Technical Writing Introduction

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Technical Writing Introduction

• Whats in store for you this semester

2
Contents

• Purpose of course
• Technical writing characteristics
• Technical writing
• Course requirements
• Safe computing

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Definition/Purpose of Course

• Technical communication is the art and science
  of making complex technical information
  accessible, usable, and relevant to a variety of
  audiences in a variety of settings.
• Composition of the types of documents technical
  professionals write
• Review of the planning, drafting, and editing
  processes
• Interaction with new technologies and new
  environments

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Accessibility

• Accuracy no errors of fact or grammar
• Clarity no ambiguity
• Completeness all necessary information is
  present
• Dictionappropriate and grammatically correct
  language
• Organizationlogical arrangement of parts
• Visual effectiveness page/screen design,
  graphics

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Usability

• Allows audience to perform the task or retrieve
  the information they need
• Studies design of table of contents, index,
  headings, etc.
• Keeps learning curve short

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Relevance

• Focus on your audiences need for information.
• Give only whats needed.
• Use language that fits your audience and
  situation and is consistent.

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On-the-job Writing

• Communicate expertise to clients, customers, and
  the public
• Report tech activities to supervisors and others
• Write proposals
• Instruct lay people
• Correspond with colleagues and clients

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Tech Communicators Skills

• Facility with language
• Use of critical thinking skills to solve problems
• Ability to assess situations, determine what the
  most important issues and the subsidiary ones
  are
• Ability to organize a document that presents the
  information clearly

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Skills, continued

• Awareness of the persuasive nature of writing and
  ability to compose documents that convince your
  reader(s) to act as you suggest or to trust your
  point of view
• Ethical behavior shown by avoiding deceptive
  graphics, presenting information truthfully,
  balancing ethical and moral beliefs with the
  demands of the job

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Writing Assignments

• Application, follow-up letters, and résumés
• Technical Definition
• Proposal
• Collaborative process manual and oral
  presentation
• Product/service comparison

• Formal report
• Progress Report
• Personal and professional website
• Class notes
• Report outline in PowerPoint.

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Home Page Creation

• Create or update your web site.
• Put the pages together manually first
• Use an editor or continue to work manually once
  youre working on your own.
• Link to a web site you already have, adding the
  requirements for this new part of your site.

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Safe Computing

• Check your own disks for viruses.
• Back up your work (you can save on both the S/T
  drive and a 3.5 floppy/data CD).
• Dont forget to take your disk with you at the
  end of class.
• Put your name, phone number/e-mail address on the
  label.
• Save often dont rely on autosave.