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






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






3. Too brief and general to convey the complexity of a term with multiple meanings.






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






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






6. 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.






7. The extent to which data has been verified to be accurate






8. A word on a line by itself at the end of a column






9. This document contains: Name and contact information - Job Objective - Qualifications and Summary - Education and Work Experience - Awards - Skills and Activities - References






10. External proposal written to request funding for a project or study.






11. Explaining what the term does not mean.






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






13. Describing the terms origin - such as Greek or Latin words






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






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






16. Data organized visually for easy comparison






17. ______ ______ ______ 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






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






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






20. 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.






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






22. Useful in highlighting sections of a document to draw reader attention






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






24. 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






25. The attitude expressed by a writer. Use formal or semi when writing for superiors/professionals - Use semi or informal when writing for colleagues and subordinates - Use informal when conversational style is desired. Avoid profanity or slang.






26. Often include section topic - date - page number - and title of document.






27. Informal written communications used in business between colleagues. The provide a record trail of decisions that can be used legally.






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






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






30. 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






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






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






33. 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.






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






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






36. Included before full report; summarized version of report






37. Included on the title page; summarizes in a few sentences the scope and purpose of the document.






38. Discuss history - development - and applications for the term - unless readers are only attempting to perform a task related to the term.






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






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






41. The _____________ explains what an organization wants to do and justifies the proposal with primary and secondary research.






42. _______________ terms are clearer than general ones.






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






44. 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?






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






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






47. 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?






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






49. 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






50. Left ____________ improves the flow of a document.