Correlation is not Causality – Cell Phone Towers & Babies

Correlation is not causation This means that just because two things happen at the same time, it doesn’t mean that one caused the other. Correlation does not imply causation is a phrase used in statistics and social sciences to emphasize that a correlation between two variables does not necessarily mean that one causes the other.…

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Rutger's University's "6-P Method" to Write Technical Case Studies

© 2010 Ugur Akinci The New York Times has published a very educational story about how Rutger University‘s technical writing program employs the “6-P Method” to create technical case studies. According to Peter Sorrell, an instructor at the business and technical writing program, the method consists of the following Ps: The Problem at stake, the…

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4 Reasons Why All Companies Should Have Terminology Management

What is Terminology Management? Terminology Management is a vital technical communication function for all corporations. Larger the corporation, more urgent is the need to have a standard catalog of terms and concepts used consistently across all levels of the organization. The goal of a terminology is to provide a set of terms that are well-defined,…

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How to Manage a Technical Document Review Process

Review Process is an Unspoken Problem… One of the most problematic aspects of a technical writing project is the review process. Usually, the reviewers are less responsive than a technical writer hopes them to be. Why is that the case? Because reviewers in a typical IT project team are either managers, engineers, or SME technicians,…

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The True Scope of a Localization Project

What is Localization? Some technical communicators think that “localization” is one and the same thing as “document translation.” Localization certainly encompasses translation but that’s not all. A localization project can include a lot more than just translating a user manual or two. Just consider the following list of BOM (Bill of Materials) introduced at a…

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How to Explain Things "In Other Words"…

When writing to explain and convince, it’s sometimes necessary to reexplain things bu using different words and phrases. It is unrealistic to expect people to understand what you’re talking about the first time you write about it. Sometimes you need to explain the same concept or idea multiple times and in different ways to make…

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How to Write a Corporate Form 10-K Annual Report

Annual Report All U.S. companies that issue publicly traded stock shares must file an Annual Report with the U.S. SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) by law. They have to disclose their financial dealings, strengths and vulnerabilities, by filing Form 10-K every year. Another name for this form is the “Annual Report.” If a company has…

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