WorkKeys Workplace Documents flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Must versus may

"Must" states a requirement the reader is obligated to follow. "May" grants permission but never compels action. "Should" is a recommendation, not a rule.

Effective date

The date on which a new or revised policy begins to apply. Actions taken before that date are governed by the previous version of the rule.

Optional form field

A field marked optional may be left blank without penalty. Fields with no such marking, and fields marked required, must be completed before submission.

Step sequence words

Words such as first, then, before, after, and finally signal the required order of steps. Numbered steps are performed in ascending order unless stated otherwise.

Announcement versus policy

An announcement reports news, events, or changes and is usually dated. A policy states a standing rule that governs behavior until formally revised or withdrawn.

Memo header

The TO, FROM, DATE, and SUBJECT lines identify the audience, sender, date, and topic. The body below them carries the actual instruction the reader must follow.

Business days

Business days count only weekdays when the office is open, excluding weekends and holidays. Calendar days count every day, including weekends and holidays.

Repeat until condition

An instruction to repeat certain steps until a condition is met means keep cycling through those steps while the condition is unmet, then continue with the next step.

Approval chain

A sequence in which each step requires sign-off from the named role before the next step may begin. Skipping a link invalidates the later approvals.

Cap language

Phrases such as "up to three per month" set a maximum, not a target. Any number at or below the limit is permitted; exceeding it is not.

Later effective date controls

When two versions of the same policy conflict, the version with the later effective date governs, unless the document names the superseded sections explicitly.

Concurrent steps

Steps labeled "simultaneously," "concurrently," or "at the same time" may be performed together. Steps not so labeled must follow the numbered order.

Routing slip

A form that records who received a document and on what date, showing the order in which it passed through each approver.

Unless

Means "if not." The main action is barred or excluded unless the stated condition is satisfied, so read the exception as a required precondition.

Shall and may

In legal text, "shall" imposes a mandatory duty, "may" grants discretion, and "shall not" or "must not" prohibits the action outright.

Provided that

Introduces a condition or limit attached to the main clause. The main clause holds only when that condition is satisfied.

Condition precedent

An act or event that must occur before another party's duty under the agreement takes effect, such as obtaining a permit first.

Subject to

Signals that a provision is limited or overridden by another clause, such as a cap, an approval requirement, or a later section.

Defined term

A capitalized word or phrase whose meaning is fixed in the document's definitions section. Use that meaning everywhere, not the everyday one.

Notwithstanding

Means "despite." The clause it introduces overrides any conflicting provision elsewhere in the same document, so it takes priority.

First-use acronym rule

A document typically spells out a full name at first use with the acronym in parentheses. Later mentions use only the acronym, referring to the same entity.

Extraneous detail

Background, history, or information about unrelated parties that does not change the required answer. Skip it when locating the sentence that states the rule.

Noun string

A chain of nouns modifying a final noun, such as "monthly service level adjustment factor." Read right to left; the last noun is the actual thing.

Gross versus net

Gross is the total amount before deductions. Net is what remains after deductions such as taxes, fees, or withholdings are subtracted.

Double negative

Two negatives in one statement resolve to a positive; "not uncommon" means common. Restate the sentence plainly before choosing an answer.

Table header scope

A column or row header applies to every cell in that column or row, including units such as hours, days, or dollars.

Undefined jargon

A term used in the passage without a glossary entry or definition. Its meaning must be inferred from examples, contrasts, and surrounding sentences.

Least-inference rule

When a passage is unclear, the best answer is the one supported by the printed words with the fewest added assumptions.

Unnamed actor in passive voice

In "the form must be submitted," no doer is named. Assume the party responsible for running the process must perform the action.

Ambiguous pronoun

A pronoun such as "it" or "they" that could refer to more than one noun. Test each candidate against the verb before acting.

Self-referential definition

A definition that restates the term it defines without clarifying it. Use the example or illustration elsewhere in the document instead.

Controlling sentence

In unclear writing, the sentence carrying the obligation, deadline, or prohibition outranks descriptive or background sentences when deciding what to do.