Chapter 15 COMPLETING REPORTS AND PROPOSALS Multiple Choice 1.

The three sections of a formal report include all of the following except a. prefatory parts. b. text. c. conclusions. d. supplementary parts. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 456; TYPE: concept 2. The prefatory parts of a report should a. help readers decide whether they need to read the report. b. be prepared and written before the text of the report. c. include an introduction to the report. d. do all of the above. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 456; TYPE: concept 3. Which of the following is not included in the prefatory parts of a formal report? a. Cover b. Letter of authorization c. Introduction d. Table of contents ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 456; TYPE: concept 4. What would be the best title for a formal report on your companys proposed acquisition of Freedman's Nuts & Bolts? a. "To Acquire or Not to Acquire" b. "A Study of the Feasibility of Angstrom Hardware Inc. Acquiring the Concern Currently Operating as Freedman's Nuts & Bolts" c. "The Pros and Cons of Acquiring Freedman's Nuts & Bolts" d. "Why Angstrom Should Forget About Acquiring Freedman" ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: application 5. The purpose of the title fly is to a. give the name of the company for which the report has been prepared. b. add a touch of formality to the report. c. protect the report from dirt and careless handling. d. provide a page for the reader to make notes on.

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ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept 6. In addition to the title and submission date, the title page of a formal report should include information on a. the authorizer and the preparer. b. the authorizer and the recipient. c. the contents. d. the copyright. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept 7. The letter of transmittal a. may follow the direct or indirect plan. b. has a more formal style than the report itself. c. is usually included as an appendix. d. does all of the above. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept 8. The letter of transmittal should a. discuss the scope and methods of the project. b. highlight important sections of the report. c. thank the reader for the assignment, if appropriate. d. do all of the above ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472-73; TYPE: concept 9. The table of contents should a. word headings as they appear in the text. b. not include any of the headings in the text. c. paraphrase the text headings. d. not include the supplementary material. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: concept 10. The table of contents for a complex formal report should include a. every level of heading in the report plus all illustration and table titles. b. two tables: a high-level table that shows only major headings, followed by a detailed table that includes everything. c. everything but prefatory parts. d. everything but supplementary parts. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: concept

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11. The synopsis of a formal report is a. a concise overview of the reports most important points. b. a short summary containing subheadings and visual aids. c. usually anywhere from two to five pages. d. all of the above. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: concept 12. Executive summaries a. are shorter than a synopsis. b. give a fully developed mini version of the report. c. provide additional information (not covered in the report) that executives will need. d. do all of the above. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 474; TYPE: concept 13. An executive summary a. is never longer than a few paragraphs. b. may contain headings and visual aids. c. comes before the synopsis in the prefatory section of a report. d. is always included with reports longer than 10 pages. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 474; TYPE: concept 14. Shorter reports of fewer than 10 pages often a. omit executive summaries. b. omit synopses. c. combine executive summaries and synopses with letters of transmittal. d. do any of the above. ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 15. Which of the following is not a typical function of the introduction to a report? a. Telling the audience what the report is about b. Explaining to readers why they should be concerned about the topic c. Outlining how the report is organized d. Documenting sources ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept

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16. The best way to decide what to include in an introduction is to a. consult with more-experienced report writers. b. figure out what kinds of information will most help your readers follow and comprehend the report. c. put in as many standard topics as you can cover in 10 pages or less. d. do a quick survey of potential readers. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 17. If you have organized your report in a direct pattern, the close should a. present the conclusions and recommendations for the first time. b. be relatively long. c. be relatively brief. d. not mention a specific course of action you want the reader to take. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 18. The close of an action-oriented report a. consists of the report's key findings. b. is the writer's analysis of what the findings mean. c. lists any courses of action that you expect readers to take or that you will be taking yourself. d. contains the answers to the questions that led to the report. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 19. Materials that are related to the report but lack direct relevance are included in the a. summary. b. appendix. c. recommendations. d. notes. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 20. Materials in an appendix are not incorporated into the text because a. they are controversial. b. they include bad news. c. they are not directly relevant. d. they are boring. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept

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21. All appendixes should be a. listed in the table of contents, but not mentioned in the text of the report. b. mentioned in the text of the report, but not listed in the table of contents. c. mentioned in the text of the report and listed in the table of contents. d. included in the index but not listed in the table of contents. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 22. The list of secondary sources at the end of a report is labeled Works Cited when it contains a. all the secondary sources consulted in preparing the report. b. more than ten entries. c. only those secondary works that were mentioned in the report. d. anonymous sources. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 23. Acknowledging sources in the body of a report a. is only necessary in schoolnot in business. b. unnecessarily clutters the text of your report. c. demonstrates that you have thoroughly researched your topic. d. shows that you have too much time on your hands. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 24. An index a. may include the names of important persons mentioned in your report,. b. lists only the names of authors cited in the report. c. is never necessary in business reports. d. involves all of the above. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 25. Unlike reports, most proposals a. contain many supplementary parts. b. contain few supplementary parts. c. never contain an appendix. d. are never analytical. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: application

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26. Proposals addressed to potential customers and investors a. are nearly always formal. b. rarely include a copy of the RFP. c. are less formal than those addressed to internal audiences. d. are none of the above. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 27. The prefatory parts of a formal proposal may include a. a letter of authorization. b. a copy of the RFP. c. an index. d. visual aids. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 28. A formal proposal is slightly different from a formal report in that it a. includes a letter of transmittal. b. uses only an indirect approach. c. refers specifically to the RFP. d. uses an executive summary instead of a synopsis. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 29. In a formal proposal, a synopsis or executive summary may be a. essential for highlighting your competitive advantage. b. useful if the proposal is fairly short. c. placed in an appendix. d. unnecessary. ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 477; TYPE: concept 30. Letters of transmittal for unsolicited proposals should follow the form for a. persuasive messages. b. bad-news messages. c. good-news messages. d. routine messages. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 477; TYPE: concept

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31. The text of a proposal a. must always follow the AIDA plan. b. is usually presented in outline form. c. consists of the introduction, body, and close. d. involves all of the above. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 478; TYPE: concept 32. The body of a proposal should a. capture the readers attention. b. explain the complete details of the solution. c. make whatever promises it takes to win the contract. d. do all of the above. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 478-79; TYPE: concept 33. When proofreading formal reports and proposals, you should a. go back and use the biggest words you can find to describe key concepts. b. make sure that headings in the text match headings in the table of contents. c. not worry about typosonly content. d. do all of the above. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 479; TYPE: concept 34. Proofreading reports is different from proofreading other kinds of business messages in that a. reports usually have more typographical errors. b. the visual aids in reports dont usually need proofing. c. reports often have elements that arent included in other business messages. d. none of the abovereports do not differ significantly from other business messages. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 480; TYPE: concept 35. If you dont get a response from readers of your report within a week or two of sending it out, you should

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a. inquire politely as to whether the report arrived or offer to answer any questions regarding its subject. b. take it as a sign that everyone agrees with what you had to say. c. assume that the report has not been read. d. demand to know why you havent received a response yet. ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 482; TYPE: concept True or False 36. Most employees who must produce business reports can count on lots of help from specialists in design and production. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 455; TYPE: concept 37. The number of components a report contains varies according to the type of report you are writing. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 455; TYPE: concept 38. Most prefatory parts (such as the table of contents) should start on their own page. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 456; TYPE: concept 39. Every component of a formal report should always start on a new page. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 456; TYPE: application 40. Because they fall at the beginning of a report, the prefatory parts are usually written first. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 456; TYPE: concept 41. Covers for reports are usually blank sheets of card stock that serve to protect the contents. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 456; TYPE: concept 42. A report title always starts with A Study of or A Report on. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 457; TYPE: application 43. It is sometimes acceptable for the title page to serve as the report cover. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept

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44. The letter of acceptance is the reply to the letter of authorization. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept

45. The letter of transmittal says what you would say if you were handing the report directly to someone. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: application 46. The letter of transmittal should always use the indirect approach, especially if the report is an analytical one. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: application 47. If a report does not have a synopsis, the letter of transmittal can be used to summarize the major findings, conclusions, and recommendations. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 474; TYPE: application 48. The table of contents should always include all levels of headings for the report. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: application 49. A synopsis of a 15-page report should usually be at least two pages long. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: application 50. For reports organized in the indirect pattern, you should use an informative synopsis instead of a descriptive one. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 474; TYPE: application 51. A synopsis is generally more comprehensive than an executive summary. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 474; TYPE: concept 52. Unlike a synopsis, an executive summary may contain headings and visual aids. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 474; TYPE: concept 53. Many reports, especially short ones, do not require a synopsis or executive summary.

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ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 474; TYPE: concept 54. An introduction is never longer than a paragraph or two. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: application 55. The introduction is a good place to tell readers why they should be concerned with your topic. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: application 56. Reports do not need an introduction if they have a synopsis and a letter of transmittal. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 57. The close of a report may be called the Summary or Conclusions and Recommendations. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 58. In reports that are intended to lead to action, the recommendations section may be fairly extensive because it spells out exactly what should happen next. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 59. The most common supplementary parts to include in a formal report are the appendix, the bibliography, and the index. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 60. Its best to make your source references as conspicuous as possible, to give credibility to your report. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: application 61. An index is necessary only if your report is going to be published. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 62. Proposals addressed to external audiences, including potential customers and investors, are nearly always formal. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept

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63. The components of a formal proposal are entirely different from those of other formal reports. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept

64. Most proposals have few supplementary parts. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 65. A synopsis or executive summary is less useful in a formal proposal than in other types of formal reports. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 477; TYPE: concept 66. If a proposal is unsolicited, the letter of transmittal should follow the format for persuasive messages. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 477; TYPE: concept 67. The closing of a formal proposal emphasizes the benefits that readers will realize from your solution. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 479; TYPE: concept 68. When you proofread the text part of a report, you should essentially look for the same types of mistakes as you would look for in any business message. ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 480; TYPE: concept 69. When checking over your visual aids, you can assume that all the data are correct at this point. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 480; TYPE: concept 70. After sending your report, you should wait at least three weeks before contacting the readers if you dont hear from them. ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 482; TYPE: concept Fill-in-the-Blank 71. The three categories of report components are ____________________ parts, ____________________ of the report, and ____________________ parts.

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ANSWER: prefatory, text, supplementary; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 455; TYPE: concept

72. The cover, title page, and table of contents are among the ____________________ parts of a formal report. ANSWER: prefatory; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 456; TYPE: concept 73. The ____________________ ____________________ is a single sheet of paper with only the title of the report on it. ANSWER: title fly; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept 74. A letter of ____________________ is a written acknowledgment of the letter of authorization. ANSWER: acceptance; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept 75. The letter of ____________________ conveys the report to the readers. ANSWER: transmittal; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: application 76. A (An) ____________________ synopsis presents the main points of a report in the order in which they appear in the text. ANSWER: informative; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: concept 77. A (An) ____________________ synopsis simply tells what the report is about. ANSWER: descriptive; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: application 78. A (An) ____________________ ____________________ is a fully developed mini version of the report itself. ANSWER: executive summary; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: concept 79. The writer's analysis, logic, and interpretation of the information are usually included in the ____________________ of the report. ANSWER: body; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 80. The appendix, bibliography, and index make up the ____________________ parts of a formal report.

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ANSWER: supplementary; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept

81. A (An) ____________________ contains materials that are too lengthy or too bulky to include in the main body of a report. ANSWER: appendix; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept 82. A (An) ____________________ is a list of secondary sources consulted when preparing a report. ANSWER: bibliography; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 83. Instead of a letter of authorization, solicited proposals contain a(n) ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ issued by the client. ANSWER: request for proposal(s) OR RFP; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 84. In an unsolicited proposal, the letter of transmittal follows the pattern for ____________________ messages. ANSWER: persuasive; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 477; TYPE: application 85. The ____________________ section is your last opportunity to urge readers to act on your proposal. ANSWER: closing or close; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 479; TYPE: concept Short Answer 86. List at least three factors that can help you decide what parts to include in a business report. ANSWER: (1) The type of report you are writing, (2) the length of your report, (3) what your audience expects and requires, and (4) what your organization dictates. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 455; TYPE: concept 87. What is one advantage of starting each section of your report on a separate page? ANSWER: It helps your readers navigate the report and recognize transitions between major sections or features. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 456; TYPE: concept

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88. Describe the primary function of the letter of transmittal. ANSWER: The letter of transmittal introduces your report to the audience. It says what youd say if you were handing the report directly to the person who authorized it. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept 89. When should you include a separate list of illustrations with your report? ANSWER: You should create a separate list of illustrations if you have more than a handful of visual aids or you want to call attention to the ones you have included in your report. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473; TYPE: concept 90. Briefly explain the difference between an informative synopsis and a descriptive synopsis. ANSWER: Whereas an informative synopsis presents the main points of the report in the order they appear in the text, a descriptive synopsis simply tells what the report is about, using only moderately greater detail than the table of contents. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 473; TYPE: concept 91. Briefly explain the difference between a synopsis and an executive summary. ANSWER: A synopsis (or abstract) is simply a brief overview of the reports most important points. An executive summary is a fully developed mini version of the report itself. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 473-74; TYPE: concept 92. What three main parts make up the text of a report? ANSWER: The text of a report contains (1) an opening (or introduction), (2) a body, and (3) a close. DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 474; TYPE: application 93. List at least three types of materials commonly included in appendixes. ANSWER: Appendixes commonly include questionnaires and cover letters, sample forms, computer printouts, statistical formulas, financial statements and spreadsheets, copies of important documents, and so on. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 475; TYPE: concept

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94. Briefly explain how the components of a formal proposal often differ from those of other formal reports. ANSWER: Formal proposals contain many of the same components as other formal reports. The difference lies mostly in the text, although a few of the prefatory parts are also different. Most proposals generally have few supplementary parts, with the exception of an occasional appendix. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 476; TYPE: concept 95. List at least three elements normally included in the body of a formal proposal. ANSWER: (1) Complete details of the proposed solution, (2) how the job will be done, (3) how it will be broken into tasks, (4) what method will be used to do it, (5) when the work will begin and end, (6) cost of the entire project, (7) why your company is qualified. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 478-79; TYPE: concept Essay 96. Explain why it is generally best to prepare the prefatory parts of your report after youve written the text. ANSWER: Although prefatory parts are placed before the text of your report, many of these parts (such as the table of contents, list of illustrations, and executive summary) are easier to do after the text has been completed because they directly reflect the contents. Other parts (such as the cover and title page) can be prepared at almost any time. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 456; TYPE: application 97. Explain the difference between a title fly and a title page. ANSWER: The title fly is simply a plain sheet of paper with only the title of the report on it. The title page, however, includes the title; the name, title, and address of whoever authorized the report; the name, title, and address of the person who prepared the report; and the date the report was submitted. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept 98. What concerns should guide you when selecting an effective title for your report? ANSWER: The title of the report needs to give readers all the information they need: the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the subject. It also needs to be reasonably concise, since long, awkward titles can intimidate your audience. One way to reduce the

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length of your title is to eliminate unnecessary phrases such as A Report of, A Study of, or A Survey of. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 472; TYPE: concept

99. In a formal proposal, how do you determine the organizational approach to use in the letter of transmittal? ANSWER: How you handle the letter of transmittal depends on whether the proposal is solicited or unsolicited. If the proposal is solicited, the transmittal letter follows the pattern for positive messages, highlighting those aspects of your proposal that may give you a competitive advantage. If the proposal is unsolicited, the transmittal letter follows the pattern for persuasive messages, since it must persuade the reader that you have something worthwhile to offer. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 477; TYPE: concept 100. List the three parts of the text of a formal proposal, then explain the primary functions of each part. ANSWER: The text of a formal proposal contains an introduction, body, and close. The introduction presents and summarizes the problem you intend to solve and your solution to that problem, including any benefits the reader will receive from the solution. The body explains the complete details of the solution, how the job will be done, how it will be broken into tasks, what method will be used to do it (including the required equipment, material, and personnel), when the work will begin and end, how much the entire job will cost (including a detailed breakdown), and why your company is qualified. The close emphasizes the benefits that readers will realize from your solution, and it urges readers to act. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 478-79; TYPE: concept

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