Chapter 03 Aplia Assignment

Communication with the public and employees should be overseen by the director of PR. The duties of the crisis team should be divided according to each member’s area of expertise. Since communicating accurate information is critical, you will need to assign specific members to interface with your own employees and public-safety agencies. If your company does not have a public relations executive, this job should be handled by the head of marketing or human resources. Furthermore, all members of your crisis team should receive training in crisis communication.

1. Communication with the public and employees should be overseen by the director of PR. The duties of the crisis team should be divided according to each member’s area of expertise. Since communicating accurate information is critical, you will need to assign specific members to interface with your own employees and public-safety agencies. If your company does not have a public relations executive, this job should be handled by the head of marketing or human resources. Furthermore, all members of your crisis team should receive training in crisis communication.

2. All members of your crisis team should receive training in crisis communication, and the duties of the crisis team should be divided according to each member’s area of expertise. Since communicating accurate information is critical, you will need to assign specific members to interface with your own employees and public-safety agencies. Communication with the public and employees should be overseen by the director of PR. If your company does not have a public relations executive, this job should be handled by the head of marketing or human resources.

3. The duties of the crisis team should be divided according to each member’s area of expertise. Since communicating accurate information is critical, you will need to assign specific members to interface with your own employees and public-safety agencies. Communication with the public and employees should be overseen by the director of PR. If your company does not have a public relations executive, this job should be handled by the head of marketing or human resources. Nevertheless, all members of your crisis team should receive training in crisis communication.

The best revision of the original paragraph is:

A 3

B 1

C 2

Question #15

Paragraph coherence occurs when the ideas in a paragraph are linked and there is a logical flow from one idea to the next.
Which of the following are techniques that you can use to help the reader follow your ideas?

A Use pronouns to refer to previous nouns.
Avoid repetition of the same word more than once.

B Use longer paragraphs.
Use pronouns to refer to previous nouns.

C Repeat a key idea by using the same expression or a similar one.
Use pronouns to refer to previous nouns.

D Place prepositions near the end of the sentence.
Repeat a key idea by using the same expression or a similar one.

Question #16

Read the selection and answer the question that follows.
As a member of the crisis management team, you are required to attend our biannual crisis management workshops. These workshops will prepare you to lead your division in the event of a company crisis. The workshops always take place during the second week in January, and they are held at our headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Workshop registration information is available on the company website.

Identify the function of the sentence As a member of the crisis management team, you are required to attend our biannual crisis management workshops.

A Support sentence

B Topic sentence

Question #17

Writers should use words carefully and construct sentences skillfully to emphasize main ideas and de-emphasize minor ideas.
Choose the best response.
Which of the following uses vivid words and phrases?

A Please make a copy of the report for everyone at our next meeting.

B Please make 12 copies of the report on paper with letterhead. We’ll use them in next week’s staff meeting when I announce our exciting new corporate merger.

Question #18

Effective business writers use various techniques to improve their messages. How could the following selection be improved?
The last time the board met, members discussed sending Fui to Tokyo for training on HumanPoint software, but she isn’t working with HumanPoint any longer because we decided to use Point I software rather than HumanPoint, and she will no longer need to attend this training.
The problem in this ineffective selection is:

A Passive voice

B Sentence length/comprehension rate

C A dangling/misplaced modifier

Question #19

Choose the best revision to the following sentence.
Teagan saw the recommendations flipping through the report.

A Flipping through the report, Teagan saw the recommendations.

B Teagan saw the recommendations, flipping through the report.

Question #20

Parallel sentences are balanced and easy for readers to understand.
Choose which sentence has the better parallel structure.

A If you write well, speak well, and are using good interpersonal skills, you will do well in this corporation.

B If you write well, speak well, and use good interpersonal skills, you will do well in this corporation.

Question #21

Does the following sentence use the active or passive voice?
Dr. Rudolfo presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Christina Balian.

A Passive

B Active

Question #22

When you compose messages, you may use the active or passive voice to convey meaning. Most business messages use the active voice. Which of the following are instances when you would use the passive voice in a business message?

A To avoid beginning the sentence with it
To emphasize an action instead of the recipient of an action

B To conceal the doer of an action
To create confusion for your reader

C To emphasize an action instead of the recipient of an action
To conceal the doer of an action

D To avoid beginning the sentence with it
To create confusion for your reader

Question #23

In some cases it is necessary to de-emphasize an idea, such as bad news. Does the following selection emphasize or de-emphasize the bad news?
While we are unable to renew your contract for the upcoming year, we hope to have the position reposted once the funds are available.

A Emphasize

B De-emphasize

Question #24

You can improve your message by using mechanical emphasis, parallelism, voice, and well-placed descriptions.
One way to achieve emphasis is through mechanical devices.
Complete the following sentence.
_________ —used sparingly—can be an effective way to emphasize explanatory information.

A Dashes

B Italics

Question #25

Select the correct version of each pair of the following sentences.

A Convey your ideas clearly use precise wording.

B Convey your ideas clearly, and use precise wording.

Question #26

Select the correct version of each pair of the following sentences.

A The communication process works fluidly, moving from one step to the next often without pause.

B The communication process works fluidly. Moving from one step to the next often without pause.

Question #27

Select the correct version of each pair of the following sentences.

A Employees today aren’t hired only for their knowledge. Their ability to learn new things is also vital.

B Employees today aren’t hired only for their knowledge, their ability to learn new things is also vital.

Question #28

Select the correct version of each pair of the following sentences.

A You write well, furthermore you should represent the company.

B You write well, so you should represent the company.

Question #29

Avoiding the most common sentence faults helps you maintain professional credibility and craft more effective messages.
Select the correct version of each pair of the following sentences.

A Local markets have become saturated, therefore companies now look to other countries for further expansion.

B Local markets have become saturated; therefore, companies now look to other countries for further expansion.

Question #30

The three most common sentence errors are fragments, run-ons, and comma splices. If you can identify the common types of sentence errors, you will be more likely to avoid making them.
Read the following selections and identify the sentence error.
Typing an e-mail message is a form of message encoding. Such as converting an idea into written language.

A Fragment

B Run-on

C Comma splice

Question #31

Sentence length also impacts the reception of your message.
Complete the following sentence.
Limiting your sentences to ___________ will help the reader comprehend the message.

A 28 words or fewer

B 20 words or fewer

Question #32

Identify the sentence pattern of the following sentence.
Katherine submitted the recommendation report yesterday.

A Compound

B Complex

C Simple

Question #33

The most compelling and effective messages contain a variety of sentence patterns and avoid common sentence faults. You can create successful messages with sentence variety by understanding the four sentence types, controlling the length of your sentences, and avoiding fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.
Identify the correct pattern of a complex sentence.

A One independent clause with a subject and a predicate verb

B An independent clause and a dependent clause

C Two independent clauses joined by a conjunction, a semicolon, or a conjunctive adverb

Question #34

Outlines give you a chance to organize your thinking before determining word choice and sentence structure. Which of the following will help you create a more effective outline?

A Combine subpoints whenever possible.
Put the main idea in the title.
Allow subpoints to overlap.

B Strive for three to five major components.
Put the main idea in the title.
Move single subpoint to larger groups.

C Strive for three to five major components.
Put the main idea in the title.
Move single subpoint to larger groups.

D Strive for three to five major components.
Have one main topic that does not relate to the title.
Move single subpoint to larger groups.

Question #35

Read the following message and identify the organizational pattern used.
Your bonuses will be in your next paycheck. The sales department exceeded its goals this month. Congratulations!
In this message, the ________ organizational pattern is used.

A direct

B indirect

Question #36

Read the following scenario and determine if the situation requires a direct or indirect message.
You are going on a business trip to Singapore to deliver a proposal to a potential client. You have finished proofing the last part of the presentation, and you need your coworker to doublecheck the statistics in your presentation before you go.

A direct

B indirect

Question #37

An indirect strategy places the main idea after an explanation or reason.
Which of the following is a situation that might call for an indirect strategy?

A When writing to emphasize the writer’s concerns

B When trying to save the reader time

C Facilitates a fair hearing

Question #38

Business messages typically follow either a direct strategy or an indirect strategy. The direct strategy, or frontloading, places the main idea at the beginning of a message.

Using a direct opening strategy _____________.

A encourages fair hearing

B sets a proper frame of mind

C counters audience resistance

Question #39

Answer the question based on the following scratch list.
The Boston Hotel
High-end linens
600-thread-count sheets
Coffeemaker and selected teas
Imported beer
Fresh-squeezed juices
Affordability
Food and drink
Double-thick bath towels
Silk pillowcases
Raw silk curtains with gold embellishments
$100/night four-star rooms
Free snacks, shampoo, and conditioner
Free wireless Internet

There are three main categories of amenities indicated in the scratch list: high-end linens, affordability, food and drink. Which of the following indicate three examples of supporting details for the main categories of amenities?
600-thread-count sheets
Coffeemaker and selected teas
Imported beer
Fresh-squeezed juices
Affordability
Food and drink
Double-thick bath towels
Silk pillowcases
Raw silk curtains with gold embellishments
$100/night four-star rooms
Free snacks, shampoo, and conditioner
Free wireless Internet

A $100/night four-star rooms, silk pillowcases, imported beer

B Affordability, coffeemaker and selected teas, food and drink

C High-end linens; free wireless Internet; free snacks, shampoo, and conditioner

Question #40

Once you have collected data for a message, you’ll need to find a way to organize it. Well-organized messages group similar ideas together, allowing readers to see relationships and follow arguments. You can use two primary techniques for organizing your information: a scratch list and an outline. Scratch lists and outlines give you a chance to __________________ .

A choose the correct words

B formulate appropriate sentence structure

C organize your thooughts before writing

Question #41

Read the following scenario, and determine which is the best research approach:
As a library board member, you are asked to write an e-mail to people who have donated books to the library. The message will inform them of an upcoming banquet honoring all supporters of the library.
Which is the best research approach?

A Formal. Conduct experiments in a controlled lab environment on the percentage of books in the library that are donated versus the percentage that are bought.

B Informal. Verify the banquet date and time by looking at past invitations in your files and talking to the library staff regarding scheduling. Then gather all of the donors’ names and e-mail addresses from the library contact sheet and send the message.

C Formal. Conduct research using outside sources at the library.

Question #42

Determine which research method is being used in the following scenario:
The market analyst of a chain megastore bakery, called More Dough, asks you to find out why people are choosing to go to smaller bakeries rather than their megastore in the same area. The analyst asks you to visit the smaller bakeries and observe the consumers and owners. After you observe and gather data, you are to bring your findings to a group of researchers who will establish controlled variables and conduct a series of experiments.

A Formal research

B informal research

Question #43

Routine tasks often require informal research methods. Routine tasks often require informal research methods.
Identify which informal research technique would be most appropriate for each situation.
During your first day on the job, you are asked to respond to a customer inquiry regarding an extended warranty. The best informal information gathering technique for this situation would be to:

A Brainstorm

B Conduct a scientific experiment

C Check company files

Question #44

Long reports and complex business problems often require formal research methods.
Consider the following scenario and identify which formal research method would be appropriate.
Your division has been asked to compile a recommendation for the price point for an innovative software application. You need to know how much customers will be willing to pay and under what circumstances.