Chapter 1 Test: Process in Technical Writing

Chapter 1 Multiple Choice

1. Which feature is a part of the planning stage of technical writing? (a) knowing your
audience, (b) establishing the purpose of the document, (c) writing the outline, or (d) all of
the above.

2. How does the reader matrix classify readers in the Planning Form? (a) by technical levels,
(b) by relationship to the writing process, (c) by type of document, or (d) none of the
above.

3. What is the main obstacle readers face when reading a technical document? (a) they are
constantly interrupted, (b) they have insufficient technical knowledge, (c) they are busy and
impatient, or (d) all of the above.

4. What kind of information should a technical document contain for an audience of experts?
(a) thorough explanation of technical details, (b) definition of technical terms, (c) easy-to-
read instructions, or (d) plenty of background information.

5. What is the name given to the first-level audience for a technical document? (a) receivers,
(b) advisers, (c) decision makers, or (d) general readers.

6. Which of the following is an example of secondary research? (a) field work, (b) surveys,
(c) interviews, or (d) journals.

7. As a general rule, when should you begin writing an outline? a) after defining the audience,
(b) after defining the purpose of the document, (c) after completing the research, or (d) all
of the above.

8. What is the name of the organization technique that moves from specific information to
general information? (a) deductive, (b) inductive, (c) chronological, or (d) simple-to-
complex.

9. Which of the following editing changes represents “editing for style?” (a) checking for
missing illustrations, (b) correcting wrong page numbers, (c) correcting faulty subject verb
agreements, or (d) adding heading, lists, and paragraphs.

10. When writing a report, why should a writer clarify the purpose of the document? (a) so the
main message of the document will not shift focus, (b) so the writer will not forget the
subject matter, (c) so the writer can determine his/her knowledge of the topic, or (d) so that
the writer can determine what secondary sources to use.

11. What should a writer do when a proposal has a readership with different levels of technical
expertise? (a) write the document using technically sophisticated language, (b) create the
document with a text-heavy page design to facilitate the transfer of information, c) design a
glossary of terms to define highly technical terms, or (d) use acronyms to make technical
terms easy to understand.

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Chapter 1 True/False

1. Technical writing is generally characterized by the author having greater knowledge of the
topic than the reader.

2. A result statement focuses the purpose of a document by clearly establishing the kind of
response you want from the reader.

3. Readers of all technical backgrounds consider a complex writing style a sign of intellectual
sophistication.

4. An effective way to classify readers is to establish how much they know about the topic,
and what part they will play in making decisions.

5. A company report is an excellent example of primary research.

6. Only the most unproductive writers encounter "writer's block" at the beginning of the
writing process.

7. Operators are removed from the technical details of their jobs so they require plenty of
background information in technical documents.

8. “Advisers” do not take part in the decision-making process; they simply receive and carry
out the information contained in the document.

9. In the research process, you must clearly distinguish in your notes direct quotations,
paraphrases, and summaries or risk forgetting how much information you borrowed.

10. In the outline stage, record your random thoughts quickly to generate as many ideas as
possible.

11. In a final outline, you should make sure that every main point has enough sub-points to be
developed thoroughly in your draft.

12. As you write the first draft revise as you go along to ensure the content is accurate.

13. Complete the summary first so you can write the document with a definite structure.

14. Academic writing has a different purpose and audience than technical writing.

15. The saying “there’s no writing only rewriting” indicates that careful revision is the key
component to clear communication.

16. Arguing over which idea to implement in a project is a potential drawback of group
writing.

17. Storyboarding is an effective technique to propel writing groups from the brainstorming
phase to the completion of the first draft.

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