Think you’re a pretty smart technical communicator? Try out these two questions, typical of those found in the Certified Professional Technical Communicator Foundation exam:
Q1. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using reader profiles for technical communication?
a) Provides information on how readers will use the document
b) Helps with the presentation of the same information to different audiences
c) Provides a visual way of presenting ideas and understanding their logical relationships
d) Helps determine suitable pattern of arrangements for the body of the document
Q2. Which of the following statements about the focus of substantive editing are true?
1. The content should be checked for any gaps or digressions.
2. The document should be designed for the target audience and the context of use.
a) Only 1 is true
b) Only 2 is true
c) Both 1 and 2 are true
d) Neither 1 or 2 is true
The Certified Professional Technical Communicator Foundation exam verifies your understanding of a broad set of technical communication knowledge and methods. The exam is 40 minutes in length, consisting of 50 multiple-choice questions in closed-book format with a minimum 70% pass mark. The body of knowledge referenced by the exam is contained in the following book: Technical Communication Today, 5th edition, by Richard Johnson-Sheehan.
Answers to these questions and more information on STC’s new professional certification program can be found online at http://www.stc.org/certification.