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What are the Characteristics of a technical document? -Addresses particular readers -helps readers solve problems -reflects the organization's goals and culture -produced collaboratively -uses design to increase readability -consists of words or images or both
What are your roles as a communicator? -the writer of the document -a member of a project team -an information resource for people inside and outside the workplace
How can you use design to increase readability? -make the document look attractive and professional -to help readers navigate the document -to help readers understand the document
What are the three reasons to be honest?1. it is the right thing to do2. if you are dishonest, readers can get hurt3. if you are dishonest, you and your organization can face serious legal charges
Why must technical communication be clear? can be dangerous and expensive
creating, designing, and transmitting specialized knowledge so that people can understand it and use it safely, effectively, and efficiently technical communication
What is the role of technical communication? problem solving and documentation
How much time do technical professionals devote of their time to writing? one fifth
What are the first professional documents? resume and letter
Why is tech writing collaborative? no one person has all the information, skills or time to create the lengthy documents often needed
What are the 4 characteristics of ethics? Rights justice utility care
A standard that concerns individuals' basic needs and welfare rights
Give an example of how culture affects rights welfare- considered a right in some country and not in others
A standard that concerns how the costs and benefits of an action or policy are distributed among a group justice
A standard that concerns the positive and negative effects that an action or policy has, will have, or might have on others utility
A standard that concerns the relationships we have with other individuals care
What are your obligations to your employer?1. competence and diligence2. generosity3. honesty and candor4. confidentiality5. loyalty
True or false: The answer to ethical dilemmas in the workplace is always clear-cut for the professional. false
According to Markel's interpretation of Velasquez's four moral standards, what are the three ways your lobbying for a less qualified friend getting a job with your company violate workplace ethics? rights utilities justice
true or false: Copyright is primarily an ethical issue. false
true or false: Liability is an important concern for technical communication because courts frequently rule that a product's written instructions and warnings must be adequate to protect the consumer. true
Why is liability an important concern for technical communication? courts frequently rule that a product's written instructions and warnings must be adequate to protect the consumer
According to T. Donaldson's 'moral minimum,' must an organization or company actively seek to oppose target cultural norms such as discrimination? no, but it is admirable to do so
Your Brother HL-210W printer will produce 27 pages per minute (as found in the owner's manual) is a statement to express what? the warranty
Which are the first and last principle of ethical communication given by Markel? abide by laws and acknowledge assistance from others
Which statement best summarizes how to create a culture that encourages ethical and legal behavior of its employees? From the top on down, all members of the orgaization behave ethically and within the law, supporting and rewarding those that also behave appropriately and use informal communication to reinforce the policies expressed in the company's code of conduct.
Why is it we can use a few lines from a journal article (with quote marks and proper citation, of course) in our research papers without getting formal permission from the writer? This use falls under the guidelines of fair use.
Why do more than half of the employees surveyed fail to report ethical misconduct they see in the workplace? They fear retaliation. They assume reporting misconduct will do no good.
refers to your skills competence
hard work diligence
The obligation to help your co-workers and stakeholders outside your organization by sharing your knowledge and expertise generosity
What are three things that violate honest and candor obligations to the employer? embezzlement stealing 'borrowing' office supplies padding expense accounts
Reporting problems to your employer that might threaten the quality or safety of the organization's product or service the obligation of candor
the smoothing of irregularities to make research data look extremely accurate and precise trimming
retaining only those results that fit the theory and discarding others cooking
inventing some or all of the data and even reporting experiments that were never performed forging
What are the three issues of honesty reported by sigma xi? trimming forging cooking
no divulging company business outside of the company confidentiality
an employee who knows about a development that will increase the value of the company's stock, buys the stock before the information is made public, thus reaping an unfair and illegal profit insider information
acting in the employer's interest and not your own loyalty
performing an outside job, such as private consulting moolighting
moonlighting is a violation of which ethical obligation to the employer? loyalty
True or false: you owe your employer absolute loyalty false
What is an ethical dilemma that could occur in a proposal? asked to lie about your organization's past accomplishments
What is an ethical dilemma that could occur in a progress report? you might be asked to describe a project as proceeding smoothly when it isn't
What is an ethical dilemma that could occur in a completion report? you might be asked to leave out data inconsistent with other findings
What is an ethical dilemma that could occur in a web site? you might be asked to copy source code, then make minor changes
What is an ethical dilemma that could occur in graphics? you might be asked to hide undesirable features or leave out or make up data for a graph
When do ethical dilemmas occur? when the interests of your employers conflict with the interests of other people invovled
true or false: we are legally and ethically responsible for what we write true
Should we depend on legal guidelines solely? no
What are our four legal obligations? copyright law trademark law contract law liability law
Protects the author of published or unpublished work copyright law
what does the copyright law include? printed material software photographs
What does the copyright law do? allows the individual or group to profit from sale and distribution in exchange for making work accessible
When can we use materials w/o getting explicit permission? -criticism -commentary -news reporting -teaching -scholarship -research (without profit)
What are the 4 factors for determing 'fair use' in copyright?1. purpose and character of use (non profit)2. nature and purpose of copyrighted materials3. amount and substantiality of the portion of the work used (400 words)4. effect of the use on the potential market for copyrighted work
Fair use does not apply to __________ graphics
What are the copyright stipulations? attribution non commercial (non profit) no derivative work: as is
What are the treatments of fair use? internal documents a bit looser external documents must follow use stringently
What is the advice for coping with copyright?1. abide by fair use concept2. seek permission3. cite sources accurately4. discuss authorship questions openly5. seek legal counsel
word, phrase, name or symbol that is identified with a company trademark
word, phrase, name or symbol that the company has registered with the US Patent Office and Trademark office registered trademark
How do you protect your client's, employer's, or own trademark?1. distinguish trademark from other material2. use trademarked item as an adjective, not as a noun or verb3. do no use plural or possessive form4. use trademark symbol
what is the statement used to indicate a trademark? '___________ is the registered trademark of ____________'
anything written or revised by an employee on the job is the company's property, not the employee's work made for hire
an agreement between two parties contract law
What do most disputes in a contract law concern? whether a product lives up to manufacture's claim
What are the claims in a contract law? express warranty implied waranty
explicit statement in product documentation or oral communication that the product had a particular feature or can perform a particular function express warranty
a warranty that is not written or spoken explicitly bus is inferred (reasonably) by the purchaser. include inferences from graphics and all forms of communication implied warranty
statement that the company hopes will limit the company's liability disclaimer
a manufacturer or seller of a product is liable for injuries or damages caused by the use of that product product liability law
What are the ten guidelines to abiding by liability law?1. understand product and likely users2. accurately describe products functions and limitations3. instruct users on all aspects of ownership4. use appropriate words and graphics5. warn users about risks of using or misusing product6. include warnings along with safety assertions7. make directions and warnings conspicuous8. make sure instructions comply with organization's standards and local, state, and federal laws9. perform usability testing on product and instructions10. make sure user gets information
What are the 3 characteristics effective codes share?1. protect the interests of the public rather than the interests of the members2. specific and comprehensive3. enforceable
the practice of going public with information about serious unethical or criminal conduct within an organization whistleblowing
What are the conditions that justify whistleblowing? -strong evidence of harm done by organization -employee has made serious, but unsuccessful attempt to prevent wrongdoing through internal channels -wrongdoing is serious enough to warrant consequences to all parties
When are you obligated to whistleblowing? -your position or professional responsibility calls you to prevent the wrong -wrongdoing is sufficiently serious enough for society, group or individual, including health, safety, and economic welfare
What are the recommendations before whistleblowing?1. check facts2. advance benefit to organization and stay calm3. document everything4. go through channels5. get legal advice from workplace lawyer6. do the right thing
What are the principles for ethical communication?1. abide by relevant laws2. abide by appropriate corporate and professional code of conduct3. tell the truth4. don't mislead audience5. be clear6. avoid discriminatory language7. acknowledge assistance from others8. think now about what you would do if...
Markel recommends you think about your audience in which step of the writing process? planning
What are the six journalistic questions? who what when where why how
writing without plan or restrictions and not stopping until you know what you understand and what you need to find out freewriting
with the main idea in the middle of the page, second and third level ideas connect to it and each other in any direction clustering
the main idea or question is put at the top of the page, then second and third level ideas are place below it to help expand a topic branching
discussing the topic with someone to have a conversation that will help you make new connections with the subject talking with someone
spending 10-15 minutes writing down short phrases and questions brainstorming
true or false: You can use or adapt organizational patterns to structure your documents. true
rough copy created from outline, template, or styles drafting
critically important to all writing and may take up to a third of the total time spent on writing something planning
method of checking the writing to improve its grammar, punctuation, style, usage, diction, and mechanics editing
process of looking over a draft to reconsider audience, purpose, and subject revising
checking to be sure what you have typed is what you meant to type proofreading
true or false: Proofreading is vital to producing a clear, well-written document. true
Markel recommends you turn to two kinds for help with technical documents. What are the categorizations? SMEs and actual users
true or false: Stating the purpose of a document (writing) should be done in the editing stage of the writing process. false
What are the common problems with using templates in the drafting stage? 1) They can't answer important questions and may mislead you. 2) They don't always reflect the best design principles. 3) Readers get tired of seeing the same designs.
According to Markel, one should devise a schedule and budget during which of the writing process stages? planning
What are the three techniques for analyzing your audience? Who is your reader? What are your reader's attitudes and expectations? How and why will your reader use the document?
What are the factors to consider when identifying who the reader is? education job experiences responsibilities reading skill in English cultural characteristics personal preferences
What are the factors to consider when analyzing your purpose in writing? what do you want the readers to know or do what beliefs or attitudes do you want them to hold
What are the 3 things to consider when revising?1. audience2. purpose3. subject
What is considered effective writing in the workplace? giving readers info they need to make a decision or solve a problem
People farther removed from the writer who might take an interest in the subject. tertiary audience
The beliefs, attitudes, and values that motivate people's behavior. culture
What is the role of the primary reader? action taker
what is the role of the secondary reader? advisors
what is the role of the tertiary reader? evaluators
what is the role of the gatekeepers? supervisors
What are the most important characteristics when determining the reader? education professional experiences job responsibility personal characteristics personal preferences cultural characteristics
True or false: The need to analyze the audience and purpose of communication is unique to technical communication. false
What is to be taken into consideration when considering the reader's education? their degree and when they earned it
What is to be taken into consideration when considering the reader's professional experience? content and style influenced by experience in the field
When considering the reader, what characteristic helps the writer determine how the text can help in considerations in age, impaired vision or physical limitations, or other individual attributes? personal characteristics
When considering the reader, what characteristic helps the writer know how much supporting material is needed, vocabulary, sentence structure and length, what kind of graphics to include and whether to provide other formal elements? education
The reader's age might suggest how he or she will read and interpret your document personal preferences
How does Markel recommend you begin learning about how to communicate with people from other cultures? Read basic guides to communicating with people from other cultures
People close to the writer who use the document in carrying out their jobs. primary audience
When communicating with people from another culture, what is the first surface cultural variable you will need to consider? languages
true or false: Cultural variables beneath the surface vary greatly even within the dominant culture. true
What are the ways Markel recommends we learn about our audience? 1) Listing what is already known and needs to be discovered. 2) Searching for Information on the Internet 3) Reading documents the audience has written 4) Interviewing people.
People more distant from the writer who need to stay aware of developments. secondary audience
What are things to consider when looking at how your reader will use your document? How they will read it the reading skill the physical environment they will be reading in
What research is used to find information that will help answer a scholarly question? academic
What research is used to find information to help you answer a practical question, usually one that involves the organizations for which you work? workplace reasearch
What is an example of a surface level source? popular media
True or false: surface level sources should be avoided true
What three questions should you answer when choosing someone to interview for research information? 1) Who could best provide this information? 2) What questions do you want to answer? 3) Is this person willing to be interviewed?
Who is the world's largest publisher in any field? US government
When you can't find the research you need or when the information you find doesn't help you say what you want to say in a research project, it can be very frustrating. Explain how the ethical communicator handles this problem. Be upfront about it in their writing
Why is it most difficult to evaluate information from the Internet? Because it often appears without passing through the formal review procedure.
What does it mean that information should be appropriately technical? It means that the level of detail is in response to the needs of its readers.
Name types of primary reasearch 1) Inspections 2) Observations and Demonstrations 3) Interviews 4) Questionnaires
collecting information that other people have already created or discovered. secondary research
true or false: Primary research, according to Markel, involves going to the original source of published research such as a seminal source. false
Which kind of research is usually done first in the workplace? secondary reasearch
Trade and business are ___________ research intermediate level
What are intermediate level sources? trade magazines newsletters short technical publications white papers web pages
What reader is intermediate level research for? range form moderately informed to highly specialized
Sources that focuse more on practice than on theory and items newsworthy to group, issues affecting the field, and public realtions intermediate level sources
What are deeper level sources? specialized literature
What are examples of deeper level sources? peer-review journals from professional organizations books by experts for experts white papers government sources
What should the writer evaluate all sources for? accuracy, credibility, timeliness and biases
What must a writer look at when evaluating web sources? domain purpose style posting/updating dates
What are the steps to understanding the research process?1. analyze the audience2. analyze your purpose3. analyze your subject4. visualize the deliverable5. work out a schedule and a budget for the project6. determine what info will need to be part of that deliverable7. determine what information you still need to acquire8. create questions you need to answer in your deliverable9. conduct secondary research10. conduct primary research11. evaluate info12. do more research
'Positive construction' refers to what in technical writing? the writer is describing what something is
What is the chief advantage of a coherent list for the reader? It makes the information easier to read and remember.
true or false: Markel recommends you study the outline view of a document as a means for checking its coherence. true
Collectively, headings achieve what in a document? They create a heirarchy of information.
true or false: Using euphemisms in technical writing is important so that we not offend anyone.
Of what is a typical technical paragraph composed? 1) A beginning topic sentence. 2) Supporting information
What does a title implicitly promise a reader? 1) This document was written to achieve this purpose. 2) This document is about the subject
When should writers check for coherence in their documents? 1) After completing a draft 2) During draft 3) Before the document reaches the reader.
In the event that if
due to the fact of because
at the conclusion of after, following
of the opinion that think that
until such time as until
at this point in time now
Why is a document title crucial? first chance to define your subject and purpose for your readers
lower level titles for the sections and subsection in a document heading
What do headings do? create a heiracrchy of information
What should one do when revising headings? avoid long noun strings be informative use a grammatical form appropriate to audience avoid back to back headings
true or false: An internal proposal is simpler than an external proposal because the writer has more access to the readers and can get more information more easily. true
Into what categories are the deliverables of a proposal usually classified? research goods and services
IFB information for bid
RFP request for proposal
what the supplier provides at the end of the project deliverable
true or false: Writing a proposal calls for the same process as any other kind of document writing. true
To understand the logistics, proposals can be classified as? external and internal
true or false: External proposals may be classified as either solicited or illicit. false
In an internal proposal, it's usually appropriate to make a request that involves a large amount of money in what format? a report
To what other applications does a research proposal often lead? 1) completion report 2) progress report
an argument, submitted to writer's own organization, for carrying out an activity that will benefit the organization internal proposal
When an organization wants to purchase a product or service? solicited proposals
what are the two types of solicited proposals? IFB and RFP
a proposal used for standard products information for a bid
What is an example of an IFB? a state agency needs desktop computers
used for more-customized products or services RFP
What is an example of an RFP? the air force needs and identification of friend from foe
what two other applications do research proposals lead to? progress reports and completion reports
an offer to supply a tangible product, a service, or some combination of the two goods and services proposal
What is the standard pattern of a sentence definition? term class distinguishing characteristic
true or false: The placement of a definition is mostly determined by the reader's need and convenience. true
The Oxford English Dictionary is especially useful in what way? It defines over half a million words used throughout the world.
What are common techniques for extending a definition? 1) Negation 2) Partition 3) Analogy 4) Examples
Why type of definition is most comprehensive? extended definition
true or false: Circular defintions are a good way to confuse the audience. true
true or false: Specialists don't ever have to define vocabulary used by other specialists in a technical field. false
What are the common subjects of technical description?1. processes2. mechanisms3. objects
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