Business Communication Today 11th Edition by Bovee – Test Bank A+

Description

1) The main tasks in completing a business message consist of all except

1. A) proofreading.
2. B) revising.
3. C) forecasting.
4. D) producing.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) A business message is never considered complete and ready to send until it has been revised, proofread, and produced. Forecasting is not a part of the completion process.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 145

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

2) When revising a document, you should

1. A) first read through it to evaluate its overall effectiveness.
2. B) first look carefully for grammatical errors.
3. C) try to accomplish all revision tasks in one pass, in order to finish quickly.
4. D) pay closest attention to the document’s spelling.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) When revising a document, you should view the document as the reader would view it. Does the document make sense? Does it effectively and accurately convey the information you want your audience to understand? Revision should be done to make sure that the answers to the preceding questions are “yes.”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 145

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

3) When reviewing your document for content, you should be concerned with

1. A) grammar and usage.
2. B) punctuation and spelling.
3. C) the accuracy and relevance of the information.
4. D) style and tone.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Content involves the accuracy, relevance, and effectiveness of the information you have provided. It does not involve stylistic elements such as tone, or technical elements such as grammar, punctuation, or spelling.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 145

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

4) When evaluating the work of others, you should

1. A) make sure you understand the writer’s intent before you begin suggesting or making changes.
2. B) talk with the writer about his or her intent only after you suggest changes, since this is a good way to test the effectiveness of the document.
3. C) avoid talking with the writer about the document, since other readers may not have that opportunity.
4. D) compare the other person’s writing style with your own, and if yours is better, rewrite the document in your own style.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) When evaluating the work of others, your first responsibility is to determine what they are trying to communicate to their audience. Once you have a clear idea of the author’s purpose and point of view, you can move on to suggesting or making critical changes.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 147-148

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

5) For general business messages, your writing should be geared to readers at the

1. A) first- to fourth-grade level.
2. B) fifth- to sixth-grade level.
3. C) eighth- to eleventh-grade level.
4. D) twelfth- to fourteenth-grade level.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Most effective business documents when analyzed are found to be written at a level that ranges from grades 8 to 11.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 148

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

6) Which of the following is not a technique for helping readers who skim your document?

1. A) Using lists and bullets instead of narrative
2. B) Keeping all sentences the same length
3. C) Including headings and subheadings
4. D) Using shorter paragraphs

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Short simple sentences, short paragraphs, headings, and bullets all qualify as aids to skimming. Sentences that are all the same length make text more difficult, not easier to skim.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 149-151

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

7) Skilled business writers

1. A) use long sentences to emphasize important information.
2. B) keep their sentences to an average length of 40 words or fewer.
3. C) vary the length of their sentences.
4. D) do all of the above.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Varying sentence length makes writing more lively and unpredictable, keeping readers interested and on their toes. That is why good writers mix in short, long, and medium-sized sentences.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 149

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

8) When it comes to paragraph length

1. A) use long paragraphs with detailed information for direct-mail letters.
2. B) use long paragraphs if you want your document to look more inviting.
3. C) keep all paragraphs to fewer than 60 words.
4. D) use one-sentence paragraphs only occasionally, for emphasis.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) When you want to emphasize an idea, expressing it in a one-sentence paragraph can be especially effective. One-sentence paragraphs should be used sparingly to make sure that they retain maximum impact when they do appear.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 149

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

9) When creating a list for a business document

1. A) always use bullets, rather than numbers or letters.
2. B) keep in mind that the items need not be parallel.
3. C) be sure to introduce it clearly.
4. D) any text in the list should be typed in all caps.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Lists are effective in a variety of different formats, including bullets, numbered items, or lettered items. Failing to introduce a list properly can detract from the list’s effectiveness.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 150

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

10) Informative headings and subheadings

1. A) simply identify topics covered in the document.
2. B) guide readers to think a certain way about the topics covered.
3. C) are easier to write than descriptive headings.
4. D) are less helpful to readers than descriptive headings.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Readers use headings the way drivers on the highway use road signs to see what is ahead. Well placed headings alert the reader that something of interest is coming up. For example, to a reader who plans on buying a house, a heading that says “Finance Options” might be especially interesting. In contrast, that same reader might skip over a heading on “Technical Specifications.”

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 151

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

11) “If the figures are in by the end of the month we will hopefully be able to begin planning for the upcoming year’s budget, but if they are not then the planning process will most definitely have to wait until later” is an example of

1. A) a comma splice.
2. B) an overly long sentence.
3. C) an indefinite pronoun starter.
4. D) an awkward pointer.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) The sentence is grammatically acceptable, but using very long sentences tends to try the patience of your reader, something that you should try to avoid. When in doubt, break up one long sentence into two or three shorter sentences.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 152

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

12) Which of the following is an example of a hedging sentence?

1. A) The employee’s performance appears to be less than satisfactory.
2. B) The deadline is next Tuesday.
3. C) The financial statement needs to have two sections.
4. D) None of the above are hedging.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) A hedging sentence is an overly legalistic sentence style that seeks to qualify definitive conclusions by making them conditional or subject to circumstance. Hedging sentences convey uncertainty and a lack of confidence in the information you are presenting to your audience.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

13) What is wrong with the following sentence? “To waste time and missing deadlines are bad habits.”

1. A) Similar ideas are not parallel.
2. B) It contains a dangling modifier.
3. C) It contains a split infinitive.
4. D) Nothing—it is grammatically correct as written.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) Parallel items work only if they are of the same phrase type. “To waste time” is an infinitive phrase, while “missing deadlines” is a gerund phrase. As two different phrase types, these phrases should not be placed in a parallel construction.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

14) What is wrong with the following sentence? “Having stalled for two days, the assignment was now late.”

1. A) It lacks parallelism.
2. B) It contains a dangling modifier.
3. C) It contains an awkward pointer.
4. D) Nothing—it is grammatically correct as written.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Only a person can stall for two days, not an assignment, so the modifying phrase, “Having stalled for two days,” does not modify the subject of the sentence, “the assignment.” Therefore this sentence contains a dangling modifier.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

15) “Environmental impact consultant study results” is an example of

1. A) redundancy.
2. B) a dangling modifier.
3. C) a dependent clause.
4. D) a long noun sequence.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Sequences in which one noun after another are strung together constitute a long noun sequence. Long noun sequences can be difficult and confusing to read.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

16) Which of the following sentences contains a camouflaged verb?

1. A) Some do; others don’t.
2. B) She is a marketing manager but also serves as ad manager.
3. C) The recommendation of the committee is to proceed as planned.
4. D) He slowly, deliberately added the numbers.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) The sentence could be better written by uncovering the camouflaged verb: “The committee recommends to proceed as planned.”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

17) “The above-mentioned book” is an example of

1. A) a redundancy.
2. B) a strung-out sentence.
3. C) an indefinite pronoun starter.
4. D) an awkward reference.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Rather than use such confusing and antiquated constructions as “the above mentioned book,” refer directly to the book by name or description. For example, when referring to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone you might say: “the first book in the Harry Potter series.”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

18) Which of the following sentences is the most concisely worded?

1. A) The project manager is in charge of furnishing specifications until such time as the project gets underway.
2. B) All specifications should be provided by the project manager prior to the start of a project.
3. C) Project managers have the capability of changing specifications before the official start date.
4. D) The project manager must give the engineers the revised specifications before the project starts.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Choice (D) avoids cluttering phrases and provides the information in the simplest and most understandable form.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

19) “Visible to the eye” is an example of

1. A) a cliché.
2. B) redundancy.
3. C) the passive voice.
4. D) obsolete language.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) If something is visible it can be seen with the eye. Therefore, the phrase “visible to the eye” is redundant because it is unnecessarily repeating the same idea twice.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

20) Starting a sentence with “It is” or “There are” is

1. A) usually a sign that the sentence could be shorter and more active.
2. B) perfectly acceptable, and you need not try to rewrite the sentence.
3. C) a sign that you are using active voice.
4. D) a sign that you are using passive voice.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) Rather than use the passive, “It is believed that…” to begin a sentence, switch to a more active voice: “We believe that…” The result is a sentence that is more lively and has more impact on the reader.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

21) The “replace all” feature in word-processing programs

1. A) tracks down words or phrases and automatically changes them all.
2. B) can save you time when revising messages.
3. C) must be used with care, since it can make undesirable changes.
4. D) is characterized by all of the above.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Note that items must be precisely spelled for the “replace all” function to work. If you misspell a word by even one letter, the “replace all” function will not be able to find the word. Also, when using the “replace all” function beware of inadvertantly changing words that you don’t intend to change. For example, if you change all instances of “mom” with “dad” you will end up changing words such as thermometer and momentary as well as “mom.”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

22) A spell checker

1. A) cannot automatically correct misspelled words as you type.
2. B) highlights words it doesn’t recognize.
3. C) suggests synonyms.
4. D) has eliminated the need for proofreading.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Most spell checkers leave the choice up to you. The spell checker finds words that appear to be misspelled. It is up to you whether or not these words are actually misspelled and how to correct them. The spell checker does give you plenty of options to use to make your choice, and will make automatic corrections if that option is chosen.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 156

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

23) A computer thesaurus

1. A) catches punctuation as well as grammar errors.
2. B) highlights phrases in passive voice.
3. C) suggests correct spelling.
4. D) can help you find just the right word for a given situation.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) A computer thesaurus provides synonyms for the specific word you have chosen. In addition, some computer thesauruses allow you to link from one synonym to another. For example, synonyms for “light” may link to “bright” and “bright” may link to “sparkling” or “smart.”

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 156

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

24) In revising an important report, you want to make sure all numbers are written with numerals rather than being spelled out. Which of the following tools can help with this task?

1. A) Spell checker
2. B) Style checker
3. C) Thesaurus
4. D) Link checker

Answer: B

Explanation: B) A style checker gets loaded with specific style choices such as numerals rather than written numbers, then is able to search for those items and correct them if they don’t conform to a specific style choice.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 157

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

25) Which of the following is not a subjective choice in designing business documents?

1. A) Restraint
2. B) Balance
3. C) Detail
4. D) Consistency

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Subjective ideas about balance, restraint, and detail can vary from one person to another, but consistency of such features as margins, typeface, size, and spacing is a fairly objective quality to evaluate.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 158

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

26) For effective document design, you should

1. A) fit as much material as possible on each page.
2. B) use a mix of several typefaces and type sizes and include a variety of decorative touches to make the pages look more interesting.
3. C) balance the space devoted to text, artwork, and white space.
4. D) do all of the above.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Balance is key to an effective design. Simplicity as opposed to clutter is the best policy for balance, but documents that are overly simple can come off as wasted space.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 158

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

27) Using white space in a document

1. A) is considered “cheating.”
2. B) is only an option when you can’t use color.
3. C) makes your document look unappealing.
4. D) provides contrast.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Keep in mind that white space is not wasted space. White space serves the function of contrasting with areas in your document that are filled with text or graphics. The correct amount of white space is important for giving your page a balanced look that is pleasing to the eye.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 159

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

28) Justified type is type that is

1. A) set flush or “lined up” on the right.
2. B) centered.
3. C) set flush left and ragged on the right.
4. D) set flush right and ragged on the left.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) The choice between justified type and ragged type is largely a matter of personal preference. Unless you are publishing a newspaper, there is no reason to insist on justified text that is set flush on both the right and left margins.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 159

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

29) Centered margins

1. A) make the document easier to read.
2. B) create a cleaner look because of increased white space along the right margin.
3. C) are best for headings and tables.
4. D) help get audience members’ attention, even before they start to read.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Text that is centered and ragged on both the right and the left is generally suitable only for headings, subheadings, and tables.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 159

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

30) Which type sizes are best for a business document?

1. A) 10 point text and 10 point headings
2. B) 12 point text and 16 point headings
3. C) 12 point text and 24 point headings
4. D) 18 point text and 36 point headings

Answer: B

Explanation: B) A typeface that uses 12 point text and 16 point headings is a fairly standard choice for a business document. Text typically uses 10 or 12 point type, and headings are larger, up to 18 points.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 159

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

31) Serif typefaces are generally preferable to sans serif fonts for

1. A) display treatments.
2. B) headings and captions.
3. C) regular paragraph text.
4. D) none of the above.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Serif typefaces are generally thought to be more readable for text than sans serif typefaces. For headings, sans serif texts are generally preferred.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

32) When selecting typefaces for most business documents, you should

1. A) generally avoid using more than two typefaces on a page.
2. B) make generous use of such styles as all caps, underlines, and boldface.
3. C) choose a nice sans serif face for your main body text.
4. D) use a large type size (at least 14 points) for your basic text if you need to fill up space.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) Multiple typefaces end up making the page look confusing and distract the reader from the main task, which is reading and comprehending the text.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

33) Multimedia documents

1. A) are generally too expensive to produce to be useful in business.
2. B) require highly technical training in order to create.
3. C) convey information more slowly than traditional documents.
4. D) can allow recipients to personalize the communication process to their own needs.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Multimedia documents combine text, graphics, photos, audio, video, and hyperlinks to allow the receiver to enhance his or her experience with choices and interactivity. For example, a receiver may choose to stick primarily to the text; conversely, the reader may click on various links and features and spend more time watching video and referring to hyperlinks than he or she does in reading the main text.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 160

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

34) Which of the following techniques can help you proofread more effectively?

1. A) Read each page backward, from the bottom to the top.
2. B) Proofread the document as soon as you complete the draft.
3. C) To ensure consistency, proofread long documents from beginning to end without stopping.
4. D) Always proofread using your monitor (rather than printing out a hard copy of the document).

Answer: A

Explanation: A) Reading the page backward prevents your eye from looking at what it is “supposed” to see and instead finding irregularities in what it does see.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Communication Abilities

35) If you’re sending extremely large files, you should

1. A) use overnight delivery to send a hard copy rather than sending them electronically.
2. B) consider using a file compression utility, as long as your recipients have the ability to expand the file.
3. C) always send them as MS Word attachments.
4. D) send them through the mail to avoid excessive costs.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) File compression programs shrink files for easy transmission via email. Once received, the file can be reconstituted using the same program (or similar program) in its expansion mode.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 165

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

36) After you have completed the first draft of your business message, the next step is to make a final, quick pass through it to check for typos and spelling errors.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Before proofreading, you first need to evaluate and revise your text to make sure it expresses your message effectively. Once the editing and revision process is complete you need to go through a production process. After the production process you can go through a final proofreading stage.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 145

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

37) With practice, most writers can create first drafts that do not need to be revised.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Even the most seasoned professionals almost never create a first draft that needs no revision. You should expect to revise any document you create. For an important document, you may need to go through several revisions.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 145

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

38) The best approach to completing your business message is to focus on the details first before addressing the document as a whole.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: In a first draft your priority should be to get your basic thoughts and big ideas expressed. Once the big ideas are written, you can spend more time and effort on nailing down the details.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 145

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

39) With more complex messages, it is a good idea to set aside a first draft for a day or two before beginning the revision process.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: The act of waiting for a day or two allows you as a writer to “get away” from your text and see it through more objective eyes. This extra objectivity can do wonders for making revisions and corrections in your work.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 145

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

40) At the beginning of the revision process, you should evaluate the content of your message, then review the effectiveness of its organization.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: As you begin the revision process, read the text as you would something written by someone else. Look to see if the text is interesting, accurate, meaningful, and relevant. Evaluate how well the text achieved your goals and will accommodate the needs of your audience. Only after these tasks are complete can you begin to address the organization of the document.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 145

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

41) The middle section of a message has the greatest impact on the audience.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: The beginning and end of a text usually have the greatest impact on the reader. So it is worthwhile to spend extra time and effort on these sections.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 147

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

42) You should strive for a sixth-grade reading level for most business messages.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: On the Flesch-Kincade scale, a score in the grade 8 to grade 11 range conforms to the standard for most business documents.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 148

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

43) Although readability formulas are easy to apply, they ignore some factors that contribute to reading ease.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Things such tone, smooth transitions, organization, “you” attitude, and document design cannot be measured by readability programs.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 148

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

44) Skilled business writers keep all their sentences as short as possible.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Skilled writers try to vary sentence length to maximize interest for readers and avoid monotony.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 148

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

45) Although you should vary the length of paragraphs in your business messages, in general you should strive for short paragraphs.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Readers find large paragraphs and long blocks of text intimidating, and frequently fail to read an entire paragraph if it seems too long. Since your goal is to be understood, try to keep paragraphs short.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 149

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

46) It is inappropriate to use lists in formal business writing.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Lists of various types can be extremely useful in business writing. The only time the use of lists should be discouraged is when lists are employed so frequently that they tend to diminish each other’s impact and make the document seem like one long list.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 149

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

47) To create a list, you can use numbers, letters, or bullets (graphic elements) to separate the items.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: There is no single correct way to construct a list. Generally, sequenced or ranked items should be numbered or lettered. Lists of items that are not ranked or in sequence should be bulleted.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 149-150

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

48) Items in a list do not need to have parallel construction.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Parallel construction is important for lists. If, for example, the first item features a verb phrase such as “Identifying problems,” all other items should use the same verb phrase form. For example, “Selecting solutions” could be included with the “Identifying problems” list above, but “Select solutions” should not be included in that list.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 150

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

49) Headings have only one function, which is to break up long blocks of type.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: The function of a heading is to identify the content of the section below.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 151

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

50) An example of an informative heading would be “Redesigning to Cut Material Costs.”

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: This section head gives specific information about the content of the section. If you are interested in cutting material costs you are likely to read this section. If you are not particularly interested in cutting material costs you are likely to skip the section.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 151

Skill: Application

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

51) Readers can get a more out of a document just by reading its descriptive headings than by reading its informative headings.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Informative headings provide much more information than descriptive headings. Informative headings, when well written, can function like an outline of the entire document.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 151

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

52) One way to make your messages clearer is to break up overly long sentences into shorter sentences.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Long, complicated sentences that are technically and grammatically correct can still sometimes interfere with comprehension—simply because they are harder to decode than short sentences.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 152

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

53) To avoid legal problems in your business messages, you should use as many hedging words (such as may or seems) as possible.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Hedging words can help you avoid legal responsibility in some cases, but they should be used sparingly. If you load up your document with hedging words, it is a reliable sign that you don’t know what you are saying—or you should not be saying what you are saying.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

54) A dangling modifier is a modifier that has no connection to the subject of the sentence.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: An example of a sentence with a dangling modifier is: “Walking home, the sky was dark.” The sky, the subject of the sentence, is not capable of walking home. Therefore the modifying phrase, “Walking home” does not modify the subject of the sentence so the modifier is said to be “dangling.”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

55) “The qualification of the runner in the race took one hour” is an example of a sentence with a camouflaged verb.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Camouflaged verbs are verbs that get changed into a noun by adding a suffix. In this sentence the verb “qualify” is turned into the noun “qualification.” The sentence can be rewritten without a camouflaged verb as: “The runner qualified for the race in one hour.”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

56) The subject and predicate of a sentence should be kept as close together as possible.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: For clarity, keeping subject and predicate close to one another is best. Sentences that interject long phrases and clauses in between subject and predicate are hard to follow and understand.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

57) To increase the sophistication of your message, make liberal use of references such as “the latter,” “the former,” “the aforementioned,” and “as mentioned above.”

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Terms such as “the latter,” “the former,” “the aforementioned,” and “as mentioned above” fail to make a text sound more sophisticated. Instead these terms cause the text to seem stuffy, pretentious, and vague to the reader.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

58) If you regularly edit for conciseness and clarity, you’ll likely find that audiences are more likely to read your documents.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: The most important thing you can do to get good responses to your message is to edit your messages for clarity and conciseness. Put yourself in the shoes of your reader and ask, “How would I respond to this message?”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

59) Words that do not affect the meaning of a sentence are usually unnecessary and contribute to sentence clutter.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: To make your writing more concise and more clear, eliminate any word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, or entire section that is not absolutely necessary for getting your point across. If an item does not help you communicate your main point, it should be deleted.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

60) Short words are generally more vivid and easier to read than long words.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: When in doubt, replace long words with short words. Use long words only if they express your idea better than short words. For example, the words “tough” or “brave” are usually more effective than longer words such as “indomitable” or “unassailable.”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

61) “Three AM in the morning” is an example of a redundancy.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: By definition, “three AM” occurs in the early hours of the morning. So the phrase “three AM in the morning” is a redundancy.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

62) The sentence, “We see reasons to expand” is a more effective sentence than “There are reasons to expand.”

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: The first sentence is better because it avoids the use of an indefinite pronoun, “There is,” and it avoids the use of the passive voice.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

63) Using a spell checker guarantees that your documents will be free of spelling errors.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: A spell checker can overlook many different kinds of errors. For example, the spell checker will not detect when you use the word their in place of the word there.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 156

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

64) Today’s powerful grammar checkers can easily determine whether your document states your message correctly and communicates it clearly.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Grammar checkers are useful, but not foolproof. Primarily, they discover items that are questionable with respect to grammar or usage, and allow you to decide whether or not they are acceptable.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 156

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

65) Because the first thing that readers will notice about your message is its appearance, you should pay special attention to design and page layout.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Design is critical to catching the reader’s eye and helping the reader to organize information. You should consider it to be a critical part of your overall message.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 157

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

66) To make your message more interesting and accessible, you should use as many design elements and decorative touches as possible.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Design elements should be used judiciously. A cluttered, or overdesigned document is often worse than a document in which design was completely ignored.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 158

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

67) One advantage of justified type is that it makes a message look more personalized and less like a form letter.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Justified type generally does the opposite—it makes the message look impersonal and more like a form letter.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 159

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

68) Using many different fonts in the same document will make it more appealing to your audience.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: A single font is generally advised for a standard document. Use of additional fonts tends to create artificial categories in the reader’s mind and overall confusion in how the document is perceived.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

69) To draw attention to important points or terms italic type is more effective than boldface.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Italic type is thought to create emphasis for a word or phrase, but not as much emphasis as boldface. Italic type is also standard for such things as book titles, foreign words, and an unconventional use of a word or phrase.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

70) If you find graphics, photos, videos, and other elements online, you can use them in your own documents without worrying about copyright violations.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Many images that you find on the Internet require legal permission to use in a published format. Before incorporating an image or graphic into your document, make sure that you have proper legal permission. Options such as Creative Commons feature multimedia elements that are often free of charge.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 161

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Communication Abilities

71) Using a ________ formula will give you a rough idea of how educated your audience must be to read and comprehend your message.

Answer: readability

Explanation: The Flesch-Kincaid readability program can quickly and accurately assess your document for readability. Keep in mind that readability programs cannot assess stylistic or artistic elements for their level of quality or sophistication.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 148

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

72) An effective alternative to using conventional sentences is to set off important ideas in a(n) ________—a series of words, names, or other items.

Answer: list

Explanation: Lists summarize information in succinct, easy-to-grasp form.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 149-150

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

73) ________ headings identify a topic but do little more; ________ headings guide readers to think in certain ways about a topic.

Answer: Descriptive, informative

Explanation: Descriptive headings identify a topic without giving much detail. Informative headings work like outlines to summarize the text, section by section.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 151

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

74) A(n) ________ sentence uses words such as may and seems to avoid stating a judgment or fact directly.

Answer: hedging

Explanation: You should not hesitate to use hedging words when legally necessary. For example, in a criminal case, the writer must always refer to the suspects using terms such as “the alleged bank robbers” rather than “the bank robbers.” When there is no legal reason, hedging words should be avoided and facts should be stated directly.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

75) With ________ construction, two or more similar ideas are expressed with the same grammatical pattern.

Answer: parallel

Explanation: Here is an example of parallel construction: baking cake, cooking soup, washing dishes, and cleaning floors. Here is an example of non-parallel construction: bake cake, boiling soup, clean floors, scrubbing pots.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

76) A modifier is said to be ________ when it has no real connection to the subject of the sentence.

Answer: dangling

Explanation: An example of a sentence with a dangling modifier is: “Looking west, the birds were singing.” The birds, the subject of the sentence, were not the ones looking west. Therefore the modifying phrase, “Looking west” does not modify the subject of the sentence so the modifier is said to be “dangling.”

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

77) ________ verbs are those that have been changed into nouns or adjectives.

Answer: Camouflaged

Explanation: An example of an ordinary verb form is clarify. When camouflaged, the verb becomes a noun, clarification.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

78) Word combinations that are needlessly repetitive are called ________.

Answer: redundancies

Explanation: The phrase “combine together” is a redundancy because anything that gets combined is automatically put together.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

79) A(n) ________ ________ compares your document with an electronic dictionary, highlights unrecognized words, and suggests correct spelling.

Answer: spell checker

Explanation: Spell checkers do not guarantee spelling accuracy. They simply identify words that are likely to be misspelled and let you determine whether or not they are correct.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 156

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

80) An electronic ________ gives you alternative words and helps you find synonyms.

Answer: thesaurus

Explanation: A thesaurus program finds synonyms for selected words. Some thesaurus programs allow you to link from one synonym to another.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 156

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

81) ________ ________ provides visual contrast for your readers and gives them a resting point.

Answer: White space

Explanation: White space shouldn’t be thought of as empty or wasted space. In design, white space is considered an important part of the composition of your page. If your page doesn’t have the proper balance of white space to non-white space, it isn’t likely to be visually effective.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 159

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

82) Typeface or ________ refers to the physical design of letters, numbers, and other text characters.

Answer: font

Explanation: Technically, the font is a set of characters within a typeface, such as the capital letters. Practically speaking, when people use the term font they are referring to the typeface of document.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 159

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

83) ________ typefaces have small crosslines at the ends of each letter stroke and are best for text.

Answer: Serif

Explanation: Popular serif typefaces, such as Times Roman and Palatino are standard for the text of a business document. The serifs on the letters allow for easier identification of words and easier reading.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Communication Abilities

84) A(n) ________ document can contain any combination of text, graphics, photographs, audio, animation, video, and interactivity.

Answer: multimedia

Explanation: A typical multimedia document is based in text, but has graphics and photographs mixed in like a magazine page. At various locations, clickable urls can refer the reader to a website, video, audio, or animation of interest.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

85) Every document requires ________ to ensure that it contains no errors in grammar, usage, and punctuation.

Answer: proofreading

Explanation: Proofreading is the final step in the preparation of a document for distribution. Hopefully, by the time you reach the proofreading process there won’t be many errors left to correct, but the errors you do find can mean the difference between a successful or an unsuccessful document.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Communication Abilities

86) Briefly explain what the opening of a document should accomplish.

Answer: The opening of any document should be relevant, interesting, and geared to the reader’s probable reaction. For longer messages, the first few paragraphs should also establish the subject, purpose, and organization of the material.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 147

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

87) Conclusions should accomplish what two tasks?

Answer: Conclusions should (1) summarize the main idea and (2) leave the audience with a positive impression.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 147

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

88) Briefly describe at least three advantages of using lists in business documents.

Answer: Lists can show the sequence of your ideas, heighten their impact visually, and help readers find your key points. They also provide readers with clues, simplify complex subjects, highlight the main point, break up the page visually, ease the skimming process, and give readers a breather.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 149-150

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

89) What three functions do effective headings serve in business documents? Explain each one.

Answer: Headings contribute to the document’s organization by showing the reader at a glance how the document is organized. They act as labels to group related paragraphs and organize material into short sections. Headings also control the reader’s attention, making the text easier to read and helping the audience find the parts they need to read—or skip. Finally, headings help readers make connections between subordinate ideas and main ones.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 151

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

90) Briefly explain the difference between descriptive headings and informative headings.

Answer: Whereas descriptive headings do little more than identify a topic, informative headings guide readers to think in certain ways about the topic of your message. Well-written informative headings are self-contained, which means a reader can read just the headings and subheadings and understand them without reading the rest of the document.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 151

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

91) Rewrite the following sentence to improve clarity and avoid the long noun sequence: “The financial estimates and accounting consulting firm will be closed next week.”

Answer: The consulting firm that provides financial estimates and accounting services will be closed next week.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

92) Rewrite the following sentence to avoid camouflaged verbs: “The customer will ultimately make a determination about whether or not a purchase will occur.”

Answer: The customer will ultimately decide whether or not to purchase.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

93) Briefly describe two strategies for clarifying sentence structure.

Answer: Keep the subject and predicate of a sentence as close together as possible, and keep adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases as close as possible to the words they modify.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

94) Rewrite the following sentence to eliminate the unnecessary phrases: “In view of the fact that the customer service department is closed, we do not have the capability of offering refunds until such a time as they reopen.”

Answer: We can offer refunds as soon as the customer service department opens.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

95) Rewrite the following sentence to eliminate redundancies: “The engineers collaborated together in order to produce the uniquely original final outcomes of their research.”

Answer: The engineers collaborated to produce original research.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

96) Explain at least three of the steps involved in editing documents for clarity.

Answer: Editing for clarity involves breaking up overly long sentences and rewriting sentences that contain hedging (words such as may and seems). It also requires imposing parallelism, or using the same grammatical pattern to express two or more similar ideas. Correcting dangling modifiers is another necessary step, along with rewording long noun sequences. Improving the clarity of a document also involves eliminating camouflaged verbs, clarifying sentence structure and awkward sentences, and moderating your enthusiasm.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 151-153

Skill: Synthesis

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

97) Explain why editing for conciseness is important, then list the four steps it involves.

Answer: Editing business documents for conciseness is important because readers appreciate it and are more likely to read your documents if you have a reputation for efficient writing. Improving the conciseness of a message involves removing unnecessary words and phrases, shortening long words and phrases, and eliminating redundancies. It also requires shortening sentences that begin with indefinite pronouns such as it and there.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 154

Skill: Synthesis

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

98) Describe at least three software tools that can help you revise and polish a document.

Answer: Software tools such as revision marks and commenting keep track of proposed editing changes electronically and provide a history of a document’s revisions. A spell checker compares your document with an electronic dictionary, highlights unrecognized words, and suggests correct spellings. A computer thesaurus gives you alternative words much more quickly than a printed thesaurus does. A grammar checker provides limited help with issues such as noun-verb agreement problems and items you should consider changing (such as passive voice, long sentences, or words that tend to be misused or overused). Finally, a style checker monitors your word choice and sentence structure and suggests alternatives that might produce more effective meaning.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 154-157

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

99) Explain the importance and process of proofreading. Why does it matter and what should you look for?

Answer: Proofreading is important because it is your last chance to make sure that your document is ready to carry your message—and your reputation—to the intended audience. When proofreading, you should check the document for errors from the writing, design, and layout stages, and mistakes that crept in during production. More specifically, you should be on the lookout for writing errors (such as typographical mistakes and misspelled words), missing elements (text sections and visual aids), and design and formatting errors (such as incorrect font selections and page numbers).

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 164

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Communication Abilities

100) Describe four important issues to consider when distributing business messages.

Answer: The first issue is cost. Although it won’t be a concern for most messages, it may well be for lengthy reports or multimedia productions. It’s vital to invest wisely depending on the importance of your message. Another issue is convenience: how much work is involved for you and your audience? The simplest distribution method is not always best, since what’s convenient for you may come across as unprofessional to your audience. Time is also important to take into consideration: how soon does the message need to reach the audience? The distribution method you choose should reflect your audience’s preferences and needs. Finally, security and privacy are key considerations. The convenience offered by IM and other technologies needs to be weighed against security and privacy concerns. To minimize potential risks associated with virus-prone email attachments, you can convert your documents to PDF files using Adobe Acrobat or an equivalent product.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 165

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Communication Abilities

Business Communication Today, 11e (Bovee/Thill)

Chapter 7 Crafting Messages for Electronic Media

1) Which of the following statements is true?

1. A) Despite their popularity for personal use, social networking technologies are not very useful in business.
2. B) Social networking technology is so complex that only high-tech companies take advantage of it.
3. C) Social networking capabilities have led to a fundamental change in business communication.
4. D) The use of social networks is declining.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Where companies once may have convened a press conference to announce news, they now resort to blogging, Twitter, and Facebook, and other social media sources to release new product information. They do this not to be trendy or hip, but simply because it is the best way of reaching the most people.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 175-176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

2) Email can be used for external communication

1. A) regularly, although it is replaced in many cases by other tools.
2. B) only for formal documents that you need to keep a record of.
3. C) in response to letters your customers have sent.
4. D) only if a superior approves the message.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) For some, communication via instant messaging is more immediate and less troublesome than email, with all of its spam and other security problems. That said, email is still the primary way a vast number of people communicate with one another.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

3) Compared to email, instant messaging (IM)

1. A) is slower and more complicated to use.
2. B) has not caught on in the business community.
3. C) is much faster, but more costly as well.
4. D) offers greater speed and is less susceptible to privacy problems.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Instant messaging is better suited for real-time conversations than email, which requires the user to open individual messages. IM also avoids the security problems that have plagued email.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

4) Which of the following is not true of instant messaging?

1. A) It allows a rapid response to urgent messages.
2. B) It is less susceptible to security and privacy problems.
3. C) It costs more than phone calls or email.
4. D) It is widely utilized in business.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Instant messaging essentially costs nothing if you have the proper equipment and Internet access. On a computer, IM actually costs less than a phone call and about the same as email, which is virtually nothing.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

5) When it comes to writing messages in today’s business environment,

1. A) printed letters are obsolete.
2. B) printed letters are still best for some forms of communication.
3. C) email has completely replaced printed memos for all internal communication.
4. D) printed letters are used primarily for negative messages.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) In formal or legal situations, or if you need a permanent, hard-copy record of your correspondence, printed messages are still useful and in some situations required.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

6) Despite your numerous emails and voicemail messages, a normally dependable vendor has not responded to your important question. Which of the following would be a sensible next step?

1. A) Consider sending a printed message.
2. B) Send more email messages, but flag them as “high-priority” or “urgent.”
3. C) Send multiple copies of the same email message.
4. D) Use IM to bombard the vendor until he responds.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) In some instances, a written letter can capture the attention of your audience. It shows that the issue was important enough to you to print out a document and mail it with a stamp in the conventional manner.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Application

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

7) Using “teasers” in electronic media as a way to pull readers or listeners into a story or other document is

1. A) unethical and should always be avoided.
2. B) appropriate only when large purchases are not involved.
3. C) acceptable, as long as the payoff is valuable and legitimate.
4. D) never appropriate for microblogging sites.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Teasers are a form of advertising in email and other electronic media. Typically, a teaser makes some kind of promise, then withholds key information to motivate the user to click on the site.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 178

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

8) When creating content for social media,

1. A) to reach a wide audience, you should write as informally as possible.
2. B) treat every message as a sales pitch.
3. C) write catchy headlines that play on words.
4. D) don’t hide from criticism: take the opportunity to correct misinformation.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) The advantage of a social medium is that it allows for interactive conversation rather than one-way communication. When criticism is leveled at you, you have recourse to answer the charges and explain what happened. When the criticism depends on misinformation, it is often fairly easy to resolve.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Communication Abilities

9) One of your sales representatives has begun using social networks to aggressively promote a new product line. The best response would likely be to

1. A) encourage him to continue.
2. B) discourage him from using blatant “salespeak” since it is likely to alienate the audience.
3. C) enact a policy forbidding employees from using social networks on company time.
4. D) do nothing.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) People in social networks can usually tell right away when someone is trying to sell them something. Many people consider sales efforts in a social network as a violation of their trust. To avoid resentment and outright rejection, the sales rep should avoid any kind of blatant efforts to sell products.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 185

Skill: Application

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

10) You have decided to post a video on YouTube explaining how to use one of your company’s new products. To be most effective, the video should be no more than ________ minutes long.

1. A) 1
2. B) 5
3. C) 25
4. D) 60

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Most people lose patience with a how-to video after 3 to 5 minutes. Therefore, it is important to keep the video under 5 minutes in length. If you find that 5 minutes does not cover the material you wanted to include, create a second “Part 2” video to cover the extra material.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 186

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

11) When it comes to monitoring incoming and outgoing email,

1. A) only a few companies make the effort.
2. B) only about 15 percent of U.S. employers do it.
3. C) most employers view monitoring email as an invasion of employee privacy.
4. D) many employers monitor email, either with software, security staff, or both.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) In many companies, monitoring of email is now a standard operating procedure. Assume that any email you send or receive at work using your company email account to be open to public viewing. For that reason, you should avoid any objectionable material you wouldn’t want your company or colleagues to see. You should also avoid downloading items that could cause computer virus problems to your entire company.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

12) Thanks to Facebook, you’ve recently connected with an old friend who lives in another state. She emails you frequently at work, often sharing racially charged jokes that you find offensive. Concerned about what would happen if your boss or coworkers saw her emails, you should

1. A) loosen up, since no one at your company has the right to read your email.
2. B) politely ask her to stop sending the jokes, and tell your boss about the problem and how you have addressed it.
3. C) simply delete her email messages from your computer so no one will ever know about them.
4. D) do none of the above.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Since correspondence at work may be the property of the company, the company may have the right to monitor your correspondence. The only way to make sure the situation doesn’t turn into anything damaging is to tell your boss about it.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

13) Email hygiene refers to

1. A) the absence of slang and informal language in email messages.
2. B) a nationwide movement to do away with information overload.
3. C) all the efforts companies make to keep email clean and safe.
4. D) refraining from using foul language in email.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Email hygiene includes blocking spam and protecting the system against virus and hacking attacks.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

14) Overusing the “cc” function when sending email

1. A) is no longer a big deal since very few people pay attention to these messages.
2. B) is a violation of email hygiene.
3. C) can waste a great deal of time by generating more reply messages than necessary.
4. D) is a good way to protect yourself in a hostile work environment.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) A single email message with five cc’s can generate a dozen or more additional emails as recipients feel the need to respond for something that may or may not concern them. Therefore, send emails only to those for whom the information you’re sending is essential.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

15) One important element of basic email etiquette is to

1. A) respect the chain of command.
2. B) use bullets and lists.
3. C) include headings on all emails.
4. D) capture your readers’ attention.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) For the first time in history, it is now easy for employees at any level to contact top executives in the company at any time. You certainly have the right to email your CEO, for example, but you should reserve that right for only the most extreme situations. In all other situations, follow the chain of command and bring the issue to the person you normally report to, not the CEO.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

16) Email etiquette requires that writers do all of the following except

1. A) make sure every email they send is absolutely necessary.
2. B) respect the chain of command.
3. C) be careful to keep their emotions in check when composing messages.
4. D) mark all emails as “urgent” to make sure they are read.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Marking all of your emails “urgent” is ultimately counterproductive. At first, people will take special notice of your emails and rush to read. But after they realize that your emails were really not urgent, readers will lose trust and begin to ignore your messages.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188-190

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

17) Email messages

1. A) generally require less care than other messages, since email is temporary and easily deleted.
2. B) should be written with the assumption that they will be stored forever.
3. C) should always be less formal in business than messages in other media.
4. D) none of the above.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Most emails can be retrieved with a simple search. Almost no emails are beyond the reach of a skilled technician, even emails from defunct accounts or from computers that have been “scrubbed.” So once an email is written, consider it to be permanent.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 190

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

18) The subject line of an email message

1. A) is rarely read by the recipient.
2. B) helps recipients decide whether or not to read the message.
3. C) should describe only the general topic of the message.
4. D) does all of the above.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Subject lines are like headings in a document. They provide a strong clue of what the email contains. Well written subject lines make email searches simple.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

19) Which of the following is the best example of an effective email subject line?

1. A) Website redesign is on schedule
2. B) Status Report
3. C) Employee Parking
4. D) Read This!

Answer: A

Explanation: A) The “Website redesign is on schedule” subject line gives the reader a clear picture of the situation at a glance. If the reader needs to know details, he or she can open the email. Otherwise, the reader can carry on and feel fully informed of the situation at hand even without opening the message.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

20) Because many email programs display the first few words or lines of incoming messages, you should

1. A) be vague in your first sentence, to entice the reader to open the message.
2. B) leave several blank lines at the beginning of each message.
3. C) treat the first sentence of the message as an extension of your subject line.
4. D) use phrases such as “MUST READ” in your first sentence.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) A well written first line of the email adds to the subject line. It informs the reader of the state of affairs and allows the reader to decide whether or not to look into the situation further.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

21) Email

1. A) should follow the convention of other business writing in formal situations.
2. B) should never be longer than one screen.
3. C) does not need to be proofread.
4. D) is the best medium for internal messages, regardless of their content.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) With friends, acronyms and other informal email conventions are acceptable. In formal or official correspondence, email should follow all of the conventions of a formal business letter.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189-190

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

22) To make everyday email more readable, you should do all of the following except:

1. A) write the subject line and first line of your message all in caps.
2. B) keep your message simple and easy to understand.
3. C) pay attention to grammar, spelling, and usage.
4. D) observe email etiquette.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) Writing in caps should generally be avoided in everyday, non-urgent emails. It alarms the reader and causes resentment when the reader realizes that your situation is not desperate.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188-190

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities

23) Which of the following is an example of an effective subject line for an email requesting information about the August inventory for bananas?

1. A) Information needed
2. B) Banana inventories
3. C) Banana information needed
4. D) Please send August banana inventory

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Subject lines should contain as much information as possible. In this case, the reader gets a clear view of the message just from the subject line. “Please send August banana inventory” not only informs the reader of the topic, it also conveys a call for action: to send the banana inventory.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 3

AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

24) For years email has been the primary communication medium at your company. However, many of your employees now use IM daily for personal messages, and they’ve come to you asking your approval to begin using it to communicate with clients and vendors. Your greatest concern is likely to be

1. A) incompatibility between your company’s IM system and those your vendors and clients use.
2. B) the need for users to learn complicated software that may take years to learn.
3. C) the ability to use it only on expensive, highly specialized devices.
4. D) the high cost.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) Your company’s IM system may not be compatible with all other systems. Therefore, it would be wise to check with vendors to make sure that their systems work well with your system. If you do find IM system conflicts with vendors, you may need to return to an email based system.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 192

Skill: Application

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

25) Advantages of using IM rather than email include its

1. A) ability to completely eliminate the equivalent of “junk mail.”
2. B) availability on cell phones but not computers.
3. C) ability to hold real-time text conversations.
4. D) all of the above.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) The primary advantage of IM is its ability to mimic an actual conversation in real time. With email, in contrast, responses often take hours and even days to appear. With IM, responses are instantaneous and therefore communication issues get resolved quickly.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 191

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

26) In the middle of an important meeting, you receive an unsolicited IM from a company informing you of their great rates on vacations in Hawaii. This is an example of

1. A) spam.
2. B) a computer virus.
3. C) spim.
4. D) viral marketing.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) In email, unwanted advertising messages are called spam. The counterpart of these unwanted messages in the IM medium is called spim. As IM messaging grows in popularity, spim is increasing in frequency.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 192

Skill: Application

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

27) Many businesses now use blogs to

1. A) keep project teams up to date.
2. B) replace email in many cases.
3. C) inform employees and customers about new products and how to use them
4. D) do all of the above.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Blogs perform the function of a newsletter, a project coordinator, and a customer support team all at once. Since blogs can be accessed from a variety of different platforms, a single blog can keep the entire company community informed of all company activities.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 194

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

28) If you do not have a constant supply of new information to post on a business blog,

1. A) your audience will appreciate not having to process information that changes constantly.
2. B) repost old material so your audience will not lose interest.
3. C) you should create a traditional website instead.
4. D) keep readers interested by adding daily comments on current events.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Blogs work best when they are frequently updated. For more permanent information that changes only a few times a year, a website is a better communication format.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 195

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

29) If a customer uses the comment feature to criticize your business blog,

1. A) you should respond promptly and honestly.
2. B) ignore it unless the critic is incorrect.
3. C) post it, and follow with a blog entry to show your audience that it will not be tolerated.
4. D) do none of the above.

Answer: A

Explanation: A) The point of a blog is interaction. You should welcome criticism as long as it deals with ideas rather than personal attacks. The fact that you have criticism means that your blog is functioning as an interactive conversation rather than just a sounding board for you. Respond right away—and hope that more commentary, and more readers, are soon to follow.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 195

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

30) “Viral marketing” is

1. A) the unethical practice of marketing products through computer viruses.
2. B) advertising products and services related to the health-care industry.
3. C) the spread of enthusiasm for a product in much the same way that biological viruses are spread from person to person.
4. D) none of the above.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) The goal for all Internet marketers is for interest in their product to spread “virally,” from customer to customer without any intervention from the company. When enthusiasm for a product truly goes viral, millions of people can learn about it in the course of a very short period of time.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 196

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

31) When it comes to blogging for business,

1. A) don’t worry about proofreading—your audience doesn’t expect it.
2. B) you should apply the three-step writing process as you would for any other business message.
3. C) don’t spend a lot of time trying to define your audience: you’re writing for everyone.
4. D) it is a waste of time unless you are selling high-tech products or services.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) In blogging, care and attention to detail is probably more important than in ordinary business communication. That is because large numbers of people can get exposed to your message in an instant with blogging. If you post embarrassing grammatical mistakes, for example, or even worse, actual misinformation, it makes you and your company look incompetent and foolish. Remember, your reputation is on the line with each blogging entry you post.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 197

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

32) Podcasts are

1. A) great for entertainment, but not useful in business.
2. B) helpful for training in business, but not much else.
3. C) too technical to be practical for business use.
4. D) none of the above.

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Podcasts generally perform the function of a video or audio message. For example, to show customers how to use your company’s espresso machine, you can post a podcast that takes them through a step by step process.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 200

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

33) Compared to blogs, podcasts are

1. A) much easier to edit.
2. B) more difficult to edit.
3. C) equally challenging when it comes to editing.
4. D) used only by high-tech companies.

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Podcasts are more difficult to edit than blogs because they involve video or audio information. If you want to change the script of an already recorded podcast, for example, you need to re-record the scene that you are replacing.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 201

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

34) In terms of the three-step writing process, podcasts differ mostly from written messages in the ________ step.

1. A) planning
2. B) writing
3. C) completing
4. D) There are no significant differences.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) In the writing process, text can be edited and revised in simple, easy steps using a word processing program. For an audio or video podcast, the editing and revising stage involves rewriting and re-recording the scene that is being changed.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 201-202

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

35) One of the greatest drawbacks to using podcasts in business is

1. A) they require costly, specialized equipment you’ll need to purchase regardless of the production quality you want.
2. B) people find online video and audio to be intimidating.
3. C) the difficulty of scanning back and forth to find specific parts of the message.
4. D) the high cost of distributing them.

Answer: C

Explanation: C) In a text, users can navigate through a document almost effortlessly. The same ease of navigation is not available in podcasts. Users must often guess the exact locations of key moments in a podcast, a process that can be frustrating and time-consuming.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 201

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

36) Sites such as Flickr, Facebook, and YouTube are valuable for social communication, but not for business.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Many of the most prominent businesses in the United States see social networking sites as a key part of their marketing strategy.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

37) In business communication, email is often being replaced by other tools that provide better support for instant communication and real-time collaboration.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Social networks such as Facebook are replacing email in some instances for business. Even more popular are instant messaging programs that allow instant, real-time conversation between two or more individuals.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

38) There are no important differences between instant messaging and text messaging.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Text messaging is strictly for cell phones and devices like iPads. Instant messaging works on computer platforms. The lines for these communication methods are beginning to blur as both text messaging and IM are beginning to integrate into social networks that can be accessed in a variety of ways.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176, 191

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

39) Twitter is one example of a microblogging system.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: A microblog is an easily updateable “bulletin board” that can be accessed just like a traditional blog. Messages in a microblog are typically limited in size, though links to web pages, videos, blogs, and other media can be clicked on from a microblog, expanding their scope considerably.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

40) One of the few remaining functions for the printed, hard-copy document is in legal papers.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Many legal documents are required to be printed in hard-copy form.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities

41) One advantage of blogging for business is that it enables you to update content quickly and easily.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: The primary appeal of a blog is in its timeliness. The blog format provides the perfect platform for following events as they progress and develop over time.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

42) Because each electronic medium has unique requirements, basic communication skills do not usually transfer from one system to another.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: The key to using any and all electronic communication media is to have strong basic communication skills—reading, writing, reasoning, and being able to organize information.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 177

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

43) Writing “teasers” on microblogging sites can be effective, as long as the payoffs to which they lead are valuable and legitimate.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Teasers that entice users to look further are only as effective as your credibility. If you make outlandish promises that don’t pay off, your teasers will quickly be ignored. If your pay-offs have value for users, teasers can be successful for you.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 178

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

44) Creating effective social media content in business means taking every opportunity to promote your company’s products.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Social media users are acutely tuned in to fellow users who are trying to take advantage of them in an unfair way. The key to using social media in business is not to be pushy, to try to guide things as they evolve rather than force them in a particular direction.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 179

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

45) In a court of law, email messages and other electronic documents can have the same weight as printed documents.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: An email communication is considered just as valid as a printed communication in legal and official proceedings. For that reason, you should be especially careful when dealing with sensitive or controversial company business and stick strictly to facts.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

46) If your company’s social media content draws criticism, it is best to respond promptly and honestly.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: In a social medium, any kind of criticism is there for any viewer to see. Therefore it is futile and counterproductive to try to ignore criticism. Instead, join the conversationdefend your position and the company’s position in the best way you can.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 195

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

47) In general, user-generated content sites have yielded disappointing results for companies that have used them for business purposes.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Recently, sites like YouTube and Flickr have become serious business tools. YouTube, for example, has become the place for companies to post things like how-to videos and short films that demonstrate products.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 186

Skill: Application

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

48) Due to budget constraints, very few employers now monitor employee email.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: The monitoring of employee email has become much more prevalent in recent years. Some companies use automatic programs to monitor email activity, raising a red flag if a correspondence pattern features too much non-business related activity. Other companies use security staff to monitor activity.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

49) It is illegal for your company to open and read email you send and receive at work.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Email that is sent or received on company devices using company screen names and servers is considered the property of the company. Therefore, the company has the right to read any email that is sent or received under these conditions.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

50) In email, “cc” stands for “confidential copy.”

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: In email and standard business letters a “courtesy copy” is sent to people who are not directly addressed in the email but may have an interest in its topic.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

51) In business-related email messages, it is a good idea to make frequent use of background colors and colored type to add visual appeal to the text.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Overuse of colors, decoration, and ornate lettering tends to be a distraction to email audiences, not a positive feature.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 188-190

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

52) Email etiquette requires that you respect the chain of command.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Though you may have the ability to fire off an email to the president of your company, it is usually a bad idea. If you have a complaint or suggestion, respect the chain of command and send it to the person you normally report to.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

53) Leaving the subject line out on important email messages will spark your readers’ curiosity and increase their desire to read your email.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: The subject line is usually one of the most important parts of your email. It informs the reader of what the contents of your message are, and how to prioritize your message with respect to time: is your issue something urgent, or can it wait until they have time to consider the matter carefully?

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

54) An effective email subject line is very short and describes only the general topic of the message.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: An effective subject line identifies not only the general topic of the message, but also says something about action taken or needed. For example, a subject line that says “Inventory information” merely identifies the general topic. “Inventory down, need resupply” not only identifies the topic, it also tells the reader what happened in the past, and what needs to take place in the future.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

55) Spelling, punctuation, and grammar do not matter in email; getting your message out quickly should be your only concern.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Poor spelling, punctuation, and grammar are typically a sign of one of two things: either you are ignorant of the rules of spelling, punctuation, and grammar, or you are deliberately being disrespectful to your reader by not cleaning up your message. Either alternative is unacceptable.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 189-190

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

56) Mistakenly clicking “reply all” when sending an email can be career threatening in today’s technology-driven economy.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Watch what you email carefully! To avoid this kind of a threat, always double-check both your message and your audience before clicking on the “Send” button.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 190

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

57) If you are frustrated that virtually no one responds to your emails, you should set the message priority to “High” for all the messages you send.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: People quickly catch on to false “High” priority settings and learn to ignore them. If you want your emails to be noticed: (1) send only meaningful emails that are (2) well written and (3) be sure to include excellent subject lines.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 190

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

58) Instant messaging is a faster communication tool than email.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: IM allows for actual real-time conversation between individuals. You type a message and get a response within a few seconds. With email, responses can take hours and even days.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 191

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

59) SMS is another term for text messaging.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Text messaging is instant messaging that is used in cell phone systems.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 191

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

60) “Spim” is the term used to describe the IM version of email spam.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: Like spam, spim consists of unwanted advertisements from mass senders who hope to convince you to buy a dubious product.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 192

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

61) One drawback of current blogging software is that it takes a great deal of time to post new material.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Blogging in today’s online world is exceedingly easy. A novice blogger can be up and running on a new blog in less than a half hour.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 194

Skill: Application

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

62) Blogs are useful tools for crisis communication.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: In a crisis, text messaging, instant messaging, and cell phones are better tools than a blog. All three of those technologies allow for instant feedback, while feedback for a blog is too slow for emergency action.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 196

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

63) Blogs are an excellent venue for hard-sell sales tactics because they feature a built-in audience.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Readers of blogs lose trust in a blogger quickly if they sense that the blogger is using their relationship for financial gain. Therefore, a blog is a poor venue for hard-sell sales tactics.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 195

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

64) Without a steady stream of new information, a blog is unlikely to be successful.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: The appeal of the blog as a form is that it is updated frequently. Readers read blogs as running diaries, keeping up with events through the writing and multimedia presentations of the blogger.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 195

Skill: Application

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

65) Unlike other business presentations, podcasts require little planning and are most effective when delivered impromptu.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Podcasts require a great deal of planning. To be successful, a podcast should be outlined and planned out ahead of time to be sure that the recording runs smoothly.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 201

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

66) It is best to read from a prepared script when creating podcasts for business.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: Veteran creators of podcasts think that reading from a prepared script destroys the informal, conversational feel of a successful podcast, so they recommend speaking from notes or an outline.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 201

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

67) One of the best ways to distribute podcasts is to use a blog that provides supporting information.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: A blog with a high readership is a superb way to launch a podcast. In fact, some people go to blogs just so they can access the podcasts that are featured.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 202

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

68) Using iTunes to distribute podcasts is unrealistic for most organizations.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: iTunes is a viable option for the distribution of business podcasts. A popular option is to have a blog, Facebook, or Twitter refer the user to iTunes, where they can obtain the podcast.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 202

Skill: Application

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

69) Using hashtags in microblogs makes it easy for people to track topics of interest, but it is complicated and difficult to use.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: A hashtag is a # symbol that is followed by a unique term that makes it easy for people to track a topic. For example, North Carolina bass fishing enthusiasts might use the hashtag #bassfishNC to locate tweets on their topic.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 199

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5, 6

AACSB: Use of IT

70) The completing step is where podcasting differs most dramatically from written communication.

Answer: TRUE

Explanation: For written communication, the completing step involves straight-forward evaluation and editing of text. A podcast features the same steps, but because the medium is video or audio, the editing process is much more complicated, requiring the re-recording of parts of the podcast.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 201

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

71) Social ________ sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn have led to fundamental changes in business communication.

Answer: networking

Explanation: Social networking sites have allowed whole communities to rise up around various products, and the people who make and use those products.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 172

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

72) A(n) ________ is the online equivalent of recorded radio or video broadcasts.

Answer: podcast

Explanation: Where companies twenty years ago might have included a DVD in the box showing how to use their product, they now are more likely to refer new customers to a podcast.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

73) ________ systems such as Twitter are being used widely in business for everything from research to customer service to live backchannels during presentations and conferences.

Answer: Microblogging

Explanation: A microblog is a site that allows “diary style” entries like an ordinary blog, but puts a limit on space. Twitter, for example, restricts all entries to 140 characters or less.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

74) Compositional ________ for electronic media include (among others) conversations, comments and critiques, orientations, summaries, and narratives.

Answer: modes

Explanation: Electronic media are rich in different formats for content. On the Internet you can obtain virtually every mode of human communication, from highly technical academic lectures to extremely silly talking cartoon figures—and everything in between.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 177

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

75) The ________ ________ of an email is important because it helps readers decide whether to read the message or delete it.

Answer: subject line

Explanation: A well written subject line previews the message and gives the reader enough information to determine how to deal with the message—whether to open it now or wait until later.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

76) In an email message, “cc” refers to ________ ________.

Answer: courtesy copy

Explanation: A courtesy copy of an email sends the email to readers who may have an interest in the topic but are not immediately involved in its resolution.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 190

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

77) Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, and Yelp are all examples of community ________ websites, designed to pool the inputs of multiple users in order to benefit the community as a whole.

Answer: participation

Explanation: Participation websites take advantage of “the wisdom of crowds”—the more people that participate in the website, the better the information that the website provides.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 186-187

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

78) The ________ ________ feature of instant messaging enables users to see which people are at their desks and available to IM.

Answer: presence awareness

Explanation: This feature saves users the time of preparing a message if they know its intended recipient is not available.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 191

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

79) Compared to email, ________ ________ is faster, simpler to operate, and offers fewer problems with unwanted messages or security and privacy problems.

Answer: instant messaging

Explanation: At this point, there are few drawbacks to IM. However, as IM becomes more successful, security problems may arise. Also, when a real-time conversation is not needed, email gives users the luxury of waiting to respond to a message when they are ready.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 191

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

80) The IM version of email spam is known as ________.

Answer: spim

Explanation: Spim is exactly like spam—an annoying, usually unappealing, un-asked-for Internet ad—except you see it in IM rather than email.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 192

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

81) ________ have become a popular medium for customer support—enabling employees to answer questions and offer tips and advice.

Answer: Blogs

Explanation: Blogs allow customers to ask questions about, for example, how to use a software program, and receive answers from either the blogger or fellow users and readers of the blog.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 194

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Reflective Thinking

82) Viral ________ refers to spreading the word about your company and its products in much the same way that biological viruses are transmitted from person to person.

Answer: marketing

Explanation: Viral marketing is intended to let “electronic word-of-mouth” do the work that advertising would have done in past decades. Rather than promote your product in ads, viral marketing encourages users to use the product, talk about it on Twitter, Facebook, or a blog, and have others find out about it and promote it in the same way.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 196

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

83) Reputation ________ such as Evolve24 have developed ways to automatically monitor blogs and other online sources to see what people are saying about their corporate clients.

Answer: analysts

Explanation: Reputation analysts can find blogs of all sizes, from the popular to the obscure, that refer to specific products and compile data on how people view of those products. This data can give corporate clients a fairly accurate glimpse of how the public actually feels about its product.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

84) ________ your blog makes it easier for readers to find your material and easily find everything you’ve written about a certain topic.

Answer: Tagging

Explanation: For example, you might tag a blog about your beagle puppy with such terms as “beagle,” “hound,” “American Kennel Club,” and so on.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 199

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

85) A podcasting ________ offers regular recordings on a consistent theme, designed for a wide public audience.

Answer: channel

Explanation: A podcasting channel might feature videos about dogs, how to train dogs, how to take care dogs, what to feed dogs, and so on.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 201

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

86) List at least five media that are popular for sending brief business messages.

Answer: Popular media for sending brief business messages include: (1) social networks and community participation websites, (2) email, 3) instant messaging (IM), (4) text messaging, (5) blogs and microblogs, (6) podcasts, and (7) online video.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Concept

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

87) List at least three general situations in which you would send a printed version of a business message instead of using an electronic medium.

Answer: A printed message is especially appropriate (1) when you want to make a formal impression, (2) when you are legally required to provide information in printed form, (3) when you want to stand out from the flood of electronic messages your audience receives, and (4) when you need a permanent, unchangeable, or secure record.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 176

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

88) Briefly explain the concept of using compositional modes for electronic media.

Answer: Despite the unique demands of each electronic medium, the basic communication skills required usually transfer from one system to another. You can succeed with written communication in virtually all electronic media by using one of nine compositional modes.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 177

Skill: Synthesis

Objective: 1

AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

89) Briefly describe the characteristics of an effective email subject line.

Answer: An effective subject line is both informative and compelling, and captures the audience’s attention. It does more than just describe or classify message content, and it builds interest with key words, quotations, directions, or questions.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

90) Write an informative subject line for the following email.

From July 6-9 the employee cafeteria will be closed in order to update the electrical system in the kitchen. Employees may bring their own food and eat in the cafeteria, but no food will be served on those dates.

Answer: (Answers will vary.)

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 189

Skill: Application

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

91) List at least three drawbacks of using instant messaging in business.

Answer: Potential disadvantages of using IM in business include (1) security problems such as computer viruses, network infiltration, and intercepted messages; (2) the need for user authentication; (3) the challenge of logging messages for later review and archiving; and (4) spim (unsolicited commercial messages, similar to email spam).

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 192

Skill: Concept

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

92) List at least three advantages of using blogs in business.

Answer: Effective blogs enable companies to (1) communicate with personal style and an authentic voice (rather than an impersonal “corporate voice”), (2) deliver new information quickly during crises and at other times, (3) choose topics of peak interest to audiences, and (4) encourage audiences to join the conversation (which can provide companies with important news, information, and insights).

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 194

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

93) Briefly explain the difference between blogging and microblogging.

Answer: A microblog is a variation on blogging in which messages are restricted to specific character counts. Twitter is the best known of these systems, and it limits posts to 140 characters.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 199

Skill: Concept

Objective: 5

AACSB: Use of IT

94) Give at least three examples of how podcasts could replace more traditional message formats in business.

Answer: (Answers may vary.) Real estate agents could record audio podcasts that potential homebuyers could listen to while walking through homes. Marketing departments could replace expensive printed brochures with video podcasts that demonstrate new products in action. Human resource departments could use podcasts to offer video tours of their companies to entice new recruits.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 200-201

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 6

AACSB: Reflective Thinking

95) When creating podcasts for business, should you script them entirely and read them word-for-word? Briefly explain your answer.

Answer: In podcasts, it is generally best to speak from an outline and notes rather than from a script. One of the attractions of podcasting is the conversational, person-to-person feel of the recordings, and a scripted performance can reduce or eliminate these characteristics.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 201

Skill: Concept

Objective: 6

AACSB: Use of IT

96) What are seven guidelines to keep in mind when creating content for business-related social media?

Answer: Creating effective content for business-related media is easier when you do the following: (1) Remember that it’s a conversation, not a lecture or a sales pitch: companies that try to maintain the old “we talk, you listen” mindset are likely to be ignored in the social media landscape; (2) Write informally but not carelessly-keep your tone conversational, but don’t get sloppy; (3) Create concise, specific, and informative headlines: this is not the place to display your skill at playing on words; (4) Get involved and stay involved: when you and/or your company receive criticism, take the opportunity to respond and correct misinformation or explain how mistakes will be fixed; (5) If you need to promote something, do so indirectly–refrain from blatant promotional efforts in social media; (6) Be transparent and honest: audiences respond unfavorably.to companies that hide behind a fictional online blogging persona; and (7) think before you post to avoid embarrassing or expensive mistakes.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 179

Skill: Concept

Objective: 2

AACSB: Use of IT

97) Explain how inappropriate use of email at work can lead to legal problems.

Answer: The consequences of bad writing or poor judgment in email can be even more serious than those associated with personal email. In numerous instances in recent years, email and other electronic message forms have been used as evidence in lawsuits and criminal investigations involving everything from sexual harassment to financial fraud.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 188

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

98) Briefly explain the differences among user-generated content sites, community Q&A sites, and community participation websites.

Answer: User-generated sites such as YouTube and Flickr allow users rather than website owners to contribute most or all of the content. On community Q&A sites, visitors answer questions posted by other visitors or by representatives of companies. Examples of these include GetSatisfaction, Yahoo! Answers, Quora, and LinkedIn Answers. Finally, community participation websites such as Delicious, Digg, and StumbleUpon are designed to pool the inputs of multiple users in order to benefit the community as a whole.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 186

Skill: Concept

Objective: 3

AACSB: Use of IT

99) Describe four challenges of effectively managing communication in a social media environment.

Answer: Managing business communication in the social media environment is no easy task. First, the communication effort is more complex, with more internal and external channels to staff and monitor. Simply keeping track of all the messages a company sends out can be a real challenge. Second, with more media information channels that require attention, the cost structure of business communication can change dramatically. Many companies, for example, have found themselves unprepared to monitor and respond to social media traffic. Third, media tools and consumer behavior can evolve so quickly that companies must be prepared to experiment continuously, adapt ideas that work, and abandon those that don’t. Finally, companies need to have social media guidelines for their employees that strike a balance between too much control and too little.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 180

Skill: Critical Thinking

Objective: 1

AACSB: Use of IT

100) Explain how to apply the three-step writing process to instant messages.

Answer: Although instant messages are often conceived, written, and sent within a matter of seconds, the principles of the three-step process still apply. In planning instant messages, view every IM exchange as a conversation and take a moment to plan the overall exchange. Think through the specific needs of your audience, and try to deliver information in a coherent, complete way that minimizes the number of individual messages required. When writing instant messages, remember that the appropriate writing style for business IM is more formal than the style you may be accustomed to with personal IM or text messaging. Avoid IM acronyms except when communicating with close colleagues. The completing phase is easy when it comes to IM. Once you’ve selected some basic font settings that apply to all your messages, you generally don’t need to do anything in terms of producing each message, and distributing is as simple as clicking the “send” button. However, don’t skip over the revising and proofreading tasks and make sure your message contains all the necessary information.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 192

Skill: Synthesis

Objective: 4

AACSB: Use of IT

Related products