Technical Writing

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Technical Writing

• Everything You Need To Know
• Daniel Smith
• Language Arts Teacher
• Seminole County Public Schools

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What is Technical Writing?

• Creating documentation for a specific technology
• Writing text that is accurate, readable,
  accessible, and helpful to its intended audience.
  
• Taking complicated subject matter and
  transforming it into easy-to-understand
  information for the reader.

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Technical Writers Create . . .

• Users manuals
• System manuals
• Step-by-step procedures
• On-line help
• Training manuals
• Quick-reference guides

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Technical Writers also Create . . .

• Cook Books
• Directions for board games
• Directions to airports
• Assembly Instructions

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Know Your Audience

• Language and Usage
• Word Choice
• Tone
• Background Knowledge

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Know Your Audience

• The entire point of communications is to
  disseminate information.
• To present the appropriate content, it is
  imperative to understand ones audience and
  writing purpose.

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Technical Writing for Students

• The Process Essay
• Lab Reports
• SW Manuals IT

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Effective Technical Writing

• If a document does not communicate the
  information that the writer intends and what he
  wants the reader to understand, then the
  communication is meaningless.

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Sources

• www.klariti.com
• Guidelines for Technical Writing, V.L. Young and
  K.J. Sampson. Ohio University Press. Athens, OH