Communication in Organizations Test Bank
Course Introduction
Communication in Organizations explores the essential role of communication processes in the functioning and success of modern organizations. The course examines the flow of information within and between different levels of an organization, focusing on topics such as interpersonal and group communication, formal and informal channels, organizational culture, leadership communication, conflict resolution, and the impact of technology. Students will develop practical skills for effective message creation, active listening, and feedback, while also learning to navigate and improve communication climates in diverse workplace environments. The course combines theoretical frameworks with real-world case studies to foster a comprehensive understanding of organizational communication dynamics.
Recommended Textbook
Business Communication Today 11th Global Edition by Courtland Bovee
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication
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Sample Questions
Q1) An example of downward communication is
A) a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B) an email message about sick leave from one staff secretary to another.
C) a company briefing held on the organization's top floor.
D) a sales manager giving instructions to a salesperson.
Answer: D
Q2) An ethical ________ involves making a clearly unethical choice.
Answer: lapse
Q3) Briefly describe at least one hypothetical or actual example of an organization utilizing the 2.0 approach to business communication.
Answer: (Answers may vary.) One example would be an online software vendor encouraging customers to review software titles they have purchased and then post those reviews on the vendor's website for other customers to access.
Q4) What does it mean for an audience to "decode" a message?
Answer: The audience decodes a message by extracting the ideas from it. Decoding is the sixth step in the communication process.
Q5) Groups affected in some way by a company's actions are referred to as ________.
Answer: stakeholders
Page 3
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Chapter 2: Mastering Interpersonal Communication
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Sample Questions
Q1) A wiki is a website that allows anyone with access to add new material and edit existing material in collaborative documents.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) One characteristic of effective teams is that one leader tends to take charge and make all the major decisions.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) When introducing yourself to someone in a business context, you should always include a brief description of A) your role in the company.
B) one of your personal interests or hobbies.
C) your company's history.
D) all of the above.
Answer: A
Q4) ________ refers to working together to meet complex challenges. Answer: Collaboration
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Chapter 3: Communicating in a World of Diversity
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Sample Questions
Q1) When ethnocentric people stereotype an entire group of people, they are usually justified in doing so.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) Learning about an unfamiliar culture
A) is generally a waste of time-no one in business expects you to do so.
B) can be accomplished only by living among its people.
C) requires at least one year of study before it is meaningful.
D) is a worthy undertaking-even if you learn only a small amount.
Answer: D
Q3) Briefly describe at least three advantages of a diverse workforce.
Answer: A culturally diverse workforce yields a broader spectrum of viewpoints and ideas. It also helps companies understand and identify with diverse markets and enables companies to benefit from a wider range of employee talents.
Q4) What is culture?
Answer: Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and norms for behavior.
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Chapter 4: Planning Business Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Your boss has asked you to "find out everything you can about our newest competitor." This should cause you to take a very narrow approach to your research, sticking to official sources for the new competitor.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Choosing the right medium for your message
A) is not important as long as the content of your message is accurate. B) can make an important difference in how your message is perceived. C) is vital for external communication, but not important for internal communication. D) is important only when communicating with managers and supervisors.
Q3) Good ________ helps readers understand and accept your message, and saves them time in the process.
Q4) One effective informal method for learning more about your audience's information needs is to ask them directly for input.
A)True B)False
Q5) How can the journalistic approach help you include all required information in you business messages?
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Chapter 5: Writing Business Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following sentences contains the strongest and most effective wording?
A) Given the parameters of the situation, the most propitious choice would be to make adjustments in certain budget areas.
B) Someone's going to need to do some budget cutting around here or heads will roll.
C) Perusal of budgetary figures reveals that a 12 percent reduction in operations is called for if we are to stave off a negative impact on profits.
D) We need to cut the operating budget by 12 percent or profits will plummet.
Q2) A(n) ________ is a cluster of sentences related to the same general topic.
Q3) Give the definition of a complex sentence, then provide an example of one.
Q4) List three strategies to become more sensitive to your audience's needs.
Q5) To establish credibility with your audience, you should
A) impress them with a long list of your accomplishments.
B) be modest and deferential.
C) use hedge words ("maybe," "perhaps") to demonstrate your knowledge that no issue is fully cut and dried.
D) show that you are confident and that you believe in yourself and in your message.
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Chapter 6: Completing Business Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) To create a list, you can use numbers, letters, or bullets (graphic elements) to separate the items.
A)True
B)False
Q2) After you have completed the first draft of your business message, the next step is to make a final, quick pass through it to check for typos and spelling errors.
A)True
B)False
Q3) With practice, most writers can create first drafts that do not need to be revised.
A)True
B)False
Q4) To avoid legal problems in your business messages, you should use as many hedging words (such as may or seems) as possible.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Briefly describe two strategies for clarifying sentence structure.
Q6) Describe four important issues to consider when distributing business messages.
Q7) Briefly explain what the opening of a document should accomplish.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Crafting Messages for Electronic Media
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Sample Questions
Q1) ________ have become a popular medium for customer support-enabling employees to answer questions and offer tips and advice.
Q2) Compared to email, ________ ________ is faster, simpler to operate, and offers fewer problems with unwanted messages or security and privacy problems.
Q3) Which of the following is an example of an effective subject line for an email requesting information about the August inventory for bananas?
A) Information needed
B) Banana information needed
C) Banana inventories
D) Please send August banana inventory
Q4) Briefly explain the concept of using compositional modes for electronic media.
Q5) Compositional ________ for electronic media include (among others) conversations, comments and critiques, orientations, summaries, and narratives.
Q6) An effective email subject line is very short and describes only the general topic of the message.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 8: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
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Q1) Briefly explain how the Internet and social media have changed the nature of the news release.
Q2) When responding to claim letters, companies usually accept the customer's explanation of the problem.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In positive recommendation letters, it's important to back up your general points with specific examples of the candidate's fitness for the job.
A)True
B)False
Q4) List at least three guidelines to follow when writing condolence messages.
Q5) If you have strongly negative information to deliver as part of a positive message, you should
A) apologize for having to spoil the moment.
B) open with the negative information.
C) put the negative information in a separate message.
D) use the indirect approach.
Q6) Dissatisfied customers can request a(n) ________, or claim settlement.
Q7) Messages of ________ need not be poetic to express sympathy.
Page 10
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Chapter 9: Writing Negative Messages
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Q1) A crisis management plan includes information on which individuals are authorized to speak for the company in the midst of a crisis.
A)True
B)False
Q2) When evaluating employees, it is important to ________ performance problems carefully to support any decisions that need to be made about pay, promotions, or termination.
Q3) When delivering bad news, your only goal is to make the recipient feel good about him- or herself.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A negative message organized using the ________ approach starts with a clear statement of the bad news.
Q5) Compared to traditional letters of recommendation, social networking recommendations
A) pose less of a risk to your professional reputation.
B) become a part of your brand.
C) require the same amount of detail.
D) are none of the above.
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Chapter 10: Writing Persuasive Messages
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Q1) Why is it especially important in marketing and sales messages to avoid implying offers or promises you cannot fulfill?
Q2) Demographic information includes people's psychological characteristics, such as personality, attitudes, and lifestyle.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In a marketing or sales message, product claims are supported
A) by solid evidence from a credible source.
B) by testimonials from paid reviewers.
C) information from rival products.
D) primarily by testimonials from satisfied customers.
Q4) If you anticipate objections to your persuasive message, it is best not to bring them up.
A)True
B)False
Q5) When is it a good idea to use the direct approach for persuasive messages?
Q6) It is particularly important to establish ________ with a skeptical or hostile audience-to convince them that you know what you're talking about and that you're not trying to mislead them.
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Chapter 11: Finding, Evaluating, and Processing Information
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Q1) To help guide your research, you should develop a problem statement that defines the problem or purpose of your research.
A)True
B)False
Q2) In evaluating material you have gathered for a report, you should
A) assume that any information taken from a webpage will be credible and reliable.
B) check to make sure the material is current.
C) ignore government documents.
D) throw out any information whose source is an organization that might be biased.
Q3) A(n) ________ is a logical interpretation of the facts in your report.
Q4) According to the fair use doctrine, you can use other people's work only as long as you do not unfairly prevent them from benefiting as a result.
A)True
B)False
Q5) You can narrow or broaden an Internet search by using ________ operators such as AND, OR, and NOT.
Q6) Describe six strategies for producing surveys that are both valid and reliable.
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Page 13
Chapter 12: Designing Visual Communication
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Sample Questions
Q1) A good way to distinguish between "operating expenses" and "equipment costs" on a pie chart illustrating monthly expenses would be to use contrasting colors.
A)True
B)False
Q2) In business presentations, images should always be arranged symmetrically around a central point or axis.
A)True
B)False
Q3) To illustrate the positions, units, or functions of an organization and the way they interrelate, use a(n) ________ chart.
Q4) Short titles such as "Improvements" intrigue audiences and encourage them to pay careful attention to your visuals.
A)True
B)False
Q5) A(n) ________ is a poor choice for noticing mathematical trends.
Q6) A(n) ________ title on a graphic simply identifies the topic.
Q7) What is "chartjunk"?
Q8) Define and explain the "visual evolution in business communication."
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Chapter 13: Planning Reports and Proposals
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Q1) With the ________ approach to structuring analytical reports, you begin by discussing the problem, and then list the criteria that will guide evaluation of possible solutions.
Q2) For most audiences, reading material on a computer monitor is far easier than reading from the printed page.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Because of its natural feel and versatility, the ________ approach is generally the most persuasive way to develop an analytical report for skeptical readers.
A) 2 + 2 = 4
B) hypothetical
C) direct
D) yardstick
Q4) Delivering a business report as a word processing file
A) is rarely, if ever, necessary.
B) wastes time and confuses your audience.
C) is usually not preferable to a printed document.
D) is useful if the audience will need to search the report frequently.
Q5) The statement of ________ defines why you are preparing a report.
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Chapter 14: Writing Reports and Proposals
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Q1) The primary value of a wiki stems from
A) its focus on a single, expert perspective.
B) its revolutionary technology.
C) the collective insight of all its contributors.
D) none of the above.
Q2) The close of a proposal is the right place to discuss any costs associated with your recommendations.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A well-run wiki encourages participants to edit and improve each other's work.
A)True
B)False
Q4) When preparing review sections in a report,
A) use multiple review sections if the report is long and complex.
B) introduce new facts and information to support the review points.
C) always write them in narrative form, not as lists.
D) do all of the above.
Q5) A more ________ tone is generally appropriate for longer reports, those dealing with controversial or complex information, and those that will be sent to other parts of the organization or to outsiders.
Page 16
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Chapter 15: Completing Reports and Proposals
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Sample Questions
Q1) In a formal, unsolicited proposal, a synopsis or executive summary may be
A) useful if the proposal is fairly short.
B) placed in an appendix.
C) essential for highlighting your competitive advantage.
D) unnecessary.
Q2) Proofreading reports is different from proofreading other kinds of business messages in that
A) reports often have elements that aren't included in other business messages.
B) the visual elements in reports don't usually need proofing.
C) reports usually have more typographical errors.
D) none of the above-reports do not differ significantly from other business messages.
Q3) An executive summary
A) gives a fully developed "mini" version of the report.
B) is unnecessary if the report is not intended for executives.
C) is shorter than a synopsis.
D) provides additional information (not covered in the report) that executives will need.
Q4) A(n) ________ contains materials that are too lengthy or too bulky to include in the main body of a report.
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Chapter 16: Developing Oral and Online Presentations
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Q1) Planning a business presentation is similar to organizing a written message.
A)True
B)False
Q2) A presentation ________ helps you organize your material and can serve as the foundation of your speaking notes.
Q3) Which of the following is not a good way to deal with speaking anxiety?
A) Take a few deep breaths before speaking.
B) Have your first sentence memorized and on the tip of your tongue.
C) Focus on being perfect.
D) Prepare more material than necessary.
Q4) If you have 10 minutes or less to deliver your presentation, you should organize it much as you would a brief written message.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Briefly explain the difference between a planning outline and a speaking outline.
Q6) When planning a presentation, what does it mean to "analyze the situation"? Briefly explain each of the tasks involved.
Q7) List the four delivery methods for oral presentations.
Page 18
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Chapter 17: Enhancing Presentations With Slides and Other
Visuals
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Q1) In most cases, text slides should contain a maximum of 4-5 lines with no more than 4 or 5 words per line.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Briefly explain the function builds play in electronic presentations.
Q3) What presentation tools are often used for small-group sessions?
Q4) ________ slides tell your audience where you've been and where you're going in your presentation.
Q5) Which of the following visuals would be particularly helpful for recording ideas during a group brainstorming session?
A) Screencast
B) Electronic presentation
C) Flip chart
D) None of the above
Q6) ________ enable you to make individual elements on a slide appear one at a time rather than all at once.
Q7) What is a title slide?
Page 19
Q8) A(n) ________ ________ slide signals that you are moving from one major part of the presentation to another.
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Chapter 18: Building Careers and Writing Résumés
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Q1) All résumés should be organized chronologically.
A)True
B)False
Q2) One alternative to putting a Career Objective on your résumé is to include a Summary of ________.
Q3) If you have a personal webpage or e-portfolio, you should list it on your résumé under "Contact Information."
A)True
B)False
Q4) If you are planning a career change and want to deemphasize lengthy unemployment or lack of career progress, the best organizational plan for your résumé would be
A) indirect.
B) functional.
C) chronological.
D) targeted.
Q5) The ________ ________ section of a résumé states what you wish to accomplish in your work.
Q6) How can career counseling aid your search for employment?
Q7) Describe the main sections or elements that are included on most résumés.
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Chapter 19: Applying and Interviewing for Employment
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Q1) Body language is particularly important during the warm-up phase of a job interview.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Of the three stages of a job interview, the close is the most important.
A)True
B)False
Q3) What two essential questions do employers seek to answer about each candidate in interviews?
Q4) An unsolicited job application letter should begin with a statement designed to get the reader's attention.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Which type of interview would be likely to include a question such as, "You seem wholly unqualified for this job, and your answers so far have been terrible. Why should we continue with this?"
A) Structured
B) Screening
C) Stress
D) Situational
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Chapter 20: Format and Layout of Business Documents
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Q1) In business documents, abbreviations such as U.S.A. and M.B.A. must always contain periods.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following is a salutopening?
A) Thank you, Professor Milford, For your prompt response.
B) Dear Esteemed Professor Milford, It has come to our attention that you are interested in joining our research team in Winslow, Arizona. We think you can be a good fit!
C) Dear Professor Milford:
D) Attention: Professor J. J. Milford
Q3) "Feb. 10th 2012" is the correct way to type the date in a letter. A)True
B)False
Q4) The top of a memo usually includes headings for A) to, from, date, subject.
B) subject, to, date.
C) attention, to, from, date.
D) department, date, subject.
Page 23
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Chapter 21: Documentation of Report Sources
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Q1) If you use unpublished materials, such as doctoral dissertations or public speeches, as resources, you do not need to cite them in your report.
A)True
B)False
Q2) A content note
A) documents direct quotes.
B) offers additional information or provides a cross-reference.
C) documents visual aids.
D) documents paraphrased passages.
Q3) In the list of works cited following MLA style
A) the date comes immediately after the author's name.
B) electronic sources are not included.
C) all the main words are capitalized in the titles of books and articles.
D) the titles of books and periodicals are put in quotation marks.
Q4) If a newspaper article doesn't have an author, your citation begins with the title of the newspaper.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 22: Correction Symbols
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Q1) A linking verb is always followed by a noun, pronoun, or adjective.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The following sentence uses all words correctly: She was disinterested in paying me a complement.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following is a sentence fragment?
A) Moxie, depending on his friends for support.
B) Come here.
C) He put the package in the mail right away.
D) The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Q4) The difference between "lie" and "lay" is that "lie" is an intransitive verb and "lay" is a transitive verb.
A)True B)False
Q5) The plural of "son-in-law" is "sons-in-law," but the possessive is "son-in-law's."
A)True
B)False
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