Chapter 12: Public Relations

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Public-relations workers take action that is ______.

A. intentional

B. nonintentional

C. accidental

D. obtrusive

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Deliberate

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Public relations is a(n) ______ attempt to create action or reaction.

A. unorganized

B. organized

C. archaic

D. distributed

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Prepared

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. What will determine how public relations practitioners are judged?

A. How loud they are

B. How good-looking they are

C. How well practitioners execute their work

D. How much they earn

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Well-Performed

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Your communication within the sphere of public relations must ______.

A. define your sources

B. define your quotes

C. define your facts

D. serve the sender and the receiver

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Mutually Beneficial

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. In public relations, good practitioners understand that sending a message is important but receiving feedback from the recipients of that message ______.

A. also matters.

B. doesn’t really matter.

C. is annoying.

D. is expensive.

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Responsive

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Which type of release allows you to respond to newsworthy events and statements that affect your audience?

A. announcements

B. localization releases

C. reaction releases

D. bad news

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Reaction Releases

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. When something happens out of the ordinary and the media might have an interest in it, a(n) ______should be used.

A. crisis communication

B. reaction release

C. spot announcement

D. localization release

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Spot Announcements

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. The purpose of the news release is to ______.

A. provide content for an organization’s website

B. provide journalists with reading material

C. give public relations practitioners something to do

D. inform the media about an important topic that deserves public attention

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: News Release

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. ______ allow you to notify the media and the public about things such as changes in personnel, product launches, employment opportunities, and legal actions.

A. Announcements

B. Spot announcements

C. Reaction releases

D. Bad news

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Announcements

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. ______ alert the media to breaking news items that affect the company or organization, such as a fire at a job site or a power outage at a stadium.

A. Announcements

B. Spot announcements

C. Reaction releases

D. Reflex releases

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Spot Announcements

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. ______ are statements of your client’s position in the wake of news.

A. Announcements

B. Reflex releases

C. Reaction releases

D. Bad news

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Reaction Releases

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. What type of releases allow you to explain issues related to bad news and make statements regarding what will happen next from your end?

A. localization

B. announcements

C. reflex releases

D. bad news

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Bad News

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. ______ releases allow you to bring the broader issue to your readers in a local way.

A. Localization

B. Bad news

C. Reflex

D. Announcement

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Localization

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. ______ provide the basic information about a topic, a company, a group, an event, or an idea.

A. News releases

B. Fact sheets

C. Media alerts

D. Pitches

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Fact Sheets

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. ______ can list key sources the reporters can contact, important historical moments that can inform on a current situation or time–date–place elements for an upcoming event.

A. News releases

B. Pitches

C. Fact sheets

D. Media alerts

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Fact Sheets

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. ______ blend the lead-writing approach associated with the inverted pyramid and the bulleted approach common to fact sheets.

A. News releases

B. Pitches

C. Announcements

D. Media alerts

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Media Alerts

Difficulty Level: Easy

17. ______ typically use many of the 5W’s and 1H as a starting point for the bullets.

A. Media alerts

B. Fact sheets

C. Pitches

D. News releases

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Media Alerts

Difficulty Level: Easy

18. Practitioners write ______ to reporters, in which they outline the topic and provide facts on it.

A. news releases

B. pitches

C. fact sheets

D. media alerts

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Pitches

Difficulty Level: Medium

19. When working in the field of public relations, which of the following is a key principle that is best to avoid?

A. transparency

B. craft the best possible message

C. hide information as much as possible

D. understand your audience

Learning Objective: 12-2: Explain the concept of transparency and why it has value in the field of public relations.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Keys to PR

Difficulty Level: Medium

20. The idea behind ______ is to lay bare all of the issues associated with a topic, regardless of how good or bad they are, in a clear and immediate way.

A. focus

B. fame

C. oddity

D. transparency

Learning Objective: 12-2: Explain the concept of transparency and why it has value in the field of public relations.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Transparency

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. What is the gold standard for writing across all media forms?

A. clarity

B. a hashtag

C. email

D. credibility

Learning Objective: 12-3: Identify the key elements to providing the best possible message to your readers.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Present Information Clearly

Difficulty Level: Medium

22. With the exception of feature stories, the last paragraph of a news release is usually ______.

A. a summary

B. the boilerplate or corporate tag

C. a restatement of the lead

D. a look into the future

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: News Release

Difficulty Level: Easy

23. ______ signals to the readers that the news release is finished.

A. Dateline

B. Slug line

C. An end-of-story symbol

D. Headline

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: News Release

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. The body copy of a news release is ______ to make it easier for editors to make copy changes, if necessary.

A. bold-faced

B. single-spaced

C. triple-spaced

D. double-spaced

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: News Release

Difficulty Level: Easy

25. Websites associated with traditional media powers have ______ when compared to independent sites.

A. a much bigger reach

B. a much smaller reach

C. the same reach

D. no reach

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Their Audiences Can Become Your Audiences

Difficulty Level: Easy

True/False

1. Public-relations workers take action that is intentional.

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Deliberate

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Public relations is not an organized attempt to create action or reaction.

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Prepared

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Communication within the sphere of public relations must serve the sender and the receiver.

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Mutually Beneficial

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. In public relations, good practitioners understand that sending a message is important and receiving feedback from the recipients doesn’t really matter.

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Responsive

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Clarity is the gold standard for writing across all media forms.

Learning Objective: 12-3: Identify the key elements to providing the best possible message to your readers.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Present Information Clearly

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. Spot announcements allow you to notify the media and the public about things like changes in personnel, product launches, employment opportunities, and legal actions.

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Spot Announcements

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Reaction releases allow you to respond to newsworthy events and statements that affect your audience.

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Reaction Releases

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. With bad news releases, there is a local interest in putting information out to the public about a broader issue.

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Bad News

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. Fact sheets provide the basic information about a topic, a company, a group, an event, or an idea.

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Fact Sheets

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Pitches blend the lead-writing approach associated with the inverted pyramid and the bulleted approach common to fact sheets.

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Media Alerts

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Practitioners suggest ideas for stories to news outlets.

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Pitches

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. Good public-relations practitioners will espouse the benefits of transparency.

Learning Objective: 12-2: Explain the concept of transparency and why it has value in the field of public relations.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The “Bandage” Approach

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. The idea behind transparency is to lay bare all of the issues associated with a topic, regardless of how good or bad they are, in a clear and immediate way.

Learning Objective: 12-2: Explain the concept of transparency and why it has value in the field of public relations.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Transparency

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. Your goal in public relations is to create the best possible message and disseminate it in a way your audience can accept and understand it.

Learning Objective: 12-3: Identify the key elements to providing the best possible message to your readers.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Craft the Best Possible Message

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. Practitioners in this field rarely have multiple audiences.

Learning Objective: 12-3: Identify the key elements to providing the best possible message to your readers.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Understand Your Audience

Difficulty Level: Easy

Short Answer

1. What are a few terms and concepts that appear in many good definitions of public relations?

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining PR

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. What are some of the various pieces that practitioners create on a daily basis?

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Types of PR Writing

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. What is transparency and why is it important?

Learning Objective: 12-2: Explain the concept of transparency and why it has value in the field of public relations.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Transparency

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Why is the media important to public relations?

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Why the Media Matters

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. What are the key elements that all good PR practitioners should embrace?

Learning Objective: 12-3: Identify the key elements to providing the best possible message to your readers.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Keys to PR

Difficulty Level: Easy

Essay

1. What are some of the key aspects of public relations?

Learning Objective: 12-1: Understand the key aspects of public relations and how they relate to your work as a media professional.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining PR

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. List and describe some common types of news releases.

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Types of PR Writing

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. List and describe the most common forms of communication used in public relations.

Learning Objective: 12-4: Create properly formatted public-relations material, including a standard press release.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Types of PR Writing

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. What are some of the keys to doing public relations well?

Learning Objective: 12-5: Understand the various forms of information you will release and how to work with the media to meet their needs as you release content.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Keys to PR

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Why does the media still matter to those in public relations?

Learning Objective: 12-3: Identify the key elements to providing the best possible message to your readers.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Why the Media Matters

Difficulty Level: Easy