ESP121 Chapter 2

Which of the following represents a goal for business writers?

• You should concentrate on your feelings in business messages.

• You should get your audience to believe and accept your ideas.

• You should create messages that are lengthy to demonstrate your superior intellect and language skills.

• You should write business messages from your perspective.

Which of the following would help to create a conversational but professional tone in a business message?

• Headings for skim value
• Technical terms to establish the writer's industry knowledge
• Familiar words and personal pronouns
• Frequent abbreviations such as IMHO and BTW

Which of the following demonstrates non-gender-biased business writing?

• The company’s executives and their wives will attend the Reno conference.
• All salesmen must meet monthly sales quotas.
• The female attorney graduated from Yale.
• The office personnel will assist you with your forms.

Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?

• An Asian CEO was the keynote speaker.
• An African-American man was the next customer.
• A record number of Japanese investors are purchasing real estate in the United States.
• Mr. Hernandez, a Mexican, is my boss.

Business writers who use words such as interrogate, remuneration, and terminate are using language many readers would consider _______.

• Slang
• Conversational
• Jargon
• Unfamiliar

Which one of the following suggestions about using jargon in business writing should you follow?

• Jargon should never be used in business writing.
• Jargon can always be used because it is generally understood.
• Effective business communicators know to include some jargon.
• Jargon should be used only when the audience will understand it.

Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?

• Please think about the new insurance option.
• Caltrek experienced a change in profits during the last fiscal year.
• Retailers can expect to pay higher amounts for their goods and services.
• Sheila will examine the job proposal carefully.

The final task in the third phase of the writing process is evaluating your message to decide whether it accomplishes your goal.

• True
• False

In order to be an effective writer, you must follow the three phases of the writing process in sequence.

• True
• False

You should plan to spend equal amounts of time on each phase of the writing process.

• True
• False