Page 1 1. What is a technical communicator? 2. Chapter 1 lists a variety of examples of workplace communication. Name four of them. 3. 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? 4. Chapter 1 lists nine measures of excellence in technical communication. For example, excellent technical communication is honest. What are three other measures of excellence? 5. Chapter 1 cites three reasons for ensuring that technical communication is honest. The first is that being honest is the right thing to do. What is one other reason? 6. As used in Chapter 1, what does usability mean? 7. As used in Chapter 1, what does clarity mean? 8. One basic purpose of design features is to create a positive impression with a document. What is one other purpose mentioned in Chapter 1? 9. How does emotional intelligence relate to being a successful communicator in the workplace? 10. Why is the ability to prioritize and respond quickly more valuable in the contemporary workplace than ever before? 11. 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 Page 2 12. An effective technical document must be bot h concise and comprehensive. A) True B) False 13. Most technical documents are produced by professional technical communicators working alone. A) True B) False 14. Technical communication primarily involves those whose main job is to produce documentation such as reports and manuals. A) True B) False 15. 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 16. Accessibility is a measure of how easily a document can be downloaded. A) True B) False 17. Social - media posts such as tweets can be examples of technical documents. A) True B) False 18. When you are communicating technical information on the job, your audience tends to be the same every time. A) True B) False 19. Generosity and honesty are characteristics of effective technical communicators. A) True B) False Page 3 20. Technical communication involves knowing where to find trustworthy information. A) True B) False 21. 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. 22. 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 suffer. C) Readers can get hurt if you are dishonest. D) You and your organization could face serious legal charges if you are dishonest. 23. 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 24. You are in charge of creating a podcast of an interview with the CEO of your company. The audio file will be posted on the company's website . You decide to make a transcript available so that audience members with hearing impairments will be able to read the interview. Which measure of excellence in technical communication does this decision reflect? A) accuracy B) accessibility C) usability D) clarity Page 4 25. Chapter 1 identifies five sets of factors to consider when communicating technical information. Which of the following is NOT on this list? A) image - related factors B) setting - related factors C) purpose - related factors D) audience - related factors 26. 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 27. Chapter 1 identifies 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 speak and write clearly 28. Chapter 1 identifies nine 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 29. 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 5 30. Which quality in the origin al 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 31. Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic modes of communication? A) speaking B) reading C) writing D) typing 32. 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 33. According to Chapter 1, what is the biggest difference between technical communication and the kinds of writing you do in other college courses? A) Technical communication makes greater use of technical vocabulary. B) Technical communication makes greater use of images and graphics. C) Technical communication has a somewhat different focus on purpose and audience. D) Technical communication follows different style conventions. Page 6 34. Which of these is a process - related factor you must consider when communicating on the job? A) How will your document aid problem solving? B) What is the problem context for your document? C) What problems is your audience trying to solve? D) Do your schedule and budget limit how much information you can include in the document? 35. 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. 36. Which statement best explains how the concept of company branding 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. 37. Which of these is a measure of excellence in technical communication? A) accuracy B) terseness C) plainness D) celerity Page 7 38. 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) usability 39. 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 40. Which of these abilities is NOT likely to help you as a workplace communicator? A) the ability to perform research B) the ability to analyze information C) the ability to speak and write clearly D) the ability to deflect attention Page 8 Answer Key 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. B 12. A 13. B 14. B 15. A 16. B 17. A 18. B 19. A 20. A 21. A 22. B 23. B 24. B 25. A 26. A 27. B 28. C 29. C 30. A 31. D 32. A 33. C 34. D 35. B 36. B 37. A 38. D 39. C 40. D Page 1 1. The standard of utility is concerned with what? 2. Chapter 2 lists four areas of law relevant to ethical issues in technical communication. One is copyright law. What are two others? 3. 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 are the other three factors? 4. What does the symbol ® stand for, and what rights does it grant a company? 5. What advantage does using a trademark symbol confer upon an organization? 6. An effective code of conduct has three characteristics. One is that it protects the public rather than members of the organization or profession. What is one other characteristic of an effective code of conduct? 7. According to Chapter 2, what is the potential downside to whistle - blowing? 8. According to Chapter 2, saying that a new line of air fresheners is "guaranteed to stave off any and every odor that comes your house's way" would be an example of what? 9. Chapter 2 states that as an employee, you have five obligations to your employer. One obligation is honesty and candor. What are two of the other obligations? 10. According to Chapter 2, using social media ethically entails avoiding false endorsements. What are three other guidelines for the ethical use of social media? 11. 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 Page 2 12. 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 13. Only professionals with management responsibilities have ethical responsibilities to the environment. A) True B) False 14. It is generally acceptable to use company boilerplate without attribution. A) True B) False 15. Contract law affects technical communication because technical documents sometimes contain warranty statements. A) True B) False 16. Fair - use guidelines apply to graphics just as they do to words. A) True B) False 17. According to the principle of the moral minimum, it is permissible for companies to passively reinforce patterns of discrimination in product information if the audience to which the product is being sold practices that discrimination. A) True B) False 18. To be effective, a code of conduct must stipulate penalties. A) True B) False 19. When warning users about the dangers of products, writers should avoid using mandatory language such as must and shall . A) True B) False Page 3 20. Fair use is best described as a set of general guidelines on ways to use small parts of someone else's copyrighted material for purposes such as commentary, criticism, and research. A) True B) False 21. Cha pter 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 22. 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. 23. 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 Page 4 24. 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 25. Chapter 2 lists four areas of law relevant to ethical issues in technical communication. One is copyright law. What are two others? A) trademark law and contract law B) international law and criminal law C) martial law and liability law D) international law and martial law 26. 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 h as 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) The company claims the design or device as a trademark but has not yet registered the trademark. 27. 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 is one other condition? A) The employee has made a serious attempt to resolve the problem through internal channels. B) The employee can be reasonably certain he or she will not be penalized for whistle - blowing. 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. Page 5 28. 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. 29. 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 responsibility for product safety on consumers. D) Liability law requires instructions to fit on a single printed page. 30. Which of these resources is likely to be available to employees of a company with a strong ethical culture? A) a formal code of conduct B) a way to avoid regulations that might affect the company's profitability C) kickbacks from suppliers or customers D) conflicts of interest 31. 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 32. 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 Page 6 33. 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 34. 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. 35. You work for a pharmaceutical 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 company 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. 36. 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. What should you do? A) nothing B) Rewrite the introductory materials yourself. C) Register the work with the appropriate government agency. D) Include a disclaimer when you insert the materials from the first edition. Page 7 37. In one state, 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 their 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 38. 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 39. Juliana was assigned to analyze the process her company uses to write proposals. She worked on her report for more than a month. Rashmi in the marketing department and John in the finance department gave Juliana a lot of information and had several meetings with her. Juliana placed an acknowledgments section in her report, where she thanked Rashmi and John. What standard best explains Juliana's decision to acknowledge her colleagues? A) justice B) rights C) utility D) care