DSST® practice test

Free DSST Principles of Supervision Practice Test (2026)

This is a set of 25 original practice questions that follow the official DSST Principles of Supervision content outline and its topic weights, each with a short explanation. Answer all 25, then read the explanations to see which topics need more study.

  • 25 questions
  • 3 topics from the official outline
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The practice test

25 questions

Question 1 of 25Under a typical progressive discipline policy, what is usually the first step for a minor rule violation?
Question 2 of 25A machine breaks down and two workers begin arguing over who caused it, so the supervisor steps in to resolve the conflict and get production restarted. In Mintzberg's terms, the supervisor is acting as
Question 3 of 25During a union organizing campaign, which action by a supervisor would be an unfair labor practice under the National Labor Relations Act?
Question 4 of 25Which interviewing practice best improves the reliability and fairness of hiring decisions?
Question 5 of 25What is the first step in the basic control process?
Question 6 of 25A company reports its results in terms of people, planet and profit. This approach is known as
Question 7 of 25A restaurant manager inspects fresh produce when it is delivered, before it is used in cooking. This is an example of
Question 8 of 25Supervisors are often called 'linking pins' because they
Question 9 of 25A supervisor listens without interrupting, then restates the employee's concern in her own words to confirm she understood. She is practicing
Question 10 of 25Employees resist a new scheduling system because they fear it will be unfair. Which approach is most likely to reduce their resistance?
Question 11 of 25When a supervisor delegates a task to an employee, what remains with the supervisor?
Question 12 of 25Compared with top executives, first-line supervisors generally rely most heavily on which type of skill?
Question 13 of 25A team leader tells his manager only the good news about a project and leaves out the delays. This barrier to communication is called
Question 14 of 25In Hofstede's framework, a culture in which employees readily accept large differences in authority and rarely question their bosses scores high on
Question 15 of 25An employee reports her company's illegal dumping of chemicals to a government agency. This act is called
Question 16 of 25A supervisor follows a written procedure each time a customer returns a defective product. This is an example of
Question 17 of 25An employee seeks challenging goals, wants frequent feedback on performance and likes personal responsibility for solving problems. According to McClelland, she has a high need for
Question 18 of 25In Carroll's pyramid of corporate social responsibility, which responsibility forms the base on which the others rest?
Question 19 of 25A supervisor believes that workers dislike work, avoid responsibility and must be closely watched. This view matches
Question 20 of 25A 58-year-old applicant is rejected because the hiring manager wants 'younger, fresh talent.' Which federal law most directly applies?
Question 21 of 25A supervisor and each employee jointly set specific goals, review progress regularly and evaluate performance against those goals. This approach is
Question 22 of 25Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a nonexempt employee paid $20 an hour works 46 hours in one workweek. What is the employee's gross pay for that week?
Question 23 of 25Which goal best meets the SMART criteria?
Question 24 of 25The Occupational Safety and Health Act's general duty clause requires employers to
Question 25 of 25A wide span of control is most suitable when

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