Technical Communication 12th Edition By Markel - Test Bank

1. Chapter 3 describes the writing process as a series of stages. The first stage is planning. What are the other stages discussed in Chapter 3? 2. Chapter 3 lists four steps that are often involved in planning a document. One is generating ideas about your subject. What are two other steps listed in Chapter 3? 3. Chapter 3 discusses two questions you should ask yourself to determine the purpose of your document. What are they? 4. When revising documents for technical communication, you should ask two kinds of people for help. One type is subject-matter experts. What is the other one? 5. Chapter 3 lists four techniques for learning from others while revising documents. One technique is surveying, interviewing, or observing readers as they use the existing document. What is one other technique? 6. When drafting a document, you come to an item that you don't understand or that requires more research. What should you do? 7. According to Chapter 3, using templates can lead to three problems. One is that templates may bore readers. What are the other two? 8. What is "invisible writing" and how is it helpful to the writing process? 9. What are the two major ways to revise a document? 10. Identify one of the strategies listed in Chapter 3 for acknowledging reviewers who contributed significant feedback on your document. 11. Even though cultures differ, technical documents tend to be written in a similar way no matter where you go. A) True B) False 12. Styles are preformatted designs for different kinds of documents, such as Page 1 business letters, memos, newsletters, and reports. A) True B) False 13. If you don't know whether to write too, two, or to, you should trust the spell- checker to help you decide. A) True B) False 14. One disadvantage of using the Styles feature of a word processor is that you cannot create new styles. A) True B) False 15. You should choose the method of delivering your document after the document is complete. A) True B) False 16. You may find that your network of associates, both inside and outside your organization, can help you through sticking points in many of the phases of a writing project. A) True B) False 17. Proofreading should precede the editing process. A) True B) False 18. Editing your documents is a way to show respect to your audience. A) True B) False 19. The outline view is a word-processing feature that suggests how you ought to outline common types of documents such as letters and memos. A) True B) False Page 2 20. Templates are useful because they organize a document for you. A) True B) False 21. Chapter 3 describes the writing process as a series of stages. What are the five main steps of the writing process? A) planning, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading B) brainstorming, researching, organizing, drafting, and editing C) choosing a template, modifying the template, drafting, revising, and editing D) planning, outlining, drafting, reviewing, and proofreading 22. Chapter 3 lists five factors to think about when considering your writing situation. Three of these factors are your setting, the document type, and the writing process. What are the other two factors? A) your audience and purpose B) your budget and your company's guidelines C) your team members and your motivation for completing the project D) legal and ethical considerations 23. Chapter 3 discusses three questions to ask about your audience during the planning stage of the writing process. One is “Why and how will the reader use your document?” What is another question to consider during planning? A) What are your reader's attitudes and expectations? B) How much time do you have to write the document? C) Are your readers male or female? D) Do you have enough money in the budget to pay for usability testing? 24. A team of writers regularly collaborate to produce technical reports that have identical design specifications. Which of the following word-processing tools would best help them to work efficiently? A) grammar checker B) branching diagram C) report template D) thesaurus 25. Which of the following does Chapter 3 suggest as a method for effective proofreading? A) reading the revised portions of your document, which you print in a different color B) relying on the spell-checker and grammar-checker C) reading your document slowly and carefully, perhaps out loud D) reading in a quiet space Page 3 26. Which of these questions is NOT likely to help you revise your document? A) Does the draft meet readers' expectations? B) Have I left out anything in turning my outline into a draft? C) Have I kept the project within the available budget? D) Are the arguments well developed? 27. Which of these is NOT an effective statement of purpose for a document? A) The purpose of this document is to help readers install the 3.0 update to our Wizar- Tater software. B) The purpose of this document is to help employees understand why they will have to pay higher insurance premiums. C) The purpose of this document is to change the landscape of enterprise software. D) The purpose of this document is to explain why the company should adopt a health-promotion program. 28. Which of the options below is NOT a question that will help you analyze your setting? A) Is this a high-stakes project or a low-stakes project? B) In what type of environment will the audience use the document? C) Am I writing about a socially or politically charged topic? D) What do I want the audience to know, believe, or do after reading my document? 29. Which of the options below is NOT a question that will help you analyze your writing process? A) How much time do I have to create the document? B) What are my readers' expectations? C) What is my budget for the project? D) What writing tools will best meet my project's needs? 30. Which of the following options is NOT a question a writer should ask when editing a draft? A) Are the paragraphs well developed? B) Is the design effective? C) Are all the sentences clear and correct? D) Is the organization logical? 31. 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 Page 4 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 32. Which of these is NOT an effective technique for generating ideas about your subject? A) creating a cluster diagram B) creating a branching diagram C) freewriting D) creating an index 33. Which of the following is a kind of error that writers should look for when proofreading? A) problems with the organization of the document B) problems with the design of the document C) minor errors such as inconsistent spelling, incorrect punctuation, and missing and repeated words D) problems with paragraph development 34. According to Chapter 3, today's composition tools can help you do all EXCEPT which one of the following? A) convert text into infographics B) keep track of research data C) translate text into other languages D) convert handwriting into text 35. Which statement identifies a benefit of using a preformatted template for your writing project? A) You can trust that templates always reflect good principles of design and layout. B) Templates can save you time on formatting and allow you to focus on creating effective content. C) Templates do not need to be changed; in fact, often you cannot change them. D) Readers learn to memorize documents made from templates they have already seen. 36. Which of these best describes the process of revising a document? A) reading closely to make sure you do not have errors in spelling and punctuation B) changing your document to improve style, diction, and mechanics C) reexamining your draft to see if it serves your audience and your purpose D) developing an outline of major points you want to make Page 5 37. What is a benefit of using styles as you draft your document? A) Styles can help you develop a realistic schedule. B) Styles ensure consistency in the appearance of elements such as headings, lists, and body text. C) Styles help you identify errors in grammar and mechanics. D) Styles help you find spelling mistakes. 38. Which of the following terms refers to the technique of writing without restrictions and without stopping? A) invisible writing B) freewriting C) clustering D) brainstorming 39. In which of these stages is the outline view of a document most likely to be helpful for reviewing the document's coherence? A) the proofreading stage B) the editing stage C) the revising stage D) the post-hoc stage 40. Which word best describes the process of writing technical documents? A) linear B) nonlinear C) static 1. What is a technical communicator? 2. Chapter 1 lists a variety of examples of workplace communication. Name four of them. 3. Chapter 1 lists six defining characteristics of technical communication. One characteristic is that technical communication addresses particular readers. What are three other characteristics mentioned in the chapter? 4. Chapter 1 lists nine measures of excellence in technical communication. For example, excellent technical communication is honest. What are three other measures of excellence? 5. 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? 6. As used in Chapter 1, what does usability mean? 7. As used in Chapter 1, what does clarity mean? 8. One basic purpose of design features is to create a positive impression with a document. What is one other purpose mentioned in Chapter 1? 9. How does emotional intelligence relate to being a successful communicator in the workplace? 10. Why is the ability to prioritize and respond quickly more valuable in the contemporary workplace than ever before? 11. Companies hiring technical professionals such as engineers, scientists, and programmers focus primarily on the technical abilities of the candidates they consider for employment. A) True B) False 12. An effective technical document must be both concise and comprehensive. Page 1 A) True B) False 13. Most technical documents are produced by professional technical communicators working alone. A) True B) False 14. Technical communication primarily involves those whose main job is to produce documentation such as reports and manuals. A) True B) False 15. Chapter 1 identifies correctness as a characteristic of good technical communication. In this context, correctness refers to the proper use of grammar and punctuation to accurately convey the intended meaning. A) True B) False 16. Accessibility is a measure of how easily a document can be downloaded. A) True B) False 17. Social-media posts such as tweets can be examples of technical documents. A) True B) False 18. When you are communicating technical information on the job, your audience tends to be the same every time. A) True B) False 19. Generosity and honesty are characteristics of effective technical communicators. A) True B) False 20. Technical communication involves knowing where to find trustworthy information. Page 2 A) True B) False 21. According to Chapter 1, most technical communication has six characteristics. One characteristic is that technical communication helps readers solve problems. Which of the following is another characteristic of technical communication? A) Technical communication reflects an organization's goals and culture. B) Technical communication uses technical vocabulary as often as possible. C) Technical communication strives to both entertain and educate readers. D) Technical communication is most often aimed at a general audience rather than at a particular audience. 22. Chapter 1 states that effective technical communication is honest. The chapter then presents three reasons it is important to be honest when communicating. Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons listed in Chapter 1? A) It's the right thing to do. B) If readers bring your dishonesty to the attention of your supervisor, your career may suffer. C) Readers can get hurt if you are dishonest. D) You and your organization could face serious legal charges if you are dishonest. 23. Chapter 1 states that technical communicators use design to increase readability and make their documents more effective. Which of the following is an example of a design feature? A) easy-to-understand vocabulary B) typography C) definitions of key terms D) effective topic sentences 24. You are in charge of creating a podcast of an interview with the CEO of your company. The audio file will be posted on the company's website. You decide to make a transcript available so that audience members with hearing impairments will be able to read the interview. Which measure of excellence in technical communication does this decision reflect? A) accuracy B) accessibility C) usability D) clarity 25. Chapter 1 identifies five sets of factors to consider when communicating technical information. Which of the following is NOT on this list? Page 3 A) image-related factors B) setting-related factors C) purpose-related factors D) audience-related factors 26. Chapter 1 defines technical communication as a process encompassing which of the following? A) documents and activities B) documentation and analysis C) process and analysis D) diagramming and activities 27. Chapter 1 identifies skills and qualities shared by successful workplace communicators. Which of the following is NOT on this list? A) ability to perform research B) ability to write code C) ability to analyze information D) ability to speak and write clearly 28. Chapter 1 identifies nine 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 29. Chapter 1 identifies common reasons for creating technical documents. Which reason in the following list is NOT mentioned in the chapter? A) to help others carry out a task B) to change attitudes about a technology or an issue C) to establish common knowledge in the marketplace D) to help others make a decision 30. Which quality in the original 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 Page 4 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. A) conciseness B) accuracy C) comprehensiveness D) correctness 31. Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic modes of communication? A) speaking B) reading C) writing D) typing 32. Which two things must you clearly understand in order to communicate successfully? A) your audience and your purpose B) your proposal and your audience C) your documentation and measures of excellence D) your software and your hardware 33. According to Chapter 1, what is the biggest difference between technical communication and the kinds of writing you do in other college courses? A) Technical communication makes greater use of technical vocabulary. B) Technical communication makes greater use of images and graphics. C) Technical communication has a somewhat different focus on purpose and audience. D) Technical communication follows different style conventions. 34. Which of these is a process-related factor you must consider when communicating on the job? A) How will your document aid problem solving? B) What is the problem context for your document? C) What problems is your audience trying to solve? D) Do your schedule and budget limit how much information you can include in the document? 35. When creating a technical document, you often have to make compromises. Page 5 Which of these is an example of a compromise related to communication? A) Your boss tells you to create the document in English and Spanish, so you do. B) You would prefer to create separate instruction sheets in English and Spanish, but you create one sheet giving instructions in both languages to save on printing costs. C) Your audience is not made up of technical experts, so you use common words in place of technical vocabulary. D) You place paper copies of your document in the boxes carrying your products, and you post electronic copies online. 36. Which statement best explains how the concept of company branding is related to technical communication? A) Branding is concerned with making money, and employees are paid to help companies make money. B) Branding is concerned with the image that a company presents to the world, and that image includes its documents. C) Branding is largely concerned with color choices, so a document must contain the company's colors. D) Branding is concerned with slogans, and you might have to write a slogan for your department. 37. Which of these is a measure of excellence in technical communication? A) accuracy B) terseness C) plainness D) celerity 38. The engineering firm you work for is submitting a proposal to create an amphitheater at a state park. Proposals must be submitted in three-ring binders. You are in charge of assembling the binders. You decide to put section divider tabs and an index into each proposal binder. Which measure of excellence in technical communication does this decision reflect? A) honesty B) clarity C) comprehensiveness D) usability 39. Which of these is a quality shown by a successful workplace communicator? A) keeping new information about your field to yourself B) prioritizing your own needs C) displaying emotional intelligence D) sharing proprietary information openly Page 6 40. Which of these abilities is NOT likely to help you as a workplace communicator? A) the ability to perform research B) the ability to analyze information C) the ability to speak and write clearly D) the ability to deflect attention Page 7 Answer Key 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1 1