The Essential Guide to User Interface Design - 3rd Edition
Wilbert O. Galitz
TEST ANSWERS
Step 8: Write Clear Text and Messages
Short Answer
1. What is readability?
Readability is the degree to which prose can be understood, based upon
the complexity of its words and sentences. Readability is determined by
many factors, including word length, word commonality, sentence
length, and the number of syllables in a sentence.
2. What is the average reading grade level in North America?
Eighth to ninth grade level.
3. Name three types of system messages.
Status.
Informational.
Warning.
Critical.
Question.
4. Name five guidelines for writing clear sentences and messages.
Brief and simple.
Directly and immediately usable.
An affirmative statement.
In an active voice.
In the temporal sequence of events.
Structured so that the main topic is near the beginning.
Of parallel construction.
Of the proper tone.
Use humor with caution.
5. A well-written link label will easily allow the user to easily do what?
Predict where the link leads. Link differentiability and descriptiveness
aids prediction. Understanding of a link’s purpose reduces
disorientation, because irrelevant links are less likely to be followed.
6. What is the purpose of a critical message?
To call attention to conditions that require a user action before the
system can proceed.
7. How can important points or text on a screen be emphasized?
Positioning in unusual places.
Drawing boxes around.
Using bold typefaces.
Indenting left and right margins.
8. Name six words that should not be used on screens.
Abend
Abort
Access
Available
Boot
Error
Execute
Hit
Implement
Invalid
Key
Kill
Output
Return Key
Terminate
9. On Web pages, why is it important to create meaningful headings and
headlines that quickly communicate the content of what follows?
Headings and headlines are often scanned to find screen content of
interest. Their wording must provide a strong clue about the content they
relate to so the reader will take time to go there.
10. Name four guidelines for making Web text easily scannable.
Bulleted listings.
Tables.
Headings and subheadings.
Highlighted and emphasized important issues.
Short paragraphs.
True/False
1. A warning message is used to call the user’s attention to a situation that
may be undesirable.
True or False?
2. Readability formulas can be always be relied upon to give accurate
measures of text readability.
True or False?
3. Always write at a readability level below the reading skill level of the
intended audience.
True or False?
4. If the users need an explanation, they’ll always read the documentation.
True or False?
5. Something that must be remembered should be located at the end of a piece
of text.
True or False?
6. Adults tend to read at least one or two grades below the last school grade
completed.
True or False?
7. In writing, use headings to introduce a new topic, make first sentences
descriptive, and separate paragraphs by at least one blank line.
True or False?
8. Writing for the Web is no different than traditional text writing.
True or False?
9. Link names should match the name of their destination page.
True or False?
10. It is acceptable to tell the user he or she is stupid if the situation warrants it.
True or False?
Multiple Choice
1. What kind of system message provides information about the state of the
system when it is not immediately obvious to the user?
a) Status.
b) Informational.
c) Warning.
d) Critical.
e) Question.
f) None of the above.
2. Which of the following message guidelines is not correct?
a) Abbreviated, more concise versions of messages should be
available.
b) Something that must be remembered should be at the beginning
of the text.
c) Include code numbers with all messages.
d) Use the message line for messages that must not interfere with
screen information.
e) All are not correct.
3. Which of the following terms should be avoided in writing sentences and
messages?
a) Abort.
b) Boot.
c) Cancel.
d) Enter.
e) Error.
f) Execute.
g) Hit.
h) Not correct.
i) Invalid.
j) Terminate.
k) All should be avoided.
4. Which of the following guidelines for writing sentences and messages are
correct?
a) Be brief and simple.
b) Write at a 10th grade level or less for the general population.
c) Use an active voice.
d) Locate the main topic is near the beginning.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
e) Be nonthreatening.
f) Liberally use humor.
g) All are correct.
In writing text for a message box, which of the following guidelines are not
correct?
a) Provide a clear and concise description of the condition causing
the message box to be displayed.
b) Use complete sentences with ending punctuation.
c) State the problem, its probable cause (if known), and what the
user can do about it.
d) Avoid contractions, technical jargon, and system-oriented
information.
e) Provide multistep solutions as necessary.
f) Liberally use the word please.
g) Do not exceed two or three lines.
Which of the following describes the inverted pyramid style of Web
writing?
a) Short paragraphs containing only one main idea.
b) Highlighted and emphasized important issues.
c) A conclusion or summary of key points at the beginning
followed by supporting details or background information.
d) Links placed at the beginning or end of paragraphs or sections of
text.
e) All of the above.
Which of the following guidelines are correct for writing instructional
information on Web pages?
a) Do not use phrasing that indicates a certain page order or flow.
b) Explain where “Up” leads too.
c) Phrase them in a browser-independent manner.
d) Minimize “Click here” instructions.
e) Say “Select this link.”
f) All of the above.
Which of the following guidelines are correct for presenting text on
screens?
a) Display prose text in mixed upper- and lower-case letters.
b) Use plain and simple fonts.
c) Choose a minimum point size of 12 to 14.
d) Use proportional fonts.
e) Left-justify or right justify as necessary.
f) Hyphenate words as necessary.
g) All of the above.
Which of the following guidelines are correct for writing text on screens?
a) Use short sentences composed of familiar, personal words.
b) Try to keep the number of words in a sentence to 50-60 or less.
c) Use separate sentences for separate ideas.
d) Keep the paragraphs short.
e) Restrict a paragraph to only one idea.
f) All of the above.
10. Which of these alternatives illustrates the active writing style?
a) The customer name should be typed.
b) Type the customer name.
11. Which of these alternatives illustrates the personal writing style?
a) Now you must press the Enter key.
b) Now press the Enter key.
12. How can instructional messages be made obvious to the user?
a) Position at locations just preceding the controls or elements to
which they apply.
b) Display in a manner that visually differentiates them from
other screen elements.
c) Provide a heading saying “Instructional Message.”
d) All of the above.