Archive for February 2009
Technical Writing – How Wikis will Transform Technical Writers into Information Coordinators
In case you are not too familiar with it, Wiki is a web site that can be built by many authors together. That’s its most basic definition. But “wiki,” which means “quick” in Hawaiian, refers to the application that makes a wiki web site possible as well. wikipedia is the world’s best known wiki but,…
Read MoreTechnical Writing – How Not to Violate the English Grammar While Trying to Be Gender-Sensitive
This is a grammar error that I see committed by some writers these days: mixing singular subjects with plural verbs and pronouns. As a technical writer you would normally never say “He enter their password.” But increasingly, in order not to commit a gender bias, I see documents that contain sentences like “the user should…
Read MoreBook Review – Handbook of Technical Writing
by Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu (NOTE: This review is based on the 7th edition of this work which, at this time of writing, is in its 9th edition.) Handbook of Technical Writing, Ninth Edition is (together with Microsoft’s Manual of Style for Technical Publications) definitely one of the top…
Read More9-Point Checklist for Technical Writers
If you are just starting out on your professional career or thinking to make a career change, you might want to use the below check list to see if technical writing would be a correct choice for you. 1) Are you good with language? Have you been noted since you were a child for your…
Read MoreHow to Write a Style Guide – plus, a DIRECTORY
Posted a new page on how to write a Style Guide, together with a comprehensive directory of Style Guides. Click here to read it
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How to Become a Technical Writer: A Beginner’s Guide
Introduction Are you a high school student planning to become a technical writer? Then, first of all, pay attention to your science classes. Work as hard as you can on your math, physics, chemistry, computer, biology/life science classes since you need to have a good foundation in those subjects. Secondly, learn your English and composition…
Read MoreTechnical Writing – 3 Easy Ways to Capture Screenshots for your Print and Online Technical Documents
Screen shots are a must if you are a technical writer authoring a software manual of any kind. Here are three easy methods to capture and use a screen shot that would increase your productivity and help your readers follow the procedural directions more easily. 1) If you use a Windows machine, press the Print…
Read MoreTechnical Writing – A Checklist For a Software Document Writing Project
© 2009-2010 Ugur Akinci Here is a general checklist that you might find useful to make sure your software documentation project does not miss anything: Do you have access to the software project’s Scope Document? Do you have access to the functional and marketing specs of the software project? Have you written a Documentation Plan…
Read MoreIs Technical Writing Really "Unnecessary"?
One sometimes hears the comment that technical writing is not only “boring” but “unnecessary” as well. Nothing can be further from the truth. Good technical writing at its best is INVISIBLE. You don’t even know it’s there and that scores of people have benefited from it. And at its most extreme, yes, good technical documentation…
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Is Technical Writing "Boring" ?
One traditional complaint leveled at technical writing is that it’s “boring.” I obviously strongly disagree with that charge and I’ll explain why. Personal Disclosure But first a necessary personal disclosure: yes, I do love technical communication with a passion but that’s of course NOT the only thing in life that I like intensely. For example,…
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