IPC Professional & Academic Application of Language Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A manager writes: 'We need to interface with stakeholders to synergize our deliverables going forward.' What is the primary communication problem with this sentence?
- It is too short to convey meaning
- It relies on jargon that obscures a simple message (Correct answer)
- It uses passive voice incorrectly
- It lacks a subject
Correct answer: It relies on jargon that obscures a simple message
Corporate jargon like 'synergize' and 'interface with stakeholders' replaces plain language and reduces clarity.
Question 2: When writing an academic literature review, which organizational strategy is MOST appropriate?
- List sources alphabetically with a one-sentence summary of each
- Group sources thematically to show relationships among ideas (Correct answer)
- Summarize each source in the order it was published
- Include only sources that support your thesis
Correct answer: Group sources thematically to show relationships among ideas
A thematic organization synthesizes the scholarship and reveals patterns, debates, and gaps in the field.
Question 3: An employee emails a client: 'Attached please find the report you requested last Thursday.' Which revision best improves this opener?
- 'I am attaching herewith the report as per your request.'
- 'The requested report is attached.' (Correct answer)
- 'Per our conversation, I have gone ahead and attached the report.'
- 'Kindly find attached the report from last week.'
Correct answer: 'The requested report is attached.'
'The requested report is attached' is concise and direct, eliminating archaic phrasing.
Question 4: Which citation style is most commonly required in social science academic papers in the US?
- MLA
- Chicago/Turabian
- APA (Correct answer)
- IEEE
Correct answer: APA
APA (American Psychological Association) style is the standard for psychology, sociology, education, and related social sciences.
Question 5: A presenter says: 'The data clearly shows that our product is superior.' What is the weakest aspect of this professional claim?
- 'Data' should always be singular
- The word 'clearly' signals bias and undermines credibility (Correct answer)
- The claim should be in passive voice
- The sentence lacks a subordinate clause
Correct answer: The word 'clearly' signals bias and undermines credibility
Hedging words like 'clearly' and 'superior' inject subjective bias into a claim that should be supported with specific evidence.
Question 6: In a professional memo, the 'RE:' line serves which function?
- It identifies the memo's author
- It states the distribution list
- It concisely identifies the memo's subject for quick reference (Correct answer)
- It provides the memo's date
Correct answer: It concisely identifies the memo's subject for quick reference
The RE: (regarding) line gives readers an immediate preview of the memo's topic before they read the body.
Question 7: A student writes a research paper arguing that social media harms teenagers. Which source type would MOST strengthen the argument's credibility?
- A personal blog post by a concerned parent
- A peer-reviewed journal article from a developmental psychology study (Correct answer)
- A viral news headline shared on Facebook
- An opinion column in a popular magazine
Correct answer: A peer-reviewed journal article from a developmental psychology study
Peer-reviewed research undergoes expert scrutiny and provides empirical data, making it the most credible source type.
IPC Professional & Academic Application of Language Skills 2
A manager writes: 'We need to interface with stakeholders to synergize our deliverables going forward.' What is the primary communication problem with this sentence?