BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS

CHAPTER 14 REVIEW

True/False

1. Traditionally, the approach to producing the final version of a formal report involved a team effort.
2. Organizations that produce many reports and proposals usually favor single authorship as opposed to collaborative writing.
3. If you draft your report on a personal computer, you may find it more difficult to handle the mechanical aspects of report preparation.
4. No matter how well you write a report, you won't always get the response you want and in fact may get no response at all.
5. The more formal a report, the greater number of components it usually contains.
6. What distinguishes formal from informal reports is the more personal tone of formal reports.
7. Because they fall at the beginning of a report, the prefatory parts are usually written first.
8. A report title always starts with "A Study of" or "A Report on."
9. It is acceptable for the title page to serve as the report cover.
10. The letter of acceptance is the reply to the letter of authorization.
11. The letter of transmittal says what you would say if you were handing the report directly to someone.
12. The letter of transmittal should use the indirect approach, especially if the report is an analytical one.
13. If a report does not have a synopsis, the letter of transmittal can be used to summarize the major findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
14. The table of contents includes all levels of headings for the report.
15. A synopsis of a 15-page report is at least two pages long.
16. For a skeptical or hostile audience, you use an informative synopsis instead of a descriptive one.
17. A synopsis is generally more comprehensive than an executive summary.
18. Unlike a synopsis, an executive summary may contain headings and visual aids.
19. Many reports, especially short ones, do not require a synopsis or an executive summary.
20. Headings should be used sparingly in formal reports because they break up the flow of the narrative.
21. An introduction is never longer than a paragraph or two.

    
    

1. One way to reinforce the message in the body of a report is to
   • use heavier weight paper.
   • use supplementary parts.
   • use preview and review statements.
   • use factoring.
2. Which of the following is not a topic that would be covered in the introduction to a report?
   • the scope of the report.
   • definitions of terms used in the report.
   • sources and methods used in preparing the report.
   • the "proof" supporting the report's conclusions and recommendations.
3. The introduction to a formal report
   • falls between the title page and the table of contents.
   • is the same thing as the synopsis.
   • includes information that will help readers understand and accept the report.
   • does all of the above.
4. The detailed information necessary to support your conclusions and recommendations should be placed in
   • the prefatory parts of a report.
   • the body of a report.
   • the appendix of a report.
   • the supplementary parts of a report.
5. The key findings of a report are stated in the
   • summary.
   • conclusions.
   • recommendations.
   • notes.
6. Which of the following statements is a conclusion?
   • "Because the market for airplane parts is declining, Allied Industries should sell off its Turbo-Prop Inc. holdings by August 1999.
   • "The number of commercial airliners manufactured has declined 75 percent since 1982; the production of private planes has decreased 86 percent during the same period."
   • "The significant decline in production of both commercial and private aircraft during the 1980s and 1990s does not bode well for investment in general aviation and its allied services."
   • "After reviewing all the data on current trends in general aviation, I believe that Allied Industries should (1) hire a consultant more versed in the intricacies of this complex business, and (2) have the consultant make recommendations concerning the consolidation of our various general aviation holdings."
7. The recommendations in a report
   • consist of the report's key findings.
   • are the writer's analysis of what the findings mean.
   • spell out exactly what should happen next.
   • are the answers to the questions that led to the report.
8. When you have consulted various sources to gather information for your report, you
   • need not give credit unless you quote directly from them.
   • should handle references as conveniently and inconspicuously as possible.
   • should include the note "References available upon request."
   • should write for permission to use all these sources as references.
9. If you have a great deal of statistical information to summarize, it would be best to
   • use a table.
   • use a pie chart.
   • use a diagram.
   • put it all in the main body of the report.
10. When preparing a table, keep in mind
    • that a table with many columns can be turned sideways to fit on one page.
    • that some tabular material can be presented within the text without having to be set apart as a formal table.
    • that all items in a column are expressed in the same units.
    • all of the above.
11. The best type of visual aid for showing trends over time is
    • a table.
    • a pie chart.
    • a line chart.
    • an organization chart.
12. A surface chart is
    • a type of three-dimensional pie chart.
    • a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line.
    • a type of map showing various terrains.
    • used to show interrelationships within an organization.
13. A bar chart would be particularly useful for
    • summarizing the salaries of presidents at 20 corporations from 1995 to 1998.
    • comparing market shares of three breakfast cereals from 1995 to 1998.
    • showing the stages in production of a jet engine.
    • depicting the proportion of advertising dollars spent on various major media.
14. The best way to illustrate the composition of a whole is with a
    • pie chart.
    • line chart.
    • bar chart.
    • flow chart.
15. When preparing a pie chart, you
    • limit the number of slices to no more than seven.
    • place the largest segment at the 12 o'clock position.
    • make sure the segments add up to 100 percent.
    • do all of the above.
16. Flow charts are used to
    • summarize large amounts of statistical data.
    • show the relative sizes of the parts of a whole.
    • show how something looks or operates.
    • illustrate processes and procedures.
17. If you want both to control the amount of detail and to focus the reader's attention on particular parts or places in an illustration, you should use
    • a pie chart.
    • a photograph.
    • a drawing.
    • text only.
18. The prefatory material for a proposal is different from that for a formal report in that
    • it includes a copy of the RFP.
    • no letter of transmittal is included.
    • no title page is needed.
    • both a synopsis and an executive summary are included.
19. The body of a proposal is different from the body of a formal report in that
    • there is no need to include visual aids.
    • it includes less detail.
    • there is no need for an introduction.
    • it contains a work plan and a statement of qualifications.

Last Update: 09/07/01
Web Author: Angie Chittick
Copyright ©1998 by Angie Chittick - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED