Tech Writer's Test

[David Blyth <dblyth -at- QUALCOMM -dot- COM>]

Hi all;

>I hope your test questions are tongue-in-cheek.

Some were, some weren't.

The bottom line is that Tech Writing is about communication.
Thus, a student Technical Writer needs to learn how to observe
carefully, think clearly and for themselves, and not to make
assumptions about what they document.

There are some tears in this, a lot of laughter, and a lot
of hard work.  But don't take everything I say so seriously! ;)

>Your test is not a test; it's a damn obstacle course with a
>bunch of hidden traps

So is Real Life.  I still certainly intend to _write_ the test.
Still, you don't need to _ give_ the test to every student on every
level.  For example,

   o  On the JC level, you could pull problems off the test and
      work through them in front of the class.

   o  In an Upper Division class, you could include one or two
      problems from the test on a real test (warn the class
      in advance)

   o  In a Graduate Program, warn the class about Gotchas then
      actually give the test!

   o  In Real Life, we all face these questions and worse.  And
      in Real Life, we can laugh!

One person didn't see any smilies so wondered if I had any
emotions.

  What do I do
    to show you that I laugh?

  What do I do
    to show you that I cry?

        I cry
                    when I see my own anger

        I laugh
                    to help, to clense, to make a new world.

  I collect
     the nastiness

             to scream at it

  I collect
     the nastiness

             to laugh

But most of all,

  I collect
     the nastiness

                  to help people learn

            how to kill it dead.

                 -- David (The Man) Blyth
                    Dec 18, 1995