CERTIFIED MEETING PROFESSIONAL 2026
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE EVENT PLANNING
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS
◉ Objective. Answer: Formalized statement of outcomes to be
anticipated as a result of the educational process.
◉ Outsourcing. Answer: Hiring an outside firm or individual to
perform the task instead of using in-house staff; to subcontract a
task or responsibility to a third party.
◉ Return on investment. Answer: ROI. Net Profit divided by Net
Worth. A financial ratio indicating the degree of profitability. To
calculate, use event revenues minus program expenses divided by
program expenses, multiplied by 100 to get the ROI %.
◉ Stakeholder. Answer: All individuals who are invested in a project
or event such as the sponsors, attendees, vendors, media and others.
◉ Strategic plan. Answer: Long range plan of action for a company
or organization.
,◉ Educational programming committee. Answer: A group of
voluntary committee members with vested interests in program
content who are commonly used to establish direction for
educational programs offered at association meetings.
◉ Focus group. Answer: Method of doing research using a small
group led by a facilitator.
◉ Kiosk. Answer: 1) Free-standing pavilion or light structure, often
inside a facility, where printed or electronic information is available.
2) A small enclosure for ticket sales, information, etc.
◉ Program design. Answer: Structure of event program elements to
achieve specific goals and objectives.
◉ Sampling. Answer: 1) A research method based upon selecting a
portion of a population for study. 2) Paperwork and fees paid to a
building by exhibitors for the right to serve food product.
◉ Survey. Answer: Solicitation of opinions regarding services;
questionnaire.
◉ Audience reaction team. Answer: 4 or 5 participants query the
main speaker from the stage with questions from the audience and
follow up questions.
,◉ Buzz session. Answer: Method to increase audience participation
by dividing all participants in discussion groups each of which
reports the group's findings and opinions during a following plenary
session.
◉ Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). Answer: CSP. Accredited
designation offered by the National Speakers Association. This
designation is earned for extensive, documented speaking
experience and client satisfaction.
◉ Colloquium. Answer: An informal meeting for the purpose of
discussion; usually of an academic or research nature and in order to
ascertain areas of mutual interest through exchange of ideas.
Conducted as and when convenient, but with little regularity.
◉ Debate. Answer: A discussion which takes place within a meeting,
a public or private sitting or in one of the various types of assembly
or meeting.
◉ Facilitator. Answer: An individual who guides discussion and/or
decision making.
, ◉ Fishbowl. Answer: An interchange between an inner circle
debating an issue and an outer circle of observers. Individuals
occasionally move from one circle to the other.
◉ Interview. Answer: The presenter is questioned by a moderator
on behalf of the audience.
◉ National Speakers Association (NSA). Answer: National Speakers
Association. A member of the Convention Industry Council.
◉ Seminar. Answer: 1) Lecture and dialogue allowing participants to
share experiences in a particular field under the guidance of an
expert discussion leader. 2) A meeting or series of meetings of from
10 to 50 specialists who have different specific skills but have a
specific common interest and come together for training or learning
purposes. The work schedule of a seminar has the specific object of
enriching the skills of the participants.
◉ Speakers bureau. Answer: An organization who locates and books
speakers according to my specifications and budget.
◉ Symposium. Answer: A meeting of a number of experts in a
particular field, at which papers are presented and discussed by
specialists on particular subjects with a view to making
recommendations concerning the problems under discussion.
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE EVENT PLANNING
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS
◉ Objective. Answer: Formalized statement of outcomes to be
anticipated as a result of the educational process.
◉ Outsourcing. Answer: Hiring an outside firm or individual to
perform the task instead of using in-house staff; to subcontract a
task or responsibility to a third party.
◉ Return on investment. Answer: ROI. Net Profit divided by Net
Worth. A financial ratio indicating the degree of profitability. To
calculate, use event revenues minus program expenses divided by
program expenses, multiplied by 100 to get the ROI %.
◉ Stakeholder. Answer: All individuals who are invested in a project
or event such as the sponsors, attendees, vendors, media and others.
◉ Strategic plan. Answer: Long range plan of action for a company
or organization.
,◉ Educational programming committee. Answer: A group of
voluntary committee members with vested interests in program
content who are commonly used to establish direction for
educational programs offered at association meetings.
◉ Focus group. Answer: Method of doing research using a small
group led by a facilitator.
◉ Kiosk. Answer: 1) Free-standing pavilion or light structure, often
inside a facility, where printed or electronic information is available.
2) A small enclosure for ticket sales, information, etc.
◉ Program design. Answer: Structure of event program elements to
achieve specific goals and objectives.
◉ Sampling. Answer: 1) A research method based upon selecting a
portion of a population for study. 2) Paperwork and fees paid to a
building by exhibitors for the right to serve food product.
◉ Survey. Answer: Solicitation of opinions regarding services;
questionnaire.
◉ Audience reaction team. Answer: 4 or 5 participants query the
main speaker from the stage with questions from the audience and
follow up questions.
,◉ Buzz session. Answer: Method to increase audience participation
by dividing all participants in discussion groups each of which
reports the group's findings and opinions during a following plenary
session.
◉ Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). Answer: CSP. Accredited
designation offered by the National Speakers Association. This
designation is earned for extensive, documented speaking
experience and client satisfaction.
◉ Colloquium. Answer: An informal meeting for the purpose of
discussion; usually of an academic or research nature and in order to
ascertain areas of mutual interest through exchange of ideas.
Conducted as and when convenient, but with little regularity.
◉ Debate. Answer: A discussion which takes place within a meeting,
a public or private sitting or in one of the various types of assembly
or meeting.
◉ Facilitator. Answer: An individual who guides discussion and/or
decision making.
, ◉ Fishbowl. Answer: An interchange between an inner circle
debating an issue and an outer circle of observers. Individuals
occasionally move from one circle to the other.
◉ Interview. Answer: The presenter is questioned by a moderator
on behalf of the audience.
◉ National Speakers Association (NSA). Answer: National Speakers
Association. A member of the Convention Industry Council.
◉ Seminar. Answer: 1) Lecture and dialogue allowing participants to
share experiences in a particular field under the guidance of an
expert discussion leader. 2) A meeting or series of meetings of from
10 to 50 specialists who have different specific skills but have a
specific common interest and come together for training or learning
purposes. The work schedule of a seminar has the specific object of
enriching the skills of the participants.
◉ Speakers bureau. Answer: An organization who locates and books
speakers according to my specifications and budget.
◉ Symposium. Answer: A meeting of a number of experts in a
particular field, at which papers are presented and discussed by
specialists on particular subjects with a view to making
recommendations concerning the problems under discussion.
