Technical

Writers write marketing documents

such as brochure, case study, press release,
product handbook, marketing script,
advertising copy, white paper and data
sheet.

 Technical

Writers have skills to write

different type of documents. Reporting
documents include magazine and newspaper
articles, technical paper, annual report, and
website.

 The

documents include user manual,

installation manual, glossary, training
material, online tutorials, and quick start
guides.

 This

is a part of day today writing. The

documents include resume, letter etc.

WHY??

 There

are various types of technical

document that are aimed for different goals.

user guide or user's guide, also commonly

known as a manual, is a technical
communication document intended to give
assistance to people using a particular
system.

book of instructions, especially for

operating a machine or learning a subject; a
handbook.

 User

guides and manuals explain users for

what purposes the product was created and
how to use the software in a proper way.
These documents can also help new
employees of a software company to
familiarize themselves with the products
they should work with. Such manuals usually
stored on a software manufacturers site, but
they can also exist in hard copy forms

 Publication

materials include article in

magazines and newspapers, newsletters, blog
posts and technical reports. This
documentation deals with urgent information
about organization, its products and
activities. It can have different purposes and
be intended for various audiences.

 Tone

is how you say what you say. Your goal

is to present information in a tone that
encourages readers to pay attention and be
receptive to what you have to say.

 Plan,

draft and revise any correspondence

that you send.
Avoid sending correspondence out of a direct
emotional reaction-you may regret what you
send the next day. Wait a while before
sending that blistering email, letter or
memo.
Be courteous.
Before you give a request, give your reader a
reason to comply.
Avoid sarcasm.
Use plain English. Avoid Letterese or Clichs

 To

give you a picture of the kinds of

materials technical writers typically produce,
here are some examples and some specific
considerations for each:

 Product

manuals
Often, a product will come packaged with
hard-copy documentation explaining its
features in detail. Increasingly, for complex
products, such as software, these are
becoming more rare. Instead of including in
depth material, software will often include a
slim guide to get users up an running. The
more in depth material will then be left for
third-party experts publishing on the subject
or user help tools available either in the
software or online.

 Technical

writing includes step-by-step

assembly instructions, which need to be
carefully crafted to ensure that the end-user
can complete the steps safely and
accurately.

 As

mentioned in reference to software,

products sometimes include a brief
introductory guide to get a user started on
working with its features. These documents
do not include comprehensive information
covering all elements. Instead they focus on
clear and concise directions for getting the
user started. These are sometimes included
in addition to a more comprehensive user
manual, a practice commonly seen with cell
phones and smart phones.

 Much

of technical writing for end-user

software documentation takes place
electronically. Technical writers build
interactive guides where users can look for
information specifically related to a question
they have about a product. This helps them
troubleshoot as they encounter obstacles in
using the software. It also gives them the
option of reading through the guide for a
more comprehensive understanding.

 Again,

often related to software products,

and with certain kinds of hardware, thirdparty authors often write full length guides
to help users thoroughly learn the ins and
outs. If this is a goal for you as you set out
into the technical writing field, you might
get a headstart in a course on writing a howto book.

 Multiple

Choice Quiz
This quiz reviews some of the topics in this
chapter. When you are done, Submit
yourAnswers for Grading in order to see
how well you did.
This activity contains 10 questions.

1.
Technical communication is ____________.
All of the above.
2.
Who creates technical communication?
Your Answer:
virtually all professionals
3.
Technical communication focuses on ______________.
Your Answer:
the reader, not the writer.
4.
Technical communication ________________.
Your Answer:
puts the needs of the audience first by focusing on what the audience
considers most important.

5.
Accessible documents _____________.
Your Answer:
A, B, and C.
6.
Successful persuasion depends on _______________
Your Answer:
A, B, and C.
7.
Which of the following is NOT true about technical communication?
Your Answer:
Technical communication requires a very narrow range of writing expertise.
8.
Which of the following are documents that reach diverse audiences?
Your Answer:
A, B, and C.