Question 1

Which of these is NOT a resource to consider when you are planning your design?

Accepted Answer

Navigability is a characteristic of the design itself rather than a resource to consider when planning a design. Time, equipment, and money are all resources that need to be planned for in the design process.

Question 2

Which of these document-design features does NOT exploit primarily the principle of contrast?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of these document-design features does NOT...

Question 3

Chapter 11 discusses four basic principles for designing effective documents. One is proximity. What are two other basic principles discussed in the chapter?

Accepted Answer

The chapter discusses three other principles in addition to proximity: alignment, which ensures that elements on a page are visually connected and organized in a coherent way; contrast, which emphasizes differences between elements to draw attention and create hierarchy; and repetition, which creates consistency and a visual pattern throughout the document. Choice B, consistency and repetition, is also a correct answer as repetition is discussed, but it is already mentioned as one of the principles under discussion. Choice C, variety and relevance, and choice D, contrast and novelty, are not principles discussed in the chapter.

Question 4

You are writing a report using a template provided by your supervisor. If you increase the margins around your pages by 30 percent and do not change anything else, which aspect of the overall design will change the most?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are writing a report using a...

Question 5

A technical writer is designing a manual to be used by technicians repairing stereo systems. Repair technicians will be seated at workbenches with bright lighting overhead. They will need both hands to work on the equipment while reading manual instructions. Which of the following would NOT be an appropriate design decision?

Accepted Answer

Using perfect binding, which is a binding method that glues the spine of the manual, may result in the manual not staying open or laying flat on the technician's workbench. A spiral binding or bookbinding with a lay-flat feature would be a better option in this scenario. Therefore, option A would not be an appropriate design decision. The other options (B, C, and D) are all suitable for the given scenario. Choosing a size of 6 x 9 inches would make the manual compact and easy to handle. Using non-glare, tinted paper would make it easier for the technician to read the manual in bright lighting conditions without glare or eye strain. Making the manual as concise as possible would make it easier for the technician to quickly find the information they need without being overwhelmed with unnecessary information.

Question 6

Providing captions and transcripts for videos on your website is a way of ensuring what?

Accepted Answer

Providing captions and transcripts for videos on your website is a way of ensuring accessibility for individuals who may be deaf or hard of hearing, or for those who prefer to read instead of listen to the video. This improves the user experience and makes the content more inclusive for a wider audience.

Question 7

You are working on a brochure about your business. The type for the body text will be black and that for the section headings will be blue. What document-design principles are you implementing with these color choices?

Accepted Answer

Using different colors for body text and section headings introduces contrast to make the headings stand out and repetition to maintain a consistent theme or style throughout the document. Contrast helps in distinguishing between different elements, and repetition ensures a cohesive look.

Question 8

If you know that the audience for your website is diverse, what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Providing more than one way to find specific content ensures that users with different preferences and needs can navigate the website efficiently. This helps improve the user experience and increases the likelihood of returning visitors. Avoiding a list of frequently asked questions (B) can be detrimental as it is helpful for users seeking answers quickly. Incorporating graphics of sports and using sports-related metaphors (C) might appeal to some users but not to others, so it may not be the best approach for a diverse audience. Using a high-tech, complex page design (D) can be overwhelming and confusing for some users, so it's best to keep the design simple and user-friendly.

Question 9

Chapter 11 identifies five goals of document design. One goal is to make a good impression on readers. What is another goal of document design?

Accepted Answer

One of the goals of document design is to help readers locate and access the information they need easily and quickly. This can be achieved by using headings, subheadings, bullet points, and visual aids such as graphs or charts.

Question 10

An international audience is most likely to be confused by an inappropriate choice regarding which of the following features of a document?

Accepted Answer

The pictures used as icons can vary significantly in meaning across different cultures, potentially leading to confusion among an international audience.

Question 11

Which aspects of typography affect the white space of a document?

Accepted Answer

Line spacing, line length, and justification all have an impact on the amount of white space in a document. Line spacing determines the vertical space between lines of text, whereas line length affects the horizontal space. Justification refers to how the text is aligned within the margins, which also affects the amount of white space. Leading, color, sentence length, headings, and footers may also affect the overall visual appeal of the document but have less impact on white space.

Question 12

What is queuing?

Accepted Answer

Queuing in page design refers to using visual patterns to indicate levels of importance, helping guide the reader's attention through the content.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT true of a multicolumn design?

Accepted Answer

A multicolumn design does not restrict the placement or sizing of graphics; it simply arranges text in columns.

Question 14

A writer for a company headquartered in Texas is designing a 100-page report, the text of which will be single-spaced to reduce printing costs. If she wants the report to be as easy to read as possible, which of the following should she NOT do?

Accepted Answer

Using full justification may cause awkward spacing and uneven gaps between words, making the text harder to read. Instead, the writer should use left justification to maintain clean and consistent spacing throughout the report.

Question 15

Which of the following is a guideline for creating effective links in online documents?

Accepted Answer

Structuring sentences as if there were no links allows the text to flow naturally and ensures that the links are not obtrusive. Trusting readers to know what the linked page will contain may lead to confusion or frustration if the linked page does not match their expectations. Using custom colors for linked text or making links overly emphasized can be distracting and disrupt the overall reading experience.

Question 16

Helvetica Regular, Helvetica Light, Helvetica Italic, and Helvetica Bold are all members of what group?

Accepted Answer

Helvetica Regular, Helvetica Light, Helvetica Italic, and Helvetica Bold are all variations within the Helvetica type family. A typeface refers to the unique design of a specific set of letters and characters, while a type family includes multiple variations (such as bold, italic, etc.) of a specific typeface. A type case refers to a physical case filled with individual letters and symbols for typesetting.

Question 17

Using visual patterns to distinguish various types of information is known as what?

Accepted Answer

Using visual patterns to distinguish various types of information is known as filtering. Queuing refers to forming a line or sequence, chunking refers to grouping information together, and gridding refers to organizing information into a grid or table format.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a guideline for creating an accessible website?

Accepted Answer

Using color-coding as the sole means of conveying information can be problematic for individuals with color blindness or low vision. It is important to provide multiple ways of conveying information, such as using text or symbols in addition to color-coding.

Question 19

Which design principle is especially important when you are creating navigational aids for your document?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which design principle is especially important when...

Question 20

Which document-design practice will most effectively convey the hierarchy within a document?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which document-design practice will most effectively convey...

Quiz 11: Designing Print and Online Documents