Technical Communication
Which is better, primary or secondary?
A combination of both
What are digital whiteboards?
A tool that provides a large screen that allows participants to write, sketch, and erase from their own computers in real time
What's worse, an indefinite conclusion or a wrong conclusion?
A wrong conclusion
What do reviewers look for in a document?
Accurate, appropriate, useful, and legal content, material organized for the reader's understanding, clear, easy-to-read, and engaging style, and effective visuals and page design
How should you deal with group conflicts?
Actively and openly
What do progress reports track?
Activities, problems, and rate of progress
What is an advantage of virtual collaboration?
Allows people to feel more secure when speaking up
What are encyclopedias?
Alphabetically arranged collections of articles
What are some benefits of hard-copy sources?
Available at library with other related material, easy to determine citation information, and easier to preserve and keep secure
What are some examples of reference works?
Bibliographies, indexes, encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, almanacs, directories, and abstracts
What are handbooks?
Books that offer condensed facts (formulas, tables, advice, examples) about particular fields
What are directories?
Books that provide updated information about organizations, companies, people, products, services, or careers, often listing addresses and phone numbers
What are two ways that older publications may still be in hard-copy format?
CD-ROM or microfiche
What are proposals written in response to?
Calls for proposal (CFP) or requests for proposal (RFP)
What are two things the writing style should be?
Clear and relevant
What are patent indexes?
Collect cutting-edge technological descriptions not yet widely available to the public
What are technical report indexes?
Collect highly current information unavailable elsewhere
What are indexes to conference proceedings?
Collect the most current information in various fields not yet published in book or periodical form
What are almanacs?
Collections of factual and statistical data, usually arranged by subject area and published annually
What are abstracts?
Collections of summaries of books or articles, as you might find when searching a periodical database, but collected in one place
What are the three most common types of websites a search engine will pull up?
Commercial, organizational, and academic
What are Wikis?
Community encyclopedias that allow anyone to add or edit the content of a listing
Who maintains search engines?
Computers
Which type of meeting tend to run less smoothly: informational or decision-making?
Decision-making
What are the four types of interpersonal conflict?
Differences in personality, working style, standards, or ability to take criticism
Who maintains subject directories?
Editors
What are two components of a document's design?
Efficient and accessible
What are periodical databases?
Electronic collections of articles from newspapers, magazines, journals, and other publications
What is similar to an online forum?
Electronic mailing lists or e-lists
Which are more common, emails or memos?
Emails
What does reviewing mean?
Evaluating how well a document connects with its audience and meets its purpose
What does listening actively mean?
Focusing your attention when people speak, keeping your mind open to what they say, letting them before you interject, using direct eye contact and body language that communicates interest, and asking for clarification when genuinely needed
What are reference works?
General information sources that provide background and can lead to more specific information
What is primary research?
Getting information directly from the source by conducting interviews and surveys and by observing people, events, or processes in action
What is secondary research?
Getting information secondhand by reading what other researchers have compiled in books and articles in print or online
What are the three components of technical communication?
Global, collaborative, and digital
What should you usually omit from your research unless its crucial?
Graphics, sound, and video files
Why are blogs beneficial?
Great for finding current information from individuals, companies, and nonprofit organizations that are knowledgeable about particular topics
What should you avoid when writing documents that might be translated?
Humor, slang, and idioms
What is the difference between indexes and bibliographies?
Indexes are very similar to bibliographies but other types of indexes collect information not likely to be found in the standard bibliographies
What are subject directories?
Indexes compiled by editors who sift through websites and sort the most useful links
What are the most popular periodical databases?
InfoTrac, NewsBank, ProQuest, and EBSCOHost
Are emails more formal or informal?
Informal
What is included in a manual?
Instructions on how to assemble, set up, and use a product and background information
What is a memo's primary purpose?
Internal written communication that leaves a record for future reference
What are the three type of differences that could lead to group conflict?
Interpersonal, gender, or cultural
What should you do when working with members from other countries?
Learn as much as possible about their country and culture
Which is the most personal form of communication?
Letters
What are bibliographies?
Lists of books or articles by subject field
What is gray literature?
Materials that are unpublished or not typically cataloged
What are some benefits of online sources?
More current, efficient, and accessible, searches can be broadened or narrowed, and can offer material that has no hard-copy equivalent
What are examples of surface level information providers?
Newspapers, commercial websites, and TV shows
Are all findings of equal value?
No
Are complex technical document usually written by one person?
No
Do most wikis have oversight?
No
What are some drawbacks of online sources?
Older content may not be scanned, some websites are unreliable, and researcher may be confused with too many options
What does editing mean?
Polishing a document by making it more precise and readable at the sentence and word level
What do most large organizations use for virtual collaborations?
Project management software
What should the writer balance?
Providing the readers with the information and persuading them to respond as desired
What do editors usually make suggestions about?
Rephrasing or reorganizing sentences, clarifying a topic sentence, choosing a better word or phrase, and correcting spelling, usage, punctuation, etc.
Which usually comes first, reviewing or editing?
Reviewing
How do you locate relevant forums?
Search through one of the major online forum providers
Is most information found online primary or secondary?
Secondary
What is an intranet?
Sites set up for internal company use only
What are some ways in which cultures can differ?
Style, relationships, perception of time, and communication
What are two tools to find online sources?
Subject directories and search engines
What are the two things most forums offer?
Subscribing to and visiting the forum via the web or subscribing to and receiving messages and responses from participants directly into your email box
What does an observer do during a meeting?
Take notes on what aspects of the meeting worked and didn't work
What is the oldest form of virtual collaboration?
Teleconferencing which is when multiple callers hold a conference via telephone
What does critical thinking mean?
That you test the quality of your information and the accuracy of your interpretations
Which is the most notable e-library?
The Internet Public Library founded by the University of Michigan's School of Information
What is the difference between the author and the Webmaster?
The author wrote the material while the Webmaster created and maintains the site
What are two ways to find books in a library?
The card catalog or the online public access catalog (OPAC)
Technical Communication
The exchange of information that helps people interact with technology, advance workplace goals, and solve complex problems
What is one thing to watch out for when writing a document in a group?
The finished product has a consistent style
Who should be the main focus in a document?
The reader
What is a report based on?
The study of a specific problem or issue
What is a downside to e-libraries?
They are missing a lot of material such as books under copyright and a wide range of magazine and newspaper articles
Why do women tend to be more hesitant to speak up?
They are often seen as over-bearing
What's different about specialized directories?
They focus on a single topic
What do search engines do?
They scan for websites containing key words
What are some drawbacks of hard-copy sources?
Time-consuming and inefficient to search, offer only text and images, and the content may not be up to date
What are the three primary purposes of technical communication?
To anticipate and answer questions (inform), to enable people to perform a task (instruct), or to influence people's thinking (persuade)
What is the purpose of a group manager?
To assign tasks, enforce deadlines, conduct meetings, and consult with supervisors
What are the two purposes for scheduling a meeting?
To convey or exchange information or to make decisions
What is the main purpose of procedures?
To explain how to perform a task step by step dealing with matters of company or organizational policy
What is the main purpose of instructions?
To explain the steps or course of action for completing a specific task
What is the purpose of a brochure?
To market goods or services
What is the purpose of a proposal?
To offer solutions to problems and make specific recommendations for how to implement those solutions
Persuasion
Trying to influence someone's actions, opinions, or decisions
How many times should you read a document before commenting?
Twice
What is the term for focusing on the reader?
User-centered communication
What are blogs?
Websites on which the blog's author posts ideas and readers are able to post comments and replies
When is teamwork successful?
When there is strong cooperation, a recognized team structure, and clear communication
What makes interpersonal conflict worse?
Working exclusively online
Are all technical documents persuasive?
Yes
Can letter serve as contracts?
Yes
Do many online magazines have a particular political bias?
Yes
Does all technical communication require some degree of research?
Yes
Should you always be honest?
Yes
