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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. 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
Memorandum Structure
Parallel sentences
Grant or Research Proposal
Laboratory Reports
2. Using '______________' to link the two sentences best contrasts the information.
Although
Parenthetical Definition
Training Manuals
Line Graphs
3. Increase the wordiness of a sentence
Audience Analysis Questions
Brochure
Directives
Passive voice and helping verbs
4. 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.
Usability testing
Executive Summary
Sentence outlines
Analysis of parts
5. Often include section topic - date - page number - and title of document.
Columns
Headers and footers
Non Technical
Captions
6. Show steps in a process.
Use Manuals
Flowcharts
Tutorials
Closing Summary
7. Written to accompany a resume when seeking an internship or employment; explains how skills and experience match a specific job position.
Feasibility Report Structure
Justification
Widow
Job Application Letters
8. 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.
Audience Analysis Questions
Transitional phrases
Tutorials
Widow
9. 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
Feasibility Reports
Diagrams
Justification
10. 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
Feasibility Report Structure
Headers
Non Technical
Emphatic pattern
11. Emphasizes important information; reasons or examples are arranged in decreasing or increasing order of imporance; used when making recommendations or proposals.
Partition
Lists
Although
Emphatic pattern
12. Included either at the beginning of the conclusion or at the end of the body; reviews main points and findings
Diagrams
Closing Summary
Progress Reports
Feasibility Report Structure
13. Written to describe events like safety emergencies - equipment problems - and workplace accidents.
Incident or trouble reports
Grant or Research Proposal
Color
Use Manuals
14. Letter format most appropriate with letterhead stationery - all letter elements are aligned to the left margin - and company letterhead is commonly used.
The functional resume format
Full-block style
Diagrams
Audience Analysis Questions
15. Written for repair technicians; contain troubleshooting charts for diagnosing problems
Justification
Service Manuals
Memorandum Structure
Tone
16. Illustrate relationships in systems - such as components in an electronic device
Job Application Letters
Closing Summary
High Technical
Diagrams
17. Use images or icons to represent quantities; useful for non-experts to grasp ideas.
Pictograms
Procedures
Brochure
Sentence definitions
18. Show trends and changes over time - cost - size - rates - and other variables.
Contractions
Bar graphs
Line Graphs
Columns
19. 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.
Usability testing
15 to 20
Thumbnails
Feasibility Reports
20. The _________ of a brochure is its front page - and its purpose is to catch the attention of the audience. Usually contain a visual image and a small amount of text. Concepts and overviews appear inside the brochure.
Parallel sentences
Cover panel
Audience Analysis Questions
Deliverable
21. 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
Titles and headings
Sentence definitions
Thumbnails
Background
22. Included before full report; summarized version of report
Informative Abstract
Unsolicited proposal
Feasibility Reports
Captions
23. Indicate organizational structure and help readers find information; type size or font should differ from main text.
Headings
Drawings
Spatial pattern
Informative Abstract
24. These are sentences clarity is increased by creating lists/clauses with similar grammer. (for example - every item on a list has 'a' before it)
Color
Captions
Directives
Parallel sentences
25. 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
Grant or Research Proposal
Brochure
Semi Technical
Descriptive Abstract
26. Left ____________ improves the flow of a document.
Chunking
Operator's Manuals
Justification
Sentence outlines
27. 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.
Deliverable
Contractions
Transitional phrases
Table of Contents
28. Boldface - italics - capital letters - font style - and font size are common ways to show readers the difference between _________________ headings.
Feasibility Report Structure
Glossary
First-level and second-level
High Technical
29. Explaining what the term does not mean.
Use Manuals
Sales Proposal
Negation
Cover panel
30. _______ are documents written to persuade readers to take some type of action.
Negation
Appendix
Tables
Proposal
31. _______________ terms are clearer than general ones.
Plan of work
Precise
Data Validity Questions
Flowcharts
32. Informal written communications used in business between colleagues. The provide a record trail of decisions that can be used legally.
Memos
Deliverable
Headers
Feasibility Report Structure
33. External proposal that may be short or long depending on the size of the potential sale
Routine Internal Proposal
Captions
Titles and headings
Sales Proposal
34. Use comparison to define - but they are less likely to be used for terms with multiple meanings.
Operator's Manuals
15 to 20
Routine Internal Proposal
Negative definitions
35. Defining through __________ involves comparing two seemingly different objects that share a common characteristic.
Formal Internal Proposal
Analogy
Subordination
Laboratory Reports
36. Appear on the top of every page in a document to indicate the page number and document title.
Incident or trouble reports
Headers
Claim Letters
Analogy
37. Written to express disappointment with a product or service and to request a refund - replacement - or an apology
Drawings
Memos
Service Manuals
Claim Letters
38. External proposal written in response to a request for proposals (RFP) or an invitation for bids (IFB)
Sentence definitions
Resume
Flowcharts
Solicited Proposal
39. Are reduced images of pictures.
Claim Letters
Thumbnails
Cause and Effect
Subordination
40. Audience consists of experts in the subject matter - data does not require lengthy explanation e.g.: a physician giving a report to a surgeon about a patient's lab results and symptoms
Audience Analysis Questions
Tables
High Technical
Feasibility Report Structure
41. ______ ______ ______ 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
Brochure
Feasibility Report Structure
Headers and footers
Use Manuals
42. They are different from Memos - since they correspond to people outside of the organization instead of inside.
Unsolicited proposal
Justification
Visuals
Letters
43. This document contains: Name and contact information - Job Objective - Qualifications and Summary - Education and Work Experience - Awards - Skills and Activities - References
Color
Unsolicited proposal
Claim Letters
Resume
44. Written for both skilled and unskilled users of a product; include instructions regarding setup - operation and maintenance as well as safety warning and trouble-shooting tips
First-level and second-level
Analysis of parts
Widows
Use Manuals
45. 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
Cause and Effect
Progress Reports
Subordination
46. The _______ is the left-hand column of a table - and it lists the items being compared.
Stub
Etymology
Parenthetical definition
Sentence outlines
47. Most appropriate when a writer needs to define a multiple-meaning term with precision.
Analysis of parts
Visuals
Table of Contents
Sentence definitions
48. 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
White space
Progress Reports
Captions
Negation
49. Explain policies - and proposals persuade readers to follow a plan of action.
Directives
Glossary
Usability testing
Laboratory Reports
50. Charts that show parts of a whole
Memos
Comparison
Pie charts
Tables