistance
B) Gain attention
C) Motivate action
D) Build interest

Accepted Answer

Gaining attention is crucial as the first step in a written request, especially in a professional setting. It ensures that the recipient is engaged and ready to consider the proposal.

Question 18

The statement Did you know you can get home delivery of The Wall Street Journal for 40 percent less than the newsstand price?
A) builds interest with an expert opinion.
B) motivates action by telling readers how to save money.
C) gains attention by asking a question that focuses on reader benefits.
D) presents an indirect benefit.

Accepted Answer

The statement gains attention by asking a question that highlights the benefit to the reader, which is saving money on the newsstand price.

Question 19

On a Web site advertising its LSAT preparation classes, The Princeton Review includes this sentence: Since 1998, more than 99% of our surveyed students have said they would recommend Law Preview to entering law students.This persuasive technique relies on
A) indirect benefits to the reader.
B) expert opinion.
C) facts and statistics.
D) problem description.

Accepted Answer

The persuasive technique used by The Princeton Review relies on facts and statistics, specifically the statistic that over 99% of surveyed students would recommend Law Preview to entering law students. This statistic suggests a high level of satisfaction with the program and encourages potential customers to consider signing up for the LSAT preparation classes.

Question 20

What is the most accurate statement about persuasion?
A) Having the ability to persuade is important only at top-level positions.
B) Convincing others that your point of view is the right one is a critical business communication skill.
C) Persuasion usually involves coercion.
D) Successful persuasion depends largely on your credentials and experience; without these it's almost impossible to be persuasive.

Accepted Answer

Persuasion is a critical business communication skill that is necessary at all levels of an organization. It involves convincing others to see your point of view and can help in achieving common goals and objectives. Coercion is a negative aspect of persuasion and should be avoided. While credentials and experience can enhance one's persuasive abilities, they are not the only factors that contribute to successful persuasion.

Quiz 10: Persuasive and Sales Messages

The statement Driving while under the influence of alcohol is dangerous to everyone on the road because it is unsafe is an example of

Which of the following sentences best motivates action in a persuasive message?

Which of the following is an effective way for persuasive writers and speakers to establish credibility with an audience?

Constance is writing a proposal for her board of directors to request that her company implement a wellness program.The first thing she should do is

Leila is writing a persuasive message to her staff and includes the opening sentence Your hard work and dedication are what make this company a success.She is gaining her reader's attention by using what type of opening statement?

To start your home water delivery service immediately, call us at 1-800-555-1111 is an example of

Showing customers how your product or service specifically solves a problem, achieves a personal or work objective, or makes life easier is accomplished by

Which of the following sequences works best for most persuasive messages?

Christopher, the head of his company's accounting department, is writing a persuasive message to encourage his staff to cut operating costs.What should he do to generate cooperation and buy-in?

Mallory was just hired as a sales rep for a large telecommunications company.She knows her new job will require her to be persuasive.Which of the following is a persuasion technique that Mallory should use on her new job?

In a letter advertising its recycling services, The Greenfield Recycling Company stresses that customers will feel the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped to preserve the environment.This persuasive technique relies on

Effective persuaders may choose from different organizational strategies to get the results they want.Which of the following is the most accurate statement about organizational patterns?

Coleton has analyzed his purpose and his audience and has considered how he will adapt his message to meet his audience's needs.What should he do next according to the 3-x-3 writing process?

Using the statement Our incompetent CEO should be replaced without supplying solid evidence is an example of

In which of the following situations is the writer being unethical?

The statement A Kodak all-in-one printer may cost a little more, but you'll pay far less for replacement ink than you will with other printers

Nicole wants to ask her boss if she can telecommute two days a week, but she's afraid her boss will oppose her request.What should she do first in her written request?

The statement Did you know you can get home delivery of The Wall Street Journal for 40 percent less than the newsstand price?

On a Web site advertising its LSAT preparation classes, The Princeton Review includes this sentence: Since 1998, more than 99% of our surveyed students have said they would recommend Law Preview to entering law students.This persuasive technique relies on

What is the most accurate statement about persuasion?