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Harvard Business Publishing Exam Planning Communication PDF
Harvard Business Publishing Exam Planning Communication PDF
1.
1) How can cognitive bias be harmful to communication?
It can distort people's views of a situation.
2) Which of the following is the function of an assumption?
It shows why the audience should believe the message.
It proves that the speaker or writer's conclusion is true.
It provides a logical link between different pieces of evidence.
It explains the meaning of the evidence.
It provides a logical connection between evidence and conclusion.
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3. In business what is the most important tool for creating a persuasive message?
Numbers
Graphics
Experience in persuasion
Experience in communicating
Reasoning
5.Why is persuasion important in business?
It primarily helps people advance in their careers.
It's a skill that is good to have for the occasional times when managers need to convince people.
It is a catalyst for getting work done.
It lets people know what you think.
It is a fast way to produce the results you want.
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6.Which of the following questions is not used for organizing thinking about a communication?
What?
When?
How?
Who?
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7. Understanding your audience will help you achieve the purpose of your communication.
True
False
8. The outline below is the most logical order of elements of a decision argument:
I. Statement of Decision to be Made
II. Statement of Criteria
III. Statement of Recommendation
IV. Statement of Decision Options
V. Proof of Decision
VI. Rebuttal of Other Options
True
False
9.
Select the scenario in which a decision argument could be most helpful:
A commercial real estate executive is writing a memo about the strengths and
weaknesses of the firm's marketing program.
The U.S. postal service faces an uncertain future. A postal official addresses an
inhouse meeting about adapting the organization for the 21st century.
A manager is presenting to a group of other senior technicians and product
specialists. Her topic is the repeated failure of a part in one of the machines the
company manufactures.
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10.
You need to understand the purpose and audience before you start work on the
message.
True
False
11.
Select the statement that best states what a writer or speaker should know about using
emotion in a message:
How to elicit feelings in the audience that are favorable to his or her purpose
Knowing the audience feelings that might help achieve the purpose
Knowing the audience's feelings about the purpose
All of the above
12.
Is this statement an accurate assumption for the argument below:
Players who could lose a year of their careers and suffer large financial losses should
be allow to play in the upcoming season.
Evidence
The players in the soccer league will lose a year of their careers.
The players will suffer large financial losses.
Conclusion
The players should be allowed to play in the upcoming season.
True
False
13.
Select the item that is not a bias affecting communication:
Anchoring Bias
Availability Bias
Quantitative Bias
False Generalization Bias
Representativeness Bias
14. When a situation or outcome needs a causal explanation, a diagnostic argument is
needed.
True
False
15. Select the organizer most appropriate for the following informative message:
An intern is preparing a report about the types of customer complaints received over the
previous five years, for example, product malfunctions. The intern asks her manager for
guidance on the organization of the information that would be most useful for the
marketing department. What would the manager say?
Process
Chronology
Hierarchy
Frequency
Level of difficulty
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16.
Character is the audience's perception of a speaker or writer.
True
False
17. What does informative communication do?
Describes or explains something particularly important
Tells a story
Describes something
Describes or explains some aspect of reality
Explains how to do something
18. Select the evidence statement that does not help prove the conclusion:
The balance sheet and cash flow metrics remain positive.
The company has over $400 million in cash.
The company has little debt and thus its interest payments are minimal.
The share price has outperformed analysts' predictions.
Operating cash flow has been growing in line with revenues, which should bring
net cash per share to $2.25.
The average number of days to collect cash after a sale is the best in the
industry: below 30 days.
19. An assumption must be acceptable to the audience.
True
False
20. Select the question that best helps a communicator understand an audience:
What does the audience know about the topic and how do they perceive the
speaker/writer?
How recently has the speaker/writer communicated with the audience and what
were the results?
How many people are in the audience and what impact does that have on
communication?
21. What is the most important element of an evaluation argument?
Quantitative evidence
Balance
Terms of the evaluation
Number of pros and cons
Criteria
22. Select the scenario in which an evaluation argument could be most helpful:
A bank officer is preparing a list of the bank's 100 largest loans.
The vice mayor for a large city is considering new approaches for convincing
businesses to offer summer jobs to young people.
An assistant general manager is planning a memo that compares the success of
strategies competitors have been using.
None of the above.
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23. Select the statement that most accurately describes the role of emotion in
communication:
Emotions are present in everyone.
Emotions can strongly influence how an audience reacts to a message.
Emotions pose risks for communication and messages should avoid them.
Emotions are critical to communication because they are more powerful than
thoughts.
Emotions usually are not a significant factor in business
communication
24.What is persuasive communication?
Using language to motivate an audience to do what the communicator wants them to do
Using language to motivate an audience to think, feel, or act in the way the communicator intends
Any communication that seeks to change an audience's opinion of an issue
Using methods such as money and peer pressure to motivate an audience to think, feel, or act in the way
the communicator intends
A communication that uses words to produce an effect in the audience
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25. Select the statement below that best explains how communicators can use
character in a message:
Understanding how to move the audience to the desired perception of the
speaker or writer
Understanding how to change their character so speakers and writers are
perceived the way they want to be
Understanding how superiors perceive the writer or speaker
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