CS Office Administration & Organization 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When setting up a tickler file system, files are typically organized by which primary criterion?
- Alphabetical order by sender
- Chronological date order (Correct answer)
- Priority level (high/medium/low)
- Department or project name
Correct answer: Chronological date order
A tickler file (follow-up file) is organized chronologically by date so reminders surface at the correct time.
Question 2: Which filing method is MOST appropriate for a law office that retrieves documents primarily by client name?
- Geographic filing
- Numeric filing
- Alphabetic filing (Correct answer)
- Subject filing
Correct answer: Alphabetic filing
Alphabetic filing by client name allows direct retrieval without a separate index, making it ideal when names are the primary identifier.
Question 3: An office manager discovers that 20% of the files account for 80% of the retrievals. This observation reflects which principle?
- FIFO principle
- Pareto principle (Correct answer)
- Peter principle
- Hawthorne principle
Correct answer: Pareto principle
The Pareto principle (80/20 rule) states that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes, commonly seen in file usage patterns.
Question 4: What is the recommended maximum number of items in a single physical file folder before subdividing?
- 25 items
- 50 items (Correct answer)
- 75 items
- 100 items
Correct answer: 50 items
Standard records management guidelines recommend subdividing a folder when it exceeds approximately 50 documents to prevent overstuffing and retrieval difficulty.
Question 5: Which type of desk arrangement provides the MOST privacy for confidential conversations with visitors?
- Straight-front desk facing the door
- L-shaped desk in a corner
- U-shaped workstation (Correct answer)
- Desk positioned with back to the door
Correct answer: U-shaped workstation
A U-shaped workstation creates a natural barrier around the secretary and provides a dedicated visitor area that limits exposure to passersby.
Question 6: When indexing personal names for alphabetical filing, 'St.' as in 'St. James' is treated as:
- A separate unit filed under 'S'
- Spelled out as 'Saint' and filed under 'S' (Correct answer)
- Ignored and filing begins with 'James'
- Filed under 'T' as if spelled 'Saint'
Correct answer: Spelled out as 'Saint' and filed under 'S'
ARMA filing rules require that the abbreviation 'St.' be spelled out as 'Saint' and filed alphabetically under 'S' as if fully spelled.
Question 7: A cross-reference sheet in a filing system is used to:
- Record the retention schedule for a document
- Point to the location of a document filed under an alternate name (Correct answer)
- Track who has checked out a file
- Indicate that a document should be destroyed
Correct answer: Point to the location of a document filed under an alternate name
A cross-reference sheet is placed in alternate filing locations to direct users to the primary location where the document is actually filed.
CS Office Administration & Organization 2
When setting up a tickler file system, files are typically organized by which primary criterion?