Tech2

Question 1

What are the four stages of the writing process?

Answer 1

Gathering information
Planning the document
Drafting the document
Revising the document

Question 2

What are five questions to ask when working with ideas and information?

Answer 2

Have I defined the issue accurately?
Is the information I’ve gathered complete, accurate, reliable, and unbiased?
Can it be verified?
How much of it is useful?
Is a balance of viewpoints represented?

Question 3

What are five questions to ask when planning a document?

Answer 3

What do I want it to accomplish?
Who is my audience, and why will they use this document?
What do they need to know?
What are the “political realities” (feelings, egos, cultural differences, and so on)?
How will I organize?

Question 4

What are five questions to ask when drafting a document?

Answer 4

How do I begin, and what comes next?
How much is enough?
What can I leave out?
Am I forgetting anything?
How will I end ?

Question 5

What are five questions to ask when evaluating and revising a document?

Answer 5

Does this draft do what I want it to do?
Is the content useful?
Is the organization sensible?
Is the style readable?
Is everything easy to find?

Question 6

Why is proofreading important as a final step?

Answer 6

Ensures Accuracy and Polished Presentation: Proofreading identifies and corrects errors in grammar, spelling, and formatting, ensuring a professional and error-free final document.

Question 7

What are six types of errors to look for when proofreading?

Answer 7

Sentence errors
Punctuation errors
Usage errors
Mechanical errors
Format errors
Typographical errors

Question 8

When should you proofread?

Answer 8

After completing the final draft and before sharing or publishing the document.

Question 9

How many times should you proofread?

Answer 9

It’s advisable to proofread multiple times, ideally with breaks between sessions, to ensure a thorough review.

Question 10

What are three digital technologies that enhance the writing process?

Answer 10

Collaboration Tools (e.g., Google Docs)
Outline and Brainstorming Software (e.g., MindMeister)
Presentation Software (e.g., PowerPoint, Microsoft Word)

Question 11

What are the four procedural stages of the research process?

Answer 11

The four procedural stages of the research process are:
Formulating a research question or hypothesis
Conducting a literature review
Collecting and analyzing data
Drawing conclusions and communicating results

Question 12

What are the five critical thinking stages in the research process?

Answer 12

The five critical thinking stages in the research process are:
Identifying the problem
Formulating the research question
Collecting relevant information
Analyzing and interpreting data
Drawing conclusions and making recommendations

Question 13

What are the three levels of depth in the research process?

Answer 13

The three levels of depth in the research process are:
Surface level (popular media)
Moderate level (trade, business, and technical publications)
Deepest level (specialized literature for professionals)

Question 14

What is the difference between evaluating findings and interpreting findings?

Answer 14

Evaluating findings involves assessing the credibility, reliability, and usefulness of the information, while interpreting findings involves analyzing the data to derive meaningful insights and draw conclusions.

Question 15

What are primary and secondary research?

Answer 15

Primary research involves obtaining information directly from original sources through methods like interviews, surveys, or observations. Secondary research involves using existing information gathered by others, such as books, articles, and databases.

Question 16

What are the two ways of locating online secondary sources?

Answer 16

Two ways of locating online secondary sources are through subject directories (compiled by editors) and search engines (scanning for key words).

Question 17

What cautions should you observe when using Google and Wikipedia?

Answer 17

Cautionary measures when using Google and Wikipedia include verifying information from multiple sources, checking for credibility and bias, and being aware of the dynamic nature of content.

Question 18

What are five other online secondary sources?

Answer 18

Other online secondary sources include general, commercial, and academic websites, government websites, online news outlets and magazines, blogs, and digital libraries.

Question 19

What tool should you use to locate traditional secondary sources at the library?

Answer 19

To locate traditional secondary sources at the library, use the library’s online public access catalog (OPAC) or other search tools.

Question 20

What are the four types of primary sources?

Answer 20

The four types of primary sources are documents and manuscripts, personal narratives and oral histories, artifacts and objects, and visual materials (photographs, paintings, etc.).

Question 21

Difference between Evaluation and Interpretation:

Answer 21

Evaluation: It involves assessing the reliability and credibility of sources and evidence. This includes considering factors such as currency, reputation, motives, and cross-checking against other sources.
Interpretation: It refers to the process of making an overall judgment about what the findings mean and what conclusions or actions they suggest. It involves considering the level of certainty, underlying assumptions, personal biases, and alternative interpretations.

Question 22

Four Ways to Evaluate a Source:

Answer 22

Determine the currency of the source.
Assess the reputation of the source.
Consider the possible motives of those who funded a study.
Cross-check the source against other, similar sources.

Question 23

Four Ways to Evaluate Evidence:

Answer 23

Determine the sufficiency of the evidence.
Differentiate hard evidence (facts, expert opinion, and statistics) from soft evidence (uninformed opinion and speculation).
Decide whether the presentation of evidence is balanced and reasonable.
Consider how the facts are being framed.

Question 24

Hard Evidence and Soft Evidence:

Answer 24

Hard evidence: Facts, expert opinion, and statistics.
Soft evidence: Uninformed opinion and speculation.

Question 25

Four Ways of Interpreting Findings:

Answer 25

Identify your level of certainty (conclusive, probable, inconclusive). Examine underlying assumptions. Be alert for personal bias. Consider other possible interpretations.

Question 26

Three Levels of Certainty:

Answer 26

Conclusive answer (irrefutable) Probable answer (likely) Inconclusive answer (uncertain)

Question 27

Faulty Generalization:

Answer 27

Generalizing on the basis of limited evidence.

Question 28

Faulty Causal Reasoning:

Answer 28

Confusing or distorting why one thing caused or will cause another thing to happen.

Question 29

Five Types of Faulty Statistical Reasoning:

Answer 29

Sanitized statistics. Meaningless statistics. Undefined averages. Distorted percentage figures. Bogus rankings.

Question 30

Three Ways Research Findings Can Be Limited:

Answer 30

Not all research is valid and reliable. Research studies can be flawed. Research can be deceptively reported.

Question 31

Critical thinking in the writing process:

Answer 31

Wether you are working alone or as part of a team you apply critical t. troughout the four stages in the technical writing process -Gather and evalute ideas and information -Plan the document -Draft the document -Revise the document

Question 32

Make proofreading your final step. Proofread for the following errors

Answer 32

-Sentence errors(fragments,comma splices or run-ons) -Punctuation errors(missing apostrophes or using too much commas) -Usage errors(its for it's,lay for lie,their for there) -Mechanical errors(misspelled words,inarticulate dates,inaccurate abbreviations) -Format errors(missing page numbers,inconsistent spacing,incorrect form of documenting sources) -Typographical errors-typos(repeated or missing words/letters,missing word endings such as s/ing/ed,missing quotation marks)

Question 33

There are three levels of information(do research at all three levels):

Answer 33

-At the surface levels are publications from the popular media, designed for general readers -At the moderate level are trade,business and technical publications, designed for moderately informed to specialized readers -At the deepest level is specialized literature, designed for practicing professionals

Question 34

Primary sources versus secondary sources(combine the both by starting with secondary research)

Answer 34

Primary research-means getting info directly from the source by conducting interviews and surveys and by observing people,events or process in action Secondary research-info obtained second hand by reading what other researchers have compiled in books and articles in print or online

Question 35

Exploring secondary sources. They include:

Answer 35

-Web sites -Online news outlets and magazines -Blogs and wikis -Books in the library -Journal,magazine and newspaper articles -Government publications -Other public records

Question 36

Online secondary sources.To find various sites you can use two basic tools:

Answer 36

-Subject directories -Search engines(Yahoo,Google) -Wikipedia,digital libraries,libraries and library web site

Question 37

Types of secondary sources:

Answer 37

-Web sites-commercial(.com),organizational(.org) and academic(.edu) -Government web sites-FDA(Food and Drug administration),CDC(Central for Disease Control) -Blogs,social media,online groups,news outlets,books,peer-reviewed journal articles,gray literature(useful printed info that may be unavailable at any library,unpublished or not topically cataloged material),reference works(indexes,bibliographies,encyclopedias,government documents,dictionaries,handbooks,almanacs,directories,abstracts)

Question 38

Exploring primary sources:

Answer 38

-Unsolicited inquiries(letters,phone calls or email inquiries to experts) -Informational interviews -Surveys(help you form impressions of the concerns,beliefs,preferences,attitude or perceptions of a large group-target population,by studying representatives of that group-a sample) -Observations or experiments(your final step)

Question 39

Evidence is any finding used to support or refute a particular claim

Answer 39

-Hard evidence is facts,expert opinion and statistics -Soft evidence is uninformed opinion and speculation

Question 40

See if the found info contains the following logical errors

Answer 40

-Faulty generalization(jumping to conclusions) -Faulty casual reasoning(why something happened or will happen) -Faulty statistical analysis(sanitized statistics,meaningless statistics,undefined averages,distorted percentage figures,bogus rankings -Confusion of coloration with causation,biased meta-analysis,fa-liable computer model,misleading terminology-determine the meaning of a collected set of numbers) -Correlation is a numerical measure of the strength of the relationship between to variables(smoking-lung cancer) -Causation is the demonstrable production of a specific effect(smoking causes lung cancer)

Question 41

Why is using visuals in technical communication important?

Answer 41

Visuals focus and organize information, making data easier to interpret and remember. They offer new perspectives on data, revealing meanings that might be hidden in raw information. Visuals help answer questions posed by readers during information processing.

Question 42

Identify a time when you should use visuals?

Answer 42

Use visuals whenever they can make your point more clearly than text or enhance your text. Use visuals to clarify and support your discussion, not just for decoration. Use visuals to direct the audience's focus or aid in memory retention.

Question 43

What are the four categories of visuals, and what does each do?

Answer 43

Tables: Display organized data for easy comparison. Graphs: Translate numbers into shapes, shades, and patterns, especially useful for comparisons, changes over time, patterns, or trends. Charts: Depict relationships via geometric elements, arrows, lines, etc. Graphic Illustrations: Rely on pictures rather than data or words.

Question 44

What three questions should you ask yourself when deciding which type of visual to use?

Answer 44

Purpose: What is the purpose of the visual? Show facts and figures, parts of a mechanism, give directions, show relationships? Audience: Who is the audience? Expert, general, global? Form of information: Is the message best conveyed by numbers, words, shapes, pictures, or symbols?

Question 45

What are the two types of tables, and what kind of information does each type present?

Answer 45

Numerical tables: Present quantitative information that can be measured. Prose tables: Present qualitative information, such as prose descriptions, explanations, or instructions.

Question 46

What are the two most common types of bar graphs, and what is the function of each type?

Answer 46

Simple bar graph: Displays one trend or theme. Multiple-bar graph: Displays two or three relationships simultaneously.

Question 47

What are the two most common types of line graphs, and what is the function of each type?

Answer 47

Simple line graph: Plots time intervals or categories on the horizontal scale and values on the vertical scale. Multiline graph: Displays several relationships simultaneously.

Question 48

What are the two types of pie charts, and what is the function of each type?

Answer 48

Simple pie chart: Shows the relationship of parts to the whole. Exploded pie chart: Highlights various slices of the pie.

Question 49

What are the three most common types of diagrams, and what do they show?

Answer 49

Exploded diagram: Shows how the parts of an item are assembled. Cutaway diagram: Reveals interior sections by removing exterior layers. Block diagram: Represents the relationship between parts of an item, principle, system, or process.

Question 50

In what ways does color enhance any technical document?

Answer 50

Organize information using color backgrounds and rules. Orient readers with color headings, tabs, boxes, sidebars, callouts, and leader lines. Emphasize information with color keywords, cross-references, and web links.