1

Chapter 1 Quiz
c. 50%.
1. Which of the following is not an attribute of technical d. 65%.
writing?

6. True or False: The ability to write is something you're

born with, not something you learn.
a. Achieves job goals.

b. Teachers work diligently to understand

your intended meaning. a. True

c. Addresses a variety of readers. b. False

d. Creates legal liability for the writer.
2. Three imperatives to good writing underlie this
textbook: know your audience, know your objective,
and
7. True or False: Some companies and laboratories
produce little else other than research reports.
a. True

b. False
a. be simple, direct, and concise.
8. True or False: You should always define technical
b. be quick, even if you're vague. terms for your audience.
c. be an authority.

d. be on the cutting edge of technology. a. True

b. False
3. Which writing skill ranks highest in order of
importance among surveyed workers?
9. When writing to your professional colleagues, your
diction will be
a. grammar.

b. organization. a. accurate.

c. conciseness. b. objective.

d. clarity. c. Both A and B.

e. None of the above. d. None of the above.

4. Which of the following are final products of technical 10. Which of the following is not a quality of good design?
writing as a problem-solving process?

a. Answers readers' questions as they

a. one-page memo. arise in their minds.

b. 1,000-page recommendation report. b. Reads coherently and cumulatively

from beginning to end.
c. 10-page Web site.
c. Includes complicated tables and
d. All of the above. graphs.

d. Can stand alone.

5. According to the survey cited in Chapter 1, college-
educated employees spend about what percentage of
their time writing? Chapter 2 Quiz

1. True or False: Editing is the final component of

a. 20%. the writing process.

b. 5%.
a. True

b. False
2
2. Which one is not a basic component of the writing
process?
a. Analyzing the situation that
requires a written response
b. Choosing content, arranging
content
c. Drafting and revising
d. Delivering the document
3. In the final revision, you should check all of the
following except:
a. Logic and completeness
b. Style and design
c. Length and number of words
d. Visuals
4. True or False: Drafting is a highly individualized
activity.
a. True
b. False
5. Which of the following is not a true statement?
a. Every technical or workplace
document is written to respond to a
specific situation.
b. Each document has a targeted
audience.
c. Writing reflects the writer's mood.
d. Writing is NOT simply compiling
information about a subject.
6. Which of the following is not true? To begin
writing, you consider:
a. why you are writing.
b. who told you to write.
c. what your readers need.
d. how your readers perceive the
subject.
7. What term refers to the general values and
attitudes of an organization?
a. dress code
b. style manual
c. corporate culture
d. standard operating procedures
8. Editing is a critical writing requirement that
involves reviewing for errors in all but which one
of the following areas?
a. Who will receive the document
b. Mechanics
c. Citing sources
d. Overall completeness of
document
9. Culture is
a. a shared system of meanings.
b. a mind-set.
c. a system of values, ideas, and
behaviors.
d. All of the above.
10. When analyzing your writing situation, which of
the following should you consider?
a. What is your subject or topic?
b. What is the purpose of the
document you will write?
c. Who are your readers?
d. All of the above.
11. True or False: When brainstorming, you should be
careful to organize your ideas and not consider
those that are impractical.
a. True
b. False
Chapter 3 Quiz
1. True or False: People only read what is useful to
them, so you should try to relate your message to
the readers' jobs.
3
a. True
b. False
2. Which of the following are true statements about
technical writing?
a. You want your readers to
understand your meaning exactly the way
you intend.
b. You want your writing to achieve
its goal with the designated readers.
c. You want to keep the goodwill of
those with whom you communicate.
d. All of the above.
3. Which one of the following is not useful when
considering the relationship between readers, the
purpose, and the context?
a. Your years of experience as a
writer
b. Why you are writing
c. What your readers need
d. How your readers perceive the
subject
4. Which of the following is not important when
analyzing your readers?
a. Your readers' educational levels
b. Your readers' favorite types of
cuisine
c. Your readers' cultural
backgrounds
d. Your relationship with the readers
5. True or False: There is no potential for unknown
readers with technical documents.
a. True
b. False
6. True or False: Planning is the most important part
of the writing process.
Chapter 4 Quiz
a. True
b. False
7. As you strive to establish and maintain goodwill
with your readers, all but which one of the
following should you consider?
a. Your credibility with your readers
b. Your relationship with the readers
c. Why other readers are on the
distribution list
d. Your hobbies and interests in
relationship to this situation
8. Which of the following will your reader likely ask
about your writing?
a. What is this?
b. Why should I read it?
c. How does it affect me?
d. What am I going to have to do?
e. All of the above.
9. Which of the following statements is not true? To
be able to select content, level of language, and
the amount of explanation needed in a business
content, a writer must:
a. determine the needs of each
reader.
b. consider the perspective of each
reader.
c. know about each reader's family
status.
d. consider the type of message
needed.
10. Your purpose in writing at work may be all except
which one of the following:
a. Inform readers
b. Provide information
c. Provide entertainment
d. Prove that you have provided the
information requested
1. Which statement is not true concerning technical
writing within organizations?
4

a. Many professional societies have a. True

'style sheets,' which provide standards for
all reports and articles published in that b. False
discipline.
6. True or false. To help keep sentences clear, easy
b. Many organizations customize to understand, the writer should keep nouns and
their own templates. verbs close together.
c. There is only one correct format
for technical forms and reports.
a. True
d. Many organizations have their own
b. False
style guide.

7. Choose the correct answer. What style is most

2. Which one is not an attribute of a well constructed
effective for all technical writing?
paragraph?

a. Simple and direct

a. A topic sentence to introduce the
paragraph
b. well-structured sentences of
moderate length
c. careful use of highlighting
b. One that uses professional jargon
8. To write direct, easy to understand sentences,
technical writers should do all but which one of
the following?

d. Lots of lists
a. Use Active Voice for clarity.
3. In choosing the appropriate writing style for a
particular reader, all but which one of the b. Avoid excessive use of is/are verb
following applies? forms.

c. Avoid using ponderous language.

a. You must ensure its d. Use complex terminology.
appropriateness to your position in the
organization
9. True or false. Even in complex, highly technical
b. You must be an expert about your reports, readers value conciseness.
subject

c. You must define the context in a. True

which you are writing
b. False
d. Know your readers' positions and
responsibilities in the organization 10. True or False: Sometimes a secondary, rather
than a primary, reader will act on what you write.
4. Determining your purpose means defining...

a. True
a. who you are as author
b. False
b. why you are writing

c. what you want to achieve 11. Which of the following is not a purpose for writing
a document?
d. b and c

e. all of the above a. to inform

b. to persuade
5. True or False: At work, your readers will read your
whole document, from start to finish. c. to document

d. all of the above are reasons for

writing
5

Chapter 5 Quiz 7. To help establish a professional code of conduct

for yourself, you might ask yourself which of the
1. True or False: Trademark is a display of words or following questions?
symbols communicated in text, illustrations, or
sounds that identify and distinguish the goods and
services of a manufacturer or supplier such as the a. What are my principles?
name or logo of a company.
b. What am I willing and unwilling to
do?
a. True c. What do I expect of myself?
b. False d. Who in my profession do I admire
and would try to be like?
2. True or False: At work, ethical decisions are
always easy to reach. e. All of the above.

8. Most professionals have obligations to which of

a. True the following?

b. False
a. Ourselves
3. Choose the correct sentence: Your organization
will have a code of conduct or ethics to ensure: b. Our academic institution

c. Our colleagues
a. that there are guidelines
d. All of the above
specifying expectations regarding
appropriate behavior.
9. Choose the correct answer. What are ethics?
b. that everyone follows the same
writing style and format.
a. Rules of a religion
4. True or False: Copyright laws do not apply to the
b. Standards that govern an
Internet or Web pages.
organization

a. True 10. True or False: A trade secret is a design, formula,

list, method, pattern, or process that offers a
b. False competitive advantage over parties who don't
have the same information, such as a special
5. Which one is not a character trait of one who recipe.
practices good ethics?

a. True
a. Honest
b. False
b. Manipulative
Chapter 6 Quiz
c. Fair
1. True or False: In all business situations, it is
d. Courageous
wrong not to treat women equally.

6. Various methods of unethical writing include all

but which of the following: a. True

b. False
a. Plagiarizing
2. Choose the correct answer. What writing style is
b. Deliberately using imprecise or
most effective for international culture?
ambiguous language

c. Promoting peace

d. Using misleading visuals

6

a. The style is to be determined by a. Creative format

the culture of the reader.
b. Graphs
b. The accepted American style
c. Style sheets
3. Which statement is not true concerning writing for d. Precisely written documents
an international audience?

8. To write effectively for an international audience,

technical writers should ask themselves all but
a. Communicating successfully with
which one of the following questions?
people from other cultures requires you
play by their ground rules.

b. Some culture are too different to a. To whom is this message

be able to communicate effectively. directed?

c. The U.S. culture differs b. What do you know about the

dramatically from most cultures in the reader(s)?
world.
c. Have you met your reader in
d. Writers must respect the person?
differences between cultures and the
differing perspectives of readers. d. When will you write your
message?

4. True or false. In low power distance cultures, one

is never openly aggressive 9. If you find that you will be communicating with
people from other cultures in a business context
which of the following should you research for
each country?
a. True

b. False
a. How to make introductions and
greetings
5. True or false. In high-power distance cultures, age
is valued. b. How to be concise.

c. How business cards are used.

a. True
d. Appropriate dress
b. False
10. True or False: Some cultures value relationships
6. Which one is not an attribute of a collectivist over productivity.
society?

a. True
a. Promotions are based on seniority
within the group. b. False

b. People's business and personal Chapter 7 Quiz

lives never merge

c. Extensive time is spent building 1. The first thing you should do when completing
business relationships. research is to:

d. Self-effacement along with

deference to the interest of the group is a. go to the library.
the standard
b. get ready to take notes.
7. In companies that dislike uncertainty, precisely
c. decide which questions to ask.
written documents, forms, tables, graphs,
procedures, policies, and style sheets are valued d. None of the above.
because they create uniformity
2. True or False: When you first join an online
discussion, you should ask your question(s)
7
immediately so that you can get answers as
quickly as possible.
a. True
b. False
3. True or False: Equally successful interviews can
be conducted in person, over the phone, and via
e-mail.
a. True
b. False
4. True or False: The research process is linear, and
you only have to go through each step once.
a. True
b. False
5. If you don't understand an interviewee's answer,
the best thing to do is to:
a. solicit details and examples.
b. go to the next question.
c. look for the answer in other
sources.
d. tell your interviewee to speak
more clearly.
6. True or False: Some Web search engines are paid
to give priority to sites within their listings.
Chapter 8 Quiz
a. True
b. False
7. Which of the following is not a valid guideline to
follow when using sources from the World Wide
Web:
a. Choose search engines carefully.
b. Choose radically opposing views.
c. Choose useful keywords to
search.
d. Choose credible sites.
8. Which of the following methods does the text
recommend as a good place to start research on a
topic that is new to you?
a. interview with an expert
b. Web site
c. newspapers
d. encyclopedia
e. All of the above are great places
to start.
9. A Web site search configured as +Scotland
+fisheries -salmon should yield you what
narrowed sources?
a. sites about all Scottish fisheries
b. sites about Scottish fisheries that
breed anything but salmon
c. sites specifically about Scottish
salmon fisheries
d. sites about salmon fisheries
outside Scotland
10. When completing credible research, the bottom
line to remember is the goals of communication
include:
a. looking for credible answers.
b. being able to evaluate answers
effectively.
c. citing sources correctly.
d. All of the above.
1. Which of the following is not important when
designing headings?
a. Use concrete language.
b. Use fancy, elegant type.
c. Use questions, verb phrases, and
sentences instead of nouns alone.
d. Use standard keywords if readers
expect them.
2. True or False: Besides writing, one must plan
organization and design of documents.
a. True
b. False
8

3. When designing your Web site, remember to

a. Give your visitors opportunities to
interact with your pages.
b. Be sensitive to the cultural
differences of your international
audience.
c. Make your site accessible to
visitors with disabilities.
d. Use lots of blue, green, and
brown.
4. Which of the following should be considered when
choosing a readable type?
d. Put more space before a heading
than after it.
8. As you strive to send effective e-mail, which one
of the following guidelines do you want to avoid?
a. There is no need to be brief.
b. Use the message line to specify
the purpose of the message.
c. Keep paragraphs short.
d. Use headings when needed.
9. True or False: There is no potential for unknown
readers with technical documents.

a. Use a legible type size.

a. True
b. Choose a font that suits your
document. b. False

c. Use special typefaces sparingly.

10. Your usability test should include all of the
d. All of the above. following cases except which one?

5. Which of the following statements is not true?

a. It will influence your promotion.
When designing Web sites, the writer must:
b. It is on a topic of great
importance.
a. create the site.
c. It is type of document you've
b. pay upkeep for the site. never written before.
c. design the pages of the site. d. It will be used by a large number
of readers.
d. maintain the site.

Chapter 9 Quiz
6. Which one of the following is not useful when
helping readers locate information?
1. Technical writing explains, describes, and defines
by using which different methods?
a. Write descriptive headings.

b. Design distinctive headings. a. Definition of terms.

c. Use concise footnotes. b. Description and background

(history) of the concept.
d. Use page numbers and headers or
footers. c. Visual and verbal illustrations.

d. All of the above.

7. Which of the following concepts is not important
to maintain when designing headings?
2. How you design your report will not depend on:

a. Create a pattern for the headings

and stick to it. a. the kind of report you write.

b. Match size to importance. b. the season.

c. There should be a repetitive c. your readers' information needs.

keyword.
d. the purpose of the report.
9
3. Choose the answer that is inconsistent with the
others. In developing a report, first know the
topic. Then think about how to organize the
information:
a. How you will arrange the ideas.
b. Where you will place material
within specific sections.
c. How you will decide 'what goes
where.'
d. What your chances are of
achieving the goals of the report.
4. True or False: Two basic formats of report design
are 'Topical arrangement-logical and inclusive,'
'Chronological arrangement-presents information
sequentially.'
a. True
b. False
5. Which of the following choices is not a good
example? Use various approaches to develop
reports. For example,
a. determine your purpose.
b. develop a list of questions that
your readers will want answered.
c. plan your report around your
needs.
d. draft an introduction and then
develop the body of the report.
6. True or False: Managing the text means that your
report will be designed specifically to fit the
mission statement of your company.
a. True
b. False
7. True or False: Persuasive arrangement implies
that you anticipate the perspective of readers
before you begin developing your content so you
can overcome their objections logically.
a. True
b. False
8. Which of the following should not be considered
when planning content development?
a. Favorite styles that work well
b. Standard arrangement patterns
c. Topical arrangement
d. Specific reader needs
9. True or False: In the chronological arrangement,
the order in which you present your ideas should
be logical and inclusive: the report should supply
the information readers need in logical order.
a. true
b. False
10. True or False: There is only one correct way to
develop and design a report.
a. true
b. False
1. Which statement is not true concerning technical
writing within organizations?
a. Many professional societies have
'style sheets,' which provide standards for
all reports and articles published in that
discipline.
b. Many organizations customize
their own templates.
c. There is only one correct format
for technical forms and reports.
d. Many organizations have their own
style guide.
2. Descriptive abstracts include all but which one of
the following?
a. what topics the full report
contains
b. the report purpose
c. explanation of content areas
d. conclusions and recommendations
3. Which one is not a true statement about the
discussion section of a report?
10

a. It is the report segment read c. background and history of the

least. topic

b. It is the easiest part to prepare. d. All of the above

c. It is the source, the foundation,

8. Which one is not an included in the transmittal
and documentation for every statement
letter?
written in the abstract and summary.

d. Conclusions need to evolve from

the discussion. a. Reason for the report

b. Executive Summary
4. A title page should include:
c. Statement of subject

a. Name of the company or d. Purpose of the report

individual(s) preparing the report.
9. What are the three kinds of elements included in a
b. Name of the company or course technical report?
for which the report was prepared.

c. pecific title and subtitle of the

a. Prefatory, summaries and
report, date of submission, type of
abstracts, and the discussion
report.
b. Introduction, main part, and
d. All of the above.
conclusion

5. The table of contents provides all but which one of

10. Which answer is best? Online reports
the following?

a. readers may scroll through Table

a. Indicates the page on which each
of Contents
major topic begins.
b. are often thrown together quickly
b. Explains other reports published
by the authors. c. usually begin with report title, with
report abstract following
c. Suggests the logic of the
arrangement. d. often a link leads reader to the
body and rest of report
d. Shows relationship among the
report parts.

6. A glossary should include all but which one of the

following?

a. abbreviations

b. acronyms

c. company team names

d. terms not known to readers

outside a specialized group

7. Parts of the discussion include which of the

following?

a. subject and background

b. purpose and scope