Technical Writing Preparation Grade Level: 9-12 Group Size: 20-30 Time: 0-!

0 "inute# Pre#enter#: 1

$%&ective# Thi# le##on 'ill ena%le #tudent# to: ( )e*ine technical 'riting+ ( ,denti*- characteri#tic# o* e**ective technical 'riting+ ( Li#t di**erence# %et'een technical and creative 'riting+ ( Write #tep-%--#tep in#truction#+ Standard# Thi# le##on align# 'ith the *ollo'ing .ational Standard# *or the /ngli#h Language 0rt#: ( Standard 1: Student# ad&u#t their u#e o* #po2en3 'ritten3 and vi#ual language 4e+g+3 convention#3 #t-le3 voca%ular-5 to communicate e**ectivel'ith a variet- o* audience# and *or di**erent purpo#e#+ ( Standard 6: Student# emplo- a 'ide range o* #trategie# a# the- 'rite and u#e di**erent 'riting proce## element# appropriatel- to communicate 'ith di**erent audience# *or a variet- o* purpo#e#+ "aterial# ( 7What i# Technical Writing8 overhead or handout 40ppendi9 05 ( 7:haracteri#tic# o* /**ective Technical Writing8 overhead or handout 40ppendi9 ;5 ( 20-30 mou#e trap# ( 20-30 inde9-#ized card# *or in#truction# ( 20-30 %ite-#ized chocolate cand- %ar# *or %ait

( 20-30 "ou#e Trap *inal dra*t card# 'ith illu#tration 40ppendi9 :5 ( 7"ou#e Trap ,n#truction#8 handout 40ppendi9 )5 ( Technical Writing Sample# or overhead# 4'''+micron+com<212<'riting<inde95 =evi#ion )ate: 12<20<200! 1 > 1999 "icron Technolog- ?oundation3 ,nc+ 0ll =ight# =e#erved Preparation Set up the @What i# Technical Writing@ and @:haracteri#tic#+++8 overhead# or handout# *or the introduction+ ,* -ou are not u#ing the po#ter#3 ma2e overhead# o* the handout# 40ppendi9 0 A ;5+ Student# #hould have pencil and paper and #it at a de#2 #o the- have a #olid #ur*ace to #et the trap on *or re#earch+ Bou ma- u#e 396 card# or print a #heet 'ith illu#trated card# *or the editing e9erci#e+ The

purpo#e o* the #maller 'or2 area i# to *orce the #tudent# to limit the num%er o* #tep# and the num%er o* 'ord#+ ;- #uppl-ing the illu#tration *or the editing e9erci#e3 the- donCt have to #pend time dra'ing3 onl- la%eling the part#+ ,ntroduction ,ntroduce -our#el* and e9plain %rie*l- -our &o% or the &o% o* technical 'riter#+ Toda- 'e are going to di#cu## technical 'riting and it# importance in the 'or2 place+ D: What i# technical 'ritingE D: Fave -ou %een doing an- technical 'riting in -our cla##e#E D: What 2ind# have -ou triedE Sho' #tudent# the 7)e*inition o* Technical Writing8 40ppendi9 05+ Fere i# one de*inition o* technical 'riting: What i# Technical WritingE 7Technical 'riting conve-# #peci*ic in*ormation a%out a technical #u%&ect to a #peci*ic audience *or a #peci*ic purpo#eG The 'ord# and graphic# o* technical 'riting are meant to %e practical: that i#3 to communicate a %od- o* *actual in*ormation that 'ill help an audience under#tand a #u%&ect or carr- out a ta#2+8

"ichael F+ "ar2el )irector o* Technical :ommunication ;oi#e State Hniver#itD: Ieeping thi# de*inition in mind3 'hat are #ome e9ample# o* technical 'ritingE 0: /ncourage re#pon#e# *rom the #tudent# and comment on their an#'er#+ 0n#'er# 'ill var%ut ma- include: u#er manual#3 in#truction# and training material#3 maintenance manual#3 #o*t'are documentation3 online help *or game# and #o*t'are3 adverti#ing cop-3 data %oo2# and catalog#3 in#tructional po#ter#3 #peeche# and pre#entation#3 pre#entation material#3 pre## relea#e#3 ne'#letter#3 coo2%oo2# and clothing pattern#3 #cript# *or training and promotional 2video#3 %u#ine## letter#3 re#ume# and cover letter#3 contract#3 propo#al#3 grant#3 *ea#i%ilitreport#3 training material#3 Jue#tionnaire# and *orm#3 re#earch and #cienti*ic paper#+ Sho' the overhead# or e9ample# *rom the 'e% page 4'''+micron+com<212<'riting<inde95 + 0# -ou are #ho'ing the e9ample# e9plain the t-pe# o* 'riter# *or each e9ample+ ,+e+ /mail3 #ugge#tion# K an- emplo-eeL e9ploded diagram K engineer3 technicianL #peci*ication# K engineer#3 department technical 'riter+ LetM# di#cu## the characteri#tic# o* e**ective technical 'riting+ Sho' the 7:haracteri#tic# o* /**ective Technical Writing8 po#ter 40ppendi9 ;5+ :haracteri#tic# o* /**ective Technical Writing: ( :larit- K ea#il- under#tood %- intended audience ( 0ccurac- K *actual3 correct3 *ree *rom %ia# ( :omprehen#ivene## K all nece##ar- in*ormation included ( 0cce##i%ilit- K heading#3 inde9e#3 ta%le o* content# ( :onci#ene## K clear 'ithout e9ce## ver%iage ( :orrectne## K grammatical and *ollo'# convention# We are going to compare technical 'riting to creative 'riting+ Toda- 'e are going to practice technical 'ritingN'riting in#truction#+ Pro%a%l- more technical

'riter# 'rite #ome #ort o* in#truction# than an- other t-pe o* technical 'riting+ 0nd Juite o*ten the 'riter doe# the re#earch3 the 'riting3 the editing3 and o*ten even the illu#trating and *ormatting+ Technical Writing - ?ir#t )ra*t 0lthough #ome companie# can a**ord to hire a team o* technical 'riter# 'ith graphic arti#t# to help them3 man- companie# e9pect a #ingle 'riter to do it all+ Toda- -ou 'ill %e 'or2ing independentl- o* each other in order to e9perience the 'hole proce##+ Bou are all 'or2ing *or a compan- that manu*acture# mou#e trap#+ 0# a 'riter are given the pro&ect o* 'riting in#truction# *or #etting a mou#e trap+ , have a trap and #ome %ait *or each o* -ou to do -our o'n re#earch+ , 'ant to a##ure -ou that the#e trap# have never %een u#ed *or catching mice3 onl- *or 'riting a%out it+ 3Pa## out the mou#etrap#+ ,* -ou have ne' trap#3 %e #ure -ou remove the 'rapper or anin#truction# that are included+ Pa## out inde9 #ized card# to the #tudent# *or 'riting the in#truction#+ ?or %ait3 , am giving -ou little chocolate cand- %ar#+ "ice love chocolate almo#t a# much a# people do+ Pa## out the cand-+ ;ecau#e o* the time con#traint# the compan- i# under -ou have 10 minute# to complete -our *ir#t dra*t+ ?reJuentl- 'ith technical 'riting3 the 'riter# are the la#t to 2no' a%out change# in the proce##3 eJuipment3 or material#+ ;ecau#e o* thi#3 deadline#No*ten totall- unrea#ona%le deadline#Nare a *act o* li*e *or technical 'riter#+ Plea#e 'or2 Juic2l- and Juietl-+ 0# #tudent# are 'or2ing3 'al2 around and o%#erve 'hat the- are doing #o that -ou 'ill %e a%le to comment on it later+ =e*rain *rom giving an- in#truction# or helping individual#+ When the time i# up3 -ou might 'ant to pic2 up 2 or 3 o* the in#truction# #tudent# have 'ritten *or illu#tration# a# -ou di#cu## the proce##+ The comment# in the di#cu##ion are &u#t #ugge#tion#+ Bou 'ill have other o%#ervation# %a#ed on 'hat the #tudent# are doing+ )i#cu##ion

Bour time i# up+ LetC# tal2 a%out 'hat -ou have 'ritten 2eeping in mind the characteri#tic# o* good technical 'riting 'e tal2ed a%out earlier+ =e*er to the 7:haracteri#tic# o* /**ective Technical Writing8 handout+ , noticed a *e' o* -ou did not @re#earch@ -our pro&ect+ Bou #impl- #tarted 'riting in#truction# %a#ed on o%#ervation rather than tr-ing it -our#el*+ D: Wh- do 'e need to re#earchE 0: 0n#'er# #hould include @to #ee ho' it i# done3@ @to %ecome a u#er #o 'e 2no' ho' to 'rite *or a u#er3@ @to di#cover 'hat pro%lem# a u#er might have+@ To %e #ure 'e have clarit- and accurac-3 'e need to re#earch+ ,n -our re#earch3 #ome o* -ou #2ipped the %aiting part3 choo#ing to eat the %ait -our#el*O 0nd #ome o* -ou #et the 'hole piece on the %ait pedal+ D: Fave -ou ever #et a trap and had the %ait di#appear 'ith the trap un#nappedE 0: Bou onl- need a %it o* the cand-3 %ut i* the %ait i#nCt pre##ed into the pedal *irml-3 the mou#e 'ill %e a%le to get it 'ithout getting caught+ 1, al#o noticed a *e' o* -ou got -our *inger# #napped+ D: Fo' man- o* -ou included a 'arning or cautionE 0: /ven i* a u#er never read# -our in#truction# and never #ee# -our 'arning3 *or legal rea#on# -ou need to include one i* there i# an- po##i%ilit- o* #omeone getting hurt or cau#ing damage+ Bour in#truction# are not comprehen#ive 'ithout a 'arning+ D: What a%out illu#tration#E 0: , noticed mo#t o* -ou included an illu#tration o* the mou#e trap+ 0nd , realize i* -ou 'ere doing thi# on the computer3 -ou 'ould have dra'ing tool# to help -ou do thi#3 %ut *or thi# e9erci#e3 -our #2etche# are &u#t *ine+ D: Wh- do -ou need an illu#tration i* the- have the mou#etrap in their hand#E 0: 0n#'er# #hould include the comment @to la%el the part# #o -ou donCt have to de#cri%e them

in the 'ritten in#truction#+@ The illu#tration right ne9t to the in#truction# allo'# -ou to %e more conci#e and increa#e# acce##i%ilit-+ D: )id -ou include #ome in#truction# a%out 'here to #et the trapE D: )o -ou 2no' 'here -ou #hould #et a trapE 0: 0gain3 'e need it to %e comprehen#ive and accurate+ D: Fo' man- #tep# do -ou haveE Fo' man- 'ord# in tho#e #tep#E 0: Wait *or their re#pon#e#3 then hold up one o* the mou#e trap 'rapper#+ Thin2 a%out conci#ene##+ Thi# i# ho' much #pace the actual in#truction# haveN1 1<2 inch %- 1 inche#Nand the- are given in three language#O The- have onl- 3 num%ered #tep#3 *or a total o* onl- 29 'ord# plu# 3 la%el# on the illu#tration+ ,t al#o ha# in#truction# *or removing the #taple 'hich held do'n the loc2ing %ar3 'hich -ou didnCt 2no' a%out #ince it had alread- %een removed the *ir#t time the- 'ere u#ed+ The#e in#truction#3 ho'ever3 could %e improved3 a# 'e 'ill tal2 a%out later+ We are al#o going to come to a con#en#u# a%out 'hat to call each part+ Sometime# thi# i# the harde#t partNthin2ing o* appropriate3 de#criptive name#+ ?or e9ample3 to call thi# part 4point to the %o'5 the @2iller thing@ might %e de#criptive3 %ut it i# not appropriate and could %e con#idered o**en#ive+ 0nd 'e pro%a%l- donCt need to la%el thi# part 4point to the #pring5 %ecau#e 'e donCt need to re*er to it in our in#truction#+ D: What did -ou name the variou# part#E 0: 0n#'er# 'ill var-+ 6/diting .o' 'e are going to the ne9t #tep in the proce##: /diting+ 0 ma&orit- o* technical 'riting involve# revi#ing3 editing3 and improving e9i#ting document#3 not creating ne' document#+ Bou have done -our re#earch3 'ritten a *ir#t dra*t3 and created an illu#tration+ , am going to a#2 -ou to edit and re'rite -our in#truction#+ Thi# time , 'ant -ou to limit -our num%er o* #tep# to no more than 1 and limit -our num%er 'ord# to no more than 12 'ord# per #tep+ Le## 'ould %e

%etter+ Bour 'arning can %e in addition to the #tep#+ , am going to give each o* -ou a #mall #heet o* paper3 and , 'ant %oth the in#truction# and the illu#tration on one #ide+ ,n *act3 , have put the illu#tration on it *or -ou+ 0ll -ou need to do i# la%el it+ 0nd thi# time3 #ince -ou have alreaddone the re#earch and -ou donCt have to dra' the illu#tration3 -ou onl- have 6 minute#+ Pa## out #mall #heet# and %egin timing a*ter ever-one ha# a re'riting #heet+ /diting )i#cu##ion D: Fo' did -ou do 'ith the editing and revi#ingE 0: 0n#'er# 'ill var-+ 0llo' #tudent# to di#cu## their #ample#+

D: Were -ou a%le to #ta- 'ithin the guideline#: ?our #tep# and no more than 1P 'ord#3 not counting the 'arning+ 0: Wait *or and encourage re#pon#e#+ D: Wa# it di**icult to cut 'ord# and #till %e preci#e and accurateE 0: Wait *or and encourage re#pon#e#+ D: )o -ou thin2 #omeone could ea#il- *ollo' -our in#truction#E 0: Wait *or and encourage re#pon#e#+ LetM# loo2 at the in#truction# that came 'ith the trap#+ , have enlarged them #o -ou can #ee and removed the *oreign language#+ Pa## out the in#truction#+ D: )o -ou #ee #ome thing# -ou might changeE 0n#'er# might include the *ollo'ing+ Point out the pro%lem# the- donCt notice+

( .o 'arning or caution+ ( 7Step8 1 reall- i# t'o #tep#+ ( ,t doe#nCt #a- an-thing a%out pre##ing the %ait in *irml-+ ( The 'ord CengageC in #tep 2 ma- not %e the %e#t choice *or a general audience+ What 'ould %e %etterE ( The la#t #tep doe#nCt reall- tell u# 'here to place the trapN'here #ign# o* mice have %een #een+ ( What a%out the capital letter# in the #entence#E 0re the- all nece##ar-E There i# al'a-# room *or improvement+ /ven the pro*e##ional# 'ho 'rote the#e in#truction# might 'ant to re'rite them+ ,t i#nCt &u#t pro*e##ional technical 'riter# 'ho 'rite+ .o matter 'hat -our &o% in the *uture3 -ou 'ill pro%a%l- *ind -our#el* having to e9plain a proce##3 de#cri%e a procedure3 or in#truct #omeone a%out #omethingNin 'riting+ :onclu#ion ,* time allo'# de#cri%e a t-pical da- *or a technical 'riter3 #hare #ample# o* -our 'or23 an#'er an- Jue#tion# the #tudent# ma- have a%out technical 'riting+ Bou might al#o di#cu## the di**erence %et'een technical and creative 'riting u#ing the in*ormation %elo'+ :lo#e pre#entation and gather up mou#etrap#+ ,* -ou have enough cand-3 -ou might #hare it 'ith #tudent#+ :reative Writing ver#u# technical 'riting 4$ptional di#cu##ion5 D: )o -ou do an- creative 'riting in -our cla##e#Npoetr-3 #torie#3 and pla-#E /ncourage #tudent re#pon#e#3 ela%orating on their comment# 'hen appropriate+ D: What di**erence# can -ou thin2 o* %et'een creative and technical 'ritingE 0: 0n#'er# ma- include the *ollo'ing re#pon#e#+ ( :reative 'riting i# *ictional and imaginative 'hile technical 'riting i# *actual+ ( :reative 'riting i# entertaining3 provocative3 and captivating 'hile technical 'riting i#

in*ormative3 in#tructional3 or per#ua#ive+ ( :reative 'riting can %e arti#tic3 *igurative3 #-m%olic3 am%iguou#3 even vague3 %ut technical 'riting need# to %e clear3 preci#e3 and #traight*or'ard3 leaving no room *or !mi#interpretation#+ ,t need# to *ollo' accepted #tandard# *or grammar and *ormat3 'hile creative 'riting can %rea2 the rule#+ ( :reative 'riting i# #u%&ective3 'ith the thought#3 opinion#3 and attitude# o* the 'riter+ Technical 'riting mu#t %e o%&ective+ ( :reative 'riting u#e# a general voca%ular- under#tood %- a general audience narro'ed #ome'hat %- age group or intere#t+ Technical 'riting u#e# #pecialized voca%ulardependent on the topic a# 'ell a# on the *amiliarit- o* the target audience 'ith the topic+ ( :reative 'riting can %e lucrative *or the *e' 'ho create %e#t #eller# %ut technical 'riting provide# career opportunitie# 'ith good #alarie# *or thou#and# and thou#and# o* 'riter# in all 2ind# o* %u#ine##e# and indu#trie#+ P0ppendi9 0 K Technical Writing 90ppendi9 0ppendi9 ; K Technical Writing ; K Technical Writing 10100ppendi9 : K Technical Writing 110ppendi9 ) K Technical Writing 12 http:<<do'nload+micron+com<pd*<education<212Qpd*Qle##on#<technicalQ'riting+pd*

Technical writing involves composing text for the purpose of conveying specific information about a particular subject, craft, or occupation (eg creating computer manuals or writing textbooks). Here are 1 ways to make your technical writing more effective!

"n#erstan# the type of technical report your are writing $rite #own your specific aim %lan the sections an# subsections you nee# &voi# starting with 'ackgroun#, (ntro#uction an# )etho#ology $rite your hea#ings using strong verbs an# specific nouns )atch content to your rea#ers* knowle#ge an# nee#s

+eep information specific rather than general $rite in plain ,nglish "se active verbs rather than passive verbs +eep your average sentence between 1- to .- wor#s ,#it wor#y phrases "se simple wor#s rather than complex ones &voi# jargon +eep technical terms to a minimum "se examples an# illustrations "se #iagrams, flowcharts an# graphs "se goo# layout to #raw attention to key information Test your #ocument with the inten#e# rea#ers "se recommen#e# e#iting software to help you /ource(s)! http!00www.technical1writing1course.com02