Test your basic knowledge |

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. _______________ terms are clearer than general ones.






2. ____________________ in a sentence indicates the relationship between ideas; structuring a sentence with effective ______________ improves conciseness.






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






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






5. 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?






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






7. Charts that show parts of a whole






8. ______ are documents that help people how to understand how to assemble - use - and repair products.






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






10. Left ____________ improves the flow of a document.






11. ______ ______ ______ 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






12. Show how components of a principle - process - or system function together - useful to people assembling and installing things.






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






14. Are reduced images of pictures.






15. 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.






16. 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.






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






18. Written in short proposal format; used frequently in organizations for minor spending requests.






19. Included either at the beginning of the conclusion or at the end of the body; reviews main points and findings






20. Indicate organizational structure and help readers find information; type size or font should differ from main text.






21. 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.






22. The purpose of a ____ is to: Summarize information - Interpret Findings - Recommend action






23. Used for complex terms or when term has multiple meanings. Follows a fixed patter: indicate the term to be defined - the class in which the time belongs - and the features that make the item unique in its class.






24. Used when requesting large amounts of money






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






26. 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






27. Used when extensive details are required about an item; may be a paragraph or numerous pages depending on the audience and purpose.






28. Titles or brief statements that describe a visual.






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






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






31. Explain how each element of a complex item works - which is especially beneficial to laypersons attempting to understand a technical subject.






32. Single words or short lines carried over to the top of a column or page






33. Show trends and changes over time - cost - size - rates - and other variables.






34. 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.






35. External proposal written and submitted without request






36. Explaining what the term does not mean.






37. Using '______________' to link the two sentences best contrasts the information.






38. 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






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






40. 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






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






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






43. Data organized visually for easy comparison






44. Involves dividing an idea into different parts and explaining each part separately.






45. 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.






46. The _______ is the left-hand column of a table - and it lists the items being compared.






47. Written to express disappointment with a product or service and to request a refund - replacement - or an apology






48. Used for writing step-by-step instructions.






49. 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.






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