COA Fundamentals & Core Principles 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which principle states that an office manager should have only one direct supervisor to avoid conflicting instructions?
- Division of labor
- Unity of command (Correct answer)
- Span of control
- Chain of authority
Correct answer: Unity of command
Unity of command means each employee receives orders from only one superior, preventing confusion and conflicting directives.
Question 2: When preparing a formal business letter, the complimentary close should be followed by how many blank lines before the typed signature?
- One
- Two
- Three to four (Correct answer)
- Five
Correct answer: Three to four
Standard business letter format leaves three to four blank lines between the complimentary close and the typed name to allow room for a handwritten signature.
Question 3: An office administrator receives a call for someone who is unavailable. What is the BEST action?
- Tell the caller to call back later
- Take a detailed message including caller name, number, and purpose (Correct answer)
- Transfer to voicemail without notifying the caller
- Ask the caller to email instead
Correct answer: Take a detailed message including caller name, number, and purpose
Taking a complete message with name, number, and purpose ensures the unavailable person has all the information needed to return the call effectively.
Question 4: Which filing system arranges records based on geographic location, such as state or city?
- Alphabetic filing
- Numeric filing
- Geographic filing (Correct answer)
- Subject filing
Correct answer: Geographic filing
Geographic filing organizes records by location—country, state, city, or region—making it ideal for businesses with territorially based operations.
Question 5: What does the term 'tickler file' refer to in office administration?
- A humorous employee suggestion box
- A follow-up reminder system organized by date (Correct answer)
- A confidential HR complaint folder
- A backup copy of financial records
Correct answer: A follow-up reminder system organized by date
A tickler file is a chronological follow-up system that reminds administrators of tasks, deadlines, or correspondence that require future action.
Question 6: Which document establishes the rules and procedures for how a corporation is governed internally?
- Articles of incorporation
- Bylaws (Correct answer)
- Operating agreement
- Charter resolution
Correct answer: Bylaws
Bylaws are the internal rules adopted by a corporation that govern its operations, meeting procedures, officer duties, and decision-making processes.
Question 7: In office communication, 'active listening' is best demonstrated by:
- Multitasking during a conversation to save time
- Interrupting to clarify points immediately
- Paraphrasing the speaker's message to confirm understanding (Correct answer)
- Taking notes on everything said verbatim
Correct answer: Paraphrasing the speaker's message to confirm understanding
Paraphrasing or summarizing what the speaker said demonstrates active listening by confirming the message was received and understood correctly.
COA Fundamentals & Core Principles 2
Which principle states that an office manager should have only one direct supervisor to avoid conflicting instructions?