Attributes of technical or engineering communication include all of the following EXCEPT:

Choose one answer.

	A. Ambiguity.
	B. Functionality.
	C. Precision.
	D. Clarity.
	E. Objectivity.

Question 2

Attributes of technical or engineering communication include all of the following EXCEPT:

Choose one answer.

	A. Ambiguity.
	B. Objectivity.
	C. Factuality.
	D. Seriousness.
	E. Precision.

Question 3

An understanding of the intended audience for a piece of engineering communication should influence which of the following attributes the least?

Choose one answer.

	A. Purpose
	B. Tone
	C. Content
	D. Word choice
	E. Messsage

Question 4

Factors to consider when assessing the audience should include all of the following EXCEPT:

Choose one answer.

	A. Ethnicity.
	B. Education.
	C. Interests.
	D. Income.
	E. Mathematical ability.

Question 5

Sub-genres or forms of engineering communication include which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. The report
	B. The memorandum
	C. The summary
	D. The manual
	E. All of the above
	F. a, c, and d

Question 6

Learning effective technical communication is important for which of the following reasons?

Choose one answer.

	A. To allow one to persue a variety of job functions
	B. To work in areas other than technical engineering
	C. To work in managerial roles
	D. To work in sales roles
	E. All of the above
	F. A and C only

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT an appropriate purpose for technical or engineering communication?

Choose one answer.

	A. To surprise
	B. To inform
	C. To instruct
	D. To persuade
	E. To describe

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT an intended purpose for technical or engineering communication?

Choose one answer.

	A. To punish
	B. To educate
	C. To inform
	D. To instruct
	E. To describe

Question 9

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The pump ran smoothly for six months.
	B. The pump ran smooth for six months.

Question 10

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The technical report advises several changes in maintenance procedures.
	B. The technical report advices several changes in maintenance procedures.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The effect of temperature on conductivity is dramatic.
	B. The affect of temperature on conductivity is dramatic.

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of incorrect subject-verb agreement?

Choose one answer.

	A. Temperature, pressure, and density are related.
	B. Temperature relate density to pressure.
	C. Of temperature, pressure, and density, which do you know?
	D. What is the absolute temperature?
	E. Did you measure the flow rate?

Question 13

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The committee on thermodynamics meet monthly.
	B. The committee on thermodynamics meets monthly.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. Although, the compressor failed it can be repaired.
	B. Although the compressor failed, it can be repaired.

Question 15

Although many specific citation formats exist, what is the overall purpose of the information provided in a citation?

Choose one answer.

	A. To provide the reader enough information to find the source document
	B. To give the author of the source document appropriate credit
	C. To identify the title of the source document
	D. To provide the page length of the source document
	E. To specify the country in which the source document was published
	F. A and B only
	G. C and D only

Question 16

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The apparatus consisted of three parts: a thermocouple, a millivolt potentiometer, and a heating element.
	B. The apparatus consisted of: a thermocouple, a millivolt potentiometer, and a heating element.
	C. The apparatus consisted of three parts; a thermocouple, a millivolt potentiometer, and a heating element.
	D. The apparatus consisted of, three parts a thermocouple, a millivolt potentiometer, and a heating element.

Question 17

Which of the following sentences is grammatically incorrect because of a comma splice?

Choose one answer.

	A. As temperature rises, the material expands and gains flexibility.
	B. The temperature rises, the material flexes and expands.
	C. Flexibility and density are functions of temperature.
	D. Temperature may influence density, compostion, and color.
	E. The temperature rose; the material failed.

Question 18

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. Collecting data all night, the experiment was a success.
	B. Collecting data all night, we completed the experiment.
	C. Collecting data all night, the pump never failed.
	D. Collecting data all night, the lab was completed.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. Temperature effects conductivity.
	B. Temperature affects conductivity.

Question 20

The doctrine of fair use permits which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. The limited reproduction of others' works for certain uses and with appropriate credit
	B. The unlimited reproduction of others' works for certain uses and with appropriate credit
	C. The limited reproduction of others' works for all uses
	D. The unlimited reproduction of others' works
	E. All of the above

Question 21

Which of the following is a sentence fragment?

Choose one answer.

	A. The beam, being deflected, 5 cm more than expected.
	B. The test mass that we purchased last year is missing.
	C. The strain gauge produced remarkable results.
	D. Although old, it still functions very well.
	E. The meter, running continuously for over 25 year, is a reliable piece of equipment.

Question 22

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The noise implied bearing failure.
	B. The noise inferred bearing failure.

Question 23

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. As the materail warmed, it's density changed..
	B. As the material warmed, its density changed.

Question 24

Which of the following best defines jargon?

Choose one answer.

	A. Any words not understood by most people
	B. Shorthand used in a specialized field
	C. Confusing language
	D. The use of abbreviations
	E. Technical language

Question 25

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. Pressure and temperature are both state variables.
	B. Pressure and temperature are nothing but state variables.

Question 26

Which of the following statements provides a preferable representation of a number?

Choose one answer.

	a. The test mass weighed 1024.28 grams.
	b. The test mass weighed one thousand 24.28 grams.
	c. The test mass weighed one thousand twenty-four and 28/100 grams.
	d. The test mass weighed one thousand twenty-four and twenty-eight one hundreths grams.

Question 27

When should one begin a new paragraph?

Choose one answer.

	A. When introducing a new topic
	B. When the previous paragraph gets too long
	C. When beginning a new page
	D. When changing tone
	E. When quoting material

Question 28

Fill in the blank. The first sentence in a paragraph is usually called the _____________ sentence.

Choose one answer.

	A. Topic
	B. Concluding
	C. Primary
	D. Supervisory
	E. Overall

Question 29

Fill in the blank. Two common ways to organize a paragraph are often referred to as __________________.

Choose one answer.

	A. Coordination and subordination
	B. Coordination and indoctrination
	C. Listing and outlining
	D. Expounding and clarification
	E. Discussion and listing

Question 30

It is often better to paraphrase rather than quote the work of another in which situation?

Choose one answer.

	A. When a direct quote would exceed three or four sentences
	B. When the language of the quote is arcane
	C. When one wishes to avoid citing the original work
	D. When the original quote is in another language
	E. All of the above
	F. A, B, and D only
	G. b and d

Question 31

Which of the following statements uses the passive voice?

Choose one answer.

	A. Both temperature and pressure were measured.
	B. The production rate was high.
	C. The temperature rose rapidly.
	D. The storm caused a power failure.
	E. All operations succeeded.

Question 32

Which of the following statements uses the passive voice?

Choose one answer.

	A. Pressure detemines power output.
	B. Power output rose over the year.
	C. Production decreased sharply last month.
	D. The beam was deflected by radiation prressure.
	E. All operations stopped.

Question 33

Which of the following statements uses the passive voice?

Choose one answer.

	A. The beam was weighed.
	B. We made progress.
	C. The beam weighed 110 kg.
	D. The rocket launched at 5:10 AM.
	E. The results agreed with prediction.

Question 34

Which of the following statements uses the passive voice?

Choose one answer.

	A. The rocket was launched at 5:10 AM.
	B. The part failed at 5:12 AM.
	C. MSE replaced the part at 6:25 AM.
	D. The part functioned well until 9:18 AM.
	E. The part weighed 0.12 kg.

Question 35

When should source materials be cited?

Choose one answer.

	A. When others' ideas are paraphrased
	B. Only when others' complete sentences are used verbatim
	C. When others' sentences or phrases are used verbatim
	D. Only when others' paragaphs or pages of text are used verbatim
	E. Both A and C

Question 36

The penalties for plagiarism may involve which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Loss of a job
	B. A civil lawsuit
	C. Loss of academic credit
	D. Loss of money
	E. All of the above

Question 37

Which of the following is an example of a run-on sentence?

Choose one answer.

	A. The temperature rose the material changed.
	B. Temperature and density are related.
	C. Pressure and temperature determine density.
	D. Temperature, density, and compositon determine flexibility.
	E. Temperature and pressure.

Question 38

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The part was replaced at 5:10 AM; however, it failed again 2 hours later.
	B. The part was replaced at 5:10 AM, however, it failed again 2 hours later.
	C. The part was replaced at 5:10 AM, however it failed again 2 hours later.
	D. The part was replaced at 5:10 AM; however; it failed again 2 hours later.
	E. The part was replaced at 5:10 AM: however, it failed again 2 hours later.

Question 39

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. Diesel engines typically operate with higher compression ratios than spark-ignition engines.
	B. Diesel engines typically operate with higher compression ratios then spark-ignition engines.

Question 40

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The pulley that failed is located at the rear of the apparatus.
	B. The pulley, that failed, is located at the rear of the apparatus

Question 41

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. Although the compressors overheated, their operating speed did not change.
	B. Although the compressors overheated, they're operating speed did not change.
	C. Although the compressors overheated, there operating speed did not change.

Question 42

The tone of writing refers to which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. The length of the piece
	B. The overall attitude of the writer towards the reader and the subject material
	C. The use of quotations
	D. The way that the words sound when spoken

Question 43

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. The temperature probe was too large for the receptacle.
	B. The temperature probe was to large for the receptacle.
	C. The temperature probe was two large for the receptacle.

Question 44

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. All belts were replaced last month.
	B. All belts we're replaced last month.
	C. All belts where replaced last month.

Question 45

Which of the following statements is grammatically correct?

Choose one answer.

	A. Your thermocouple seems to be more sensitive than mine.
	B. Your thermocouple seems to be more sensitive then mine.
	C. You're thermocouple seems to be more sensitive than mine.
	D. You're thermocouple seems to be more sensitive then mine.

Question 46

True or False. An abstract is the same as a summary or conclusion.

Answer:

True False

Question 47

True or False. You should always write the introduction to a piece of work before attempting to write the body of the work.

Answer:

True False

Question 48

True or False. All paragraphs in a piece of writing should be approximately the same length.

Answer:

True False

Question 49

Which of the following describes brainstorming?

Choose one answer.

	A. Debating amongst group members about a particular topic
	B. Generating ideas by open group discussion
	C. Listing of ideas generated by free association
	D. Drafting of a project description
	E. A, B, and C only

Question 50

Collaboration in engineering communication may involve which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Collaborative pre-writing and discussion
	B. Collaborative editing
	C. Individual writing of specific sections
	D. Debate
	E. All of the above

Question 51

Collaborative authoring may involve which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Collaborative objective identification
	B. Task division
	C. Progress tracking
	D. Conflict management
	E. All of the above

Question 52

Which of the following best defines freewriting?

Choose one answer.

	A. A process by which documents are created with little cost
	B. The process of writing without topical constraints for a short time
	C. Structured writing on a specific topic
	D. Writing in competition with others for a short period
	E. Writing without the constraints of grammar or punctuation

Question 53

Which of the following best describes the process of proofreading?

Choose one answer.

	A. Checking a document for factual errors
	B. Editing a document for formatting, grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
	C. Editing a document for clarity of thought
	D. Checking for omitted or repeated words in a document.
	E. Only correcting spelling errors

Question 54

Which of the following best describes the process of revision?

Choose one answer.

	A. Editing a document for content and style
	B. Deleting inappropriate parts of a document
	C. Changing the document's title information
	D. Correcting spelling, grammar, and punctuation
	E. Altering the primary focus of a document

Question 55

True or False. Multiple authors and editors can work on the same document in real time over the internet.

Answer:

True False

Question 56

How does an executive summary differ from an abstract?

Choose one answer.

	A. An executive summary is usually longer than the abstract.
	B. An executive summary is geared more towards conclusions or results than the abstract.
	C. An executive summary is intended for a different audience than the abstract.
	D. An executive summary uses more formal language than the abstract.
	E. All of the above
	F. A, B, and C only

Question 57

The intended audience for an executive summary may include which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Owners and managers
	B. Executives only
	C. Executives, managers, and investors
	D. Managers and customers
	E. Supervisors, technicians, and coworkers

Question 58

Fill in the blank. The style of an executive summary should be _____________.

Choose one answer.

	A. Informal and casual
	B. Formal and concise
	C. Conversational
	D. Stilted

Question 59

Which of the following genres would be appropriate for informing your coworkers that the chilled water supply for the plant will be shut down next week?

Choose one answer.

	A. Memo
	B. Letter
	C. Report
	D. Proposal
	E. White paper

Question 60

Fill in the blank. Illustrations and graphics should typically be designed to be ___________ in size.

Choose one answer.

	A. Two-pages
	B. Multi-page
	C. 1/4 to 1/2 page
	D. 1/8 page

Question 61

Fill in the blank. In contrast with other types of technical writing, instruction manuals make more extensive use of _____________.

Choose one answer.

	A. Headings, bullets, lists, and indexes
	B. Theoretical descriptions
	C. Equations
	D. Summaries
	E. Detailed discussion of results

Question 62

The typical laboratory report usually contains which of the following sections?

Choose one answer.

	A. Introduction, Methods, and Results
	B. Abstract, introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Appendices
	C. Table of Contents, Introduction, Results, and Conclusions
	D. Abstract, Introduction, Discussion, and Conclusions
	E. Abstract, Introduction, Methods, and Conclusions

Question 63

How does the heading of a letter differ from the heading of a memo?

Choose one answer.

	A. The heading of a letter includes complete address and position information concerning the author(s) and recipient(s).
	B. The heading of a letter includes the complete address of the recipient.
	C. The heading of a letter includes the title and position of the author.
	D. The heading of a letter includes the date and time.
	E. The heading of a letter provides a return address.

Question 64

The body of a letter should usually consist of which sections?

Choose one answer.

	A. Introduction, main body, and conclusion
	B. Introduction, main body, conclusion, and supporting documents
	C. Salutation, introduction, main body, and summary
	D. Salutation, introduction, main body, conclusion, and supporting documents
	E. Statement of purpose and conclusion

Question 65

What is the primary difference between memos and letters?

Choose one answer.

	A. Memos are shorter than letters.
	B. Memos address recipients within an organization.
	C. Memos address only contemporary issues.
	D. Memos are only valid for a short period.
	E. Memos are more casual than letters.

Question 66

The heading of a memo should include what information?

Choose one answer.

	A. Date, recipient, author, and subject
	B. Date, recipient, and subject
	C. Date and subject
	D. Date, author, address, and subject
	E. Date, author, recipient, subject, and expected action

Question 67

The organization of a memo usually includes which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Heading and body
	B. Heading, salutation, and body
	C. Heading, introduction, body, and summary
	D. Date, address, introduction, and summary
	E. Heading, introduction, body, and conclusion

Question 68

What is the preferred method of delivering an oral presentation?

Choose one answer.

	A. To speak off-the-cuff
	B. To perform a memorized speach
	C. To read a prepared speach
	D. To read from a script
	E. To speak from prepared thoughts

Question 69

Fill in the blank. The most prominent part of a poster should be the ______________.

Choose one answer.

	A. Title
	B. Abstract
	C. Authors
	D. Results

Question 70

What is the typical purpose of a proposal?

Choose one answer.

	A. To request an item or urge an action
	B. To request funding
	C. To ask for permission
	D. To ask for a purchase
	E. To request sponsorship

Question 71

Fill in the blank. The style and tone of a proposal should be ______________.

Choose one answer.

	A. Formal and concise
	B. Tailored to the audience
	C. Informal and casual
	D. Technical

Question 72

A successful résumé typically contains what information?

Choose one answer.

	A. Contact information, experience and educational information, and ancillary information
	B. Name, date, address, postions applied for, education, and experience
	C. Name, date, address, nationality, family information, education, and experience
	D. Name, date, address, experience, and religious affiliation

Question 73

The assertion-evidence method of slide design involves which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. A headline followed by a bulleted list
	B. A hypothesis followed by conclusions
	C. A full sentence headline followed by graphical evidence
	D. An assertion headline followed by bulleted evidence

Question 74

Which of the following are common style guides used for research reports?

Choose one answer.

	A. APA, MLA, and Chicago
	B. Pittsburg, Chicago, and Detroit
	C. APA, MLA, and ONO
	D. CSE, ANSI, and Detroit

Question 75

Style guides provide standards for all of the following EXCEPT:

Choose one answer.

	A. Grammar, punctuation, and format.
	B. Citation style and report format.
	C. Subject areas and content.
	D. Title and heading format.

Question 76

What is the typical purpose of a white paper?

Choose one answer.

	A. To advocate for a particular position or solution
	B. To sell a product
	C. To propose new solutions
	D. To analyze existing knowledge
	E. To propose a new idea

Question 77

In contrast with other forms of technical writing, the white paper is commonly used for ________________.

Choose one answer.

	A. Promotion or advertising
	B. Theoretical analysis
	C. Summary of existing knowledge
	D. Reporting new results

Question 78

True or False. A progress report may be as brief as a memo.

Answer:

True False

Question 79

Which of the following should be true of the abstract of a laboratory report?

Choose one answer.

	A. It should be understandable only after reading the full report.
	B. It should refer to sections of the report for detail.
	C. It should be self-contained.
	D. It should use abbreviations where possible.

Question 80

The abstract of a laboratory report should do which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Make conjectures
	B. Review previous work
	C. Summarize the results and conclusions of the report
	D. Provide recommendations for future work

Question 81

Fill in the blank. The length of the abstract of a laboratory report should be ______________.

Choose one answer.

	A. One page
	B. Two pages
	C. One paragraph
	D. Three paragraphs

Question 82

Fill in the blank. The length of a laboratory report abstract should not exceed ______ words.

Choose one answer.

	A. 50
	B. 200
	C. 500
	D. 1000

Question 83

The appendix of a laboratory report should include what type of information?

Choose one answer.

	A. Information that is too detailed for inclusion in the body
	B. Information of interest only to the authors
	C. Information that is tangential to the main thrust of the work
	D. Information that requires complicated analysis
	E. All of the above
	F. A and C only

Question 84

What is the purpose of the conclusions section of a laboratory report?

Choose one answer.

	A. To examine results in light of the objectives
	B. To summarize the results
	C. To emphasize differences between results and expectations
	D. To discuss results in the context of the entire work
	E. All of the above
	F. C and D only

Question 85

What is the purpose of the introduction of a laboratory report?

Choose one answer.

	A. To review previous work
	B. To identify objectives, importance, and background
	C. To speculate upon possible results
	D. To review methods used
	E. To provide background about the authors

Question 86

The introduction of a laboratory report should do which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Introduce the authors
	B. State the objectives of the work
	C. Summarize the results and conclusions of the report
	D. Refer to appendices for additional detail
	E. Speculate on future work

Question 87

The introduction of a report should do which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Summarize the overall background of the objectives
	B. Summarize the methods and materials used
	C. Summarize the results and conclusions of the report
	D. Summarize the theoretical backround of the report

Question 88

Fill in the blank. The procedures section of a laboratory report may also be called the ______________ section.

Choose one answer.

	A. Methods
	B. Apparatus
	C. Recipe
	D. Equipment

Question 89

Fill in the blank. The procedures section of a laboratory report should be written as a(n) _______________.

Choose one answer.

	A. Narrative
	B. Argument
	C. Description
	D. Exposition
	E. Summation

Question 90

The procedures section of a laboratory report should do which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Provide as little detail as possible
	B. Provide sufficient detail for replication
	C. Not rely upon previous reports
	D. Extensively rely upon previous reports
	E. Report the date and time of each step

Question 91

The procedures section of a laboratory report should do which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Include no data
	B. Include no theory
	C. Justify new methods used
	D. Report results of new methods
	E. Describe no new equipment

Question 92

The procedures section of a laboratory report should highlight which of the following?

Choose one answer.

	A. Details which might differ from the expectations of the audience
	B. Commonalities with the expectations of the audience
	C. Model and serial numbers of equipment
	D. Manufacturers of equipment
	E. Dates and times of each step

Question 93

In which section of a laboratory report would it be appropriate to present two or three graphs summarizing the important findings of the laboratory?

Choose one answer.

	A. Introduction
	B. Procedures
	C. Results and Discussion
	D. Conclusions
	E. Abstract

Question 94

True or False. Laboratory reports should never include appendices.

Answer:

True False

Question 95

True or False. The appendix of a laboratory report should only contain graphs and tables.

Answer:

True False

Question 96

True or False. One should follow a checklist when proofreading.

Answer:

True False

Question 97

True or False. The results and discussion section of a laboratory report should always be presented as a single section.

Answer:

True False

Question 98

True or False. The results and discussion section of a laboratory report should never contain graphs.

Answer:

True False

Question 99

True and False. The results and discussion section of a laboratory report should report experimental errors.

Answer:

True False

Question 100

True or False. The results and discussion section of a laboratory report should not discuss implications of the results.

Answer:

True False