Deck 7: Organizing Your Information

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a principle for using the problem-methods-solution pattern of organization?

A) Avoid overstating claims about your solution.
B) Describe your problem in general terms.
C) Describe your methods so that readers understand how and why you did what you did.
D) Consider using graphics to complement your text.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Your supervisor has asked you to write a brief description of an abandoned silver mine that is slated for hazardous-waste cleanup. Of the organizational patterns discussed in Chapter 7, which would be most logical and effective for describing the mine?

A) classification or partition
B) general to specific
C) problem-methods-solution
D) spatial

Answer 2

D

Question 3

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

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the organizational patterns below depends on relationships that can be difficult to prove?

A) cause and effect
B) comparison and contrast
C) general to specific
D) spatial

Question 5

Which of these organizational patterns does NOT benefit from the use of "signposts" in your document?

A) more important to less important
B) comparison and contrast
C) general to specific
D) chronological

Question 6

Which of the following can help you display your organizational pattern prominently?

A) topic sentences to begin paragraphs
B) frequent section headings
C) a detailed table of contents
D) All responses are correct.

Question 7

where in your document should you put your main point if you expect that your audience will like what you have to say?

A) at the end of your document
B) after the middle of your document
C) near the middle of your document
D) early in the document

Question 8

The first step in comparing and contrasting two or more items is to determine the criteria: the standards or needs you will use in studying the items.

Question 9

Which of the guidelines below should you follow when organizing information by the comparison-and-contrast pattern of development?

A) Choose either the whole-by-whole or the part-by-part pattern or some combination of the two. Then order the second-level items.
B) Once you've ordered the second-level items, arrange them spatially.
C) Evaluate each item according to the criteria you have established.
D) Consider using graphics to complement the text.

Question 10

Which organizational pattern often occurs in a comparison-and-contrast discussion?

A) meter-by-meter
B) bit-by-bit
C) whole-by-whole
D) problem-methods-solution

Question 11

Of the options listed below, which is the most effective way to organize a document describing the events that led to an Internet company's bankruptcy?

A) classification
B) comparison and contrast
C) problem-methods-solution
D) chronological

Question 12

You are writing a guide to help chemistry majors plan their class schedules. Which pattern of classification would be best for discussing the classes students must take?

A) difficult classes, slightly difficult classes, and easy classes
B) chemistry classes and other classes
C) morning classes, afternoon classes, and evening classes
D) general education classes, required chemistry classes, elective science classes, and general elective classes

Question 13

Which pattern of organization would be most helpful for organizing the work-experience section of your résumé?

A) spatial
B) chronological
C) partition
D) comparison and contrast

Question 14

Which factor should influence the organizational pattern you choose?

A) your readers' expectations
B) your document's length
C) your number of section headings
D) All responses are correct.

Question 15

The following two headings indicate which type of organizational pattern?
Two Tasks You Must Complete Today
Other Tasks That Need Your Attention

A) more important to less important
B) general to specific
C) whole-by-whole comparison
D) problem-methods-solution

Question 16

one benefit of using a conventional pattern to organize technical information is that the pattern serves as a template or checklist, helping you remember what information to include. What is the main benefit for your readers, according to the chapter?

A) It helps readers relax.
B) It keeps readers from becoming bored.
C) It makes a positive impression on readers.
D) It helps readers associate new information with other information presented in the same pattern.
E) None of the responses are correct.

Question 17

Which of the following tactics will help your readers see and follow your organizational pattern?

A) using section headings conservatively
B) using section headings liberally
C) using section headings subtly
D) using section headings infrequently

Question 18

In what situation do graphics benefit your reader?

A) when graphics contrast with the text
B) when graphics complement the text
C) when graphics subvert the text
D) when graphics supplant the text

Question 19

Of the options listed below, which is the most effective way to organize a document explaining which of three different trucks your company ought to buy for its fleet?

A) classification
B) comparison and contrast
C) spatial
D) chronological

Question 20

Which organizational pattern is least susceptible to a writer's attempts to mislead readers?

A) comparison and contrast
B) cause and effect
C) more important to less important
D) spatial

Question 21

Chapter 7 states that one disadvantage of the problem-methods-solution organizational pattern is that you cannot alter the sequence of those three elements.

Question 22

what is classification?

Question 23

It is always unethical to compare your company's product to a similar product by another company when trying to argue that your own company's product is superior.

Question 24

what is partition?

Question 25

A proposal routinely makes use of which organizational pattern?

Question 26

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?

Question 27

one benefit of using a conventional pattern to organize technical information is that the pattern serves as a template or checklist, helping you remember which information to include where. According to the chapter, what is one benefit for your readers?

Question 28

Classification is an organizational pattern in which a unit is divided into its components.

Question 29

Chapter 7 notes that using headings liberally is one way to display the organization of your document prominently. What is another way?

Question 30

Signposts are especially useful for readers of passages written according to the spatial pattern of organization.

Question 31

Why do writers sometimes place less-important information at the beginning of documents addressed to readers outside of their own organization?

Question 32

Why are cause-and-effect relationships difficult to describe?

Question 33

Which organizational pattern works best when readers want to get to key information as soon as possible?

Question 34

long, complex arguments can most often be organized according to one pattern.

Question 35

It is often helpful to combine bases of classification or partition simultaneously when using that pattern to write a passage.

Question 36

The general-to-specific pattern is effective for explaining the factors that led to a specific problem.

Question 37

Chapter 7 gives three guidelines for organizing information spatially. One is to provide signposts. What are the other two?

Question 38

Chapter 7 explains that one challenge in using the cause-and-effect organizational pattern is that it is very difficult to prove a causal relationship between two factors.

Question 39

In describing your company's product, you should not compare it with a competitor's product because the competitor will sue your company for misrepresentation.