Multiple choice questions:
Question 1
An employee who writes a report on her experiences during last week's sales calls is preparing a(n)
A) analytical report.
B) informational report.
C) proposal.
D) work plan.
E) business plan.
Question 2
Which of the following is not a common organizational format for analytical reports?
A) Focusing on conclusions
B) Focusing on recommendations
C) Focusing on information
D) Focusing on logical argument
E) All of these are common formats.
Question 3
The basic purpose of informational reports is
A) to persuade the audience to act.
B) to present recommendations and conclusions.
C) to present data, facts, feedback, and other types of information, without analysis or recommendations.
D) to convince the reader of the soundness of your thinking.
E) to change the audience's opinion on your topic.
Question 4
Despite the variety among them, many analytical reports include a
A) standard opening.
B) section of recommendations.
C) "this is how it's done" quality.
D) standard middle section.
E) disclaimer on the last page.
Question 5
A public corporation filing a quarterly tax report would be providing
A) a progress report.
B) a compliance report.
C) a justification report.
D) a periodic operating report.
E) unnecessary information.
Question 6
You create a survey and administer it five times under identical conditions. Because it yielded completely different results each time, you should conclude that this survey is
A) not valid.
B) not reliable.
C) open-ended.
D) leading.
E) closed-ended.
Question 7
In an unsolicited proposal, the writer
A) must convince readers that a problem or opportunity exists.
B) analyzes the client's business in light of the competition.
C) uses a style approved by the American Association of Business Writers.
D) enumerates the client's options regarding such business decisions as product-line expansion.
E) has the upper hand.
Question 8
Observations, interviews, and experiments are all considered secondary sources of information.
A) True
B) False
Question 9
The recommendations you make in a report should offer practical guidance on next steps.
A) True
B) False
Question 10
The primary difference between titles and captions of visuals is that
A) titles are usually longer than captions.
B) captions usually appear above visuals, whereas titles appear below.
C) captions offer discussion of the visual's content.
D) titles provide detailed descriptions of visuals, but captions give only short descriptions.
E) None of these-they are simply different terms for the same thing.
Question 11
The close of a report should
A) emphasize the main points of the message.
B) summarize reader benefits if the document suggests a change.
C) bring all action items together and give details about who should do what, when, where, and how.
D) achieve all of these.
E) do none of these.
Question 12
To gain credibility with your audience in business reports, do all of the following except
A) research all sides of your topic.
B) make the report longer than it really needs to be.
C) avoid setting unrealistic expectation
D) document your findings with credible sources.
E) All of these will increase your credibility.
Question 13
A surface chart is
A) a type of three-dimensional pie chart.
B) a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line.
C) a type of map showing various terrains.
D) used to show interrelationships within an organization.
E) the same thing as a pie chart.
Question 14
Transitional words and phrases
A) tie ideas together and show how one thought is related to another.
B) help overcome poor organization.
C) are essential to analytical reports but unnecessary in informational reports.
D) generally confuse readers, especially in online reports.
E) do all of these.
Question 15
A bar chart would be particularly useful for
A) illustrating what percentages of a company's monthly budget are spent on utilities and other expenses.
B) comparing market shares of three breakfast cereals from 2011 to 2012.
C) showing the stages in production of a jet engine.
D) depicting the proportion of advertising dollars spent on various major media.
E) None of these.
Question 16
Whereas a(n) ________ file in a report requires readers to be online so the file can be updated, a(n) ________ file does not.
A) embedded; linked
B) linked; embedded
C) pdf; Microsoft Word
D) Microsoft Word; pdf
E) compressed; uncompressed
Question 17
Any formal business report should include all of the following elements in the introduction: authorization, problem/purpose, scope, background, sources/methods, definitions, limitations, and report organization.
A) True
B) False
Question 18
The more decorative elements you can add to a graphic, the more interesting and useful it will be to the audience.
A) True
B) False
Question 19
All appendixes should be
A) listed in the table of contents, but not mentioned in the text of the report.
B) mentioned in the text of the report, but not listed in the table of contents.
C) mentioned in the text of the report and listed in the table of contents.
D) included in the index, but not listed in the table of contents.
E) printed in a font that is different than that of the report text.
Question 20
The authors of an informational report have referred to a multitude of data on the spending habits of 18- to 25-year-old Americans. They want to provide readers with access to this information, but realize it's too lengthy to include in the body of the report. Where should they place it?
A) Nowhere-it should simply be left out.
B) In an appendix.
C) After the letter of transmittal.
D) Between the prefatory parts and the introduction.
E) At the very end of the report, in a section labeled "Extras."
Question 21
Which of the following is not a typical function of the introduction to a report?
A) Telling the audience what the report is about
B) Explaining to readers why they should be concerned about the topic
C) Outlining how the report is organized
D) Documenting sources
E) All of these are typical functions.
Question 22
You're preparing a report on how to reduce network problems at your company's home office. Since the report is organized in the direct approach, the close should
A) present the conclusions and recommendations for the first time.
B) be relatively long.
C) be relatively brief.
D) end by asking readers what they think is the best course of action.
E) make it clear that it would be foolish and irresponsible to ignore your recommendations.
Question 23
The best way to decide what to include in an introduction is to
A) consult with more-experienced report writers.
B) figure out what kinds of information will most help your readers follow and comprehend the report.
C) put in as many standard topics as you can cover in 10 pages or less.
D) do a quick survey of potential readers.
E) skim the report quickly, and list what you remember.
Question 24
The list of secondary sources at the end of a report can be labeled "References" when
A) it contains fewer than 10 items.
B) it contains more than 50 items.
C) it is incomplete.
D) you want the tone of your report to be conversational.
E) you include works consulted but not mentioned in your report.
Question 25
To help ensure accuracy, the table of contents for a formal report should be prepared
A) before the text is written.
B) as you are drafting the text.
C) as you prepare the list of references.
D) along with the footnotes or endnotes.
E) after the report is complete, thoroughly edited, and proofed.
Question 26
It is never appropriate to submit a business report without a title fly.
A) True
B) False
Question 27
The introduction is a good place to tell readers why they should be concerned with your topic.
A) True
B) False
Question 28
If there is a lack of consensus among the audience at the end of your presentation, you should
A) gloss over it as quickly as possible.
B) make the disagreement clear and be ready to suggest a method for resolving the differences.
C) identify the individuals causing the disagreement and ask them pointed questions.
D) calmly explain that no one is leaving until the disagreements are worked out.
E) do all of these.
Question 29
The slide master feature in presentation software
A) should be avoided, since it is viewed as a crutch for unskilled presenters.
B) gives your slides a cartoonish look.
C) helps create a consistent design for your entire slide show.
D) is too complicated for most presenters to use effectively.
E) is helpful only if you have fewer than 10 slides.
Question 30
Speaking from notes or an outline is often effective because
A) you can look at the notes instead of at your audience.
B) you can maintain a natural speaking flow.
C) it reduces the likelihood that you will improvise.
D) it enables you to read the presentation word-for-word.
E) it takes far less time to prepare than writing out the entire presentation.
Question 31
Sending preview materials to the audience prior to an online presentation
A) will cause most audience members to ignore what you present later.
B) suggests that you are not confident.
C) can be helpful, especially if you do not include your entire slide set.
D) is an example of the backchannel in action.
E) is necessary only if you are inexperienced.
Question 32
If you have 10 minutes or less to deliver a presentation, you should
A) speak as quickly as you possibly can.
B) limit yourself to four or five main points.
C) assume your audience is already interested.
D) organize your presentation as you would a brief written message.
E) not waste time on an introduction; instead, jump straight to the body of your message.
Question 33
When organizing a speech or presentation, your first step is to
A) develop an outline.
B) define the main idea.
C) write the introduction.
D) decide on the delivery style.
E) complete all of your visuals.
Question 34
The most popular type of visual aid for business presentations is
A) flip charts.
B) whiteboards.
C) electronic slides.
D) overhead transparencies.
E) All of these are equally popular.
Question 35
If your purpose is to analyze, persuade, or collaborate, you should organize your speech around conclusions and recommendations or a logical argument.
A) True
B) False