BC 04

Chapter 4
PLANNING BUSINESS MESSAGES

Multiple Choice
1. The three primary steps involved in preparing a business message are
a. planning, writing, and completing.
b. informing, persuading, and collaborating.
c. defining the purpose, the main idea, and the topic.
d. satisfying the audience's informational, motivational, and practical
needs.
ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 90; TYPE: concept
2. In developing business messages, the stage during which you step back to see
whether you have expressed your ideas clearly is the
a. planning stage.
b. writing stage.
c. completing stage.
d. feedback stage.
ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 91; TYPE: concept
3. In preparing business messages, you should devote about ______ percent of
your time to planning.
a. 10
b. 20
c. 50
d. 70
4. Which of the following is not a general purpose common to business
communication?
a. To inform
b. To persuade
c. To negotiate
d. To collaborate
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5. An example of a specific purpose for a business message would be

a. to impart information to the audience.
b. to inform employees about the new vacation policy.
c. to persuade readers to take an action.
d. to obtain audience participation and collaboration.
ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 92; TYPE: application
6. Most messages should not be sent unless they will
a. bring about a change.
b. increase your chances of being promoted.
c. please your boss.
d. do all of the above.
ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 92; TYPE: concept
7. A message should be deferred or canceled if
a. your news is bad.
b. someone else wants to deliver it.
c. your audience is highly receptive.
d. the timing is wrong.
ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 93; TYPE: concept
8. Audience analysis is relatively easy when you are communicating with
a. strangers.
b. co-workers.
c. large groups of people.
d. customers on a mailing list.
ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 93; TYPE: concept
9. The primary audience for your message is made up of
a. all who receive it.
b. the key decision makers in the audience.
c. those people with the highest status.
d. those people who represent the opinions and attitudes of the majority.
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10. Messages should be especially detailed if

a. you expect a favorable response.
b. you are unsure about the audiences level of understanding.
c. you and your audience share the same general background.
d. all of the above are the case.
11. Educating your audience requires
a. providing as much information as possible.
b. giving only enough information to accomplish the purpose of the
message.
c. providing little information, as long as you indicate that youre open to
any questions that may arise.
d. gearing your message to the least informed segment of the audience,
even if they are not the key decision makers.
ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 93; TYPE: concept
12. If you face a skeptical audience, try to
a. be as straightforward as possible about stating your conclusions and
recommendations.
b. avoid stating your conclusions and recommendations.
c. use less evidence in support of your points.
d. introduce your conclusions and recommendations gradually with more
proof.
13. Which of the following is not an informal method of gathering information to
meet your audiences needs?
a. Reading reports and other company documents
b. Chatting with supervisors and colleagues
c. Conducting library research
d. Asking your audience for input
14. When meeting your audiences informational needs, you emphasize ideas
a. of greatest interest to the audience.
b. that are uncontroversial.
c. that will have the least impact on the audience.
d. that dont need supporting evidence.
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15. A good way to test the thoroughness of your business message is to check it
for
a. a main idea.
b. a purpose.
c. the who, what, when, where, why, and how.
d. accuracy.
16. If you make an honest mistake, such as giving incorrect information, the best
thing to do is
a. take no action.
b. blame someone else.
c. contact the primary audience immediately and correct the error.
d. start looking for a new job.
17. When choosing the appropriate medium for your message, your choices
include
a. oral media.
b. written media.
c. electronic media.
d. all of the above.
ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 98; TYPE: concept
18. When you must reach a dispersed audience quickly, which media are most
effective?
a. Written media
b. Oral media
c. Electronic media
d. Presentations
19. Telephone calls are
a. considered an outdated medium by many businesspeople.
b. now acceptable only for external communication.
c. still a vital communication link for many organizations.
d. no longer practical when compared to e-mail.
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20. Which of the following electronic media would be best for sending a brief,
unambiguous message that does not require an immediate response?
a. videoconferencing
b. voice mail
c. videotape
d. CD-ROM
21. PDF is a
a. widely used format for sending documents electronically.
b. popular telephone connectivity service.
c. highly technical videoconferencing program.
d. type of voice-to-text translation software.
22. In part, media richness refers to
a. the cost of sending a message through a particular medium.
b. the popularity of a specific medium.
c. a mediums ability to facilitate feedback.
d. the difficulties involved with using a particular medium.
23. The richest communication medium is
a. a phone call.
b. a memo.
c. an e-mail.
d. a face-to-face conversation.
24. As a new supervisor, you need to introduce yourself to your team of ten
employees. The best medium for this type of nonroutine message would be
a. a face-to-face meeting.
b. an e-mail.
c. a memo.
d. a conference call.
ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 100; TYPE: application
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25. Leaner media are best used for messages that

a. are routine.
b. are highly emotional.
c. are nonroutine.
d. require feedback.
26. A key advantage of oral communication is
a. the ability to plan and control the message.
b. the opportunity to meet an audience's information needs.
c. the ability to transmit highly complex messages.
d. the opportunity to get immediate feedback.
27. A written message is preferable to an oral one when
a. immediate feedback is desired.
b. the audience is large and geographically dispersed.
c. the message is relatively simple.
d. the information is controversial.
28. One of the drawbacks of using e-mail is
a. its high cost.
b. its slow speed.
c. its lack of privacy.
d. all of the above.
ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 101; TYPE: concept
29. Which of the following is not a disadvantage of electronic media?
a. High cost
b. Potential for inadvertently creating tension and conflict
c. Tendency for employees to overuse them
d. All of the above
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30. In high-context cultures, _________________ media are often more effective

than _________________ ones.
a. leaner, richer
b. oral, written
c. foreign, domestic
d. none of the above
31. Which of the following formats is most formal?
a. E-mail
b. Memo
c. Blog
d. All are equal in formality
32. Which of the following is not an important factor to consider when choosing a
medium for your message?
a. Urgency
b. Cost
c. Gender of the audience
d. Confidentiality
33. Which of the following is an example of a message topic?
a. To get the board of directors to increase the research and development
budget
b. Competitors spend more than our company does on research and
development
c. Funding for research and development
d. The research and development budget is inadequate in our competitive
marketplace
ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 104-05; TYPE: application
34. When you know your audience will be receptive to your message, it is
generally best to organize it using a(n)
a. complex approach.
b. indirect approach.
c. direct approach.
d. none of the above
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35. Whatever the length of your message, you should limit the number of major
support points to roughly
a. two.
b. three.
c. six.
d. ten.
True or False
36. When allocating your time among the three stages of the writing process, you
should use about a fourth of the time for planning, half the time for writing, and a
quarter of the time for completing.
ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 91; TYPE: concept
37. The three general purposes of business messages are to inform, to persuade,
and to collaborate.
ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 92; TYPE: concept
38. If your message is intended strictly to inform, you control the message and
need little interaction with your audience.
39. If the general purpose of your message is to persuade, you will have little
control over your message but will have a maximum of audience interaction.
ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 92; TYPE: concept
40. Collaborative messages are high in audience participation but low in
communicator control.
41. There is no point in sending a message if its purpose is not realistic.
ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 93; TYPE: concept
42. Once you have established your purpose, its best to consider whether it is
worth pursuing at this time.
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43. No matter how you feel personally about a situation, your communication
should reflect your organizations objectives.
44. When analyzing your audience, you should focus on the key decision makers.
45. As long as your message is clear, the size of your audience should not affect
your approach.
46. If you dont know who your audience will be, theres no point in trying to
guess what would be of interest to them.
47. If you expect your audience to be skeptical, you will need to provide more
proof and introduce your conclusions and recommendations more gradually.
48. One informal method for learning more about your audiences information
needs is to ask them directly for input.
49. When you get a vague request for information, the best way to handle it is to
provide all the information you can and allow the audience to pick and choose
what is useful to them.
50. Good communicators include only the information that their audience has
specifically requested.
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51. A helpful way to test the thoroughness of your message is to use the
journalistic approach: asking yourself whether you have covered the who, what,
where, when, why, and how.
52. Accuracy of information is less important in business communication than in
other types of communication.
53. Online sources generally require more careful evaluation than other media.
54. Messages can be unethical simply because certain details have not been
included.
55. If you provide inaccurate information in a business message, the best course
of action is to say nothing and hope that no one notices.
56. As long as your message is clear, the medium you choose wont really matter.
57. If you want to emphasize the confidentiality of a message, the preferred
medium would be a fax or a memo.
58. In todays fast-paced environment, traditional business messages rely
primarily on visual images, with occasional support from text.
59. Media richness refers to the relative costs of advertising in the various mass
media.
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60. Face-to-face communication is the richest medium.

61. Voice mail is a particularly effective medium for lengthy messages.
62. The main advantage of written communication is that the writer has an
opportunity to plan and control the message.
63. The biggest drawback to e-mail is that it is underutilized.
64. One advantage of e-mail is its high level of privacy.
65. Instant messaging has quickly become the best medium for sending complex
business messages.
ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 102; TYPE: concept
66. The urgency of your message should help you decide what medium to use.
ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 102; TYPE: concept
67. The best time to organize a message is after youve put a draft of it on paper
that way you know exactly what youre working with.
ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 102-03; TYPE: concept
68. The topic and main idea of a message are basically the same thing.
69. Brainstorming is helpful when working alone but is not an effective way to
generate ideas if you are working with others.
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70. In most cases, routine messages should be organized using the indirect
approach.
Fill-in-the-Blank
71. Step one of the writing process is ____________________, in which you
analyze the situation, gather information, select the right medium for the message,
and organize the information.
ANSWER: planning; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 90; TYPE: concept
72. The final step in the writing process is ____________________ your
message, which involves revising, producing, and distributing it.
ANSWER: completing; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 91; TYPE: concept
73. The three general purposes of business messages are to inform, to persuade, or
to ____________________ with the audience.
ANSWER: collaborate; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 92; TYPE: concept
74. In addition to having a general purpose, each business message has a (an)
____________________ purpose.
ANSWER: specific; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 92; TYPE: concept
75. During the planning step you need to analyze your ____________________,
including its size and composition, existing knowledge about the subject, and
probable reaction to your message.
ANSWER: audience; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 93; TYPE: concept
76. A good way to test the thoroughness of your message is to use the
____________________ approach and ask whether the message answers who,
what, when, where, why, and how.
ANSWER: journalistic; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 95; TYPE: concept
77. Speeches, presentations, and meetings are all examples of
____________________ media.
ANSWER: oral; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 98; TYPE: concept
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78. Media ____________________ is the ability of a medium to convey a

message using more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish
personal focus.
ANSWER: richness; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 100; TYPE: concept
79. Every medium has ____________________ that make it inappropriate for
certain messages.
ANSWER: limitations OR drawbacks; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 102;
TYPE: concept
80. Factors you should consider in choosing a communication
____________________ include formality, confidentiality, feedback, time, and
cost.
ANSWER: medium; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 102; TYPE: concept
81. Including ____________________ material is an organization problem that
frustrates your audience.
ANSWER: irrelevant; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 102; TYPE: concept
82. Your entire message supports, explains, or demonstrates your
____________________ ____________________ a specific statement about
the topic of your message.
ANSWER: main idea; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 104; TYPE: concept
83. The ____________________ of your message is the range of information you
present, the overall length, and the level of detailall of which need to
correspond to your main idea.
ANSWER: scope; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 105; TYPE: concept
84. No matter how long your message is, you should limit the number of major
support points to roughly ____________________.
ANSWER: six; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 106; TYPE: concept
85. An alternative to creating an outline of your message is to use a(n)
____________________ ____________________ similar to those used to show a
companys management structure.
ANSWER: organization chart; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 109; TYPE:
concept
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Short Answer
86. Describe at least three of the tasks involved in developing an audience profile.
ANSWER: Developing an audience profile involves identifying your primary
audience and determining its size, geographic distribution, and composition. It
also requires gauging your audiences level of understanding, considering their
expectations and preferences, and forecasting their probable reaction to your
message.
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 93-94; TYPE: concept
87. List at least four methods of gathering information to include in your message.
ANSWER: Strategies for gathering information include (1) considering other
viewpoints; (2) reading reports and other company documents; (3) talking with
supervisors, colleagues, or customers; and (4) asking your audience for input.
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 94; TYPE: concept
88. How can the journalistic approach help you include all required information in
you business messages?
ANSWER: The journalistic approach enables you to check the thoroughness of
your message by seeing whether your message answers who, what, when, where,
why, and how.
89. List at least three strategies to help ensure the accuracy of information you in
include in business messages.
ANSWER: You can minimize mistakes by double-checking every piece of
information you collect. If you are consulting sources outside the organization,
ask yourself whether they are current and reliable. Be particularly careful when
using sources you find on the Internet. Be sure to review any mathematical or
financial calculations. Check all dates and schedules, and examine your own
assumptions and conclusions to be certain they are valid.
DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 95; TYPE: concept
90. Briefly describe how to meet an unfamiliar audiences informational needs.
ANSWER: When you dont know your audience, use common sense to identify
points of particular interest. Audience factors such as age, job, location, income,
and education can give you a clue.
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91. Briefly define media richness, and provide at least one example of a rich
medium and a lean medium.
ANSWER: Media richness is the value of a communication medium in a given
situation. It is determined by a mediums ability to convey a message by means of
more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish personal focus.
Face-to-face conversation is the richest medium, while unaddressed documents
such as posters and signs are the leanest.
92. Describe at least two disadvantages of using electronic media for business
messages.
ANSWER: Despite the speed convenience of electronic media, they are not
without problems. These media help companies get input from a wider variety of
people but people also tend to overuse them, leading to message overload. They
can also lack privacy, and their use is so popular that it can diminish employees
productivity.
93. Briefly explain the difference between the topic of a message and the main
idea.
ANSWER: The topic of a message is its broad subject, condensed to one idea. In
contrast, the main idea is a specific statement about the topic.
94. In preparing a letter to a vendor regarding a missing part of your order, would
the direct or indirect approach be preferable? Briefly explain your choice.
ANSWER: In this case, the direct approach would be best because the audience is
likely to be receptive to the message. The indirect approach should be used when
the audience will probably react with skepticism or resistance.
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 106-07; TYPE: application
95. Briefly distinguish between the deductive and inductive approaches to
organizing business messages.
ANSWER: The deductive, or direct, approach starts with the main idea and then
provides supporting evidence. The inductive approach builds a case with
supporting evidence before presenting the main idea.
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Essay
96. What are the four tasks involved in planning business messages?
ANSWER: Planning business messages involves (1) analyzing the situation by
defining your purpose and developing a profile of your audience, (2) gathering
information that will meet your audience's needs, (3) selecting the right medium
to deliver your message, and (4) organizing the information by defining your
main idea, limiting your scope, selecting a direct or an indirect approach, and
outlining your content
97. Explain each phase of the three-step writing process.
ANSWER: The three-step writing process includes planning, writing, and
completing the business message. Planning involves analyzing the situation,
gathering information, selecting the right medium for your message, and
organizing the information. Writing the message involves adapting to your
audience and composing your message. Completing a business message includes
revising, producing, proofreading, and distributing it.
98. List at least three helpful questions to ask in evaluating the purpose of a
message.
ANSWER: Once you have determined the specific purpose of a business
message, you can decide whether that purpose merits the time and effort required
for you to prepare and send the message. In order to test the purpose of a
message, one should ask (1) Will anything change as a result of this message? (2)
Is my purpose realistic? (3) Is the time right? and (4) Is the purpose acceptable to
my organization?
99. How can your audiences level of understanding help you determine the
appropriate amount of information to include in a business message?
ANSWER: If audience members do not share your general background, your
message will likely need to include an element of education. You should try to
include only enough information to accomplish the specific purpose of your
message. If the members of your audience have various levels of understanding,
gear your coverage to your primary audience (the key decision makers).
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100. Briefly describe at least three factors to consider when choosing media for
business messages.
ANSWER: A number of factors can help you to determine the best medium for a
business message. One is media richness, which is a mediums ability to convey
a message through more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and
establish personal focus. Another is formality, since your media choice governs
the style and tone of your message. It is also important to consider media
limitations, since every medium has drawbacks that make it inappropriate for
certain messages. The medium you choose also influences your audiences
perceptions of your intentions as a sender. Urgency and cost are other important
factors. Finally, it is vital to consider audience preferences when deciding which
medium to use for a message.
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Chapter 4

PLANNING BUSINESS MESSAGES

5. An example of a specific purpose for a business message would be

10. Messages should be especially detailed if

25. Leaner media are best used for messages that

30. In high-context cultures, _________________ media are often more effective

60. Face-to-face communication is the richest medium.

78. Media ____________________ is the ability of a medium to convey a

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