ENGL 2311 - WTC Online Final Exam

According to chapter 5, once you have analyzed you audience and purpose, you should: A. Get management's approval B. Conduct research C. Begin drafting D. Complete an audience profile E. Outline the document

A. Get management's approval

Which of the following suggests that a group's collaborative writing process may produce an inferior document? A. Group members act as the audience for the document/ B. The group experiences no conflict. C. The group shares a common goal. D. Group members divide up the workload

A. Group members act as the audience for the document.

Chapter 4 lists seven important collaborative activities that can be performed through groupware by team members at different locations. Which of the following is NOT one of those activities? A. Share a pizza B. Distribute announcements C. Share files D. Comment on documents E. Carry our asynchronous discussions

A. Share a pizza

If a team of writers regularly collaborate to produce technical reports that have identical design specifications, which of the following word-processing tools would be best to use? A. Style B. Template C. Spell checker

A. Style

According to chapter 1, most technical communication has six characteristics. One characteristic is that technical communication helps readers solve problems. Which of the following statements deos chapter 1 also make about hte characteristics of technical communication? A. Technical communication reflects an organization's goals and culture. B. Technical communication strives to both entertain and educate readers. C. Technical communication is most often aimed at a general audience rather than at a particular audience. D. Technical communication uses vocabulary as often as possible.

A. Technical communication reflects an organization's goals and culture

The standard of utility is concerned with: A. The positice and negative effects that an action or a policy might have on others. B. How the positive and negative effects of an action or a policy can be distributed fairly among a group. C. The relationships we have with other individuals. D. The basic needs and welfare or individuals. E. None of the above.

A. The positive and negative effects that an action or a policy might have on others.

One of the basic tenets of the people-first approacj to referring to people with disabilities is "Don't refer to people with disabilities as __________."

Abnormal

Chapter 10 suggests that the passive voice is generally more appropriate than the active voice when the _______ is clear from the context, as in "Students are required to take both writing courses."

Agent

Chapter 4 defines three patterns of collaboration. Which of the following is NOT one of those patterns? A. Collaboration based on job speciality B. Collaboration based on the biases of the individual group members C. Collaboration based on the sections of the document D. Collaboration based on the stages of the writing process

B. Collaboration based on the biases of the individual group members

Which of the following is NOT one of the three features of word-processing software that are particularly useful in collaboration, according to the text? A. Revision feature B. Delete feature C. Comment feature D. Highlighting feature

B. Delete feature

Chapter 5 identifies seven categories of cultural variables "on the surface." One category is political. Which of these is NOT a cultural variable? A. Social B. Edifying C. Economic D. Religious E. Technological

B. Edifying

According to chapter 2, saying that a recently fired employee was "offered an alternative career oportunity" would be an example of a(n): A. Legalistic construction B. Euphemism C. Exaggeration D. Lie E. None of the above

B. Euphemism

Which of the following is NOT one of the five aspects of conducting meetings noted in chapter 4? A. Set your group's agenda B. Evaluate your supervisor C. Listen effectively D. Conduct efficient face-to-face meetings E. Communicate diplomatically

B. Evaluate your supervisor

Chapter 1 states that effective technical communication is honest. The chapter then presents three reasons that it is important to be honest when communicating. Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons listed in chapter 1? A. It's the right thing to do. B. If readers bring your dishonesty to the attention of your supervisor, your career may be negatively affected. C. Readers can get hurt if you are dishonest. D. You and your organization could face serious legal charges if you are dishonest.

B. If readers bring your dishonesty to the attention of your supervisor, your career may be negatively affected.

Chapter 9 lists eight questions you should ask when revising an entire document for coherence. One "Have you left out anything in turning your ______ into a draft?" A. Essay B. Outline C. Thesis D. Poem

B. Outline

Chapter 2 states that ethicists such as Manuel Velasques (2006) argue that whistleblowing is justified if three conditions are satisfied. One condition is that there is stron evidence that the organization is doing something that is hurting or will hurt other parties. What are the other two conditions? Select one or more: A. The wrongdoing is serious enough to warrant the consequences the whistleblowing will probably have for the employee, his or her family, and any other parties. B. The employee has made a serious but unsuccessful attempt to resolve the problem through internal channels. C. The wrongdoing involves members of a minority group or affects individuals granted specific rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. D. Whistleblowing is reasonably certain to prevent or stop the wrongdoing. E. The employee has suffered personal harm as a result of the wrongdoing, such as the loss of a promotion, a substantial decrease in salary, or physical injury.

B. The employee has made a serious but unsuccessful attempt to resolve the problem through internal channels. D. Whistleblowing is reasonably certain to prevent or stop the wrongdoing.

Chapter 5 suggests that you consider, in addition to education, five other individual characteristics of readers. Which two of the following characteristics does the chapter also suggest you consider? A. The reader's sex and temperment B. The reader's professional experience and job responsibility C. The reader's family and friends D. None of the above

B. The reader's professional experience and job responsibility

Chapter 4 contains examples of three forms tha tcollaborative groups can use to help ensure that the group's efforts will be successful. Which of the following is NOT one of those forms? A. The self-evaluation form B. The supervisor-evaluation form C. Group-members evaluation form D. Work-schedule form

B. The supervisor-evaluation form

According to the research cited in chapter 4, students from other cultures may be unwilling to respond with a definite "no" in a collaborative setting. According to chapter 4, what is one other behavior that students from other cultures might exhibit in a collaborative setting? A. They will initiate new tasks B. They would avoid criticizing others C. They are willing to admit they are confused D. They will ask for clarification

B. They would avoid criticizing others

Chapter 1 states that technical communicators use design features to make their documents more effective by increasing readability. Which of the following is an example of a design feature? A. Easy-to-understand vocabulary B. White space between paragraps C. Definition of key terms D. Effective topic sentences E. All of the above

B. White space between paragraphs

Which of the following is NOT one of the six disadvantages of collaboration mentioned in chapter 4? A. Can lead to group think B. Can lead to interpersonal conflict C. Can reduce the sense of a business community D. Can yield a disjointed document E. Can reduce collaborators' motication to work hard on the docuent F. Takes more time than individual wrriting G. Can lead to inequitable workloads

C. Can reduce the sense of a business community

Which of the following is NOT one of the five advantafes of collaboration mentioned in chapter 4? A. Collaboration provides a better idea of how the audience will read the document. B. Collaboration draws on a greater skills base. C. Collaboration increases antagonism between coworkers. D. Collaboration helps acclimate new employees to an organization. E. Collaboration draws on a greater knowledge base.

C. Collaboration increases antagonism between coworkers.

According to chapter 1, in technical communication, grpahics help the writer perform five main funcitons. One function is to make the document more interesting and appealing to readers. Which of the following is another function listed in chapter 1? A. Communicate with readers who don't have time to read B. Communicate with readers accustomed to receiving information in a visual medium, such as television or the web C. Communicate with nonnative speakers D. All of the above

C. Communicate with nonnative speakers

The symbol ® indicates that a word, phrase, or symbol: A. Has been registered for trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but with "reserved" status. B. Has been registered for trademark protection under the Regency d'Internationale Agreement of 1996. C. Has been registered for trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. D. All of the above

C. Has been registered for trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

According to chapter 9, turning paragraphs into _______ has the advantages of forcing you to look at the big picture. A. Verse B. Drawings C. Lists D. Poetry

C. Lists

Chapter 5 divides audiences into which categories? A. Real and imaginary B. Personal and professional C. Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary D. Supplemental and fundamental E. None of the above

C. Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary

Which of the following mistakes did McDonald's make when it printed take-out bags with flags from around the world? A. The writing on the bags was in English, which insulted and offended numerous nonnative speakers B. The bags showed a pair of hands holding a flag in a way that some cultures would interpret as an obscene gesture C. The bags showed a Saudi flag, which depicts holy scripture from the Koran. The Saudis were offended because these bags would be thrown out. D. All of the above E. None of the above

C. The bags showed a Saudi flag, which depicts holy scripture from the Koran. The Saudis were offended because these bags would be thrown out

Chapter 2 lists four guidelines governing the fair-use exemption that allows you to use copyrighted material without permission, under certain conditions. One guideline is the nature and purpose of the copyrighted work. What are two of the other guidelines? Select one or more: A. Whether you intend to cause the copyright holder any harm - financial or otherwise - by using the copyrighted material. B. The degree of difficulty you might encounter if you did seek permission to use the copyrighted work. C. The effect of the use on the potential market for the copyrighted work. D. Whether the copyrighted work was published on the Internet, in which case it can be considered to be in the public domain. E. The amount and substantiality of the portion of the work used.

C. The effect of the use on the potential market for the copyrighted work. E. The amount and substantiality of the portion of the work used.

Chapter 2 lists four areas of law relevant to ethical issues in technical communication. One is copyriht law. What are two others? Select one or more: A. Criminal law B. Martial law C. Trademark law D. Contract law E. International law

C. Trademark law D. Contract law

A writer is developing a brochure to educate vacationers interested in taking an "Introduction to Kayaking" course offered by a rafting and kayaking company. Which of the following headings is most likely to appear in the brochure? A. 1.0 Water B. Ferries, Peel-Outs, and Eddy Turns C. What Type of Equipment Will I Need to Bring? D. How to Perform Z-Drag Extractions of Pinned Boats

C. What Type of Equipment Will I Need to Bring?

A writer at ColdTec Accounting has just completed a draft of an internal report describing a recent drop in enrollment in the company's training course entitled "Web Linking and Publishing with Microsoft Excel 2007," offered to new employees. Which of the following titles would be most appropriate for the report? A. Declining Enrollment in Training Classes Offered at ColdTec B. The Changing Needs of New Employees at ColdTec C. Choosing a Training Class: "Web Linking and Publishing with Microsoft Excel 2007" D. An Analysis of Declining Enrollment in "Web Linking and Publishing with Microsoft Excel 2007"

D. An Analysis of Declining Enrollment in "Web Linking and Publishing with Microsoft Excel 2007"

A writer who had just started work as a technical communicator in a large government agency has been asked to write a technical report. All of the following activities will help the writer learn the constraints imposed by the agency EXCEPT: A. Asking more experienced co-workers their advice on how to format the report B. Reviewing other technical reports produced by the company C. Finding out the report's deadline D. Evaluating his or her own ethical standards

D. Evaluating his or her own ethical standards

Therefore, furthermore, consequently, and next are all examples of _______ words. A. Descriptive B. Unneccessary C. Confusing D. Transitional

D. Transitional

A project manager is using a word processor to review an electronic file of a document written by a group member and does not understand the meaning of a term used in the document. Which of the following actions should the writer take? A. Check the change bar for an explanation. B. Delete the tern using the revision feature. C. Use the highlighting feature to call the writer's attention to the term. D. Use the comment feature to ask "Will the reader understand this term?"

D. Use the comment feature to ask "Will the reader understant this term?"

Which of the following is an example of technical communication? A. A memo or email requesting information or identifying a problem B. A website describing a product C. A set of instrucitons introducing and explaining a new process or procedure D. An oral presentation explaining a new policy to employees E. All of the above

E. All of the above

Chapter 2 lists four ways that you can help protect your client's or employer's trademark. One is to use the trademark symbol. Which one of the following methods is also listed as a method? A. Consistently use one of the trademark symbols (™ or ®) in references to other trademarked items, whether or not your client or employer owns those trademarks. B. Use the plural form (Xeroxes) or the possessive form (Xerox's quality) of the term whenever possible. C. Use the trademarked item in various gramatical forms, including as an adjective (Xerox® copiers), a noun (Xeroxes®), and a verb (Xerox 500 copies). D. Include a prominent warning about the civil and criminal penalties for infringinf on the protections afforded by trademark law, similar to the FVO warning about copyright that appears at the beginning of rental movies. E. Distinguish trademarks from other material, perhaps setting the trademark in a different typeface or using boldface tyle for emphasis.

E. Distinguish trademarks from other material, perhaps setting the trademark in a different typeface or using boldface tyle for emphasis.

A ________ is a polite way of saying something that makes people uncomfortable.

Euphemism

According to chapter 8, to craft a persuasive argument, a writer must: 1. Identify the elements of a persuasive argument 2. Consider opposing viewpoints 3. Appeal to emotions responsibly 4. Decide where to state your claim 5. Use the right kinds of __________.

Evidence

According to chapter 5, if you think your document will have a number of readers, you should consider writing a variety of documents addressed to different kinds of readers. True/False

False

According to chapter 8, in most cases the best place to state your claim is at the end of an argument because you may alienate your audience if you state it at the beginning. True/False

False

Copmanies hiring technical professionals such as engineers, scientists, and programmers are so focused on technical abilities tha tthey rarely list communication skills among the requirements for employment. True/False

False

Graphics and design elements are relatively unimportant in communicating persuasively. True/False

False

If necessary, you should combine two or more ideas into one paragraph to create a paragraph of 75 to 125 words - the ideal paragraph length

False

In an electronics manufacturing company, thechnicians and managers are likely to look for the same types of information in company documents. True/False

False

In considering your audience's education, you should focus primarily on what type of academic degree that person has earned. True/False

False

Long headings may confuse and distract readers: therefore, you should strive to write short headings of no more than three or four words. True/False

False

Most technical documents are produced by professional technical communicators working alone. True/False

False

Technical communicators are specialists responsible for producing the text of a document while relying on graphic artists, desktop publishers, and Web designers to produce other elements necessary to complete the document. True/False

False

The following passage would be appropriate for a document and aimed at a multicultural audience. The two companies found themselves in the financial equivalent of sudden overtime. The first to raise the necessary capital would be the one to survive. True/False

False

Though many aspects of private life and community life differ from culture to culture, in most developed countries business is conducted more or less in the same way. True/False

False

True/False: Even though cultures differ from eachother, technical documents tend to be written in a similar way no matter where you go.

False

True/False: One disadvantage of a word processor is that you cannot create new styles.

False

True/False: Syles are preformatted designs for different kinds of documents, such as buisness letters, memos, newsletters, and reports.

False

Under the concept of work made for hire, anything written on the job by an employee being paid by the organization is the property of the organization - provided that the employee agrees after the document is written to surrender his or her copyright. True/False

False

One of the basic tenents of the people-first approach to referring to people with disabilities is "Don't confues ________ with disabilities

Handicap

A ____________ is a verb that has been transformed into a noun, as when to install becomes to effect an installation, or to analyze becomes to conduct an analysis.

Nominalization

"Refer to the __________ first, the disability second" is one of the basic tenents of the people-first approach to referring to people with disabilities.

Person

Chapter 3 describes the writing process as a series of stages, including planning, drafting, and ______.

Proofreading

Chapter 8 discusses the three elements of an argument: the claim, the evidence, and the __________.

Reasoning

Chapter 8 discusses the broader goals of your audience, including security, professional growth, connectedness, and ___________.

Recognition

"Replace male-gender words with non-gender specific words" is one of the sex techniques outlines to avoid _____ language.

Sexist

The following sentencecontains an example of a(n) _______ modifier. "Employees who seek their supervisor's advice often can improve their performance."

Squinting

Chapter 10 offers five guidelines for creating lists. One of them is "Set off each listed item with a number, a letter, or a ________.

Symbol

A post-hoc argument claims that because A preceded B, A must have caused B. True/False

True

According to chapter 9, using styles to design your headings can help you enhance the coherence of your document. True/False

True

According to chapter 9, you should jot down a working title before you start drafting to give you a sense of direction, then come back to revise it at the end. True/False

True

Chapter 1 identifies correctness as a characteristic of good technical communication. In this context, correctness refers to the proper use of grammar and punctuation to accurately convey the intended meaning. True/False

True

In almost all cases, demonstative pronouns should serve as adjectives rather than as pronouns, that is, they should be followed by nouns. True/False

True

To make it easy for readers to find the information they need, many technical documents are made up of small, independent sections. True/False

True

True/False: If you don't know whether to write too, two, or to, you should NOT use the spell checker to help you decide.

True

U.S. Companies do not necessarily have the same ethical and legal obligations when they export as when they sell in the United States. True/False

True

A _______ is a second or subsequent line in a list.

Turnover

Chapter 3 discusses three questions to ask about your audience during the planning stage of the writing process. One is "Why and how will the reader use your document?" What is another question?

What are your reader's attitudes and expectations

According to chapter 1, what are two technical documents you will most likely prepare as part of a job search?

a job-application and a résumé

An argument against the writer, rather than against the writer's argument, is known as a(n) ____________ argument.

ad hominem

In editing and proofreading a document, a writer should NOT _______.

automatically accept suggestions from the grammar check tool

A __________ argument appeals to a person's understanding and experience of how the world works.

commonsense

Chapter 3 lists seven steps tha tare often invovled in planning for a document, including generating ideas about your topic, analyzing your purpose, and ________.

devising a schedule and budget

Chapter 8 lists four charactersitics that can help you establish an attractive professional persona: cooperativeness, moderation, fair-mindedness, and ______.

modesty

What two categories of workers are largely responsible for creating technical communication?

technical professionals and technical communication