Page 1 1. According to Chapter 1, most technical communication has six characteristics. One characteristic is that technical communication helps readers solve problems. Which of the following is another characteristic of technical communication? A) Technical communication reflects an organization's goals and culture. B) Technical communication uses technical vocabulary as often as possible. C) Technical communication strives to both entertain and educate readers. D) Technical communication is most often aimed at a general audience rather than at a particular audience. 2. Chapter 1 states that effective technical communication is honest. The chapter then presents three reasons it is important to be honest when communicating. Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons listed in Chapter 1? A) It's the right thing to do. B) If readers bring your dishonesty to the attention of your supervisor, your career may be negatively affected. C) Readers can get hurt if you are dishonest. D) You and your organization could face serious legal charges if you are dishonest. 3. Chapter 1 states that technical communicators use design to increase readability and make their documents more effective. Which of the following is an example of a design feature? A) easy - to - understand vocabulary B) typography C) definitions of key terms D) effective topic sentences E) all of the above 4. According to Chapter 1, people who are good at communicating in the workplace possess four skills and abilities, including the abilities to write clearly, solve problems, and analyze information. Which of the following is the fourth ability? A) the ability to perform research B) the ability to perform as a speaker C) punctuality D) efficiency 5. Chapter 1 identifies three sets of factors to consider when communicating technical information. Which of the following is on this list? A) image - related factors B) technology - related factors C) purpose - related factors D) none of the above Page 2 6. Chapter 1 defines technical communication as a process encompassing which of the following? A) documents and activities B) documentation and analysis C) process and analysis D) diagramming and activities 7. Chapter 1 ide ntifies skills and qualities shared by successful workplace communicators. Which of the following is NOT on this list? A) ability to perform research B) ability to write code C) ability to analyze information D) ability to solve problems 8. Chapter 1 identifies eight measures of excellence in technical communication. Which pair in the following list might seem contradictory? A) accuracy and correctness B) conciseness and clarity C) comprehensiveness and conciseness D) accessibility and professional appearance 9. Chapter 1 identifies common reasons for creating technical documents. Which reason in the following list is NOT mentioned in the chapter? A) to help others carry out a task B) to change attitudes about a technology or an issue C) to establish common knowledge in the marketplace D) to help others make a decision Page 3 10. Which quality in the list below is evident in the revised version of the following paragraph? Original: During our monthly meeting last month, we all came to the conclusion that overtime procedures are inadequate and that new procedures need to be initiated. I discussed this problem with our chief accountant, who was sympathetic and agreed to consider any changes we would like to make to the present procedures. Please bring your suggested changes to this month's departmental meeting scheduled for 2:30 P.M. next Wednesday afternoon. Revision: During last month's meeting, we concluded that our overtime procedures need revision. Our chief accountant has agreed to consider any changes we would like to make to the present procedures. Please bring your suggested changes to this month's departmental meeting scheduled for 2:30 P.M. next Wednesday. A) conciseness B) accuracy C) comprehensiveness D) correctness 11. Which of the following is involved in creating technical communication? A) a company secretary writing a letter to a customer B) an electrical engineer filling out a standardized form C) a webmaster revising a company web page D) a manager preparing an oral presentation E) all of the above 12. Which two things must you clearly understand in order to communicate successfully? A) your audience and your purpose B) your proposal and your audience C) your documentation and measures of excellence D) your software and your hardware 13. Which of these activities is NOT essential as you prepare to communicate technical information? A) listening B) reading C) writing D) speaking Page 4 14. Which of these is a document - related factor you must consider when communicating on the job? A) the amount of time you have to complete the communication task B) the level of formality required in the final product C) the number of resources available to help you complete the communication task D) All responses are correct. 15. When creating a technical document, you often have to make compromises. Which of these is an example of a compromise related to communication? A) Your boss tells you to create the document in English and Spanish, so you do. B) You would prefer to create separate instruction sheets in English and Spanish, but you create one sheet giving instructions in both languages to save on printing costs. C) Your audience is not made up of technical experts, so you use common words in place of technical vocabulary. D) You place paper copies of your document in the boxes carrying your products, and you post electronic copies online. 16. Which statement best explains how the concept of company brandi ng is related to technical communication? A) Branding is concerned with making money, and employees are paid to help companies make money. B) Branding is concerned with the image that a company presents to the world, and that image includes its documents. C) Branding is largely concerned with color choices, so a document must contain the company's colors. D) Branding is concerned with slogans, and you might have to write a slogan for your department. 17. Which of these is a measure of excellence in technical communication? A) accuracy B) terseness C) plainness D) celerity Page 5 18. The engineering firm you work for is submitting a proposal to create an amphitheater at a state park. Proposals must be submitted in three - ring binders. You are in charge of assembling the binders. You decide to put section divider tabs and an index into each proposal binder. Which measure of excellence in technical communication does this decision reflect? A) honesty B) clarity C) comprehensiveness D) accessibility 19. Which of these is a quality shown by a successful workplace communicator? A) keeping new information about your field to yourself B) prioritizing your own needs C) displaying emotional intelligence D) sharing proprietary information openly 20. Which of these abilities is NOT likely to help you as a workplace communicator? A) the ability to perform research B) the ability to solve problems C) the ability to speak and write clearly D) the ability to deflect attention 21. Companies hiring technical professionals such as engineers, scientists, and programmers focus primarily on the technical abilities of the candidates they consider for employment. A) True B) False 22. To make it easy for readers to find the information they need, many technical documents are made up of small, independent sections. A) True B) False 23. Most technical documents are produced by professional technical communicators working alone. A) True B) False Page 6 24. Technical communication primarily involves those whose main job is to produce documentation such as reports and manuals. A) True B) False 25. Chapter 1 identifies correctness as a characteristic of good technical communication. In this context, correctness refers to the proper use of grammar and punctuation to accurately convey the intended meaning. A) True B) False 26. For most employers, communication skills are less important than technical knowledge. A) True B) False 27. Social - media posts such as tweets can be examples of technical documents. A) True B) False 28. When you are communicating technical information on the job, your audience tends to be the same every time. A) True B) False 29. Generosity and honesty are characteristics of effective technical communicators. A) True B) False 30. Technical communication involves knowing where to find trustworthy information. A) True B) False 31. What is a technical communicator? 32. Chapter 1 lists a variety of examples of workplace communication. Name four of them. Page 7 33. Chapter 1 lists six defining characteristics of technical communication. One characteristic is that technical communication addresses particular readers. What are three other characteristics mentioned in the chapter? 34. Chapter 1 lists eight measures of excellence in technical communication. For example, excellent technical communication is honest. What are three other measures of excellence? 35. Chapter 1 cites three rea sons for ensuring that technical communication is honest. The first is that being honest is the right thing to do. What is one other reason? 36. As used in Chapter 1, what does accessibility mean? 37. As used in Chapter 1, what does correctness mean? 38. One basic purpose of design features is to create a positive impression with a document. What is one other purpose mentioned in Chapter 1? 39. For what reason do most organizations welcome both positive and negative comments on blog posts? 40. Why is the ability to prioritize and respond quickly more valuable in the contemporary workplace than ever before? Page 8 Answer Key 1. A 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. A 7. B 8. C 9. C 10. A 11. E 12. A 13. C 14. D 15. B 16. B 17. A 18. D 19. C 20. D 21. B 22. A 23. B 24. B 25. A 26. B 27. A 28. B 29. A 30. A 31. A technical communicator (or technical writer) is a person whose main job is to produce applications such as manuals, reports, and websites. 32. Examples include memos, email, wikis, proposals, reports, oral presentations, letters, websites, podcasts, videos, posts on social - networking sites, newsletter articles, research reports, and articles for trade and professional journals. 33. The other five characteristics of technical communication are that it helps readers solve problems, it reflects the organization's goals and culture, it is produced collaboratively, it uses design to increase readability, and it consists of words or images or both. 34. The other seven measures of excellence are clarity, accuracy, comprehensiveness, accessibility, conciseness, professional appearance, and correctness. 35. The other two reasons are that (1) if you are dishonest, readers can get hurt and (2) if you are dishonest, you and your organization could face serious legal charges. 36. Accessibility refers to the ease with which readers can find the information they seek. 37. Correctness refers to a document's adherence to conventions of grammar, punctuation, Page 9 spelling, mechanics, and usage. 38. The other two purposes are to help readers navigate the document and to help them understand the document. 39. Most organizations are willing to ac cept criticism in return for the opportunity to generate meaningful discussions from which they can learn more about their stakeholders. 40. This quality is more valuable than ever before because social - media activity occurs unceasingly. Page 1 1. Chapter 2 lists four factors governing the fair - use exemption, which allows you to use copyrighted material without permission under certain conditions. One factor is the nature and purpose of the copyrighted work. What is another factor? A) the effect of the use on the potential market for the copyrighted work B) the degree of difficulty you might encounter if you did seek permission to use the copyrighted work C) whether the copyrighted work was published on the Internet, in which case it can be considered to be in the public domain D) whether you intended to cause the copyright holder any harm — financial or otherwise — by using the copyrighted material 2. Chapter 2 lists four ways you can help protect your client's or your employer's trademark. One is to use the trademark symbol. Which one of the following methods is also listed in the chapter? A) Distinguish trademarks from other material, perhaps by setting the trademark in a different typeface or by using boldface type for emphasis. B) Use the trademarked item in various grammatical forms, including as an adjective ( Xerox® copiers ), a noun ( Xeroxes® ), and a verb ( Xerox 500 copies ). C) Use the plural form ( Xeroxes ) or the possessive form ( Xerox's quality ) of the term whenever possible. D) Include a prominent warning about the civil and criminal penalties for infringing on the protections afforded by trademark law, similar to the FBI warning about copyright that appears at the beginning of rental movies. 3. According to Chapter 2, saying that a recently fired employee was “offered an alternative career opportunity” would be an example of which of the following? A) exaggeration B) euphemism C) legalistic construction D) none of the above 4. The standard of utility is concerned with which of the following? A) the relationships we have with other individuals B) whether the positive and negative effects of an action or a policy will be distributed fairly among a group C) the positive and negative effects that an action or a policy has, will have, or might have on others D) the basic needs and welfare of individuals Page 2 5. Chapter 2 lists four areas of law relevant to ethical issues in technical communication. One is copyright law. What are two others? (Select both answers.) A) trademark law B) international law C) contract law D) criminal law E) martial law 6. What does the symbol ® indicate about a word, phrase, or symbol? A) It has been registered for trademark protection under the Regency d'Internationale Agreement of 1996. B) It has been registered for trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. C) It has been registered for trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but with "reserved" status. D) none of the above 7. According to Chapter 2, ethicists such as Manuel Velasquez (2011) argue that whistle - blowing is justified if three conditions are satisfied. One condition is that there is strong evidence that the organization is doing something that is hurting or will hurt other parties. What are the other two conditions? (Select both answers.) A) The employee has made a serious but unsuccessful attempt to resolve the problem through internal channels. B) Whistle - blowing is reasonably certain to prevent or stop the wrongdoing. C) The employee has suffered personal harm as a result of the wrongdoing, such as the loss of a promotion, a substantial decrease in salary, or physical injury. D) The wrongdoing involves members of a minority group or affects individuals granted specific rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. 8. Which of the following is NOT a guideline for using social media ethically and legally, according to Chapter 2? A) Keep your private social - media accounts separate from those at work. B) Avoid revealing unauthorized news about your own company. C) Work efficiently by repurposing pieces of content you wrote for other workplace documents. D) Avoid false endorsements. Page 3 9. What does liability law have to do with technical communication? A) Liability law regulates the words and pictures available for use in sets of instructions. B) Liability law says that a manufacturer or seller of a product is liable for injuries or damages caused by the use of that product. C) Liability law puts the responsibilty for product safety onto consumers. D) Liability law requires instructions to fit on a single printed page. 10. Which of these resources is likely to be available to employees of a company with a strong ethical culture? A) a code of conduct or a code of ethics B) a way to submit ethics concerns anonymously C) an ethics office or an ombudsperson D) All responses are correct. 11. Which of the following preferences does Creative Commons NOT give copyright owners a means to control? A) whether their work can be shared only in noncommercial environments B) whether users of the work must attribute it C) whether the copyright will expire after a fixed amount of time D) whether others may alter or build on the existing work 12. A writer preparing an electrician's manual is considering inserting company - designed danger symbols to denote the potential for electrocution. In deciding whether to do so, what should the writer's primary concern be? A) codes of conduct B) liability law C) copyright law D) whistle - blowing 13. When your state's revenues for the year are 40 percent below estimates, the state legislature cuts education funds by 40 percent but reduces farmers' subsidies by only 20 percent. Which moral standard does this action violate? A) care B) utility C) justice D) rights Page 4 14. Systems Software, Inc. is introducing a new piece of sophisticated graphics software. A recently hired writer has been assigned to write the Getting Started manual for the product. Being a novice, the writer first pages through similar manuals written by other graphics software companies to get ideas about how to write the manual. Which of the following statements is true? A) The writer has violated copyright law. B) The writer has ignored an express warranty. C) The writer has taken advantage of the fair - use concept. D) The writer has done nothing ethically wrong. 15. You work for a pharmaceuticals company. During your lunch breaks, you have become acquainted with one of the graphic artists at your company. He has just finished designing a logo for a new product, and the logo is now on your company's website. He mentions that he created the new design by downloading a logo that he found on an automaker's website and changing it a little. Which of the following statements is true? A) Your company is protected by the fair - use concept because your company and the other company are in different industries. B) Your comp any is protected by the work - made - for - hire concept. C) Your company has probably violated the automaker's trademark. D) Your company is protected because there is no trademark or registered trademark symbol after the logo on the automaker's website. 16. You are writing the second edition of a user manual to be included with software sold to the general public. You want to reuse a portion of the introductory materials from the first edition but cannot determine who wrote that section or what the contractual conditions were. You know that your company has customarily required that freelance writers sign work - made - for - hire agreements. What should you do? A) Rewrite the introductory materials yourself. B) State in a f ootnote that the excerpt was written under a work - made - for - hire agreement. C) Register the work with the appropriate government agency. D) Include a disclaimer when you insert the materials from the first edition. Page 5 17. In one stat e, West County and East County share a border. The state capital is in East County. Many residents of West County (almost half of all adults in the county) commute to East County for work. East County has high levels of air pollution, and residents there must get their car exhaust systems tested every two years. Although West County has less air pollution than East, the pollution levels in West are rising. The state Department of Environmental Regulation orders that residents of West County must now get the ir car exhaust systems tested every two years as well. What moral standard best explains this decision by the Department of Environmental Regulation? A) care B) utility C) rights D) clarity 18. Steven is selling a used car that is 10 years old. He found a way to set the odometer back 50,000 miles, making his car appear more valuable than it actually is. A potential buyer looks at the car and is amazed at the low mileage. He asks Steven if anyone has tampered with the odometer. Steven replies, “Hey, that would be illegal. No one wants to get caught doing something illegal.” What type of misleading statement did Steven make in his reply? A) an exaggeration B) a euphemism C) a false implication D) a double negative 19. Susan was assigned to analyze the process her company uses to write proposals. She worked on her report for more than a month. Stacy in the marketing department and John in the finance department gave Susan a lot of information and had several meetings with her. Susan placed an acknowledgments section in her report, where she thanked Stacy and John. What standard best explains Susan's decision to provide acknowledgments? A) justice B) rights C) utility D) care Page 6 20. Your company, Acme Co., is sponsoring a three - hour field day for children at a local park, featuring games, sports, and snacks. Parents must sign up their children online. Your company wants to take pictures of children at the event, but it needs parents' permission. Which option below best describes an ethical way to get parents' permission? A) Place a checkbox on the online form that reads “ I agree to the terms and conditions of the field day” and provide a link to a separate page of terms and conditions. Design the form so that this checkbox is already checked when the parent gets to that page. B) Provide a link to a separate page of terms and conditions. Have the company lawyers write the terms and conditions in legal language and with citations of relevant laws in case another lawyer reads them. C) Place a checkbox on the online form that reads “I agree to allow Acme Co. to take pictures of my child or children to record and promote field - day activities.” Design the form so that this checkbox is not checked when the parent gets to that page. D) All options are equally ethical. 21. When exporting goods, U.S. companies can face ethical challenges that they do not face when selling goods in the United States. A) True B) False 22. Under the concept of work made for hire , anything written on the job by an employee being paid by the organization is the property of the organization — provided that the employee agrees after the document is written to surrender his or her copyright. A) True B) False 23. Only p rofessionals with management responsibilities have ethical responsibilities to the environment. A) True B) False 24. Plagiarism is a legal issue and not an ethical issue. A) True B) False