BPA Parliamentary Procedures Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• What is a significant advantage of incorporating a society?
• What should the chairman say if a main motion is not seconded?
• What is the main purpose of having a second to a motion?
• What is the first step in bringing a motion before the assembly?
• When should a "point of information" be raised?
• In the absence of a bylaw provision, what constitutes a quorum of an organized society?
• What are the three main types of motions?
• When an organization needs to make a significant decision, what is typically required?
• What is the purpose of the "gavel" in meetings?
• What is the minimum affirmative vote necessary to suspend rules of order in an organization?
• What does "quorum call" refer to?
• How can a member challenge a decision made by the chair?
• When is new business taken up in the standard order of business?
• Under what condition does a member usually not speak while seated?
• How is a "proxy vote" defined?
• What is the primary purpose of debate in meetings?
• What term refers to the predefined sequence that dictates the order in which business is addressed at a meeting?
• If several members address the chair simultaneously after a motion is made, whom should the presiding officer call on first?
• What is the formal parliamentary term for discussing the merits of a motion?
• What is the primary role of the secretary in a meeting?
• If the chairman incorrectly calls on a member, how can a correction be made?
• What happens if a motion fails to receive a second?
• What is the formal proposal that brings business before an assembly called?
• In parliamentary procedures, when is it appropriate to use the phrase "I second it"?
• In parliamentary procedure, how should motions be handled?
• What is a "roll call vote"?
• What do organizations use to establish guidelines for decision-making and governance?
• If a special rule of order conflicts with an organization's parliamentary authority, which should be used?
• How is the president or chief officer of an organized society typically addressed?
• Which of the following is not a characteristic of a deliberative assembly?
• What does "new business" refer to?
• Which of the following best describes a mass meeting?
• Who typically prepares the agenda for a meeting?
• Which member has the right to speak first in a debate on a main motion?
• What is the term for an assembly of delegates chosen for one session?
• What does a convention typically adopt regarding its proceedings?
• What does the seconder of a motion need to do before taking action?
• What is a "point of clarification" used for in parliamentary procedure?
• What should a member do if they need to clarify a point during the debate?
• How should a vice-president be addressed when presiding in the absence of the president?
• What does the term "motion" refer to in parliamentary procedure?
• What is "unanimous consent"?
• What is one of the roles of the presiding officer during a motion?
• What should a member do if they wish to discuss an issue not on the agenda?
• In parliamentary procedure, if a motion is not adopted, it is termed?
• What is typically required for a motion to be adopted in a deliberative assembly?
• What is the main purpose of minutes in a meeting?
• What should happen prior to any debate on a motion during a meeting?
• In what situation might a chair decide to avoid the need for a second on a motion?
• What is the purpose of an "order of business" in a meeting?
• What is an essential requirement for a motion to be considered?
• A board of education is an example of what type of organization?
• What role does the chairperson play during a meeting?
• What is the main characteristic of a mass meeting concerning order of business?
• Main motions typically begin with what phrase?
• Which type of motion takes precedence over all other motions?
• What is the primary purpose of parliamentary procedure?
• Complex motions are usually presented in the form of?
• Which of the following best describes "parliamentary procedure"?
• Which article usually outlines the procedure for amending the bylaws?
• What is the definition of "privileged motions"?
• What is the minimum essential number of officers required to conduct business in a deliberative assembly?
• What does it mean to "table a motion"?
• Which of the following is not classified as a principal type of deliberative assembly?
• What does "amend" mean in parliamentary procedure?
• Which action is taken if a member wishes to correct a mistake made by the chair?
• What action does not require a member to obtain the floor after a main motion is made?
• How does the presiding officer refer to themselves during a regular meeting?
• Which of the following is NOT a function of parliamentary procedure?
• Why is it important to have a quorum in a meeting?
• In parliamentary procedure, who typically has the authority to decide when members can speak?
• What is an example of an amendment in parliamentary procedure?
• What is a "main motion" typically seeking to do?
• What is required for special rules of order to be adopted in relation to the bylaws?
• Which type of deliberative assembly is characterized by each meeting serving as a separate session?
• What happens to a motion after it has been voted and passed?
• What is generally required to pass a motion?
• Which type of motion must be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side?
• After a motion is made, seconded, and restated by the chair, what is the status of the motion?
• How should a "motion to reconsider" be presented?
• In what situation would a "point of personal privilege" be used?
• What is a "main motion"?
• When do reports of officers typically occur in the standard order of business?
• What does "unanimous consent" imply about decision-making?
• What essential information should be included in a Corporate Charter?
• How often do local societies typically hold regular meetings?
• What is necessary for members to participate in a deliberative assembly?
• During a motion discussion, when can a member raise a "point of order"?
• What does it mean when a member "has the floor" during a meeting?
• What is a "motion to postpone"?
• What does a second imply about a motion?
• What is the primary role of the chair during a meeting?
• What is the effect of raising a "point of order"?
• Which manual is binding if an organization has adopted Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised as their parliamentary authority?
• What outcome results when a motion is seconded?
• What should a member do if they are unsure of the proper wording of a motion?
• What character does a board generally share with other groups?
• When can members debate a motion?
• What is referred to when an unorganized group meets to discuss a specific problem?
• After the presiding officer calls a meeting to order, which is the next typical order of business?
• What should members ensure before proposing a main motion?
• What is a quorum in the context of an assembly?
• The process of making decisions within an assembly is often facilitated by the use of which of the following?
• Which body serves as a platform for discussions and resolutions among its members?
• What happens to the assembly when a convention concludes?
• A deliberative assembly that has not adopted rules is governed by which of the following?
• What should a member do when they wish to speak during a debate?
• What is the significance of adopting minutes from a previous meeting?
• What should members do after they make motions?
• What does it mean when a communication is read at a meeting?
• Who should draft a corporate charter?
• What is a lawmaking group like Congress typically classified as?
• Is calling a meeting to order considered part of the order of business?
• Why is it necessary for motions to be seconded?
• In parliamentary procedure, what does "adjourn" mean?
• What does it mean to "reinstate a motion"?
• What is the primary characteristic of a "special committee"?
• Who generally attends a convention?
• What type of motion is typically used to bring an issue back for consideration?
• What does "quorum" refer to in parliamentary procedure?
• What is a defining characteristic of a committee compared to a principal assembly?
• In terms of parliamentary procedure, how should large boards conduct their meetings?
• When participating in a small board meeting, how is motion handling different from larger boards?
• What happens if a motion is considered and adopted without being seconded?
• What happens after a motion is seconded?
• Why are established rules important for an organized society?
• Why might a chair allow a discussion on a motion without a second?
• What is the primary effect of a member not seconding a motion?
• What is meant by "privileges of the floor"?
• Who decides the questions acted upon in a deliberative assembly?
• How can a member interrupt a speaker during a debate?
• Which of the following is typically found within an organization's bylaws?
• What signifies the end of an argument or discussion in a meeting?
• What voting method is often needed for decisions that exceed a simple majority?
• Which of the following best describes organized societies?
• What form of notification is necessary for members regarding a meeting?
• What is the role of the treasurer in a meeting?
• Who is considered an "ex officio" member?
• In the context of parliamentary procedure, what does "suspending the rules" allow?
• Which officer is responsible for reading communications addressed to the organization in a meeting?
• What should be done if a member wishes to propose a motion after one has already been made?
• Which article is generally excluded from an organization's bylaws?
• What is an "incidental motion"?
• If the chair knows that a majority of the assembly approves a motion, what can happen?
• What must happen for a motion to advance to discussion and potential approval?
• What is the purpose of a "subsidiary motion"?
• What is the minimum size requirement for a board within an assembly?
• What is a "standing committee"?
• How do large boards and large committees operate in terms of decision-making?
• The requirement of a second to a motion is primarily for what purpose?
• What phrase applies both to the presiding officer and to the position where he/she presides?
• Which phrase is acceptable when a member wishes to second a motion?
• What is the purpose of rules of order in a meeting?
• When can a mass meeting adopt a parliamentary authority?
• What is a "second" in parliamentary procedure?
• What does it mean to "suspend the rules" during a meeting?
• Can a member who opposes a motion nonetheless second it?
• What are "nominations" in the context of elections?
• In the case where two members rise at the same time to speak, who does the chairman usually recognize?
• What is a suitable phrase for the presiding officer to use to signal the start of a meeting?
• The actions of a deliberative assembly are subject to what?
• When is it appropriate to call for a point of order?
• What are rules of order that modify or supplement parliamentary authority called?
• What is required to bring a tabled motion back for discussion?
• In an incorporated society, what should not be separated from the bylaws?
• What does a "voice vote" determine?
• A member of an assembly has the right to do which of the following?
• What does it indicate when a member yields the floor by sitting down?
• What describes the internal rules of an organization?
• What action is taken when a member calls for a "vote"?
• When a motion is adopted by the assembly, it is said to be?
• What is the importance of having a parliamentary authority for an organization?
• How can a member debate a motion?
• What is the primary purpose of the chair during a meeting?
• What does it imply when a motion is seconded?
• Which of the following best describes the role of the chair in a meeting?
• What does "en bloc" mean in parliamentary procedure?
• What should a member do if they disagree with a decision but cannot debate it?
• What is typically required before a motion can be debated?
• What is the main purpose of a convention?
• What is the difference between a "majority" and a "two-thirds" vote?
• What follows special orders in the standard order of business?
• What does "calling the question" signify in a meeting?
• In a deliberative assembly, what does a majority vote signify?
• What does it mean to "table a motion"?
• What is the typical admission policy for a mass meeting?
• What does "old business" indicate?
• What does "recording votes" entail?
• What document contains the rules and procedures governing the activities of a society?
• What is the purpose of a Corporate Charter?
• What is an assembly in parliamentary terms?
• What is a quorum?
• What is the main difference between "debatable" and "non-debatable" motions?
• What can be said about the voting membership of a convention?
• What is a "point of order"?
• Before proposing a main motion, what may a member offer?
• When must a member second a motion for it to be considered?
• What does "laying a motion on the table" mean?
• Before members of a large assembly can debate or propose motions, what must they do?
• When should a "division of the house" be called?
• When a board is formed, what is typically the method of selection?
• A board is defined as what kind of administrative body?
• What is required for a member to be recognized by the chair during a meeting?
• How can a member bring a motion to the floor?
• What is necessary for a resolution to be considered valid?
• Membership in a local assembly of an organized society is limited to whom?
• What can be inferred about the structure of legislative bodies?
• Which document is primarily used to outline the structure of an organized society?
• To "obtain the floor" means that a member must do which of the following?
• What is a "motion to adjourn"?
• What is the basic principle of decision in a deliberative assembly?
• Which of the following is NOT one of the five types of privileged motions?
• Which of the following is NOT a requirement for seconding a motion?
• What must occur for a motion to be considered during a meeting?
• What does a 'call of a meeting' refer to?
• In parliamentary procedure, what is typically the first item on the agenda?
• What are the first two articles commonly found in the bylaws of an unincorporated society?
• What is the responsibility of the chair during a meeting?
• What governs the procedure and actions in a deliberative assembly the most?
• When addressing the chair, if a member does not know the names of the members present, they should:
• Which of the following is NOT an appropriate reason to call a meeting to order?
• What document supersedes all other rules in an incorporated organization?
• What is required for "unanimous consent" to be established in a meeting?
• The order of business allows an assembly to efficiently manage what aspect of meetings?
• What does a society that has adopted Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised as its authority have the freedom to do?
• What best describes "Robert's Rules of Order"?
• What is true regarding the need for a seconder on small boards or committees?
• What should a chair do if there is ambiguity about a motion being seconded?
• Which phrase best describes a "motion to table"?