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Technical Communication
by Rochelle Drinon 02/07/2010
Technical Communication
by Rochelle Drinon
1. Netiquette
1.1. choose an appropriate email address
1.2. use an appropriate subject
1.2.1. 4-8 words
1.3. respect others' bandwith
1.3.1. keep short
1.3.2. don't include complete text in a reply email
1.4. lurk before you leap
1.5. polish your writing
1.5.1. if your emails are sloppy, you may seem careless,too
1.6. watch those caps
1.6.1. you appear to be shouting
1.7. use attachments properly
1.7.1. contact in advance for big files
1.7.2. inform about attachment
1.7.3. HTW: try to keep short msgs in message, so don't have to open an attachment
1.8. back it up/save it
1.9. Nothing is private!
1.9.1. illegal
1.9.2. inappropriate
1.9.3. offensive
2. Types of Technical Comm.
2.1. Email
2.2. Letters
2.3. Proposals
2.4. Manuals
2.5. Job Search docs
2.6. Websites
2.7. Presentations
2.8. Memos...
3. Characteristics of Tech. Comm.
3.1. Rhetorical
3.2. Audience Centered
3.3. Tech oriented
3.4. Ethical
3.5. Research oriented
3.6. Professional
3.7. Visual
3.8. Design-centered
3.9. Concise
4. Defined:
4.1. "information about a technical subject to a specific audience for a specific purpose"
5. Process
5.1. Planning
5.2. Researching
5.3. Organizing
5.4. Designing
5.5. Drafting
5.6. Integrating Visuals
5.7. Revising
5.8. Rewriting
5.9. Editing
5.10. Testing
6. New node
7. Problem Solving Approach: PSA
7.1. plan
7.1.1. confirm your purpose
7.1.2. analyze audience
7.2. research
7.2.1. gather info
7.2.2. develop ideas
7.2.2.1. collaboration
7.2.2.2. listing
7.2.2.3. freewriting
7.2.2.4. clustering
7.2.2.4.1. who, what, where, when, why, how?
7.2.2.4.2. HTW mindmap?
7.2.3. organizing info
7.2.3.1. purpose
7.2.3.2. audience
7.2.3.3. logic
7.2.3.4. ethics
7.2.4. organizational strategy
7.2.4.1. sequential
7.2.4.1.1. numbered
7.2.4.1.2. transition words
7.2.4.1.3. sequence words
7.2.4.1.4. images to clarify sequence
7.2.4.2. chronological
7.2.4.2.1. timeline
7.2.4.2.2. flowchart
7.2.4.3. order of importance
7.2.4.3.1. increase/decreasing order
7.2.4.4. general/specific
7.2.4.4.1. background
7.2.4.4.2. scope
7.2.4.4.3. context
7.2.4.4.4. examples
7.2.4.4.5. derived from deductive reasoning
7.2.4.4.6. flowchart can help when drafting
7.2.4.4.7. language to identify pattern
7.2.4.5. division
7.2.4.5.1. allows you to divide a whole idea into components
7.2.4.5.2. images to show how everything is connected
7.2.4.5.3. lists to identify parts of whole
7.2.4.5.4. classification system to group parts together
7.2.4.6. classification
7.2.4.6.1. groups items according to similarites
7.2.4.6.2. well-designed and thought out categories
7.2.4.6.3. parallel structures
7.2.4.6.4. without leaving anything out
7.2.4.6.5. keywords to identify classes and rationals behind them
7.2.4.7. cause & effect
7.2.4.7.1. relationships between events
7.2.4.7.2. only evidence that's directly linked
7.2.4.7.3. evidence of more general data
7.2.4.7.4. only plausible data
7.2.4.7.5. chart/diagram to organize info to show relationships
7.2.4.8. comparison/contrast
7.2.4.8.1. charts, tables, graphs, etc to show comparison
7.2.4.8.2. evaluative language
7.2.4.8.3. only representative language
7.2.4.8.4. data that's plausibly compared
7.2.4.9. HTW spatial
7.2.4.9.1. physical space or objects
7.2.4.10. OVERALL TIPS
7.2.4.10.1. explicit
7.2.4.10.2. consistent
7.2.4.10.3. consider access method
7.2.4.10.4. ethically presented
7.2.4.10.5. identify primary and secondary points of info
7.2.4.10.6. task-based info should be in order of action
7.3. draft
7.3.1. front matter
7.3.1.1. title
7.3.1.2. cover image
7.3.1.3. date
7.3.1.4. byline
7.3.1.5. table of contents
7.3.1.6. list of figures
7.3.1.7. executive summary/abstract
7.3.1.8. materials, parts, or tools lists
7.3.1.9. inside and return addresses
7.3.1.10. definitions
7.3.1.11. alerts and warnings
7.3.1.12. introductions
7.3.1.12.1. purpose/objective
7.3.1.12.2. scope
7.3.1.12.3. statement of problem
7.3.1.12.4. information/background
7.3.1.12.5. key terms
7.3.1.12.6. overview of organization
7.3.1.12.7. summary
7.3.2. body
7.3.2.1. procedures
7.3.2.2. data
7.3.2.3. steps
7.3.3. end matter
7.3.3.1. conclusions
7.3.3.2. additional information
7.3.3.3. troubleshooting suggestions
7.3.3.4. additional warning/alerts
7.3.3.5. recommendations
7.3.3.6. indexes
7.3.3.7. appendixes
7.3.3.8. glossaries
7.3.3.9. contact information
7.3.3.10. follow-up information
7.4. review
7.5. distribute
8. Problems
8.1. workplace
8.1.1. perceived problems
8.1.2. real problems
8.2. Rhetorical
8.2.1. Aristotle: "study of the available means of persuasion in any given situation"
8.2.2. Thinking rhetorically
8.2.2.1. exigency
8.2.2.1.1. To inform
8.2.2.1.2. To define
8.2.2.1.3. To explain
8.2.2.1.4. To propose
8.2.2.1.5. To convince
8.2.2.2. workplace writer
8.2.2.2.1. correctness
8.2.2.2.2. experience/expertise
8.2.2.2.3. goodwill
8.2.2.2.4. identification
8.2.2.2.5. Trust
8.2.2.3. audience
8.2.2.3.1. vary/ multiple audiences
8.2.2.3.2. expectations/attitudes
8.2.2.3.3. use documents differently
8.2.2.4. document
8.2.2.4.1. audience needs
8.2.2.4.2. create credibility
8.2.2.5. contextual factors/ constraints
8.2.2.5.1. don't exist in a vacuum
8.2.2.5.2. Ex. Location
9. Creating Documents
9.1. word processors
9.2. presentation software
9.3. graphics/imaging software
9.4. web-authoring
9.5. desktop publishing software
9.6. help/ e-learning authoring tools
9.7. single-sourcing programs
10. communicating-collaboration
10.1. internet
10.1.1. intranets
10.1.1.1. private networks to share/collab
10.1.1.2. authentication needed
10.2. WWW
10.2.1. access
10.2.2. storage
10.2.3. multimedia
10.2.4. transmission
10.2.5. collab
10.3. email
10.3.1. speed
10.3.2. price
10.3.3. convenience
10.3.4. organization
10.4. HTW: messaging
10.4.1. AOL
10.4.2. Yahoo!
10.5. videoconfrencing
10.6. groupware
10.6.1. plan, draft, revise, manage documents
10.6.2. HTW: presentations, spreadsheets, documents
10.6.3. share documents/files
10.6.4. IM, videoconfrencing, blogging
10.6.5. email/text message
10.6.6. whiteboards
10.6.7. webpages
10.6.8. manage contacts
11. ethics
11.1. defined: code of conduct that helps individuals determine what is right/wrong
11.1.1. normative ethics
11.1.1.1. study of ethics concerned with classifying what is considered right/wrong
11.1.2. applied ethics
11.1.2.1. study of particular ethical issues, problems, and circumstances
11.1.3. metaethics
11.1.3.1. study of where ethical ideas come from/develop
11.2. Guidelines
11.2.1. ethics/laws not the same
11.2.1.1. liability laws
11.2.1.2. environmental laws
11.2.1.3. copyright laws
11.2.1.4. patent laws
11.2.1.5. trademark and service mark laws
11.2.1.6. contract laws
11.2.2. be honest
11.2.3. respect confidentiality
11.3. technology
11.3.1. email
11.3.2. visuals
11.3.3. websites
11.4. unethical
11.4.1. deceptive/evasive language
11.4.2. misinterpret issue
11.4.2.1. abstract language
11.4.2.2. jargon
11.4.2.3. emphasis/suppression of info
11.4.2.4. visual rhetoric
11.4.2.5. plagiarism
11.4.2.6. inaccurate info
11.4.2.6.1. double check everything!
11.4.3. New node
11.5. transnational
12. Culture
12.1. differences
12.1.1. language
12.1.1.1. target language
12.1.1.2. national languages
12.1.1.3. international English
12.1.1.4. text direction
12.1.1.5. writing style
12.1.2. technology
12.1.2.1. same technology?
12.1.2.2. machine translation
12.1.2.2.1. limited capabilities
12.1.3. education
12.1.3.1. literacy
12.1.3.2. common knowledge
12.1.3.3. learning style
12.1.4. politics/law
12.1.4.1. trade issues
12.1.4.2. legal issues
12.1.4.3. political traditions/symbols
12.1.5. society
12.1.5.1. age
12.1.5.2. business etiquette
12.1.5.3. family/social interaction
12.1.6. economics
12.1.6.1. currency value
12.1.6.2. exchange rates
12.1.6.3. assigning monetary value
12.1.7. religion
12.2. stereotypes
12.2.1. assumptions
12.3. learning
12.3.1. asking questions
12.3.2. work with a translator
12.3.2.1. translation
12.3.2.1.1. terminology
12.3.2.1.2. clarity
12.3.2.1.3. cultural/rhetorical
12.3.2.1.4. design