Exam 20: Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions

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?

In what way is the definition "Booting a computer is when you turn it on" flawed?

What is the function of a conventions section?

Which of the following is an effective sentence definition?

In what way is the definition "In a bankruptcy action, a nonsecured debt is a debt that is not secured" flawed?

H&G Garden Supplies is revising its instruction booklet for assembling and installing its redwood garden arbor. The set contains two 6-foot trellises, two planter boxes, and a pair of adjustable arches. Which of the following should you NOT include in the back matter of the instruction booklet?

an effective process description fully describes which of the following?

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

Which of the following is the most effective title for a set of instructions on bicycle repair?

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

what is the primary way to indicate the nature and the scope of a description?

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

Placing definitions directly in the text is a common practice. what are two other logical locations for definitions?

the safety of your company's products (and the effectiveness of your company's instructions) is a matter of contract law.

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 what a particular term means. If she wants to clarify the term briefly and unobtrusively, the writer should use which of the following strategies?

A conventions section explains to readers how a manual uses typography to signify different kinds of information. One example is using Courier typeface to represent text the reader is supposed to type.

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

Several organizations have guidelines and standards for communicating information about safety. Which of the following is NOT one of these organizations?

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

A writer wants to describe how screen printing works. Which of the following elements is NOT likely to appear in the process description?