Chapter 05 Short Workplace Messages and Digital Media

1. Which of the following statements about communication in today's workplace is correct?

a. Despite the increased use of social media networks, companies are reluctant to use
social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to conduct business.
b. Individuals are using more mobile electronic devices to communicate with others.
c. Because individuals are more dispersed, messages are longer and less frequent.
d. Because of social media networks, today's communication includes more one-on-one
conversations.

2. Which statement about the use of e-mail in today's workplace is correct?

a. Workers report spending about three hours per day on work email.

b. Businesses use memos more frequently than e-mail messages to communicate

internally with employees.
c. Only managers and top-level business executives use e-mail to communicate with
others.
d. Today's workers spend very little time writing e-mail messages.

3. Which of the following is an effective strategy for controlling your e-mail inbox?
a. Read and respond to each message within 10 minutes.
b. Check your e-mail only in the mornings.
c. Check your e-mail at set times during the day.
d. Ask your co-workers not to e-mail you unless it's urgent.

4. Which of the following is an appropriate situation for sending an e-mail message in a business context?
a. Matthew is angry with one of his colleagues and wants to let her know
exactly how he feels.
b. Jane found a great political joke she wants to share with her colleagues.
c. Chris must send the monthly sales data to his department.
d. Maggie needs to vent her frustrations about working conditions to her shift
supervisor.

5. Which of the following is an effective subject line?

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 a. PARKING PERMITS
b. Staff Meeting
c. Please Respond to Job Satisfaction Survey
d. Important! Please Read Now

6. What is the current advice on the use of a greeting on business e-mails?

a. Omit greetings because they make an e-mail appear too casual.
b. Add a greeting only when forwarding an e-mail with a lengthy header.
c. Don't waste precious digital space on the nonessential keystrokes of a
greeting or salutation.
d. Begin with a greeting to provide a visual cue and to show friendliness.

7. Bennett is sending an e-mail message about a change in procedure for submitting work hours. Which of the
following states the purpose in a way that could be used to start the email message?
a. Recently, the management staff discussed our process for submitting work
hours.
b. A new procedure for submitting work hours will go into effect on April 1.
c. Are you in the mood to try something a little different?
d. We all hate when procedures change, but sometimes change is needed.

8. Which of the following will help improve the readability of an e-mail message’s body section?
a. Including a friendly salutation
b. Using numbered or bulleted lists
c. Writing ideas in long, well-developed
paragraphs
d. Starting the message indirectly

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9. Which of the following should be included in an effective email closing?
a. An action statement with due dates and
requests
b. A promise to follow up later
c. A reminder of the sender’s credentials and
expertise
d. A specific timeframe in which the sender
should reply

10. The final element of an e-mail message should be _______.

a. your name and full contact
information
b. a witty phrase and your name
c. the name of the business or
organization only
d. an attachment

11. What advice should you follow when using down-editing to reply to an e-mail message?
a. Do not include a courteous opening with your reply
message.
b. Avoid the use of different colors when inserting your
comments.
c. Delete the sender's message header, signature, and all
unnecessary parts.
d. Add a comment after every sentence in the original
message.

12. Which of the following tips can help with e-mail inbox management?
a. Reply to all messages immediately so that they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
b. For messages that require more than two minutes for a response, add them to your to-do
list or schedule them on your calendar to take care of later.
c. Send a polite note of receipt for every message you receive.
d. Leave your inbox open at all times so you can see the messages as they come in.

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13. Because Maya knows that the most important part of an e-mail message is the subject line, she should
_______.
a. avoid using verbs
b. use all caps to grab the reader's attention
c. adjust the subject line if the topic changes after repeated replies
d. limit her phrasing to three words for conciseness

14. Although e-mail has largely replaced memos, you may still need to use the memo format if _______.
a. the message is being sent to an external
audience
b. a permanent record is needed
c. the message needs to be written in a more
informal tone
d. all employees have access to e-mail

15. Sam wants to ensure that the tone of his informational e-mail matches his intent. He should _______.
a. delete the e-mail and phone the recipient
instead
b. read the message aloud to himself
c. wait 72 hours before sending the message
d. include several exclamation points to express
enthusiasm

16. When preparing to send an e-mail with an attachment, you should _______.
a. notify the recipient via phone that they will be receiving an
attachment
b. leave the body of the e-mail blank
c. specify the date, sender's name, receiver's name, and subject line
on the attachment
d. include the word ATTACHMENT (in all caps) in the subject line

17. Most e-mail messages and memos _______.

a. have nonsensitive topics and begin directly
b. require persuasion
c. are indirect and begin with an explanation
d. need not be carefully organized because they
are informal

18. Both e-mails and memos have four key guide words calling for a subject line, a dateline, the identification
of the sender, and _______.
a. the sender’s location
b. the receiver’s location
c. the identification of the

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 receiver
d. the time

19. The use of all caps for phrasing in an e-mail message is often read as _______.
a. positive
emphasis
b. deadline
oriented
c. shouting
d. humor or
sarcasm

20. An e-mail message or memo usually ends with action information, dates, or deadlines; a summary of the
message; or a _______.
a. witty quotation
b. copyright notice or confidentiality
statement
c. closing thought
d. reference line that includes the
typist's initials

21. Binh is delivering some office equipment to one of his company’s clients. He wants to text the admin,
whom he has never met, and let them know what time he will be arriving. Which of the following etiquette tips
should he follow?
a. Identify himself, giving his name, the purpose of his visit, and his
phone number.
b. Text the admin all the details of the delivery, including the cost of
the equipment.
c. Text a greeting and wait for a response.
d. Don’t text because the admin doesn’t know him.

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22. Which of the following statements describes the benefit of instant messaging for businesses?
a. Although companies have found instant messaging to be a valuable tool for employees to
communicate with one another, they have been hesitant to use instant messaging for
customer service.
b. Unlike text messaging, instant messaging is not subject to discovery in lawsuits.
c. Instant messaging allows people to share information immediately and make decisions
quickly.
d. Instant messaging decreases presence functionality.

23. Which of the following is a disadvantage of instant messaging and text messaging?
a. Lack of privacy
b. Low cost
c. Real-time
communication
d. Speed

24. Text messaging requires a SMS, which stands for _______.

a. simple message
synchronization
b. short message service
c. systems messaging
synchronization
d. single mobility system

25. Why do some employers forbid employees to use instant messaging (IM) and texting?
a. Instant messaging and texting are more expensive to use than faxes or phone calls.
b. Some employers consider IM and texting distractions.
c. Delivery of instant and text messages takes longer than e-mail message delivery.
d. According to federal regulations, businesses cannot conduct business using instant
or text messaging.

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26. Zahra’s company has decided to let employees use instant messaging (IM) as an internal communication
tool, and she wants to make sure that she's using it professionally. What should she do?
a. Make sure she's available via IM at all times so that her colleagues can always
reach her.
b. Include both professional and personal contacts on the same IM contact list for
efficiency.
c. Respect her receivers by using proper grammar, spelling, and proofreading in her
instant messages.
d. Create an imaginative IM name for herself such as "PrettySmart1."

27. Tara is starting a new job that will allow her to use text messaging. What advice should she follow?
a. When she doesn't receive an immediate response from a coworker, continue to text
message the coworker until he or she responds.
b. Feel free to send any kind of message to her coworkers using this medium.
c. Identify herself when texting a new contact.
d. Send texts while she is having a face-to-face conversation to demonstrate her popularity.

28. Podcasts and wikis are part of the new user-centered virtual environment called _______.
a. the Total Network
b. Web 2.0 (Web 2.0 is a term that describes a variety of websites and applications that
allow anyone to create and share online information or material they have created)
c. cloud computing
d. VPN

29. A big benefit of podcasting is _______.

a. permanence
b. portability
c. teleconference capability
d. presence functionality

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30. Businesses have embraced podcasts for audio and video messages because podcasts _______.
a. do not require a live presence, yet offer a friendly human face
b. can't replace costlier live teleconferences but can replace most
business travel
c. provide up to 1,000 views per podcast, saving money over individual
presentations
d. broadcast interactive, nonrepetitive information

31. TED Talks are a popular example of podcasts. TED refers to _______.
a. Teaching Educators to Make a
Difference
b. Teamwork, Education, and Drive
c. Technology, Education, and Design
d. the first name of the organization's
founder

32. The four main players of podcasts are corporations, entrepreneurs, news/media organizations, and _______.
a. religious organizations
b. government organizations
c. organizations devoted to promoting
education
d. non-profit organizations

33. Which type of podcast would a federal credit union likely support through buying podcast ads?
a. A true crime podcast
b. A podcast offering advice on how to manage
one’s money
c. A current events podcast
d. A sports podcast

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34. Crowdsourcing is _______.
a. the ability to send short messages consisting of 140 characters or fewer
b. the practice of tapping into the combined knowledge of an online community to solve
problems and complete assignments
c. the use of fraudulent schemes on the Internet
d. an e-mail response technique that includes only those parts of an e-mail message to which
the receiver is responding

35. As a project manager, Mallory needs to make sure that employees who missed a live training session are
able to view or complete it later. Which of the following tools should she consider using for this purpose?
a. A smartphone
b. A podcast
c. A blog
d. A video
conference

36. Why are many companies eager to jump into making a podcast series?
a. Podcasts are independent of media algorithms and help to diversify their media
channels.
b. Podcasts can be produced easily and quickly.
c. Podcasts provide a permanent record, similar to a memo.
d. Podcasts are useful for communicating information when a company is faced with a
crisis or emergency.

37. Blogs are most similar to _______.

a. tweets
b. text
messages
c. journal
entries
d. instant
messages

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38. Which of these statements correctly describes why businesses are using blogs?
a. Blogs have the potential to reach a vast, far-flung audience and can help companies share
the story of their brand.
b. Blogs have become the primary method of internal business communications.
c. Blogs provide companies with anytime access to digital audio and video files containing
corporate training, marketing, and informational messages.
d. Blogs can safeguard against hackers and rival companies.

39. What percent of today’s Fortune 500 companies maintain a public facing blog?
a. Less than 30
percent
b. 54 percent
c. 75 percent
d. More than 90
percent

40. You are an executive chairman faced with a business emergency so severe that the company risks losing
customers and employees. You want to use the blog to help mitigate the impact of the crisis. Which of the
following approaches will help you to achieve your goal?
a. Use the blog to emphasize company strengths and downplay the crisis.
b. Use the blog to create transparency and communicate up-to-date information regarding the
business's emergency.
c. Post information on the blog that will soothe emotional reactions.
d. Do not address rumors or misinformation on the blog; address factual content only.

41. Which of the following is an effective strategy to make your blog post engaging?
a. Use long sentences.
b. Write long paragraphs including a lot of
information.
c. Use numbers to structure the post.
d. Impress your readers with high-level
vocabulary.

42. The opening of a blog should _______.

a. identify a need and propose to solve the
problem
b. include a call to action
c. provide examples, quotations and testimonials,
or statistics
d. include your name and title

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43. Geoffrey must create a corporate blog. Advice he should follow in writing his blog is that it should be
structured with numbers, bullets, and sub-headings, contain expressive action verbs, and use_______.
a. academic
vocabulary
b. formal language
c. conversational
language
d. texting
abbreviations

44. Marketers often use blogging as a platform to get their messages to spread rapidly online, also known as
_______.
a. blowing up
b. going viral
c. optimization
d. trend
advertising

45. One of the key advantages for businesses of using social media is that social media _______.
a. is less expensive
b. has less privacy risk
c. is more efficient
d. allows for the exchange of
ideas

46. Which demographic within the American population contains the most avid social media users?
a. Generation X
b. Millennials
c. Generation Z
d. All generations use social media
equally.

47. Why are many companies investing in internal social networking platforms?
a. Creating their own networking platform is less expensive.
b. They hope that it will lead to greater employee engagement and
productivity.
c. Their employees are dissatisfied with the current social media
platforms.
d. Current social media platforms appeal only to teenagers.

48. What are the advantages of using enterprise social media networks versus e-mail?
a. Both e-mail and enterprise social media networks provide effective two-way

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 communication.
b. Social media networks are less expensive and easier to manage than company e-mail.
c. Social media networks help to maintain a strong corporate hierarchy.
d. Enterprise social media networks are searchable, and users can access and send
information more efficiently.

49. What are the risks for businesses using enterprise social media networks?
a. Unexpected expenses, technical failures, and lack of compatibility with
existing systems
b. Lost productivity, damage to their reputation, and legal issues
c. Lack of employee adoption and lack of customer engagement
d. Cyber bullying and loss of privacy

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50. Travis has asked you for some advice regarding the use of social networking in the workplace. What advice
will you share?
a. Feel free to share any information on social networking sites.
b. Refuse friend requests or "unfriend" people to avoid jeopardizing professional
relationships.
c. Establish boundaries, and don’t share information online that you wouldn’t share
openly in the office.
d. Assume the content posted on a social networking site is protected.

False
51. Social media messages have replaced e-mail messages within organizations and to external
audiences.

52. E-mail is appropriate for short, informal messages that request information and respond to inquiries.

True
53. Most e-mails should be organized using the indirect organizational strategy.

False
54. Greetings such as Hi, Katy are unnecessary in e-mail messages because it is already clear that the receiver is
the intended recipient.

False
55. Like e-mail messages, memos can be used to communicate within an organization and with external
customers, companies, and organizations.

False
56. Memos are used to convey procedures, official instructions, and reports.

True
57. Memos should be organized directly by conveying the main idea first.

True
58. Deadlines and action information should be included in the body of an e-mail message or memo.

False
59. Although teenagers use instant messaging (IM) frequently, corporations do not use this communication tool.

False
60. Text and instant messaging are replacing e-mail for short internal communication.
False

61. The major attraction of instant messaging (IM) in business is real-time communication with colleagues
anywhere in the world as long as a cell phone signal or a Wi-Fi connection is available.
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True
62. Some advantages of texting and instant messaging include immediacy and cost.

True
63. All companies in today's workplace allow employees to text or instant message on the job.

False
64. One benefit of using text or instant messaging on the job is that these messages cannot be used as evidence
in lawsuits.

False
65. Before using IM or text messaging on the job, be sure you have permission.

True
66. When texting or instant messaging on the job, don't worry about your grammar and spelling because your
goal is to send quick, short messages.

False
67. The top digital media device being used to disseminate information today is podcasts.

False
68. Podcasting has experienced large growth and has spread among various user groups online.

True
69. Businesses use podcasting for sending audio and video messages that do not require a live presence yet offer
a friendly human face.
True

70. One advantage of podcasts is that they can replace costlier forms of communication technologies such as
teleconferences.

True
71. Podcasts are digital audio programs resembling _______.
a. radio shows
b. TV shows
c. teleconferencin
g
d. videoconferenc
ing

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72. The most popular genre of podcasts is _______.
a. news
b. sports
c. comedy
d. true
crime

73. What is the advantage of podcasts over live teleconferences?

a. Podcasts are less expensive to produce than live
teleconferences.
b. Podcasts are more impersonal than live
teleconferences.
c. Podcasts are more popular than live teleconferences.
d. Podcasts require little training to produce.

74. Which audiences do businesses target when they produce podcasts?

a. Internal audiences only, e.g.,
employees
b. External audiences only, e.g.,
customers
c. Both internal and external
audiences
d. Potential customers

75. Blogs can be useful to a company for crisis communication.

True
76. Although blogs have proven to be an effective tool for some individuals, businesses are reluctant to use
them because they are limited in the audiences that they reach.

False
77. Blogs can produce unbiased consumer feedback more quickly and cheaply than familiar techniques like
focus groups and surveys.

True
78. Effective blog entries use informal language and active verbs.

True
79. Companies use blogs only for public and customer relations.

False

80. One of the prominent business uses of blogs is to provide up-to-date company information to the press and
the public.

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True
81. Three Ways to Improve Your Resume is an effective title for a blog post.

True
82. An effective blogging strategy is to post compelling comments on other bloggers’ posts.

True
83. Social networking sites enable businesses to connect with customers and employees, share company news,
and exchange ideas.
True

84. Twitter is very popular for personal use with employees under age 35, but businesses have not yet found
positive business applications for this digital communication tool.

False
85. Many companies have modeled their internal social networks after Facebook.

True
86. Social networks can help connect employees who are geographically dispersed.

True
87. Social media is more widely used for marketing than for daily job tasks.

False
88. You must be wary of the many risks in the cyber world, which include not only appearing in inappropriate
photographs but also making "friends" online.
True

89. Twitter is the most popular social media network in America, used by nearly 80 percent of adults.

False
90. Privacy settings on social networking sites prevent others from accessing your personal information.

False

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91. What does the term “down-editing” mean when responding to an e-mail?
a. Down-editing involves inserting your responses to parts of the incoming message.
b. Down-editing means trimming the word count of your response, ensuring that your language
is as concise as possible.
c. Down-editing has the same meaning as curbing exuberance: editing your language to
remove unnecessary intensifiers.
d. Down-editing refers to the practice of putting your reply in a lower position than the e-mail
you are responding to.

92. Guide words in an e-mail message or memo include To, From, Date, and _______.
a. location
b. subject
c. time
d. day

93. What is the name of the feature that enables you to use the internet or an internal corporate communication
platform to communicate in real time with others by exchanging brief text-based messages?
a. Blogging
b. Podcasting
c. Crowdsourcin
g
d. Instant
messaging

94. Similar to the internet, an internal corporate communication platform is called a(n) _______.
a. social
network
b. intranet
c. podcast
d. blog

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95. What is a digital audio file that can be downloaded to a computer or smartphone?
a. Blog
b. Social network
c. Podcast
d. Voice mail

96. The unauthorized collection of sensitive data such as financial information or medical data is an example of
what type of cyberthreat?
a. Breach of privacy
b. Disinformation
c. Deepfake
d. Cyberbullying

97. Online harassment through the sharing of embarrassing information online is known as _______.
a. cyberbullying
b. deepfake
c. trolling
d. doxxing

98. What is the term that describes a website with journal entries on any imaginable topic usually written by one
person?
a. A blog
b. A podcast
c. An internal
memo
d. A press
release

99. What is viral marketing?

a. A term that describes when a computer virus infects the marketing department
b. A term that depicts the rapid spread of online messages, much like infectious diseases that
pass from person to person
c. A term that describes a marketing effort that has failed
d. A term that describes a marketing effort that is copied by a competitor

100. What type of audience is LinkedIn geared to?

a. A professional audience
b. A teenage audience
c. An academic audience
d. An exclusive audience of business executives

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 91. ____________________ messages tend to carry more weight, are more formal, and are
taken more seriously in certain situations.
ANSWER: Hard
92. In the ____________________ of an e-mail message, you should cover just one topic.
ANSWER: body
93. Sending unsolicited advertisements, also called ____________________, either by fax or
e-mail is illegal in the United States.
ANSWER: spam
94. A(n) ____________________ is a digital audio or video file that can be downloaded to a
computer or watched on a smartphone.
ANSWER: podcast
95. An e-mail message should include a descriptive ____________________ to help ensure
that the message will be read.
ANSWER: subject line
96. To, From, Date, and Subject in an e-mail message or a memo are called
____________________ words.
ANSWER: guide
97. Unless your company specifically allows it, never use your employer's computers for
____________________ messages or entertainment.
ANSWER: personal
98. Although e-mail is still a relatively new business communication tool, a set of rules for
polite online interaction called ____________________ has emerged.
ANSWER: netiquette
99. ____________________ messaging enables you to use the Internet to communicate in real
time in a private chat room with one or more individuals. It is like live e-mail or a text
telephone call.
ANSWER: Instant
100. Teams or departments use ____________________ to collect and disseminate
information to large audiences creating a database for knowledge management. ANSWER:
wikis

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