Online Technical Writing: Highlighting & Emphasis

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1. If you have an extended chunk of text that you want to highlight, this recommends which of the following:
   Make the entire chunk of text bold or italics.
   Make the entire chunk of text all caps.
   Put the chunk of text in a separate paragraph and use a special-notice format.
   Use a different color.

2. What is the standard practice in the technical-publishing industry for emphasis on words like not, only, and never?
   There is no standard practice; usage varies between italics and bold.
   Bold is used.
   Italics is used.
   All caps is used.

3. Which of the following best defines what this chapter calls "variables" and identifies the common style of highlighting for variables?
   A variable is something users replace with their own information, such as their own name; bold is commonly used for variables.
   A variable is something users replace with their own information, such as their own name; italics is commonly used for variables.
   A variable is a system-supplied item such as a command; bold is commonly used for variables.
   A variable is a system-supplied item such as a command; italics is commonly used for variables.

4. True of false: in technical publishing it is standard practice to make liberal use of capitalization, such as for important components of systems.
   True. This is standard practice.
   False. Caps should be limited to separately orderable products as much as possible.
   

5. Which of the following is a common use for alternate fonts, such as Courier?
   Commands
   Variables
   Special notices
   Text displayed on screen

6. What does this chapter for highlighting keyboard keys, for example, the Enter key?
   Nothing; just use initial caps, or the capitalization style on the key top.
   Bold, and the capitalization style used on the key top.
   Italics, and the capitalization style used on the key top.
   All caps, and the capitalization style used on the key top.

7. The best way to keep track of your highlighting and emphasis usage is to:
   Memorize them.
   Go back through your draft carefully, looking for inconsistencies.
   Record your highlighting rules in a style guide and use it for reference.
   

8. This chapter calls the practice of using a lot of highlighting -- lots of bold, caps, italics, alternate fonts -- which of the following:
   Inconsistent usage
   Overkill
   Illogical usage
   It is not given a name.

9. According to this chapter, what should you do to help readers understand how you are using highlighting in a document?
   Nothing. They will figure it out.
   Explain how you are using bold, italics, etc., in the preface.
   Explain how you are using bold, italics, etc., in the appendix.
   Nothing. Use a highlighting scheme that is so intuitive that it will be immediately obvious to readers.

10. What is this chapter's recommendation on using double quotation marks?
    It urges you not to use them and to use bold, italics, other fonts instead.
    It encourages you to use double quotation marks for things like commands, variables, and text displayed on screen.
    

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