The document discusses technical editing and provides an overview of the topic. It defines technical editing as editing specialized subject matter documents that address a specific audience using its own jargon in an objective manner. The document outlines the value of technical editing in improving document quality and usability. It also discusses defining quality goals and metrics to measure how editors contribute to quality. Different types and levels of edits are reviewed, from informal to classic edits and content-focused versus rules-focused edits.
Technical editing involves editing scientific, engineering, medical, or other complex documents for both language and content. It requires specialized knowledge of language usage, information presentation, and the subject matter of the documents. To be a technical editor, one needs expertise in style guides, editing tools, and the mechanics of language. Technical editors perform various types of edits at different levels, from rush edits with a focus on comprehension to standard and revision edits involving comprehensive review and major changes. Key skills include copyediting to correct grammar, punctuation and style, as well as comprehensive editing to evaluate content, organization, design and accommodate the needs of readers.
This presentation gives effcient information as for writing a Scientific Research Paper. There is also an article which has more details regarding this topic https://essay-academy.com/account/blog/writing-a-scientific-research-paper
This document provides an overview of scientific paper writing. It discusses why publishing research is important, different types of venues and their review processes. It also covers topics such as ethics in publishing, rankings of venues and authors, and types of papers. The document then describes how to structure a research paper, including sections such as the introduction, main body, related work, and conclusions. Finally, it provides tips for scientific writing and the publication process.
There are several types of technical reports, including proposals, progress reports, and recommendation reports.
A proposal aims to convince a customer by defining a problem and proposed solution. It may be solicited in response to an invitation or unsolicited to attract new clients. Progress reports provide updates on ongoing projects, including accomplishments, issues encountered, and future plans. Recommendation reports analyze problems and advise a course of action to persuade the reader.
Professional journals are scholarly publications for specific professions. When writing for these journals, authors should choose relevant topics, select an appropriate publication, and follow manuscript guidelines regarding formatting, illustrations, and review processes.
The document provides information on review papers and metagenomics. It begins with defining a review paper as a critical analysis of previously published literature that summarizes, classifies, analyzes and compares existing works. It describes the different types of review papers. The document then discusses metagenomics, providing a history and overview of the field. It explains that metagenomics involves directly extracting and sequencing DNA from environmental samples without culturing to study microbial communities. Examples of applications in various fields like medicine, engineering and agriculture are provided. The concluding remarks summarize key points about the importance of review papers and references are listed.
Endnote is a bibliographic software that allows users to organize references, insert citations in documents, and automatically generate bibliographies. The document outlines how to connect Endnote to a library catalog to download references, edit references in a library, insert citations, edit output styles, and import references from journals. Key features of Endnote include organizing references, integrating with Word to handle citations and bibliographies, and downloading citations from libraries.
This document provides an overview and instructions for using Endnote software to manage citations and bibliographies. It discusses how to install Endnote, build an Endnote library by manually entering references or importing from databases, edit references and organize them into groups. It also demonstrates how to cite sources while writing by inserting citations into documents and formatting bibliographies, as well as updating citations if changes are made to the Endnote library. The goal is to help users understand Endnote and learn to create properly formatted citations and bibliographies according to different styles like APA, MLA or Chicago.
Technical editing involves editing scientific, engineering, medical, or other complex documents for both language and content. It requires specialized knowledge of language usage, information presentation, and the subject matter of the documents. To be a technical editor, one needs expertise in style guides, editing tools, and the mechanics of language. Technical editors perform various types of edits at different levels, from rush edits with a focus on comprehension to standard and revision edits involving comprehensive review and major changes. Key skills include copyediting to correct grammar, punctuation and style, as well as comprehensive editing to evaluate content, organization, design and accommodate the needs of readers.
This presentation gives effcient information as for writing a Scientific Research Paper. There is also an article which has more details regarding this topic https://essay-academy.com/account/blog/writing-a-scientific-research-paper
This document provides an overview of scientific paper writing. It discusses why publishing research is important, different types of venues and their review processes. It also covers topics such as ethics in publishing, rankings of venues and authors, and types of papers. The document then describes how to structure a research paper, including sections such as the introduction, main body, related work, and conclusions. Finally, it provides tips for scientific writing and the publication process.
There are several types of technical reports, including proposals, progress reports, and recommendation reports.
A proposal aims to convince a customer by defining a problem and proposed solution. It may be solicited in response to an invitation or unsolicited to attract new clients. Progress reports provide updates on ongoing projects, including accomplishments, issues encountered, and future plans. Recommendation reports analyze problems and advise a course of action to persuade the reader.
Professional journals are scholarly publications for specific professions. When writing for these journals, authors should choose relevant topics, select an appropriate publication, and follow manuscript guidelines regarding formatting, illustrations, and review processes.
The document provides information on review papers and metagenomics. It begins with defining a review paper as a critical analysis of previously published literature that summarizes, classifies, analyzes and compares existing works. It describes the different types of review papers. The document then discusses metagenomics, providing a history and overview of the field. It explains that metagenomics involves directly extracting and sequencing DNA from environmental samples without culturing to study microbial communities. Examples of applications in various fields like medicine, engineering and agriculture are provided. The concluding remarks summarize key points about the importance of review papers and references are listed.
Endnote is a bibliographic software that allows users to organize references, insert citations in documents, and automatically generate bibliographies. The document outlines how to connect Endnote to a library catalog to download references, edit references in a library, insert citations, edit output styles, and import references from journals. Key features of Endnote include organizing references, integrating with Word to handle citations and bibliographies, and downloading citations from libraries.
This document provides an overview and instructions for using Endnote software to manage citations and bibliographies. It discusses how to install Endnote, build an Endnote library by manually entering references or importing from databases, edit references and organize them into groups. It also demonstrates how to cite sources while writing by inserting citations into documents and formatting bibliographies, as well as updating citations if changes are made to the Endnote library. The goal is to help users understand Endnote and learn to create properly formatted citations and bibliographies according to different styles like APA, MLA or Chicago.
This document provides guidance on writing a research proposal. It discusses what research is, the purpose of research, and qualities of good research. It explains that a research proposal should include an introduction, background and significance, literature review, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research design and methods. It provides direction on writing each of these sections, including outlining the problem, reviewing previous studies, stating objectives clearly, and describing the research methodology. The overall document offers advice to help write a strong research proposal that clearly defines the research problem and planned approach.
EndNote is a reference management software used to organize bibliographies and references when writing essays and articles. It was first created for Mac and is now in its 29th version. EndNote is developed by Thomson-Reuters Corporation, a multinational media and information firm headquartered in New York City. To use EndNote, you install the software, create an EndNote library to add and organize references, and insert citations automatically into a Microsoft Word document in the preferred style.
This document provides an overview of the book editing and design process. It discusses the roles of editors and authors during the writing and editing stages. It also covers the different levels of editing from light to heavy editing. Additionally, it outlines the various parts of a book from the front matter like the title page and table of contents, to the main body and back matter such as appendices and indexes. Finally, it discusses considerations for book design such as trim sizes, margins, and typesetting.
Common Errors in Writing a Research Papermeenu pandey
This document provides guidance on common errors to avoid when writing a research paper. It discusses issues like procrastinating on deadlines, being afraid to ask for help, choosing topics that are too broad or lacking sufficient preliminary research. Other errors include plagiarism, not following required formats, poor organization of content, inclusion of irrelevant information or figures, poor grammar/language usage, and not having others review and edit the paper. The document emphasizes clearly outlining the paper structure, narrowing the topic, properly citing sources, and ensuring logical flow between sections.
How to write a scientific paper for publicationAnisur Rahman
I am Dr Md Anisur Rahman Anjum passed MBBS from Dhaka Medical College in 1987. Diploma in Ophthalmology (DO) from the then IPGM&R (now it is Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University BSMMU) in 1993. Felllowship in Ophthalmology FCPS from Bangladesh College of Physician and surgeon in 1997. Now I am working as associate professor in General Ophthalmology in National Institute of Ophthalmology Dhaka Bangladesh which is the tertiary centre in eye care in Bangladesh.
When I was secretary of Bangladesh Academy in 2011-2012. During my tenure I had pulblished four academic journal. The ISSN of the journal is 1818-9423. I have seen that the format of original article was not maintained. though there was "GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS" but many of the author did not follow that guideline. From that time I am trying to build up "HOW TO WRITE THE SCIENTIFIC MANUSCRIPT" among my students, colleague and senior fellows. and do two workshop about this topic.
I am hopeful if any of you write a scientific manuscript according to this format with correct statistics power and language it will be no longer rejected.
The document provides guidance on report writing. It discusses what a report is, the purpose and components of a report. It emphasizes that reports should be well structured with clear sections like an executive summary, introduction, body and conclusion. It also provides tips for effective report writing such as using active voice, being concise, providing examples and avoiding judgment. The document aims to help readers understand how to write reports that clearly communicate information to the intended audience.
Presented by the UT student chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, this 3-hour workshop featured a presentation by D-STOP’s Dr. Stephen Boyles.
Technical writing aims for clarity, conciseness, and accuracy to communicate complex information to non-specialist audiences. It follows a writing process of prewriting, drafting, and rewriting. Prewriting gathers ideas through techniques like brainstorming. Drafting packages these ideas into clear sentences and paragraphs with transitions. Rewriting involves revising for organization and flow, editing for grammar, and proofreading for errors. The goals are to convey meaning identically to all readers, express ideas concisely while retaining completeness, and ensure factual accuracy through correct grammar. Ethics also guide interacting with colleagues and presenting information truthfully.
This presentation provides an overview of writing research proposals. It discusses the purpose of proposals, which is to convince others that a research project is worthwhile and that the researcher is competent to complete it. Proposals should include an introduction, types of proposals, components like objectives and methods, and guidelines for writing them. Components of proposals include an executive summary, statement of need, project description, budget, and conclusion. Proposals should justify the research, have appropriate expertise, and link activities to aims, while avoiding inadequate descriptions or underestimating resources. Well-written proposals make the research half done.
In this presentation, aimed at students in engineering, science and technology, I present some personal thoughts on what is expected in a technical report. Aimed particularly at students about to write their first lab report, it also contains useful information for students who need to write a dissertation or a software design document. It relects what I like to see in a report when I am marking it, but some of the principles are general I think. Within the constraints of the medium, I have also tried to present this it in much the same way that I would expect a report to be presented. Comments welcome.
Steps for successfully submitting your scientific articleTamer Hamdy
1) The document provides steps for successfully submitting a scientific article, including targeting the right journal, writing the manuscript, internal reviewing, and dealing with the publication process.
2) It emphasizes writing clearly and following the target journal's format instructions. Tools for writing like online paraphrasing and synonym tools are recommended.
3) The internal review process is described, which involves checking that the research fits the journal's scope and quality standards. Reviewers should provide feedback to improve the manuscript.
This document discusses different types of technical reports. It begins by identifying the purpose and importance of reports in business. It then describes various informal reports, including blank forms, pre-formatted reports, memos, and letters. Common types of informal reports include field trip reports, progress reports, status reports, periodic reports, and troubleshooting reports. The document concludes by discussing formal reports, noting their structure typically includes preliminary sections like a cover memo, title page, table of contents, and abstract, as well as the main body and end matter.
Paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism workshopPrograma_BRIC
The document summarizes a workshop on paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism. The workshop objectives include defining key terms like paraphrasing and summarizing, discussing effective paraphrasing techniques, and identifying plagiarism. The workshop covers exercises to practice paraphrasing and summarizing, defines plagiarism, and provides tips on finding one's own voice to avoid plagiarism. Effective paraphrasing involves restating text in one's own words while maintaining the original meaning.
Chapter 12: Abstract ( english for writing research papers)Hafiza Abas
This document provides guidance on writing abstracts for research papers and conference presentations. It discusses the four main types of abstracts and recommends using a structured format that addresses why the research was conducted, how it was done, the main results, and implications. The document advises beginning abstracts with a brief statement of the research and key findings to attract readers' interest. It also provides tips on style, structure, word choice and avoiding unnecessary details to ensure abstracts effectively summarize the full paper or presentation.
Scientific paper writing ppt shalini phdSHALINI BISHT
This document provides an overview of the key sections and considerations for writing a scientific research paper. It discusses selecting an appropriate title, writing an abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion. It also addresses statistical analysis, citing references, authorship, and avoiding plagiarism. The goal is to guide researchers in organizing their ideas and findings into a coherent scientific paper format.
This document provides an overview of how to use EndNote, including downloading and installing EndNote, creating and opening libraries, entering references manually or importing from databases, attaching PDF files, citing references and creating bibliographies in Microsoft Word documents, and finding additional styles. It covers the basic functions of EndNote for researching, organizing, and writing papers as well as where to find additional help resources.
The document provides guidance on how to write a scientific paper. It discusses that a scientific paper should have an introduction that provides context and rationale for the study. It should describe the methods, materials, and experimental procedures in enough detail to allow reproducibility. The results section should summarize the key findings without interpretation, and the discussion section should interpret the meaning of the findings. The paper should also include sections for titles, abstracts, acknowledgments, and references.
EndNote is a reference management tool that allows users to maintain a personal library of references and generate citations and bibliographies in academic writing. It offers the following key functions:
1. Maintain a personal library of references which can be organized into groups and smart groups for easy searching.
2. Import references from online databases, PDFs, and other sources.
3. Cite references while writing in Microsoft Word and instantly generate bibliographies in various styles.
4. Select different bibliographic output styles depending on publication needs.
As a researcher, you are expected to start publishing early in your career. But original research could take years to complete! This does not mean you that you cannot publish a paper until you complete your research. You can disseminate your research in many other ways. These slides will help you learn more about the different types of scholarly literature so that you are able to choose the most suitable format for publishing your study.
This document provides an overview of a technical editing workshop. It includes the schedule, introduction of the presenter, and definitions of technical editing. The value of technical editing is discussed, including improving quality, reducing costs, and increasing sales and productivity. Finally, the document discusses defining and measuring quality and value through metrics.
This document provides guidance on writing a research proposal. It discusses what research is, the purpose of research, and qualities of good research. It explains that a research proposal should include an introduction, background and significance, literature review, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research design and methods. It provides direction on writing each of these sections, including outlining the problem, reviewing previous studies, stating objectives clearly, and describing the research methodology. The overall document offers advice to help write a strong research proposal that clearly defines the research problem and planned approach.
EndNote is a reference management software used to organize bibliographies and references when writing essays and articles. It was first created for Mac and is now in its 29th version. EndNote is developed by Thomson-Reuters Corporation, a multinational media and information firm headquartered in New York City. To use EndNote, you install the software, create an EndNote library to add and organize references, and insert citations automatically into a Microsoft Word document in the preferred style.
This document provides an overview of the book editing and design process. It discusses the roles of editors and authors during the writing and editing stages. It also covers the different levels of editing from light to heavy editing. Additionally, it outlines the various parts of a book from the front matter like the title page and table of contents, to the main body and back matter such as appendices and indexes. Finally, it discusses considerations for book design such as trim sizes, margins, and typesetting.
Common Errors in Writing a Research Papermeenu pandey
This document provides guidance on common errors to avoid when writing a research paper. It discusses issues like procrastinating on deadlines, being afraid to ask for help, choosing topics that are too broad or lacking sufficient preliminary research. Other errors include plagiarism, not following required formats, poor organization of content, inclusion of irrelevant information or figures, poor grammar/language usage, and not having others review and edit the paper. The document emphasizes clearly outlining the paper structure, narrowing the topic, properly citing sources, and ensuring logical flow between sections.
How to write a scientific paper for publicationAnisur Rahman
I am Dr Md Anisur Rahman Anjum passed MBBS from Dhaka Medical College in 1987. Diploma in Ophthalmology (DO) from the then IPGM&R (now it is Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University BSMMU) in 1993. Felllowship in Ophthalmology FCPS from Bangladesh College of Physician and surgeon in 1997. Now I am working as associate professor in General Ophthalmology in National Institute of Ophthalmology Dhaka Bangladesh which is the tertiary centre in eye care in Bangladesh.
When I was secretary of Bangladesh Academy in 2011-2012. During my tenure I had pulblished four academic journal. The ISSN of the journal is 1818-9423. I have seen that the format of original article was not maintained. though there was "GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS" but many of the author did not follow that guideline. From that time I am trying to build up "HOW TO WRITE THE SCIENTIFIC MANUSCRIPT" among my students, colleague and senior fellows. and do two workshop about this topic.
I am hopeful if any of you write a scientific manuscript according to this format with correct statistics power and language it will be no longer rejected.
The document provides guidance on report writing. It discusses what a report is, the purpose and components of a report. It emphasizes that reports should be well structured with clear sections like an executive summary, introduction, body and conclusion. It also provides tips for effective report writing such as using active voice, being concise, providing examples and avoiding judgment. The document aims to help readers understand how to write reports that clearly communicate information to the intended audience.
Presented by the UT student chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, this 3-hour workshop featured a presentation by D-STOP’s Dr. Stephen Boyles.
Technical writing aims for clarity, conciseness, and accuracy to communicate complex information to non-specialist audiences. It follows a writing process of prewriting, drafting, and rewriting. Prewriting gathers ideas through techniques like brainstorming. Drafting packages these ideas into clear sentences and paragraphs with transitions. Rewriting involves revising for organization and flow, editing for grammar, and proofreading for errors. The goals are to convey meaning identically to all readers, express ideas concisely while retaining completeness, and ensure factual accuracy through correct grammar. Ethics also guide interacting with colleagues and presenting information truthfully.
This presentation provides an overview of writing research proposals. It discusses the purpose of proposals, which is to convince others that a research project is worthwhile and that the researcher is competent to complete it. Proposals should include an introduction, types of proposals, components like objectives and methods, and guidelines for writing them. Components of proposals include an executive summary, statement of need, project description, budget, and conclusion. Proposals should justify the research, have appropriate expertise, and link activities to aims, while avoiding inadequate descriptions or underestimating resources. Well-written proposals make the research half done.
In this presentation, aimed at students in engineering, science and technology, I present some personal thoughts on what is expected in a technical report. Aimed particularly at students about to write their first lab report, it also contains useful information for students who need to write a dissertation or a software design document. It relects what I like to see in a report when I am marking it, but some of the principles are general I think. Within the constraints of the medium, I have also tried to present this it in much the same way that I would expect a report to be presented. Comments welcome.
Steps for successfully submitting your scientific articleTamer Hamdy
1) The document provides steps for successfully submitting a scientific article, including targeting the right journal, writing the manuscript, internal reviewing, and dealing with the publication process.
2) It emphasizes writing clearly and following the target journal's format instructions. Tools for writing like online paraphrasing and synonym tools are recommended.
3) The internal review process is described, which involves checking that the research fits the journal's scope and quality standards. Reviewers should provide feedback to improve the manuscript.
This document discusses different types of technical reports. It begins by identifying the purpose and importance of reports in business. It then describes various informal reports, including blank forms, pre-formatted reports, memos, and letters. Common types of informal reports include field trip reports, progress reports, status reports, periodic reports, and troubleshooting reports. The document concludes by discussing formal reports, noting their structure typically includes preliminary sections like a cover memo, title page, table of contents, and abstract, as well as the main body and end matter.
Paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism workshopPrograma_BRIC
The document summarizes a workshop on paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism. The workshop objectives include defining key terms like paraphrasing and summarizing, discussing effective paraphrasing techniques, and identifying plagiarism. The workshop covers exercises to practice paraphrasing and summarizing, defines plagiarism, and provides tips on finding one's own voice to avoid plagiarism. Effective paraphrasing involves restating text in one's own words while maintaining the original meaning.
Chapter 12: Abstract ( english for writing research papers)Hafiza Abas
This document provides guidance on writing abstracts for research papers and conference presentations. It discusses the four main types of abstracts and recommends using a structured format that addresses why the research was conducted, how it was done, the main results, and implications. The document advises beginning abstracts with a brief statement of the research and key findings to attract readers' interest. It also provides tips on style, structure, word choice and avoiding unnecessary details to ensure abstracts effectively summarize the full paper or presentation.
Scientific paper writing ppt shalini phdSHALINI BISHT
This document provides an overview of the key sections and considerations for writing a scientific research paper. It discusses selecting an appropriate title, writing an abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion. It also addresses statistical analysis, citing references, authorship, and avoiding plagiarism. The goal is to guide researchers in organizing their ideas and findings into a coherent scientific paper format.
This document provides an overview of how to use EndNote, including downloading and installing EndNote, creating and opening libraries, entering references manually or importing from databases, attaching PDF files, citing references and creating bibliographies in Microsoft Word documents, and finding additional styles. It covers the basic functions of EndNote for researching, organizing, and writing papers as well as where to find additional help resources.
The document provides guidance on how to write a scientific paper. It discusses that a scientific paper should have an introduction that provides context and rationale for the study. It should describe the methods, materials, and experimental procedures in enough detail to allow reproducibility. The results section should summarize the key findings without interpretation, and the discussion section should interpret the meaning of the findings. The paper should also include sections for titles, abstracts, acknowledgments, and references.
EndNote is a reference management tool that allows users to maintain a personal library of references and generate citations and bibliographies in academic writing. It offers the following key functions:
1. Maintain a personal library of references which can be organized into groups and smart groups for easy searching.
2. Import references from online databases, PDFs, and other sources.
3. Cite references while writing in Microsoft Word and instantly generate bibliographies in various styles.
4. Select different bibliographic output styles depending on publication needs.
As a researcher, you are expected to start publishing early in your career. But original research could take years to complete! This does not mean you that you cannot publish a paper until you complete your research. You can disseminate your research in many other ways. These slides will help you learn more about the different types of scholarly literature so that you are able to choose the most suitable format for publishing your study.
This document provides an overview of a technical editing workshop. It includes the schedule, introduction of the presenter, and definitions of technical editing. The value of technical editing is discussed, including improving quality, reducing costs, and increasing sales and productivity. Finally, the document discusses defining and measuring quality and value through metrics.
This document provides an overview of technical editing. It discusses the general procedure for editing technical documents, which involves analyzing the purpose, audience, and format of the materials; evaluating if they are appropriate; setting objectives and planning; reviewing with the author; making edits; and evaluating the outcome. It also discusses editor-client contracts, different levels of edit (consistency and correctness, visual readability, and content and structure), and the importance of using style guides and creating a style sheet when editing technical materials.
Success Factors for DITA Adoption with XMetaL: Best Practices and FundamentalsScott Abel
Adopting structured authoring and content management requires managing change across the entire organization. Key factors for success include aligning with business needs, creating an implementation roadmap, mapping content to audience needs, updating processes and procedures, revising staffing models, and creating a plan to handle legacy documentation. Pilot projects allow testing changes in a limited scope before full adoption.
The document discusses assessing technical and user documentation for a web development and database administration course. It defines documentation and its purposes, and describes the types of documentation including user documentation and technical documentation. User documentation aims to assist end-users, while technical documentation provides details for development teams. The document also covers reviewing documentation for accuracy, completeness, conciseness and quality; types of documentation reviews; and the documentation review process.
Technical writing focuses on providing information to users to help them complete tasks and operate products. Technical writers work with other professionals to ensure documentation meets user needs. They produce various types of documents, including user manuals, reports, websites, and training materials. The training program covers principles of technical writing like structuring documents and using tools. It teaches writing, editing, graphics, and advanced concepts over 40 hours through online and classroom sessions. The syllabus includes topics like the writing process, editing, graphics, tools, and writing for different industries. The program provides a certificate upon completion and resume and placement assistance.
The document provides a comprehensive checklist for documentation development that includes gathering requirements, analysis and planning, documentation, and review stages. It details important questions to ask stakeholders like subject matter experts, project managers, development and QA teams, and clients. These include understanding the product, target audience, documentation scope and format, and establishing deadlines. The checklist also covers documentation best practices like writing style, formatting elements, and review processes to ensure quality.
Business writing is a form of technical writing used in the workplace to persuade. It includes common documents like business letters, emails, memorandums, reports, contracts, manuals, and PowerPoint presentations. Effective business writing focuses on the purpose and audience, satisfies documentation requirements, gets straight to the point with concise sentences, provides accurate researched information presented logically and clearly through efficient wording and formatting.
The document outlines the top 10 keys to a successful eLearning project presented by Mark Steiner at the Chicago eLearning & Technology Showcase in 2011. The top 10 keys are: 1) Educate the client on eLearning fundamentals and manage expectations. 2) Determine the actual training need. 3) Define your process and communicate roles. 4) Identify all project personnel and their roles. 5) Analyze technical needs and specifications. 6) Consider interface design and media aspects. 7) Analyze content and instructional strategies. 8) Define deliverables. 9) Acquire tool expertise. 10) Test early and often from both user and technical perspectives.
Modular Documentation Joe Gelb Techshoret 2009Suite Solutions
Designing, building and maintaining a coherent content model is critical to proper planning, creation, management and delivery of documentation and training content. This is especially true when implementing a modular or topic-based XML standard such as DITA, SCORM and S1000D, and is essential for successfully facilitating content reuse, multi-purpose conditional publishing and user-driven content.
During this presentation we will review basic concepts and methods for implementing information architecture. We will then introduce an innovative, comprehensive methodology for information modeling and content development that employs recognized XML standards for representation and interchange of knowledge, such as Topic Maps and SKOS. In this way, semantic technologies designed for taxonomy and ontology development can be brought to bear for creating and managing technical documentation and training content, and ultimately impacting the usability and findability of technical information.
The document discusses the importance of usability in technical documentation. It outlines some common usability issues like inability to find information easily, poor search functionality, and readability problems. It then describes approaches for technical writers to ensure documentation usability, such as making information easily available, suitability for target users, accessibility of content, and readability. Various techniques for evaluating documentation usability are also presented.
Presentation by Peter Boersma about Design Processes for Web Projects, given at a meeting of the Dutch front-end developers club Fronteers.nl on January 11, 2010 in Amsterdam. Deals with business, strategy, project management, research, design and evaluation aspects of web projects.
Project Management for Technical Communication Professionalsstcindiana
Presentation to the members of the Indiana Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication, December 18, 2006. Delivered by Greg McCormick on the Project Management Institute methodology and how it can help technical communication professionals better plan and manage their technical documentation projects.
Structured authoring for business-critical contentJason Aiken
For decades, XML has armed technical documentation professionals with a component-based approach to content that overcomes the many challenges caused by standalone, static documents created in silos. The problem, however, is that there is so much other business-critical content out there that could benefit from a structured approach to authoring for content automation.
Learn why it is critical for technical documentation experts to translate their best practices into solutions that non-technical content creators can apply to business-critical content. Business-critical content is content you sell, content that helps you sell, or content that helps you run your business.
Business requirements gathering and analysisMena M. Eissa
Business analysis and requirements management are a key to project success.
This workshop helps candidates perform better based on sharing real life experience with them.
Maintainable API Docs and Other Rainbow Colored UnicornsNeil Mansilla
This document discusses improving API documentation through more interactive and tool-driven approaches. It notes some common pitfalls that result in bad documentation, such as providing too much technical detail or too little information. The document then introduces newer web service definition formats and tools that can generate documentation from API specifications. It highlights Google's Discovery format and API Explorer tool as examples. The document showcases Mashery's interactive "I/O Docs" approach and notes they are open sourcing their Node.js implementation. It invites attendees to a free API hack day the next day.
Professional Communication in Computing - WritingUpekha Vandebona
About Writing
This discusses the difference between expository writing and technical writing. Also it highlights how to write user documents for information systems.
Similar to Technical Editing: The Foundation of a Quality Product (20)
Linda Oestreich gave a presentation on speed editing titled "Delivering your best with the least". She outlined several key steps to take when doing a speed edit: 1) Be prepared with the necessary style guides, checklists, and tools; 2) Know your own abilities and limitations as well as how to use your editing tools; 3) Quickly skim the document to understand its length, complexity, organization, purpose, and intended audience; 4) Prioritize which areas of the document to focus on first based on its needs; 5) Edit the document while following your priorities and quality control checks; 6) Know when to stop editing in order to deliver a high quality final product on time.
The document discusses online education, outlining both its challenges and benefits. It begins with definitions of online course types and an overview of data showing that academic leaders see online learning as critical to their long-term strategies and believe learning outcomes are comparable to or better than face-to-face instruction. Challenges discussed include technology issues, student and faculty abilities, and retaining students online. Benefits include flexibility, convenience, and developing technology skills. Student feedback provides mixed views, with some praising flexibility while others prefer face-to-face interaction. In conclusion, the author believes online education's benefits outweigh challenges for technical communication topics.
The document discusses online education and compares its benefits and challenges. It provides data showing that most academic leaders see online learning as critical to their long-term strategy and believe its learning outcomes are equivalent to or better than face-to-face instruction. While online education provides benefits like flexibility and convenience, challenges include technology issues, student isolation, and developing engaging online content. Student and instructor feedback reflects both advantages and disadvantages of the online medium. Overall, the presentation concludes that online education's benefits outweigh its challenges for technical communication topics.
Here are some pros and cons of using grammar checkers:
Pros:
- Can catch basic grammatical errors like subject-verb agreement issues, incorrect verb tense, etc.
- Help maintain consistency in grammar usage
- Provide another set of "eyes" to catch mistakes
Cons:
- Often miss errors involving complex sentences or ambiguous grammar
- Don't understand context or intended meaning
- May flag constructions that are technically grammatical but awkward
- Can disrupt writing flow by interrupting with frequent error messages
- Require manual review of all flagged issues, adding time to the editing process
In summary, grammar checkers are helpful supplementary tools but shouldn't replace careful human editing, as they have limitations in
Online Education: Where Benefits Outweigh ChallengesLinda Oestreich
Slides to accompany STC Summit presentation for Wednesday, 24 June 2015. Discuss class formats, academic analysis and metrics, and case history of presenter's experience moving from standup instructor to virtual one.
Information Design for Technical Communicators: Scratching the SurfaceLinda Oestreich
Linda Oestreich gave a presentation on information design at the STC Summit in Columbus, Ohio. She began by introducing herself and her background in technical communication. She then outlined what would be covered in the presentation, including definitions of information design, leaders in the field, creating personas, design principles like contrast and alignment, and examples of redesigning various documents. The presentation provided an overview of information design and how technical communicators can apply principles like using typography, color, proximity and contrast to improve how information is presented.
Linda Oestreich gave a presentation on information design. She began by introducing herself and her background in technical communication. She then outlined the topics she would cover, including definitions of information design, key leaders in the field, creating personas, applying design principles like contrast and repetition, using typography and color effectively, and before and after examples. Some of the main principles she discussed were Edward Tufte's ideas of macro/micro design and layering information. She also covered the C-R-A-P principles of contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity. The goal of information design, she stated, is to clearly communicate messages to users.
This document contains the agenda and presentation materials for a strategic leadership workshop presented by Linda Oestreich to the STC-Houston chapter on November 10, 2012. The workshop objectives are to help participants understand concepts of leadership, their role as leaders, and how to prioritize leadership needs for their chapter. The presentation covers defining leadership traits, different leadership roles, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, and developing a strategic leadership plan with goals, alignment of members, and ongoing motivation. The workshop provides guidance on effective communication, outcome-based planning, and finding one's own leadership style.
This document discusses ethics in the workplace. It begins by outlining some basic ethical presuppositions and imperatives like respecting others, helping people, being honest and fair. It then discusses codes of conduct and views on their role and effectiveness. Several workplace ethics dilemmas are presented along with approaches to evaluate ethical decisions. The document emphasizes that ethics is a continual process and companies should lead by example through their leaders' behavior.
The document discusses the state of the technical communication profession. It summarizes that STC has hired an economist to provide a salary database for technical writers based on industry and geography. Additionally, STC is working to update the definition of technical writer to technical communicator with the Department of Labor, though they decided to keep the current definition for now. The document also discusses globalization efforts like partnering with localization organizations, an upcoming trip to China to meet with technical communicators there, and standards and partnerships within the technical communication field.
This document discusses leadership and provides tips for developing leadership skills. It begins by asking why someone would want to be led by you and if you have the qualities of a good leader. It then defines leadership, discusses common myths and theories of leadership, and identifies trust and communication as two key aspects of leadership. The document outlines four competencies of effective leadership and provides a leadership strategy cycle of intent, behavior, effect, and adjustment. It concludes with exercises for individuals and teams to assess leadership styles and practice leadership skills.
The document discusses different approaches to defining the types and levels of edits that technical editors perform, including rule-based definitions focusing on grammar and style, content-based definitions prioritizing technical accuracy, and informal hierarchies of editing tasks. It also explores how types of edits can be mapped to types of software testing and how definitions have evolved over time to simplify complex models. The goal is to establish a common language and framework for discussing the work of technical editors.
The document discusses technical editing in the 2010s. It provides an overview of an editor's toolbox, which includes style guides, dictionaries, checklists, software and soft skills. It also discusses different types of editing like copy editing, substantive editing, and different levels of editing. The document encourages establishing common language and guidelines to facilitate the editing process. It addresses challenges in today's workplace for editors, such as managing remote teams and tight schedules. Overall, the document aims to provide guidance to technical editors on best practices.
Expanded Roles and Added Value for Technical CommunicatorsLinda Oestreich
This document summarizes a panel discussion from the 2011 STC Technical Communication Summit on expanded roles and added value for technical communicators. The panelists discussed their careers in technical communication and moving into roles in areas like business planning, corporate communications, information design, information security, and project management. They emphasized skills like communication, learning new skills, networking, and obtaining meaningful certifications to expand career opportunities.
This presentation by Professor Giuseppe Colangelo, Jean Monnet Professor of European Innovation Policy, was made during the discussion “The Intersection between Competition and Data Privacy” held at the 143rd meeting of the OECD Competition Committee on 13 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/ibcdp.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
This presentation by Nathaniel Lane, Associate Professor in Economics at Oxford University, was made during the discussion “Pro-competitive Industrial Policy” held at the 143rd meeting of the OECD Competition Committee on 12 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/pcip.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
Suzanne Lagerweij - Influence Without Power - Why Empathy is Your Best Friend...Suzanne Lagerweij
This is a workshop about communication and collaboration. We will experience how we can analyze the reasons for resistance to change (exercise 1) and practice how to improve our conversation style and be more in control and effective in the way we communicate (exercise 2).
This session will use Dave Gray’s Empathy Mapping, Argyris’ Ladder of Inference and The Four Rs from Agile Conversations (Squirrel and Fredrick).
Abstract:
Let’s talk about powerful conversations! We all know how to lead a constructive conversation, right? Then why is it so difficult to have those conversations with people at work, especially those in powerful positions that show resistance to change?
Learning to control and direct conversations takes understanding and practice.
We can combine our innate empathy with our analytical skills to gain a deeper understanding of complex situations at work. Join this session to learn how to prepare for difficult conversations and how to improve our agile conversations in order to be more influential without power. We will use Dave Gray’s Empathy Mapping, Argyris’ Ladder of Inference and The Four Rs from Agile Conversations (Squirrel and Fredrick).
In the session you will experience how preparing and reflecting on your conversation can help you be more influential at work. You will learn how to communicate more effectively with the people needed to achieve positive change. You will leave with a self-revised version of a difficult conversation and a practical model to use when you get back to work.
Come learn more on how to become a real influencer!
This presentation by OECD, OECD Secretariat, was made during the discussion “Competition and Regulation in Professions and Occupations” held at the 77th meeting of the OECD Working Party No. 2 on Competition and Regulation on 10 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/crps.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
This presentation by OECD, OECD Secretariat, was made during the discussion “Pro-competitive Industrial Policy” held at the 143rd meeting of the OECD Competition Committee on 12 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/pcip.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
This presentation by OECD, OECD Secretariat, was made during the discussion “Artificial Intelligence, Data and Competition” held at the 143rd meeting of the OECD Competition Committee on 12 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/aicomp.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
This presentation by Yong Lim, Professor of Economic Law at Seoul National University School of Law, was made during the discussion “Artificial Intelligence, Data and Competition” held at the 143rd meeting of the OECD Competition Committee on 12 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/aicomp.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
Why Psychological Safety Matters for Software Teams - ACE 2024 - Ben Linders.pdfBen Linders
Psychological safety in teams is important; team members must feel safe and able to communicate and collaborate effectively to deliver value. It’s also necessary to build long-lasting teams since things will happen and relationships will be strained.
But, how safe is a team? How can we determine if there are any factors that make the team unsafe or have an impact on the team’s culture?
In this mini-workshop, we’ll play games for psychological safety and team culture utilizing a deck of coaching cards, The Psychological Safety Cards. We will learn how to use gamification to gain a better understanding of what’s going on in teams. Individuals share what they have learned from working in teams, what has impacted the team’s safety and culture, and what has led to positive change.
Different game formats will be played in groups in parallel. Examples are an ice-breaker to get people talking about psychological safety, a constellation where people take positions about aspects of psychological safety in their team or organization, and collaborative card games where people work together to create an environment that fosters psychological safety.
This presentation by Professor Alex Robson, Deputy Chair of Australia’s Productivity Commission, was made during the discussion “Competition and Regulation in Professions and Occupations” held at the 77th meeting of the OECD Working Party No. 2 on Competition and Regulation on 10 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/crps.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
Carrer goals.pptx and their importance in real lifeartemacademy2
Career goals serve as a roadmap for individuals, guiding them toward achieving long-term professional aspirations and personal fulfillment. Establishing clear career goals enables professionals to focus their efforts on developing specific skills, gaining relevant experience, and making strategic decisions that align with their desired career trajectory. By setting both short-term and long-term objectives, individuals can systematically track their progress, make necessary adjustments, and stay motivated. Short-term goals often include acquiring new qualifications, mastering particular competencies, or securing a specific role, while long-term goals might encompass reaching executive positions, becoming industry experts, or launching entrepreneurial ventures.
Moreover, having well-defined career goals fosters a sense of purpose and direction, enhancing job satisfaction and overall productivity. It encourages continuous learning and adaptation, as professionals remain attuned to industry trends and evolving job market demands. Career goals also facilitate better time management and resource allocation, as individuals prioritize tasks and opportunities that advance their professional growth. In addition, articulating career goals can aid in networking and mentorship, as it allows individuals to communicate their aspirations clearly to potential mentors, colleagues, and employers, thereby opening doors to valuable guidance and support. Ultimately, career goals are integral to personal and professional development, driving individuals toward sustained success and fulfillment in their chosen fields.
This presentation by Katharine Kemp, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law & Justice at UNSW Sydney, was made during the discussion “The Intersection between Competition and Data Privacy” held at the 143rd meeting of the OECD Competition Committee on 13 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/ibcdp.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
This presentation by OECD, OECD Secretariat, was made during the discussion “The Intersection between Competition and Data Privacy” held at the 143rd meeting of the OECD Competition Committee on 13 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/ibcdp.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
This presentation by Thibault Schrepel, Associate Professor of Law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam University, was made during the discussion “Artificial Intelligence, Data and Competition” held at the 143rd meeting of the OECD Competition Committee on 12 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found at oe.cd/aicomp.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
XP 2024 presentation: A New Look to Leadershipsamililja
Presentation slides from XP2024 conference, Bolzano IT. The slides describe a new view to leadership and combines it with anthro-complexity (aka cynefin).
3. 33
Who am I?
STC Fellow
Former STC President
Former board member at chapter and Society level
Strategic and business analyst
HR/EEO analyst
Technical communicator: manager, editor, writer
Instructor, trainer, instructional designer
RETIRED!
3
4. 44
Who are you?
Writers?
Editors?
Managers?
Liberal arts? Science/tech/IT?
Companies?
Why here?
4
8. 88
Editorial wisdom
“The work of a good editor, like the work of a
good teacher, does not reveal itself directly;
it is reflected in the accomplishments of
others.”
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter, Vol. 19, No. 4, July/August 1998
8
9. 99
Technical editing: Textbook definition
Rude: Technical documents provide information
that readers need to make decisions or complete
tasks. It is part of the process of developing
documents that solve problems or enable readers
to use products.
Tarutz: Technical is any specialized subject that
addresses a specific audience, has its own jargon,
and whose approach is objective. Editing is a craft.
Practicing a craft means recognizing and
transcending its constraints.
10. 1010
What’s in your editorial toolbox?
On your desk In your head
Style guides (general & industry-
specific)
Dictionaries/grammar checkers
Checklists & style sheets
Editing markup system
marks)
Desktop publishing tools
Use of English language
Data presentation (information
architecture)
Typographic & layout knowledge
Content strategy
Editing types/levels
Editorial commenting
Time management
People skills
Clements and Waite: People skills: “…one of the most important skills you can
cultivate as a technical editor is the ability to get along well with people. For technical
editing is not solitary work.”
11. 1111
Style guides (examples)
General
Chicago Manual of Style
Elements of Style
GPO Style Manual
Modern Language
Association
Associated Press
Industry-specific
American Psychological
Association
Council of Biology Editors’
Style Guide
Microsoft Manual of Style
Read Me First!
12. 1212
Dictionaries
General
Webster’s 3rd New
International (1961)
Merriam-Webster’s
Collegiate Dictionary
(11th ed. 2009)
American Heritage
Dictionary (5th to be
released late in 2011)
A plethora of specialized ones
(http://www.yourdictionary.com/diction4.html)
Technical
Scientific
Chemical
Medical
Agricultural
Biological
Biographical
13. 1313
Checklists and style sheets
Checklists:
Each activity in the publication process could have a
checklist: doc plan, writing, editorial, publication
Ensures consistency
Aids collaborative and team projects
Style sheets
Addition to style guides (company or industry level)
Document or project level
Individual guide
14. 1414
Editorial checklist
Build your own checklist
Base your checklist on the context (industry, industry
standards, document type, and project life cycle phase)
Follow a logical progression of activities
Update checklists as required to reflect new
requirements or changes in supporting documents
Can be detailed or high-level, or both
15. 1515
Self-made editorial checklist
Task
Description
Grammar Correct grammatical mistakes.
Passive Voice Revise passive sentences to make them active, where appropriate.
Lists Check that bulleted, numbered, procedure, and terminology lists are used and styled
appropriately.
Headings Check that headings are used appropriately; check for organization, parallelism,
so on.
Tables and Figures Check that table and figure numbers are consecutive. Check that table and figure titles
captions are title capped, are phrases (as opposed to complete sentences), and that they
and concisely describe the table or figure.
Cross-References Check that cross-references are accurate and relevant, and create links.
Terminology Research technical terms and acronyms for consistency, accuracy, and inclusion in a
project’s glossary or index. Ensure that new terms are appropriately defined in the text.
definitions with other book or series definitions, and ensure published definition is
the best one available.
Formatting Check for and fix obvious formatting issues. If project doesn’t have a production
ensure all formatting is correct and fits style guide.
20. 2020
Did you include these things? Why/why
not?
Inches
Feet
Fahrenheit
Degree signs
Serial commas
Hyphen use
Number use
21. 2121
Hard skills and soft skills
Corbin:
Hard skills: writing ability, superb sensitivity to language
and communication; information design, graphic arts,
project management, time management, environment-
based (for example, programming, industry-based
jargon, basic laws of science)
Soft skills: problem-solving, negotiating, diplomacy, tact,
learning quickly, coaching, teaching, patience, attention
to detail, sympathy, insight, breadth of view, sense
of humor, and imagination
Tarutz: empathy, restraint, good judgment,
adaptability, flexibility, persuasion, decisiveness
22. 2222
What traits make a good editor?
Which of these traits is most important in a good
editor?
Personality?
Skills?
Talent?
Passion?
Problem solving?
24. 2424
The who of technical editing: Audience
In technical writing classes, we learn that end users
(audiences) fall into one of four categories:
Layperson
Technical
Expert
Administrator
In technical editing, you must consider these folks as well as
the end user:
Writers (technical writers, subject matter experts,
administrators)
Managers (yours and others’)
Fellow editors
25. 2525
The what of technical editing: Media
Computer-based training
materials
Tutorials
Data sheets
Procedures
Animation
Multimedia
Videos
Podcasts (audio)
Screencasts
User interfaces
Printed materials
Books
White papers
Reports
Pamphlets
Quick reference cards
Electronic materials
PDF files
Online help files
Online documentation
Web pages
26. 2626
The where of technical editing: Industries
Computer software and hardware
Website development
Engineering
Medicine
Sciences
Government
Legal, banking, and brokerage services
Wherever clear technical information is needed
27. 2727
The when of technical editing: Timing
When in the cycle
Design (edit in internal documents, storyboards)
Development (edit drafts)
Production (edit actual deliverables)
Ownership can determine the “when”
Writer owns information, provide markup early
Editor owns information, modify files directly before
release
28. 2828
The why of technical editing: Quality
Editing is quality control for written communication
“Quality control (QC) is a planned and systematic
pattern of all actions necessary to provide adequate
confidence that the product optimally fulfills customer's
expectations.”
(csqafordummies.blogspot.com)
Definitions of quality for technical information
Five Cs: clear, concise, consistent, correct, concrete
More detailed: accuracy, clarity, completeness,
concreteness, organization, retrievability, style, task
orientation, visual effectiveness
29. 2929
The value of technical editing,
as defined by STC Technical Editing SIG
Improves document readability and usability
Increases the writers’ overall productivity
Increases writers’ product knowledge
Reduces translation costs
Protects the company from legal oversights by helping keep
copyright information and other legal lingo that is current and
consistent
Reduces calls to Customer Support by frustrated clients
Increases sales
Eliminates lost revenue and the costs involved in saving face
after a poor, negative, or offensive message has been sent
out
30. Why do we define metrics
To measure the value of the information
Improved, simplified documentation & UIs
Easier to use documentation & UIs
To increase benefits
Productivity (our own, but our customers’ too)
Satisfaction (our customers’, but our own, too)
Sales
To decrease costs
Document production costs (resources, processes)
Support costs (training, help desk, maintenance)
To demonstrate that writers and editors have a
positive effect on quality & value
30
31. 3131
Defining quality and value
Before you can measure anything, you must know
what the end goal is:
Adhering to guidelines
Meeting defined criteria
Exhibiting quality characteristics
Satisfying customers
Improving usability testing
Increasing productivity
32. 3232
Measuring quality and value
After you know what your goals are, you have to
“quantify” them in order to measure them:
Most involve numbers, ratings, rankings
Any metric or measurement is valid, if applied
consistently and appropriately
Perform baseline measurements to start, then use the
same metrics over time to show quality improvement
33. Putting metrics to use
Collect data only if you are going to use it
Measure just enough, and at the right time
Measure the right things
Try the metrics out; modify to fit
Use metrics to understand; not to motivate or
evaluate
Train, describe, and communicate about your
metrics
Interpret the metrics for others
Get management commitment!
33
34. Characteristics of useful metrics
Development
Appropriate
Balanced
Comprehensive
Inexpensive
Nonintrusive
Use
Discriminating
Leading indicators
Quantifiable
Objective, unbiased
Statistically reliable
34
35. 3535
Quantify your measurements
Any metric is valid: if consistent and applied
appropriately!
Begin with baselines, then use same metrics over
time
Track # of hours spent on various edits
Develop metric for average # of pages per hour
Track editing of new vs. changed pages
Track percentage of deliverable edited
Caveats: Some industry standards exist, but those based on
your context and your productivity are best (for example,
what is a page or a topic? what is the markup style?)
35
36. Define quality goals, then measure quality
Define SMART quality goals
(http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria)
Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound
Define the characteristics of quality, define your quality goals
Absence of defects
Exceeding customer expectations (beta tests, usability
test, customer surveys)
Quantify the goals so you can measure them
Take baseline measurements; then repeated measurements,
show quality improvement over time
Document the quality goals and metrics, then demonstrate
how they were met.
36
37. How do editors contribute to quality goals?
Analyzing problem reports from support
Learning more about actual users, actual problems
Planning technical edits based on customer pain points
Demonstrating a reduction in problems in areas over
time
Measuring the quality of information
Adhering to guidelines, characteristics
Identifying a number of defects, showing reduction by
doing second edit
Editing for Quality (EFQ) edit as described in IBM
Developing Quality Technical Information
37
38. Nine quality characteristics as defined
in DQTI*
Easy to Use:
1. task orientation
2. accuracy
3. completeness
Easy to Understand:
4. clarity
5. concreteness
6. style
Easy to find:
7. organization
8. retrievability
9. visual effectiveness
38
*Developing Quality Technical Information, IBM
39. EFQ process steps
1. Do the EFQ edit and write the report
2. Rate the quality characteristics
3. Confirm the ratings
4. Compute the overall EFQ score
39
40. Step 1: The edit
A full technical edit, with a focus on the nine quality
characteristics
Classify the strengths and weaknesses found
during the edit according to the nine quality
characteristics
Summarize the noteworthy and critical strengths
and weaknesses in a quality report
40
41. Step 2: Rate the quality characteristics
Assign a satisfaction rating to each quality
characteristic, based on the strengths and
weaknesses identified:
For example, 1 exemplifies the highest quality with few
or no weaknesses; 2 means that strengths outweigh the
weaknesses; 3 shows strengths and weaknesses
balance; 4 shows weaknesses outweigh the strengths;
5 shows that weak areas greatly affect the effectiveness
of the work
Use guidelines and rules for assigning the ratings
41
42. Step 3: Confirm the ratings
Send copies of editing markup and quality report to
two confirming editors
Confirming editors work to review and markup what
was sent
Confirming editors assign satisfaction ratings
independently
Calculate an agreement score between the original
editor and the two confirming editors
Original editor and confirming editors meet and
reach consensus on ratings
42
43. Step 4: Computing the overall quality score
Enter ratings into an algorithm that reflects relative
importance of the quality characteristics to your
customer, use a consistent formula to get a final
score.
43
44. Benefits of a quality process
Writers improve their writing skills, with help from
the quality reports
Editors improve their editing skills, through peer
reviews and work with confirming editors
Editors become more consistent in their markup,
their application of corporate guidelines, and the
application of quality characteristics
Writers can better prioritize their work based on
relative importance of quality characteristics to the
customer and based on the quality report
44
45. 4545
Another definition of value-add?
“Value-add means whatever clients say it means -- to
them and to their organization. In addition, value-add
means incorporating new technologies and social
media research when time and budget allows.”
What 'Value-Added Deliverables' Means Today, Angela
Kangiser, Jan/Feb 2011 Online, a division of Information
Today, Inc.
45
46. 4646
The value of editors
http://www.ftrain.com/editors-ship-dammit.html
Paul Ford, in Real Editors Ship, says this:
Editors are really valuable, and, the way things are going,
undervalued. These are people who are good at process.
They think about calendars, schedules, checklists, and get
freaked out when schedules slip. Their jobs are to aggregate
information, parse it, restructure it, and make sure it meets
standards. They are basically QA for language and meaning.
47. 4747
Value-add resources
Articles and information about adding value as technical
communicators:
Adding Value as a Professional Technical Communicator:
http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/2463/2522777/
docs/teLayoutTutorialFinal.pdf
Adding Value: Using Technical Communications to Cut Costs
and Build Sales:
http://www.impactonthenet.com/addvalue.html,
http://www.impactonthenet.com/addvalue.pdf
Defining "Value-Adding Work" of In-house Information
Development Groups, William O. Coggins,
http://www.ocstc.org/ana_conf/we6r/value-added.html
“Technical Editing as Quality Assurance: Editing-based
Metrics,” presentation to STC by Michelle Corbin, May 2006
49. 49
Levels and types of edit
Classic
Informal
Negotiation
Content-focused (not rules-focused)
50. Why levels of edit?
“Level systems are used to balance the editing depth needed by
a document against the demands to meet a deadline or a
budget target.”
“Levels of editing systems provide a framework within which
editors can choose appropriate editorial tasks for a particular
document; most levels systems are set up so that problems
of increasing depth and complexity are addressed as more
time or money becomes available.”
--David E. Nadziejka
50
51. 51
Defining what we do: “...imposing upon it a sense of
organization and rationality...”
(Van Buren and Buehler)
Classic & historic
Types of edit (9 types)
Categories of editorial functions
Coordination, policy, integrity, screening, copy clarification,
format, mechanical style, language, and substantive
Levels of edit (5 levels)
Number of specific editorial functions (types of edits)
Level 5 contains least number of editorial functions (types
of edits); Level 1 contains most number (all)
52. 52
“Classic” levels of edit from Van Buren & Buehler
Level of Edit
Type of Edit Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
Coordination X X X X X
Policy X X X X X
Integrity X X X X
Screening X X X X
Copy Clarification X X X
Format X X X
Mechanical X X
Language X X
Substantive X
Nine types classified into five levels
53. 53
An “informal” approach: hierarchy of tasks
(Tarutz)
Defined a hierarchy, based on task difficulty, time
on task, and skill level involved
Typical uses: establish common language, sizing &
estimating, training new editors, scheduling
54. 54
“Informal” levels from Tarutz
Turning pages – superficial look at text
Skimming – obvious spelling, grammar, punctuation
Skimming and comparing – internal consistency, cross-
references
Reading – writing style, such as wording, usage
Analyzing – organizational flaws, missing info,
redundancies, technical inconsistencies
Testing and using – technical errors, usability problems
55. 55
Negotiation-based types of edits (Weber)
Rules-based editing
Make a document correct, consistent, accurate, and complete, using
company standards and guidelines; spelling, grammar, punctuation,
capitalization, hyphenation, legal
Not negotiable with the writer: the editor makes corrections, enforces the
rules
Analysis-based editing
Make a document functional and appropriate for readers, focusing on
concepts, content, organization, form, and style
Negotiable with the writer: the editor suggests improvements, identifies
possible issues
56. 56
Content-focus instead of rules-focus (Nadziejka)
Non-sequential, independent list of three levels; all deal
with “traditional editorial concerns of language, grammar,
format, and style, but also with the technical content”
Lowest level of edit must include focus on content and
purpose, not just on grammar and style (or less); limited
time should not mean that we limit our focus on the content
Trade-off: Some typos or grammatical errors will exist
within a document
“For technical documentation (by which is meant
intellectual, scholarly, or highly complex documents in any
field), the primary focus must be to help ensure that the
technical content is complete, accurate, and
understandable to the intended audience.”
57. 57
Content-focus levels of edit (Nadziejka)
Rush Edit
Not enough time for a complete edit
Selection of editing tasks within the limited amount of time
“...identifying substantive problems or errors that would adversely affect the reader’s
comprehension and the author’s reputation...”
Three types of tasks to be completed in order, and as time allows:
Technical content considerations
Policy considerations
Copy editing considerations
Standard Edit
Plenty of time to do a complete edit
Complete editing of the document
Includes all of the editing tasks in a Rush Edit, but in the order of the editor’s choosing:
Technical content considerations
Style considerations
Language considerations
Integrity considerations
Policy considerations
Revision Edit
More time-intensive edit
Bringing several authors together
Document is not nearing completion, is not yet ready for a Standard Edit
Involves reorganization and major revisions to document
58. Defining your types of edits
Must have a clear definition of the standard types of edits you
will complete
For most uses, the following types are a minimum you need:
Legal edit – notices, trademarks, copyrights, licenses
Copy edit – legal edit + “rules-based” errors in style guide,
especially for grammar, style, punctuation, and formatting
Comprehensive edit – copy edit + “analysis-based” errors,
especially for organization, completeness, logic, and
accuracy
58
59. Characteristics that affect your choice
Importance of project or release to the business
Importance of project or release to the customer
Importance of the information
Type of information
Amount of new and changed information
Quality of existing information
Experience of the writer
Availability of resources (editor, writer, SMEs)
Availability of time
Globalization and translation of the information
59
60. What type of edit would you choose?
(legal, copy, comprehensive?)
Characteristic of the information Choose this type of editing
Information is critical to customer
Information is important to customer
Information is mostly guidance
Information is mostly conceptual
Information is mostly reference
Information contains known issues
Information is accurate/complete
Writer of information is experienced
Writer of information is new
Schedule allows ample time
Schedule allows minimal time 60
61. Develop a “decision tree”
Characteristic of the information Choose this type of editing
Information is critical to customer Comprehensive edit
Information is important to customer Copy edit
Information is mostly guidance Comprehensive edit
Information is mostly conceptual Comprehensive edit
Information is mostly reference Copy edit
Information contains known issues Comprehensive edit
Information is accurate/complete Legal edit
Writer of information is experienced Copy edit
Writer of information is new Comprehensive edit
Schedule allows ample time Comprehensive edit
Schedule allows minimal time Legal edit
61
Time and resources are gating factor
Choose most comprehensive type of all characteristics in decision tree
Document decisions in editing plan, which should be part of a doc plan
62. Developing a “triage” system (Tarutz)
Triage = Deciding on the desired quality of the product, and
then how much effort is required to attain that level of quality
Evaluate a project by rating on a scale of 1 (low) to 3 (high)
the following variables:
Importance of the project
Rapport with the writer
Difficulty of the project
Add the total points, books with the highest points need more
comprehensive editing
62
63. Final determination…
Determine what your levels of edit and triage system are for
your work.
Edit at the optimum type/level for the time and resources.
Pay attention to content.
Remember that the organization, the author, and YOU--the
technical editor--are all striving for the same thing: CLARITY.
63
65. 6565
Copy editing defined (from Technical
Editing Fundamentals course)
Markup of language
Looking at grammar, punctuation, style
Focusing at sentence-level, word-level
Rules-based, or rules-focused
Focus more on these quality characteristics: clarity,
style, visual effectiveness (adhering to style guide and
to rules)
Can do a copy edit separate from a comprehensive
edit (but a comprehensive edit often includes the copy
edit)
66. 6666
Copy editing – Center of the universe
(Weber)
Copy editing is interrelated with
all other types of edits
Focus on clear communication,
not just rules, rules, rules:
Essential rules – required
for clear, unambiguous
communication
Nonessential rules – not
required for clarity or
unambiguous
communication
Fake rules – matter of
choice, our own little
bugaboos
S = Substantive editing
D = Development editing
C = Copy editing
P = Production editing
Pr = Proofreading
U = Usability editing
67. 6767
Copy editing, “bridge from writing to
production” (Rude)
Correct: spelling, grammar, punctuation
Consistent: spelling, capitalization, terminology,
visual design
Accurate: dates, numbers, links, references
Complete: all parts are present
Attention to detail, reading closely
Queries content, but directs on style and form
68. 6868
Copy editing steps, a la Rude
1. Gather information about the project
2. Survey the document overall
3. Run all computer checks (spell checker, grammar
checker)
4. Edit paragraphs and headings for correctness,
consistency, and accuracy
5. Edit illustrations, equations, reference list, table of
contents, front matter, and back matter
6. Prepare the document for production
69. 6969
An editor’s objective findings
Grammatical mistakes
Misspellings, typos
Incorrect punctuation
Inconsistent usage
Ambiguous technical information
Ambiguous titles, index entries
Wrong scientific terms, conflicting with general scientific
knowledge
Wrong units and dimensions
Inconsistent significant figures
Improper data or chart presentation
Citation errors
70. 7070
Comprehensive editing defined (also from
TEF course)
Insert comments about the content
Check and comment on organization, usability,
logic
Focus at topic-level, paragraph-level
Task is more analysis-focused
Focus more on quality characteristics such as
accuracy, completeness, concreteness,
organization, retrievability, task orientation
Include copy edit, which might be done by a
separate person
71. 7171
Comprehensive editing, “systematic process of analysis
and applies principles of good writing” (Rude)
A rose by any other name: substantive editing,
development editing, macro editing, analysis-based
editing
Analyze the purpose of the document, understand
the readers and their tasks
Usability – anticipate the user’s needs by imagining
the information in use
Comprehension – focus on the content,
organization, visual design, and overall style
Comprehensive editing precedes copy editing, does
not include copy editing (according to Rude, but not
according to us!)
72. 7272
Comprehensive editing steps, a la Rude
1. Analyze the purpose, readers, and uses for the
document
2. Evaluate the content, organization, visual design,
style, and reader accommodations
3. Establish editing objectives and document them in
a specific plan for editing
4. Review the plan with the writer, and work toward
consensus on changes to make
73. 7373
Comparing copy and comprehensive editing
Copy Editing Comprehensive Editing
Scope: Language:
Grammar
Punctuation
Style
Content:
Organization
Usability
Logic
Focus: Word-level
Sentence-level
Paragraph-level
Topic-level
Entire deliverable
Based on: Rules-based Analysis-based
Types of
comments:
Imperatives
Queries
Suggestions
Queries
Imperatives
Opinions (few)
DQTI quality
characteristic
s:
Clarity
Style
Visual Effectiveness
Accuracy
Completeness
Concreteness
Organization
Retrievability
Task Orientation
Includes
other edits:
Includes legal editing Includes some copy editing
(some rules-based copy editing,
more analysis-based copy editing
Review these articles from
Jean Weber on her site,
Technical Editors’ Eyrie:
Escape from the grammar trap:
http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite
/?page_id=23
Classifying editorial tasks:
http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite
/?page_id=27
What is substantive editing:
http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite
/?page_id=28
74. Copy edit this:
74
As a result of a Nationl Bureau of Standard’s study of the
problems associated with excavation safety, it has been
concluded that there is a need for a simple soil classification
system that can be used by field supervisors to make rapid
decisions on slopping or shoring requirements. The soil
classification system should meat the following criterion it
should be comprehensive (cover essentialy all the conditions
that could be encountered; it should consider (at least
implicitly) all critical conditions; should be be usable by
construction supervisors and OSHA complience officers’ in the
field with-out the assistance of an supervisoring engineer.
75. What would you do differently if you had to
comprehensively edit the same passage?
As a result of a Nationl Bureau of Standard’s study of
the problems associated with excavation safety, it has
been concluded that there is a need for a simple soil
classification system that can be used by field
supervisors to make rapid decisions on slopping or
shoring requirements. The soil classification system
should meat the following criterion it should be
comprehensive (cover essentialy all the conditions
that could be encountered; it should consider (at least
implicitly) all critical conditions; should be be usable
by construction supervisors and OSHA complience
officers’ in the field with-out the assistance of an
supervisoring engineer.
75
78. 7878
Editor-Slash Roles
Taking on additional responsibilities, not just more
editing
Most common:
Writer/editor (33% + 26% = 59%)
Editor/manager (10%)
Editor/information architect (none reported by Dayton)
79. 7979
Editor/information architect–A perfect fit
Editor:
Development editing
Usability editing
Terminology management
Information Architect:
Organizing and structuring
Navigation
Classifying
Why a perfect fit?
Knowledge of users, acting as a user
Knowledge of entire information set
80. 8080
Editors in tomorrow’s world
Corbin:
“A fluidity of how information is delivered, including
modular or single-sourcing writing environments”
“A fluidity of how frequently our information is
published, adopting and adapting to iterative and agile
development processes”
“Collaborative writing environments, where information
is influenced by the latest Web technologies, allowing
users themselves to add and edit information in
knowledge base, wikis, and blogs.”
81. 8181
Editing in single-sourcing/modular
environments
Editing for multiple contexts: print, online, multimedia, social,
etc.
Editing to ensure information can be reused; more focus on
topic-based writing
Editing across multiple writers, making it sound like it all
came from just one writer
More focus on content and language, less on layout and
formatting, because XML and tooling taking care of it
Creating templates
Editor/architect plays a key role in putting the parts and
pieces together
82. 8282
Editing in agile/iterative environments
More focus on topic-based writing
More focus on minimalist writing (don’t have time to
write about it ALL)
Automating the editing tasks, via spell-checkers,
grammar checkers, or language checkers
Getting involved earlier and earlier
Doing more developmental editing, less and less
copy editing
More writer/editor roles likely, because can’t cover
multiple projects
83. 8383
Editing in collaborative/social environments
Anyone can be a writer/editor/publisher
Certain types of information lend themselves more
to this environment: reference, knowledge base,
etc. – less likely to require editing by formal editor?
Others becoming editors, who care about the
quality of this user-generated content: support
personnel, developers, or marketing
Editor/architect needed to help structure, navigate,
and find the most relevant information
84. 8484
The reality
Expectation exists that professionally produced
documentation will be edited
International outsourcing increases the need
Clear communication is a valued skill or is it?
84
85. 8585
Writer acting as editor
Ad hoc appointment
If editor moves to another group or quits
Stopgap measure imposed by management
Political consequences within the group
Sink or swim for an inexperienced editor
Opportunity for professional development
Skills not necessarily the same
85
86. 8686
Manager as editor
Can work in some situations
If manager is experienced editor
If group is new and uncongealed
If group is small
Blurs distinction between two very
different roles
Difficult to allocate time
86
87. 87
Oestreich, (c) 27 Oct 2012
87
Editors and writers
87
Typical editor traits:
Generalist
Wide focus (“forest”)
Short project cycles
Multiple projects
General familiarity
with many products
or services
Likes stability
Typical writer traits:
Specialist
Narrow focus
(“trees”)
Long project cycles
One project at a time
Intimate familiarity
with a few products
or services
Likes “cutting edge”
88. 8888
Editing skill is not enough (Zook)
Realize that your work is not an end in itself but is
part of a system
Learn to work, consciously, at many different levels
Develop a sense of perspective on your own work
Know that things are not as simple as they may
seem
88
89. 8989
Editor’s relationship to writing
“An editor’s relationship to writing should be the same as a
bartender’s relationship to drinking . . .
s/he should be fond of an occasional drink,
but it shouldn’t be a regular habit.”
(Gordon van Gelder, Night Shade Books discussion area:
http://www.nightshadebooks.com/
discus/messages/378/3395.html?1099195815)
89
90. 9090
From Lola Zook,
one of my favorite mentors:
“A good way to improve editorial skills is to teach
someone else in a one-to-one, tutorial relationship.
With a bright, assertive apprentice who questions
and challenges every aspect of the work, you’ll find
yourself reviewing rules you’ve grown careless
about, looking up items you’ve taken for granted,
sharpening style—all because you had to take a
fresh look at things that had become so familiar you
didn’t even see them any more.”
“Lessons from 50 years Editorial Experience,” Lola Zook, Substance & Style, 1996, EEI
Press
90
92. 9292
Resources and references
Baker, Justin. (2008). “Clarity for Editing.” Direction: The Newsletter for the STC Policies &
Procedures Special Interest Group, 2nd/3rd Quarters, 2-3.
Clements, W. & Waite, R.G. (1983). Guide for Beginning Technical Editors.
STC-112-83. Arlington, Virginia: Society for Technical Communication.
Corbin, M. and Oestreich, L., Technical Editing Fundamentals. STC Online Certificate
Course. (2011/2012)
Corbin, M., “The Editor within the Modern Organization,” in A. J. Murphy. (ed.) (2010). New
Perspectives in Technical Editing (pp. 67-83). Amityville, NY, Baywood Publishing Company,
Inc.
Crystal Clear Proofing: http://www.networkedblogs.com/blog/crystal_clear_proofing/
Corbin, M., Moell, P., & Boyd, M. (2002). “Technical Editing As Quality Assurance: Adding
Value to Content.” Technical Communication, 49 (3): 286-300.
Corbin, Michelle. “Effective Editing Comments” Webinar presented to TE SIG in 2009.
Crognale, Heather. “Long-distance editing: Tips for editors on managing the writer/editor
relationship.” Intercom, July/August 2008, pp. 17-19.
http://archive.stc.org/intercom/PDFs/2008/20080708_17-19.pdf
Dayton, D. (2003). “Electronic Editing in Technical Communication: A Survey of Practices and
Attitudes.” Technical Communication, 50 (2), pp. 192-205.
Doumont, Jean-luc. “Gentle Feedback That Encourages Learning.” Intercom. February 2002.
pp. 39-40.
Doumont, Jean-luc. “Running Group Critique.” Intercom. January 2003. pp. 40-41.
Dragga, Sam and Gong, Gwendolyn. Editing: The Design of Rhetoric, Baywood's Technical
Communication Series (Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing Company, Inc., 1989).
93. 9393
Resources and references
Eaton, Angela; Brewer, Pamela Estes; Portewig, Tiffany Craft; and Davidson, Cynthia R.
“Examining Editing in the Workplace from the Author’s Point of View: Results of an Online
Survey.” Technical Communication, vol 55, no 2, May 2008, pp. 111-139.
Einsohn, A. (2006). The Copyeditor’s Handbook. Berkeley: University of California Press, p.5
Ford, Paul. Real Editors Ship, http://www.ftrain.com/editors-ship-dammit.html
Grove, Laurel K., “The Editor as Ally,” Technical Communication, volume 37, number 3, 1985,
pp. 235-238
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Readability
Language Portal of Canada. http://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/index-eng.php
Mackiewicz, Jo and Kathryn Riley. “The Technical Editor as Diplomat: Linguistic Strategies for
Balancing Clarity and Politeness.” Technical Communication, vol 50, no 1, February 2003, pp.
83-94.
Nadziejka, D. 1999. Council of Biology Editors guidelines number 4: Levels of technical editing.
Reston, VA: Council of Biology Editors
Nielsen, Jakob., Alertbox: Usability 101: Introduction to Usability
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html
Oestreich, Linda. “Editing with heart” workshop presentation to 49th STC Annual Conference,
May 2002
Pritchard, Laurie N. (1994). “Enhancing the Review Process: Giving and Receiving
Constructive Feedback.” In Proceedings of the Society for Technical Communication’s 41st
annual conference. Arlington, VA: Society for Technical Communication, pp. 32-34.
94. 9494
Resources and references
Rude, C. D. (2011). Technical Editing (5th ed.). New York: Pearson Longman.
Sartoris, Brenda E. (1993). Editing to Teach. In Proceedings of the Society for Technical
Communication’s 40th annual conference. Arlington, VA: Society for Technical Communication,
pp. 179–182.
STC Technical Editing SIG. (2010). “The Value of Levels of Edit.” Corrigo, 11 (1). Available from:
http://www.stc-techedit.org/tiki-index.php?page=The+Value+of+Levels+of+Edit
STC Technical Editing SIG: “Understanding the Value of a Technical Editor.”:
http://www.stc-techedit.org/tiki-index.php?page=Understanding the Value of a Technical Editor
Sutcliffe, Andrea. (1994). “Editing” (pp. 579-590). New York Public Library Writer’s Guide to Style
and Usage. New York: Harper Collins.
Tarutz, J. (1992). Technical Editing: The Practical Guide for Editors and Writers. Reading, MA:
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter, Vol. 19, No. 4, July/August 1998
Troffer, Alysson M. “Editing Online Documents: Strategies and Tips.” Proceedings from the 49th
Annual STC Conference.
Van Buren, R. & Buehler, M.F. (1980). The Levels of Edit (2nd ed.).
ISBN 0-914548-67-0. Arlington, VA: Society for Technical Communication.
https://ia800308.us.archive.org/14/items/nasa_techdoc_19800011701/19800011701.pdf
Weber, J. H. (2002). Classifying editorial tasks. Technical Editors’ Eyrie. Available from:
http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=27.
Weber, J. H. (2002). The Role of the Editor in the Technical Writing Team. Technical Editors’
Eyrie. Available from: http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=25.
Weber, J. H. (2002). Who needs a technical editor? Technical Editors’ Eyrie. Available from:
http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=19.
95. 9595
Resources and references
Weber, Jean Hollis. (2002). Classifying technical editing. Technical Editors’ Eyrie. Retrieved on
January 30, 2011: http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=27
Weber, Jean Hollis. (2002). Escape from the Grammar Trap. Technical Editors’ Eyrie. Retrieved
on February 13, 2011: http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=23
Yundt, M. and McMenemy, S. It's In the Numbers: Using Metrics to Plan Documentation
Projects. Available from: http://www.writingassist.com/articles/plan-documentation-projects.htm
Zook, L.M. (1967). “Training the Editor: Skills Are Not Enough,” STC Conference Proceedings.