ITE 180

1. "I can give you a workaround for this problem, then later we can diagnose the cause of the problem so you don’t encounter it again." is an example of ____.

empathy

1. "Technical writing should be concise and it should be informative." is an example of a ____.

…

1. A Web site that contains large numbers of misspelled words and grammatical errors fails which of these general criteria?

Mechanics

1. A communication skill commonly used in active listening is ____.

Paraphasing

1. A company that contracts with another organization that specializes in user support is using ____.

outsourcing

1. A computer user who enters an incorrect formula in a spreadsheet that results in a serious error is a victim of which common computer problem?

User Mistake

1. A computer user who purchases a software package that will not operate on his or her hardware configuration is a victim of which common computer problem?

Waste of Resources

1. A computer virus can be spread through ____.

download software, the internet, email attachments. (any of these)

1. A cross-reference or link to where a reader can find additional information about a topic is called a(n) ____.

pointer

1. A distributed computing system usually includes ____.

all of these

1. A document that is organized as a step-by-step introduction to the features of a computer program is called a ____ manual.

tutorial

1. A document with misspelled words violates which of these four general writing criteria?

Mechanics

1. A feature of a Web site where discussions are posted by members of a user community is called a ____.

user forum

1. A follow-up question a troubleshooter asks to get additional information about a problem situation is called a(n) ____.

probe

1. A hardware device that was a first step toward decentralized computing was the ____.

terminal

1. A list of as many topics as a writer can think of that might be useful to a reader is the result of ____.

brainstorming

1. A mental model to help a computer troubleshooter understand and explain a problem situation is based on ____.

critical thinking

1. A reading level that is appropriate for most technical documentation is ____.

tenth grade

1. A script to handle a support incident has ____.

several sequences of questions with multiple decision points or paths

1. A series of letters that represent a phrase is called ____.

acronym

1. A single point of contact for users in need of computer support is called ____.

a help desk

1. A software package used to prepare budgets, reports, forecasts, and financial statements is a ____.

spreadsheet program

1. A software program that enables users to find and display information stored as HTML pages on the Internet is a(n) ____.

web browser

1. A support agent should aim to use language that is ____ the language level that the user uses.

slightly below

1. A support agent who feels that a user needs substantial assistance with the organization of files on his or her computer system should ____.

point the user to useful information about file organization

1. A troubleshooter’s ability to design and test hypotheses in order to solve a computer problem is based on ____.

critical thinking

1. A user’s first impression of a support agent comes from the ____.

incident greeting

1. A writer who performs each procedure or technical step in a document and tests each step with the hardware and software is doing a(n) ____ check.

technical accuracy

1. An automated email service that distributes all (or selected) email messages to its members is called a ____.

ListServ

1. An internal user is one who is a ____.

worker in an organization

1. An organization that provides a wide range of support services to users is called a ____.

user support center

1. An organized collection of information, articles, procedures, tips, and problem solutions is called a ____.

knowledge base

1. Another name for diagnostic software tools is ____.

utility software

1. Another name for needs analysis is ____.

needs assessment

1. Application software that enables users to create, maintain, and update Web pages is called ____ software.

website development

1. Application software that is intended for use in a specialized business environment is called ____.

an industry-specific application

1. Application software used to prepare printed materials that include graphic images, such as newsletters, flyers, brochures, and posters, is called ____.

desktop publishing

1. Businesses and organizations first began to use data communications and network technology to connect computer systems in the ____.

1990’s

1. Application software that helps a user maintain a calendar, appointment book, to-do list, and address book is called a ____.

personal information manager

1. Analysis and evaluation of a user’s message are likely to occur during which type of listening?

critical thinking

1. Carpal tunnel syndrome is an example of which common computer problem?

ergonomics

1. Classifying end users as internal versus external is a classification by ____.

relationship

1. Complete information on a particular end-user topic is usually organized together, in one document, organized in a ____ format.

reference

1. Computer software that helps a user enter, edit, format, store, and print text information is a ____.

word processor

1. Computer technology generally doubles in capacity every two ____.

years

1. Detailed steps for performing a task are generally described in which part of a document?

Body

1. Dissatisfied clients are more likely than satisfied clients to ____.

contact the help desk repeatedly for assistance

1. Documentation that describes the steps to perform a task or a checklist of steps is ____.

…

1. Due to increased use of the Internet, which of these are likely to increase in the future as a percentage of the total cost of a computer system?

information costs

1. During the development of a first draft, a technical writer is probably least concerned with ____.

correct spelling

1. Effective communication skills are based primarily on a support agent’s ability to ____.

any of these

1. Effective communication skills are important primarily to support agents who communicate ____.

any of these

1. Employees who provide informal peer support to other users in an organization ____.

often have little or no training in user support

1. Excellent customer service in a support organization is based primarily on which of these factors?

both A&B

1. Experienced computer users who need information on advanced topics are likely to need a ____.

reference manual

1. Fine lines that extend from the top and bottom of a font’s letters are called ____.

serifs

1. In a telephone communication, which of the following is the telephone activity a support agent least likely needs to develop?

A way to hang up on abusive users

1. In a troubleshooting situation, a modem failed to work when a new Internet browser program was installed. Which of these critical questions would likely lead a troubleshooter to the source of the modem failure?

Has the modem ever worked?

1. In creative thinking, a hypothesis is usually based on a ____.

mental model

1. In order to make effective use of a new or upgraded computer system, a user may require ____.

training

1. Incidents that involve complaints ____.

are a valuable source of feedback and suggestions about products

1. Incomplete coverage of a topic violates which of these four writing criteria?

mechanics

1. Inexperienced support agents tend to speak ____ when they experience stress in a conversation with a user.

too fast

1. KSA stands for ____.

knowledge, skills, and abilities

1. Making an illegal copy of a software program is called ____.

piracy

1. Mass-market application software and personal computer operating systems became available in the ____.

1980’s

1. Metacognition involves a troubleshooter asking all of these questions except ____.

What recent change in configuration caused the user to experience a problem?

1. One measure of whether a support agent understands a problem is that he or she can express the user’s problem in ____.

the support agent’s own words

1. Peripheral devices are part of a computer system’s ____.

hardware

1. Posts to a user forum with commentary on a single topic, arranged in date order, are called _____.

a thread

1. Rebooting a system in an attempt to fix a problem is an example of which problem -solving strategy?

Look for an obvious solution.

1. Reinstalling a software package to fix a problem with an inoperative program is an example of which troubleshooting strategy?

Module replacement

1. Remote access to a user’s PC can be implemented with a ____.

virtual private network

1. Root cause analysis is an iterative process that asks a series of ____ questions.

why

1. Severe hand or wrist pain due to an inflammation of the tendons in a user’s hand and wrist is called ____.

carpal tunnel syndrome

1. Support Web sites that use Web 2.0 technologies differ from earlier support Web sites primarily in ____.

an emphasis on collaboration and communication among users

1. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) measures ____.

personality and work style preferences

1. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that the number of computer and network support specialist positions in the United States will grow at about ____ percent over the next 10 years.

…

1. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for user support workers in the next 10 years will ____.

increase significantly

1. The ability to step back from a troubleshooting situation and analyze one’s own thinking process is called ____.

metacognition

1. The cognitive skills a troubleshooter uses to understand and explain an event or a situation are called ____.

critical thinking

1. The concept that a listener is an involved participant in the communication process is called ____.

active listening

1. The concept that similar items should be handled consistently throughout a document is called ____.

parallel structure

1. The content criterion of good technical documentation is primarily concerned with which of these questions?

Is the information accurate?

1. The first PCs were used in businesses and homes in the ____.

1970’s

1. The intended audience of a document is generally described in the ____.

introduction

1. The most effective strategy for using a script is to ____.

restate the script in your own words

1. The position description for the Level 1 Help Desk Agent in this chapter illustrates that ____.

it is impossible for one employee to do all the tasks on a position description

1. The process of unpacking, setting up, and configuring a new computer system for a user is ____.

system installation assistance

1. The purpose of support standards is to accomplish all but which of the following?

Expand supported products

1. The sentence "Development of software is not a frequent user support function." is an example of ____.

…

1. The sentence "I know I saw the information I need in this document, but now I can’t find it." violates which of these four general writing criteria?

organization

1. The sentence I want to confirm that, with the changes we made to your software, you can now enlarge the font in your document. is an example of ____.

passive

1. The user support staff is most likely to experience conflict with the IT department over ____.

verification

1. Theft of information, use of a computer to commit sabotage or embezzlement, and fraudulent use of a computer are examples of ____.

application software development

1. Theft of information, use of a computer to commit sabotage or embezzlement, and fraudulent use of a computer are examples of ____.

computer crimes

1. Tools a troubleshooter uses to get a description of a computer problem, learn a user’s perspectives on the problem, and explain the solution to the user are called ____.

communication skills

1. Troubleshooting computer problems can best be described as a(n) ____.

iterative, repetitious procedure

1. Under normal circumstances, the body of a document should be formatted in a ____ typeface.

script

1. Use of a computer to gain unauthorized access to information about a customer, patient, or student is called ____.

an invasion of privacy

1. Viewing a system as a group of subsystems begins the search for a problem at ____.

any of these starting points

1. Ways in which the current problem is similar to other problems are called ____.

analogies

1. What is the sequence of these steps in the technical writing process?
A) Proofread the document.
B) Generate a list of ideas.
C) Arrange for an outside reviewer.
D) Write a first draft.

ABCD

1. When a sequence of facts or steps is described, technical writers try to avoid which of these?

narrative passage

1. When a support agent does not know the answer to a question, a good incident management strategy is to tell the user ____.

the support agent will research the question and get back to the user

1. When a troubleshooter must select from among several diagnostic tests to gather information about a problem, the selection is based on ____ skills.

decision making

1. When a troubleshooter tries to print a page on a printer that a user says no longer prints, the troubleshooter is using which problem-solving strategy?

Attempt to replicate the problem.

1. When choosing alignment for a paragraph of text, the easiest to read is ____ text.

left aligned

1. When one hardware device conflicts with another device’s use of system resources, the problem can often be diagnosed effectively by ____.

examining the configuration

1. When there is a current state of events X and a future desired state of events Y, and the troubleshooter’s objective is to move from X to Y, the troubleshooting activity is called ____.

a goal state

1. Whether to use the form Plug-n-Play or Plug-and-Play in a document would likely be specified in a ____.

…

1. Which of these answers is least descriptive of the information on a Web page?

…

1. Which of these categories of computer software can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a computer system?

Specialized software

1. Which of these categories of workers increased during the 1980s and contributed to growth in the number of computer end users?

Workers in offices who work with information

1. Which of these devices is not a peripheral?

Internal memory

1. Which of these forms of documentation often contains hyperlinks to related topics?

Online help systems

1. Which of these forms of knowledge bases is the least interactive?

vendor manuals

1. Which of these is an advantage of outsourcing as a way to provide user support?

Outsourcing takes advantage of expertise a company does not have.

1. Which of these is least likely to be a purpose of proofreading the final draft of a document?

Check for page break problems.

1. Which of these is not a characteristic of technical writing?

…

1. Which of these is not a primary reason why the growth in the demand for user support workers has declined since the 1990s?

The United States experienced economic recessions and higher unemployment in the 2000s.

1. Which of these is not a primary strategy for a support organization that aims for customer service excellence?

Meet all of a client’s demands.

1. Which of these is not a recommended incident management strategy for support agents?

Don’t admit that you’re wrong or don’t know.

1. Which of these is not a service you would expect of a help desk or hotline?

Operate a local area network

1. Which of these is not normally part of an explanation to a user?

A description of the various alternatives the support agent considered to find a solution

1. Which of these is not one of the four goals of incident management?

Complete the incident in the least amount of time possible.

1. Which of these is not one of the trends that led to growth in end users during the 1980s and 1990s?

Increase in the cost of large-scale computer systems

1. Which of these personal characteristics of successful troubleshooters is the most important?

All of these are important characteristics.

1. Which of these responsibilities would you least expect to find in a position description for a user support specialist?Troubleshoots problems
Recommends product standards
Operates a large-scale computer
Installs hardware and software

Operates a large-scale computer

1. Which of these responsibilities would you least expect to find in a position description for a user support specialist?Analyzes user requirements
Trains users
Writes documentation
Writes computer programs in COBOL

Writes computer programs in COBOL

1. Which of these sequences is the order of the following steps in the iterative problem-solving process?
A) Formulate and test a hypothesis.
B) Collect information.
C) Analyze the results.
D) Consider alternative explanations.

ABCD

1. Which of these software packages includes features to present graphical information?

all of these

1. Which of these software packages is likely to be the most expensive?

Computer-aided design package

1. Which of these types of documents is often used to describe the steps to install a software package?

user guide or manual

1. Which of these types of documents is primarily intended to catch the eye of the reader and promote an event?

Brochure or flyer

1. Which of these was not a primary characteristic of computer use in the 1950s and 1960s?

Served as an Internet host computer

1. Which type of nonverbal behavior is suggested for effective voice quality?

all of these

1. Which type of nonverbal behavior is the least effective posture for support agents?

fold arms

1. Widespread use of the Internet by business and home users first occurred in the ____.

1980’s

1. ____ is not one of the five critical questions suggested in the chapter.

How much experience do you have using this system?