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Test your basic knowledge |
DSST Technical Writing
Start Test
Study First
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. It emphasizes abilities and skills rather than work history. This type of resume is appropriate for people who are changing careers or who have limited work experience. Education and references are included but not stressed.
The functional resume format
15 to 20
Expanded Definition
Parenthetical definition
2. _______ are documents written to persuade readers to take some type of action.
Color
Use Manuals
Proposal
Tone
3. When using a ______________ - center the return address - date - and closing - and align body paragraphs to the left.
Headers and footers
Modified-block style
Data Validity
Widows
4. ______ ______ ______ 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
Instructions
Non Technical
Glossary
Feasibility Report Structure
5. What is the Web Site's sponsor and domain type(.edu.com.gov) - What is the purpose of the Web page and message? - When was the Web site most recently updated? - What are the author's credentials and expertise?
Data Validity
Sales Proposal
Data Validity Questions
High Technical
6. Explain policies - and proposals persuade readers to follow a plan of action.
Orphan
Deliverable
Directives
Pie charts
7. Used when writing about one subject that is similar to another.
White space
Cover panel
Comparison
Use Manuals
8. Reduces costs by minimizing customer calls and the need to release document updates. Product sales and customer satisfaction also benefitsfrom this - although this enhances product safety - it does not eliminate a firm's legal responsibilities.
Non Technical
Usability testing
Instructions
Parenthetical Definition
9. Discuss history - development - and applications for the term - unless readers are only attempting to perform a task related to the term.
Claim Letters
Resume
Background
Job Application Letters
10. Use images or icons to represent quantities; useful for non-experts to grasp ideas.
Pictograms
Pie charts
Justification
Tables
11. This supplements or clarifies information in the text body. It is in the back and there may be more than one per topic. For example: experiment details - complicated formulas - interview questions and answers - long quotes - maps - photos - tests - v
Appendix
Routine Internal Proposal
Widow
Operation
12. 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.
Tutorials
Table of Contents
Modified-block style
Flowcharts
13. A document with an alphabetical list of definitions. It defines terms without breaking the flow. If a document has five or more technical terms it needs one of these. Insert after the appendix and bibiolography
Appendix
Glossary
Stub
Deliverable
14. They are different from Memos - since they correspond to people outside of the organization instead of inside.
Analogy
Table of Contents
Plan of work
Letters
15. These help readers decide whether to read the document - find a particular section - divide information into logical pieces - highlight main points and topics - signal topic changes
Tone
Gantt charts
Titles and headings
Contractions
16. Rules and guidelines provided to people who know how to perform a task - These ensure safety within a group. For example - guide on how to exit a building during a fire. Policemen have ________ they do after at a crime scene.
Non Technical
Procedures
High Technical
Pictograms
17. ___________ - such as 'who -' are more likely to decrease clarity in a document.
Parenthetical definition
Training Manuals
Schematic diagrams
Relative pronouns
18. A word on a line by itself at the end of a column
Feasibility Report Structure
Orphan
Precise
Formal Internal Proposal
19. Show steps in a process.
White space
15 to 20
Table of Contents
Flowcharts
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.
Table of Contents
Precise
Justification
Full-block style
21. Emphasizes important information; reasons or examples are arranged in decreasing or increasing order of imporance; used when making recommendations or proposals.
Modified-block style
Emphatic pattern
Cover panel
Titles and headings
22. Dividing information into manageable pieces so that the document is easier for readers to follow and understand - Writers use various sequencing methods to do this.
Tone
Audience Analysis Questions
Instructions
Chunking
23. Left ____________ improves the flow of a document.
Bar graphs
Chunking
Justification
Sequential pattern
24. Increase the wordiness of a sentence
Spatial pattern
Parenthetical Definition
Passive voice and helping verbs
Topic outlines
25. Written for repair technicians; contain troubleshooting charts for diagnosing problems
Subordination
Analogy
Schematic diagrams
Service Manuals
26. Describes the physical appearance of an object or area beginning at one point and ending at another; useful for product or mechanism descriptions
Laboratory Reports
Thumbnails
Etymology
Spatial pattern
27. Illustrate relationships in systems - such as components in an electronic device
Diagrams
Bar graphs
Emphatic pattern
Sequential pattern
28. 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.
15 to 20
Claim Letters
Sequential pattern
Although
29. External proposal that may be short or long depending on the size of the potential sale
Sales Proposal
Usability testing
Justification
Passive voice and helping verbs
30. External proposal written and submitted without request
Brochure
Background
Sales Proposal
Unsolicited proposal
31. Commonly used to outline longer documents like reports - proposals - and manuals.
Sentence outlines
Progress Reports
Laboratory Reports
Memos
32. Written in short proposal format; used frequently in organizations for minor spending requests.
Routine Internal Proposal
Emphatic pattern
Unsolicited proposal
Manuals
33. Boldface - italics - capital letters - font style - and font size are common ways to show readers the difference between _________________ headings.
Grant or Research Proposal
Widows
Modified-block style
First-level and second-level
34. Defining through __________ involves comparing two seemingly different objects that share a common characteristic.
Inquiry Letters
Parenthetical Definition
Analogy
Topic outlines
35. 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
Precise
Parenthetical definition
Procedures
Collaborative writing
36. Explain how an item or process works
Data Validity Questions
Brochure
Operation
Bar graphs
37. Writers developing a formal document should avoid _______________ - but thee occasional use in semiformal or informal documents is acceptable.
Audience Analysis Questions
Negation
Contractions
Procedures
38. Included before full report; summarized version of report
Parallel sentences
Closing Summary
Unsolicited proposal
Informative Abstract
39. Describing the terms origin - such as Greek or Latin words
Manuals
Proposal
Etymology
Headings
40. ______ are documents that help people how to understand how to assemble - use - and repair products.
Closing Summary
Sentence definitions
Manuals
Justification
41. 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
Solicited Proposal
Glossary
Negative definitions
Non Technical
42. The page area that contains no text or graphics - and it helps draw a reader's attention to a particular page element. Improves the readability of a document for all types of readers. Although it limits the amount of information on a page - it does n
Proposal
Cover panel
White space
Use Manuals
43. Use comparison to define - but they are less likely to be used for terms with multiple meanings.
Procedures
Negative definitions
Pie charts
Contractions
44. Indicate organizational structure and help readers find information; type size or font should differ from main text.
Headings
Although
Memorandum Structure
Justification
45. Major teaching tool in vocational jobs; used to train people in a procedure or skill and often paired with audiovisual information
Informative Abstract
Training Manuals
Relative pronouns
Data Validity
46. Margins ________ on the left are easier to read; fully ______ is appropriate for multiple columns.
Justification
Titles and headings
Precise
Routine Internal Proposal
47. Audience consists of people with some technical knowledge but less than experts; data needs some explanation e.g.: a physician giving a report to a first-year medical student regarding a patient's lab results and symptoms
Semi Technical
Analysis of parts
Headers and footers
Transitional phrases
48. The purpose of a ____ is to: Summarize information - Interpret Findings - Recommend action
Conclusion
Progress Reports
Background
Spatial pattern
49. These kinds of reports answer the following questions: Is the plan likely to be successful? - What are the benefits and risks of the plan? - What are other options? - Is funding available? - How would the employees be affected?
Sentence definitions
Precise
Feasibility Reports
Plan of work
50. Titles or brief statements that describe a visual.
Parenthetical definition
Full-block style
Analogy
Captions