A report on new software uses the word "software" many times on one page. What does the textbook say about varying the word for the sake of variety?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet your audience's needs. DSST outline area I (13%), d. Establishing the appropriate style
A report will be read by both engineers and managers. Besides writing every section for everyone, what does the textbook suggest?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.2 Audience analysis. DSST outline area I (13%), b. Audience analysis
A writer checks the publication date of a source on a fast-changing technology. Which criterion for evaluating information is being applied?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 4.6 Evaluate sources. DSST outline area I (13%), c. Ensuring the validity and reliability of data and sources
How much technical knowledge of the subject are executives likely to have?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.1 Types of audiences. DSST outline area I (13%), b. Audience analysis
Show all 50 questions (46 more)
Theory and practice of technical writing, continued
In the textbook's example of the memo about the O ring seals of the space shuttle Challenger, what made the writing unethical?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 9.2 Presentation of information. DSST outline area I (13%), a. Understanding contexts, purpose(s), and importance
Which of these is an indicator that a source is accurate?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 4.6 Evaluate sources. DSST outline area I (13%), c. Ensuring the validity and reliability of data and sources
Which type of audience builds, operates, maintains and repairs the items that experts design?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.1 Types of audiences. DSST outline area I (13%), b. Audience analysis
Purpose of technical documents 11
A city asks whether its year of free bus rides was worthwhile. Which kind of report gives a studied opinion by comparing something to a set of criteria?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Feasibility, Recommendation, Evaluation Reports". DSST outline area II (23%), a. Informing: feasibility reports
A company wants to know which of four grammar-checking products is best. Which kind of report starts from a stated need and a selection of choices like this?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Feasibility, Recommendation, Evaluation Reports". DSST outline area II (23%), a. Informing: feasibility reports
A set of instructions lists equipment and supplies. How do supplies differ from equipment?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Instructions". DSST outline area II (23%), a. Informing: instructions, procedures and process descriptions
The structure known as IMRAD is the most prominent norm for a scientific journal article that reports original research. What do the letters stand for?Wikipedia, "IMRAD". DSST outline area II (23%), a. Informing: research/laboratory reports
What does a white paper do?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "White Papers". DSST outline area II (23%), b. Persuading and Making Recommendations: white papers
What extra job does the writer of an unsolicited proposal sometimes have?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 3.2 Types of proposals. DSST outline area II (23%), b. Persuading and Making Recommendations: proposals
What is a request for proposals (RFP)?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 3.2 Types of proposals. DSST outline area II (23%), b. Persuading and Making Recommendations: proposals
Which question does a feasibility report answer?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Feasibility, Recommendation, Evaluation Reports". DSST outline area II (23%), a. Informing: feasibility reports
Which sentence is written in the style that suits instructions?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet your audience's needs. DSST outline area II (23%), a. Informing: instructions, procedures and process descriptions
Which three sections does every progress report need?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 6.3 Organizational Patterns or Sections for Progress Reports. DSST outline area II (23%), a. Informing: progress/inspection reports
You write a proposal to a manager in your own company. What kind of proposal is it?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 3.2 Types of proposals. DSST outline area II (23%), b. Persuading and Making Recommendations: proposals
Technical writing process 6
A report is written for readers inside the writer's own organization. Which format does the textbook give for the letter that goes with it?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 10.1 Cover letter. DSST outline area III (13%), b. Choice of medium
As research goes on, how should a writer treat the outline of a report?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 7.1 Creating and using outlines. DSST outline area III (13%), c. Drafting and organizing content
At the start of a peer review, what should the writer give the reviewers?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Strategies for Peer Reviewing and Team Writing". DSST outline area III (13%), a. Individual and/or collaborative writing
What do secondary sources do?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 4.1 Information formats. DSST outline area III (13%), d. Research (primary and secondary)
What makes a journal a peer-reviewed journal?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 4.1 Information formats. DSST outline area III (13%), d. Research (primary and secondary)
Which of these is a primary source for a technical report?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 4.1 Information formats. DSST outline area III (13%), d. Research (primary and secondary)
Document design 9
A step in a manual could damage the reader's equipment or data but would not injure anyone. Which special notice fits?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Special Notices". DSST outline area IV (18%), b. Strategies of document design: usability
According to the textbook, which kind of font is typically useful for readers of online text?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet your audience's needs. DSST outline area IV (18%), a. Elements of document design: textual formatting
Every bulleted list in a manual uses one font, size, indentation and line spacing. Which design principle is at work?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 11.4 Basic Principles of Readability (Repetition). DSST outline area IV (18%), b. Strategies of document design: readability
In a report, how do tables differ from figures?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 10.5 List of figures and tables. DSST outline area IV (18%), a. Elements of document design: illustration formatting
In the four design principles of contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity, what does proximity mean?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 11.4 Basic Principles of Readability (Proximity). DSST outline area IV (18%), b. Strategies of document design: readability
What are stacked headings, which writers are told to avoid?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Headings". DSST outline area IV (18%), a. Elements of document design: page formatting
What is alternative text (alt text)?Section508.gov (U.S. General Services Administration), "Alternative Text". DSST outline area IV (18%), b. Strategies of document design: accessibility
When should a writer use a numbered list in place of a bulleted list?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Bulleted and Numbered Lists". DSST outline area IV (18%), a. Elements of document design: textual formatting
Which visual does the textbook match to information about a process?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 8.1 Deciding which graphics to include. DSST outline area IV (18%), a. Elements of document design: illustration formatting
Revising, editing and final sections 17
A draft set of instructions skips a critical series of steps. Which revision does the textbook call for?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet your audience's needs. DSST outline area V (33%), a. Revising for completeness
A writer pastes a passage from a source and changes just a few words. What is this form of plagiarism sometimes called?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 5.2 Plagiarism. DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for technical and referencing accuracy
A writer scans a chart from a published study into a report. What does the textbook require?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 8.5 Guidelines for graphics: a final review. DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for technical and referencing accuracy
How does a descriptive abstract differ from an informative abstract?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Abstracts". DSST outline area V (33%), c. Final sections: abstracts
How is a weak sentence built on a "be" verb best repaired?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Power Revision: Sentence Level". DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for concision
How should a nonrestrictive element, one the sentence could live without, be punctuated?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Punctuation: Commas". DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for grammatical accuracy
In sentence revision, what does the term "expletive" refer to?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Power Revision: Sentence Level". DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for concision
"Organizational employee creative capacity" is an example of which sentence-level problem?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Power Revision: Sentence Level". DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for concision
What average sentence length does the textbook call about right?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet your audience's needs. DSST outline area V (33%), a. Revising for clarity
What does an executive summary focus on?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Abstracts". DSST outline area V (33%), c. Final sections: executive summaries
What does the cover letter of a report explain?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 10.1 Cover letter. DSST outline area V (33%), c. Final sections: cover letters
What should a strong introduction to a whole document make clear?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet your audience's needs. DSST outline area V (33%), a. Revising for accessibility
Which is the active-voice form of "The report was written by the student"?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Power Revision: Sentence Level". DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for concision
Which kind of information may be used without citing a source?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 5.2 Plagiarism. DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for technical and referencing accuracy
Which of these is a transition word that shows the logic between one thought and the next?Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing, section 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet your audience's needs. DSST outline area V (33%), a. Revising for organization
Which sentence punctuates its introductory element as technical style requires?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Punctuation: Commas". DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for grammatical accuracy
Which word can replace the wordy phrase "in view of the fact that" with no loss of meaning?David McMurrey, Online Technical Writing, "Power Revision: Sentence Level". DSST outline area V (33%), b. Editing for concision
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the content outline of the DSST Technical Writing fact sheet (Prometric, Rev 11/2021, https://getcollegecredit.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSST_TechnicalWriting.pdf, read 2026-10-08): theory and practice of technical writing 13%, purpose of technical documents 23%, technical writing process 13%, document design 18%, revising, editing and final sections 33%. The bank holds 7, 11, 6, 9 and 17 questions. Each rule was read on 2026-10-08 on the public page named under its question: the Open Oregon open textbook Technical Writing (Gross, Hamlin, Merck, Rubio, Naas, Savage and DeSilva), David McMurrey's Online Technical Writing, Section508.gov and, for one question, Wikipedia. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
This free Technical Writing DSST practice test has 50 questions of our own on audiences, reports, proposals, document design and editing. It is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Prometric, the owner of the DSST exams.
Read the full guide
The five areas
The fact sheet (Rev 11/2021) lists theory and practice of technical writing 13%, purpose of technical documents 23%, the technical writing process 13%, document design 18%, and revising, editing and final sections 33%. The bank holds 7, 11, 6, 9 and 17 questions.
Length and timing
The real exam is 100 questions in 2 hours. Exam mode keeps that pace: 50 questions in 60 minutes.
Rules, not opinions
Style advice differs between textbooks, so each answer rests on a rule its named source states, nearly always an open textbook, linked under the explanation.
Revising and editing is a third of the exam: know noun stacks, weak expletives and the passive voice.
Learn the report types by the question each answers. A feasibility report asks whether to act; a recommendation report asks which option.
Questions and answers
Is there a technical writing DSST study guide?
The fact sheet from Prometric is free and names three textbooks, including Markel's Technical Communication. The two open textbooks cited here, Open Oregon's Technical Writing and David McMurrey's Online Technical Writing, are free to read online.
What score do you need to pass the DSST Technical Writing exam?
There is no pass mark in percent. ACE recommends 3 semester hours of lower-level baccalaureate credit for a score of 400 or more, and the school you send the score to decides on the credit.
Are these the real DSST Technical Writing questions?
No. They are our own, written from the outline's lines and the rule each textbook states. Nothing is taken from the exam or from the sample questions on the fact sheet, so treat your score as practice only.