Publication Details
Writing Great Technical Documents
Price:	$99.00
Business Focus:	Writing & Publishing
Instructor:	JanetUnderwood
Course Code:	te2
Delivery Method:	Instructor-led Online Course
Frequently Asked Questions

Course Overview:

Do you write technical documents? Would you like to write them better? Would you like to feel more confident about the technical documents you write? This course will teach you how to write more effective technical documents. You'll learn how to write technical documents that meet the needs of your reader and get results. You’ll learn how to write more clearly and with more confidence. You’ll also learn how to recognize and overcome common problems that undermine your technical documents, and how to revise your writing so that it has more power and clarity. You may have great ideas, but if you cannot communicate them effectively, you may never receive the recognition you deserve. Start Writing Great Technical Documents with clarity, power, and style today!

Instructor Biography:

Janet Underwood holds a bachelor's degree and has more than ten years of experience as a senior technical writer. She has developed technical documentation for major corporations in the computer, information technology, telecommunications, financial, and medical industries, as well as for the U.S. Army and public utilities organizations. She has also worked as an English teacher and as an editor and writer for several internationally known trade publications. She has won numerous awards for the excellence of her writing and documentation design, and currently owns a technical writing and services business.

Course Syllabus:
Lesson 1 Syllabus	Are you inadvertently using a writing style that turns people off? In our first lesson, we'll explore the reasons why how we say something is just as important as what we have to say. We'll look at the history of the English language and ways that people have used language to set themselves apart from others. We'll look at a case study that illustrates the devastating consequences of writing for the wrong audience, and review traditional vs. modern ideas about how technical documents should be written.
Lesson 2 Syllabus	You can write a great document, but if it doesn't meet the needs of its readers, your document won't be effective. In today's lesson, we'll review three steps that will help you to more accurately analyze your readers, discuss the particular needs of four kinds of readers, and outline specific writing strategies that will keep different kinds of readers interested in reading your document.
Lesson 2 Objective	Get acquainted with the difficulties and benefits of writing great technical documents.
Lesson 3 Syllabus	You know what the subject of your document is, but how much detail should you include? What aspects of the subject should you write about and what should you leave out? In this lesson, you'll learn how to determine the purpose and scope of your document, gather information, interview subject matter experts, and outline your document.
Lesson 3 Objective	Discover what readers expect from your documents, and learn how to conduct three types of reader analysis.
Lesson 4 Syllabus	Every document you write gives you a chance to make a good (or bad!) impression. In this lesson, you'll learn how to create the best impression possible by using and creating a style guide. We'll review different writing styles and discuss when to use each one. You'll also learn how to discover your own writing style, and how to correct some writing style problems that commonly occur in technical and scientific documents.
Lesson 4 Objective	Determine the purpose of a document, gather information, and prepare an outline.
Lesson 5 Syllabus	Words are the most basic unit of your writing style. All writers face challenges when trying to choose the right words. In this lesson, we'll discuss how to choose words that set an appropriate tone for your audience, how to handle technical terms, and how to correct common problems with word choice.
Lesson 5 Objective	Create a style guide, learn about different technical writing styles, and discover your personal writing style.
Lesson 6 Syllabus	Are your sentences bloated with heavy, convoluted language? Do you use passive voice more than you should? In this lesson, you'll learn how to construct powerful sentences. We'll examine several things that can make your writing foggy and discuss ways you can add clarity to your writing. You'll learn how to polish your sentences, grabbing—and keeping—your readers' attention.
Lesson 6 Objective	Explore ways to be more precise in the words that you use and ways to use technical terminology in your documents.
Lesson 7 Syllabus	Paragraphs are your document's building blocks. They give structure to your document, so you should construct them to bring your ideas to a logical and smooth conclusion. In today's lesson, we'll go over the four key elements of well-written paragraphs and specific strategies for developing effective paragraphs. You'll learn how to recognize the most common flaws in paragraphs, and then how to correct them to make those paragraphs stronger.
Lesson 7 Objective	Write powerful sentences and correct common sentence mistakes.
Lesson 8 Syllabus	When you're writing technical documents, you must use precise punctuation and mechanical conventions of writing to avoid vagueness and misunderstandings. In this lesson, we'll review traditional (also called close) punctuation conventions and how you should use punctuation in your documents. We also discuss mechanical conventions, such as how to capitalize words, use abbreviations and acronyms, and how to write numbers. Finally, we'll talk about the conventions of structuring your documents, such as using parallel structure, inverted pyramid writing style, and correct use of headings and lists.
Lesson 8 Objective	Master strategies to write logically ordered paragraphs that flow and capture your readers' interest.
Lesson 9 Syllabus	Do you know when you should use a bar chart or a line graph? When should you use a pie chart? You'll learn the answers to these questions plus how to use other types of charts in this lesson. You'll also learn general conventions for using graphical elements effectively, and look at other types of graphics, such as clip art, drawings, icons, screen shots, and more. By the end of this lesson, you'll know how to add interest and information to your documents by using graphics effectively!
Lesson 9 Objective	Review punctuation and mechanical conventions of technical writing.
Lesson 10 Syllabus	How a document is designed can influence how well your readers receive your work and how easy it is for them to find the information they need. In today's lesson, we'll unlock the secrets of good document design. You'll learn how to handle common page elements and why white space is your best friend!
Lesson 10 Objective	Explore ways to use graphical elements in technical documents.
Lesson 11 Syllabus	What do people expect when they read your document? In this lesson, you'll learn the standard formats for reports, instructional documents, and proposals. You'll learn how to organize them and what people expect when they read them, plus ways to help your readers find information more quickly and to help them understand what you want them to do.
Lesson 11 Objective	Examine the basics of good document design.
Lesson 12 Syllabus	Great technical documents don't just happen. They're the result of hours of work and attention to detail. In our final lesson, you'll learn how to infuse your writing with power and clarity by using effective editing and proofreading techniques. You'll learn tricks the pros use to eliminate as many errors as possible in their work. You'll also find out how to make your document stand out. Then we'll talk about how to handle management and usability reviews to be certain that every technical document you write is a great technical document!
Lesson 12 Objective	Format specific kinds of technical documents.