Chapter 09
Sharing Informative and Positive Messages with Appropriate Technology
True / False Questions
1. | An informative message has the primary purpose of de-emphasizing any negative elements.
True False |
2. | An informative message has the secondary purpose of reducing or eliminating future messages on the same subject.
True False |
3. | Smartphones allow users to conduct word processing, learn their next tasks, and update a job's status.
True False |
4. | Telepresence is a low-cost alternative to video conferencing and allows employees to connect and collaborate remotely with web cameras that are standard on many newer laptops or tablets.
True False |
5. | Phone calls are a better choice than face-to-face visits when a business requires negotiation or a dialogue.
True False |
6. | Face-to-face visits are a good choice when discretion is vital and you do not want to leave a paper trail.
True False |
7. | Instant messages should be used specifically for long messages on critical issues such as getting feedback on a report or negotiating a price.
True False |
8. | Wikis are an online form of content knowledge management used by companies to advertise products for consumers.
True False |
9. | While using a pattern of organizing messages, you should realize that every message that uses the basic pattern will have every element of that pattern.
True False |
10. | A subject line helps in retrieving a message and tells readers why they need to read the message.
True False |
11. | It is important to highlight information in a subject line if the information is neutral or negative.
True False |
12. | A way to ensure that an e-mail gets read is to use important information in the subject line.
True False |
13. | When you send out regularly scheduled messages on the same topic, it is important to put new material at the top or use color for new or changed entries.
True False |
14. | A message requires benefits when presenting only factual information.
True False |
15. | Goodwill endings should focus on the reader's hobbies, family, or personal life.
True False |
16. | Complimenting a reader for a job well done is an example of a goodwill ending.
True False |
17. | When using humor in a message, you should opt for political or religious humor, because it always helps to lighten the audience's mood.
True False |
18. | A good way to organize a memo or letter of transmittal is to start by saying what you are sending.
True False |
19. | In a summary of a conversation for internal use, you should identify the people who were present, the topic of discussion, the decisions made, and who does what next.
True False |
20. | In order to summarize a document, you should start with some supporting evidence or the details of a message.
True False |
Multiple Choice Questions
21. | Which of the following is an example of a positive message?
A. | Offering details to employees about the insurance benefits that a company offers |
B. | Informing employees of upcoming cutbacks on costs, due to a financial crisis |
C. | Requesting monthly progress reports from the members of a sales department |
D. | Offering criticism and pointing out loopholes in a subordinate's presentation |
E. | Providing employees with sales target figures to be achieved for the upcoming quarter |
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22. | Which of the following is true of informative messages?
A. | They are always lengthy and descriptive in nature. |
B. | They elicit a neutral reaction from the receiver. |
C. | They immediately ask a receiver to undertake action. |
D. | They are void of any persuasive elements in them. |
E. | They have a primary purpose to build a good image of the sender. |
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23. | Which of the following would be classified as an informative message?
A. | Denying an increase in credit limit by a bank to a customer |
B. | Informing a student that an application to the college has been rejected |
C. | Distributing the minutes of a meeting to all members of the meeting |
D. | Informing an employer of one's resignation from a job |
E. | Announcing to a customer that the payment date for a policy has lapsed |
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24. | Which of the following is a primary purpose of an informative message?
A. | To build a good image of the sender's organization |
B. | To de-emphasize any negative information |
C. | To eliminate future messages on the same subject |
D. | To build a good image of the sender |
E. | To have the receiver view the information positively |
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25. | Rhonda is a relationship manager at Orbit Bank in California. She needs to write to a customer to let him know that his application for an increase in credit limit has been approved. In her message, she includes information about the company's history and testimonials from other valued customers. What is the secondary purpose of including this additional information?
A. | Building a good image of her organization |
B. | Cementing a good relationship with her manager |
C. | Making the customer view the information positively |
D. | Providing good news to the customer |
E. | Having the customer view the information neutrally |
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26. | Estefani works as a communication executive at a fashion publication in Paris. She has been asked by her editor to prepare a draft on prospective topics for their upcoming winter edition. Estefani wants to search for ideas from fashion websites and e-mail her network of designers to know the current trends for the winter season. Which of the following communication hardware will satisfy all of Estefani's needs?
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27. | Which of the following tasks can be undertaken by a portable media player?
A. | Broadcasting streaming video |
B. | Accessing blogs and websites |
D. | Completing a time sheet |
E. | Making telephone calls |
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28. | Monica is an executive assistant at a campaigning organization and needs to organize an important project meeting in the upcoming week. Although she has made all arrangements well ahead of time, the project manager needs to travel out of town on the day of the scheduled meeting. She needs to find a way to still organize the meeting with the active participation of all members including the project manager. Which of the following would help Monica arrange this meeting?
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29. | Which of the following is a function of telepresence?
A. | It creates virtual meetings that are almost lifelike. |
B. | It allows users to conduct word processing. |
C. | It facilitates sending and receiving of e-mails. |
D. | It helps users make telephone calls. |
E. | It facilitates access to a range of websites. |
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30. | Which of the following is true about information overload?
A. | It is a secondary purpose of informative and positive messages. |
B. | It is made up of crucial data such as annual reports which tend to be lengthy. |
C. | It makes people become selective about the messages they open and read. |
D. | It is desirable, because it keeps people informed about vital happenings. |
E. | It is a strategy to make employees in a company more efficient and productive. |
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31. | Face-to-face visits are a good choice of communication when:
A. | you want to leave a paper trail. |
B. | you need something urgently. |
C. | your purpose is not to build a work relationship. |
D. | you want interaction to be the least intrusive. |
E. | communication is short and noncritical. |
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32. | Enya is a climate change campaigner and is working on a global warming campaign. She is currently working on the second stage of a project in which she needs to discuss marketing strategies with Carrie, the communications manager. She understands that her interaction with Carrie will involve long discussions on the pros and cons of different strategies. She is also aware that the process is complicated, and she needs to efficiently understand Carrie's views on implementing different modes of communication. According to the scenario, which of the following is most likely to be the ideal mode of communication for Enya?
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33. | In which of the following situations should phone calls be used as a mode of communication?
A. | When you intend to leave a paper trail. |
B. | When the tone of voice is important. |
C. | When you do not need an immediate response. |
D. | When you want to establish a work relationship. |
E. | When you want visual and aural cues. |
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34. | Selena needs to schedule a meeting for her manager, Lee, with an important business client. She receives an e-mail in the morning from the client's assistant. The e-mail states that 11 a.m. on Tuesday suits them well and requests that Selena confirm the time as soon as possible. Selena needs to confirm the meeting by first checking if the time works well for Lee. Which of the following would be the best mode of communication for Selena?
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35. | Which of the following is most likely a reason for the decline in the use of phone calls?
A. | Unplanned phone calls interrupt a busy worker. |
B. | The tone of the message is not clear in phone calls. |
C. | Phone calls do not provide an immediate response. |
D. | Phone calls do not provide a clear communication channel. |
E. | Phone calls provide less contextual cues compared to text messages. |
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36. | Which of the following is a difference between instant messages and phone calls?
A. | Instant messages are less intrusive than phone calls. |
B. | Instant messages provide more contextual cues than phone calls. |
C. | Instant messages increase the time needed to solve a problem, while phone calls decrease the time. |
D. | Instant messages are used to convey long messages, while phone calls are used to convey short messages. |
E. | Instant messages are answered immediately, while phone calls are not answered immediately. |
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37. | Which of the following statements is true of text messaging?
A. | It can be used without discretion, because it does not leave a paper trail. |
B. | It generally takes a long amount of time to be answered or replied to. |
C. | It is appropriate for communicating socially, but has no place in business. |
D. | It is appropriate for short messages, since they are less intrusive than phone calls. |
E. | It is ideal for critical issues in a business which involve negotiations. |
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38. | Wikis can be used for:
A. | promoting products and adding visibility of a brand. |
B. | bookmarking and summarizing web pages. |
C. | informing clients of terms and conditions in a transaction. |
D. | recruiting prospective employees to an organization. |
E. | establishing a good relationship with customers. |
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39. | The project managers at Karbon Footprint, an environmental organization, are meeting to decide on a social media which will help them track the progress of different ongoing projects and monitor the tasks undertaken by campaigners. They need a social media which is internal so that privacy of their project strategies remains within their organization. Which of the following would best serve the project managers' purpose?
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40. | _____ is a social networking tool where users create a profile, chat, and share interests with other users.
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41. | Laila is a popular pop music artist. She recently had a chat with Jeremy, her public relations executive, asking him to work on increasing her online presence in order to increase her fan following. Jeremy then uses a microblog, which lets Laila's fans know what music album she is working on and concerts she will be singing at through the use of short text messages. Which of the following modes of social media is Jeremy most likely using?
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42. | Pablo tweeted "The office meeting time has changed. It is now from nine to three. Have a great day! #change #newtime #officerules" Some people felt that Pablo's tweet was an inappropriate work place tweet because it:
C. | does not convey anything important. |
D. | does not use acronyms. |
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43. | _____ allows professionals to connect with colleagues and other industry members and use the site to network and earn recommendations from past and current clients.
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44. | Which of the following is a difference between paper memos and e-mails?
A. | Paper memos have a format different from that of e-mails. |
B. | Paper memos are always lengthy, whereas e-mails are short. |
C. | Paper memos are informal, whereas e-mails are formal. |
D. | Paper memos have simple responses, whereas e-mails do not. |
E. | Paper memos are sent to external people, whereas e-mails are internal. |
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45. | Which of the following can be best communicated through an e-mail?
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46. | E-mails are commonly used to:
A. | avoid leaving behind a paper trail. |
B. | ensure readers respond immediately. |
C. | solve a problem when time is crucial. |
D. | undertake controversial activities. |
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47. | Which of the following is a disadvantage of e-mails?
C. | It does not create a paper trial. |
D. | It can be sent to only one person at a time. |
E. | It can lead to misinterpretation of sarcasm and irony. |
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48. | While drafting an e-mail, you should:
A. | use only capital letters in the subject line. |
B. | cover as many topics as possible in one e-mail. |
C. | put the most important information in the last sentence. |
D. | use an overview if the e-mail is more than one page long. |
E. | always use high priority markers like URGENT in the subject line. |
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49. | Olga is a public relations executive at an educational institution and needs to invite Florence Woods, a renowned author, for the institution's annual function in March. Olga knows that Florence has a busy schedule and travels around the globe for her work. Which of the following should Olga undertake while composing her e-mail, keeping in mind Florence's time restraints?
A. | Put important details about the annual meet in the middle paragraph |
B. | Use an overview if the e-mail is less than one screen long |
C. | Limit the e-mail to the main topic of the annual meet |
D. | Avoid using headings if her e-mail is more than one screen long |
E. | Use off-topic materials to make the e-mail interesting |
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50. | Aliyah sent an e-mail to her manager requesting for a leave of two days in the following week. If she does not get a reply immediately, she should:
A. | send the same e-mail again after a few minutes. |
B. | ask the manager in person to reply to the e-mail. |
C. | wait for a day before e-mailing the manager again. |
D. | call her manager to know if the e-mail was received. |
E. | send another e-mail with the subject line "READ NOW." |
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51. | Which of the following should be undertaken while using a basic pattern of organization in a message?
A. | Understand the rationale or logic behind each of the patterns. |
B. | Remember that the pattern cannot be modified or changed when necessary. |
C. | Know that every message with the basic pattern will have all elements included. |
D. | Understand that you should always present several elements in one paragraph. |
E. | Remember that you should never have several paragraphs for just one element. |
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52. | Lana works as a communications executive at a non-governmental children's rights organization. She has finished compiling the annual report for the current year and now needs to send it out to all the campaign managers in the organization. Which of the following would be the most appropriate subject line to send out the report?
A. | Annual Report for your reference |
B. | Annual Report for the current year |
C. | Objectives, Milestones, and Lessons learned in 2013 |
E. | Details of our Annual Campaigns |
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53. | Which of the following should you do when creating subject lines to help ensure that an e-mail is read?
A. | Make the subject line ambiguous and general to cater to a large audience. |
B. | Highlight the subject line if the information is neutral or negative. |
C. | Use generic tags, such as "hello" or "thank you" to give the message a friendly note. |
D. | Name drop in the subject line to make an appropriate connection. |
E. | Ensure the reader does not recognize the sender to eliminate possible bias. |
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54. | Which of the following is an appropriate subject line for a neutral or positive message?
B. | Thank You for the Effort |
C. | Office Will Be Closed Tomorrow |
D. | Submit Reports by 12.12.2014 |
E. | Points to Be Discussed in the Next Meeting |
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55. | Which of the following should you do to manage information efficiently in messages?
A. | Place new material in the center of a message. |
B. | Use overviews if a message is short and concise. |
C. | Use multiple paragraphs while answering multiple questions. |
D. | Use color to highlight new information. |
E. | Place crucial information in an attachment. |
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56. | Which of the following should be followed in order to manage information in e-mails?
A. | Bullets should be avoided in long e-mails. |
B. | Checklists are too elementary and should be avoided. |
C. | Numbers should be used while answering multiple questions. |
D. | Messages with attachments should not include the most vital information. |
E. | New materials should be placed at the bottom while sending regular updates. |
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57. | It is not necessary to include benefits in positive and informative messages when:
B. | presenting factual information only. |
C. | presenting benefits that may not be obvious. |
D. | stressing benefits that present the audience's motives positively. |
E. | shaping your audience's attitudes toward the information or toward your organization. |
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58. | Positive and informative messages should include benefits when:
A. | presenting factual information only. |
B. | presenting benefits that may not be obvious. |
C. | the benefits make the audience seem selfish. |
D. | the audience's attitude toward the information does not matter. |
E. | the benefits are so obvious that restating them insults the audience's intelligence. |
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59. | Which of the following statements is true of a goodwill ending in positive and informative messages?
A. | It should work if the same basic message is sent to someone else with the same title. |
B. | It is a good idea to end an e-mail with "feel free to call." |
C. | It should focus on the reader's hobbies, family, or personal life. |
D. | It should not refer to the company's relationship with the reader's organization. |
E. | It should show you see the reader as an individual. |
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60. | Which of the following is the best example of a goodwill ending in a positive business e-mail?
B. | Wish you a happy weekend! |
C. | Convey my regards to your family. |
D. | If you have any questions please feel free to call. |
E. | I am looking forward to receiving more orders from you. |
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61. | Which of the following statements is true of stories in informative messages?
A. | They help people to remember information, but not understand it. |
B. | They are time-consuming and should be avoided. |
C. | They are usually in detail and one to two pages long. |
D. | They enable people to put facts in context. |
E. | They are fiction, but not narratives. |
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62. | Which of the following statements is true of using humor in business communications?
A. | There should be no restraints while using humor to convey informative messages. |
B. | It should be completely avoided, as it always makes a message seem less important. |
C. | Sexual and religious humor should be avoided, but political humor can be used. |
D. | It can be directed at specific people if they never get to see the message. |
E. | It can help increase the chances that a message is read or heard. |
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63. | Which of the following statements is true of a letter of transmittal?
A. | It should inform the reader what is being sent at the end. |
B. | It should begin with summarization of the main points of a document. |
C. | It should have important primary purposes rather than secondary ones. |
D. | It should not include details of what will happen next, as it might be a distraction. |
E. | It should include information that would help the reader understand the document. |
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64. | Which of the following should be undertaken while summarizing a message?
A. | Start with the main points and then move on to explaining supporting material. |
B. | Use chronological accounts while summarizing data for external people. |
C. | Provide a step-by-step account of what you did when it involves an external audience. |
D. | Avoid stating the topic of discussion in an internal conversation since it is already known. |
E. | Summarize a visit with a client by providing the main point from your own point of view. |
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65. | Which of the following should be undertaken while responding positively to a message?
A. | Grant a customer's request for a benefit in the last sentence of a message. |
B. | Talk about your own process in making the decision related to the message. |
C. | Give reason for the original mistake even if it does not give credit to a company. |
D. | Show that you are listening and want to resolve the problem. |
E. | Talk grudgingly if a customer's request is impractical and demanding. |
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Short Answer Questions
66. | What are the primary and secondary purposes of informative and positive messages?
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67. | How do video conferences help enhance business communication?
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68. | Edward has recently joined a new project, for which he needs to regularly coordinate with his colleague, Ken Bradley, to discuss project activities. He understands that the content of their communication needs to be confidential and should not leave any paper trail. In addition, he wants to establish a good working relationship with Mr. Bradley for future projects through this communication. Explain what common media Edward should use to establish communication efficiently with Mr. Bradley and why.
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69. | Explain what a wiki is and what its functions and advantages are in business communications.
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70. | What is the purpose of using blogs and what are some characteristics of good blogs?
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71. | List the purposes of using e-mails in business.
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72. | What are some key points to remember while using a pattern to organize messages?
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73. | What features should a good subject line have?
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74. | Why is the use of humor in informative messages considered risky? How can this be avoided?
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75. | List the order in which a transmittal should be organized.
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