How many general principles of parliamentary law are there?
- 6
- 5
- 4
- 7
Which of the following is not a general principal of parliamentary law?
- All of the other answers are general principals of parliamentary procedure.
- The majority must be allowed to rule.
- The minority have rights that must be respected.
- Members have a right to information to help make decisions.
Which of the following is not a general principal of parliamentary law?
- All of the other answers are general principals of parliamentary procedure.
- Courtesy and respect for others are required.
- All members have equal rights, privileges, and obligations.
- Members have a right to an efficient meeting.
The general principles of parliamentary law are ____.
- not always absolute
- absolute
- relative
- easily abrogated
The right to discuss issues freely, to deal with one issue at a time, and to advance notice of business ____.
- can be derived from the six general principles of parliamentary law
- are so basic that they exist by themselves
- have no basis in parliamentary law
- are additional basic principals of parliamentary law recognized by all
According to Thomas Jefferson, ____.
- the minority has equal rights that equal laws must protect
- the minority must yield to the will of the majority in all aspects
- the majority must yield to the will of the minority in all aspects
- both the majority and the minority are powerless concerning the other
The actions of the majority must be _____.
- reasonable
- dictatorial
- absolute
- dogmatic
Which of the following is true?
- The minority needs to be protected from the majority, and the majority needs to be protected from the minority.
- The minority needs to be protected from the majority, but the majority does not need to be protected from the minority.
- The majority needs to be protected from the minority, but the minority does not need to be protected from the majority.
- Neither the majority nor the minority needs to be protected.
The key to balancing the majority and minority rights is _____.
- reasonableness
- uncertainty
- niceness
- quickness
Who sets the definition for reasonableness for an organization?
- The organization
- The Parliamentary Authority
- The parliamentarian
- The chair
What does a meeting usually trade?
- Information
- Currency
- Opinions
- Research
Information must be received ____.
- in a timely manner
- at the last minute
- whenever the person in charge wants
- slowly
Courtesy is important _____.
- for successful communication
- to protect face of all people
- for maintaining decorum in meetings
- All of the other answers are correct.
All members have ____.
- equal rights
- equal obligations
- equal privileges
- All of the other answers are correct.
Which are the two most important obligations of a member of an organization?
Meetings should be _____.
Who is/are the guardian(s) of efficient meetings?
The members _____.
- have the right to have the agenda followed
- have no right to know what the agenda is
- have to allow the chair to change the agenda as he wishes
- have the right to ignore the agenda if any member wishes to
Efficiency needs to be balanced with _____.
- effectiveness
- speed
- smoothness
- rules
Due to development in technology, meetings may _____.
- be held using electronic means as long as all may hear and be heard
- be held as long as people are within visual contact
- be held via computers as long as the bylaws contain special clauses allowing it
- Technology has not changed any meeting requirements.
Which of the following is/are typical meeting(s)?
Notice of meetings _____.
A special quorum for an emergency vote ____.
- needs to be in the rules
- can be set by the president
- is not possible in any situation
- takes a majority vote at the meeting
If the bylaws are silent, what is the quorum for a meeting?
- Majority of the members
- Majority of the officers
- The number of members present
- There cannot be a legal meeting with no quorum in the bylaws.
Who decides what the quorum for an organization should be?
- The membership usually in the bylaws.
- The board of directors by resolution.
- The Executive Committee by resolution.
- None of the other answers is correct.
What is a qualified quorum?
- A quorum built around specific member types.
- A quorum built around the number of officers needing to be present.
- A quorum that requires non-members to be present.
- None of the other answers is correct.
For a member to be counted in the quorum, ____.
- they must be present but they don't have to participate.
- they must be present and they have to participate.
- they can be absent if they have a conflict of interest
- they can be absent as long as they appeared at least once at the meeting
If a quorum is not present, _____.
- no business can be conducted
- business can be conducted if nobody objects
- business can be conducted by the officers
- the meeting must end immediately
If a quorum can not be achieved at a meeting, _____.
- the meeting is still considered to have been held
- another meeting must be scheduled to fulfill the meeting requirement
- the meeting is considered to have been held if more than half the quorum showed up
- the meeting is considered to not have been held and another meeting cannot be scheduled
The presiding officer at a membership meeting ____.
- is usually the president
- is always the president
- is never the president
- is unrelated to being president
Who is the first instance of leadership during a meeting?
- The president
- The membership
- The parliamentarian
- The secretary
An important virtue for a presiding officer is _____.
- patience
- zeal
- aggressiveness
- hostility
A presiding officer who wants to make a motion ____.
- must leave the chair until the item is disposed of
- needs the permission of the assembly
- must leave the chair until the motion is made
- does not need to do anything special
If the president leaves the chair, who takes it?
When may the chair participate in debate and remain in the chair?
If the chair is absent, who is the ranking person for presiding?
- The president elect
- The vice president
- The secretary
- The parliamentarian
If the officers are not present, who presides?
- A person selected by the assembly.
- A meeting cannot be held without an officer present.
- Nobody presides but the meeting continues.
- The senior most member.
Which of the following is not a technique or rule for presiding?
- Always state the motion after it has been seconded.
- Always state the motion just before taking the vote.
- State the motion at frequent intervals.
- All of the other answers are correct techniques or rules.
Which of the following is not a technique or rule for presiding?
- Insist that the members address all remarks through the chair.
- Ask members to state whether they are for or against the motion.
- Use "If there are no objections ..." to get through trivial changes.
- All of the other answers are correct techniques or rules.
Which of the following is not a technique or rule for presiding?
- Have the vice president or staff keep track of the order speakers.
- Take notes and have the secretary help keep track of pending motions.
- Alternate between speakers for and against if possible.
- All of the other answers are correct techniques or rules.
Which of the following is not a technique or rule for presiding?
- Stay out of the business at hand.
- If unsure how to proceed, ask the members.
- Use the gavel to open and close the meeting.
- All of the other answers are good techniques or rules.
Which of the following is not a technique or rule for presiding?
- Be pleasant, patient, and helpful.
- If discussion is repetitious, ask if the members are ready to vote.
- If the members are chatting while another is debating, ask the member to stop until the chatting stops.
- All of the other answers are good techniques or rules.
Which of the following is not a technique or rule for presiding?
- Avoid debate before a motion is on the floor.
- If you are unsure on how to rule on a point of order, ask the assembly for help.
- If you make a mistake, stop procedures, state your mistake, correct it, and move on.
- All of the other answers are good techniques or rules.
Which of the following is not a technique or rule for presiding?
- Do not turn the meeting to a committee. Maintain control yourself.
- Vote only when your vote makes a difference.
- If people continue talking when another has the floor, call them to order.
- All of the other answers are good techniques or rules.
The chair can vote ____.
What is the primary duty of the secretary at a meeting?
- To record all acts of the assembly and produce the minutes of that meeting.
- To support the chair in all matters.
- To act as the chair if the chair is absent.
- To advise the chair on all points of order.
Which of the following are duties of the secretary?
Where should the secretary sit during meetings?
- Next to the chair so as to assist the chair easily.
- In the audience as no particular seat is needed.
- At the end of the head table so he can easily pass out documents.
- In the front row so she can hear everything that is being said.
Which of the following is not a duty of the secretary?
- Keeping the financial records.
- Recording incoming and outgoing correspondence.
- Maintaining the documents of authority.
- Making sure necessary legal papers are filed.
What are minutes?
- The official and legal record of the acts of the assembled members.
- Notes about what happened and what was said at a meeting.
- A detailed transcript of what was said at a meeting.
- Commentary by the secretary about the meeting.
Which of the following is not true about minutes?
- They should contain the details of what was said.
- They should be concise.
- They should be clear about what was done at the meeting.
- They are the history of the organization.
Which of the following is included in the minutes?
- The wording of the resolution.
- The maker of the resolution.
- The seconder of the resolution.
- All of the other answers are correct.
Which of the following is/are included in the minutes?
Which of the following is/are included in the minutes?
Which of the following is/are included in the minutes?
Which of the following is/are included in the minutes?
Which of the following is/are included in the minutes?
Which of the following is/are included in the minutes?
Which of the following is/are included in the minutes?
Which of the following is included in the minutes?
- The maker of a motion.
- The points made in a debate.
- The person who seconded a motion.
- None of the other answers are included in the minutes.
Which of the following is not true?
- The secretary alone determines what is to be included in the minutes.
- The chair can order material recorded in the minutes at the chair's discretion.
- The members, by general consent or a vote, can record discussion in the minutes.
- Procedural motions are usually not recorded in the minutes.
What is an attendee to a meeting?
A right of membership is _____.
Non-members have the right _____.
Which of the following is/are a category of attendees?
Where is a member defined?
- The organization's document of authority
- The parliamentary authority
- The standing rules
- It is understood and never defined.
Which of the following are a right of membership?
At a delegate meeting, what rights do members who are not delegates have?
- Only the rights extended to them by the delegates or in an existing rule.
- All the rights of a delegate except the right to vote.
- Only the right to take part in the discussion of items. No other rights can be granted to them.
- They cannot have any rights.
What rights do staff members automatically have at meetings?
- They have no rights.
- All the rights needed to make a meeting run smoothly.
- The same rights as any other member of the assembly.
- None of the other answers is correct.
What is the major function of a consultant?
- To provide information and advice.
- To show the members the one correct way to do things.
- To direct the organization as its leaders.
- To provide support services and logistical services.
Consultants ____.
What is the difference between observers and guests?
- Observers have a general invitation while a guest has been specifically invited.
- Observers have the obligation to report on what they observe.
- Guests automatically have the right to partake in debate.
- They are exactly the same.
A non-member who has the right to attend based on the bylaws can be excluded by what vote?
- Two-thirds vote.
- Majority vote.
- They cannot be excluded.
- Majority of the entire membership.
What is debate?
Which of the following is/are a rule(s) of debate?
Which of the following is/are a rule(s) of debate?
Which of the following is/are a rule(s) of debate?
Which of the following is/are a rule(s) of debate?
The rules for debate ____.
- may be suspended in part by the assembly
- may be totally suspended by the assembly
- may never be suspended
- may be suspended by the chair
In small board and committees, the rules of debate ____.
- may be relaxed and informal
- are the same as in assemblies
- do not apply at all
- None of the other answers are true.
Which of the following is/are a rule(s) of debate in a small committee?
Which of the following is/are a rule(s) of debate in a small committee?
Which of the following is/are a rule(s) of debate in a small committee?
The rules concerning debate may be changed by what vote?
- Majority
- Plurality
- Two-thirds
- No vote can change the rules of debate.
When the chair recognizes a member to speak, the member has ______ to speak.
- exclusive ownership
- executive privilege
- common right
- passive acceptance
A member has the right to speak before another when _____.
A member who has the right to speak loses the right _____
- if another has been assigned the floor and begins to speak
- if another has requested the floor
- if he exercises the right
- He can never lose the right. It must be granted immediately.
In a large assembly, the method for obtaining the floor should be ______.
- defined in a document of authority
- the first to rise rule
- decided by the chair
- decided by the parliamentarian
A non-member gains the floor _____.
- by the same manner as a member
- by special permission from the chair
- only if arranged before the meeting
- never
a non-member who seeks the floor is granted it by ____.
A member may speak without permission ____.
For reasons of formality, a large group is defined as _____.
- more than thirty
- more than fifteen
- between fifteen and thirty
- less than fifteen
The larger the group, _____.
- the more formality is needed
- the less formality is needed
- the need formality does not change
- formality is never needed
If unsure as to how much formality is needed, it is better to _____.
- err on the side of too much formality
- err on the side of too little formality
- avoid formality
- demand strict formality and make no adjustments
Which of the following is not a usual reason for disciplining a member?
- Being disruptive through continual interruptions.
- Making rude remarks and lacking respect for others.
- Challenging the motives of others.
- All of the others are usual reasons for disciplining a member.
Which of the following is not a usual reason for disciplining a member?
- Using unparliamentary language.
- Using harsh words or tones.
- Not following the legitimate orders of the chair.
- All of the others are usual reasons for disciplining a member.
Who has the first duty to maintain discipline?
- The chair
- The parliamentarian
- The secretary
- The members
Who may raise a point of order?
- Any member who sees a violation that the chair does not notice.
- The parliamentarian.
- The secretary only as it needs to be recorded in the minutes.
- Nobody may raise a point of order.
What is the purpose of discipline?
- To change behavior.
- To punish offenders.
- To make the chair comfortable.
- There is no purpose for discipline.
The time for discipline for a minor problem is _____.
- at the discretion of the chair
- immediately, no matter what
- only after the speaker has finished
- never
In imposing discipline, it is best to ____.
- start with a low level and escalate as needed
- be harsh from the beginning to establish discipline
- be irregular so that the membership is wary
- not impose any until the offense is very serious
Who can impose discipline on a member?
- Only the assembly unless the rules state otherwise.
- Only the assembly in all situations.
- Only the chair.
- Nobody can impose discipline on a member.
If a member has been named by the chair, what discipline may the assembly impose?
What vote is required to impose discipline?
- Majority vote
- Two-thirds vote
- Plurality vote
- Majority of the entire membership
If an apology is ordered, _____.
What is a censure?
If a member is ordered expelled from a meeting, ____.
When can suspension of membership or expulsion from the organization take place?
- When a member has caused a serious breach of discipline at a meeting.
- When a member has been disciplined twice.
- When a member has been expelled from a meeting twice.
- Never as a member cannot be expelled or suspended from a society.
A member who has been suspended is _____.
- not in good standing
- still in good standing
- on the verge of loosing the status of being in good standing
- considered in bad standing
What rights are lost if a member is not in good standing?
- Those rights listed as being lost in the documents of authority.
- All rights are lost.
- Only the right to vote and make motions.
- No rights are lost as rights cannot be taken away.
If the documents of authority are silent about what rights are lost during a suspension, are any rights lost?
- Yes, the rights to attend business meetings and to run for office.
- Yes, the rights to make motions and vote.
- Yes, all the rights that members of that organization have.
- No, no rights are lost.
What is a conflict of interest?
- When a member must chose between a potential personal gain and the interest of the organization.
- When a member might profit financially in any way.
- When it involves him, his family, or personal friends.
- When other members think that the member might gain.
Who is supposed the declare a possible conflict of interest?
- The member involved.
- The chair, no matter how he learns about it.
- The parliamentarian.
- It does not have to be declared.
Under what conditions can a contract be awarded to a member with a conflict of interest?
What can a member be accused of concerning a conflict of interest?
- Failing to declare it.
- Having one.
- Letting the other members know he has one.
- Acting in good faith.
For what may a member be subject to disciplinary action regarding a conflict of interest?
What punishment can be used in a conflict of interest disciplinary judgment?
Which of the following is not true about Documents of Authority?
- They may empower an organization to do things.
- They may restrict an organization in what it can do.
- They are written.
- They are all equal.
How many documents of authority are listed?
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 8
What is the highest document of authority?
- Statue
- Charter or Articles of Incorporation
- Bylaws
- Rules of Order
Which is the highest ranking documents of the authority of the ones listed?
- Bylaws
- Special Rules of Order
- Parliamentary Authority
- Custom
Which of the is the lowest ranking document of authority?
- Parliamentary Authority
- Special Rules of Order
- Statue
- Constitution
What is the detailed rules of parliamentary procedure that govern the operation of the organization's meetings?
- Rules of Order
- Special Rules of Order
- Fundamental Rules of Order
- Policy
What are rules of order adopted by an organization that replace certain rules of order in the parliamentary authority?
- Special Rules of Order
- Rules of Order
- Parliamentary Authority
- Fundamental Rules of Order
What is the written text containing an extensive set of rules of order that the organization has adopted?
- Parliamentary Authority
- Special Rules of Order
- Fundamental Rules of Order
- Policy
What is a subset of rules of order that is so fundamental to democratic principles that they may not suspended under any circumstances?
- Fundamental Rules of Order
- Special Rules of Order
- Rules of Order
- Policy
What is one of the most important provisions in a charter?
- The statement of objectives for the organization.
- The name of the founder.
- The date the organization started.
- None of the other answers is correct.
What vote is necessary to consider business outside the objective of the organization?
- Two-thirds
- Majority
- Plurality
- None as business outside of the objectives can be considered.
Currently, it is recommended that an organization have _____.
- only bylaws
- only a constitution
- both a constitution and bylaws
- There is no recommendation in this area.
If authority is not given to another body in the bylaws, it is retained by ____.
- the membership
- the board
- the Executive Committee
- the officers
Where may bylaws be changed unless the bylaws say otherwise?
- At a meeting of the general membership.
- At a board meeting.
- At an Executive Committee meeting.
- They can't be changed.
The bylaws should say _____.
- what is to be done
- how things are to be done
- why things are to be done
- None of the other answers is correct.
How many articles should a standard set of bylaws contain?
- 13
- 12
- 14
- 16
What is contained in the first standard article?
What is contained in the second article of a standard set of bylaws?
- The objectives and scope of the organization.
- The legal address of the organization.
- The officers of the organization.
- The rules for membership
The objectives of an organization, as listed in the bylaws, should be _____.
- concise
- detailed as to how they are to be carried out
- different from what is listed in the corporate charter
- considered as unimportant
What should be in the third article of a standard set of bylaws?
- The definition of terms that have a special meaning in the organization.
- The definition of standard terms as found in the Parliamentary Authority.
- The definition of terms as found under the laws that apply to the organization.
- The list of terms that the organization uses but not their definitions.
Definitions can be found _____.
- in many places in the bylaws
- only in article two
- only where the word or expression is first used
- only once for each term
What is found in article four of a standard set of bylaws?
Where do you find the criteria for membership?
What does article five in the standard bylaws deal with?
- The board of directors and the Executive Committee
- Membership
- Officers
- Meetings
In the article on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, what needs to be included?
Which of the following is true?
- The Executive Committee is over the board.
- The Board is over the Executive Committee
- The Board and the Executive Committee are equal in authority
- The relationship between the Board and the Executive Committee is defined by the bylaws.
The article on the Board and the Executive Committee ____.
In the standard bylaws, what is in article six?
What are the types of meetings in article seven?
What is done at the annual meeting?
What is included in the article about meetings?
What is included in the article about meetings in the standard bylaws?
What is the minimum number of ways of calling a meeting that should be provided for?
- 2
- 1
- 3
- 4
The basic requirement of notice is that _____.
- it be reasonable
- it be at least two weeks
- the length of time be set by the board
- it be one year for an annual meeting
If the length of time for notice is in the bylaws, _____.
- it cannot be suspended
- the board can change it
- the Executive Committee can change it
- the general membership can change it.
If there is a need to fix the dates of meeting in the bylaws, _____.
- some flexibility needs to be built in
- it needs to be rigid
- the organization cannot formally exist
- None of the other answers is correct.
Special meetings apply to _____.
Special meetings need to be defined in terms of ____.
Who has an inherent right to attend a meeting?
A mail ballot and/or an electronic ballot should be specified in which article?
- 7
- 8
- 6
- 5
Standing committees are listed in which article?
- 8
- 9
- 7
- 10
The minimum information in the bylaws for a standing committee is/are _____.
How the chair and the members are appointed may be found _____.
Where should the power to establish special committees be listed?
- Article 8.
- The Standing Rules.
- The Special Rules of Order.
- It need not be mentioned.
Which of the following, if they exist need to be in article eight?
Where should elections and nominations be defined?
- Article 9
- Article 8
- Article 10
- Article 7
For nominations from the floor to be forbidden, ____.
- there must be a clause in the bylaws saying so
- there must be a standing rule saying so
- there must be a vote forbidding it each time
- There is no way to forbid nominations from the floor.
What would have to be in the bylaws?
- An election by anything other than a majority vote.
- An election by anything other than a ballot.
- Detailed procedures for elections.
- The use of a Borda count.
The bylaws should have procedures about discipline in article _____.
- ten
- nine
- eight
- seven
The article on discipline should include which of the following?
In which article is the parliamentary authority specified?
- 11
- 10
- 12
- 13
What is always included in the article stating the parliamentary authority?
Article12 covers what?
- Dissolution
- Parliamentary Authority
- Discipline
- Membership
Who is usually given the power to distribute assets in a dissolution?
- The Board of Directors
- The Executive Committee
- The Membership
- The President
Which article usually deals with amending the bylaws?
- 13
- 12
- 11
- 10
What is usually included in the article on amending the bylaws?
If a group wants to do something other than the way listed in the parliamentary authority, they include it in _____.
- a special rule of order
- a main motion
- a motion to rescind
- It cannot be done.
Which is ranked the highest?
- Bylaws
- Special rules of Order
- Parliamentary Authority
- Custom
Which ranks higher: special rules of order or the parliamentary authority?
- Special rules of order
- Parliamentary authority
- They are equal in rank
- There is no rank between them
What is the vote needed to establish a special rule of order?
- Two thirds
- Majority
- Plurality
- Three fifths
Special rules of order are adopted _____.
- for the individual body that needs them
- for the entire organization
- only for the board of directors
- by the Executive Committee
What is another name that some parliamentary authorities give top special rules that continue over time?
- Standing rules
- Meeting rules
- Continuing rules
- Absolute rules
Conventions usually adopt their special rules ____.
- each time
- permanently
- every few years
- rarely
Instead of rules of order, boards often adopt ____.
- board policies
- convention rules
- abstract rules
- no rules
Board rules that are not special rules of order take what vote to adopt?
- Majority
- Two-thirds
- Plurality
- They can't be adopted.
Among written rules, what is the rank of the parliamentary authority?
- Lowest
- Highest
- Second
- Third
How can a parliamentary authority be assigned?
The vote needed to adopt a parliamentary authority is _____.
- a majority vote
- a two-thirds vote
- a plurality vote
- No vote is needed.
If no parliamentary authority has been adopted, what is used?
- Common parliamentary law
- The ideas of the chair.
- The ideas of the parliamentarian
- A parliamentary authority must be adopted.
Custom ____.
- has the same authority as a written rule
- has less authority than a written rule
- has no authority at all
- has very limited authority
Custom _____.
- may not violate a written rule
- over rules a written rule if the custom is well established
- yields to written rules over time
- is not important
A rule of order may be suspended by _____.
- a two-thirds vote
- a majority vote
- a plurality vote
- the decision of the chair
Which of the following cannot normally be suspended?
Which of the following cannot normally be suspended?
Policies include which of the following?
Which of the following cannot normally be suspended?
Policy rules may affect which of the following?
Policies may be made by _____.
The bylaws _____.
What dictates how policy is made?
- The nature of the organization
- The opinion of the chair
- The orientation of the parliamentarian
- Nothing
What is the sequence and framework of categories of business that an organization usually follows?
- Order of business
- Agenda
- Business item
- Program item
What is a list of the specific items of business that are to come up?
- Agenda
- Order of business
- Business item
- Program item
What is an item on the agenda that establishes the decisions of the organization?
- Business item
- Agenda
- Convention program
- Program item