Which of the following is not a purpose for a business report? |
a. To increase production |
Which of the following reports is an example of an informational report? |
b. A report that shows a manufacturing firm has complied with environmental regulations |
Tania will be writing an analytical report that discusses three potential new locations for her company. She wants to follow the indirect strategy. How should she organize her report? |
d. Introduction/Problem, Facts/Findings, Conclusions/Recommendations |
The first step in writing a report is to ________ . |
d. analyze the problem and purpose |
Which question should you ask to anticipate your audience? |
c. What do my readers need to know about this topic? |
A good work plan for a business research project should include a statement of the problem, a statement of purpose, a tentative outline, a work schedule, and a ________ . |
d. research strategy |
Nearly every written report should begin with ________ . |
c. a review of secondary data |
Which of the following is the best advice for searching the Web? |
c. Omit articles and prepositions. |
Web sources should be evaluated for their authority, content, accuracy, and currency. What question should you ask to determine the currency of a Web source? |
a. What is the date of the Web source? |
Which of the following is the best question to include in a mail survey? |
d. Do you approve of a flat-rate income tax? |
All of the following are reasons for documenting report data except ________ . |
a. to demonstrate your command of the English language |
To help you paraphrase effectively, which of the following should you practice? |
d. Write your own version of the original document without looking it |
What is the most frequently used graphic in a report? |
b. Table |
A ________ is especially effective in comparing related items, illustrating changes in data over time, and showing segments as a part of the whole. |
c. bar chart |
What is the best advice to follow when incorporating graphics within the body of a report? |
c. Introduce the graphic. |
Based on their function, business reports usually fall into one of two categories: informational or analytical. |
a. True |
Analytical and informational reports are always written using a letter format. |
b. False |
Whether preparing an analytical or informational report, you do not need to prepare a purpose statement. |
b. False |
Anticipating the audience helps writers determine how much background material to include, how much detail to add, and what method of organization and presentation to follow. |
b. False |
Secondary data result from firsthand experience and observation. |
b. False |
As a writer of business reports, you will probably begin your secondary research with electronic resources. |
a. True |
Plagiarism is the act of using another's ideas without proper documentation. |
a. True |
As long as you paraphrase the information you find during your research, you don't have to give credit to the original source. |
b. False |
Incorporating graphics within a report can clarify data. |
a. True |
The major advantage of line charts is that they show changes over time, thus indicating trends. |
a. True |
Tables |
usually help researchers summarize and simplify data - systematic columns and rows |
Mean |
arithmetic average |
Median |
middle point in a range of values |
Mode |
most frequent value |
correlation |
relationships between variables |
grid |
boxes of rows and columns to sort data |
decision matrix |
grid that allows comparison among weighted criteria |
Determine the mean of the numbers 6, 17, 22, 28, and 37. |
c. 22 |
Determine the mode of the numbers 38, 24, 46, 38, and 54. |
b. 38 |
What tool is best to analyze verbal data? |
c. Grids |
The most widely read portions of a report are generally the sections devoted to the ________ . |
b. conclusions and recommendations |
Select the best wording for a recommendation. |
a. Offer a 10 percent discount on a customer's first online order. |
A manager at General Electric is preparing a sales report presenting the results of three of GE's divisions. This report should be organized by ________ . |
c. component |
A good introductory paragraph for a business report should tell the purpose of the report, describe the significance of the topic, and ________ . |
b. preview the main points |
Which of the following transitions is best to clarify points? |
b. For example |
When creating headings for a report, which of these principles should you follow? |
c. Incorporate at least one heading per page. |
________ reports are written at regular intervals to keep management informed of operations and activities. |
d. Periodic |
What advice should you follow to produce professional-looking reports? |
b. Use a consistent type font throughout the report. |
Megan is preparing her trip report. She should begin her report by ________ . |
d. identifying the event |
Which statement regarding analytical reports is most accurate? |
d. Most analytical reports answer questions about specific problems and aid in decision making. |
In preparing a justification/recommendation report in which you anticipate reader opposition, you should begin by ________ . |
d. making a general reference to the problem in the subject line |
________ reports examine problems with two or more solutions. |
d. Yardstick |
The median represents the midpoint in a group of figures arranged from lowest to highest. |
a. True |
A decision matrix grid can be helpful for managers when they must make a decision based on a number of complex options. |
a. True |
Any set of data can produce only one set of conclusions. |
b. False |
When presenting recommendations, always include such words as "maybe" or "perhaps" within the recommendations to demonstrate your objectivity. |
b. False |
Agendas, minutes of meetings, progress reports, and procedures are usually organized by time. |
a. True |
Talking headings show the outline of a report but provide little insight for readers. |
b. False |
Short informational reports should be organized using the direct strategy. |
a. True |
A summary should condense the original ideas by 25 to 30 percent. |
b. False |
Feasibility reports are usually internal reports written to evaluate whether a course of action should be taken. |
a. True |
All reports, whether analytical or information, should be delivered in paper copy. |
b. False |
Which statement regarding proposals is most accurate? |
c. Proposals are written offers to solve problems, provide services, or sell equipment. |
The background section of an informal proposal should ________ . |
c. identify the problem |
Formal proposals differ from informal proposals in ________ . |
d. size and format |
What statement about a letter of transmittal for a formal proposal is most accurate? |
a. A letter of transmittal should briefly present the major features and benefits of the proposal. |
A(n) ________ is a formal proposal submitted to a government or civilian organization that explains a project, outlines its budget, and requests money. |
b. grant proposal |
What statement about a business plan is most accurate? |
c. A business plan helps manage a company and raise capital. |
Which statement regarding a mission statement is most accurate? |
a. A mission statement should describe the reason an organization or program exists. |
Which statement about a formal report is most accurate? |
b. Formal reports represent the end product of thorough investigation and analysis. |
The part of a formal report that highlights the important points for people who may not have time to read the entire report is the ________ . |
c. executive summary |
An executive summary of a formal report is usually no longer than ________ percent of the original document. |
c. 10 |
The section of a formal report that discusses, analyzes, interprets, and evaluates the research findings or solution is the ________ . |
a. body |
Which of the following is an example of a talking heading? |
d. Findings Reveal Revenue and Employment Benefits |
If your report requires that you make recommendations, they should ________ |
d. be expressed as numbered commands that are practical and evolve from the findings |
What item would be most appropriate to include in an appendix of a report? |
d. Survey form |
What tip should you follow when writing a formal report? |
b. Delay writing the report until you have collected all the data and drawn the primary conclusions. |
Proposals are written for only external audiences. |
b. False |
The budget section of a proposal represents a contract. |
a. True |
Because most proposals don't contain an index, the table of contents becomes quite important. |
a. True |
The body of a grant proposal should demonstrate that a problem exists and that the proposal can solve the problem. |
a. True |
Leon should discuss the strengths and weaknesses of his direct and indirect competitors in the market analysis section of his business plan. |
a. True |
Many investors consider the operations and management section of a business plan to be the most important factor in assessing business potential. |
a. True |
Often the easiest way to begin an executive summary is with the words "The purpose of this report is to ..." |
a. True |
The scope section of a formal report may include quotes from experts or cite newspapers, journals, books, Web resources, and other secondary sources to establish the importance of a topic. |
b. False |
The most important section of a formal report is the body. |
a. True |
Jason is proofreading the final copy of his report for the third time. At this point he should be checking for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and other mechanical errors. |
b. False |
A ________ is a Web-based presentation, lecture, workshop, or seminar that is transmitted digitally, with or without video. |
b. webinar |
The most important part of a presentation is ________ . |
c. knowing your purpose |
Members of a(n) ________ audience have short attention spans and may attend a presentation against their will. |
b. uninterested |
At the beginning of his oral presentation, Grant uses a quotation from Abraham Lincoln. Grant is attempting to ________ . |
a. capture his audience's attention |
Melanie will be giving a presentation that outlines six reasons her company should change its inventory method. What organizational strategy would work best? |
a. Importance |
When developing a multimedia presentation using PowerPoint, what is the maximum number of bullets you should generally use per slide? |
b. 6 |
Check My Work |
d. illustrate and simplify complex ideas |
The best delivery technique for a presentation is to ________ . |
a. deliver it extemporaneously |
To stay in control during your talk, to build credibility, and to engage your audience, which of these guidelines should you follow? |
d. Present your first sentence from memory |
Sonia wants to provide her audience with copies of her PowerPoint slides to use for future reference. The best time to distribute her handouts is ________ . |
b. after she finishes her presentation |
An effective technique for making a presentation to a cross-cultural audience is to ________ . |
d. break the presentation into short, discrete segments and to encourage discussion after each topic |
Which statement is most accurate regarding team-based written and oral presentations? |
d. Teams should make meetings a top priority |
Which statement about slide decks is most accurate? |
a. Slide decks can deliver data, findings, and proposals to receivers who may not be able to attend a meeting and who find them easier to read and comprehend than reports. |
When placing a telephone call, which of these guidelines should you follow? |
b. Give a brief explanation of your reason for calling. |
Lisa is beginning a new position. What advice should she follow when using her smartphone to receive and to make phone calls? |
c. Avoid conversations in public areas. |
Every presentation should focus on audience benefits. |
a. True |
The two most powerful keys to audience comprehension are good organization and intentional repetition. |
a. True |
The body of a short presentation (20 or fewer minutes) should focus on five to seven main points. |
b. False |
An oral presentation that incorporates visual aids is more likely to be understood and retained than one lacking visual enhancement. |
a. True |
You should add animation features to a multimedia presentation only if doing so helps convey your message or adds interest to the content. |
a. True |
Nearly everyone, even experienced speakers, has some degree of stage fright before speaking. |
a. True |
When you make a mistake during a presentation, apologize to your audience. |
b. False |
Most nonnative speakers of English understand written text much better than they comprehend spoken English. |
a. True |
When a group or team begins to work together on a document or a presentation, the group's first action should be assigning tasks and establishing deadlines for team members. |
b. False |
When answering a telephone call for a coworker, it is better to say "She's away from her desk right now" or "He's out of the office" rather than to report the colleague's exact whereabouts. |
a. True |