Technical Writing: Quick Start Guides

Internal Quiz

Question 1 of 5

When starting your Quick Start Guide, what questions should you keep in mind?

A. Are there steps my user must take to get started?

B. How can I make my guide visually appealing?

C. Are there tasks my user may want to complete?

• A, C

• B, C

• A, B

• A, B, C

A, C

Question 2 of 5

Which of the following practices should you follow when annotating screenshots?

• Keep annotation style consistent throughout the guide.

• Vary the annotation style from one visual to the next.

• Make the annotation style match the size and color of the actual screenshot.

• Annotate each element of the screenshot.

Keep annotation style consistent throughout the guide.

Question 3 of 5

Good Quick Start Guides combine _ language and _ language.

• plain; understandable

• technical; specialized

• plain; technical

plain; technical

Question 4 of 5

A good heading should always be what?

• specific and descriptive

• as concise as possible

• seldom using any verbs

• written as a complete sentence

specific and descriptive

Question 5 of 5

Which of the following items is the best example of a good step description?

• Turn on ventilation system before starting any other steps.

• Ventilate the laboratory.

• The necessity of proper ventilation

• Before starting any other steps, turn on the ventilation system.

Turn on ventilation system before starting any other steps.

Final Exam

Question 1 of 7

What is the difference between a conceptual guide and a procedural guide?

• A conceptual guide explains why it is necessary to accomplish a task, but a procedural guide describes pitfalls.

• A conceptual guide explains the order of steps, but a procedural guide lists the steps in no particular order.

• A conceptual guide outlines steps to accomplish a task, but a procedural guide explains the main ideas of that task.

• A conceptual guide introduces main ideas, but a procedural guide outlines steps to accomplish a task.

d )A conceptual guide introduces main ideas, but a procedural guide outlines steps to accomplish a task.

Question 2 of 7

Which of the following items best uses plain language to describe an idea?

• Lyophilize the sample until its mass becomes constant.

• Remove as much water as possible from the sample by lyophilization.

• Freeze dry the sample until no more water sublimes.

• Leave the sample in the lyophilizer until its mass does not change with time.

d) Leave the sample in the lyophilizer until its mass does not change with time.

Question 3 of 7

How are “Must” Quick Start Guides organized?

• They give the user options for how to proceed.

• They walk the user through a strict sequence to achieve a desired outcome.

• They are presented non-sequentially.

• They include helpful visual aids.

b) They walk the user through a strict sequence to achieve a desired outcome.

Question 4 of 7

It can be helpful to base your Quick Start Guide on _.

• an online template

• the user manual

• previous Quick Start Guides you have made

• your competitor’s Quick Start Guide

b) the user manual

Question 5 of 7

The most important aspect of formatting to remember is that _.

• it should be conservative and decorative

• it should be easy on the eye and consistent

• it should convey meaning and be consistent

• it should be decorative and flamboyant

c) it should convey meaning and be consistent

Question 6 of 7

How should you address the user when you are writing a Quickstart guide?

• with the phrase “the user” throughout the guide

• with second-person pronouns or the imperative mood

• with a fictional user and giving that user a name

• with third-person pronouns and the indicative mood

b) with second-person pronouns or the imperative mood

Question 7 of 7

How can you avoid including too many notes?

• by writing a glossary of terms

• by including notes in an appendix

• by breaking up steps into smaller groups

• by using footnotes instead of notes in the text

c) by breaking up steps into smaller groups