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. 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.






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






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






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






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?






6. Explain policies - and proposals persuade readers to follow a plan of action.






7. Used when writing about one subject that is similar to another.






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.






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






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






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






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.






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






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






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






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.






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






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






19. Show steps in a process.






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






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.






23. Left ____________ improves the flow of a document.






24. Increase the wordiness of a sentence






25. Written for repair technicians; contain troubleshooting charts for diagnosing problems






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






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






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.






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






30. External proposal written and submitted without request






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






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






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






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






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






36. Explain how an item or process works






37. Writers developing a formal document should avoid _______________ - but thee occasional use in semiformal or informal documents is acceptable.






38. Included before full report; summarized version of report






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






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






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






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






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






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






45. Major teaching tool in vocational jobs; used to train people in a procedure or skill and often paired with audiovisual information






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






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






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






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?






50. Titles or brief statements that describe a visual.