Chapter 4 Planning Business Messages 1) The three primary steps involved in preparing a business message are A) planning, writing, and completing. B) informing, persuading, and collaborating. C) defining the purpose, the main idea, and the topic. D) satisfying the audience's informational, motivational, and practical needs. Answer: A Explanation: A) In the planning stage you organize and gather information. In the writing stage you compose the message. In the completing stage you revise and polish. 2) Which one of the following is an element of the completing phase of the three-step writing process? A) Organizing the information B) Interpreting the research C) Proofreading the message D) Selecting the right medium Answer: C Explanation: C) The completing step includes the following elements: revising the message, producing the message, proofreading the message, and distributing the message. 3) All of the following except ________ are elements in the planning phase of the three-step writing process. A) gathering information B) adapting to the audience C) selecting the right medium D) organizing the information Answer: B Explanation: B) The planning phase includes analyzing the situation, gathering information, selecting the right medium, and organizing the information. 4) Planning is essential when writing business messages because A) it helps you provide the right information to the right people in the right format. B) it makes the writing process faster and less stressful. C) it can save you from embarrassing blunders that could hurt your company or your career. D) all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) Skipping or shortchanging the planning stage often creates extra work and stress later in the process. 5) If you devote sufficient time to planning a business message before you begin writing it, you can expect all of the following outcomes except A) expediting the writing process. B) avoiding embarrassing blunders. C) experiencing extra work and stress in the writing and completing stages. D) delivering concise, compelling information that your audience wants and needs to know. Answer: C Explanation: C) Thoughtful planning will help you deliver information in a concise and compelling way, speed the writing process, and save you from making mistakes that could hurt your company or your career. 6) In order to optimize your writing time, reserve about ________ of that time for revising, producing, proofreading, and distributing your message. A) 10 percent B) 20 percent C) 25 percent D) 15 percent Answer: C Explanation: C) As a starting point, allot half of your available time for planning your message and one-quarter for writing it. That will leave one-quarter for completing your message. 7) Which of the following is not a general category common to business communication? A) To inform B) To persuade C) To negotiate D) To collaborate Answer: C Explanation: C) All business messages fit into one of three categories: they aim to inform, persuade, or to collaborate with the audience. Negotiation is not a major category of business communication so it might fit under the heading of any of the other three major categories. 8) An example of a specific purpose for a business message would be A) to impart information to the audience. B) to inform employees about the new vacation policy. C) to persuade readers to take action. D) to obtain audience participation and collaboration. Answer: B Explanation: B) A specific purpose cannot be a general task, such as to impart information. The information in a specific purpose must refer to what you actually hope to accomplish with the message—not simply to inform, but to inform employees specifically about a new vacation policy. 9) Most messages should not be sent unless they will A) bring about a change. B) increase your chances of being promoted. C) please your boss. D) do all of the above. Answer: A Explanation: A) A message that does not aim to initiate change is almost always a waste of your time and your audience's time. For example, to send a message to make a complaint about people violating the company smoking ban is an empty gesture unless you are asking for a specific change to occur—some kind of consequence for violating the ban. 10) The best reason to defer or cancel a message is if A) your news is bad. B) someone else wants to deliver it. C) your audience is highly receptive. D) the time is wrong. Answer: D Explanation: D) Timing of messages is always critical. For example, a request for logistical help for your team during a time of company crisis is almost sure to be ignored. Rather than risk being overlooked, wait for the time in which your audience can properly tend to the issue. 11) The primary audience for your message should always include A) all who receive it. B) the key decision makers in the audience. C) those people with the highest status. D) those people who represent the opinions and attitudes of the majority. Answer: B Explanation: B) The audience for your message will vary from situation to situation. One thing that won't change is that people who are in a position to make a decision about your issue must be included in the audience because they are the ones who will have impact in actually initiating action. 12) In general, for internal communication, the higher up your message goes, the A) more details people want to see. B) fewer details people want to see. C) less likely you are to run into ethical problems. D) more likely you are to run into ethical problems. Answer: B Explanation: B) In general, the higher up a person is in an organization, the more he or she deals with big picture issues of strategy and planning. Therefore, when drafting messages for higher level audiences stick to the big picture and include only critical details. 13) Messages should contain supporting detail and background information when A) you expect a favorable response. B) you and your audience do not share the same general background. C) you and your audience share the same general background. D) all of the above are the case. Answer: B Explanation: B) When your audience is familiar with the topic you can focus on the issue at hand and not worry about supplying supporting information. However, when your audience is not familiar with the topic, you may need to provide some educational material to get your readers up to speed. 14) Forecasting your audience's reaction to your message is A) impossible—there's no way to know what it will be. B) vital, because potential audience reaction affects message organization. C) helpful only for internal communication. D) helpful only for external communication. Answer: B Explanation: B) Try to gauge your audience's reaction before you write your message. If you expect a favorable reaction, for example, you can be more direct in stating your conclusions up front without taking time to build your case. If you expect an unfavorable reaction, spend more effort building your case. 15) You're writing a proposal to give permission to some employees at your company to telecommute. You know management will be skeptical, so you should A) be as straightforward as possible about stating your conclusions and recommendations. B) avoid stating your conclusions and recommendations. C) use less evidence in support of your points. D) build your case carefully, stating clear reasons for each conclusion you draw and recommendation you make. Answer: D Explanation: D) When the audience is skeptical, you need to win them over with facts and logic. Therefore, avoid stating conclusions and recommendations up front and instead focus on establishing why those conclusions and recommendations make sense for the situation. 16) A knowledge-management system A) helps companies limit the amount of information employees store on the network. B) enables organizations to test employees periodically to ensure they are doing adequate research. C) is a centralized database of experiences and insights of employees throughout an organization. D) is a tool for creating a bibliography when writing long reports. Answer: C Explanation: C) If your organization has a knowledge management system, you may be able to find old studies, evaluations, and reports that can help you draw conclusions about your topic and support the case you are making. 17) Informal techniques for gathering insights and focusing your research efforts do not include A) listening to the community. B) asking the audience for input. C) distributing questionnaires and surveys. D) reviewing reports and other company documents. Answer: C Explanation: C) The following informal techniques can help you gather insights and guide your research efforts: consider the audience's perspective; listen to the community; talk with supervisors, colleagues, or customers; and ask your audience for input. 18) When gathering information for a business message, keep in mind that audiences respond best to information that A) they could have found by doing their own research. B) has not been categorized or grouped in any way. C) has been filtered and prioritized according to their needs. D) pertains to a broad cross-section of possible scenarios. Answer: C Explanation: C) Audiences respond best to information that has been filtered and prioritized to meet their needs. 19) When meeting your audience's informational needs, you should emphasize ideas A) of greatest interest to the audience. B) that are uncontroversial. C) that will have the least impact on the audience. D) that don't need supporting evidence. Answer: A Explanation: A) Determining your audience's needs can be a tricky proposition. If the request is open-ended—for example, "Find out something about the market for oversized tennis rackets" you may take some leeway in what you research. If, on the other hand the request is specific, "Find data on the ProStar 110 racket" it is best to stick precisely to what was specified, the ProStar 110 racket. 20) A good way to test the thoroughness of your business message is to check it for A) a main idea. B) a purpose. C) the who, what, when, where, why, and how. D) accuracy. Answer: C Explanation: C) The who identifies who is involved in the message. The what identifies the message's topic. The when tells the time in which the issue is important. The how tells how you expect action to be taken on the issue. The why tells why the issue is important to both you and your audience. 21) After sending project cost estimates to a longtime client, you realize you failed to include information on some discount options. The best thing to do is A) take no action. B) blame someone else. C) contact the primary audience immediately and correct the error. D) start looking for a new job. Answer: C Explanation: C) Making the correction right away can avoid any serious consequences from the error and it should minimize negative consequences for you. 22) Choosing the right medium for your message A) is not important as long as the content of your message is accurate. B) is important only when communicating with managers and supervisors. C) is vital for external communication, but not important for internal communication. D) can make an important difference in how your message is perceived. Answer: D Explanation: D) Choice of message medium can be critical for the sender. When your message requires careful thought on the part of your audience a written (paper or electronic) message probably works best. When the impact of imagery is important, you should consider sending graph, chart, or other kind of visual presentation. When speed and an immediate response are required, an oral delivery might work out best. 23) Which one of the following is the "leanest" communication medium? A) Podcasts B) Posters and signs C) Telephone conversations D) Multimedia presentations Answer: B Explanation: B) Media range from lean (few information cues, few feedback mechanisms, no personalization) to rich (multiple cues, interactivity, personalization). 24) Which media would be best for keeping in touch with a sales team whose members live in several different states? A) Written media B) Oral media C) Electronic media D) Presentations Answer: C Explanation: C) Clearly, when you need to send out a message to a widely spread-out audience, the ease of an electronic message—email, text message, or social media posting—works best. These electronic forms of communication get instantly sent to everyone on your list with no delays or delivery costs. 25) Telephone calls are A) completely incapable of conveying nonverbal signals. B) now acceptable only for external communication. C) capable of conveying quite a few nonverbal signals. D) no longer practical when compared to email. Answer: C Explanation: C) The major advantage to the telephone over email or other non-voice media is that several kinds of nonverbal information—tone, pacing, enthusiasm or lack of enthusiasm—come through in a phone call. 26) Which of the following media would be best for sending a brief message (requiring no response from your audience) about an upcoming software update? A) Podcast B) Email C) Blog D) Videoconference Answer: B Explanation: B) The major advantages to email are that it is private, unlike the public nature of a blog or podcast, and it allows your audience the option of responding when they are ready. A videoconference, on the other hand, would force your audience to give an answer to your message on the spot, something that people often don't want to do without careful consideration and/or research into the topic. 27) VoIP is a A) widely used format for sending documents electronically. B) technology for making telephone calls via the Internet. C) highly technical videoconferencing program. D) type of voice-to-text translation software. Answer: B Explanation: B) Services such as Skype are VoIP programs. They allow videoconferencing between two or more people in remote locations around the world. 28) According to the concept of media richness, the richness of a medium does not depend on its ability to A) facilitate feedback. B) establish a personal focus. C) handle multiple information cues simultaneously. D) convey a sense of affluence and exclusivity. Answer: D Explanation: D) Media richness pertains to a medium's ability to convey a message through more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish a personal focus. 29) A ________ is the richest communication medium. A) telephone conversation B) retweet with a comment C) video podcast D) face-to-face conversation Answer: D Explanation: D) The richest medium is face-to-face communication. It is personal, it provides immediate verbal and nonverbal feedback, and it conveys the emotion behind a message. 30) A key advantage of oral communication is A) the ability to plan and control the message. B) the opportunity to meet an audience's information needs. C) the ability to transmit highly complex messages. D) the opportunity to get immediate feedback. Answer: D Explanation: D) Unlike email or text messaging, oral communication, either by phone or in person, provides immediate feedback in the form of answers to questions and responses to a presentation of facts or data. 31) As a new supervisor, you need to introduce yourself to your team of ten employees. The best medium for this type of non-routine message would be A) a face-to-face meeting. B) an email message. C) a conference call. D) a text message. Answer: A Explanation: A) The richness of a face-to-face meeting provides all of the verbal and nonverbal information you need to get to know your team and allow the warmth of your personality to show through. 32) A potential downside to the use of electronic media in business communication involves A) delivering messages quickly. B) maintaining employee productivity. C) promoting audience interaction. D) reaching geographically dispersed audiences. Answer: B Explanation: B) Today's employees use a variety of electronic media to accomplish workplace communication goals. However, those same media can compromise productivity through frequent interruptions, compatibility issues, and non-business uses. 33) Of the following media, which is the richest? A) An electronic slide presentation that includes a series of images that are arranged to persuade the audience to take a specific position B) An interactive website enabling audiences to participate in the communication process C) A presentation on DVD D) A formal business letter Answer: B Explanation: B) The interactive website is richer than the other media because it is the only choice that allows for two-way and multi-way feedback. 34) The ________ of a message is its overall subject, while the ________ is a specific statement about that overall subject. A) medium, theme B) topic, main idea C) scope, purpose D) focal point, rationale Answer: B Explanation: B) The topic of a message is its overall subject; the main idea is a statement about the topic (the overall subject). 35) In high-context cultures, ________ media are often more effective than ________ ones. A) leaner, richer B) oral, written C) foreign, domestic D) none of the above Answer: B Explanation: B) A high-context culture depends on the richness of oral communication to provide clues to build relationships. Oral communication, especially face-to-face oral communication is ideal for high-context cultures that build a web of meaning around the words that they say. Written communication, in contrast, leaves very little room for nuance or interpretation and is a very poor choice for a high-context culture. 36) Which of the following is not listed among factors to consider when choosing a medium for your message? A) Urgency B) Cost C) Sender preferences D) Audience preferences Answer: C Explanation: C) You may prefer a particular medium for your messages, but in this situation your preferences are unimportant when compared to the preferences of your audience. Keep in mind that it is your audience that you are trying to influence or call to action here, so it is their preferences and only their preferences that matter. 37) In general, audiences are likely to A) ignore poor organization if the message is important. B) draw inaccurate conclusions from poorly organized messages. C) fully understand most messages, even those that are poorly organized. D) none of the above. Answer: B Explanation: B) A message can be so muddled and poorly organized that it may cause the audience to draw erroneous conclusions. Typically, this occurs when the key part of the message is not expressed clearly up front but instead buried further down in the message. In that case, the audience may conclude that the message is about one topic when it really aims to focus on a different topic. 38) When you want to confirm, illuminate, or expand on the supporting points in a business message, use ________ if you believe that dramatic tension will stimulate your audience's interest. A) facts and figures B) narration or storytelling C) references to authority figures D) examples and quotations Answer: B Explanation: B) Storytelling can stimulate audience interest through the use of dramatic tension. 39) Use the ________ to organize a message if you believe your audience will be receptive to what you have to say. A) direct approach B) didactic approach C) dialectical structure D) diametric pattern Answer: A Explanation: A) When your audience will be receptive to your message, use the direct approach. 40) The scope of a business message pertains to A) a specific statement about the overall subject of the message. B) the range of information you present to support your main idea. C) the efforts you expend when you proofread the message. D) the act of conveying the message through more than one informational cue. Answer: B Explanation: B) The scope of your message is the range of information you present to support the main idea of that message. 41) If your audience will be skeptical of or resistant to your message A) state your main idea and then present your evidence. B) start with the evidence and build your case before presenting your main idea. C) start by asking rhetorical questions to arouse the audience's interest in your message. D) open your message with a humorous anecdote to establish rapport with the audience. Answer: B Explanation: B) When your audience will be skeptical about or resistant to your message, use the indirect approach: start with the evidence and build your case before you deliver the main idea. 42) As it applies to business communication, presenting information in a well-organized manner A) helps your readers understand the message. B) encourages your readers to accept the message. C) allows your readers to save time. D) all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) Readers who encounter a well-organized message are encouraged to accept it because they can understand it easily and save time in the process. 43) Which of the following is an example of a message topic? A) "To get the board of directors to increase the research and development budget" B) "Competitors spend more than our company does on research and development" C) "Funding for research and development" D) "The research and development budget is inadequate in our competitive marketplace" Answer: C Explanation: C) The topic of a message is simply the general subject of the message. The message topic doesn't stake out a position on matter, but simply states what the message will be generally about. For example, "To get the board of directors to increase the research and development budget" is taking a position, so it is not a message topic. "Funding for research and development" is a message topic because it simply states the subject that the message will address. 44) Whatever the length of your message, you should limit the number of major support points to roughly A) two. B) three. C) six. D) ten. Answer: C Explanation: C) Most arguments can be supported by six or fewer supporting statements. Any number of supporting statements greater than six may seem like overkill to your reader. If you really have more than six supporting statements, it is a good idea to combine some of the statements on your list to hold the overall number down. 45) Storytelling is A) inappropriate for professional communication. B) acceptable in business, but only for messages organized in the direct approach. C) an effective way to organize messages in a surprising number of business communication scenarios. D) none of the above. Answer: C Explanation: C) Using a narrative format to present information focuses the audience's attention and helps them navigate through the presentation by anticipating classic story elements: the beginning, the conflict, attempts to solve the conflict, and finally resolving the conflict. 46) When allocating your time among the three stages of the writing process, you should use about a fourth of the time for planning, half the time for writing, and a quarter of the time for completing. Answer: False Explanation: The proportions stated above are incorrect: you should use about half of your time for planning, and a quarter of your time for both writing and completing. 47) All business messages have both a general purpose and a specific purpose. Answer: True Explanation: A general purpose can be to inform, persuade, or to collaborate with the audience. The specific purpose is what you specifically want to accomplish with the message, such as to convince your colleague to join your team. 48) The three general purposes of business messages are to inform, to persuade, and to collaborate. Answer: True Explanation: General purposes define how you would like to relate to your audience. If you want to tell your audience something you are informing. If you want to convince your audience of something you are persuading. If you want to work together with your audience you are seeking to collaborate. 49) Even if nothing will change as a result of your message, you should send it if you believe it is important. Answer: False Explanation: In general, if a message will not bring about a substantive change on the part of your audience or someone else, it is probably not worth sending. 50) Once you have established your purpose, it's best to consider whether it is worth pursuing at this time. Answer: True Explanation: The timing of a message is important. For example, submitting a proposal during a time of the fiscal year in which no funds are available is unfeasible, even if the proposal has merit. This kind of proposal should be shelved and resubmitted when the timing is better. 51) No matter how you feel personally about a situation, your communication should reflect your organization's objectives. Answer: True Explanation: Personal messages can reflect any view you like. Business communications should reflect the goals and objectives of your organization, even if your position on the matter doesn't agree with that of your organization. 52) When analyzing your audience, you should ignore everyone except the key decision makers. Answer: False Explanation: The main priority for your message should be to address the concerns of the people who are in a position to make a decision about whatever you are proposing. 53) As long as your message is clear, the size of your audience should not influence the approach you choose to take. Answer: False Explanation: A message is designed to get results that almost always depend on your audience responding in some way. Therefore, your approach should be catered to your audience. Whatever approach has the best chance of convincing your audience to do what you want it to do is therefore the best approach. 54) One effective informal method for learning more about your audience's information needs is to ask them directly for input. Answer: True Explanation: If you are unsure about what your audience needs, rather than make wild guesses, go back to audience members and ask them to clarify what they are looking for. 55) When you get a vague request for information, the best way to handle it is to provide all the information you can and allow the audience to pick and choose what is useful to them. Answer: False Explanation: Rather than waste time obtaining information that is likely to turn out to be irrelevant, narrow down vague requests by asking additional questions of your audience, seeking to focus the request on a manageable range of information. 56) Skilled communicators include only the information that their audience has specifically requested. Answer: False Explanation: Once you fully understand the topic you are researching, you may find items that you think are particularly relevant to the topic even though they have not explicitly been requested. In that case, include these extra items as options for your audience, explaining why they might seem useful and relevant to the topic. 57) Accuracy of information is less important in business communication than in other types of communication—everyone is busy, and mistakes are simply unavoidable. Answer: False Explanation: Inaccuracy in business communication can be much more than inconvenient; it can be costly in terms of lost time, lost revenue, or worse. 58) When it comes to business research, online sources generally require more careful evaluation than other types. Answer: True Explanation: Online sources are incredibly convenient and for the most part reliable if carefully chosen. However, keep in mind that most online sources are not carefully edited or vetted by a professional. So the information you get may be wildly inaccurate if you don't check to make sure that you have a credible source. 59) If you provide inaccurate information in a business message, the best course of action is to say nothing and hope that no one notices. Answer: False Explanation: Too much is riding on most business messages simply to ignore mistakes and hope that they go away. Assume that if your message was important enough to write, it must have consequences and impact on others. Therefore, your audience must be informed about any mistakes that you made to avoid compounding the mistake and turning it into an even larger mistake. 60) Messages can be unethical simply because certain details have not been included. Answer: True Explanation: Leaving out details in a message can be unethical if the omission is misleading in some way. For example, if you stake out a controversial position and identify people within the company who support your position without also mentioning people who are against your position, you are misleading your audience into thinking that there is consensus on the topic. This is unethical and can cause major problems in extreme cases. 61) As long as your message is clear and interesting, the medium you choose doesn't really matter. Answer: False Explanation: Different messages work better in different media. For example, an apology can come off as sterile and insincere if it is sent by email. The same words and sentiments expressed in an oral message are interpreted as genuine and heartfelt. So the medium should always be chosen to fit the message. 62) As business communication models evolve, the lines separating oral, electronic, and written media have become more distinct and easier to define. Answer: False Explanation: If anything, the lines separating the different types of media are blurring rather than becoming more distinct. For example, is instant messaging more of a written message because it involves text, or more like an oral conversation because it can involve real-time responses? 63) In today's fast-paced environment, traditional business messages rely primarily on graphical elements, with occasional support from text. Answer: False Explanation: Though some forms of written messages contain glossy imagery, the majority of written communications involve text only. 64) Infographics refers to messages that combine powerful visuals with supporting text. Answer: True Explanation: Infographics not only make communicating complex ideas quicker and easier, the visual nature of an infographic often reveals relationships between elements that wouldn't have emerged in a strictly text or strictly graphic format. 65) Despite the advantages of electronic media, the growth of electronic communication options has caused great frustration for many audiences. Answer: True Explanation: With technology changing so fast it is often difficult for employees to figure out which device and/or medium to deploy to stay informed. For this reason, it is a good idea for companies to put out directives from time to time to standardize communication practices among employees. 66) Face-to-face communication is the richest medium. Answer: True Explanation: Face-to-face communication is more rich than other media because it employs the greatest number of information channels. Face-to-face communication uses both verbal and nonverbal feedback in the most intimate and personal setting, and (unlike video communication) is not subject to the limitations of camera angles or microphone positioning. If you really want to know what is going on, especially in an emotional sense, meet face-to-face with someone. 67) A real drawback of most visual media is that it requires skill to create effective images. Answer: True Explanation: Though modern graphics software has made great strides, some people are simply much better than others at creating images. So those who are not gifted at this skill operate at a disadvantage. 68) Poorly organized messages are unlikely to be effective, regardless of their content. Answer: True Explanation: Poor organization makes a message hard to understand. If your audience is very familiar with the content and context of your message you might be able to get away with poor organization. However, in almost every other situation, a poorly organized message is an ineffective message. 69) "Latest Investment Performance" is an example of a message topic, whereas "Poor Investment Performance Continues" is an example of a main idea. Answer: True Explanation: A message topic should not indicate any kind of position on the issue being considered, while a main idea can take a position. Since "Poor Investment Performance Continues" takes a position, it is a main idea. In contrast, "Latest Investment Performance." simply identifies the subject of the message so it is a message topic. 70) The indirect approach is best when your audience is likely to be skeptical. Answer: True Explanation: When the audience is skeptical or hostile, a direct approach runs the risk of being rejected right away. In this situation, it is better to use an indirect approach in which the case for the conclusions you draw is built gradually and logically. 71) Step one of the writing process is ________, in which you analyze the situation, gather information, select the right medium for the message, and organize the information. Answer: planning Explanation: Planning includes gathering information and thinking about what you are writing about before you actually start writing. Having your goals clearly in mind prior to the actual drafting of the document always pays off in terms of clarity and ease of writing. 72) The final step in the writing process is ________ your message, which involves revising, producing and distributing it. Answer: completing Explanation: You should not consider your message complete just because you have gotten it down in writing. The final stage of the writing process involves preparing your message as a finished, professional product for your audience. 73) The three general purposes of business messages are to inform, to persuade, or to ________ with the audience. Answer: collaborate Explanation: Collaboration may involve working together on a common goal, joining a team, coming to a joint conclusion, or sharing a joint decision. 74) In addition to having a general purpose, each business message has a (an) ________ purpose. Answer: specific Explanation: The specific purpose is what you hope to accomplish by sending your message. 75) During the planning step you need to analyze your ________, including its size and composition, existing knowledge about the subject, and probable reaction to your message. Answer: audience Explanation: Your audience is the key to your message. Every feature of your message should be designed to communicate your thoughts in the most effective way possible to your audience. 76) A good way to test the thoroughness of your message is to use the ________ approach and ask whether the message answers who, what, when, where, why, and how. Answer: journalistic Explanation: A journalistic who, what, when, where, why, and how approach gives structure to your message. If you find that a key journalistic element is missing from your message—such as when the event described in your message will take place—you should make an effort to correct that deficiency. 77) Speeches, presentations, and meetings are all examples of ________ media. Answer: oral Explanation: Note that oral media can also be electronic. Telephone and videoconferencing, for example, are both oral and electronic. 78) ________ refers to the use of two or more media to craft a single message, typically some combination of audio, video, text, and visual graphics. Answer: Multimedia Explanation: Most blogs are multimedia sources, because they contain text, visuals (photos), and sometimes audio in the form of music or videos. 79) Media ________ is the ability of a medium to convey a message using more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish personal focus. Answer: richness Explanation: Richness is a measure of how many information channels are being used by a message. A written message, for example, employs only text and has no nonverbal component. A personal meeting, on the other hand, includes all verbal information as well as the rich emotional information that is conveyed through nonverbal sources such as tone of voice, facial gestures, and other forms of body language. 80) In deciding which ________ to use for a message to a manager in another department, you should consider factors such as formality, confidentiality, feedback, time, and cost. Answer: medium Explanation: As an example, a routine message that requires no immediate response can be taken care of most easily by an email. Telling an employee that he has lost his job, on the other hand, is a delicate emotional matter that should only be handled in a face-to-face meeting. 81) Good ________ helps readers understand and accept your message, and saves them time in the process. Answer: organization Explanation: A well-organized message makes it easy for the audience to comprehend and respond to the message. Any disorganization in the message can be a barrier to communication, and cause your message to lose impact and effectiveness. 82) Your entire message supports, explains, or demonstrates your ________________—a specific statement about the topic of your message. Answer: main idea Explanation: The main idea is what your message is actually about. Every part of your message should be designed to communicate its main idea. 83) The ________ of your message is the range of information you present, the overall length, and the level of detail—all of which need to correspond to your main idea. Answer: scope Explanation: The scope of a message often depends on its main idea. A single question about a budgetary matter, for example, can be dispatched by a very short and limited message. An analysis of an entire budget, on the other hand, would require a message with a much larger and more ambitious scope. 84) No matter how long your message is, you should limit the number of major support points to roughly ________. Answer: six Explanation: Most messages should strive to have even fewer than six supporting statements. Any more than six supporting statements risks losing the interest and focus of your audience. 85) A positive email announcing a new, more convenient travel reimbursement policy should follow the ________ approach for organizing messages. Answer: direct Explanation: Indirect approaches to messages should be employed only when the message is complex and the ideas it embodies need to be carefully constructed and reasoned out. Simple messages like the description of a reimbursement policy can be taken care of without requiring a complex argument to be constructed. 86) Describe at least three of the tasks involved in developing an audience profile. Answer: Developing an audience profile involves identifying your primary audience and determining its size, geographic distribution, and composition. It also requires gauging your audience's level of understanding, considering their expectations and preferences, and forecasting their probable reaction to your message. 87) You've been asked to prepare a report on whether or not your company should consider other health insurance providers. List four informal techniques for gathering information to include in your report. Answer: Informal strategies for gathering information include (1) considering other viewpoints; (2) reading reports and other company documents; (3) talking with supervisors, colleagues, or customers; and (4) asking your audience for input. 88) How can the journalistic approach help you include all required information in your business messages? Answer: The journalistic approach enables you to check the thoroughness of your message by seeing whether it answers who, what, when, where, why, and how. 89) Briefly describe how to meet an unfamiliar audience's informational needs. Answer: When you don't know your audience, use common sense to identify points of particular interest. Audience factors such as age, job, location, income, and education can give you a clue. 90) List at least three strategies to help ensure the accuracy of information you include in business messages. Answer: You can minimize mistakes by double-checking every piece of information you collect. If you are consulting sources outside the organization, ask yourself whether they are current and reliable. Be particularly careful when using sources you find on the Internet. Be sure to review any mathematical or financial calculations. Check all dates and schedules, and examine your own assumptions and conclusions to be certain they are valid. 91) Briefly explain how the growth of electronic communication has become both a blessing and a curse for business communicators. Answer: The proliferation of electronic communication media has advantages and disadvantages. You have more tools than ever to choose from, with more ways to deliver rational and emotional content. However, the sheer range of choices can complicate your job because you often need to choose among multiple media and you need to know how to use each medium successfully. 92) Briefly define media richness, and provide at least one example each of a rich medium and a lean medium. Answer: Media richness is the value of a communication medium in a given situation. It is determined by a medium's ability to convey a message by means of more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish personal focus. Face-to-face conversation is the richest medium, while unaddressed documents such as posters and signs are the leanest. 93) Briefly explain the difference between the topic of a message and the main idea. Answer: The topic of a message is its broad subject, condensed to one idea. In contrast, the main idea is a specific statement about the topic. 94) In preparing a letter to a vendor regarding a missing part of your order, would the direct or indirect approach be preferable? Briefly explain your choice. Answer: In this case, the direct approach would be best because the audience is likely to be receptive to the message. The indirect approach should be used when the audience will probably react with skepticism or resistance. 95) Briefly distinguish between the direct and indirect approaches to organizing business messages. Answer: Messages organized with the direct approach begin with the main idea and then provide supporting evidence. Those organized with the indirect approach build a case with supporting evidence before presenting the main idea. 96) What are the four tasks involved in planning business messages? Answer: Planning business messages involves (1) analyzing the situation by defining your purpose and developing a profile of your audience, (2) gathering information that will meet your audience's needs, (3) selecting the right medium to deliver your message, and (4) organizing the information by defining your main idea, limiting your scope, selecting a direct or an indirect approach, and outlining your content. 97) Explain each phase of the three-step writing process. Answer: The three-step writing process includes planning, writing, and completing the business message. Planning involves analyzing the situation, gathering information, selecting the right medium for your message, and organizing the information. Writing the message involves adapting to your audience and composing your message. Completing a business message includes revising, producing, proofreading, and distributing it. 98) List at least three helpful questions to ask in evaluating the purpose of a message. Answer: Once you have determined the specific purpose of a business message, you can decide whether that purpose merits the time and effort required for you to prepare and send the message. In order to test the purpose of a message, one should ask (1) Will anything change as a result of this message? (2) Is my purpose realistic? (3) Is the time, right? and (4) Is the purpose acceptable to my organization? 99) How can your audience's level of understanding help you determine the appropriate amount of information to include in a business message? Answer: If audience members do not share your general background, your message will likely need to include an element of education. You should try to include only enough information to accomplish the specific purpose of your message. If the members of your audience have various levels of understanding, gear your coverage to your primary audience (the key decision makers). 100) Briefly describe at least three factors to consider when choosing media for business messages. Answer: A number of factors can help you to determine the best medium for a business message. One is media richness, which is a medium's ability to convey a message through more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish personal focus. Another is formality, since your media choice governs the style and tone of your message. It is also important to consider media limitations, since every medium has drawbacks that make it inappropriate for certain messages. Urgency and cost are other important factors. Finally, it is vital to consider audience preferences when deciding which medium to use for a message. Test Bank for Business Communication Today Courtland L. Bovee, John V. Thill 9780132971294, 9780134562186, 9780135900239, 9780132539555
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