Chapter 4 Study Guide

Preparing Written Messages

IN THIS CHAPTER YOU WILL FIND:

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
KEY CONCEPTS
KEY TERMS
CHAPTER OUTLINE
POWERPOINT SLIDES
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
REVIEW QUESTIONS & SUGGESTED ANSWERS
FEATURED ASSIGNMENTS
ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
CASE ASSIGNMENTS

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1 Apply techniques for developing effective sentences and unified and coherent paragraphs.
2 Prepare visually appealing documents that grab the audience’s attention and increase
comprehension.
3 Identify factors affecting readability and revise messages to improve readability.
4 Revise and proofread a message for content, organization, style, and tone; mechanics; and format
and layout.

KEY CONCEPTS

Chapter 4 focuses on preparing a first draft and on revising and proofreading for accuracy and desired
impact. Such communication is carefully drafted and proofread for correct sentence structure,
emphasis on important ideas, coherent paragraphs, and easy readability. After a review of writing
process in Chapter 3 and 4 (and the Grammar and Usage Appendix), students will prepare letters,

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memos, and a variety of electronic messages (email, instant, and text messages, blogs, and other web
communications) and business reports and presentations.

KEY TERMS

TERM PAGE TERM PAGE

Active voice 51 Goodwill 65
Clichés 60 Inductive paragraph 54
Coherence 54 Jargon 61
Connotative meaning 65 Passive voice 51
Deductive paragraph 54 Redundancy 61
Denotative meaning 65 Subjunctive sentences 63
Doublespeak 64 Tone 62
Euphemism 64 Topic sentence 54

CHAPTER OUTLINE

4-1 Step 6: Prepare the First Draft 51

4-1a Craft Powerful Sentences 51
4-1b Develop Coherent Paragraphs 53
4-2 Revise and Proofread 56
4-2a Cultivate a Frame of Mind for Effective Revising and Proofreading 56
4-2b Apply Visual Enhancements to Improve Readability 57
4-2c Improve Readability 58
4-3 Step 7: Revise for Style and Tone 60
4-4 Proofreading for Mechanical Correctness 67

CHAPTER REVIEW

1. What are the seven steps for proofreading a document systematically to locate all errors?

Proofread several times, each time for a specific purpose, such as locating errors in (a) content,
organization, and style; (b) mechanics; and (c) format and layout. If using word processing software,
run the electronic spell check and proofread at least once from a printed copy, as errors on the screen
are often difficult to locate.

2. Discuss several strategies that will enhance the quality and efficiency of writing with a
computer.

Strategies will include (a) hone computer skills for optimal efficiency, (b) use formatting capabilities
to increase the quality and efficiency of writing, (c) develop skill in writing and revising
simultaneously, (d) use the spell check and grammar checker effectively to minimize the limitations
of these tools, and (e) follow systematic procedures for marking printed copies and managing revised
files.

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 3. What value does knowing the readability level of a document serve? What two factors
should be evaluated for possible revision in an effort to reduce the readability index of a
report?

Knowing the readability level of a document gives the writer feedback about the readability of his/her
writing (specifically, the length of sentences and difficulty of words). Because of the complexity of
the communication process, writing at the exact grade level of the reader does not guarantee that the
reader will understand the message.

4. When is active voice preferred? When is passive voice preferred?

Active voice is best for conveying pleasant ideas because the subject of the sentence is the doer,
which makes the sentence more emphatic. Passive voice is preferred for conveying negative ideas.

5. What are the benefits and limitations of an electronic spell check and writing-analysis
software?

Spell checks are helpful in locating spelling and keyboarding errors; however, they cannot be relied
on to detect all errors. Errors undetectable by spell check include misused words, numbers that should
be spelled out or vice versa, misspelling of proper nouns, incorrect amounts or addresses, and so on.
The advice pro-vided by grammar checkers can improve the accuracy and readability of a message,
but writers must apply their knowledge of effective writing principles to accept or overrule advice
based on the specific writing situation and audience.

6. Explain the importance of creating a visually appealing document and provide four
guidelines for accomplishing this objective.

Writing visually appealing documents entices a reader to read rather than discard your message and
maximizes the effectiveness of a document. Techniques for writing visually appealing documents
include (a) highlighting important information using enumerations or enumerated/bulleted lists; (b)
transitioning the reader through the document with headings, lines, and borders; (c) simplifying and
clarifying information with the use of tables and graphs; and (d) adding interest and reinforcing
important ideas with relevant images.

7. How has instantaneous communication made possible by technology affected the

proofreading stage of the writing process?

The speed and convenience of today’s electronic communication have caused many writers to
confuse informality with sloppiness. Correctness is still important today; sloppy documents with
grammatical errors create negative impression of the writer and the company.

8. What habits hinder your success or enjoyment of writing? Identify ways to overcome them.

Answers will vary. Students should identify writing strategies from Chapters 3 and 4 to help them
overcome difficulties, such as identifying the audience, writing a first draft, and editing and
proofreading carefully.

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 STUDY QUESTIONS
Chapter 4—Preparing Spoken and Written Messages

TRUE/FALSE

1. Business writers normally use active voice more frequently than passive voice because active voice
conveys ideas more vividly.

ANS: T
REF: p. 51

2. Slow, deliberative writing is recommended when drafting a business message.

ANS: F
REF: p. 51

3. Passive voice is used in the following sentence: “The stockholders read the annual report.”

ANS: F
REF: p. 51

4. Active voice is used in the following sentence: “The report on current fundraising efforts was made
available to the committee.”

ANS: F
REF: p. 51

5. The imagery in a passive voice sentence is less distinct than it would be if the sentence was in active
voice.

ANS: T
REF: p. 51-52

6. To emphasize a word or an idea, position it first or last in a sentence, clause, paragraph, or document.

ANS: T
REF: p. 52

7. All sentences in a business message should be of approximately the same length.

ANS: F
REF: p. 53

8. For emphasis, one should place an idea in an independent clause; for de-emphasis, place an idea in a
dependent clause.

ANS: T
REF: p. 53

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 9. In the sentence “Even though your work was late, we completed the project on time,” the negative
information is in a de-emphasized position.

ANS: T
REF: p. 53

10. Bullets are usually preferred over numerals in a document list unless sequence is important.

ANS: T
REF: p. 57

11. Bulleted lists are inappropriate in business writing because they are too casual.

ANS: F
REF: p. 57

12. Writing a message with a reading index appropriate to the audience guarantees that the message will
be understood.

ANS: F
REF: p. 58

13. Talking headings recap the information presented in the preceding paragraph.

ANS: F
REF: p. 58

14. Placing a border around a paragraph sets the text apart while adding shading inside a box gives it
greater impact.

ANS: T
REF: p. 58

15. An effective writer should try to write at the exact grade level of the receiver.

ANS: F
REF: p. 58-59

16. The readability level of a passage is affected by the length of the sentences and difficulty of the
words.

ANS: T
REF: p. 59

17. Grammar and style checkers in word processing programs replace the need for a human editor.

ANS: F
REF: p. 59

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 18. Using profanity on the job may be offensive to some or viewed as creating a hostile working
environment.

ANS: T
REF: p. 60

19. Cliches are handy verbal shortcuts that should be used whenever possible to shorten business
messages.

ANS: F
REF: p. 60

20. Avoiding the use of the second person and using subjunctive mood are two writing techniques that
worsen the tone of a negative idea.

ANS: F
REF: p. 63

21. The use of doublespeak may be either deliberate or unintentional.

ANS: T
REF: p. 64

22. The use of euphemisms eliminates the need to use negative terms that may suggest unpleasant ideas.

ANS: F
REF: p. 64

23. Using bias-free language permits the receiver to focus on your message rather than raising serious
questions about your sensitivity.

ANS: T
REF: p. 66-67

24. The first step in proofreading a document that you have word processed is to use the spell check.

ANS: T
REF: p. 68

25. When proofreading, reading a document from right to left is recommended because it helps the writer
focus on individual words and spacing elements within the text.

ANS: T
REF: p. 69

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Generally, when writing a first draft, you should

a. write slowly and deliberately, trying not to make mistakes.
b. write intermittently as you think of new ideas.

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 c. write rapidly with the intent to fix mistakes during the editing process.
d. write over a period of days to maximize creativity.
ANS: C
REF: p. 51

2. Techniques to emphasize important ideas include which of the following?

a. Repetition
b. Passive voice
c. Inductive order
d. All of the above
ANS: A
REF: p. 52

3. “When you complete the assignment” is an example of

a. an independent clause.
b. a dependent clause.
c. passive voice.
d. deductive statement.
ANS: B
REF: p. 52-53

4. Which of the following sentences is most emphatic?

a. Brent works with customers daily.
b. Although he works with customers on a daily basis, Brent would prefer focusing on his
administrative duties.
c. Brent works with customer’s daily, but he would prefer focusing on his administrative
duties.
d. Despite his other preferred duties, Brent works with customers daily.
ANS: A
REF: p. 52-53

5. “The training session was worthwhile; it was worthwhile because employees learned to do the task
correctly.” is an example of which of the following techniques used for emphasis?
a. Position
b. Repetition
c. Words that label
d. Passive voice
ANS: B
REF: p. 53

6. Which of the following sentences illustrates passive voice?

a. The clerk made five errors.
b. Susan had been in sales for five years.
c. She asked for an adjustment.
d. The report was completed by the entire team.
ANS: D
REF: p. 53

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 7. Which of the following is NOT a technique for linking sentences?
a. Repeat a word used in a preceding sentence.
b. Use a pronoun representing a noun from the preceding sentence.
c. Use the passive voice.
d. Use connecting words.
ANS: C
REF: p. 54

8. In a document that follows the deductive pattern, the topic sentence

a. precedes the details.
b. comes after the details.
c. contains the details.
d. leaves out any details.
ANS: A
REF: p. 54

9. Which of the following is NOT a technique for achieving coherence?

a. Repeat a word used in a preceding sentence.
b. Use a pronoun to represent a noun from the preceding sentence.
c. Use connecting words.
d. Use active voice.
ANS: D
REF: p. 54

10. Providing for coherence means

a. using writing techniques that provide conciseness.
b. using various techniques to link ideas together.
c. varying the length of sentences and paragraphs.
d. selecting words that indicate the communicator’s wide vocabulary.
ANS: B
REF: p. 54

11. In which situation would a communicator use an inductive outline?

a. To explain how to get optimum performance from a smart phone
b. To outline procedures for logging into a network
c. To tell employees that a two-week furlough is necessary for all employees.
d. To respond positively to a request to replace a defective treadmill
ANS: C
REF: p. 54

12. Enumerated or bulleted lists

a. should be placed only in an appendix section of a business document.
b. detract from the flow of the written message.
c. can be used to add visual impact to items in a series.
d. result in too much wasted white space in a business document.

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 ANS: C
REF: p. 57

13. Which of the following is true of text chunking in documents?

a. Enumerated lists decrease visual attention given to paragraphed material.
b. Numerals are generally preferred over bullets.
c. Chunking makes the page look more organized and increases retention by 50 percent.
d. Placing a number, letter, or bullet before elements in a series reduces readers’ attention to
material.
ANS: C
REF: p. 57

14. Which is the BEST technique for emphasizing to stockholders the reasons for revenue increases?
a. Place each reason in a separate paragraph.
b. Place each reason in a short, separate line preceded by a bullet.
c. Place all reasons in the first paragraph.
d. Place all reasons in the final paragraph.
ANS: B
REF: p. 57

15. Writer's pride of ownership refers to

a. the writer's desire to assure the total accuracy of each document created.
b. the reluctance many writers have in sharing their writing with others and accepting
constructive criticism about it.
c. the writer's reluctance to share privileged information with the reader.
d. the fact that documents belong solely to the author, not the organization.
ANS: B
REF: p. 57

16. Which of the following is true of document headings?

a. Readers are more motivated to pay attention to a document with headings than one
without headings.
b. Headings should not reveal the conclusions reached in the discussion.
c. Major and minor headings should be formatted to receive equal attention.
d. All of the above are true.
ANS: A
REF: p. 58

17. Which of the following is the most effective report heading?

a. Quarterly Sales
b. 4th Quarter Sales
c. 4th Quarter Sales Exceed Predictions
d. Sales
ANS: C
REF: p. 58

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18. Which of the following is the MOST effective heading in a memo report to employees?
a. Employee Benefits
b. Benefits Will Undergo Radical Alterations in Forthcoming Fiscal Year
c. Benefit Cuts
d. How Do Benefit Changes Affect You?
ANS: D
REF: p. 58

19. In business documents, a general rule for readability is that paragraphs normally should be
a. 6 lines or less in length.
b. 7 to 12 lines in length.
c. no longer than 20 lines.
d. any desired length, as the number of lines is not important.
ANS: A
REF: p. 58

20. Which of the following sentences reflects the use of active voice?
a. The new product line was developed by the Research and Development department.
b. The secretary was promoted by her supervisor to an assistant position.
c. The land developer signed the contract yesterday.
d. It was determined that sales have fallen significantly.
ANS: C
REF: p. 58

21. Which of the following is FALSE concerning readability level?

a. A readability level of 10 means that a person would need to be able to read at the tenth-
grade level to understand the material.
b. The two factors that affect the readability level are the number of words in the passage and
the complexity of the sentences.
c. Many word processing programs calculate readability measures automatically.
d. The writer should use feedback on readability level to revise appropriately.
ANS: B
REF: p. 58-59

22. When writing a business message, you generally should generally

a. write at the exact grade level of the receiver.
b. manually calculate the readability level of every message.
c. write well within the reading level of the audience.
d. write what you need to say and not consider readability.
ANS: C
REF: p. 58-59

23. Which of the following is FALSE concerning writing analysis tools in word processing programs?
a. Sentence fragments, passive voice, jargon, and clichés are some types of errors that can be
detected.

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 b. After reviewing a document, the program can generate the total word count, average
sentence length, and readability measures.
c. They flag potential errors and require the writer to accept or reject the change.
d. Such programs eliminate the need for the reader to check a passage for grammatical
correctness.
ANS: D
REF: p. 59

24. Which of the following is the MOST accurate statement concerning conciseness?
a. To prepare a concise passage, include only those details that the receiver needs, and state
those details in the fewest possible words.
b. Conciseness means that the writer should use as few words as possible when composing a
message.
c. Conciseness results in weakly worded passages that indicate poor writing skills.
d. Conciseness is not recommended in formal business documents, such as business reports,
because full disclosure is needed in such situations.
ANS: A
REF: p. 61

25. 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.
ANS: B
REF: p. 62

26. To project a positive, tactful tone in a written message,

a. rely only on positive words.
b. compliment the receiver in the first and last paragraphs.
c. avoid using second person when stating negative ideas.
d. use active voice when conveying negative ideas.
ANS: C
REF: p. 62-63

27. Which of the following is an adequate reason for choosing passive voice?
a. To emphasize the “you” focus
b. To avoid assessing blame
c. To make the sentence more emphatic
d. To make the sentence more descriptive
ANS: B
REF: p. 63

28. Which of the following best describes the appropriate use of euphemisms?
a. Eliminate euphemisms because people can recognize such expressions for what they are--
unpleasant ideas presented with a little sugar coating.
b. Avoid euphemisms with excessive sugar coating and those that appear sarcastic.

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 c. Use euphemisms whenever possible because they show your attempt to be polite and
positive.
d. None of the above describes appropriate use.
ANS: B
REF: p. 64

29. Which statement is true concerning connotative meaning?

a. Connotative meaning is the literal meaning most people assign to a word.
b. Connotative words help to build positive human relations.
c. Connotations exclude the sender’s qualitative judgment.
d. Connotations involve messages that are implied.
ANS: D
REF: p. 65

30. Which of the following demonstrates a proper sensitivity in wording?

a. The black workers supply the manpower we need to get the task accomplished.
b. It was time for the 62-year-old judge to leave his position.
c. The administration has accepted six of the new executive's recommendations.
d. Only the overweight customers remained at the buffet after the first hour.
ANS: C
REF: p. 66-67

31. Which of the following is NOT an effective way to revise and proofread your message?
a. Proofread the messages as many times as necessary until you cannot see any additional
ways to improve it.
b. Allow someone else to read your message to judge its content, style, and accuracy.
c. Look for receiver-centeredness in your message as part of the revising process.
d. All of the above are appropriate advice.
ANS: D
REF: p. 68

32. Visual enhancements in a business document

a. are unnecessary when the writing is effective.
b. distract from important information in long, complex documents.
c. can be overused and create clutter.
d. can be applied easily using word processing features.
ANS: D
REF: p. 69

33. Proofreading by reading a document aloud while another person verifies the copy is
a. recommended for every business document.
b. recommended for extremely important documents.
c. recommended only when time permits.
d. not recommended because it takes up two people’s time.

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 ANS: B

34. Final proofreading of an important business document should typically be done

a. from the computer screen.
b. from a draft paper copy.
c. from a final copy on company letterhead.
d. from an archive file copy.
ANS: B
REF: p. 69

SHORT ANSWER

1. List and briefly explain five visual enhancements a writer can use to draw attention to important
information.

ANS:
Visual enhancements that draw attention to important information include the following:
1. Enumerations and bullets emphasize units in a series, attract the receiver's attention, and
are easy to locate when reviewing a page.
2. Headings direct the receiver from one section of the document to another.
3. Tables and graphs simplify and clarify information.
4. Lines and borders partition the text or cause the receiver to focus on a specific line.
5. Relevant images such as call-out boxes, arrows, symbols and clip art, highlight
information and add appeal.

PTS: 1 REF: p. 57-58

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