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.