Effective Technical Writing

Technical writing is unique because of its specialized content. It must convey objectivity and reach both technical and nontechnical audiences with exactness and clarity. Along with writing emails, letters and reports, the technical writer must be able to prepare definitions, physical descriptions, product specifications, procedures, test and laboratory results, and many other kinds of documents.

This seminar offers you a battery of tools and techniques to help you jumpstart the writing process on any challenging technical writing endeavor. You will learn ways to defeat writer’s block, procrastination and writer’s anxiety, as well as how to develop a better understanding of readers’ needs and expectations. You will also discover principles and approaches that cover a broad range of industries and topics and get hands-on experience improving your technical writing ESP—efficiency, sufficiency and proficiency. In addition, you will receive expert feedback on your work from an experienced writing consultant to help fine-tune your new skills.

• Create a full range of technical documents with solid structures 
• Use templates to quickly start the writing process 
• Explore techniques for getting past writer’s block 
• Prepare detailed messages for both technical and nontechnical readers 
• Understand best practices for displaying visual information 
• Edit language for precision, clarity and conciseness 
• Summarize complex issues with authority and clarity

• Employing the standards of technical writing 
• The technical writing process: getting started efficiently 
• Assessing your own writing style based on the audience 
• The techniques: strategically organizing ideas and messages 
• Knowing how to best display visual information 
• Achieving precision, clarity and conciseness 
• Editing at the word level

Learning Objectives

• Distinguish Among the Elements of Technical Documents
• Create a Full Range of Technical Documents with a Solid Structure
• Use Templates to Jumpstart the Writing Process
• Use Techniques for Overcoming Writer’s Block
• Evaluate Technical Data Based on the Writer’s Purpose and the Reader’s Concerns
• Prepare Detailed Messages with a Style for Technical and Nontechnical Writers
• Structure the Format to Enhance Presentation and Ideas
• Use Linking Words and Phrases in Sentences and Paragraphs
• Apply Best Practices for Displaying Visual Information
• Edit Language for Precision, Clarity, and Conciseness
• Choose Language for Appropriateness
• Summarize Complex Issues with Authority

The Landscape

• Define Technical Writing
• Identify Characteristics of Technical Writing
• Distinguish Between Two Commonly Used Technical Writing Styles
• Classify the Challenges That Technical Writers Face

The Maps

• Distinguish Among the Elements of Technical Documents
• Identify a Full Range of Technical Documents with a Solid Structure
• Use Templates to Jumpstart the Writing Process

The Technical Writing Process

• Overcome Writer’s Block
• Generate Ideas Through an Efficient Writing Process

The Technical Writing Product

• Evaluate Technical Data Based on the Writer’s Purpose and the Readers’ Concerns
• Assess Your Own Writing Style Based on the Audience

Organizing Ideas

• Compose Effective Patterns of Technical Writing
• Structure the Format to Enhance Presentations and Ideas
• Use Linking Words and Phrases in Sentences and Paragraphs

Visualizing Ideas

• Apply Best Practices for Displaying Visual Information
• Use the Full Range of Illustrations in Technical Writing

Editing at the Sentence Level

• Identify Common Sentence Problems and Their Solutions
• Edit Imprecise, Unclear, or Wordy Sentences
• Combine Sentences for Fluency
• Edit Sentences for Active Voice
• Edit Sentences for Parallel Structure

Editing at the Word Level

• Choose Correct Grammar, Words, Punctuation, and Mechanics
• Summarize Complex Issues with Authority

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LESSON ONE

The Territory: Employing the Standards of Effective Technical Writing

• Distinguish Among the Elements of Technical Writing
• Create the Full Range of Technical Documents with a Solid Structure
• Decide on the Best Organization Pattern for Conveying Technical Information

LESSON TWO 

The Task: Getting Started Efficiently

• Use Techniques for Overcoming Writer’s Block
• Evaluate Technical Data Based on the Writer’s Purpose and the Readers’ Concerns
• Prepare Detailed Messages with a Style for Technical and Nontechnical Readers

LESSON THREE

The Techniques: Organizing Messages Strategically

• Structure the Format to Enhance Presentations and Ideas
• Use Linking Words and Phrases in Sentences and Paragraphs
• Apply Best Practices for Displaying Visual Information

LESSON FOUR

The Tweaks: Achieving Precision, Clarity, and Conciseness

• Edit Language for Precision, Clarity, Conciseness
• Choose Language for Appropriateness
• Summarize Complex Issues with Authority