Posts Tagged ‘Technical Writing’
Basic Software Documentation Terms Every Tech Writer Should Know
Introduction It helps to know Basic Software Documentation Terms if you’re documenting any software product. It cuts down on your preparation time and saves you from getting those “funny stares” from the developers/engineers when it becomes apparent that you don’t know what you’re talking about. Rule of Thumb Always do your homework first and get…
Read MoreJob Prospects in Technical Writing vs. Copy Writing
An accountant/bookkeeper reader asked whether copy writing is a better alternative in terms of finding jobs than technical writing, especially in rural areas. The following was my answer to him: “I’d say the chances of finding a tech writing vs. copy writing job in rural areas is just about the same. The business that has…
Read MoreCloze Test of Document Comprehensibility
How comprehensible is your technical document? There are various tests and measures of comprehensibility but I like the Cloze Test the best since it measures the interactivity of the user with the document within a specific subject-matter context. The test is nothing new. It was first formulated by W. L. Taylor in 1953. It consists…
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Writing for Mobile Platforms
Introduction Writing for mobile platforms like smartphones and pads is an important specialization for technical writers. The trend is already picking up speed. One “mobile writing guru” is Joe Welinske of WritersUA who has done a lot to advance our understanding of the new challenges facing us in the mobile frontier. In a webinar organized by…
Read MoreHow to Define Information Granularity in Technical Writing
Defining granularity, that is, how granular information topics should be is a perennial dilemma in technical writing. A dilemma is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two equally undesirable alternatives. The movie “Sophie’s Choice” (1982) depicts how dramatic and terrible such dilemmas can get. Thankfully, the similar granularity dilemmas…
Read MoreTechnical Communication Certificate Program at NOVA, Northern Virginia
© Ugur Akinci Here is yet another Technical Communication Certificate Program at NOVA, Northern Virginia Community College. “Professional Writing for Business, Government, and Industry Certificate“ The NOVA catalog reads: “This certificate program prepares participants to write with expertise in professional contexts. The curriculum provides skills needed by currently employed or potential writers in business, government, and…
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How to Design a Document Revision History Template
Introduction A document revision history template can help you to make sure that your documents are always up to date and error-free. Designing a Document Revision History Template 1. Include the current date and time in your document revision history template. 2. Include the name of the person who made the changes in the revision…
Read MoreHow to Write About Changing Contexts in Procedural Task Steps
© Ugur Akinci In using software, the context changes frequently depending on the actions we take. For example, when we click a command button, a new window might open. Or when we select a specific option from a drop-down menu, the system may display a new dialog box in a new tab. A new window,…
Read MoreA Perspective on Technical and Content Writing in India – Part II
By Nikhil Khandekar Special for TCC Content Developer, India (Continues from Part I) In India, technical communication was introduced by the emergence of IT in the 1990s. Our mathematical and scientific acumen for all things IT was what led to our stumbling onto technical communication. Stumble we had to; there was no working our way…
Read MoreA Perspective on Technical and Content Writing in India – Part I
By Nikhil Khandekar Special for TCC Content Developer, India The biggest challenge that the development of technical communication and documentation faces in India is the general and perceived lack of facility with the English language. Website content, email communication, documentation, and even books and articles produced in India suffer a bias in the Western mind…
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