Professional Communication
Midterm Exam
Course Introduction
Professional Communication explores the principles and practices essential for effective communication in professional settings. The course covers a range of topics including written, oral, and digital communication, with an emphasis on clarity, conciseness, and audience adaptation. Students will develop skills in crafting emails, reports, proposals, and presentations, as well as strategies for intercultural communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution. By engaging in practical assignments and real-world scenarios, students will enhance their ability to convey ideas persuasively and professionally in the workplace.
Recommended Textbook
Business Communication 16th Edition by Carol Lehman
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19 Chapters
1308 Verified Questions
1308 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Establishing a Framework for Business Communication
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75 Verified Questions
75 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) You are faced with a work-related ethical dilemma.In deciding what action to take,you would:
A)Check the company code of ethics to see if the action is prohibited.
B)Check legal implications and the company code of ethics, and then decide if the action is personally ethical.
C)Check with colleagues to see if they would take the action.
D)Check the legal implications and feel free to take the action if it is not illegal.
Answer: B
Q2) Ramona wants a colleague in another building to read the final revision of the report they wrote collaboratively.She then wants it distributed throughout the plant to seven managers for their comments prior to its presentation in two days.What is the most efficient media to accomplish these two tasks?
A)Fax machine
B)Memorandums
C)email
D)Teleconferencing
Answer: C
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3
Chapter 2: Focusing on Interpersonal and Group Communication
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67 Verified Questions
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Sample Questions
Q1) Kelly,who is on Team A,constantly complains and criticizes her team members; she is playing the role of detractor.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) In a team with representatives from many different departments in a company,the director of human resources keeps tension low among members.The director of human resources is fulfilling which role in the team?
A)Facilitator
B)Harmonizer
C)Leader
D)Reporter
Answer: B
Q3) Guidelines for effective meetings include
A)limiting meeting length and frequency.
B)eliminating conflict.
C)preparing an agenda immediately following each meeting.
D)seeking unanimous agreement on all important issues.
Answer: A
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Chapter 3: Planning Spoken and Written Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) The use of doublespeak may be either deliberate or unintentional.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) The use of euphemisms eliminates the need to use negative terms that may suggest unpleasant ideas.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) Doublespeak is a term that refers to a message that deliberately misleads,hides,or evades the truth.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q4) Both good-news and routine news messages follow the deductive pattern.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Preparing Spoken and Written Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) A collaborative work group that uses electronic bulletin boards for discussing ideas can decrease the amount of time spent in teams meetings.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The "Plain English" campaign promotes the clear presentation of complex information so that the audience has the best possible chance of understanding it.
A)True
B)False
Q3) From a managerial point of view,which is the BEST advice?
A)Leave proofreading to the administrative help.
B)Spot check documents for accuracy before signing them.
C)Read all documents carefully before signing them.
D)Key your own documents, even if you have administrative help.
Q4) Which of the following sentences illustrates passive voice?
A)She served the customer the food.
B)The food was served to the customer.
C)The customer asked to change the order.
D)You took the customer's order.
Q5) Explain how writing a document in Plain English increases its effectiveness.
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Chapter 5: Communicating Electronically
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Sample Questions
Q1) The word "Meeting" is an example of an efficient and effective subject line for an email message.
A)True
B)False
Q2) You receive an email message from a co-manager concerning the negative performance of an employee.How do you respond?
A)Reply to the email, adding your comments to those of your co-manager.
B)Forward the email to the employee.
C)Meet with your co-manager and discuss the employee's weaknesses face to face.
D)Forward the email to your supervisor for her comments.
Q3) When using instant messaging,spelling and grammar matter less than when using e-mail.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Discuss five techniques for composing appropriate web content.
Q5) Email and cell phone calls are preferred channels for communicating information that is private or sensitive.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 6: Delivering Good and Neutral News Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Appreciation letters that are not sent in a timely manner may arouse questions about the sender's motive.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What questions should you ask yourself in order to determine an appropriate communication channel for a particular message?
Q3) Which is the recommended format for writing the date of February 10,2011,in an international business document?
A)2/10/11
B)10.2 2011
C)February 10, 2011
D)10th of February, 2011
Q4) When you provide credit information about another person,you have an ethical and legal obligation to
A)yourself.
B)the credit applicant.
C)the business from whom credit is requested.
D)all of the above.
Q5) Discuss the impact of culture in delivering good- and routine-news messages.
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Chapter 7: Delivering Bad-News Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Melody is responding negatively to a request for a claim.Which of the following would she NOT do in composing her message to the customer?
A)Begin the message with a neutral, dependent clause, followed by a statement implying the refusal.
B)Include sales promotional and resale material in the last paragraph.
C)Offer an alternative service as a gesture of goodwill.
D)Present the reasoning behind her decision without using emotional wording.
Q2) Email is typically the most effective channel for communicating negative organizational news.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The governor of West Virginia during the Sago mine tragedy told Sago managers and inspectors to share all the factual information,good or bad.
A)True
B)False
Q4) In some circumstances,placing a refusal in the first sentence is justified.
A)True
B)False
Q5) List and explain three stylistic aspects of writing a bad-news statement.
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Chapter 8: Delivering Persuasive Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Marcus is writing a persuasive message asking his employees to complete an online company survey.Which of the following should he avoid when writing his message?
A)Keeping paragraphs short
B)Using concrete nouns and active verbs
C)Focusing the spotlight on benefits to the company
D)Using an inductive outline
Q2) An ethical communicator will substantiate any claims made and reflect a sensitivity to those who might find a message offensive.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A response that is sent to someone who has invited a persuasive message requires an attention-getting sentence to start the message.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Habitat for Humanity has used persuasion to effectively gain donations of time,talent,and resources.
A)True
B)False
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Page 10
Chapter 9: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
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Sample Questions
Q1) Explain the difference between a finding,conclusion,and recommendation.What is the relationship between them?
Q2) When explaining "limitations," the researcher is noting
A)his or her own weaknesses and those of the team.
B)why there is not enough time to do a thorough job.
C)constraints which the researcher has chosen to place on the research.
D)normal constraints placed on the research which are beyond the control of the researcher.
Q3) Which of the following would be considered a recommendation?
A)The cost of the brick veneer will be seven percent more than aluminum siding.
B)Even though brick veneer is more expensive, we understand it will be more durable over the years.
C)Install brick veneer, since its slightly higher cost will be well offset by its durability.
D)Both brick veneer and aluminum siding have their advantages.
Q4) Primary research sources include periodicals,computer databases,and encyclopedias.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Describe the four steps in finding a solution to a business problem.
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Chapter 10: Managing Data and Using Graphics
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Sample Questions
Q1) The state board of education has asked for the number of last year's high school graduates attending each of the state's 19 public universities.Which of the following graphics would be MOST effective?
A)Bar chart
B)Pie chart
C)Table
D)Gantt chart
Q2) Flip charts and white boards are obsolete and have been replaced by electronic presentations.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following is an example of an effective talking title?
A)Interest Rates in the U.S.
B)U.S.Rates of Interest from January-April
C)U.S.Interest Rates Declined January-April
D)News on Interest Rates
Q4) A graphic that will not fit on the page where it is introduced should be placed in an appendix.
A)True
B)False
Page 12
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Chapter 11: Organizing and Preparing Reports and Proposals
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Sample Questions
Q1) An RFP describes a problem that needs to be solved and invites respondents to describe their proposed solutions.
A)True
B)False
Q2) An abstract,or executive summary,summarizes the findings section of the formal report but does not mention the recommendation(s).
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following is NOT a benefit of form reports?
A)Increase clerical accuracy
B)Save time for the preparer
C)Make data tabulation easier
D)Increase personalization
Q4) An appendix contains supplementary information that supports the report but is not appropriate for inclusion in the report itself.
A)True
B)False
Q5) What is research credibility,and how can you enhance your credibility as a researcher?
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Chapter 12: Designing and Delivering Business
Presentations
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Sample Questions
Q1) Under the Copyright Act of 1976,copyright is automatic as soon as a file is posted to the Internet.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Simplified English,with a core vocabulary of 1,500 words,is recommended when presenting to an audience of people who speak English as a second language.
A)True
B)False
Q3) When delivering a presentation,an impressive introduction of you as the speaker will help to establish your credibility with the audience.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The close of a presentation should be creative and memorable because audiences tend to remember what they hear last.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Discuss four guidelines to follow when your dialect differs from that of your audience.
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Chapter 13: Preparing Résumés and Application Letters
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Sample Questions
Q1) To accommodate different employers' preferences for the presentation and delivery of résumés,a person should prepare
A)a paper résumé.
B)an electronic résumé.
C)a computer scannable résumé.
D)all of the above.
Q2) Employers generally prefer not to receive information that provides information about gender,age,marital status,religion,national origin,or disability because questions could be raised about whether the information was used in the hiring decision.
A)True
B)False
Q3) La'Shon is hoping to obtain a job in broadcasting and plans to send his résumé to a variety of media organizations.He should make his résumé as convincing as possible but should not send a video to avoid possible discrimination due to gender,ethnicity,or other characteristics.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Describe three steps in the research phase of a job search.
Q5) Discuss five guidelines for producing a résumé for posting to YouTube.
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Chapter 14: Interviewing for a Job and Preparing
Employment Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Gabrielle has an interview for a position in sales.Which of the following would most likely contribute to a favorable first impression in the interview.
A)Maintain eye contact and use body language to convey confidence.
B)Use the interviewer's first name to convey friendliness.
C)Gently shake hands so that the impression given is not overbearing.
D)Sit back and relax to appear in control of the situation.
Q2) List four guidelines for an applicant to start a job interview off "on the right foot."
Q3) Which of the following is FALSE concerning the handshake?
A)The initial handshake in an interview helps to form a favorable first impression.
B)Candidates with an impressive handshake are viewed by interviewers as having stronger social skills.
C)The handshake is more important for men than for women in making a positive impression in the interview.
D)All of the above are true.
Q4) Discuss the implications of disclosing potentially damaging information in an employment reference.
Q5) Discuss appropriate ways to respond to illegal interview questions.
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Chapter 15: Document Format and Layout Guide
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Sample Questions
Q1) A watermark on business stationery detracts from the impression of quality.
A)True
B)False
Q2) When an attention line is used in a letter,it appears as the first line of the letter address.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Reports should always be prepared with equal left and right margins.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A letter with mixed punctuation has a comma after the salutation and no mark of punctuation after the complimentary close.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Which of the following applies to paragraph indention?
A)Indented paragraphs are required in the modified block format.
B)Indented paragraphs are optional in the block style.
C)Indented paragraphs are optional in the modified block format.
D)Indented paragraphs are never used in a business letter.
Q6) Discuss the use of emoticons in business messages.
Page 17
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Chapter 16: Referencing Styles
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Sample Questions
Q1) Some word processing programs assist in the creation of reference pages.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What is the difference between a citation and a reference? Why are both important to proper documentation in a report?
Q3) When in doubt on the format for a reference you have cited,good advice is to provide more information rather than less.
A)True
B)False
Q4) In some reference styles,it is permissible to include subheadings that denote the types of publications documented,such as books,articles,websites,etc.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Both MLA and APA styles support the use of in-text citations.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Why can citing electronic sources be challenging? What is the best advice for citing electronic sources when you are unsure about the required format?
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Chapter 17: Language Review and Exercises
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Sample Questions
Q1) The following sentence is grammatically correct: I except your offer to fill the sales associate position.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Use an adjective to modify
A)a noun or pronoun.
B)a verb.
C)another adjective.
D)any of the above.
Q3) Numbers used as the first word of a sentence should be spelled out.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The following sentence is correctly punctuated: The proposed design is eye-catching.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Sentences should generally NOT end with a preposition.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Describe three situations in which numbers should be spelled out.
Page 19
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Chapter 18: Extension Course Posttest
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is correct concerning the executive summary (abstract)in the preliminary pages and the summary that appears as a final section of the report body?
A)Only one or the other is necessary, since they would contain the same information.
B)Both are necessary because the executive summary summarizes the essential elements of the entire report and the summary reviews the main points presented in the report's findings.
C)Both are essential because they are prescribed sections in the APA style.
D)Neither is necessary in a well-written, concise report.
Q2) Which of the following is NOT a weakness in survey research?
A)Using poorly constructed data gathering instruments
B)Administering the collection instrument to a small test sample before conducting the full survey
C)Using an instrument that contains bias
D)All of the above are weaknesses
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Chapter 19: Extension Course Pretest
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Sample Questions
Q1) Effective strategies for structuring bad-news messages
A)follow the deductive sequence.
B)vary dramatically from one company to another.
C)can generally be applied to cultures around the world.
D)are generally consistent among North American audiences.
Q2) Which research method would be best to determine whether employees learn more effectively in a face-to-face training class or in a web-based training session?
A)Historical
B)Survey
C)Observational
D)Experimental
Q3) Which of the following guidelines for writing a message extending credit is correct?
A)The writer should include the credit terms in the message.
B)The writer should not include the payment date and penalty fee for late payment.
C)The writer should omit any mention of sales promotion or resale.
D)The writer should not state the basis for extending the credit.
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21