Question | Answer |
The primary difference between constructive feedback and destructive feedback is that constructive feedback | is designed to stimulate improvement. |
Communication is the process of_______. | sending and receiving messages |
One major difference between the 1.0 and 2.0 approaches to business communication is that in the 2.0 approach audiences are encouraged to be | active participants in the communication. |
"Business Communication 2.0" refers to: | a new approach to business communication, emphasizing interaction and conversation rather than one-way publication. |
An example of internal communication would be_______. | an e-mail message from a sales manager to a salesperson asking for a report on travel expenses for a trade show |
An example of informal external communication would be_______. | on the golf course, a restaurant owner listening to a friend describe the poor service she recently received while dining at the restaurant. |
In most organizations, the rumor mill tends to be particularly active when: | the formal communication network is not providing the information employees want. |
In the first step of the communication process, the sender _______. | has an idea |
The term corporate culture refers to: | the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere and personality. |
The final link in the communication chain is_______. | giving feedback to the sender |
Uncomfortable meeting rooms, multitasking, and computer screens filled with popup messages are all examples of: | distractions. |
Distorting the parts of a received message that do not fit your plan is called_______. | selective perception |
If a company’s formal communication network contains many levels of hierarchy_______. | upward and downward communication tend to be less effective |
Which of the following contributes to overcoming emotional distractions in business communication? | Recognizing your feelings and anticipating others’ reactions |
Writing and speaking from your audience’s point of view make it more likely that_______. | receivers will understand your message and respond positively |
Every organization has_______. | an informal communication network |
All of the following are examples of unethical communication except_______. | using jargon |
Which of the following is an example of an ethical dilemma? | Deciding whether or not to inform employees that layoffs are coming as they work on finishing a big project |
Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse? | Informing a new employer about your previous (competing) employer’s major clients |
To help establish clear guidelines for ethical behavior, many companies provide a written_______. | code of ethics |
| |
A meeting agenda_______. | should be circulated before the meeting, providing participants with enough time to prepare |
Use of parliamentary procedure_______. | helps meetings run more smoothly |
At the last staff meeting, someone suggested that using parliamentary procedure would help make the meetings more efficient. To learn more about parliamentary procedure, which of the following should you consult? | Robert’s Rules of Order |
If a person says one thing but sends a conflicting message nonverbally_______. | people are more likely to believe the nonverbal message |
Touch is_______. | governed by relatively strict customs that establish who can touch whom and when |
Groupthink refers to _______. | the willingness of individual group members to withhold contrary or unpopular opinions, even when those objections are legitimate |
A hidden agenda refers to_______. | individuals' private motives that affect a group's interaction |
When composing collaborative messages, it is a good idea to_______. | avoid writing as a group |
____________ are unstated standards of conduct that team members share | Group norms |
Group members who are motivated mainly to fulfill personal needs play a_______. | self-oriented role |
One member of a task force on which you serve is particularly good at helping other members get along and work through their differences. This individual plays a: | team-maintenance role |
The first phase that a team typically goes through is_______. | Orientation |
When it comes to overcoming resistance in groups, it is a good idea to_______. | deal directly with resistance |
Making a phone call at the end of the day is usually_______. | not a good idea since most people are trying to leave the office |
A common mistake in holding meetings is_______. | not having an agenda |
If you are listening mainly to understand the speaker’s message, you are engaging in_______. | content listening |
If you are engaging in critical listening, your goal is to_______. | evaluate the logic and validity of the message |
Which of the following is not an important consideration related to etiquette in the workplace? | Your height and weight |
The first step in the basic listening process is_______. | physically receiving the message |
When it comes to online etiquette, | it is vital to follow basic expectations of spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. |
Diversity in the workplace can be based on differences in | Geography Ethnic heritage Religion |
Social rules vary from culture to culture in terms of | roles and status. use of manners. attitudes toward work and success. |
Culture influences a person’s understanding of ______. | Words gestures use of time and space |
Many difficulties in intercultural communication occur because people in different cultures have different ______. | assumptions about how people should think, behave, and communicate |
To convey meaning in a low-context culture such as the one existing in Germany, people rely more on ______. | explicit verbal communication |
When it comes to decision-making customs, North American executives. | tend to focus on the results of the decisions they face. |
Asking a colleague "How was your weekend?" is | accepted in the United States, but considered intrusive in some cultures |
When speaking in English to people who use English as a second language, you should ______. | speak slowly and clearly |
Ethnocentrism can be overcome by ______. | avoiding assumptions |
The practice of accepting multiple cultures on their own terms is known as ______. | cultural pluralism |
If you will be living in another country where you will be doing business in English, you ______. | will show respect by making every effort to learn the language |
Xenophobia is the fear of ______. | strangers and foreigners |
Letters from Japanese businesspeople tend to be ____________ than those written in the United States. | less direct |
In general, international correspondence tends to be ____________ than that of the United States. | more formal |
When writing letters to businesspeople in other countries, you should ______. | make generous use of transitional words and phrases |
When preparing a message to someone from another culture, you should ______. | be careful to express times and dates in the format used in that person's culture. |
When adapting to other cultures, the "Golden Rule" is | less effective than treating others the way they want to be treated. |
During conversations with non-native English speakers, you should | do none of the above. |
To learn more about unfamiliar cultures, you should | sample newspapers, magazines, music, and movies of that culture.
read books and websites about the culture.
study the languages of the culture. |
When speaking with someone from another culture, avoid | talking down to the other person |
The three primary steps involved in preparing a business message are | planning, writing, and completing. |
A message should be deferred or canceled if | the timing is wrong. |
Choosing the right medium for your message | can make the difference between effective and ineffective communication. |
Of the following media, which is the richest? | An interactive website enabling audiences to participate in the communication process |
Organizing messages effectively helps readers by | all of the above |
No matter how you feel personally about a situation, your communication should reflect your organization's objectives. | True |
Skilled communicators include only the information that their audience has specifically requested. | False |
Which of the following statements best reflects the "you" attitude? | You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today. |
When you are criticizing or correcting, it is best to | focus on what the person can do to improve. |
Many rules of grammar and usage | are complex and some evolve over time. |
Good business letters use language that is as formal as possible and use proven terminology such as "please be advised that" and "we are in receipt of." | False |
Connotative meanings are the literal or dictionary meanings of words. | False |
Templates and style sheets both can help to ensure a consistent look for all company documents. | True |
The main tasks in completing a business message consist of all except | forecasting. |
Skilled business writers | vary the length of their sentences. |
For effective document design, you should | balance the space devoted to text, artwork, and white space. |
Which of the following techniques can help you proofread more effectively? | Read each page of the document backward, from the bottom to the top. |
It is a good idea to set aside a first draft for a day or two before beginning the revision process. | True |
One important goal in revising business messages is to reduce the number of words you use. | True |
Proofreading is rarely necessary since today's professionals use word processing software to prepare documents. | False |
When making a routine request, you begin with______. | a clear statement of the main idea or request |
A good beginning for an order letter would be: ______. | Please send the following items. |
When asking questions in a request message______. | begin with the most important question |
When closing a direct request, you______. | request a specific response and mention the time limits
Routine, positive messages should do all of the following except______. |
The categories of routine replies and positive messages include all of the following except______. | refusing requests |
When responding to a customer request for an adjustment, it is usually sensible to assume that ______. | the customer’s account of the situation is truthful |
When responding to a customer complaint about one of your company’s services, you should______. | avoid blaming anyone in your organization by name |
If a customer requesting an adjustment is at fault for the problem, the best response is to______. | honor the claim but tactfully point out that your firm was not at fault |
When responding to a request for adjustment when a third party is at fault, the best approach is to ______. | respond promptly, explaining how the problem will be solved |
Which of the following is not a general purpose common to business communication? | to negotiate |
An example of a specific purpose for a business message would be______. | to inform employees about the new vacation policy |
A message should be deferred or canceled if______. | the timing is wrong |
You need to provide more information in your message if______. | you are unsure about the audience’s level of understanding |
If you face a skeptical audience, try to______. | introduce your conclusions and recommendations gradually |
Educating your audience requires______. | giving only enough information to accomplish the purpose of the message |
When meeting your audience’s informational needs, you emphasize ideas______. | of greatest interest to the audience |
A good way to test the thoroughness of your business message is to check it for______. | the who, what, when, where, why, and how |
Which of the following statements best reflects the “you” attitude? | You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today. |
Select the sentence with the best “you” attitude. | Once the project includes the necessary estimates, we can proceed with the project. |
It is best to limit your use of the word “you” in business messages if______. | your organization prefers a more formal, impersonal style |
Which of the following is not a technique for helping readers who skim your document? | Keeping all sentences the same length |
When it comes to paragraph length______. | use one-sentence paragraphs only occasionally, for emphasis |
When creating a list for a business document______. | be sure to introduce them clearly |
Informative headings and subheadings______. | guide readers to think a certain way about the topics covered |
Using white space in a document ______. | provides contrast |
Justified type is type that is______ | set flush on the left and flush on the right |
Centered type in business documents is______. | rarely used for text but commonly used for headings |
When selecting typefaces for most business documents, ______. | avoid using more than two typefaces on a page |
Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse? | Informing a new employer about your previous (competing) employer’s major clients |
To help establish clear guidelines for ethical behavior, many companies provide a written_______. | code of ethics |
A meeting agenda_______. | should be circulated before the meeting, providing participants with enough time to prepare |
The practice of accepting multiple cultures on their own terms is known as ______. | cultural pluralism |
In the phenomenon of groupthink, the team may arrive at poor-quality decisions and even act unethically. | True |
Studies have shown that people often have cultural beliefs and biases of which they are not even aware. | True |
| |
Use the direct approach with a negative message if______. | the situation is one in which people readily acknowledge the possibility of receiving bad news |
When using the direct approach to deliver bad news, you______. | must still work to end with a positive statement |
When using the direct approach to deliver bad news, the closing should include______. | a goodwill statement aimed at maintaining a good relationship with the audience |
Instead of beginning your negative message with a blunt announcement of the news, you can use______. | a buffer |
A way to be tactful when giving your reasons for bad news is to______. | highlight, if possible, how your negative decision benefits your readers |
Which of the following statements does the best job of delivering the bad news clearly and kindly? | Although you currently do not have the master’s degree that we require for this position, we would be happy to reconsider your application once you have completed your degree. |
Using the indirect approach, the bad news comes______. | immediately after the reasons |
A good way to make bad news less painful is to______. | de-emphasize it by embedding it in the middle of a sentence or paragraph |
When rejecting a job applicant, you can soften the blow by ______. | using a conditional statement to imply that he or she might someday receive a favorable answer |
To clearly and kindly say no, do all of the following except______. | offer a sincere apology |
When delivering bad news, wording such as “We must turn down,” “Much as I would like to,” and “We cannot afford to” ______. | is likely to cause pain and anger in the reader |
In the closing of a bad-news message, you should______. | build goodwill by ending on a positive note |
Which of the following is the most effective close for a letter rejecting a job applicant? | I wish you the best in your job search. I am sure you will find a match for your skills and interests. |
If you must send a bad-news message to someone in another country______. | use the direct approach for countries like France but the indirect approach for countries like Japan |
When you are refusing a routine request, you______. | should use the indirect approach when you’re forced to decline a request that you might have said yes to in the past |
A woman returns a formal dress to your store. It is soiled and has a rip at the hem line, but she says she is returning it unworn because it doesn't fit. How do you inform her of your refusal to give her a refund? | Restate her complaint to let her know you understand it, explain as positively as possible that you are unable to accept the return of damaged merchandise, and recommend a tailor who can fix the tear and alter the dress for her. |
When you need to inform employees that a benefit will be eliminated, ______. | minimize the bad news by presenting it in as favorable a light as possible |
A letter rejecting a job applicant should______. | clearly state why he/she was not selected |
If you are responding negatively to a request, a buffer______. | validates the request |
The most important goal of a buffer is to______. | establish common ground with your reader. |
Most persuasive messages combine______. | logical and emotional factors |
When it comes to persuasive messages, the direct approach______. | is often preferable when you know your audience is likely to agree with you |
AIDA stands for______. | attention, interest, desire, action |
The purpose of the interest section of a persuasive message is to______. | explain the relevance of your message to your audience |
The purpose of the desire section of a persuasive message is to______. | help the audience embrace your idea by explaining how the change will benefit them |
When writing persuasive messages, one way to avoid faulty logic is to______. | avoid hasty generalizations |
As you consider the benefits of your product, in your marketing or sales messages you will ultimately want to______. | single out one benefit that corresponds to your readers’ primary needs or emotional concerns |
If the audience for your marketing or sales message promoting a new security system is made up of wealthy suburbanites, the consumer benefit you would most want to emphasize is______. | the reliability of the system when protecting the consumer's property |
In marketing and sales messages, the best way to handle potential objections is to______. | identify them up front and try to address as many as you can |
When compared to routine positive messages, persuasive messages aim to influence audiences who are likely to______. | resist at first |
If a supervisor approaches a worker who consistently arrives late by saying, “I know your job is important to you,” the supervisor is addressing the worker’s need for______. | safety and security |
An effective ending for a persuasive message would be:______. | Simply return the enclosed coupon by June 15 for your free oil and filter change |
The secret to a successful action phase in the AIDA format is______. | convincing readers that the action you propose is easy |
The AIDA approach for persuasive messages should be used with______. | either a direct or an indirect approach |
An advertisement stating that a new resort offers “freedom and comfort along with great value” is using______. | an emotional appeal |
When preparing a persuasive request, it is vital to______. | remain open to compromise |
When writing a persuasive request for action, you should______. | demonstrate that helping you will indeed solve a significant problem |
If price is one of your strong selling points, you should______. | give it a position of prominence, such as in the headline or as the last item in a paragraph |
Which of the following is not an effective technique for gaining audience attention in sales messages? | Emphasizing how close your company is to going out of business. |
The interest phase of a sales message should______. | provide support for whatever claims or promises you made in the attention section |
When writing reports for audiences in other cultures, it is generally best to adopt a | more formal tone than you would normally use. |
To gain credibility with your audience in business reports, do all of the following except | make the report lengthy. |
A proposal should | follow the plan for good-news messages. |
A public health expert is writing an online report on lead hazards for a widespread audience. To use the inverted pyramid style of organization, she would cover the most important information | briefly at the beginning and then gradually reveal successive layers of detail. |
When preparing review sections in a report | use review sections to summarize key points and help readers absorb the information they just read. |
If you have a great deal of detailed, specific information to present, the best visual to use would be | a table. |
A surface chart is | a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line. |
The primary difference between titles and captions of visuals is that | captions are often longer than titles. |
When it comes to documenting sources in business reports, | anything from outside sources, whether it appears in the text or in a visual, should be fully documented. |
__________ refers to decorative elements that clutter documents without adding any relevant information. | Chartjunk |
Regardless of a candidate's work experience, the prime source of jobs in general appears to be | personal contacts. |
The first step in the employment process is to | find out where the job opportunities are. |
The purpose of a résumé is to______. | get you an interview |
The most common way to organize a résumé is______. | chronologically |
The best organization for the résumé of someone with a strong employment history along a progressive career path would be______. | chronological |
If you are still a student and have little work experience, your résumé should emphasize______. | your educational background |
In describing activities and achievements on your résumé, you should______. | quantify them whenever possible |
Which of the following is not a common problem that employers see in résumés? | They are too straightforward. |
To achieve the best physical appearance for your résumé, you should | leave plenty of white space |
The most common file format for uploading résumés directly to websites such as Monster.com is | Microsoft Word. |
You'll impress prospective employers with your application letter if you | none of the above. |
Unsolicited application letters to prospective employers | require more research than solicited letters. |
If your application letter and résumé fail to bring a response within a month or so, you should | write a follow-up letter. |
Employers use preliminary screening interviews to______. | narrow the field of applicants |
During a screening interview, your best approach is to______. | follow the interviewer’s lead |
Your goal in the initial screening interview is to______. | differentiate yourself from other candidates |
If you are asked back for a final job interview, the interviewer will most likely be concerned with______. | selling you on the benefits of joining the organization |
An interview in which a job candidate is criticized or provoked is a type of______. | stress interview |
Preparing for a video interview is generally______. | the same as preparing for a face-to-face interview |
An interview in which a job candidate is placed in a hands-on scenario and asked to do job-related tasks is a type of______. | situational interview |
When it comes to drug and alcohol testing______. | the great majority of companies now require it |
When asking questions during job interviews, candidates should______. | steer the discussion into areas where they can present their qualifications to peak advantage |
The best way to counteract feelings of shyness, self-consciousness, or nervousness about job interviews is to______. | identify and deal with the source of these feelings |
When choosing the clothing you will wear for an interview, the best policy is to______. | dress conservatively |
If you are a smoker and must go to a job interview, you should______. | refrain from smoking before and during the interview |
Many interviewers make a decision about the applicant______. | within the first 20 seconds of the interview |
The longest phase of a job interview is______. | the question-and-answer stage |
When a job interviewer indicates the interview is coming to a close, you should______. | prepare to leave but try to pin down what will happen next |
On your second or third visit to an organization, if you haven’t been told by the end of an interview whether you got the job, you should______. | ask tactfully when you can expect to learn of the decision |
Within two days after an interview, you should______. | write a short note of thanks (using the format for routine messages) |