Varying the margins throughout a document creates a unified appearance.
Items in a list need not be written in similar grammatical form.
All documents are at least partly persuasive.
Some short documents may not need headings.
An effective job search strategy is to research each specific position for which you
apply.
Include sufficient detail in a document to ensure that readers understand the facts.
Technical communication does not include digital media such as blogs and podcasts.
Definitions are rarely field-specific.
Idioms and informal language are not appropriate for international letter recipients.
Ethical decisions are not always ‘black and white.’
Which of the following statements about tone is most accurate?
(a) When conveying negative news, a negative tone is appropriate.
(b) Vary the tone of a document from section to section as needed.
(c) Never use ‘I’ or ‘we’ in a technical document.
(d) Using ‘you’ and ‘your’ will help a writer connect with readers.
(e) Use a very informal tone when writing to subordinates.
Which of the following statements is most accurate?
(a) Definitions have legal, ethical, and societal implications.
(b) Definitions have only legal and ethical implications.
(c) Definitions have neither societal nor ethical implications.
(d) Definitions have only legal implications.
(e) None of these answers are correct.
Visuals in descriptions
(a) are rarely needed to facilitate understanding.
(b) can stand alone without labels or captions.
(c) can clarify your prose description for the reader.
(d) should be used only for non-technical audiences.
(e) should always be placed in appendices and never in the text.
Types of informational reports include
(a) trip reports and peer review reports.
(b) progress reports, activity reports, and meeting minutes.
(c) feasibility and recommendation reports.
(d) peer review reports and progress reports.
(e) trip reports, meeting minutes, and recommendation reports.
When creating a survey,
(a) phrase questions precisely.
(b) use loaded questions.
(c) keep it simple and brief.
(d) a and b.
(e) a and c.
Which of the following statements is least accurate?
(a) Once a purpose statement is written, it may not be revised.
(b) Formal reports may have both primary and secondary purposes.
(c) If a report has secondary purposes, the purpose statement should include them.
(d) a and c.
(e) b and c.
Feasibility reports and recommendation reports are similar in that they both
(a) have managers and other decision makers as their primary audience.
(b) emphasize expected rather than possible benefits.
(c) discuss the problem or situation before the recommendation.
(d) a and b.
(e) a, b, and c.
Web-based sources
(a) are always very reliable.
(b) can often be found in a hard-copy equivalent.
(c) are inefficient to research.
(d) are more current than hard-copy sources.
(e) All of these answers are correct.
Choose the sentence that represents the most effective form of writing for instructions:
(a) Plug it in.
(b) After that, you should next empty the basket.
(c) The user should shred no more than eight pieces of paper at any given time.
(d) Set the control switch to ‘auto.’
(e) Keep your hair away from the shredder, and you should also keep your sleeves
away.
Choose the most accurate statement below about reviewing a team document.
(a) Use general language when identifying weaknesses.
(b) Begin with a positive comment before suggesting improvements.
(c) Rewrite the entire document yourself if needed.
(d) Dictate advice to the team.
(e) Evaluate it on the first read.
When speaking in front of a group and not using a podium, which of the following
practices should you employ?
(a) Find one spot in front of the audience and be sure not to stray.
(b) Feel free to move around a bit.
(c) In a conference room setting, stay seated to mirror your audience.
(d) Avoid approaching the audience during questions since this may intimidate them.
(e) Gesture frequently.
Analytical reports
(a) provide information.
(b) provide conclusions.
(c) evaluate and interpret information.
(d) a and b.
(e) a, b, and c.
Which of the following is not a typical component of a formal proposal?
(a) background information
(b) RFP
(c) problem statement
(d) a specific title
(e) budget
The step-by-step process for writing a summary includes
(a) taking notes and composing the summary on the first reading of the document.
(b) highlighting key information to extract on the second reading.
(c) cutting and pasting information and keeping that original language.
(d) a and b.
(e) a, b, and c.
Internal corporate blogs
(a) generally waste employee time.
(b) never take the place of email.
(c) support employee knowledge sharing.
(d) should be used as replacements for face-to-face meetings.
(e) None of these answers are correct.
An expanded definition should be placed
(a) at the beginning of a long document.
(b) in an appendix.
(c) as part of the running text.
(d) either at the beginning of a long document or in an appendix, depending upon
the purpose.
(e) None of these answers are correct.
Web sites usually display information in a__________ format, which allows readers to
skip from link to link.
The oldest form of virtual collaboration, _______________ takes place when multiple
callers meet by telephone.
Executive summaries have a persuasive purpose.
Twitter is never used to announce job openings.
External corporate blogs are useful for collaborating with colleagues.
Messages sen tvia Twitter are limited to characters.
A causal analysis should address both the immediate cause and any distant causes.
The four components of
technical communication blueprints are________,_______,________and_______.