Professional Email Writing Course: Recipients, attachments and privacy

1. Question 1 of 15

   Who can see the addresses in the CC field?

   • AOnly the people in the To field
   • BOnly the sender
   • CEveryone who receives the email
   • DNo one
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Everyone who receives the email

   CC addresses are visible to all recipients; only BCC addresses are hidden.

2. Question 2 of 15

   What does BCC do?

   • AIt encrypts the message
   • BIt sends the email later, at a date and time you choose
   • CIt sends a copy while hiding that address from others
   • DIt marks the email as high importance
   Show answer

   Answer: C. It sends a copy while hiding that address from others

   A BCC recipient gets a copy, but their name is not visible to the other recipients.

3. Question 3 of 15

   You must email a notice to 200 customers who don't know each other, and you have no bulk email tool. Where should their addresses go?

   • AIn the CC field
   • BHalf in To and half in CC
   • CIn the BCC field
   • DIn the To field
   Show answer

   Answer: C. In the BCC field

   BCC keeps each customer's address private; To or CC would show every address to everyone.

4. Question 4 of 15

   In a case reviewed by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, what went wrong when IRCC emailed 636 people?

   • AThe emails had the wrong attachments
   • BTheir addresses were in the To field, not BCC
   • CThe emails went to the wrong government department by mistake
   • DA hacker stole the emails before they were sent
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Their addresses were in the To field, not BCC

   Using To or CC instead of BCC disclosed recipients' personal information; the commissioner found the complaint well-founded.

5. Question 5 of 15

   When should you use Reply all?

   • AWhen everyone on the email needs to see your reply
   • BAlways, so that nobody on the list ever feels left out
   • CWhenever you want to say thanks
   • DNever, in any situation
   Show answer

   Answer: A. When everyone on the email needs to see your reply

   Make sure your message is relevant to everyone you send it to.

6. Question 6 of 15

   Your manager emails a meeting time to 25 people. You want to say "Thanks, see you there." Who should get your reply?

   • AOnly your manager, or no one
   • BAll 25 people, using Reply all
   • CAll 25 people in BCC
   • DAll 25 people, plus your manager's boss in CC
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Only your manager, or no one

   A thank-you is not relevant to the other 24 people, so don't use Reply all.

7. Question 7 of 15

   Before you forward a long email thread to someone new, what should you check?

   • AThat nothing in it should be kept from that person
   • BThat your signature appears at the top
   • CThat the thread has fewer than five messages in it so far
   • DThat the subject line is in capital letters
   Show answer

   Answer: A. That nothing in it should be kept from that person

   Don't assume the original reader is the only one who will see a message; check the whole thread before forwarding.

8. Question 8 of 15

   A coworker's email contains personal information about a client. What should you do before forwarding it?

   • AAsk the writer's permission first
   • BPrint it and post it on the staff bulletin board
   • CForward it to your personal email address to keep a copy
   • DForward it freely, since it is already in email
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Ask the writer's permission first

   Ask the writer's permission before forwarding a message that contains personal information.

9. Question 9 of 15

   Under Canada's private-sector privacy law (PIPEDA), which of these is personal information?

   • AThe list of statutory holidays for this year
   • BThe company's office address
   • CThe company's price list
   • DAn employee's performance evaluation
   Show answer

   Answer: D. An employee's performance evaluation

   Personal information is information about an identifiable individual, including evaluations and disciplinary actions.

10. Question 10 of 15

    What should you do when you attach a file to an email?

    • AAttach it without mentioning it
    • BWrite the file name in the subject line and say nothing else
    • CAttach every related file, just in case
    • DSay what the file is and why it matters
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Say what the file is and why it matters

    Attach only essential files and explain why each one matters to the reader.

11. Question 11 of 15

    A document is already on your team's shared drive. What is usually best?

    • ASend a link instead of attaching a copy
    • BPaste the whole document into the body of the email
    • CAttach a copy and also print it
    • DSend each page in a separate email
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Send a link instead of attaching a copy

    For documents on a shared drive, insert a link that leads to them.

12. Question 12 of 15

    Which is a warning sign of a phishing email?

    • AA greeting that uses your correct name
    • BA short, specific subject line
    • CA signature with a phone number you already know
    • DAn unexpected attachment ending in .exe
    Show answer

    Answer: D. An unexpected attachment ending in .exe

    Unexpected attachments, odd file names and uncommon file types are common signs of phishing.

13. Question 13 of 15

    Which warning signs does this email show?

    From: Payroll Dept <payroll-update@paymentsfast.co>
    To: j.ortiz@yourcompany.ca
    Subject: URGENT: Confirm your bank details today

    Dear employee,

    Your direct deposit will be cancelled within 24 hours unless you confirm your banking information. Click the link below and log in with your work password.

    http://payroll-check-login.co/verify

    Thank you,
    Payroll Department

    • AA polite closing, a short subject line and no attachments
    • BUrgent threats, a login link and an outside address
    • CA blurry logo and many spelling errors
    • DNone; real payroll emails usually look like this
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Urgent threats, a login link and an outside address

    Urgent or threatening language, login links and wrong sender addresses are typical phishing signs.

14. Question 14 of 15

    What should you do with this email?

    From: Payroll Dept <payroll-update@paymentsfast.co>
    To: j.ortiz@yourcompany.ca
    Subject: URGENT: Confirm your bank details today

    Dear employee,

    Your direct deposit will be cancelled within 24 hours unless you confirm your banking information. Click the link below and log in with your work password.

    http://payroll-check-login.co/verify

    Thank you,
    Payroll Department

    • AForward it to all your coworkers to warn them
    • BClick the link once to see whether the login page looks real
    • CReply and ask the sender whether it is real
    • DDon't click; report it and check with payroll directly
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Don't click; report it and check with payroll directly

    Don't act on suspicious links or forward the message around your organization; report it, and check any real payroll question using contact details you already have.

15. Question 15 of 15

    A company emails a promotional offer to people. Under Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL), what three things does the message need?

    • AConsent, a phone number and an attachment
    • BEncryption, a read receipt and BCC
    • CConsent, identification information and an unsubscribe mechanism
    • DA company logo, a discount code and a clear deadline for the offer
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Consent, identification information and an unsubscribe mechanism

    The CRTC says a commercial electronic message needs consent, identification information and an unsubscribe mechanism; unsubscribes must be processed within 10 business days.

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