Pre-Test

Fundamentals of Business Writing 9567A

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INSTRUCTIONS: Answer questions directly on these sheets. To answer the questions, circle the letter of the correct answer or fill in the blank. Be sure to keep a copy of your completed test for your records. No photocopies will be graded. When completed, mail your test to:

American Management Association

Educational Services

P.O. Box 133

Florida, NY 10921

1. Name four steps in an effective business writing process.

(a) Analyze, organize, write, revise

(b) Write, revise, write, revise

(c) Organize, write the first draft, revise, write the final draft

(d) Organize, write, edit, revise

2. An effective business style relies on which of the following strategies?

(a) Using the passive voice

(b) Using sophisticated words and phrases

(c) Using formats

(d) Deleting transitions

3. Memos differ from letters in the following respects:

(a) Their length

(b) Their format

(c) Their audience

(d) Both b and c

4. What questions should business writers ask about their audiences?

(a) What action does the audience need to take?

(b) How will the audience react to the message?

(c) What does the audience know about the subject?

(d) All of the above

5. Which of the following is not a useful brainstorming technique?

(a) Listing your ideas on sheets of paper

(b) Reading other model documents

(c) Using Post-it^™ notes to record your ideas

(d) Making a mind map

6. Writing a draft should consume approximately what percentage of an effective writer’s time in producing a document?

(a) 20

(b) 30

(c) 40

(4) 50

7. Revising a draft should consume approximately what percentage of an effective writer’s time in producing a document?

(a) 10

(b) 20

(c) 30

(d) 40

8. Which of the following constitutes a generic heading?

(a) Purpose of Trip to Dallas

(b) Benefits

(c) Progress in Attaining Objectives

(d) Reasons for Purchase

9. Define chunking in the context of good writing.

(a) Linking information by using transition words

(b) Classifying information into categories

(c) Arranging information into an overall pattern

(d) Arranging information into a two-column format

10. Define sequencing in the context of good writing.

(a) Linking information by using transition words

(b) Classifying information into chunks

(c) Arranging chunks into logical patterns

(d) Arranging information into a two-column format

11. Which kind of outline is the best outline?

(a) A topic outline

(b) A topic sentence outline

(c) A substantive outline

(d) A sketchy outline

12. What is an organizational pattern?

(a) A logical scheme writers use to arrange information

(b) A formatting tool

(c) A technique for transitioning from one piece of information to another

(d) None of the above

13. Give an example of an organizational pattern.

(a) General to specific

(b) Comparison/contrast

(c) Most important to least important

(d) All the above

14. Which of the following illustrates a topic sentence?

(a) The manual contains 300 pages.

(b) The manual has no index.

(c) The manual is outdated.

(d) The manual has a perfect bind.

15. Define boilerplate.

(a) Unorganized information

(b) Information placed in appendixes

(c) Generic information used repeatedly by companies

(d) Information written in a stuffy style

16. What is the essential meaning of “writing as you speak”?

(a) Writing first before organizing

(b) Writing the first draft in a conversational tone

(c) Giving an oral report after you’ve written the document

(d) Asking a colleague to listen to you read your document

17. What is a readability level

(a) Ascribing a grade level to your audience’s ability to understand your document

(b) A barometer of reading skills

(c) A test of reading skills

(d) An index to easily read books

18. Try to write and revise at the same time.

(a) Always

(b) Regularly

(c) Sometimes

(d) Never

19. Identify the heading(s) in the following group.

(a) Features

(b) Four Stocks Surge in a Sagging Economy

(c) New Products

(d) Both a and c

20. Identify the headline in the following group.

(a) Four Stocks Surge in a Sagging Economy

(b) Four Promising Stocks

(c) Four Stocks

(d) Purchasing Stocks

21. What is the journalistic style of paragraphing?

(a) Paragraphing often as in writing for newspapers

(b) Paragraphing less as in writing for newspapers

(c) Boldfacing the information in a paragraph

(d) Underscoring the information in a paragraph

22. What are the characteristics of the full-block format of letter writing?

(a) Some elements justified, some indented

(b) All elements left justified

(c) All elements right justified

(d) All paragraphs indented

23. Which sentence contains a passive-voice construction?

(a) The alternate airport accommodated all the redirected planes.

(b) The passengers disembarked at the alternate airport.

(c) The pilot was landing the plane at an alternate field.

(d) The plane was landed by the pilot at an alternate field.

24. Which sentence contains an active-voice construction?

(a) Bank messengers have delivered securities to offices.

(b) The securities were delivered to the offices.

(c) The messengers have been paid by the bank.

(d) Bank guards are not tasked with delivering securities.

25. Which sentence contains a weak verb?

(a) Display Data, Inc., employs fifty people.

(b) Display Data, Inc., is twenty-five years old today.

(c) Display Data, Inc., hired five new employees today.

(d) Display Data, Inc., advertised its new products.