Engineering Communication
Midterm Exam
Course Introduction
Engineering Communication is designed to equip students with the essential skills needed to convey complex technical information effectively in both oral and written formats. The course covers topics such as technical report writing, presentation techniques, collaborative communication, and the use of visual aids in engineering contexts. Emphasis is placed on audience analysis, clarity, conciseness, and professionalism to ensure successful communication within multidisciplinary teams and for varied stakeholders. Students will also explore the ethical and cultural considerations inherent in engineering communication, preparing them to excel in both academic and professional engineering environments.
Recommended Textbook
Technical Communication 11th Edition by Mike Markel
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
21 Chapters
837 Verified Questions
837 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/3871
Page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction to Technical Communication
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77152
Sample
Questions
Q1) Chapter 1 cites three reasons for ensuring that technical communication is honest. The first is that being honest is the right thing to do. What is one other reason?
Answer: The other two reasons are that (1) if you are dishonest, readers can get hurt and (2) if you are dishonest, you and your organization could face serious legal charges.
Q2) Most technical documents are produced by professional technical communicators working alone.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) Chapter 1 defines technical communication as a process encompassing which of the following?
A) documents and activities
B) documentation and analysis
C) process and analysis
D) diagramming and activities
Answer: A
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77141
Sample Questions
Q1) Your company, Acme Co., is sponsoring a three-hour field day for children at a local park, featuring games, sports, and snacks. Parents must sign up their children online. Your company wants to take pictures of children at the event, but it needs parents' permission. Which option below best describes an ethical way to get parents' permission?
A) Place a checkbox on the online form that reads "I agree to the terms and conditions of the field day" and provide a link to a separate page of terms and conditions. Design the form so that this checkbox is already checked when the parent gets to that page.
B) Provide a link to a separate page of terms and conditions. Have the company lawyers write the terms and conditions in legal language and with citations of relevant laws in case another lawyer reads them.
C) Place a checkbox on the online form that reads "I agree to allow Acme Co. to take pictures of my child or children to record and promote field-day activities." Design the form so that this checkbox is not checked when the parent gets to that page.
D) All options are equally ethical.
Answer: C
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 3: Writing Technical Documents
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77138
Sample Questions
Q1) Chapter 3 discusses three questions to ask about your audience during the planning stage of the writing process. One is "Why and how will the reader use your document?" What is another question to consider during planning?
A) What are your reader's attitudes and expectations?
B) How much time do you have to write the document?
C) Are your readers male or female?
D) Do you have enough money in the budget that you can afford usability testing?
Answer: A
Q2) What is "invisible writing" and how is it helpful to the writing process?
Answer: Invisible writing is the practice of darkening your computer screen or turning off your monitor so that you have only a hard copy of your outline to look at as you write. This strategy can make you less tempted to revise what you have just written.
Q3) Which word best describes the process of writing technical documents?
A) linear
B) nonlinear
C) static
D) fixed
Answer: B
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 5
Chapter 4: Writing Collaboratively
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77137
Sample Questions
Q1) What is an advantage of collaboratively creating a document in a shared workspace rather than working collaboratively on a document via email?
A) A shared workspace will create an archive of all the changes made by all team members.
B) A shared workspace ensures that only one person can read a document at a time.
C) A shared workspace will create backup files once per day.
D) A shared workspace ensures that only one format of a file will be available.
Q2) According to the research cited in Chapter 4, students from other cultures may be unwilling to respond with a definite "no" in a collaborative setting. What is one other behavior that students from other cultures might exhibit in a collaborative setting?
Q3) When critiquing the work of a team member, save a big compliment for the last comment in order to end on a positive note.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Is email a synchronous or an asynchronous medium of communication?
Q5) What two technologies make the collaborative writing process more efficient?
Q6) What is one of the advantages of collaboration mentioned in Chapter 4?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 6
Chapter 5: Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77136
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of these is a cultural variable "on the surface" that is easily observed?
A) tolerance of uncertainty
B) distance between ranks
C) distance between business and private life
D) prevalence of religion
Q2) Your company has completed an audience analysis for the manual you are writing for users of a new accounting system. The manual will be given to the 750 employees in the company's accounting department. Some members of the audience are experienced accountants and others are not; some have MBA degrees and others have bachelor's or associate's degrees; some were recently hired and some are long-term employees; some are managers and some are bookkeepers. How might you best accommodate your audiences?
A) Include different sections for the different audiences.
B) Write the manual to the lowest level of the audience.
C) Write the manual to the highest level of the audience.
D) Prepare an audience profile sheet.
Q3) how do public agencies use social-media data?
Q4) for what primary purpose do private companies use social-media data?
Q5) Why are LinkedIn profiles a particularly useful resource for learning about one's audience?
Page 7
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 6: Researching Your Subject
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
39 Verified Questions
39 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77135
Sample Questions
Q1) Government publications are not usually listed in indexes or by abstract services.
A)True
B)False
Q2) One stage of conducting an experiment is to establish a hypothesis. What is the next stage?
Q3) You are writing a report about technical methods used for desalination of seawater. Which of these resources is least likely to provide the technical information you need?
A) a website for professional water-treatment engineers
B) a book about industrial desalination
C) a discussion board about ecology
D) a blog by a leading expert in desalination
Q4) Secondary research is the process of creating technical information yourself, as opposed to collecting information that other people have discovered or created.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Print is a typical medium for publishing information. However, Chapter 6 identifies three other media. List them.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: Organizing Your Information
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
39 Verified Questions
39 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77134
Sample Questions
Q1) long, complex arguments can most often be organized according to one pattern.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Your supervisor has asked you to write a completion report about a project you completed to improve the employee onboarding program at your company. Of the organizational patterns discussed in Chapter 7, which would be most logical and effective for describing the project?
Q3) Of the options below, which is the most effective way to organize a discussion highlighting the most important events in your company's 31-year history?
A) partition
B) comparison and contrast
C) spatial
D) chronological
Q4) Chapter 7 gives three guidelines for organizing information spatially. One is to provide signposts. What are the other two?
Q5) Classification is an organizational pattern in which a unit is divided into its components.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: Communicating Persuasively
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77133
Sample Questions
Q1) What type of argument appeals to a person's understanding and experience of how the world works?
Q2) A writer's company has just adopted a policy of tracking employee emails to determine which employee is leaking confidential information. Because the writer knows that this policy will be unpopular with company employees, which is the best strategy for announcing the policy to employees in a memorandum?
A) Present the reasoning behind the new policy and then state the policy.
B) State the policy and then provide the reasoning.
C) State only the new policy.
D) State the reasoning behind the new policy and then state the policy in a follow-up memorandum.
Q3) The following statement appears in a proposal to install a large pond near an amphitheater: "Jones Company is an expert in pond preparation. We installed our first pond at Jameson Park earlier this year." What type of reasoning does the passage display?
A) post hoc reasoning
B) inadequate sampling
C) arguing from ignorance
D) arguing from authority
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 10
Chapter 9: Emphasizing Important Information
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77132
Sample Questions
Q1) For example, for instance, in other words, and to illustrate fall into which category of transitional words and phrases?
Q2) What kind of transition would be most helpful to readers of these two sentences? "Mr. Polk accomplished each objective he had for his term of office. He did not seek a second term."
A) comparison
B) addition
C) illustration
D) cause-effect
Q3) long headings can confuse and distract readers; therefore, you should strive to write short headings of no more than three or four words.
A)True
B)False
Q4) you should jot down a working title before you start drafting a document to give you a sense of direction, then come back and revise it at the end.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Identify two coherence devices discussed in Chapter 9.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Writing Correct and Effective Sentences
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77151
Sample Questions
Q1) What is a euphemism?
Q2) Which type of modifier is NOT identified in Chapter 10 as a problem?
A) an adjectival modifier
B) a squinting modifier
C) a dangling modifier
D) a misplaced modifier
Q3) To what does a pronoun need to refer?
A) its antecedent
B) its precedent
C) its antonym
D) its adverb
Q4) What two guidelines will help you to avoid causing confusion when using clusters of adjectives?
Q5) A sentence using negative construction expresses bad news or the writer's dissatisfaction or unhappiness.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Identify one of the four cases in which it is better to use passive voice than active voice.
Q7) Which type of modifier lacks an antecedent?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 12
Chapter 11: Designing Print and Online Documents
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
39 Verified Questions
39 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77150
Sample Questions
Q1) Chunking is the practice of using visual patterns to distinguish types of information so that readers can decide what they want to read.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which document-design practice will most effectively convey the hierarchy within a document?
A) queuing
B) chunking
C) underlining
D) binding
Q3) You receive a progress report in which all of the first-level headings are in the same typeface and type size and have the same spacing and color. Which design principle do these characteristics reflect?
Q4) An inappropriate choice in which of following areas has the highest potential to confuse an international audience?
A) the thickness of the paper
B) the type of binding used
C) the pictures used as icons
D) the typeface chosen for body text
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 12: Creating Graphics
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77149
Sample
Questions
Q1) A writing team has the six-month sales figures for its company's 14 sales representatives. Because managers must make comparative analyses, the graphic for these data must group representatives by region, as well as show each representative's monthly sales total. Which is the best graphic for displaying this information?
A) table
B) logic tree
C) organization chart
D) bar graph
Q2) You are making a graphic for automotive technicians that illustrates the procedure for performing a computerized vehicle inspection. Which of the following is the best graphic for displaying this information?
A) organization chart
B) drawing
C) flowchart
D) diagram
Q3) Chapter 12 suggests that you consider four factors when planning a graphic. One is audience. Name two other factors you should consider.
Q4) what is the most important characteristic of an infographic?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 14
Chapter 13: Reviewing, Evaluating, and Testing Documents and Web Sites
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77148
Sample Questions
Q1) what is a prototype?
Q2) Your company makes cell phones that are sold around the world. You have carried out several focus groups of users in China, with the help of an excellent interpreter. Unfortunately, although you are good at conducting focus groups, these focus groups have not yielded as much useful information as you had hoped. What might be the problem?
Q3) The three phases of usability testing are revising, editing, and proofreading.
A)True
B)False
Q4) In describing usability, Jakob Nielsen refers to five factors related to a person's use of an item. Of the options below, which is NOT a factor he discusses?
A) error frequency, severity, and recovery
B) efficiency of use
C) marketability
D) subjective satisfaction
Q5) One factor affecting your decision about whether to review, evaluate, or test a draft of a document is the document's relative importance. What are the other two factors?
Page 15
Q6) In usability testing, what is informed consent?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 14: Writing Correspondence
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77147
Sample Questions
Q1) You are writing a research paper on the hydrological impacts of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, on groundwater in your state. In your research, you have found that a professor at a university in another state, Dr. Thomas Henry Wright, has conducted similar research. You decide to write an inquiry letter to ask him some questions. Which salutation is most appropriate for your letter?
A) Dear Tom:
B) Dear Thomas Henry Wright:
C) Dear Dr. Wright:
D) Dear Professor:
Q2) In some cultures, a person is more likely to walk down the hall to deliver a brief message than to send an email, because doing so shows more respect.
A)True
B)False
Q3) it is inappropriate to use headings in informal documents such as memos or email. A)True
B)False
Q4) Provide an example of a letter cliché.
Q5) What is flaming?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 16
Chapter 15: Writing Job-Application Materials
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77146
Sample Questions
Q1) Chapter 15 describes a plain-text résumé. Which two of the following are forms of a plain-text résumé?
A) a résumé created in PowerPoint and submitted on disk
B) an ASCII résumé
C) a résumé posted to a Usenet newsgroup
D) a résumé posted on an Internet discussion board
E) a text résumé
Q2) what does it mean to be a "passive applicant" for jobs?
A) Your résumé uses more passive verbs than active verbs.
B) You do not submit application letters, but you do send out plain-text copies of your résumé.
C) You maintain contacts with professionals in your field and keep an open mind about future job opportunities.
D) You pay a placement firm to submit your job-application materials for you.
Q3) If you write your own résumé instead of paying someone else to do it, you will be more likely to adapt the résumé to different situations.
A)True
B)False
Q4) what are the four main steps in planning a job search?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 17
Chapter 16: Writing Proposals
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77145
Sample Questions
Q1) What do the initials IFB stand for?
Q2) Which of the following does the proposed program section of a proposal NOT customarily include?
A) an explanation of the work intended
B) references to appropriate research or scholarship
C) a justification of your claims
D) a budget
Q3) which of these is an example of an indirect cost associated with a proposal?
A) travel costs for personnel going to a remote work site
B) cost of insurance benefits for personnel going to a remote work site
C) cost of supplies used at a remote work site
D) cost of operating a company's telephone system
Q4) what is the best way to describe the problem or opportunity behind a proposal?
A) in terms as general as possible
B) using economic principles of supply, demand, and opportunity cost
C) in general financial terms
D) in specific monetary terms
Q5) What do the initials RFP stand for?
Q6) What is the difference between formative evaluations and summative evaluations?
Q7) What are indirect costs?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 18
Chapter 17: Writing Informational Reports
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77144
Sample Questions
Q1) A writer in the research division of Radworth Pharmaceutical, Inc. is preparing a monthly progress report on the development of a new drug. What is the best way to organize the body of the report?
A) by time
B) from most-important to least-important accomplishments
C) by task
D) based on the budget allocated for the project
Q2) what is the common goal of all informational reports?
Q3) How can you ensure that readers can easily find any appendixes you create for a report?
Q4) Which of these is NOT an important question to answer when writing an incident report?
A) What happened?
B) Whose camera recorded the incident?
C) Why did the incident happen?
D) What should be done in response to this incident?
Q5) What course of action should you take if you find that you will not be able to meet your original deadline for delivery of a report?
Q6) what is the primary purpose of a directive?
Page 19
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 18: Writing Recommendation Reports
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77143
Sample Questions
Q1) In a decision matrix, which factor demonstrates a criterion's importance?
Q2) You are writing a recommendation report on which vendor of audio-visual services to hire for your company's annual conference. The three vendors you considered are Adams, MicMasters, and Zenith. You concluded that Zenith was by far the best option, followed by Adams and then MicMasters, both of which were barely satisfactory. However, you have just learned that the top two managers at Zenith, with whom you met, have left the company. The personal service provided by these managers was a big factor in your positive assessment of the company. What recommendation should you make now?
A) Recommend Zenith anyway.
B) Recommend the next best company, Adams.
C) Recommend postponing a decision until you know more about the new management at Zenith.
D) Recommend starting over on the report.
Q3) What fundamental question does the recommendations section of a recommendation report answer?
Q4) decision criteria fall into two categories: necessary and imperative.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Into what two categories can criteria be classified?
Page 20
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 19: Writing Lab Reports
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77142
Sample Questions
Q1) Which section should include a concise review of previous research relevant to your study?
A) introduction
B) methods and materials
C) discussion
D) appendix
Q2) Which of the following statements about lab reports is NOT correct?
A) A lab report is a carefully crafted argument meant to persuade an audience to accept your findings and conclusions.
B) Supporting evidence is often presented with a combination of graphics and text.
C) The most effective way to write a lab report is to write it in sequence, beginning with the introduction.
D) In organizing the discussion of your data, you should begin by presenting the most important findings.
Q3) A written lab report is the primary evidence on which your audience will judge your credibility and skills as a researcher.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 21
Chapter 20: Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77140
Sample Questions
Q1) Step-by-step instructions should be written in the imperative mood.
A)True
B)False
Q2) H&G Garden Supplies is revising its instruction booklet for assembling and installing its redwood garden arbor. The set contains two 6-foot trellises, two planter boxes, and a pair of adjustable arches. Which of the following should you NOT include in the back matter of the instruction booklet?
A) a troubleshooting guide
B) instructions on how to order replacement parts
C) warranty information
D) safety information
Q3) Descriptions are rarely incorporated into longer documents; instead, they usually appear as separate documents.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Placing definitions directly in the text is a common practice. what are two other logical locations for definitions?
Q5) In what way is the definition "Booting a computer is when you turn it on" flawed?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 22
Chapter 21: Making Oral Presentations
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/77139
Sample Questions
Q1) memorable language brings to mind things that people can see, touch, or easily imagine.
A)True
B)False
Q2) If you are presenting to nonnative speakers of English, which of the following should you do?
A) Survey your audience for the most frequently spoken languages and arrange for translations of your slides into those languages.
B) Offer to provide free translations of the slides to any interested audience members following the presentation.
C) Include, directly on your slides, brief translations of the most essential content in the most commonly spoken languages.
D) Use simple vocabulary and slow down the pace of your delivery.
Q3) What should you do if a belligerent audience member rejects your response during a question-and-answer session and insists on restating his or her point?
Q4) Usually, your audience is more aware of your nervousness than you are.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
23