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DSST Technical Writing

Subjects : dsst, writing-skills
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Major teaching tool in vocational jobs; used to train people in a procedure or skill and often paired with audiovisual information






2. ___________ - such as 'who -' are more likely to decrease clarity in a document.






3. External proposal that may be short or long depending on the size of the potential sale






4. Detailed - usually multipage commercial document containing descriptions of product/servive/project for marketing purposes.






5. Begins with either the cause of the effect; useful in reports discussing problems and solutions






6. Follows a sequence of events; useful for explanations of how something is done or how an accident occurred.






7. Advantages: gaining a better understanding of how the audience will read the document - each member of the group provides more questions and suggestions Disadvantages: disjointed writing styles - increased time to complete the project - and reduced m






8. Boldface - italics - capital letters - font style - and font size are common ways to show readers the difference between _________________ headings.






9. ______ ______ ______ is as follows: Introduction: background information and purpose statement - Body: Review of options being considered based on criteria like costs and staff - Conclusion: Interpretations of findings - Recommendation: Author's opin






10. Sentences with an average of ____________ words are appropriate for technical writing. Sentences of fewer than 15 words are too short and choppy - and ones longer than 20 words are cumbersome and confusing.






11. Organization Name __________ To: Name/Title of addressee From: Name/Title of sender with handwritten initials Date: For record keeping purposes Subject: Key words Introductory Paragraph: purpose and background Body Paragraph(s): details - explanation






12. Consist of brief phrases that indicate a document's method of development - and they are primarily used for short documents like letters and memos.






13. Show how the phases of a project relate to each other






14. Written to describe events like safety emergencies - equipment problems - and workplace accidents.






15. These are sentences clarity is increased by creating lists/clauses with similar grammer. (for example - every item on a list has 'a' before it)






16. Appear on the top of every page in a document to indicate the page number and document title.






17. Written as a self-study guide for the users of a product; intended to guide first-time users through the steps involved in operating a product.






18. Use images or icons to represent quantities; useful for non-experts to grasp ideas.






19. These kinds of reports answer the following questions: The reason for conducting the test or investigation - Problems - Results and Conclusion






20. A formal document longer than ten pages usually includes a table of contents to simplify the process of locating information. It's included after the title and abstract - but before the list of tables - forward and preface.






21. Left ____________ improves the flow of a document.






22. Defining through __________ involves comparing two seemingly different objects that share a common characteristic.






23. Describes the physical appearance of an object or area beginning at one point and ending at another; useful for product or mechanism descriptions






24. These kinds of reports answer the following questions: What has been accomplished since the last progress report? - What tasks still need to be accomplished? - Have there been any unanticipated problems? - What is the expected timetable for completio






25. When using a ______________ - center the return address - date - and closing - and align body paragraphs to the left.






26. What is the background of the audience? Global? - What is the reader's experience - What is the attitude of the audience on subject? - What are the needs/interests/expectations of the audience? - Will multiple audiences/skill levels read this?






27. Audience consists of laypersons with no training in the subject matter; data needs to be translated into simple language that can be easily understood e.g.; a physician giving a report to a patient's spouse regarding lab results - symptoms - and trea






28. Used when requesting large amounts of money






29. Most appropriate when a writer needs to define a multiple-meaning term with precision.






30. Letter format most appropriate with letterhead stationery - all letter elements are aligned to the left margin - and company letterhead is commonly used.






31. Commonly used to outline longer documents like reports - proposals - and manuals.






32. These build unity and clarity by creating a smoooth flow of ideas. Achieved by using ______ words (therefore - meanwhile etc) Repeating major points or words - summarizing information in previous paragraphs - using numbers to indicate steps.






33. A ____________ is the final document or product that will be submitted once a project is completed.






34. _______ are documents written to persuade readers to take some type of action.






35. Emphasizes important information; reasons or examples are arranged in decreasing or increasing order of imporance; used when making recommendations or proposals.






36. Use comparison to define - but they are less likely to be used for terms with multiple meanings.






37. Illustrate relationships in systems - such as components in an electronic device






38. Show real or imaginary objects; highlight specific parts; use exploded view to show how parts fit together.






39. Margins ________ on the left are easier to read; fully ______ is appropriate for multiple columns.






40. Written to ask about a product - service or procedure; brief - direct and clearly worded so the reader understands what is needed.






41. Use these to show the meaning of a process or concept.






42. They are different from Memos - since they correspond to people outside of the organization instead of inside.






43. Increase the wordiness of a sentence






44. Single ___ for larger typeface; double for smaller typeface. Avoid orphans and widows.






45. Show steps in a process.






46. Are reduced images of pictures.






47. Included before full report; summarized version of report






48. Written for unskilled individuals. The steps required to complete a task safely and efficiently - such as installing a memory card into a laptop. i.e. printed manuals - user manuals.






49. Written to accompany a resume when seeking an internship or employment; explains how skills and experience match a specific job position.






50. Data organized visually for easy comparison