Technical Writing

T/F: Given the wide variety of technologically complicated and potentially dangerous products available today, readers are more careful and don't really need warnings.

FALSE

T/F: One similarity between writing at school and writing on the job is that your writing will remain confidential in both situations.

FALSE

Which of the following statements is true of technical writing? - It is usually intended for a single reader. -It is never read by readers unknown to the writer. -It involves a variety of document types. - It does not create legal liabilities for either the writer or organization. -none of the above

It involves a variety of document types

T/F: Even though you are making an argument with your proposal, you should keep in mind that you have an ethical responsibility to accurately represent your or your organization's capabilities to complete the project

TRUE

T/F: Failure to warn can have costly legal implications

TRUE

T/F: It is unethical to use illustrations that might be easily misinterpreted.

TRUE

T/F: Some reports will analyze as well as report on information

TRUE

Writing in school and writing at work differ because

The audience and purpose of each differ

Which of the following statements is/are true of documents you will write on the job?

They may be accessed from an organization's archive over an infinite time and They have an indefinite life

Which of the following is NOT a useful guideline for designing flow charts?

Use different shapes for equivalent steps

Which of the following guidelines will NOT help you ensure quality in letters, e mails, and memos?

Use spell-check as a substitute for editing

Which of the following statements is/are true? -It is possible to deceive readers without lying. - Negative assertions such as "no graphics software does more" are often deceptive. -Unlike words, illustrations cannot be deceptive. -all of the above -a and b only

a and b only

A clearly designed memo includes

a clearly phrased subject line and a concise description of the purpose

Different readers will read different sections of your report

according to their needs

The "Introduction" should all but one of the following EXCEPT

all necessary attachments

Which of the following is NOT a standard part of a proposal?

appraisal of progress

The introduction and summary of a report

are combined in many reports

Others will use your workplace writing...

as documentation of your accomplishments and as information they need to do their own job

If you are asked to do something unethical on the job,

ask polite questions that clarify the request and explain your dilemma

Important information should be placed

at the beginning of the document

When examining a writing situation, you should consider the reader's

attitude toward you, attitude toward the subject and frame of reference concerning the subject

The best way to communicate internally in an organization is

by memo

Employees who suffer injury or financial damage because of poorly written instructions or procedures . . .

can hold the company liable

What is the greatest difficulty in designing line graphs?

choosing the spacing for each axis

Organize the steps of the instructions in

chronological order

When you segment a circle graph

color the sections clockwise from darker to lighter

In a formal report, prefatory elements are those parts that

come at the beginning of the report, often before the introduction or discussion

Which of the following adjectives does NOT describe the ideal e-mail?

complex

Above all, a good e-mail is

concise and readable

In business organizations, most employees

have more to read than they can or will read

Before writing a proposal report, members of an organization might ask some of the following questions: Can we do the work requested? Can we show that we can do this work, based on what we have already done? Can we do it within the time limit given in the RFP? Organizations might ask such question before even beginning to write a proposal because the answer to these questions tells them

how successful their proposal might be

Using the words, images, or ideas of others without attribution

is plagiarism

When you consider your readers, you should think about their

knowledge of the topic, educational level, cultural background and interest in the subject

"The following tools are required" is an example of

list of materials needed

Your textbook says that "On the job, keep in mind that no one wants to read any-thing you write." Consequently, when you write you should . . .

make sure everything you write is clear, correct, necessary, and polite

Which of the following is a common format for complex instructions, procedures, and policies?

manual

in a set of instructions, procedures, or policies, Each step should include

only one action

Reports provide all of the following EXCEPT

opinion

A feasibility report

presents possible solutions to a problem, determines criteria for assessing the solutions, and assesses and presents the solutions

As a proposal writer, which of the following should you NOT do?

propose actions outside the organization's capabilities

When you quote a source, in order to avoid plagiarism

put material in quotation marks and specify the source

When you sign your name to a report or letter, you are

responsible for the contents.

The purpose of a memo or letter

should be in the first paragraph

What is copyrightable?

software applications, video recordings, and materials available online

What part of the report is likely to be the most read?

summary

Which of the following elements may be helpful to include in a set of instructions, procedures, or policies?

the governing theory, warning, cautions, or hazards, and conditions under which a task is to be performed.

When developing a document, you should think first about

the readers of the document

Though many of your readers will not read your whole report, most readers will read

the summary

In developing any communication, which of the following is NOT one of your main goals?

to keep your communication complex but brief

What is the purpose of an organization chart?

to show the divisions and levels of responsibility within an organization

Which type of organization produces large amounts of technical writing?

university offices, corporations, research centers, and nonprofit organizations

Which of the following is NOT considered a form of unethical communication? -deliberate use of ambiguous language. -use of erroneous typography. -promotion of prejudice. -use of misleading illustrations. -none of the above

use of erroneous typography

"Open only in a well-ventilated space" is an example of

warning or caution

When should a report include a table of contents?

when it's a formal report

When is e-mail a suitable method of distributing a long set of instructions and procedures?

when they are included as an attachment.