Question 1

Which of the following is an effective sentence definition?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cardiovascular exercise equipment is used by people to exercise their cardiovascular system. 
B)  A canteen is a clear Nalgene bottle used to hold liquids such as water, lemonade, soda, and sometimes hot beverages. 
C)  Velo binding is when two plastic strips are placed on either side of the document and bound together with heat. 
D)  Thermography is a printing process in which a special powder is added to the wet ink on the surface of the paper and then heated. 
A)  Cardiovascular exercise equipment is used by people to exercise their cardiovascular system. 
B)  A canteen is a clear Nalgene bottle used to hold liquids such as water, lemonade, soda, and sometimes hot beverages. 
C)  Velo binding is when two plastic strips are placed on either side of the document and bound together with heat. 
D)  Thermography is a printing process in which a special powder is added to the wet ink on the surface of the paper and then heated.

Question 2

To minimize product-liability lawsuits in the event of improper use of Phillips lawn mowers, which of the following instructions should the company's lead technical writer NOT give to the company's manual writer?

Accepted Answer

A)  Repeat safety information if you think that the repetition will increase the probability of its being read. 
B)  If our company does not have an appropriate safety symbol, create your own text symbol through the use of highlighting, larger point size, and a text box. 
C)  For ease of use, place all safety information in the Introduction so that users can read through all of it at once before using the product. Then, in the instruction steps, merely cross-reference to the Introduction. 
D)  Do not choose safety labels arbitrarily. 
A)  Repeat safety information if you think that the repetition will increase the probability of its being read. 
B)  If our company does not have an appropriate safety symbol, create your own text symbol through the use of highlighting, larger point size, and a text box. 
C)  For ease of use, place all safety information in the Introduction so that users can read through all of it at once before using the product. Then, in the instruction steps, merely cross-reference to the Introduction. 
D)  Do not choose safety labels arbitrarily.

Question 3

What technique is used to clarify the term inflammable in the following definition: "An inflammable substance is not a substance that cannot catch fire; on the contrary, an inflammable substance catches fire quite easily"?

Accepted Answer

The technique used to clarify the term "

Question 4

According to Chapter 20, an effective process description fully describes which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  glossary terms 
B)  substeps 
C)  subplots 
D)  frames of reference 
A)  glossary terms 
B)  substeps 
C)  subplots 
D)  frames of reference

Question 5

Which two types of organizational patterns are most commonly used for mechanism descriptions?

Accepted Answer

A)  comparison and contrast and general to specific 
B)  functional and spatial 
C)  spatial and cause and effect 
D)  chronological and functional 
A)  comparison and contrast and general to specific 
B)  functional and spatial 
C)  spatial and cause and effect 
D)  chronological and functional

Question 6

What is the function of a conventions section?

Accepted Answer

The function of a conventions section, t

Question 7

Step-by-step instructions should be written in the imperative mood.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

The introduction to a set of instructions should answer six questions, one of which is "Why should the reader carry out this task?" According to Chapter 20, what is one other question?

Accepted Answer

According to Chapter 20, another questio

Question 9

What technique is used in the following definition: "RADAR originally stood for 'radio detection and ranging,' but these days it is rarely used as an acronym and instead appears as the noun radar"?

Accepted Answer

The technique used in the definition pro

Question 10

A writer is drafting the conclusion of a lengthy process description explaining to consumers how a company's new voice-recognition product works. Which of the following elements would be LEAST appropriate for the conclusion?

Accepted Answer

A)  a brief review of the uses of voice-recognition technology 
B)  a sales message summarizing the benefits of the product 
C)  a short summary of the principal steps in the process 
D)  a brief discussion of the implications of the process 
A)  a brief review of the uses of voice-recognition technology 
B)  a sales message summarizing the benefits of the product 
C)  a short summary of the principal steps in the process 
D)  a brief discussion of the implications of the process

Question 11

While reviewing a draft of a trip report discussing the importance of a presentation she attended, a writer decides that some readers may not know the meaning of one of the terms she included. Which of the following strategies should the writer use if she wants to clarify the term briefly and unobtrusively?

Accepted Answer

A)  Include a parenthetical definition. 
B)  Define the term in an appendix. 
C)  Include an extended definition. 
D)  Include a sentence definition. 
A)  Include a parenthetical definition. 
B)  Define the term in an appendix. 
C)  Include an extended definition. 
D)  Include a sentence definition.

Question 12

Descriptions are rarely incorporated into longer documents; instead, they usually appear as separate documents.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Which of the following provides the best conclusion to a set of instructions for children under age 10 on how to assemble a toy airplane?

Accepted Answer

A)  Have fun! 
B)  --End Of Page-- 
C)  Have fun with your toy airplane, but be careful about how and where you send it off. 
D)  The propeller should turn as you roll the airplane's wheels. If the propeller does not turn, make sure the wheel axle is turning the gear on the motor. 
A)  Have fun! 
B)  --End Of Page-- 
C)  Have fun with your toy airplane, but be careful about how and where you send it off. 
D)  The propeller should turn as you roll the airplane's wheels. If the propeller does not turn, make sure the wheel axle is turning the gear on the motor.

Question 14

Part of the challenge of deciding where to put a definition lies in the fact that a writer has several viable options.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

You are writing a manual for a deep fryer designed for home cooks. Which statement would be appropriately set off with Note as a signal word?

Accepted Answer

A)  Corn balls will be very hot when removed from the oil. 
B)  The fry zone is very hot when the power is on. To avoid serious burns, do not touch the fry zone while it is heated. 
C)  The fry basket can hold 4-6 small doughnuts at a time. 
D)  Do not attempt to fix the deep fryer while it is connected to a power source. 
A)  Corn balls will be very hot when removed from the oil. 
B)  The fry zone is very hot when the power is on. To avoid serious burns, do not touch the fry zone while it is heated. 
C)  The fry basket can hold 4-6 small doughnuts at a time. 
D)  Do not attempt to fix the deep fryer while it is connected to a power source.

Question 16

According to Chapter 20, the safety of your company's products (and the effectiveness of your company's instructions) is a matter of contract law.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Chapter 20 lists three steps in writing definitions. One is analyzing the writing situation. What are the other two steps?

Accepted Answer

The question refers to a three-step proc

Question 18

A writer is creating an employee handbook for assembly-line workers and their supervisors. One particular extended definition is approximately a page long. Where should the writer place this definition if it will be of interest to only the supervisors?

Accepted Answer

A)  in a marginal gloss 
B)  in a footnote 
C)  in an appendix 
D)  in the text 
A)  in a marginal gloss 
B)  in a footnote 
C)  in an appendix 
D)  in the text

Question 19

A set of instructions is a type of definition.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the definition "A conjunctive adverb is an adverb that has a conjunctive function between two clauses"?

Accepted Answer

A)  This is a simple, but effective, sentence definition. 
B)  This is a circular definition. 
C)  This sentence definition describes its item with clear distinguishing characteristics. 
D)  This is a stipulative definition. 
A)  This is a simple, but effective, sentence definition. 
B)  This is a circular definition. 
C)  This sentence definition describes its item with clear distinguishing characteristics. 
D)  This is a stipulative definition.

Which of the following is an effective sentence definition?

To minimize product-liability lawsuits in the event of improper use of Phillips lawn mowers, which of the following instructions should the company's lead technical writer NOT give to the company's manual writer?

What technique is used to clarify the term inflammable in the following definition: "An inflammable substance is not a substance that cannot catch fire; on the contrary, an inflammable substance catches fire quite easily"?

According to Chapter 20, an effective process description fully describes which of the following?

Which two types of organizational patterns are most commonly used for mechanism descriptions?

What is the function of a conventions section?

Step-by-step instructions should be written in the imperative mood.

The introduction to a set of instructions should answer six questions, one of which is "Why should the reader carry out this task?" According to Chapter 20, what is one other question?

What technique is used in the following definition: "RADAR originally stood for 'radio detection and ranging,' but these days it is rarely used as an acronym and instead appears as the noun radar"?

A writer is drafting the conclusion of a lengthy process description explaining to consumers how a company's new voice-recognition product works. Which of the following elements would be LEAST appropriate for the conclusion?

Descriptions are rarely incorporated into longer documents; instead, they usually appear as separate documents.

Which of the following provides the best conclusion to a set of instructions for children under age 10 on how to assemble a toy airplane?

Part of the challenge of deciding where to put a definition lies in the fact that a writer has several viable options.

You are writing a manual for a deep fryer designed for home cooks. Which statement would be appropriately set off with Note as a signal word?

According to Chapter 20, the safety of your company's products (and the effectiveness of your company's instructions) is a matter of contract law.

Chapter 20 lists three steps in writing definitions. One is analyzing the writing situation. What are the other two steps?

A writer is creating an employee handbook for assembly-line workers and their supervisors. One particular extended definition is approximately a page long. Where should the writer place this definition if it will be of interest to only the supervisors?

A set of instructions is a type of definition.

Which of the following best describes the definition "A conjunctive adverb is an adverb that has a conjunctive function between two clauses"?

Introduction to Technical Communication

Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations

Writing Technical Documents

Writing Collaboratively

Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Researching Your Subject

Organizing Your Information

Communicating Persuasively

Emphasizing Important Information

Writing Correct and Effective Sentences

Designing Print and Online Documents

Creating Graphics

Evaluating and Testing Technical Documents

Corresponding in Print and Online

Applying for a Job

Writing Proposals

Writing Informational Reports

Writing Recommendation Reports

Writing Lab Reports

Making Oral Presentations

Filters

Exam 20: Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions

Which of the following is an effective sentence definition?

To minimize product-liability lawsuits in the event of improper use of Phillips lawn mowers, which of the following instructions should the company's lead technical writer NOT give to the company's manual writer?

What technique is used to clarify the term inflammable in the following definition: "An inflammable substance is not a substance that cannot catch fire; on the contrary, an inflammable substance catches fire quite easily"?

According to Chapter 20, an effective process description fully describes which of the following?

Which two types of organizational patterns are most commonly used for mechanism descriptions?

What is the function of a conventions section?

Step-by-step instructions should be written in the imperative mood.

The introduction to a set of instructions should answer six questions, one of which is "Why should the reader carry out this task?" According to Chapter 20, what is one other question?

What technique is used in the following definition: "RADAR originally stood for 'radio detection and ranging,' but these days it is rarely used as an acronym and instead appears as the noun radar"?

A writer is drafting the conclusion of a lengthy process description explaining to consumers how a company's new voice-recognition product works. Which of the following elements would be LEAST appropriate for the conclusion?

Descriptions are rarely incorporated into longer documents; instead, they usually appear as separate documents.

Which of the following provides the best conclusion to a set of instructions for children under age 10 on how to assemble a toy airplane?

Part of the challenge of deciding where to put a definition lies in the fact that a writer has several viable options.

You are writing a manual for a deep fryer designed for home cooks. Which statement would be appropriately set off with Note as a signal word?

According to Chapter 20, the safety of your company's products (and the effectiveness of your company's instructions) is a matter of contract law.

Chapter 20 lists three steps in writing definitions. One is analyzing the writing situation. What are the other two steps?

A writer is creating an employee handbook for assembly-line workers and their supervisors. One particular extended definition is approximately a page long. Where should the writer place this definition if it will be of interest to only the supervisors?

A set of instructions is a type of definition.

Which of the following best describes the definition "A conjunctive adverb is an adverb that has a conjunctive function between two clauses"?

Introduction to Technical Communication

Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations

Writing Technical Documents

Writing Collaboratively

Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Researching Your Subject

Organizing Your Information

Communicating Persuasively

Emphasizing Important Information

Writing Correct and Effective Sentences

Designing Print and Online Documents

Creating Graphics

Evaluating and Testing Technical Documents

Corresponding in Print and Online

Applying for a Job

Writing Proposals

Writing Informational Reports

Writing Recommendation Reports

Writing Lab Reports

Making Oral Presentations

Filters