#20974
Eight Ways to Use Authoring Tools to Improve Your Productivity with Drafting
Most authoring tools have features that can help you improve your productivity. You might be able to benefit from some of these suggestions now; keep the others in mind for future projects.
Carliner, Saul. Saul Carliner Studio (2003). Articles>Writing>Software
#18175
Electronic Outlining as a Tool for Making Writing Visible
The electronic outlining software found in many commercial programs, when projected on the classroom wall, helps us train students in the main activities involved in creating an outline. Freed from paper, the electronic outline allows continuous revision, encourages multiple iterations of the many interdependent activities involved in research, planning, writing, and revision, and serves as a focal point for discussion of the ways in which the group is developing an ongoing consensus, as part of a larger conversation.
Price, Jonathan R. Communication Circle, The (1997). Articles>Education>Editing>Writing
#22435
Review: The Elements of Technical Writing 
The elements of technical writing includes a basic definition of technical writing--'writing about subjects in technical disciplines'--as well as a high-level outline of the book. Few prefaces contain as thorough a summary of changes as Pearsall offers. The summary of changes in this second edition acknowledges the necessity for current information in the changing technical writing arena, listing several specific changes from the first edition.
Williams, Jocelyn Crump. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Reviews>Writing>Technical Writing
#30811
Eleven Tips for Writing Incredibly Useful Procedures
Procedures are the meat and potatoes of technical writing. They help users get the job done. Follow these tips for writing clear and useful procedures that your users will appreciate.
HelpScribe (2008). Articles>Documentation>Policies and Procedures>Technical Writing
#27789
Eleven Tips on Terrific Titles
Honestly, which white paper would YOU sooner read: 'Implications of Business Intelligence Methodologies on Operational Efficiencies: A Retrospective Study' or 'Six Things You Must Know about Data Warehousing'? This article offers eleven tips on putting together compelling titles for white papers.
Graham, Gordon. WhitePaperSource (2006). Articles>Writing>Rhetoric>White Papers
#21389
Using an extended example, this article shows how it is possible to reduce the number of words in a text and at the same time increase readability.
Unwalla, Mike. TechScribe (2003). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Minimalism
#20464
Like teenagers and salespeople, apostrophes are frequently there when they're not wanted, and not to be seen when they're needed.
#24697
The Elves and the Shoemaker—We Don't Wear No Pointy Hats 
When technical communicators are part of a development team, we can do much more than write manuals. Our analysis and communications skills, user perspective can help launch a project team into productivity. We have a unique skill set which enhances the productivity and quality of the development process. By involving us early, we can assume technical communications tasks that developers otherwise perform. This exposure gives us a broader and deeper understanding of that which we communicate. Our involvement means better communication; with users and team members, and in deliverables and development processes.
Mazur, Sue and Jamie A. McCanless. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Documentation>Writing>Technical Writing
#29321
Embedding Linked Images in a Word Document
I wish Flare gave me an option before creating the printed documentation: embedded or linked images. I went through a lot of rigmarole before finally figuring out how to get the images embedded so I could share the document.
Lentz, Michelle. Write Technology (2007). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Madcap Flare
#27887
It is my firm belief that every technical writer is passionate about her work and would put in her best efforts to deliver high quality. If you are a manager or an editor and are shaking your head in disagreement, think again. Why would someone want to submit a work of poor quality?
Lawrence, Prema. International Journal for Technical Communication (2006). Articles>Writing>Project Management>Technical Writing
#30051
Technical communicators tend to be problem solvers. We ask ourselves, 'How can I make this better?' We don't want our instruction material to simply be serviceable; we want it to help make our readers' lives easier. One way we do that is by anticipating mistakes that users might make if they don't read carefully. We use various techniques to emphasize material that could otherwise be overlooked. Some effective means of drawing the reader's eye to important material are presented below. Note that this article doesn't address safety messages. For proper use of safety messages, consult your corporate guidelines and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Wenger, Andrea. Carolina Communique (2007). Articles>Writing>Grammar
#10279
Empirical Evaluation of Concept Mapping: A Job Performance Aid for Writers 
The usefulness of concept mapping as a job performance aid for writers of technical documents was examined. Thirty-four writers were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group received 2 hours of training in the use of concept mapping. Both groups revised the same chapter from a computer manual, and an experienced technical editor blindly evaluated each revision. In part two of the study, revised texts were given to two groups of users. One group received a concept-mapped revision, while the other group received a text revised by a writer who had used conventional revision techniques. Readers' comprehension was tested and compared. Revision time was not significantly different between groups, and the editor's ratings of quality were not different. However, readers' comprehension was significantly higher with the concept-mapped versions. These results suggest that concept mapping is a useful revision tool for writers.
Crandell, Thomas L., Naomi A. Kleid and Candace Soderston. Technical Communication Online (1996). Articles>Information Design>Writing>Assessment
#20005
Most people sending e-mail nowadays take no steps to prevent their messages from being intercepted. That's fine for many types of messages, but just as there are written messages that you wouldn't want to put on a postcard and would prefer to have protected by an envelope, there's a need for encryption in electronic communication. Besides, encryption can do more than keep things secret. The concepts on which encryption is based can be difficult, and most of the complication is handled behind the scenes by software. Nevertheless, it's useful to have a general understanding of how encryption works. Encryption software (often part of a Web browser or server, e-mail client, or other program) is built around the use of a special number, called a key, to convert information into a form that can be read only by someone who has the key needed to decrypt it.
Ivey, Keith C. Editorial Eye, The (1997). Articles>Writing>Email>Security
#20638
Engaging and Educating Readers Through a Progressive Writing
Although technical communication documents cannot possibly be tailored to exactly match the interest, reading level and many-faceted influences of a reader, they can I believe, take measures to engage the reader to believe that the information he or she is receiving from the document is valuable to their experience in some way.
Comstock, Jeanie. Orange Journal, The (2003). Articles>Writing>Rhetoric>Technical Writing
#23341
English Department Service Courses
The service curricula in this survey include institution-wide general education courses, English courses required in addition to institution-wide general education courses for preprofessional students (those pursuing four-year or longer non-arts and sciences degrees), and other specialized preprofessional English courses, such as technical writing.
Fontane, Marilyn Stall. ADE Bulletin (1994). Articles>Education>Writing>Technical Writing
#23330
English Professors as Technical Writers: Experience is The Best Teacher
The future of the English curriculum is being argued and discussed in academic settings across the country. Students, more and more, seek courses of study that will lead directly to jobs. The buzzword is 'relevance.' The bottom line is 'big bucks.'
Barnum, Carol M. ADE Bulletin (1983). Articles>Education>Writing>Technical Writing
#14575
Experimenteel onderzoek naar de relevantie van cultuurverschillen voor tekstontwerp brengt specifieke problemen met zich mee. In dit artikel worden drie van dergelijke problemen besproken. Het eerste probleem ontstaat doordat cultuurverschil vaak wordt geoperationaliseerd door middel van de nationaliteit van de proefpersoon. Nationaliteit is een parapluvariabele voor een groot aantal verschillen tussen proefpersonen. Elk van die verschillen zou een eventueel effect kunnen verklaren. Een tweede probleem betreft de equivalentie van document en meetinstrument. Hoe kan men controleren dat de documenten in de verschillende talen hetzelfde betekenen en de meetinstrumenten hetzelfde bevragen? Een derde probleem ontstaat doordat leden uit bepaalde culturen eerder geneigd zijn de extremen van een schaal te mijden terwijl dat voor leden uit andere culturen veel minder geldt. Naast een beschrijving van de problemen worden ook suggesties voor oplossingen gedaan.
Hoeken, Hans and Hubert Korzilius. Universiteit Stellenbosch Taalsentrum (2002). (Afrikaans) Articles>Writing>Cultural Theory
#29377
Equal Time: Grammar and Composition: Myths and Realities 
Let's resist seduction by the mythologies of teaching and keep our grasp on the realities of learning.
Kuykendall, Carol. English Journal, The (1975). Articles>Education>Writing>Grammar
#23539
Equations must have a number in parentheses at the right of the page. Must be numbered in the order they appear. Must be able to be read as part of the text.
Young, V.L. and K.J. Sampson. Ohio University (2004). Articles>Document Design>Technical Writing>Mathematics
#22027
The essential equipment and software include a current PC -- should be a Pentium II or better -- and licensed software. Ideally, the PC should have at least 128 MB of RAM, a 19-inch monitor (min.), a high performance video card with a minimum of 64 MB of video RAM, and adequate storage for graphics and photos – at least an 80 GB hard disk. These are general specifications. Your requirements may be different depending upon what area you specialize in and to what extent you work on your own.
Tech-Writer (1996). Articles>Computing>Writing>Technical Writing
#14462
This article examines the sentence-based pedagogies that arose in composition during the 1960s and 1970s—the generative rhetoric of Francis Christensen, imitation exercises, and sentence-combining—and attempts to discern why these three pedagogies have been so completely elided within contemporary composition studies. The usefulness of these sentence-based rhetorics was never disproved, but a growing wave of anti-formalism, anti-behaviorism, and anti-empiricism within English-based composition studies after 1980 doomed them to a marginality under which they still exist today. The result of this erasure of sentence pedagogies is a culture of writing instruction that has very little to do with or to say about the sentence outside of a purely grammatical discourse.
Connors, Robert J. CCC (2000). Articles>Education>Writing
#18742
La escritura hipertextual, que tiene como unidad básica el enlace y como soporte lógico el electrónico, se debe realizar de forma diferente a la escritura convencional. A los usuarios no les gusta leer en pantalla, por lo que agradecerán cuanto más les facilitemos dicha tarea. En este artículo se tratará la correcta presentación de contenidos y elementos de interacción (enlaces) en los documentos hipertextuales.
Hassan Montero, Yusef and Francisco Jesus Martin Fernandez. Nosolousabilidad.com (2003). (Spanish) Articles>Writing>Hypertext>Web Design
#26724
Essential Elements of a Writing Course Proposal
At some point in their careers, many writers may teach writing courses, either before a 'live' classroom audience or, these days, online. But how does a new teacher develop that first course proposal? What elements should go into it?
Dreifus, Erika. Klariti (2005). Articles>Education>Proposals>Writing
#19738
The Essentials of Effective Communication
Good writing allows writers to be taken seriously, and being taken seriously is always important in communicating ideas effectively. If a person's writing is awkward, clumsy, or questionable, readers may get the wrong impression. And, first impressions can determine what people will read and what they will not.
Dowling, Dave. Indus (2002). Articles>Communication>Writing
#20321
Establishing Yourself in a Writerless World
Establishing a presence in a department that hasn’t had the benefit of technical writers can pose many challenges. As a writer newly assigned to such a department, I worked closely with my manager to develop the technical writer’s role, presented the role to key staff and teams, and created initial procedures to support writers within the department. By performing these tasks and thinking creatively about handling projects with a limited amount of writers, we’ve been able to work constructively with teams in our department and produce effective documentation.
Caliendo, Corin J. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Writing>TC
