Technical Writing Final Exam

31. Chapter 12 offers six principles for using color in graphics. What are they?

- Don't overdo it - Use color to emphasize particular items - Use color to create patterns - Use contrast effectively - Take advantage of any symblolic meanings colors may have - Be aware that color can obscure or swallow up text.

20. According to research cited in Chapter 4, what are some behaviors influenced by culture?

-Finding it difficult to assert themselves in collaborative teams. -Be unwilling to respond with a definite "no." -Be reluctant to admit when they are confused or to ask for clarification. -Wanting to avoid criticizing others. -Wanting to avoid initiating new tasks or performing creatively.

34. Chapter 4 discusses five aspects of conducting meetings, a crucial component of collaboration. What are they?

-Listen effectively -set your team agenda - conduct efficient meetings - communicate diplomatically - critiquing a team members work.

32. Chapter 14 describes two common letter formats. What are they?

-Modified block -Full block style

27. What are useful ways to conduct field research, which are discussed in Chapter 6?

-Questionnaires -Observations -Interviews -Experiments -Quantitative -Qualitative studies

What is meant by the following moral standards? Rights, Justice, Utility, Care

-Rights: This standard concerns individuals' basic needs and welfare. -Justice: This standard concerns how the costs and benefits of an action or a policy are distributed among a group. -Utility: This standard concerns the positive or negative effects that an action or policy has, will have, or might have on others. -Care: This standard concerns the relationships we have with other individuals.

28. What are principles of usability testing?

-Usability test permeates product development -Involves studying real users as they use the product -Setting measurable goals and determining whether the product meets them

24. What are factors of usability?

-ease of learning -efficiency of use -memorability -error frequency, severity, and recovery -subjective satisfaction

53. What is a prototype?

A model built to simulate the look and feel of an item before it is produced commercially.

What is the benefit to your readers of using a conventional pattern of organization? (Ch 7)

A pattern can also make your document easier to read and understand. Readers who are familiar with proposals can find the information they want because you have put it where others have put similar information.

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

Ad Hominin (AKA: argument against the speaker).

64. What is an advance organizer?

Advanced organizer indicates the background, purpose, scope, and organization of the discussion that follows.

17. What are the two kinds of paragraphs? (Chapter 9)

Body paragraphs and transitional paragraphs. A body paragraph is the basic unit for communicating information, and is a group of sentences that is complete, self-sufficient, and contributes to a larger discussion.

70. When it appears in a letter, memo, or e-mail, the notation c stands for:

Copy

A table or spreadsheet used to systematically evaluate options according to specific criteria is a ________.

Decision matrix.

59. This, that, these, and those are examples of ______________.

Demonstrative Pronouns

15. What are the four stages of conducting an experiment? (Chapter 6)

Establishing a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, analyzing the data, and reporting the data.

37. What are the elements of a persuasive argument?

Evidence: facts and judgements that support your claim. Reasoning: the logic you use to derive the claim from the evidence. Claim: the idea that you are communicating.

35. True or False? Chapter 7 explains that one challenge in using the cause-and-effect organization is that it is very difficult to prove a causal relationship between two factors.

False

42. True or false? In the recommendations section of a recommendation report, you should avoid recommending that the organization take no action, or no action at this time.

False

47. True or False? Reviewing a document or Web site is the same thing as testing it.

False

54. True or false: The introduction to a recommendation report should never mention your recommendations; only the recommendations section should inform the reader of your recommendations.

False

55. True or False: The number following an enclosure notation at the bottom of a letter indicates the number of sheets of paper enclosed with the letter.

False

56. True or False: The proposed program section of a proposal contains an itemization of the costs associated with the project you are proposing.

False

41. True or false? In a table, the stub column is the right-hand column

False Stub is the left hand column

11. According to Chapter 12, why are graphics important?

Graphics catch readers' attention and interest, help writers communicate information that is difficult to communicate with words, help writers clarify and emphasize information, help non-native speakers of English understand information, and help writers communicate information to multiple audiences with different interests, aptitudes and reading habits.

52. The following statement provides an example of what logical fallacy: "The new Tata is an unreliable car. Two of my friends own Tatas, and both have had reliability problems."

Hasty Generalization

What are the measures of excellence for technical writing?

Honesty, clarity, accuracy, comprehensiveness, accessibility, conciseness, professional appearance, and correctness.

25. What factors will tell you whether you are ready to review a publication or whether you need to have the draft evaluated or tested?

Importance, time, and money

23. What are the typical elements of a job application letter?

Inside address. Introductory paragraph. Education paragraph. Conclusion paragraph. Enclosure notation.

50. The first phase of usability testing is preparing for the test. What is the final phase?

Interpreting and reporting the data from a usability test.

67. What section of a report should include a concise review of previous research relevant to your study?

Introduction section

16. Are back to back headings in a document good? (Chapter 9)

No, they're illogical, and back-to-back headings can distract and confuse readers.

43. What is the definition of an informational constraint?

Not being able to obtain the information you need to convince a skeptical reader of your argument.

60. Three items are included at the top of the second and subsequent pages of memos. What are they?

Page number, name of recipient, and date of memo

46. What are typical questions that readers of abstracts ask?

People typically read the abstract to see if they want to continue reading the report or not.

39. How should you present your data in the results section of a recommendation report?

Present your data objectively without comment. Your audience's needs will help you to decide how to structure the results.

65. What is the primary purpose of a directive?

Primary purpose is to explain a policy or procedure you want your readers to follow.

33. Chapter 20 lists three types of descriptions. One is the objects description. Another is the mechanisms description. What is the third?

Processes description

What kinds of questions are answered by completing a feasibility report?

Questions of possibility, economic wisdom, and perception

Technical Communication includes using what skills?

Reading, writing, speaking, listening.

26. What does RFP stand for?

Request for proposal

63. Chapter 8 discusses how to understand your audience's broader goals. One of four broad goals is security. What are the others?

Security, recognition, professional growth, and connectedness

21. What are examples of using good netiquette?

Stick to business. Don't waste bandwidth. Use the appropriate level of formality. Write correctly. Don't flame. Make your message easy on the eyes. Don't forward a message to an online discussion forum without the writer's permission. Don't send a message unless you have something to say.

58. This is one of the most popular techniques for eliciting information from a usability test participant.

The "think aloud" test, which tells test participants to say aloud the thoughts they are thinking while using a product.

12. What does the conclusion of a recommendation report accomplish? (Ch 18)

The conclusion answers the question "what does [the report] mean?" It is the implications of your report's results. Here the writers explain how their results can help their readers determine how to proceed with the recommendation.

What are the six characteristics of a technical document?

The document addresses particular readers, helps readers solve problems, reflects the organization's goals and culture, is produced collaboratively, uses design to increase readability, and consists of words, images, or both.

13. What does the methods section of a recommendation report accomplish? (Ch 18)

The methods section answers the question "what did you do?"

During which stage in the writing process do you use invention strategies like journalistic questions, brainstorming, freewriting and clustering?

The planning stage.

During which stage of the writing process do you analyze purpose and audience?

The planning stage.

66. What is "groupthink"?

The practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility.

14. In the results section of a recommendation report, what question/s is/are answered? (Ch 18)

The results section answers the question "what did you see or determine [from your data]?"

57. Therefore, furthermore, consequently, and next are all examples of _____________.

Transitional words

30. True or false? A salutation is a greeting at the beginning of a letter, traditionally consisting of the word Dear, the reader's courtesy title and last name, and a colon.

True

38. True or False: Generally, it is best not to use company employees as participants in a usability test.

True

49. True or False? Step-by-step instructions should be written in the imperative mood

True

51. True or false? The first step in comparing and contrasting two or more items is to determine the criteria: the standards or needs you will use in studying the items.

True

62. True or False: Twitter tweets are an example of micro-blogging.

True

69. According to Chapter 6, one disadvantage of a questionnaire is that you cannot be sure the respondents are representative.

True

18. Is this true or false? 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 and revise it at the end.

True.

19. True or false? According to chapter 4, common gender differences are that women tend to value consensus and relationships more, show more empathy, and demonstrate superior listening skills, while men appear to be more competitive than women and are more likely to assume leadership roles.

True.

61. What three things should successful proposals accomplish in order to be successful?

Understanding readers needs describing what you plan to do demonstrating your professionalism

22. What questions are answered in the introduction to the proposal?

What is the problem or opportunity? What is the purpose of the proposal? What is the background of the problem or opportunity? What are your sources of information? What is the scope of the proposal? What is the organization of the proposal? What are the key terms that you will use in the proposal?

According to Mike Markel's definition, what activities count as "technical communication"?

Writing of document, member of a project team, an information resource.

44. What is the most effective way to organize a document describing the events that led to an Internet company's bankruptcy?

chronological guide

71. evaluating definition?

having other people help you by reading the draft and communicating with you about its strengths and weaknesses.

48. Sentence definitions usually follow a standard pattern that contains three parts What are they?

item, category and a distinguishing characteristic

68. Informed consent_____________

means that the organization fully informs the participant of the conditions under which the test will be held, as well as how the results of the test will be used.

36. Technical Communication includes using what skills?

reading, writing, speaking, and listening

40. In Chapter 15, two types of resumes are discussed. One type is the chronological resume. What is the other type?

skills resume

45. Often, the conclusion of a set of instructions will contain maintenance tips and ______________.

troubleshooting guide