Lesson 1: Introduction to Technical Communication Flashcards
Technical writing
A variety of documents produced in areas such as business, science, social science, engineering, and education
Visual communication (graphics)
Any kind of visual communication that relays information through an image like a chart, table, graph, or photograph
Technical communication
Any technical document designed to communicate information to a specific audience through writing and graphics
Clarity
The writing is clear and easy to understand
Utility
The writing is useful to the reader
Audience
The writing is reader centered
Rhetorical triangle
Composed of 4 elements: the audience, the communicator, the message, and the context
Purpose
To inform, persuade, explain how to do something, or solve problems, among other things
Ethics
A set of principles you use to determine right from wrong
Medium
The means by which information is conveyed
Research
Information a technical writer must find before starting to write
Focus/unity
A focused document stays on topic and includes no digressions or other extraneous material
Organization
A document should have a defined structure and be organized in a way that represents a logical progression from beginning to end
Development
Refers to the depth of the ideas and how they are presented, for example through the use of analyses, comparisons, or supporting details
Word usage
Proper word usage includes selecting the correct word for a given context and eliminating overused, ineffective, or inappropriate expressions, such as cliches, slang, informal language, and excessive technical jargon
Sentence structure
Refers to the way the different parts of a sentence are combined to form grammatically correct writing; well-constructed sentences make a document clearer and easier to read
Mechanics
Show the writer’s understanding and application of correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization; good mechanics make a piece of writing easier to read; error-free content also helps establish the credibility of the author
Technical writing requires that writers _____.
Explain concepts to an audience, solve problems, and use outside source material
Technical documents often contain the following elements: _____.
Numbered lists, tables, diagrams, and charts
In the workplace, technical writers _____.
Use authoring software
What are the three key concepts of technical writing?
Audience, clarity, and utility
The rhetorical triangle includes the communicator, the message, and the audience. What is the fourth element of the triangle?
Context
One of the most important characteristics of technical writing is _____.
That all technical writing is reader centered
What question might a technical writer ask about the reader they are trying to connect with?
Where does my reader live?
What is my reader’s native language?
What age bracket does my reader fall into?
Which of the following is not true?
A technical writer’s ethics will not be tested when researching or using outside materials
As one of the seven principles of effective writing, organization means that _____.
The writing uses a logical and structural order
