ELE 206 Technical Writing & Engineering Ethics: Ethical Writing

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Questions and Answers

What is the key factor in determining whether writing is ethical or not?

The writer's intention and the audience's expectation (correct)

The format of the written work

The complexity of the presented information

The audience's perception of the information

What is plagiarism, according to the text?

Creating one's own original work

Presenting someone else's work as one's own (correct)

Presenting one's own work as someone else's

Ignoring someone else's work

What is a consequence of plagiarism?

Improved recognition among peers

Increased creativity

Improved career prospects

Legal consequences and damage to one's career (correct)

What is the title of the chapter being discussed?

Designing Documents and Interfaces Signup and view all the answers

Who is the author of the book 'Pocket book of technical writing for engineers and scientists'?

Finkelstein Signup and view all the answers

Why has modern communication technology made plagiarism easier?

It enables faster copying and pasting Signup and view all the answers

How can one avoid plagiarism?

By citing others' work Signup and view all the answers

What is Design Principle One in technical writing?

Balance Signup and view all the answers

What is an exception to citing others' work?

Common knowledge Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of grouping in technical writing?

To highlight related information Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of citation?

To avoid plagiarism Signup and view all the answers

What is alignment in technical writing used for?

To see the hierarchy of information Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of cheating and plagiarism?

Unfair advantages and harmful consequences Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a balancing technique in technical writing?

Using grids to balance a page layout Signup and view all the answers

What is white space used for in technical writing?

To frame items Signup and view all the answers

What is the title of the course that Faleh AlTal, Ph.D. teaches?

ELE 206 Technical Writing & Engineering Ethics Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of ethical writing?

Interacting with people to do good Signup and view all the answers

What is ethics in the context of technical writing?

Rules and standards for acting with intention to do good Signup and view all the answers

What is the main issue with ethical classification in technical writing?

It is sometimes hard to determine Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a clear ethical issue in technical writing?

Plagiarism and fabricating data Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of technical writing in ethical communication?

To use knowledge to do good and worthy Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge in determining what is good and worthy in technical writing?

There is no universal consensus Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'Schön scandal' referenced in the text?

A case of fabricating data Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of en dashes in writing?

To indicate a range of numbers or dates Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of hyphens in compound words?

To connect prefixes and make compound words Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's view on moral duty in technical writing?

It is a moral duty to do good and worthy Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of parentheses in writing?

To provide additional information or clarify meaning Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of brackets in writing?

To add editorial notes or comments Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of an ellipsis in writing?

To indicate an omission or pause in a quotation Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct way to form an ellipsis?

With three dots, with spaces between each dot Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of using parentheses to list items?

To separate items in a numbered list Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of hyphens in compound words when used as an adjective?

They are usually used as adjectives, but can't be used as nouns Signup and view all the answers

When should you use 'I' or 'we' in a sentence?

When using the word as the subject of the sentence or phrase Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason for correcting the sentence 'Jones's team and me went down to the factory floor to see how things were going'?

Incorrect use of pronoun case Signup and view all the answers

What should be consistent in most cases in neighboring sentences?

Verb tense Signup and view all the answers

What is the correction for the sentence 'Few countries possess nuclear weapons, but many countries tried to build them'?

Change 'tried' to 'are trying' Signup and view all the answers

What is the problem with the sentence 'Fred and Javier went to the store, and then he went home'?

Vague pronoun reference Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of quotation marks in writing?

To indicate a literal usage of others' statements Signup and view all the answers

When should you use single quotation marks?

When inside an inner quotation Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a title of a complete work and a title of a part of a work?

A complete work is italicized, while a part of a work is in quotation marks Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Technical Writing and Engineering Ethics

Technical writing involves using knowledge in a technical field and communication skills to do good and worthy actions.
There is no universal consensus on what is good and worthy.

Ethical Writing

Ethical writing is about interaction between people, good or evil, and involves laws and ethics.
Ethics are rules and standards for acting with the intention to do good.
Communication technology has made it easier to access others' intellectual property and reach out to other people.
Ethical classification can be hard to determine, and awareness and sensitivity are required.
Some ethical issues are clear, such as plagiarism and fabricating data.

Moral Duty

Technical writing involves using knowledge in a technical field and communication skills to do good and worthy actions.
There is no universal consensus on what is good and worthy.

Punctuation and Grammar

En dashes are used in numbers and dates.
Hyphens are used to connect prefixes and make compound words.
Parentheses are used for inclusion of additional information or referring the reader to a graphic.
Brackets are used for editorial notes or comments.
Ellipses are used to indicate omission.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the theft of others' work, ideas, or expressions, violating copyrights.
Modern communication technology has made plagiarism easier, but also allows for easier investigation.
Plagiarism is not fair to others and can result in legal consequences and damaging of one's career.
Acknowledge others' work by citation, and common knowledge can be an exception.

Style and Grammar in Technical Writing

Balance is a design principle that enhances readability in a document.
Alignment is a design principle that allows readers to see the hierarchy of information in a text.
Grouping is a design principle that highlights related information on a page.

Common Grammar Errors

Pronoun case error: Use I or we as the subject of the sentence or phrase, and use me or us elsewhere.
Shifted tense: Maintain the same tense in neighboring sentences.
Vague pronoun: Avoid unclear pronoun references.

Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are used for literal usage of others' statements.
Titles of articles, songs, and documents are used without quotation marks, while complete work titles are italicized.
Single quotation marks are used inside the inner quotation.

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Description

This quiz covers the basics of ethical writing in technical communication, including the interaction between people, laws, and ethics. It explores the impact of communication technology on accessing others' intellectual property and the challenges of determining ethical classification.