Dr. Laura Ellis-Lai Technical Communication
false
A euphemism is a bit of shoptalk, a word or phrase that has a precise meaning to members of a particular group, organization, profession, or occupation but may have little meaning for people outside that group.
The items in the list are not parallel.
A local bank uses this slogan in its advertising: "Integrity. Experience. Trust. Local." What about this slogan violates readers' expectations?
true
A periodical index contains lists of journal and magazine articles classified according to title, subject, and author.
true
A post hoc argument claims that because A preceded B, A must have caused B.
True
A sentence with a negative construction uses a word or phrase to describe what something is not. One example is the use of not many rather than few.
Create a style sheet.
A team of writers is just beginning a new documentation project. The client for the team's last project complained that the completed document kept switching from active to passive voice and that the design of the headings was not visually consistent. Which of the following is the team's best approach to avoiding such problems on the current project?
"Section 3 does a great job of making a case for the importance of our usability testing. Perhaps we should also include a graph showing a decrease in customer-service calls since we started testing. We may also want to add a section on user feedback."
A writer is commenting on a first draft of a technical report written by another team member. Which of the following comments is most appropriate?
at (2)
A writer is considering revising the long paragraph below. Would the best place to start a second paragraph be at (1), (2), or (3)? Although graphics can enhance a website, they can also serve as a distraction. Having too many graphics that do not contribute to the content of the site may make your company appear unprofessional, as well as contributing to slow download times. Your site, for example, has thirty moving images. (1) Such images do not reflect the serious nature of your business. When it comes to graphics, we suggest you adopt a "less is more" approach. (2) Another troublesome feature of your site is the scrolling banner used as a navigation element. To reach certain pages on your site, users must quickly click the links scrolling across the banner. If they miss a link, they must wait another 20 seconds until the link scrolls by again. (3) Because this site is not designed to be a game but rather a place for customers to learn more about handling hazardous materials, you should not use a scrolling banner as a navigation element. We recommend that you use standard navigation buttons aligned along the left margin or across the top of the page. Also, you may want to include a text-only navigation element at the bottom of the page.
What Clothing Will I Need To Bring?
A writer is developing a brochure for vacationers interested in taking an "Introduction to Kayaking" course offered by a rafting and kayaking company. Based on the principles discussed in Chapter 9, which of the following headings is most likely to appear in the brochure?
Present the reasoning behind the new policy and then state the policy.
A writer's company has just adopted a policy of tracking employee emails to determine which employee is leaking confidential information. Because the writer knows that this policy will be unpopular with company employees, which is the best strategy for announcing the policy to employees in a memorandum?
the ability to perform as a researcher
According to Chapter 1, people who are good at communicating in the workplace possess four skills -- or abilities -- including the abilities to write clearly, solve problems, and analyze information. Which of the following is the fourth ability?
at the end of the sentence
According to Chapter 10, sentences are often easier to understand and more emphatic if new information appears in which position?
The employee has made a serious but unsuccessful attempt to resolve the problem through internal channels.
According to Chapter 2, ethicists such as Manuel Velasquez (2011) argue that whistle-blowing is justified if three conditions are satisfied. One condition is that there is strong evidence that the organization is doing something that is hurting or will hurt other parties. What is another condition?
The organization's leadership, supervisors, and peers can set good examples to act ethically. The organization can create a code of conduct that is - among other things - specific, comprehensive, and enforceable.
According to Chapter 2, what steps should a company take to improve its ethical culture?
more than one-third of the total time spent on the writing project
According to Chapter 3, how much time can someone expect to spend planning a writing project?
Get management's approval.
According to Chapter 5, what should you do once you have analyzed your audience and purpose?
a modular approach
According to Chapter 5, which approach is best when writing for multiple audiences?
online catalog
According to Chapter 6, which of these is considered a traditional tool for secondary research?
false
According to Chapter 9, long headings can confuse and distract readers; therefore, you should strive to write short headings of no more than three or four words.
You must acknowledge the SME's contributions, particularly if they offer detailed comments or suggestions on the draft or send you a multi-page review - and if you use some or many of their ideas.
According to an "Ethics Note" box in Chapter 3, it is completely ethical to ask subject matter experts (SMEs) and people who are similar to the intended audience of your document to critique a draft of it. Which of the following information is also discussed in this section of Chapter 3?
the organizational structure of the document
An effective topic sentence will reflect which of the following?
New screening techniques are being developed to combat computer viruses. These techniques are the subject of a new research effort at Big State University.
Based on the principles discussed in Chapter 9, which of these examples shows the most effective transition from the first sentence to the second?
True
Chapter 1 begins by explaining that "People in the working world communicate technical information for a number of reasons, many of which fall into one of two categories: 1) to help others learn about a subject, carry out a task, or make a decision, or 2) to reinforce or change attitudes and motivate readers to take action."
It uses design to increase readability, since being legible will help readers understand the document.
Chapter 1 describes six characteristics of a successful technical document. Here are four of the characteristics listed: 1) it addresses particular readers, 2) it helps readers solve problems, 3) it reflects the organization's goals and culture, and 4) it is produced collaboratively. What is one of the two remaining characteristics of a successful technical communication document?
False - The results of that survey actually show that two-thirds of professionals need strong writing skills in their daily work and that one-half of all companies in all industries consider writing skills in making promotion decisions.
Chapter 1 discusses a survey of more than 100 large American corporations. The results of that survey show that one-third of professionals need strong writing skills in their daily work and that one-fourth of all companies in all industries consider writing skills in making promotion decisions.
Comprehensiveness, which means the document includes background, sufficient detail, and supporting materials (perhaps provided as attachments).
Chapter 1 lists eight "Measures of Excellence" for technical documents. Seven of the characteristics are: honesty, clarity, accuracy, accessibility, conciseness, professional appearance, and correctness. What is the eighth characteristic?
when the agent is less important than the action when the agent is unknown when a reference to the agent is embarrassing, dangerous, or in some other way inappropriate
Chapter 10 suggests that the passive voice is generally more appropriate than the active voice in four circumstances. One is when the agent is clear from the context, as in "Students are required to take both writing courses," in which it is clear that the college sets the requirements. Under what other circumstance(s) is the passive voice generally more appropriate?
True
Chapter 2 discusses ethicist Thomas Donaldson's concept of a "moral minimum," which describes the idea that companies working in cross-cultural situations are "ethically obligated not to reinforce patterns of discrimination in product information," though they "are not obligated to challenge the prevailing prejudice directly."
False - Actually, more than one third of employers surveyed reported monitoring their employees' use of social media sites.
Chapter 2 explains that, according to a 2012 survey of more than 250 companies, half of the employers surveyed reported monitoring their employees' use of social media sites.
trademark law
Chapter 2 lists four areas of law relevant to ethical issues in technical communication. One is copyright law. What is one other area of law discussed?
he effect of the use on the potential market for the copyrighted work
Chapter 2 lists four factors governing the fair-use exemption, which allows you to use copyrighted material without permission under certain conditions. One factor is the nature and purpose of the copyrighted work. What is another factor?
False
Chapter 3 defines a "living document" as one that exists only as long as its writer who created it works at that company or organization. When the writer leaves the company or organization, the document becomes a "dead document."
Collaboration helps certain employees prove they are the best leaders.
Chapter 4 lists and describes several advantages of collaboration. Which of the following is not an advantage described in Chapter 4?
Collaboration can lead to plagiarism from outside sources.
Chapter 4 lists and describes several disadvantages of collaboration. Which of the following is not a disadvantage described in Chapter 4?
Ask pertinent questions.
Chapter 4 offers seven suggestions for communicating diplomatically. Which of these is a suggestion from the chapter?
philosophical
Chapter 5 identifies seven categories of cultural variables "on the surface." One category is political. Which of these is NOT a category of surface cultural variables?
the reader's job responsibility the reader's professional experience
Chapter 5 suggests that you consider five other individual characteristics of readers in addition to education. Which two of the following characteristics does the chapter suggest you consider? (Select both answers; no partial credit will be awarded.)
comprehensiveness lack of bias
Chapter 6 advises researchers to look for information that is current. What are two other characteristics of reliable information that the chapter says you should look for?
false
Chapter 7 states that one disadvantage of the problem-methods-solution organizational pattern is that you cannot alter the sequence of those three elements.
fair-mindedness
Chapter 8 discusses four broad goals of an audience. One is security. Which is NOT one of the other three goals?
fair-mindedness
Chapter 8 lists four characteristics that can help you establish an effective professional persona. One is cooperativeness. Which of the following characteristics is also mentioned in this brief list?
False - Candidates' communication skills are actually more important to these companies than candidates' technical skills.
Companies hiring technical professionals such as engineers, scientists, and programmers focus primarily on the technical abilities of the candidates they consider for employment.
high-fat items high-cholesterol items high-calorie items
For a report on the nutritional value of fast food, a writer has decided to organize her information by assigning fast-food items to categories. Which of the following sets of categories is flawed?
True
Government publications are not usually listed in indexes or by abstract services.
It determines the content of effective arguments. It determines the structure of effective arguments.
How does culture affect the process of persuasion?
You are responsible for purchasing a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for your department. However, every technical document you create involves a compromise, perhaps regarding your budget, your audience's or colleagues' expectations or beliefs, and/or your department's needs (etc.), and you will need to negotiate a compromise.
In the section of Chapter 1 called "The Challenges of Producing Technical Communication," the author writes: "Technical communication is challenging because people are complicated, and collaborating with people is at the heart of the process." This line is followed by an example of a real-life workplace scenario. Which scenario is is presented for you, the reader?
True
In the section of Chapter 2 called "Using Social Media Ethically and Legally," several guidelines are offered. One of those guidelines is that you should avoid revealing unauthorized news about your own company. This section includes the following information: "A company that wishes to apply for a patent for one of its products or processes has, according to the law, only one year to do so after the product or process is first mentioned or illustrated in a 'printed publication.' Because courts have found that a photo on Facebook or a blog or even a tweet is equivalent to a printed publication (Bettinger, 2010), you could inadvertently start the clock ticking. Even worse, some other company could use the information to apply for a patent for the product or process that your company is developing."
Report ineffective team members to a supervisor.
In the section of Chapter 4 called "Guidelines: Managing Your Project," which of the following is not a suggestion for keeping your project on track?
Type notes directly into a shared wiki document for team record keeping.
In the section of Chapter 4 called "Listening Effectively," which of the following is not a suggestion for improving your effectiveness as a listener?
Avoid choosing a team leader.
In the section of Chapter 4 called "Setting Your Team's Agenda," which of the following is not a suggestion for helping your team work effectively and efficiently?
The list is not parallel in structure.
In what way is the following list flawed? The Ventura Aquifer program objectives are the following: - characterization of groundwater quality - to provide data to support Best Management Practices (BMP) - relating data to agricultural land use practices
True
Once you've determined the audience and the purpose, 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.
social media websites
Print is a common medium for publishing information. Chapter 6 identifies four other publishing media. What are two other media listed in the chapter?
true
Readers who can easily locate and understand important information in a document will be more likely to agree with its arguments.
False
Secondary research is the process of creating technical information yourself, as opposed to collecting information that other people have discovered or created.
False
Styles are preformatted designs for different kinds of documents, such as business letters, memos, newsletters, and reports.
ad populum argument
The following statement appears in a university's report to its board of regents: "Several other notable universities, including Stanford and Harvard, are offering massive, open online classes, or MOOCs. It is imperative for Old State University to keep pace in the educational marketplace." What type of reasoning does the passage display?
Hire a research consultant to both survey prospective users' and revise the document according to their feedback.
The section of Chapter 3 called "Seeking Help From Others," recommends that technical writers seek help from two kinds of people: subject matter experts (SMEs) and actual and/or prospective users of the document. Four techniques are offered for how technical writers can learn from SMEs and actual and prospective users. Which of the following techniques does not appear in this section?
It has been registered for trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
What does the symbol ® indicate about a word, phrase, or symbol?
It is a set of about 1,000 English words used for writing technical manuals in certain industries.
What is Simplified English?
any text that indicates the background, purpose, scope, and organization of the discussion that follows it
What is an advance organizer?
moderately formal to highly formal
What level of formality does technical communication usually require?
false
When working with a reader who is hostile to your subject or to your approach to the subject, you should first state your position, followed by your rationale for that position.
your readers' expectations
Which factor should influence the organizational pattern you choose?
Avoid discussing the opposing viewpoint.
Which method of addressing opposing viewpoints is likely to be least effective?
topic sentences to begin paragraphs a detailed table of contents frequent section headings
Which of the following can help you display your organizational pattern prominently?
Lying by Omission
Which of the following is * not * one of the four examples of misleading technical communication described by Chapter 2?
partitional
Which of the following is NOT a category of constraints on your ability to be persuasive in a workplace document?
Work efficiently by repurposing pieces of content you wrote for one job at another job.
Which of the following is NOT a guideline for using social media ethically and legally, according to Chapter 2?
Describe your problem in general terms.
Which of the following is NOT a principle for using the problem-methods-solution pattern of organization?
Vote for Pedro he will represent you well.
Which of the following is a run-on sentence?
repeating key words
Which of the following is an example of a coherence device?
You have located advertising brochures and testimonials associated with the subject you're writing about, but you can't find reports on the kinds of controlled tests that would convince a skeptical reader.
Which of the following is an example of an informational constraint that you might confront when completing a project?
a webmaster revising a company web page, an electrical engineer filling out a standardized form, a manager preparing an oral presentation, a company secretary writing a letter to a customer
Which of the following is involved in creating technical communication?
The team avoids conflict and disagreement since that behavior is often time consuming and can feel frustrating.
Which of the following is likely to cause a team writing collaboratively to produce an inferior document?
Considering the four innovator's steps
Which of the following is not a technique for generating ideas about your topic, according to Chapter 3?
The bags showed a Saudi flag, which depicts holy scripture from the Koran. The Saudis were offended because these bags would be thrown out.
Which of the following mistakes did McDonald's make when it printed takeout bags decorated with flags from around the world?
Try writing with your eyes closed
Which of the following techniques is not included in a list of techniques in the section of Chapter 3 called "Drafting Effectively"?
Choose either the whole-by-whole or the part-by-part pattern or some combination of the two. Then order the second-level items. Consider using graphics to complement the text. Evaluate each item according to the criteria you have established.
Which of the guidelines below should you follow when organizing information by the comparison-and-contrast pattern of development?
cause and effect
Which of the organizational patterns below depends on relationships that can be difficult to prove?
reexamining your draft to see if it serves your audience and your purpose
Which of these best describes the process of revising a document?
A topic of discussion that is common in one culture might be considered highly personal in another culture.
Which of these statements about working with someone from another culture is true?
It forces you to reorder the sequence.
Which of these statements does NOT identify a benefit of turning a paragraph into a list?
whole-by-whole
Which organizational pattern often occurs in a comparison-and-contrast discussion?
conciseness
Which quality in the list below is evident in the revised version of the following paragraph? Original: During our monthly meeting last month, we all came to the conclusion that overtime procedures are inadequate and that new procedures need to be initiated. I discussed this problem with our chief accountant, who was sympathetic and agreed to consider any changes we would like to make to the present procedures. Please bring your suggested changes to this month's departmental meeting scheduled for 2:30 P.M. next Wednesday afternoon. Revision: During last month's meeting, we concluded that our overtime procedures need revision. Our chief accountant has agreed to consider any changes we would like to make to the present procedures. Please bring your suggested changes to this month's departmental meeting scheduled for 2:30 P.M. next Wednesday.
The 728B polo shirt is our most popular model, it offers an unequaled blend of comfort and durability.
Which sentence below shows a comma splice?
The lack of editors on a wiki means that authors on the site may mix truth with fiction.
Which statement best compares the information found on a wiki with the information from an edited website?
tertiary
Which term below is used in Chapter 5 to describe a type of audience?
claim, evidence, and reasoning
Which three of the following are elements of an argument?
your audience and your purpose
Which two things are most essential for you to understand in order to communicate successfully?
nonlinear
Which word best describes the process of writing technical documents?
Planning can make the writing process more efficient. Planning can help you create a realistic schedule. Planning can make your final document more effective at fulfilling its purpose.
Why is it important to plan your document before you start drafting it?
It helps you remember what you've learned about your target audience. It prompts you to ask questions about your target audience. It helps you realize when you need to learn more about your target audience.
Why should you use an audience profile sheet for a writing project?
Break your report into modules and put highly detailed information in an appendix.
You are writing a report about new regulations that affect your company. Your primary audience of company executives is very busy and will read your report quickly, but secondary- and tertiary-audience members are likely to read more slowly and carefully. Which of the following options is most appropriate for your situation?
Check to see if the authors work as industry-wide consultants or as contractors for specific vendors.
You are writing a report analyzing whether your company should hire a new vendor to provide data-warehousing services. You have found a white paper online that looks promising. How can you judge the degree to which the authors are unbiased?
False
You should select research methods before determining what research questions to pursue.
Include different sections for the different audiences.
Your company has completed an audience analysis for the manual you are writing for users of a new accounting system. The manual will be given to the 750 employees in the company's accounting department. Some members of the audience are experienced accountants and others are not; some have MBA degrees and others have bachelor's or associate's degrees; some were recently hired and some are long-term employees; some are managers and some are bookkeepers. How might you best accommodate your audiences?
website
Your manager has asked you to recommend which of two new types of digital camera to buy for your company's publications department. Which of the following is likely to be the best source of information for your report?
spatial
Your supervisor has asked you to write a brief description of an abandoned silver mine with a complex series of caves, some of which are slated for hazardous-waste cleanup. The audience for this document is the waste cleanup crew leader. Of the organizational patterns discussed in Chapter 7, which would be most logical and effective for describing the mine?
