This document discusses analyzing audiences for technical writing. It identifies four main types of audiences - experts, technicians, executives, and nonspecialists. It emphasizes adapting writing based on the audience's background, needs, and interests. Key recommendations include providing the right level of information, guiding the reader through the writing, crafting effective sentences, and making the document visually appealing for the intended audience.
five best practices for technical writingservicesNitor
What exactly is Technical Writing? What are the types of documents that come under the purview of technical writing? And why do we say that it is it important to follow rules and plan your initiatives?
five best practices for technical writingservicesNitor
What exactly is Technical Writing? What are the types of documents that come under the purview of technical writing? And why do we say that it is it important to follow rules and plan your initiatives?
A step by step guide to report writing Step 1 Choose your top.docxannetnash8266
A step by step guide to report writing
Step 1 Choose your topic
If you are given a list of topics from which to choose, select the one that interests you the most or that may have relevance to your chosen career.
If you are allowed to create your own report topic choose a subject that you want to learn more about and that interests you or is a current problem in your workplace that you wish to address.
Step 2 Read the instructions relating to your assessments as set down in your Course Guide
Always check your course guide to ensure that you are clear about what you are required to do.
• When is the report due?
• How long is it?
• What is the format?
• What is the structure?
• How does this topic relate to the course?
• How does this topic relate to the current area being studied?
Step 3 Analyse the topic
Break the topic into its component parts to understand what the main issue is that must be addressed.
Report topics can usually be divided into three sections:
• Content What is the issue or problem to be addressed?
• Instruction What have you been asked to do in relation to the topic?
• Scope How has the topic been limited – is there a focus on particular organisations/ countries /year(s)?
Underline key words and draw circles around the action/instruction words.
It is really important that you understand what the instruction words are telling you to do.
Step 4 Brain storm – what do you already know about the issue?
A brainstorm is the beginning of a mind map – these random ideas can be organised into a structured mind map that will provide you with a guide for your research and your writing.
• Using your reading, lectures and your own experiences think about what you already know about the problem/issue.
• On a blank piece of paper, write down all the ideas that you think might be related to the subject under review
• Write down where you think you need to go to get information other than from books, journals websites etc. Think about who you know in business who you might be able to interview.
Step 5 Starting your research
Although you are required to read and research widely, it is better to gain an overview of the topic by firstly reading the recommended texts – don’t go straight online unless instructed to do so by your lecturer or tutor.
The texts will give you a broad understanding of .the main ideas, writers and theories associated with the issue.
By familiarising yourself with the key concepts, the next stage of your investigation will be more targeted.
Step 6 Mind mapping
A mind map is a visual way of gathering your ideas about a particular topic.
Mind maps help you to identify the main ideas and what research needs to be conducted to provide the evidence that supports these ideas.
Your mind map is a good time management resource. It will help you focus your search for information more efficiently and to organise your ideas into a coherent and logical structure when you write your .
Short Report apaWrite a short trip, lab, or evaluation report..docxbudabrooks46239
Short Report apa��Write a short trip, lab, or evaluation report. Ensure you address the report to �a specific audience and employ professional writing style and technique.�Remember to use an appropriate format.�Refer to Module 4
Module 4: Report Writing and Research
Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to
•research technical topics and recognize credible secondary sources
•organize a report
•recognize the standard components of a report
•apply the standard conventions of report-writing
Module 4: Report Writing and Research
Commentary
Topics
Research
Reports
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research
Research skills are important in both the academic and the work environment. During your career as a student, you have researched different subjects to gain knowledge. In the workplace, you may conduct research for numerous reasons, such as to determine the cost of new equipment, to gain an understanding of a technical term or concept, to summarize a procedure for your supervisor, or to uncover facts for a technical report.
To keep up with changes in technology, it is imperative that you gain familiarity with all available research methods. In the past, people typically performed research at a library. Today, they turn to the World Wide Web; however, technical writers can conduct research through numerous channels. Personal interviews, e-mail questionnaires, and listservs (programs by which e-mail messages are sent to a mailing list go out to all those on that list) can provide valid research opportunities.
Chances are, if you need to research a particular topic, your first source will be the Internet. There, you can find information from government organizations, academic institutions, commercial groups, and individuals. Remember, though, that not every site on the Web is a reliable source of information. Universities, for example, are more credible than obscure Web sites with a single author who lacks verifiable credentials. To conduct research on the Internet, follow these tips:
•Look for Web sites that end in .gov, .org, and .edu.
•For a .edu or other site, make sure you can find the author of the material.
•Check the author's credentials and see if he or she is referenced in the field.
•Find out whether the author has a bibliography or a works cited section, and check to ensure that his or her references are reputable (i.e., academic books, government journals, etc.).
•See whether the Web page has a publication date, and when the last update occurred.
•If you can't locate the origins of a Web page or its author, be aware that you may not have found a credible source.
Many groups, including federal agencies, offer online indexes and databases. These are generally broken down by subject matter (such as MEDLINE from the Community of Science (COS), which offers medical journals and health publications; or ERIC from the I.
Technical Writing Annemarie Hamlin, Chris Rubio, Michele DeSilva.docxjacqueliner9
Technical Writing
Annemarie Hamlin, Chris Rubio, Michele DeSilva
Open Oregon Educational Resources
Technical Writing by Annemarie Hamlin, Chris Rubio,Michele DeSilvais licensed under a Creative CommonsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 InternationalLicense, except where otherwise noted.
Contents
· Acknowledgements
· External LinkDisclaimer
· Introductioncc-by
· 1. ProfessionalCommunications
· 1.1Texting
· 1.2E-mail
· 1.3Netiquette
· 1.4Memorandums
· 1.5Letters
· 2. AudienceAnalysis
· 2.1 Types ofaudiences
· 2.2 Audienceanalysis
· 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet youraudience’s
needs
· 3.Proposals
· 3.1 Somepreliminaries
· 3.2 Types ofproposals
· 3.3 Typical scenarios for theproposal
· 3.4 Common sections inproposals
· 3.5 Special assignmentrequirements
· 3.6 Proposals andaudience
· 3.7 Revision checklist forproposals
· 4. InformationLiteracy
· 4.1 Informationformats
· 4.2 The informationtimeline
· 4.3 The researchcycle
· 4.4 Researchtools
· 4.5 Searchstrategies
· 4.6 Evaluatesources
· 5. Citations andPlagiarism
· 5.1Citations
· 5.2Plagiarism
· 6. ProgressReports
· 6.1 Functions and Contents of ProgressReports
· 6.2 Timing and Format of ProgressReports
· 6.3 Organizational Patterns or Sectionsfor ProgressReports
· 6.4 Other Parts of ProgressReports
· 6.5 Revision Checklist for ProgressReports
· 7.Outlines
· 7.1 Creating and usingoutlines
· 7.2 Developing the roughoutline
· 8. Creating and IntegratingGraphics
· 8.1 Deciding which graphics toinclude
· 8.2 Other considerations:audience
· 8.3 Other considerations: placement andcontext
· 8.4Samples
· 8.5 Guidelines for graphics: a finalreview
· 9. Ethics in TechnicalWriting
· 9.1 GeneralPrinciples
· 9.2 Presentation ofinformation
· 9.3 Typical Ethics Issues in TechnicalWriting
· 9.4 Ethics and documentingsources
· 9.5 Ethics, Plagiarism, and ReliableSources
· 9.6 Professionalethics
· 10. DocumentDesign
· 10.1 Coverletter
· 10.2 Coverpage
· 10.3 Abstract and executivesummary
· 10.4 Table ofcontents
· 10.5 List of figures andtables
· 10.6 Introduction
· 10.7 Body of thereport
1
AcknowledgementsAbout this free online technical writing textbook
Much of this text, published under a Creative Commons license, was originally developed by Dr. David McMurrey, who is both a technical writer and a college instructor. For more about him and his original work, please visit his biography page at: https://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/index.html. He kindly gave his text a CC-BY license at our request so that we could adapt our text from it. We extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. McMurrey, the team of consultants at Saylor University whose work shared viaopen educational resourcesis also featured in this text, and the host of educators, librarians, and professionals who
have shared their creations with a Creative Commons license. Our thanks as well to our colleague, Dr. Eleanor Sumpter-Latham, whose work we consulted and adapted into this text.
Additional materials have been adapted or created by An.
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
A step by step guide to report writing Step 1 Choose your top.docxannetnash8266
A step by step guide to report writing
Step 1 Choose your topic
If you are given a list of topics from which to choose, select the one that interests you the most or that may have relevance to your chosen career.
If you are allowed to create your own report topic choose a subject that you want to learn more about and that interests you or is a current problem in your workplace that you wish to address.
Step 2 Read the instructions relating to your assessments as set down in your Course Guide
Always check your course guide to ensure that you are clear about what you are required to do.
• When is the report due?
• How long is it?
• What is the format?
• What is the structure?
• How does this topic relate to the course?
• How does this topic relate to the current area being studied?
Step 3 Analyse the topic
Break the topic into its component parts to understand what the main issue is that must be addressed.
Report topics can usually be divided into three sections:
• Content What is the issue or problem to be addressed?
• Instruction What have you been asked to do in relation to the topic?
• Scope How has the topic been limited – is there a focus on particular organisations/ countries /year(s)?
Underline key words and draw circles around the action/instruction words.
It is really important that you understand what the instruction words are telling you to do.
Step 4 Brain storm – what do you already know about the issue?
A brainstorm is the beginning of a mind map – these random ideas can be organised into a structured mind map that will provide you with a guide for your research and your writing.
• Using your reading, lectures and your own experiences think about what you already know about the problem/issue.
• On a blank piece of paper, write down all the ideas that you think might be related to the subject under review
• Write down where you think you need to go to get information other than from books, journals websites etc. Think about who you know in business who you might be able to interview.
Step 5 Starting your research
Although you are required to read and research widely, it is better to gain an overview of the topic by firstly reading the recommended texts – don’t go straight online unless instructed to do so by your lecturer or tutor.
The texts will give you a broad understanding of .the main ideas, writers and theories associated with the issue.
By familiarising yourself with the key concepts, the next stage of your investigation will be more targeted.
Step 6 Mind mapping
A mind map is a visual way of gathering your ideas about a particular topic.
Mind maps help you to identify the main ideas and what research needs to be conducted to provide the evidence that supports these ideas.
Your mind map is a good time management resource. It will help you focus your search for information more efficiently and to organise your ideas into a coherent and logical structure when you write your .
Short Report apaWrite a short trip, lab, or evaluation report..docxbudabrooks46239
Short Report apa��Write a short trip, lab, or evaluation report. Ensure you address the report to �a specific audience and employ professional writing style and technique.�Remember to use an appropriate format.�Refer to Module 4
Module 4: Report Writing and Research
Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to
•research technical topics and recognize credible secondary sources
•organize a report
•recognize the standard components of a report
•apply the standard conventions of report-writing
Module 4: Report Writing and Research
Commentary
Topics
Research
Reports
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research
Research skills are important in both the academic and the work environment. During your career as a student, you have researched different subjects to gain knowledge. In the workplace, you may conduct research for numerous reasons, such as to determine the cost of new equipment, to gain an understanding of a technical term or concept, to summarize a procedure for your supervisor, or to uncover facts for a technical report.
To keep up with changes in technology, it is imperative that you gain familiarity with all available research methods. In the past, people typically performed research at a library. Today, they turn to the World Wide Web; however, technical writers can conduct research through numerous channels. Personal interviews, e-mail questionnaires, and listservs (programs by which e-mail messages are sent to a mailing list go out to all those on that list) can provide valid research opportunities.
Chances are, if you need to research a particular topic, your first source will be the Internet. There, you can find information from government organizations, academic institutions, commercial groups, and individuals. Remember, though, that not every site on the Web is a reliable source of information. Universities, for example, are more credible than obscure Web sites with a single author who lacks verifiable credentials. To conduct research on the Internet, follow these tips:
•Look for Web sites that end in .gov, .org, and .edu.
•For a .edu or other site, make sure you can find the author of the material.
•Check the author's credentials and see if he or she is referenced in the field.
•Find out whether the author has a bibliography or a works cited section, and check to ensure that his or her references are reputable (i.e., academic books, government journals, etc.).
•See whether the Web page has a publication date, and when the last update occurred.
•If you can't locate the origins of a Web page or its author, be aware that you may not have found a credible source.
Many groups, including federal agencies, offer online indexes and databases. These are generally broken down by subject matter (such as MEDLINE from the Community of Science (COS), which offers medical journals and health publications; or ERIC from the I.
Technical Writing Annemarie Hamlin, Chris Rubio, Michele DeSilva.docxjacqueliner9
Technical Writing
Annemarie Hamlin, Chris Rubio, Michele DeSilva
Open Oregon Educational Resources
Technical Writing by Annemarie Hamlin, Chris Rubio,Michele DeSilvais licensed under a Creative CommonsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 InternationalLicense, except where otherwise noted.
Contents
· Acknowledgements
· External LinkDisclaimer
· Introductioncc-by
· 1. ProfessionalCommunications
· 1.1Texting
· 1.2E-mail
· 1.3Netiquette
· 1.4Memorandums
· 1.5Letters
· 2. AudienceAnalysis
· 2.1 Types ofaudiences
· 2.2 Audienceanalysis
· 2.3 Adapting your writing to meet youraudience’s
needs
· 3.Proposals
· 3.1 Somepreliminaries
· 3.2 Types ofproposals
· 3.3 Typical scenarios for theproposal
· 3.4 Common sections inproposals
· 3.5 Special assignmentrequirements
· 3.6 Proposals andaudience
· 3.7 Revision checklist forproposals
· 4. InformationLiteracy
· 4.1 Informationformats
· 4.2 The informationtimeline
· 4.3 The researchcycle
· 4.4 Researchtools
· 4.5 Searchstrategies
· 4.6 Evaluatesources
· 5. Citations andPlagiarism
· 5.1Citations
· 5.2Plagiarism
· 6. ProgressReports
· 6.1 Functions and Contents of ProgressReports
· 6.2 Timing and Format of ProgressReports
· 6.3 Organizational Patterns or Sectionsfor ProgressReports
· 6.4 Other Parts of ProgressReports
· 6.5 Revision Checklist for ProgressReports
· 7.Outlines
· 7.1 Creating and usingoutlines
· 7.2 Developing the roughoutline
· 8. Creating and IntegratingGraphics
· 8.1 Deciding which graphics toinclude
· 8.2 Other considerations:audience
· 8.3 Other considerations: placement andcontext
· 8.4Samples
· 8.5 Guidelines for graphics: a finalreview
· 9. Ethics in TechnicalWriting
· 9.1 GeneralPrinciples
· 9.2 Presentation ofinformation
· 9.3 Typical Ethics Issues in TechnicalWriting
· 9.4 Ethics and documentingsources
· 9.5 Ethics, Plagiarism, and ReliableSources
· 9.6 Professionalethics
· 10. DocumentDesign
· 10.1 Coverletter
· 10.2 Coverpage
· 10.3 Abstract and executivesummary
· 10.4 Table ofcontents
· 10.5 List of figures andtables
· 10.6 Introduction
· 10.7 Body of thereport
1
AcknowledgementsAbout this free online technical writing textbook
Much of this text, published under a Creative Commons license, was originally developed by Dr. David McMurrey, who is both a technical writer and a college instructor. For more about him and his original work, please visit his biography page at: https://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/index.html. He kindly gave his text a CC-BY license at our request so that we could adapt our text from it. We extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. McMurrey, the team of consultants at Saylor University whose work shared viaopen educational resourcesis also featured in this text, and the host of educators, librarians, and professionals who
have shared their creations with a Creative Commons license. Our thanks as well to our colleague, Dr. Eleanor Sumpter-Latham, whose work we consulted and adapted into this text.
Additional materials have been adapted or created by An.
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
it describes the bony anatomy including the femoral head , acetabulum, labrum . also discusses the capsule , ligaments . muscle that act on the hip joint and the range of motion are outlined. factors affecting hip joint stability and weight transmission through the joint are summarized.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
Thinking of getting a dog? Be aware that breeds like Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds can be loyal and dangerous. Proper training and socialization are crucial to preventing aggressive behaviors. Ensure safety by understanding their needs and always supervising interactions. Stay safe, and enjoy your furry friends!
How to Build a Module in Odoo 17 Using the Scaffold MethodCeline George
Odoo provides an option for creating a module by using a single line command. By using this command the user can make a whole structure of a module. It is very easy for a beginner to make a module. There is no need to make each file manually. This slide will show how to create a module using the scaffold method.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
MATATAG CURRICULUM: ASSESSING THE READINESS OF ELEM. PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS I...NelTorrente
In this research, it concludes that while the readiness of teachers in Caloocan City to implement the MATATAG Curriculum is generally positive, targeted efforts in professional development, resource distribution, support networks, and comprehensive preparation can address the existing gaps and ensure successful curriculum implementation.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
This slide is special for master students (MIBS & MIFB) in UUM. Also useful for readers who are interested in the topic of contemporary Islamic banking.
2. AUDIENCE
ANALYSIS
The audience of technical writing—or any piece of writing for
that matter—is the intended or potential reader or readers.
For most technical writers, this is the most important
consideration in planning, writing, and reviewing a document.
You “adapt” your writing to meet the needs, interests, and
backgrounds of the readers who will be reading your writing. In
reality, the lack of audience analysis and adaptation is one of
the root causes of most of the problems you find in
professionals, technical documents—particularly instructions
where it surfaces most glaringly
3. TYPES OF AUDIENCES
• The common division of audiences
into categories is as follows:
• 1. Experts: These are the people
who know the business or
organization (and possibly the theory
and the product) inside and out.
They designed it, they tested it, they
know everything about it. Often,
they have advanced degrees and
operate in academic settings or in
research and development areas of
the government and technology
worlds.
4. • 2. Technicians: These are the
people who build, operate,
maintain, and repair the items
that the experts design and
theorize about. Theirs is a
highly technical knowledge as
well, but of a more practical
nature.
5. • 3. Executives: These are
the people who make
business, economic,
administrative, legal,
governmental, and
political decisions about
the products of the
experts and technicians.
• Executives are likely to
have as little technical
knowledge about the
subject as
nonspecialists. For
many of you, this will be
the primary audience.
6. • 4. Nonspecialists: These readers
have the least technical
knowledge of all. They want to
use the new product to
accomplish their tasks; they
want to understand the new
power technology enough to
know whether to vote for or
against it in the upcoming bond
election.
• Or, they may just be curious
about a specific technical matter
and want to learn about it—but
for no specific, practical reason.
Chances are, these readers will
represent your secondary
audience.
7. • Audiences, regardless of category, must also
be analyzed in terms of characteristics such
as the following:
• 1. • Background—knowledge, experience,
training: One of your most important
concerns is just how much knowledge,
experience, or training you can expect in
your readers. If you expect some of your
readers to lack a certain background, do you
automatically supply it in your document?
• Consider an example: imagine you are
writing a guide to use a software product
that runs under Microsoft Windows. How
much can you expect your readers to know
about Windows?
8. • 2. Needs and interests: To plan your
document, you need to know what
your audience is going to expect from
that document. Imagine how readers
will want to use your document; what
they will demand from it.
• For example, imagine you are writing a
manual on how to use a new
smartphone—what are your readers
going to expect to find in it? Imagine
you are under contract to write a
background report on global warming
for a national real estate association—
what do readers want to read about;
and, equally important, what do they
not want to read about?
9. • 3. Other demographic
characteristics: Of course,
there are many other
characteristics about your
readers that might have an
influence on how you should
design and write your
document
• —for example,
• age groups, type of residence,
area of residence, gender,
political preferences, and so
on.
10. ADAPTING YOUR WRITING TO MEET YOUR
AUDIENCE’S NEEDS
• Once you’ve analyzed your audience, how do you use
this information?
• How do you keep from writing something that may
potentially still be incomprehensible or useless to your
readers?
• Draft your document with your audience’s needs in
mind, but remember that writing can be refined over
many drafts. With each subsequent draft, think more
carefully about your readers, and revise and edit your
document so that you make the technical information
more understandable for nonspecialist audiences
11. PROVIDE THE RIGHT
INFORMATION
• 1. Add information
readers need to
understand your
document. Check to see
whether certain key
information is missing—
• for example, a critical
series of steps from a
set of instructions; an
important background
that helps beginners
understand the main
discussion; definition of
key terms.
12. • 2. Omit information your
readers do not need.
Unnecessary information can
also confuse and frustrate
readers—after all, it’s there
so they feel obligated to read
it. For example, you can
probably chop theoretical
discussion from basic
instructions.
13. • 3. Change the level of the
information you currently
have. You may have the right
information but it may be
“pitched” at too high or too
low a technical level. It may
be pitched at the wrong kind
of audience—
• for example,
• at an expert audience rather
than a technician audience.
This happens most
• often when product-design
notes are passed off as
instructions.
14. • 4. Add examples to help
readers understand. Examples
are one of the most powerful
ways to connect with audiences,
particularly in instructions.
• Even in a non-instructional text,
for example, when you are
trying to explain a technical
concept, examples are a major
help—analogies in particular.
15. • 5. Change the level
of your examples.
You may be using
examples but the
technical content or
level may not be
appropriate to your
readers. Homespun
examples may not be
useful to experts;
highly technical ones
may totally miss your
nonspecialist
readers.
16. GUIDE YOUR READER
THROUGH YOUR WRITING
• 1. Change the organization of your
information. Sometimes, you can have
all the right information but arrange it
in the wrong way. For example, there
can be too much background
information upfront (or too little) such
that certain readers get lost.
• Sometimes, background information
needs to be consolidated into the main
information—for example, in
instructions, it’s sometimes better to
feed in chunks of background at the
points where they are immediately
needed.
17. • 2. Strengthen transitions. It may
be difficult for readers, particularly
nonspecialists, to see the
connections between the main
sections of your report, between
individual paragraphs, and
sometimes even between
individual sentences.
• You can make these connections
much clearer by adding transition
words and by echoing keywords
more accurately. Words like
“therefore,” “for example,” and
“however” are transition words—
they indicate the logic connecting
the previous thought to the
upcoming thought.
• You can also strengthen transitions
by carefully echoing the same
keywords.
18. • 3. Write stronger
introductions—both for the
whole document and for
major sections.
• Write a strong introduction
to the entire document—one
that makes clear the topic,
purpose, audience, and
contents of that document.
And for each major section
within your document, use
mini-introductions that
indicate at least the topic of
the section and give an
overview of the subtopics to
be covered in that section.
19. • 4. Create topic sentences
for paragraphs and
paragraph groups. It can
help readers immensely to
give them an idea of the
topic and purpose of a
section (a group of
paragraphs) and in
particular, give them an
overview of the subtopics
about to be covered. Road
maps help when you’re in
a different state!
21. • 1. Change sentence style
and length. How you
write—down at the
individual sentence level—
can make a big difference
too. In instructions, for
example, using imperative
voice and “you” phrasing is
vastly more
understandable than
passive voice or third-
personal phrasing.
• . An average of somewhere
between 15 and 25 words
per sentence is about right;
sentences over 30 words
are to be mistrusted.
22. • 2. Edit for sentence clarity and
economy. This is closely related to
the previous “control” but deserves
its own spot. Often, the writing style
can be so wordy that it is hard or
frustrating to read.
• When you revise your rough drafts,
put them on a diet—go through a
draft line by line trying to reduce the
overall word, page, or line count by
20 percent.
23. MAKE YOUR DOCUMENT
VISUALLY APPEALING
• 1. Add and vary graphics. For nonspecialist
audiences, you may want to use more graphics—
and simpler ones at that. Graphics for specialists
are more detailed and more technical.
• In technical documents for nonspecialists, there
also tend to be more “decorative” graphics—ones
that are attractive but serve no strict informative
or persuasive purpose at all.
24. • 2. Break text up or
consolidate text into
meaningful, usable chunks.
For nonspecialist readers,
you may need to have
shorter paragraphs.
• Maybe a 6- to 8-line
paragraph is the usual
maximum. Notice how
much longer paragraphs are
in technical documents
written for specialists.
25. • 3. Add cross-
references to
important
information. In
technical information,
you can help
nonspecialist readers
by pointing them to
background sources. If
you can’t fully explain a
topic on the spot, point
to a section or chapter
where it is.
26. • 4. Use headings and lists. Readers can be
intimidated by big dense paragraphs of
writing, uncut by anything other than a
blank line now and then.
• Search your rough drafts for ways to
incorporate headings—look for changes in
topic or subtopic. Search your writing for
listings of things—these can be made into
vertical lists.
• Look for paired listings such as terms and
their definitions—these can be made into
two-column lists. Of course, be careful not
to force this special formatting, and don’t
overdo it.
27. • 5. Use special typography,
and work with margins, line
length, line spacing, type size,
and type style.
• For nonspecialist readers, you
can do things like making the
lines shorter (bringing in the
margins), using larger type
sizes, and other such tactics.
• Typically, sans-serif fonts, such
as Ariel, are useful for online
readers. Serif fonts, such as
Time New Roman, are useful
for print texts.