Chapter 10 Informal Reports Multiple Choice Questions 1.The three factors of successful reports are ________. a)content, tone, skimmability b)content, clarity, skimmability c)content, clarity, accuracy d)content, clarity, tone 2.________ is not a feature of an informal report. a) Use of a table of contents for reports over five pages b)Use of personal pronouns c)Infrequent use of visual aids d)A within-report summary 3.Marta sells mouse pads in Waterloo, ON, but sends weekly sales reports to the head office in Victoria, BC. She should send ________. a)an analytical report b)a periodic report in memo format c)a justification report in memo format d)an information report in letter format 4.The main sections of an analytical report are ________. a)purpose/introduction, background, facts/findings, recommendations/ conclusions b)purpose/introduction, discussion/analysis, conclusions, recommendations c)purpose/introduction, discussion, analysis d) purpose/introduction, facts/findings, discussion/analysis, recommendations/conclusions 5.Report writers should use a more formal tone than usual ________. a)because they don’t know where the report could end up b)because they are less important than their readers c)to make the report seem impressive and important d)to exaggerate the importance of their findings 6. ________ is not a functional heading. a)Recommendations b)New Policy on Secure Messaging c)Findings d)Problems 7.A heading in all caps, bold, and centred, would be ________. a)third level Which of the following transitional expressions can be used to present additional thoughts? a. Accordingly, as a result, consequently, therefore Which of the following transitional expressions suggest cause and effect? a. After, before,
first, finally, now, previously, to conclude Informational reports should be organized using which of the following patterns? a. Introduction/problem, facts/findings, conclusions/recommendations, discussion/analysis The range for daily sales for the week, $89,000, $75,000, $98,000, $66,000, and $99,000, is a) $85,400. You're a newly hired member of the Human Resources and Communications Department at LHC Design, a 130-employee firm that designs architecture, visual merchandising, and branding strategies for retail stores. Today your boss, Jenna Bostick, emailed you an assignment that will enable you to show off your research and writing skills. Jenna, the director of the department, will be attending an executive team meeting next week, and she would like to know by then what, if anything, the company should do about the employee blog that has sprung up on WordPress, a free blog-hosting site. Apparently, several LHC designers, strategists, and artists have taken it upon themselves to start a blog in which they can share their creative ideas with each other, with creative people in other companies, and with current and potential clients. They call their blog "InspirationPoint," and it seems to be gathering momentum. "What should the company do about this blog? Ignore it? Squelch it? Link it to the company website?" Jenna asks. She wants your recommendation so that she can make her own, based on yours, to the executive team. Of course, to figure out what to recommend, you'll need to do research. You'll start by studying the blog itself. Then you'll arrange appointments to speak with the young employees who started and maintain the blog. You'll also study websites, books, and articles about corporate blogging, and you'll look for any other data that might help your boss decide what course of action to recommend to her bosses. Make Jenna feel great about hiring you by doing a stellar job on this report. Which form of report would be appropriate for this situation? 1. either an email report or a short report attached to an email message You're a newly hired member of the Human Resources and Communications Department at LHC Design, a 130-employee firm that designs architecture, visual merchandising, and branding strategies for retail stores. Today your boss, Jenna Bostick, emailed you an assignment that will enable you to show off your research and writing skills. Jenna, the director of the department, will be attending an executive team meeting next week, and she would like to know by then what, if anything, the company should do about the employee blog that has sprung up on WordPress, a free blog-hosting site. Apparently, several LHC designers, strategists, and artists have taken it upon themselves to start a blog in which they can share their creative ideas with each other, with creative people in other companies, and with current and potential clients. They call their blog "InspirationPoint," and it seems to be gathering momentum. "What should the company do about this blog? Ignore it? Squelch it? Link it to the company website?" Jenna asks. She wants your recommendation so that she can make her own, based on yours, to the executive team. Of course, to figure out what to recommend, you'll need to do research. You'll start by studying the blog itself. Then you'll arrange appointments to speak with the young employees who started and maintain the blog. You'll also study websites, books, and articles about corporate blogging, and you'll look for any other data that might help your boss decide what course of action to recommend to her bosses. Make Jenna feel great about hiring you by doing a stellar job on this report. You could argue that it would be appropriate in this case to state your assessment of the blog up front but make your recommendation for action only after presenting the information about the blog. Your reasoning would be 1. that your boss might not read the whole report if you stated your recommendation up front. You're a newly hired member of the Human Resources and Communications Department at LHC Design, a 130-employee firm that designs architecture, visual merchandising, and branding strategies for retail stores. Today your boss, Jenna Bostick, emailed you an assignment that will enable you to show off your research and writing skills. Jenna, the director of the department, will be attending an executive team meeting next week, and she would like to know by then what, if anything, the company should do about the employee blog that has sprung up on WordPress, a free blog-hosting site. Apparently, several LHC designers, strategists, and artists have taken it upon themselves to start a blog in which they can share their creative ideas with each other, with creative people in other companies, and with current and potential clients. They call their blog "InspirationPoint," and it seems to be gathering momentum. "What should the company do about this blog? Ignore it? Squelch it? Link it to the company website?" Jenna asks. She wants your recommendation so that she can make her own, based on yours, to the executive team. Of course, to figure out what to recommend, you'll need to do research. You'll start by studying the blog itself. Then you'll arrange appointments to speak with the young employees who started and maintain the blog. You'll also study websites, books, and articles about corporate blogging, and you'll look for any other data that might help your boss decide what course of action to recommend to her bosses. Make Jenna feel great about hiring you by doing a stellar job on this report. Which of the following choices would not be a reader-friendly way to organize the report's information? 1. Organize the information in the order of the reader's most likely questions. You're a newly hired member of the Human Resources and Communications Department at LHC Design, a 130-employee firm that designs architecture, visual merchandising, and branding strategies for retail stores. Today your boss, Jenna Bostick, emailed you an assignment that will enable you to show off your research and writing skills. Jenna, the director of the department, will be attending an executive team meeting next week, and she would like to know by then what, if anything, the company should do about the employee blog that has sprung up on WordPress, a free blog-hosting site. Apparently, several LHC designers, strategists, and artists have taken it upon themselves to start a blog in which they can share their creative ideas with each other, with creative people in other companies, and with current and potential clients. They call their blog "InspirationPoint," and it seems to be gathering momentum. "What should the company do about this blog? Ignore it? Squelch it? Link it to the company website?" Jenna asks. She wants your recommendation so that she can make her own, based on yours, to the executive team. Of course, to figure out what to recommend, you'll need to do research. You'll start by studying the blog itself. Then you'll arrange appointments to speak with the young employees who started and maintain the blog. You'll also study websites, books, and articles about corporate blogging, and you'll look for any other data that might help your boss decide what course of action to recommend to her bosses. Make Jenna feel great about hiring you by doing a stellar job on this report. Which of the following would make the most appropriate final sentence of the report? 1. "It is therefore advisable for LHC Design to develop social-media guidelines and require that employees follow them." You're a newly hired member of the Human Resources and Communications Department at LHC Design, a 130-employee firm that designs architecture, visual merchandising, and branding strategies for retail stores. Today your boss, Jenna Bostick, emailed you an assignment that will enable you to show off your research and writing skills. Jenna, the director of the department, will be attending an executive team meeting next week, and she would like to know by then what, if anything, the company should do about the employee blog that has sprung up on WordPress, a free blog-hosting site. Apparently, several LHC designers, strategists, and artists have taken it upon themselves to start a blog in which they can share their creative ideas with each other, with creative people in other companies, and with current and potential clients. They call their blog "InspirationPoint," and it seems to be gathering momentum. "What should the company do about this blog? Ignore it? Squelch it? Link it to the company website?" Jenna asks. She wants your recommendation so that she can make her own, based on yours, to the executive team. Of course, to figure out what to recommend, you'll need to do research. You'll start by studying the blog itself. Then you'll arrange appointments to speak with the young employees who started and maintain the blog. You'll also study websites, books, and articles about corporate blogging, and you'll look for any other data that might help your boss decide what course of action to recommend to her bosses. Make Jenna feel great about hiring you by doing a stellar job on this report. Which of the following could be a helpful and appropriate appendix to the report? 1. a representative post from the employees' blog Name That
Report Donna - The Verstag Company, a metal-working shop with about 60 employees, is considering adopting a profit-sharing plan. As financial manager for the company, Donna has been asked to study the government regulations for such plans, the forms the plan can take, how to implement such a plan, and the likely risks and benefits for both the employees and the company. She will present her results orally to the administrative team, but she will also prepare a detailed written report. Name That Report Jasper - Jasper is a sales person for a financial services firm. His job is to call potential customers, discuss their current mortgages with them, and offer, if possible, a better deal from his firm. Each week he needs to report how many calls he made, how many he completed, what the current mortgage rates are of those he spoke with, and how many sales he made. Your company, Sierra Publishing Company, launched a corporate fitness program 18 months ago. The results have been tremendous. Your employees have lost a collective 5,367 pounds, and the employees have had fewer sick days and paid less for medical care. The problem? Many of the sales and management staff entertain clients at business breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. These employees have expressed concern that their hard work in the fitness program is sabotaged when they entertain clients and dine on food loaded with fat, calories, cholesterol, carbohydrates, and sodium. They also worry that hidden "hazards" in certain foods (e.g., dressings, sauces) may cause them to make poor food choices even when they are attempting to make good ones. Joe Moreno, a senior vice president, is trying to find ways to address employees' concerns. He has assigned you, his assistant, the task of researching the nutritional content of menus at the five restaurants where employees most frequently entertain clients. Even if the company pays a little more for healthful meals, this cost is offset by the benefits healthy employees bring to the company. You are to present your findings in a report. Joe will then share the information with all Sierra employees. To write this report, you'll need to think carefully about your problem, your purpose, and where you will find your information. He also wants you to find guidelines for making healthful food selections regardless of the restaurants that the employees and their clients choose. Which of the following would be the most appropriate problem statement on which to base your research? 1. Sierra employees need to know how to make healthful eating options when entertaining clients. Your company, Sierra Publishing Company, launched a corporate fitness program 18 months ago. The results have been tremendous. Your employees have lost a collective 5,367 pounds, and the employees have had fewer sick days and paid less for medical care. The problem? Many of the sales and management staff entertain clients at business breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. These employees have expressed concern that their hard work in the fitness program is sabotaged when they entertain clients and dine on food loaded with fat, calories, cholesterol, carbohydrates, and sodium. They also worry that hidden "hazards" in certain foods (e.g., dressings, sauces) may cause them to make poor food choices even when they are attempting to make good ones. Joe Moreno, a senior vice president, is trying to find ways to address employees' concerns. He has assigned you, his assistant, the task of researching the nutritional content of menus at the five restaurants where employees most frequently entertain clients. Even if the company pays a little more for healthful meals, this cost is offset by the benefits healthy employees bring to the company. You are to present your findings in a report. Joe will then share the information with all Sierra employees. To write this report, you'll need to think carefully about your problem, your purpose, and where you will find your information. He also wants you to find guidelines for making healthful food selections regardless of the restaurants that the employees and their clients choose. Which of the following would be the most appropriate purpose statement to guide your research? 1. Which five area restaurants
provide the most healthful options for sales and management staff and clients? Your company, Sierra Publishing Company, launched a corporate fitness program 18 months ago. The results have been tremendous. Your employees have lost a collective 5,367 pounds, and the employees have had fewer sick days and paid less for medical care. The problem? Many of the sales and management staff entertain clients at business breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. These employees have expressed concern that their hard work in the fitness program is sabotaged when they entertain clients and dine on food loaded with fat, calories, cholesterol, carbohydrates, and sodium. They also worry that hidden "hazards" in certain foods (e.g., dressings, sauces) may cause them to make poor food choices even when they are attempting to make good ones. Joe Moreno, a senior vice president, is trying to find ways to address employees' concerns. He has assigned you, his assistant, the task of researching the nutritional content of menus at the five restaurants where employees most frequently entertain clients. Even if the company pays a little more for healthful meals, this cost is offset by the benefits healthy employees bring to the company. You are to present your findings in a report. Joe will then share the information with all Sierra employees. To write this report, you'll need to think carefully about your problem, your purpose, and where you will find your information. He also wants you to find guidelines for making healthful food selections regardless of the restaurants that the employees and their clients choose. Which of the following would likely not be a factor you would research to address your report problem? 1. the five restaurants employees and clients visit most frequently Your company, Sierra Publishing Company, launched a corporate fitness program 18 months ago. The results have been tremendous. Your employees have lost a collective 5,367 pounds, and the employees have had fewer sick days and paid less for medical care. The problem? Many of the sales and management staff entertain clients at business breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. These employees have expressed concern that their hard work in the fitness program is sabotaged when they entertain clients and dine on food loaded with fat, calories, cholesterol, carbohydrates, and sodium. They also worry that hidden "hazards" in certain foods (e.g., dressings, sauces) may cause them to make poor food choices even when they are attempting to make good ones. Joe Moreno, a senior vice president, is trying to find ways to address employees' concerns. He has assigned you, his assistant, the task of researching the nutritional content of menus at the five restaurants where employees most frequently entertain clients. Even if the company pays a little more for healthful meals, this cost is offset by the benefits healthy employees bring to the company. You are to present your findings in a report. Joe will then share the information with all Sierra employees. To write this report, you'll need to think carefully about your problem, your purpose, and where you will find your information. He also wants you to find guidelines for making healthful food selections regardless of the restaurants that the employees and their clients choose. You have studied the menus and the nutritional information for the five restaurants you were asked to research. Which of the following indicates an interpretation problem? 1. Restaurant A contains the most vegetarian options, so it is the most healthful restaurant. Your company, Sierra Publishing Company, launched a corporate fitness program 18 months ago. The results have been tremendous. Your employees have lost a collective 5,367 pounds, and the employees have had fewer sick days and paid less for medical care. The problem? Many of the sales and management staff entertain clients at business breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. These employees have expressed concern that their hard work in the fitness program is sabotaged when they entertain clients and dine on food loaded with fat, calories, cholesterol, carbohydrates, and sodium. They also worry that hidden "hazards" in certain foods (e.g., dressings, sauces) may cause them to make poor food choices even when they are attempting to make good ones. Joe Moreno, a senior vice president, is trying to find ways to address employees' concerns. He has assigned you, his assistant, the task of researching the nutritional content of menus at the five restaurants where employees most frequently entertain clients. Even if the company pays a little more for healthful meals, this cost is offset by the benefits healthy employees bring to the company. You are to present your findings in a report. Joe will then share the information with all Sierra employees. To write this report, you'll need to think carefully about your problem, your purpose, and where you will find your information. He also wants you to find guidelines for making healthful food selections regardless of the restaurants that the employees and their clients choose. Which of the following would be the least helpful way to organize the part of your report about the five restaurants? 1. organizing by restaurant, in alphabetical
order (Restaurant A, Restaurant B, etc.) |