Lists Flashcards
Five stages of the technical writing process:
- Researching and planning
- Organizing and drafting
- Improving the style
- Designing
- Revising and editing
Five stages of the technical writing process:
- Researching and planning
- Organizing and drafting
- Improving the style
- Designing
- Revising and editing
Two types of Research to collect evidence:
- Start-Up Research - quick overview of your topic; search engines; videos; key terms, big issues, major people, sources
- Formal Research - electronic, print, and empirical sources. Assess bias. Generate your own empirical evidence through observations, surveys, experiments, and interviews
Two types of Research to collect evidence:
- Start-Up Research - quick overview of your topic; search engines; videos; key terms, big issues, major people, sources
- Formal Research - electronic, print, and empirical sources. Assess bias. Generate your own empirical evidence through observations, surveys, experiments, and interviews
The Six Genres:
- Emails, Letters, and Memos
- Technical Descriptions and Specifications
- Instructions and Documentation
- Proposals
- Brief Reports
- Formal Reports
The Six Genres:
1. Emails, Letters, and Memos
1. Technical Descriptions and Specifications
1. Instructions and Documentation
1. Proposals
1. Brief Reports
1. Formal Reports
Front Matter and Back Matter of Formal Reports:
Front matter—Items that appear before the main report:
* Letter or memo of transmittal
* Title page
* Abstract or executive summary
* Table of contents
Back matter—Items that appear after the main report:
* Appendixes
* Glossary of terms
* Calculations
Front Matter and Back Matter of Formal Reports:
Front matter—Items that appear before the main report:
* Letter or memo of transmittal
* Title page
* Abstract or executive summary
* Table of contents
Back matter—Items that appear after the main report:
* Appendixes
* Glossary of terms
* Calculations
Improving Style in Formal Reports:
- Make “doers” the subjects of sentences.
- Use breathing-length sentences.
- Eliminate nominalizations.
- Define jargon and specialized terms.
Improving Style in Formal Reports:
* Make “doers” the subjects of sentences.
* Use breathing-length sentences.
* Eliminate nominalizations.
* Define jargon and specialized terms.
Readers are raiders for information, so:
- Highlight important ideas and facts
- Use effective graphics and layout to make the information more accessible, interesting, and attractive
Readers are raiders for information, so:
* Highlight important ideas and facts
* Use effective graphics and layout to make the information more accessible, interesting, and attractive
Stage 5: Revising and Editing:
Level 1: Revising: Re-examine your subject and purpose while thinking again about the information your readers need to know
Level 2: Substantive editing: Look closely at the content, organization, and design of the document to make sure your readers can find the information they need
Level 3: Copyediting: Pay close attention to the document’s sentences, paragraphs, and graphics to make sure they are clear, accurate, and efficient
Level 4: Proofreading: Carefully proofread your document to eliminate grammatical problems, typographical errors (typos), spelling errors, and usage mistakes
Stage 5: Revising and Editing:
Level 1: Revising: Re-examine your subject and purpose while thinking again about the information your readers need to know
Level 2: Substantive editing: Look closely at the content, organization, and design of the document to make sure your readers can find the information they need
Level 3: Copyediting: Pay close attention to the document’s sentences, paragraphs, and graphics to make sure they are clear, accurate, and efficient
Level 4: Proofreading: Carefully proofread your document to eliminate grammatical problems, typographical errors (typos), spelling errors, and usage mistakes
Strategic Planning:
- Set Objectives
- Create a List of Tasks
- Set a Timeline
Strategic Planning:
1. Set Objectives
1. Create a List of Tasks
1. Set a Timeline
A typical progress report will provide the following information:
- A summary of completed activities
- A discussion of ongoing activities
- A forecast of future activities
A typical progress report will provide the following information:
* A summary of completed activities
* A discussion of ongoing activities
* A forecast of future activities
Qualities of a good progress report:
- Identifies primary readers
- Concise introduction
- Summarizes this period’s activities without interpretation
- Clearly states results
- Discusses future activities
- Provides an update on costs
- Brief conclusion that looks ahead
Qualities of a good progress report:
* Identifies primary readers
* Concise introduction
* Summarizes this period’s activities without interpretation
* Clearly states results
* Discusses future activities
* Provides an update on costs
* Brief conclusion that looks ahead
The Four Types of Readers:
Primary Readers = Action Takers
Secondary Readers = Advisors
Tertiary Readers = Evaluators
Gatekeepers = Supervisors
The Four Types of Readers:
Primary Readers = Action Takers
Secondary Readers = Advisors
Tertiary Readers = Evaluators
Gatekeepers = Supervisors
The four elements of the rhetorical situation:
- Subject - What is my subject?
- Purpose - What is my purpose?
- Readers - Who is my audience?
- Context of use - What is the context?
The four elements of the rhetorical situation:
1. Subject - What is my subject?
1. Purpose - What is my purpose?
1. Readers - Who is my audience?
1. Context of use - What is the context?
Three aspects that determine how readers make decisions:
What motivates people?
- Needs, both fundamental needs and higher-order needs
- Values that come from their community, culture, family, and experiences
- Attitudes about you, your team, and your company
Determining How Readers Make Decisions:
- Needs—Information the readers need to take action or make a decision
- Values—Issues, goals, or beliefs that the readers feel are important
- Attitudes—The readers’ emotional response to you, your project, or your company
Three aspects that determine how readers make decisions:
What motivates people?
- Needs, both fundamental needs and higher-order needs
- Values that come from their community, culture, family, and experiences
- Attitudes about you, your team, and your company
Determining How Readers Make Decisions:
- Needs—Information the readers need to take action or make a decision
- Values—Issues, goals, or beliefs that the readers feel are important
- Attitudes—The readers’ emotional response to you, your project, or your company
Four Contexts of Document Use:
- Physical context—The places where the readers will use your document
- Mobile context—How a document will be viewed on various media
- Economic context—The money-related issues that will restrict the kinds of actions possible
- Ethical context—The personal, social, and environmental issues that shape the readers’ responses
Four Contexts of Document Use:
* Physical context—The places where the readers will use your document
* Mobile context—How a document will be viewed on various media
* Economic context—The money-related issues that will restrict the kinds of actions possible
* Ethical context—The personal, social, and environmental issues that shape the readers’ responses
What You Need to Know about Ethics:
- Ethics are systems of moral, social, or cultural values that govern the conduct of an individual or community.
- Ethical dilemmas force us to choose among uncomfortable alternatives.
- When you are faced with an ethical dilemma, consider it from all three ethical perspectives: personal, social, and conservation.
- You can turn to sources like laws, professional codes of ethics, historical records, your colleagues, or moral leaders to help you make ethical choices.
- When you disagree with your employer, use persuasion first to discuss costs and benefits. You may turn to legal avenues if persuasion doesn’t work.
- Ethical guidelines are evolving to suit the new abilities of networked computers and mobile media.
- Copyright law and plagiarism are two rapidly evolving areas of ethics in this computer-centered world.
- Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are ways people intentionally and unintentionally harm others.
What You Need to Know about Ethics:
* Ethics are systems of moral, social, or cultural values that govern the conduct of an individual or community.
* Ethical dilemmas force us to choose among uncomfortable alternatives.
* When you are faced with an ethical dilemma, consider it from all three ethical perspectives: personal, social, and conservation.
* You can turn to sources like laws, professional codes of ethics, historical records, your colleagues, or moral leaders to help you make ethical choices.
* When you disagree with your employer, use persuasion first to discuss costs and benefits. You may turn to legal avenues if persuasion doesn’t work.
* Ethical guidelines are evolving to suit the new abilities of networked computers and mobile media.
* Copyright law and plagiarism are two rapidly evolving areas of ethics in this computer-centered world.
* Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are ways people intentionally and unintentionally harm others.
At a Glance: Ethics:
- Rights—Civil rights and constitutional rights
- Justice—Laws and corporate policies
- Utility—Greatest good (majority rules)
- Care—Tolerance and compassion for others
At a Glance: Ethics:
* Rights—Civil rights and constitutional rights
* Justice—Laws and corporate policies
* Utility—Greatest good (majority rules)
* Care—Tolerance and compassion for others
At a Glance: Resolving Ethical Dilemmas:
- Do any laws or rules govern my decision?
- Do any corporate or professional codes of ethics offer guidance?
- Are there any historical records to learn from?
- What do my colleagues think?
- What would moral leaders do?
At a Glance: Resolving Ethical Dilemmas:
* Do any laws or rules govern my decision?
* Do any corporate or professional codes of ethics offer guidance?
* Are there any historical records to learn from?
* What do my colleagues think?
* What would moral leaders do?
The five helpful strategies when working with global audiences:
- Listen carefully
- Be polite
- Research the target culture
- Avoid humor
- Talk to your colleagues
The five helpful strategies when working with global audiences:
1. Listen carefully
1. Be polite
1. Research the target culture
1. Avoid humor
1. Talk to your colleagues
Four aspects of a document that may need to be adjusted for global audiences:
1. Content
1. Organization
1. Style
1. Design
Four aspects of a document that may need to be adjusted for global audiences:
1. Content
1. Organization
1. Style
1. Design
Developing a reader profile will help you:
- make better decisions about the kinds of information to include in your document or presentation
- anticipate your readers’ needs and figure out what they value
- find the best way to present information to them
- predict how they will react to your ideas and how they will use your document
Developing a reader profile will help you:
* make better decisions about the kinds of information to include in your document or presentation
* anticipate your readers’ needs and figure out what they value
* find the best way to present information to them
* predict how they will react to your ideas and how they will use your document
Creating a reader profile:
- Step 1: Identify Your Readers
- Step 2: Identify Your Readers’ Needs, Values, and Attitudes
- Step 3: Identify the Contexts in Which Readers Will Experience Your Document
Creating a reader profile:
* Step 1: Identify Your Readers
* Step 2: Identify Your Readers’ Needs, Values, and Attitudes
* Step 3: Identify the Contexts in Which Readers Will Experience Your Document
At a Glance: Types of Readers:
- Primary readers: Action takers
- Secondary readers: Advisors
- Tertiary readers: Evaluators
- Gatekeepers: Supervisors
At a Glance: Types of Readers:
1. Primary readers: Action takers
1. Secondary readers: Advisors
1. Tertiary readers: Evaluators
1. Gatekeepers: Supervisors
As you develop a profile of your readers, keep the following in mind:
- Readers’ familiarity with the subject
- Readers’ professional experience
- Readers’ educational level
- Readers’ reading and comprehension level
- Readers’ skill level
As you develop a profile of your readers, keep the following in mind:
* Readers’ familiarity with the subject
* Readers’ professional experience
* Readers’ educational level
* Readers’ reading and comprehension level
* Readers’ skill level
Process for researching with primary and secondary sources:
- Define your research subject.
- Formulate a research question or hypothesis.
- Develop a research methodology.
- Collect evidence through print, electronic, and empirical sources.
- Triangulate your sources.
- Take careful notes.
- Appraise your evidence.
- Revise, accept, or abandon your hypothesis.
Process for researching with primary and secondary sources:
1. Define your research subject.
1. Formulate a research question or hypothesis.
1. Develop a research methodology.
1. Collect evidence through print, electronic, and empirical sources.
1. Triangulate your sources.
1. Take careful notes.
1. Appraise your evidence.
1. Revise, accept, or abandon your hypothesis.