Planning Business Messages (Answer Key)

Planning Business Messages 1) The three primary steps involved in preparing a business message are A) planning, writing, and completing. B) informing, persuading, and collaborating. C) defining the purpose, the main idea, and the topic. D) satisfying the audience's informational, motivational, and practical needs. E) outlining, presenting, and following up. Answer: A 2) In developing business messages, the step during which you evaluate whether you have expressed your ideas clearly is A) planning. B) writing. C) completing. D) feedback. E) following up. Answer: C 3) In preparing business messages, you should generally devote about ________ percent of your time to planning. A) 10 B) 20 C) 50 D) 70 E) None of the above—planning should be integrated with other steps to save time. Answer: C 4) Inexperienced communicators tend to A) spend too long planning important messages. B) overestimate the time it takes to complete business messages. C) dive directly into writing the message without taking sufficient time to plan. D) waste too much time revising and editing messages. E) seek excessive input from colleagues when creating messages. Answer: C 5) Which of the following is not a general purpose common to business communication? A) To inform B) To persuade C) To negotiate D) To entertain E) All of the above are common general purposes. Answer: C 6) An example of a specific purpose for a business message would be A) to impart information to the audience. B) to inform employees about the new vacation policy. C) to persuade readers to take an action. D) to obtain audience participation and collaboration. E) to make a point. Answer: B 7) Most messages should not be sent unless they will A) bring about a change. B) increase your chances of being promoted. C) please your boss. D) convey negative information about your competitors. E) do all of the above. Answer: A 8) In most cases, a message should be deferred or canceled if A) your news is bad. B) someone else wants to deliver it. C) your audience is highly receptive. D) the time is wrong. E) you have important information to share, but it could get you into trouble. Answer: D 9) The primary audience for your message is made up of A) all who receive it. B) the key decision makers in the audience. C) those people with the highest status. D) those people who represent the opinions and attitudes of the majority. E) every single person who will (or might) get your message. Answer: B 10) In general, for internal communication, the higher up your message goes, the A) more details people want to see. B) fewer details people want to see. C) less likely you are to run into ethical problems. D) more likely you are to run into ethical problems. E) more ambiguous you should be, in case anyone disagrees with you. Answer: B 11) Messages should contain additional detail and background information when A) you expect a favorable response. B) you are unsure about the audience's level of understanding. C) you and your audience share the same general background. D) you are worried about possible legal action. E) all of the above are the case. Answer: B 12) Forecasting your audience's probable reaction to your message is A) impossible—there's no way to know what it will be. B) vital, because potential audience reaction affects message organization. C) helpful only for internal communication. D) helpful only for external communication. E) a waste of time, since each member may have a different response. Answer: B 13) You're writing a proposal to allow certain employees at your company to telecommute. You know management will be skeptical, so you should A) be as straightforward as possible about stating your conclusions and recommendations. B) avoid stating your conclusions and recommendations. C) use less evidence in support of your points. D) introduce your proof gradually before revealing your conclusions and recommendations. E) be aggressive in making your case, saying that many good employees will leave if the company fails to adopt your proposal. Answer: D 14) A knowledge-management system A) helps companies limit the amount of information employees store on the network. B) enables organizations to test employees periodically to ensure they are doing adequate research. C) is a centralized database of experiences and insights of employees throughout an organization. D) is a tool for creating a bibliography when writing long reports. E) is an expensive scan-and-save system for converting paper documents to electronic files. Answer: C 15) When it comes to planning business messages, social media A) enable you to quickly locate experts and vital information on a wide variety of topics. B) are not really helpful, although they can be used in to send the message in the completing step. C) can be helpful for personal situations, but are inappropriate for business. D) are generally useful only for getting quick feedback from close associates. E) are distractions that decrease your chances of creating an effective message. Answer: A 16) When meeting your audience's informational needs, you should emphasize ideas A) of greatest interest to the audience. B) that are uncontroversial. C) that will have the least impact on the audience. D) that don't need supporting evidence. E) that show how ignorant the audience is about your topic. Answer: A 17) In business communication, using discovery techniques such as free writing and sketching A) is a waste of time. B) can be helpful to unskilled writers, but is not useful to those with expertise and experience. C) is helpful when you need to generate ideas and uncover possible avenues to research. D) almost always leads to confusing, disorganized messages. E) generally increases writer's block and the frustration that comes with it. Answer: C 18) A good way to test the thoroughness of your business message is to check it for A) a main idea. B) a purpose. C) the who, what, when, where, why, and how. D) accuracy. E) opinions that contradict one another. Answer: C 19) After sending project cost estimates to a longtime client, you realize you failed to include information on some discount options. The best thing to do is A) take no action. B) blame someone else. C) contact the primary audience immediately and correct the error. D) start looking for a new job. E) send a follow-up message, but explain that you just received the information. Answer: C 20) Choosing the right medium for your message A) is not important as long as the content of your message is accurate. B) is important only when communicating with managers and supervisors. C) is vital for external communication, but not important for internal communication. D) is an important communication skill. E) is easy these days, since electronic media are always the best option. Answer: D 21) Which media would be best for keeping in touch with a sales team whose members live in several different states? A) Written media B) Oral media C) Electronic media D) Presentations E) None of the above Answer: C 22) In today's high-tech business environment, the need for managers to engage in frequent "walk-arounds" (chatting with employees to get input and answer questions) A) has virtually disappeared thanks to email and social media. B) is still there, but only for the smallest organizations. C) still exists, according to many experts. D) is minimal, since it suggests a lack of "tech savvy" on the manager's part. E) is an important one, but only for nonprofit organizations. Answer: C 23) Using oral media for business communication A) should always be your first choice, regardless of the situation. B) can be unwise when you don't want a lot of questions or interaction. C) is increasingly necessary, due to the declining reliance on email. D) suggests that you are old-fashioned, and should be avoided whenever possible. E) can lead to awkward conversations, but also help you earn a reputation as an honest, caring manager. Answer: E 24) Form letters in business A) can be helpful when communicating about routine matters. B) were once very common, but have now all but disappeared due to software advancements. C) are rarely used, since companies now realize how much customers dislike impersonal messages. D) are still common, but only for negative messages. E) are now statistically linked to reduced profits and loss of customers. Answer: A 25) In business contexts, reports and proposals A) are never written in memo format. B) must always be at least 10 pages long. C) vary in length, and may be written in memo format but never as letters. D) vary in length, and may be written in many formats, including letters and memos. E) are rarely taken seriously unless they are lengthy and written in manuscript format. Answer: D 26) In general, traditional business messages rely A) primarily on graphical elements (such as charts and diagrams) and less on text. B) on an equal balance of graphical elements (such as charts and diagrams) and text. C) primarily on text, with occasional support from graphical elements. (such as charts and diagrams). D) entirely on text, with no graphical elements to distract the audience. E) entirely on graphical elements, with no text to slow the audience down. Answer: C 27) Infographics are A) visuals in business messages that inform, rather than decorate. B) software programs designed to help create effective visuals for business reports. C) professional designers who are skilled in making business documents come to life with effective visuals. D) statistical analyses that help companies determine the exact mix of text and visuals to use in communicating with a particular audience. E) messages that combine powerful visuals with supporting text. Answer: E 28) Telephone calls are A) completely incapable of conveying nonverbal signals. B) now acceptable only for external communication. C) capable of conveying quite a few nonverbal signals. D) no longer practical when compared to email. E) preferable to electronic media when you need a permanent record. Answer: C 29) Which of the following media would be best for sending a brief internal message (requiring no response from your audience) about an upcoming software update? A) Podcast B) Email C) Blog D) Videoconference E) Formal Letter Answer: B 30) VoIP is a A) widely used format for sending documents electronically. B) technology for making telephone calls via the Internet. C) highly technical videoconferencing program. D) type of voice-to-text translation software. E) an outdated telephony system. Answer: B 31) When it comes to business communication, YouTube A) is helpful for consumer-to-consumer interaction, but not for companies seeking to communicate with consumers. B) is not regarded as a viable medium, since anyone can post anything. C) has caught on only as a venue for dissatisfied customers to air their complaints. D) has quickly become an important medium for a variety of messages. E) poses so many liability risks that smart companies tend to avoid it. Answer: D 32) In part, media richness refers to A) the cost of sending a message through a particular medium. B) the popularity of a specific medium. C) a medium's ability to facilitate feedback. D) the difficulties involved with using a particular medium. E) how well a medium works with especially long messages. Answer: C 33) The richest communication medium is A) a phone call. B) IM. C) an email. D) a face-to-face conversation. E) a letter. Answer: D 34) A key advantage of oral communication is A) the ability to plan and control the message. B) the opportunity to meet an audience's information needs. C) the ability to transmit highly complex messages. D) the opportunity to get immediate feedback. E) not having to worry about unconsciously conveying undesirable messages. Answer: D 35) As a new supervisor, you need to introduce yourself to your team of ten employees. The best medium for this type of nonroutine message would be A) a face-to-face meeting. B) an email. C) a conference call. D) a tweet. E) none of the above. Answer: A 36) Leaner media are best used for messages that A) are routine. B) are highly emotional. C) are nonroutine. D) require feedback. E) will likely cause controversy. Answer: A 37) Of the following media, which is the richest? A) a wiki B) an interactive website enabling audiences to participate in the communication process C) a presentation on DVD D) a formal business letter E) a posting on an electronic message board Answer: B 38) Which of the following media would be best to make a formal introduction to a potential client? A) Email B) Letter C) Blog D) IM E) All are equal in formality Answer: B 39) In high-context cultures, ________ media are often more effective than ________ ones. A) leaner, richer B) oral, written C) foreign, domestic D) written, oral E) none of the above Answer: B 40) Which of the following is not listed among factors to consider when choosing a medium for your message? A) Urgency B) Cost C) Sender preferences D) Audience preferences E) All of the above are listed. Answer: C 41) In general, audiences are likely to A) ignore poor organization if the message is important. B) form inaccurate conclusions from poorly organized messages. C) fully understand most messages, even those that are poorly organized. D) feel more comfortable with free-flowing, disorganized messages than with those that are rigidly structured. E) none of the above. Answer: B 42) Organizing messages effectively helps readers by A) helping them understand the message. B) helping them accept the message. C) saving them time. D) leading them to form accurate conclusions about your topic. E) all of the above. Answer: E 43) The primary difference between the topic of a message and the main idea is A) the topic is more specific than the main idea. B) the main idea is more specific than the topic. C) the topic is what you see as most important, whereas the main idea is what your audience sees as most important. D) the main idea is what you see as most important, whereas the topic is what your audience sees as most important. E) none of the above—there is no real difference between the two. Answer: B 44) Which of the following is an example of a message topic? A) "To get the board of directors to increase the research and development budget" B) "Competitors spend more than our company does on research and development" C) "Funding for research and development" D) "The research and development budget is inadequate in our competitive marketplace" E) Any of the above Answer: C 45) When your message is complex and includes a large amount of information, A) a variety of techniques (such as brainstorming) can help determine your main idea. B) it is best to allow the audience to figure out the main idea on their own. C) effective communicators realize that trying to find a single main idea is a waste of time. D) it is not necessary to determine a single main idea, as long as you are clear about your topic. E) audiences will not expect you to have only one main idea. Answer: A 46) Storytelling is A) inappropriate for professional communication. B) acceptable in business, but only for messages organized in the direct approach. C) an effective way to organize messages in a surprising number of business communication scenarios. D) a technique for slipping negative information about a competitor into a business message. E) none of the above. Answer: C 47) In a business message, the range of information you present, the overall length, and the level of detail is known as your A) coverage. B) inclusion. C) scope. D) depth. E) furtherance. Answer: C 48) The scope of a message will generally be longer when A) the audience is unfamiliar with your topic. B) the audience is unfamiliar with you and your credibility. C) the audience is likely to resist your ideas. D) your subject is controversial, complex, or both. E) any of the above are true. Answer: E 49) Whatever the length of your message, you should limit the number of major support points to roughly A) two. B) three. C) six. D) ten. E) twenty. Answer: C 50) Taking the time to outline your points as you prepare business messages A) will save you time in the long run and lead to better results. B) is feasible only when you are working on long reports—otherwise it is a waste of valuable time. C) is a sign that your writing skills are weak, since good writers work from mental outlines only. D) eliminates the creative spontaneity you need to create dynamic messages. E) generally causes undue confusion, since you may not know exactly what you want to say. Answer: A 51) No one has time to plan messages anymore, so when you need to create one it is best to simply dive right in and begin writing. Answer: FALSE 52) When allocating your time among the three stages of the writing process, you should use about a fourth of the time for planning, half the time for writing, and a quarter of the time for completing. Answer: FALSE 53) All business messages have both a general purpose and a specific purpose. Answer: TRUE 54) The three general purposes of business messages are to inform, to persuade, and to collaborate. Answer: TRUE 55) Even if nothing will change as a result of your message, you should send it if you believe it is important. Answer: FALSE 56) Once you have established your purpose, it's best to consider whether it is worth pursuing at this time. Answer: TRUE 57) When analyzing your audience, you should ignore everyone except the key decision makers. Answer: FALSE 58) As long as your message is clear, the size of your audience should not affect your approach. Answer: FALSE 59) Your boss has asked you to "find out everything you can about our newest competitor." Since you don't really know what she's after, the best approach is simply to limit your research to what interests you. Answer: FALSE 60) One effective informal method for learning more about your audience members' information needs is to ask them directly for input. Answer: TRUE 61) In the planning stage of an important business report, you should never engage in free writing, since doing so will only confuse you. Answer: FALSE 62) When you get a vague request for information, the best way to handle it is to provide all the information you can and allow the audience members to pick and choose what is useful to them. Answer: FALSE 63) Skilled communicators include only the information that their audience has specifically requested. Answer: FALSE 64) A helpful way to test the thoroughness of your message is to use the journalistic approach: asking yourself whether you have covered the who, what, where, when, why, and how. Answer: TRUE 65) Accuracy of information is less important in business communication than in other types of communication—everyone is busy, and mistakes are simply unavoidable. Answer: FALSE 66) When it comes to business research, online sources generally require more careful evaluation than other types. Answer: TRUE 67) Messages can be unethical simply because certain details have not been included. Answer: TRUE 68) As long as your message is clear and interesting, the medium you choose doesn't really matter. Answer: FALSE 69) Infographics refers to messages that combine powerful visuals with supporting text. Answer: TRUE 70) Media richness refers to the relative costs of advertising in the various mass media. Answer: FALSE 71) Face-to-face communication is the richest medium. Answer: TRUE 72) Poorly organized messages are unlikely to be effective, regardless of their content. Answer: TRUE 73) "Latest Investment Performance" is an example of a message topic, whereas "Poor Investment Performance Continues" is an example of a main idea. 74) The best time to choose between the direct and indirect approach for organizing messages is before you've decided on the main idea. 75) To inform coworkers that the project you've all worked on for months has been unexpectedly eliminated, you should use the indirect approach. Answer: TRUE