A writer is creating an employee handbook for assembly-line workers and their
supervisors. One particular extended definition is approximately a page long. Where
should the writer place this definition if it will be of interest to only the supervisors?
A) in a marginal gloss
B) in a footnote
C) in an appendix
D) in the text
Why is it important to conduct a usability test with a team as opposed to a single
usability specialist?
A) Usability testing involves a lot of work.
B) Usability testing involves watching for small details that are revealed very quickly
during testing.
C) A well-rounded team can develop more effective test materials than a single person
can.
D) All responses are correct.
Which of the following is an example of a nonfluency?
A) When you say “rural juror,” the audience hears “ruhr juhr.”
B) When you get nervous, you say, “And, um. . . .”
C) You pronounce the word nuclear as “nuke-you-lar.”
D) The speech that took 10 minutes when you practiced it is over in 5 minutes.
To be persuasive, proposal writers must demonstrate that they understand readers’
needs. According to Chapter 16, what two other qualities must they demonstrate?
(Select both answers.)
A) that they are able to do what they plan to do
B) that they understand how the proposal/procurement process operates within a
particular field or profession
C) that they are committed to fulfilling their promises
D) that they are well financed
According to Chapter 20, many companies are uneasy about using instructional videos
and rely on printed documentation instead.
A) True
B) False
Chapter 2 lists four areas of law relevant to ethical issues in technical communication.
One is copyright law. What are two others? (Select both answers.)
A) trademark law
B) international law
C) contract law
D) criminal law
E) martial law
What type of sentence states, summarizes, or forecasts the main point of the paragraph?
A) a transitional sentence
B) a coherence sentence
C) a topic sentence
D) None of the responses are correct.
According to Chapter 15, what should you do after interviewing for a job?
A) Call to express your continued interest in the position.
B) Refrain from taking any action until the interviewer follows up with you.
C) Write a letter or email of appreciation.
D) All responses are correct.
E) None of the responses are correct.
According to Chapter 1, people who are good at communicating in the workplace
possess four skills and abilities, including the abilities to write clearly, solve problems,
and analyze information. Which of the following is the fourth ability?
A) the ability to perform research
B) the ability to perform as a speaker
C) punctuality
D) efficiency
According to Chapter 4, which three of the following features of word-processing
software are particularly useful in collaboration? (Select the three that apply.)
A) thesaurus feature
B) spell-checker feature
C) revision feature
D) comment feature
E) highlighting feature
A writer is developing a questionnaire asking users about their experiences with a
company’s website. Which of the following questions is NOT flawed?
A) I was able to easily find answers to my questions.
Disagree _____ Neutral _____ Agree _____
B) Should we make this site better?
Yes ___ No ___
C) List the top three reasons you visit this site:
_________________
_________________
_________________
D) The flawed graphics made it hard for me to order parts using this site.
Yes __ No __
Susan was assigned to analyze the process her company uses to write proposals. She
worked on her report for more than a month. Stacy in the marketing department and
John in the finance department gave Susan a lot of information and had several
meetings with her. Susan placed an acknowledgments section in her report, where she
thanked Stacy and John. What standard best explains Susan’s decision to provide
acknowledgments?
A) justice
B) rights
C) utility
D) care
Why should you save proofreading until the end of your project instead of proofreading
as you are drafting?
A) Studies show that writers can effectively increase their focus as they approach the
end of a long, tiring project.
B) When you are drafting, everything you write is subject to being revised, moved, or
even deleted.
C) Proofreading is the most efficient way of working through the writing process.
D) None of the responses are correct.
One advantage of evaluating over reviewing is that you get the benefit of someone
else’s perspective.
A) True
B) False
How can a team benefit from members who come from different cultures?
A) Team members can provide a broader understanding of how members of the
audience will respond to a document.
B) A cross-cultural team can view a problem from more perspectives than a
mono-cultural team.
C) A cross-cultural team can help create products and services that are better suited for
markets around the world.
D) All responses are correct.
Interviews are great for learning from your audience but not for learning about your
audience.
A) True
B) False
Your supervisor has asked you to write a brief description of an abandoned silver mine
that is slated for hazardous-waste cleanup. Of the organizational patterns discussed in
Chapter 7, which would be most logical and effective for describing the mine?
A) classification or partition
B) general to specific
C) problem-methods-solution
D) spatial
The discussion section of a lab report is the appropriate section in which to interpret or
explain your findings to readers.
A) True
B) False
Which of the following is an important part of persuading the reader of a proposal that
you can complete the proposed work successfully?
A) You must show readers that you understand how to submit the proposal.
B) You must show readers that you sympathize with their frustrations.
C) You must show readers that you are enthusiastic.
D) You must show readers that they can trust you to do a good job.
Which method of addressing opposing viewpoints is likely to be least effective?
A) Point out any problems in the logic of the opposing viewpoint or the facts used to
support it.
B) Try to reconcile the opposing viewpoint with your own.
C) Avoid discussing the opposing viewpoint.
D) Show that the opposing viewpoint is less strong and attractive than your own.
Chapter 1 identifies eight measures of excellence in technical communication. Which
pair in the following list might seem contradictory?
A) accuracy and correctness
B) conciseness and clarity
C) comprehensiveness and conciseness
D) accessibility and professional appearance
How should you present your data in the results section?
A) in text only
B) in graphics only
C) in a mix of text and graphics appropriate for your audience
D) None of the responses are correct.
Part of the challenge of deciding where to put a definition lies in the fact that several
places are viable options.
A) True
B) False
To what does a pronoun need to refer?
A) its antecedent
B) its precedent
C) its antonym
D) its adverb
A manager has asked a colleague to deliver a 15-minute presentation explaining the
latest test data at tomorrow’s department meeting. Ideally, the colleague should do all
except which one of the following to prepare for this presentation?
A) Rehearse the presentation at least three times.
B) Visit the site of the presentation.
C) Prepare appropriate presentation graphics.
D) Memorize the presentation.
Which of these is a cultural variable “on the surface” that is easily observed?
A) tolerance of uncertainty
B) distance between ranks
C) distance between business and private life
D) prevalence of religion
One disadvantage of using handouts during a presentation is that your audience might
read the handout instead of listening to you.
A) True
B) False
According to Chapter 3, how much time can someone expect to spend planning a
writing project?
A) more than one-third of the total time spent on the writing project
B) one hour for every ten pages
C) about one-tenth of the total time spent on the writing project
D) as little as possible
A sentence using negativeconstruction expresses bad news or the writer’s dissatisfaction
or unhappiness.
A) True
B) False
H&G Garden Supplies is revising its instruction booklet for assembling and installing
its redwood garden arbor. The set contains two 6-foot trellises, two planter boxes, and a
pair of adjustable arches. Which of the following should you NOT include in the back
matter of the instruction booklet?
A) a troubleshooting guide
B) instructions on how to order replacement parts
C) warranty information
D) safety information
Chapter 4 offers seven suggestions for managing projects. Which of the following is
NOT a suggestion from the chapter?
A) Break a large project into several smaller tasks.
B) Put your decisions in writing.
C) Monitor the project regularly.
D) Follow your original schedule strictly to avoid falling behind.
Chapter 11 identifies five goals of document design. One goal is to make a good
impression on readers. What are two other goals mentioned in the chapter?
A feasibility report is an argument that answers three kinds of questions. One kind is
questions of possibility. What is one other kind of question?
The sentence “Employees who seek their supervisor’s advice often can improve their
performance” contains an example of which type of modifier?
Identify one of the four cases in which it is better to use passive voice than active voice.
According to Chapter 9, turning paragraphs into lists has four advantages for the writer.
One is that it forces you to look at the big picture. What are two other advantages listed
in the chapter?
According to Chapter 7, what is classification?
What is an SME?
Chapter 9 discusses three techniques for dividing long paragraphs. One is to make the
topic sentence a separate paragraph and split the supporting information into separate
paragraphs. What are the other two techniques?
What is Simplified English?
Where should you place a transitional word or phrase?
What type of argument restates the main point without presenting any evidence to
support it?
Chapter 1 cites three reasons for ensuring that technical communication is honest. The
first is that being honest is the right thing to do. What is one other reason?
Per diem is an example of what type of phrase for accountants and human-resources
personnel?
According to Chapter 17, what does an incident report describe?
Why do scientists have a strong tradition of using the passive voice in lab reports?
According to Chapter 19, most lab reports consist of eight basic elements. One is the
introduction. What are two other elements found in most lab reports?
Why are LinkedIn profiles a particularly useful resource for learning about one’s
audience?
In terms of how they are organized, what are the two major types of rsums discussed in
the chapter?
In what order should definitions relevant to a report be presented in a glossary?
Why do writers sometimes place less-important information at the beginning of
documents addressed to readers outside of their own organization?