Duration: 3 Days
If writing technical information and effective memos, letters, reports, manuals, instructions, documentation, specifications, or proposals is a tough proposition, this technical writing course is for you. In this intensive three-day seminar, you will learn proven technical writing approaches and techniques that you can apply back on the job to achieve successful written technical communications. Bring a current project and get one-on-one feedback.
Your technical writing will improve as you learn to:
- Organize your material by purpose and audience
- Write with greater clarity and precision in less time
- Present complex technical information simply
- Know the purpose of your writing before you begin
- Recognize the needs of your audience
- Use illustrations
- Produce final drafts to make the right impression with your superiors
What You Will Learn
- Basics of good technical writing
- Understanding the needs of your audience
- Planning and organizing the project
- Overcoming writer's block
- Selecting the appropriate format for your audience
- Preparing manuals, proposals, and documentation
- Sentence structure and powerful word usage
- Essentials of electronic writing
- Simplifying complex information/edit and revision techniques
- Incorporating graphs, charts, and tables
Audience
Engineers, scientists, IT/computer personnel, R&D and other technical personnel, as well as business professionals at all levels
Prerequistes
Course Outline
1. Aspects of Technical Writing
- Pitfalls, style, and characteristics of technical writing
- Samples of technical writing
- Prepare a writing sample in technical style
2. Understanding the Readers' Needs
- Determine various readers' needs
- Convey technical information clearly to nontechnical readers
3. Patterns of Technical Writing
- Various patterns of technical writing
- Learn to write:
- Definitions
- Narration
- Process description
- Physical description
- Instructions
4. Organizing Technical Information
- How to organize and evaluate technical data
- Structure the physical format to enhance presentations of ideas
- Use linking words and phrases in sentences and paragraphs
5. Writing the First Draft
- The writing process
- Importance of determining and focusing on your purpose and goals
- Techniques for overcoming writer's block
6. Achieving Sentence Clarity and Precision
- Proven techniques for ensuring clarity and precision
- Avoid wordiness and confusing sentence constructions
7. Technical Report Elements
- Informal vs. formal reports
- Elements of technical reports
8. Technical Report Formats
- Nature of technical report formats
- Elements of technical reports
- Organizational formats for different reports
9. Writing Abstracts
- Function and characteristics of abstracts
- Guidelines for preparing abstracts
- Descriptive vs. informative abstracts
10. Using Illustrations
- Know when to use illustrations in technical writing
- Characteristics and uses of illustrations
- Illustrations useful in technical writing
11. Preparing Technical Manuals and Proposals
- Characteristics of technical manuals
- Components that comprise technical manuals
- Principles of technical manual writing style
- Elements of proposals
12. Editing and Proofreading Techniques
- Guidelines for editing and polishing technical writing
- How to write for another person's review and critical commentary
Course Labs
