50-Question Sample Foundation Exam Flashcards
Q1 of 50
Which of the following is a primary source of evidence?
A. Survey data
B. Academic journals
C. Books
D. Reference materials
A
Survey data is a primary source of evidence.
Primary sources—Evidence collected from observations, experiments, surveys, interviews, ethnographies, and testing
Secondary sources—Evidence drawn from academic journals, magazine articles, books, websites, research databases, DVDs, CDs, and reference materials
Q2 of 50
Which is one of the five principles of visual design?
A. Asymmetry
B. Attractiveness
C. Alignment
D. Association
C
Alignment is one of the five principles of visual design.
The five principles of visual design are balance, alignment, grouping, consistency, and contrast.
Q3 of 50
Which of the following is the BEST approach for checking whether scientific sources are up to date?
A. Conduct one or more empirical studies
B. Consult several periodical indices
C. Use the technique of triangulation
D. Consult a relevant literature review
D
The best approach for checking whether scientific sources are up to date is to consult a relevant literature review.
Scientific sources will often offer a literature review that traces research on the subject back at least a few years. These literature reviews will show you how quickly the field is changing while allowing you to judge whether the evidence you have located is current.
Q4 of 50
Which approach is a correct application of the visual design principle of balance?
A. Make sure the left and right and top and bottom of each page mirror each other
B. Always place images on the left-hand side of the text for balance
C. Place related images and words near each other on a page
D. Offset the design features on a page to balance items on both sides of the page
D
One approach for applying the visual design principle of balance is to offset the design features on a page to balance items on both sides of the page.
Balance is perhaps the most prominent feature of design in technical documents. On a balanced page or screen, the design features should offset each other to create a feeling of stability.
To balance a text, imagine your page or screen is balanced on a point. Each time you add something to the left side, you need to add something to the right side to maintain balance. Similarly, when you add something to the top, you need to add something to the bottom.
A time-tested way to devise a balanced page design is to use a page grid to evenly place the written text and graphics on the page.
Q5 of 50
Which is an example of subject-verb disagreement?
A. The team failed to complete it’s milestones
B. You should test the document, before you approve the final draft
C. All members of the team performs satisfactorily
D. The editor is out of the office, my boss is leaving today
C
An example of subject-verb disagreement is: “All members of the team performs satisfactorily.”
Subject-verb disagreements occur when the subject of the sentence does not match the verb. Singular subjects should go with singular verbs, while plural subjects should have plural verbs.
Q6 of 50
Which is a description of tertiary readers?
A. Action takers who will make decisions
B. Advisors who are experts in the field
C. Evaluators who have an interest in your document
D. Supervisors who sign off on documents
C
Tertiary readers are evaluators who have an interest in your document.
Per Mathes & Stevenson, the four kinds of people who might read your text are:
Primary Readers (Action Takers)
Secondary Readers (Advisors)
Tertiary Readers (Evaluators)
Gatekeepers (Supervisors)
Primary Readers (Action Takers) - people who need to make a decision or do something
Secondary Readers (Advisors) - people who might advise the primary readers. Usually, they are experts in the field… can greatly influence the decision that will be made.
Tertiary Readers (Evaluators) - others who may have an interest in your document’s information. These readers may be local news reporters, lawyers, auditors, historians, politicians, community activists, environmentalists, or perhaps your company’s competitors. You can think of these readers as evaluators because they will be making judgments about your project, usually from an outsiders’ perspective.
Gatekeepers (Supervisors) - people who will need to look over your work before it is sent to the primary readers. Your most common gatekeeper is your immediate supervisor. In some cases, though, your company’s lawyers, accountants, marketing specialists, and others may need to sign off on the document before it is sent out.
Q7 of 50
What is an editor on a technical communication team typically responsible for?
A. Maintaining a document schedule and meeting minutes
B. Collecting information and coordinating empirical research
C. Evaluating missing content areas and how information is organized
D. Document layout, images, and information graphics
C
An editor on a technical communication team is typically responsible for evaluating missing content areas and how information is organized.
Here are four team member roles you might consider:
Coordinator—The coordinator is responsible for maintaining the project schedule and running the meetings. The coordinator is not the “boss.” Rather, he or she is a facilitator who helps keep the project on track.
Researchers—One or two people in the group should be assigned to collect information. They are responsible for doing Internet searches, digging up materials in the library, and coordinating the team’s empirical research.
Editor—The editor is responsible for the organization and style of the document. He or she identifies places where content is missing or where information needs to be reorganized to achieve the project’s purpose.
Designer—The designer is responsible for laying out the document, collecting images, and making tables, graphs, and charts.
Q8 of 50
Which statement describes an appropriate use of line drawings in technical communication?
A. To illustrate people at work in an office setting
B. To highlight the main features of a piece of machinery
C. To show exactly what a final product looks like in realistic detail
D. To show in realistic detail the damage to a car following an accident
B
Line drawings in technical communication can be used to highlight the main features of a piece of machinery.
A line drawing or diagram is a semirealistic illustration of the subject being described.
Line drawings offer several advantages. They can provide a close-up view of important features or parts. They can also be easily labeled, allowing you to point out important features to the readers.
Q9 of 50
In which of the following documents is plain style commonly used?
A. Professional presentations
B. Articles
C. Proposals
D. Activity reports
D
The plain style is commonly used in activity reports.
Plain style stresses clarity and accuracy. Persuasive style motivates readers by appealing to their physical senses, personal values, and emotions. Grand style stresses eloquence. Technical communication most often uses plain or persuasive style.
The plain style is commonly used in:
- résumés for engineering firms
- technical descriptions and specifications
- brief reports
- formal reports
- instructions
- activity reports
- in China, documents and presentations
Proposals need to educate and persuade, so they tend to use a mixture of plain and persuasive styles.
Historically, rhetoricians have classified style into three levels: plain style, persuasive style, and grand style.
Plain style—Plain style stresses clear wording and simple prose. It is most often used to instruct, teach, or present information. Plain style works best in documents like technical descriptions, instructions, and activity reports.
Persuasive style—There are times when you will need to influence people to accept your ideas and take action. In these situations, persuasive style allows you to add energy and vision to your writing and speaking. This style works best with proposals, letters, articles, public presentations, and some reports.
Grand style—Grand style stresses eloquence. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr., and President John F. Kennedy often used the grand style to move their listeners to do what was right, even if people were reluctant to do it.
Q10 of 50
Which of the following statements are correct guidelines for writing plain sentences?
- Use the doer as the subject of the sentence
- Write sentences that are breathing length
- Eliminate nominalizations
- Put the subject toward the end of the sentence
A. 1, 2, 3
B. 1, 2, 4
C. 1, 3, 4
D. 2, 3, 4
A
The guidelines for writing plain sentences include:
Use the doer as the subject of the sentence
Write sentences that are breathing length
Eliminate nominalizations
Eight Guidelines for Plain Sentences:
1. Make the Subject of the Sentence What the Sentence Is About
2. Use The “Doer” As the Subject of the Sentence
3. Use a Verb to Express the Action, Or What the Doer Is Doing
4. Put the Subject of the Sentence Early in the Sentence
5. Eliminate Nominalizations
6. Eliminate Excessive Prepositional Phrases
7. Eliminate Redundancy in Sentences
8. Write Sentences That Are “Breathing Length”
Q11 of 50
Which is correct advice for those working on technical documents for global audiences?
A. Avoid misunderstandings by using software and online translators to check words
B. Make good use of sporting metaphors as they are widely understood
C. Use pictures of people to help introduce the content of the document
D. Avoid jokes and humor as they rarely translate well
D
When working on technical documents for global audiences, avoid jokes and humor as they rarely translate well.
Here are five helpful strategies for global and transcultural communication:
1. Listen carefully
2. Be polite
3. Research the target culture
4. Avoid humor
5. Talk to your colleagues
Q12 of 50
When would a progress report usually be produced?
A. As soon as something has been delivered
B. When a problem occurs that needs to be reported
C. When a team needs to move forward more rapidly with a task
D. At regular intervals as agreed with management
D
A progress report would usually be produced at regular intervals as agreed with management.
A progress report is written to inform management about the progress or status of a project. These reports are usually written at regular intervals—weekly, biweekly, or monthly—to update management on what has happened since the last progress report was submitted. Your company’s management may also periodically request a progress report to stay informed about your or your team’s activities.
A typical progress report will provide the following information:
- A summary of completed activities
- A discussion of ongoing activities
- A forecast of future activities
Q13 of 50
Why are handouts useful as a visual aid for presentations?
A. Gives additional focus to the presentation so that people are not easily distracted
B. Displays a highly visual summary of key messages that everyone can see
C. Adds energy to the presentation by helping with audience interaction
D. Enables the presenter to circulate detailed technical data to re-enforce key points
D
Handouts are useful as a visual aid for presentations because they enable the presenter to circulate detailed technical data to re-enforce key points.
Handouts—Handouts can be helpful in some cases, giving the audience something to take away from the presentation for review. When used properly, they can reinforce points made in your presentation or provide data that won’t be visible with a projector. Also, handouts made with presentation software can be formatted to leave room for note taking. Handouts, though, can also be very distracting. In a large room, handouts can take a few minutes to be passed around, causing the speaker to lose momentum. Meanwhile, the audience might be distracted by the handout, reading it instead of listening to the presentation.
Q14 of 50
What are the likely implications of changing the citation styles used in a document?
A. No implications as there is a standard format for all citation systems
B. Only the in-text citation needs checking as a common format is used for all reference lists
C. Only the reference list needs checking as a common format is used for all in-text citations
D. Both the in-text citation and the reference list need checking
D
When you change the citation styles in a document, both the in-text citation and the reference list need checking.
Q15 of 50
Which of the following statements about formulating research questions is true?
- As you move forward with research, you will probably need to refine or sharpen your original research question and hypothesis.
- When drafting a research question, try to devise a question that is as specific as possible.
A. Only 1 is true
B. Only 2 is true
C. Both 1 and 2 is true
D. Neither 1 or 2 is true
C
About formulating research questions: As you move forward with research, you will probably need to refine or sharpen your original research question and hypothesis. Also, when drafting a research question, try to devise a question that is as specific as possible.
As you move forward with your research, you will probably need to refine or modify your original research question and hypothesis. For now, though, ask the question that you would most like to answer. Then, to form your hypothesis, answer this question to the best of your knowledge. Your hypothesis should be your best guess at this time about the answer to your research question. Like most researchers, you will likely need to refine and revise your hypothesis as your research moves forward.
Q16 of 50
Which is an example of a usability performance test?
A. Timing support staff to see how quickly they can find information in a set of instructions
B. Asking team leaders to explain a set of instructions to their subordinates
C. Tracking staff members as they follow instructions for a new process on a test system
D. Asking operations staff to repeat the main points in a document
C
An example of a usability performance test: tracking staff members as they follow instructions for a new process on a test system.
Usability testing means trying out your document on real readers. This kind of authentic testing can be informal or formal, depending on the importance of your document and the time you have to test it.
Most usability testing is designed to answer four questions:
Can they find it?—Read-and-locate tests are used to determine whether users can locate important parts of the document and how quickly they can do so. Often, the users are videotaped and timed while they are using the document.
Can they understand it?—Understandability tests are used to determine if the users retain important concepts and remember key terms. Users are often asked to summarize parts of the document or to define concepts.
Can they do it?—Performance tests are used to determine whether users can perform the actions the document describes. These tests are often used with instructions and procedures. To do a performance test, have the users perform the procedure that the document describes. Or, ask them to react to your recommendations. Here again, videotaping the users is a good way to keep a record of what happened. Did they seem to find the document easy to use? Where did they stumble or show frustration? When did they react positively or negatively to the tasks or ideas described in the document?
Is it safe?—Safety tests are used to study whether the activities described in the document, especially in instructions or user’s manuals, are safe. These tests carefully watch for possible safety problems by having sample readers use the product documentation.
Q17 of 50
Which is an opening move typically made in the introduction to a document?
A. Make an obvious transition
B. Look to the future
C. Provide background information
D. Appraise the evidence
C
An opening move typically made in the introduction to a document: provide background information.
Six Opening Moves in an Introduction:
1. Define Your Subject
2. State Your Purpose
3. State Your Main Point
4. Stress the Importance of the Subject
5. Provide Background Information
6. Forecast the Content
Q18 of 50
Which of the following are types of readers of technical documents?
- Primary
- Secondary
- Auxiliary
- Gatekeepers
A. 1, 2, 3
B. 1, 2, 4
C. 1, 3, 4
D. 2, 3, 4
B
The types of readers of technical documents are Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Gatekeepers.
Primary Readers (Action Takers)
Secondary Readers (Advisors)
Tertiary Readers (Evaluators)
Gatekeepers (Supervisors)
Primary Readers (Action Takers) - people who need to make a decision or do something
Secondary Readers (Advisors) - people who might advise the primary readers. Usually, they are experts in the field… can greatly influence the decision that will be made.
Tertiary Readers (Evaluators) - others who may have an interest in your document’s information. These readers may be local news reporters, lawyers, auditors, historians, politicians, community activists, environmentalists, or perhaps your company’s competitors. You can think of these readers as evaluators because they will be making judgments about your project, usually from an outsiders’ perspective.
Gatekeepers (Supervisors) - people who will need to look over your work before it is sent to the primary readers. Your most common gatekeeper is your immediate supervisor. In some cases, though, your company’s lawyers, accountants, marketing specialists, and others may need to sign off on the document before it is sent out.
Q19 of 50
What social media content is commonly used in technical workplaces for keeping documentation up to date and for customer service?
A. Wikis
B. Blogs
C. Microblogs
D. Videos and podcasts
A
Wikis are commonly used in technical workplaces for keeping documentation up to date and for customer service.
Blogs are usually more secure than social networking sites, so supervisors and co-workers often use them for making announcements, soliciting new ideas, updating colleagues on projects, and gathering feedback about new ideas and proposed changes in policies.
Microblogs, like Twitter, are similar to regular blogs, except they limit posts to a specific number of characters, like 140 characters. In technical workplaces, microblogs are especially useful because they allow colleagues, clients, and customers to “follow” you, your team, or your company, receiving updates when things happen. You can also follow others. Managers are increasingly using microblogs to send out workplace announcements, to set up meetings, or to alter schedules.
Both blogs and microblogs can be used for collaborating with your team on a project.
Video sharing sites like YouTube and podcasting sites like Podcast Alley are widely used by corporations to communicate with clients, customers, and the press. They are especially popular with tech start-ups because they offer a good way to build awareness about a new company and its products in an inexpensive way.
Q20 of 50
Which approach is NOT applying the visual design principle of grouping?
A. Use borders to break the page into more manageable sections
B. Offset the elements on a page to create a stable feeling in the text
C. Use horizontal straight lines (rules) to signal places to pause in the document
D. Use the whitespace appropriately to frame items on the page
B
Offsetting the elements on a page to create a stable feeling in the text is NOT an example of applying the visual design principle of grouping.
The principle of grouping means that items on a page that are near each other will be seen as one unit. Grouping allows you to break up the information on a page by dividing the text into scannable blocks.
Grouping is also referred to as “using white space” to frame items on the page. White spaces are places where no text or images appear on the page and include:
- the margins of the document.
- the space around a list.
- the area between an image and the body text.
- the space between two paragraphs.
One way to group information is to use headings.
In document design, borders and straight lines, called rules, can be used to carve a page into smaller groups of information. They can also help break the text into more manageable sections for the readers.
