RE: Writing Test

Subject: RE: Writing Test
From: "Andrew Warren" <awarren -at- synaptics -dot- com>
To: <vrfour -at- verizon -dot- net>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 18:55:36 -0800

James Barrow wrote:

> take a look at what I was given and let me know what you would have
> said. I'll tell you how I answered in my next post. Here's the test:

>
> "In one paragraph (100 words or less) describe what should be included
> in a good documentation package, and explain why it would be good."

Jim:

If it were me, I'd have redlined the "less" and replaced it with
"fewer", inserted a comma after the closing paren, then refused to
continue until the question was retyped.

Or maybe I'd write, "A good documentation package should include good
documents (duh! lol) The reason it would be good, is because it has good
documents. If you hire me i will write good documents, and, try not to
write alot of bad documents so all the packages (or most of them anyways
lol) will be good. THANKS!!!", and I'd dot the exclamation points with
smiley faces.

... but that's mostly because I already have a job and would only be
interviewing for fun.

If I were approaching the test seriously, I guess I'd have an issue with
the 100-word limit: If it's just a test of writing ability, it's too
short to discriminate among mediocre, good, and great writers; it's
barely suitable for weeding out the completely incompetent. If it's not
just a writing test -- if the interviewer actually wants to know what I
think should go into a good documentation package -- then the assumption
that I can explain it in 100 words says a lot about his
(mis)understanding of the subject.

How'd you answer?

-Andrew

=== Andrew Warren - awarren -at- synaptics -dot- com
=== Synaptics, Inc - Santa Clara, CA
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