Presentation and Technical Writing Quiz

Technical Communication

• Technical communication is the transfer of information, specifically technical information.
• Key modes of communication are listening, speaking, reading, and writing, covering both verbal and nonverbal forms.
• Key characteristics of technical communication: non-abstract, precise, accurate, well-documented, utilizing numerical data, relying heavily on visuals (like equations, photos, tables, graphs, and drawings), and being technically and mechanically correct.
• Key elements considered in technical communication include the audience, purpose, and context.

Audience

• Crucial to determine the audience's previous knowledge, needed background, motivation, and required level of detail.

Purpose

• Determining the purpose of technical communication includes figuring out the questions needed to be answered, like learning more facts, understanding a process, accessing project status, securing funding, or assembling something. It's about determining whether you need to convince someone of something, or explain it, or just give information.

Context

• Context in technical communication addresses the wider situation, including factors like history, language, geography, politics, culture, and economics. These factors affect how the communication is received. Something is outside the writer's control, but providing context increases chances for success.

Types of Technical Verbal Communication

• One-on-one discussions, team meetings, public communication, and presentations (verbal with visual aids).

Types of Technical Writing

• Reports, proposals, instructions manuals, style sheets, technical specifications, technical standards, software documentation, troubleshooting guides, emails, memos, technical fliers, press releases, standard operating procedures, white papers, case studies, procurement documents, and academic writing.

Types of Procurement Documents

• Request for information (RFI), request for proposal (RFP), request for quotation (RFQ), invitation for bid (IFB), sales proposal (SP), purchase and sales agreement (PSA), and purchase order (PO).

Types of Academic (Scientific) Writing

• Original research articles, review articles, case reports, grant proposals, scientific reports, dissertations, and theses.

Types of Software Documentation

• System architecture diagrams, design documents, source code comments, API (Application Programming Interface) documentation, installation guides, release notes, testing plans, and reports.

Technical Communication Process: Preparation and Writing

• A process involving writing draft reports, getting feedback from peers, and editing/modifying the draft for a final product.

Preparation Phase

• Key steps to be followed in the preparation phase: Studying your Audience, Defining Your Purpose, Identifying Your Context, and Choosing the Communication Genre.

Audience Analysis

• Technical writing is reader-centered, requiring understanding primary, secondary, and tertiary target audiences.
• Consider the audience's job responsibility, professional experiences, education, reading skills, cultural characteristics, personal characteristics, and personal preferences.
• Understand the audiences' attitudes and expectations towards you and the subject matter.
• Consider audience profile sheets to gather information about audience traits.

Purpose and Context

• Define the purpose: To Inform, To Persuade, Demonstration
• Define the context: Important factors are history, language, geography, politics, culture, and economics.
• Determine the best document genre.

Defining the Genre, Format, and Structure

• Genre is a socially agreed-upon communication form.
• Format, the visual and spatial design of the document, and structure, the organization and logical order of topics, define a genre.
• Format includes things like templates.
• Structure includes the table of contents.
• Define the organization pattern needed.

Checking the Output and Exit the Loop

• Editing and proofreading technical communications.

Editing Process

• Editors function like readers and try to meet acceptance criteria, such as the 7Cs of Effective Communication criteria.

7Cs of Effective Communication

• Complete: Providing all necessary information for clear understanding.
• Clear: Ensuring the message is easily understood without confusion.
• Concise: Delivering the message with brevity.
• Coherent: Connecting all points and maintaining a consistent flow.
• Concrete: Using specific facts and evidence for credibility.
• Courteous: Demonstrating respect.
• Correct: Ensuring accuracy in grammar and details.

Proofreading Strategies

• Taking breaks (e.g., waiting 2 hours or 2 days)
• Proofreading for one error at a time
• Reading aloud
• Using proofreading tools but not relying solely on them
• Change format (e.g., font, window width, etc.)
• Using reverse order reading
• Circulating punctuation

Technical Writing Mechanics

• Spelling
• Punctuation (e.g., Introducers, Separators and connectors, Terminators, Indicators)
• Capitalization
• Grammar (e.g., Sentence Fragments, Misplaced modifiers, Active and Passive Voices, Verb agreement errors, Pronoun agreement errors, Pronoun reference errors, Pronoun case errors, Noun clauses, Compound Adjectives/Adverbs, Phrasal verbs, Parallel Construction)

Visual Aids

• The role of visuals: Demonstrating logical, numerical relationships, communicating spatial information and steps, saving space.
• Types of visual aids: Equations, chemical formulas, diagrams (external, cross-sectional, exploded views), graphs (line, scatter, bar, gantt, pie, pictographs), schematics, tables, images/photographs, and typographies.
• General guidelines for using visuals: Should be clear, not confusing, simple and uncluttered, and should present a manageable amount of information. To confirm that it is suitable to what the audience expects. Including the title to the graph and figures in each slide

Presenting Technical Information & Team Writing

• What is team writing?
• Process of team writing: Preparation, Documentation phase
• Form Team, Define Requirements, Determine Collaboration Platform, Process and Rules, Determine What Must Be Done.
• Define Specific Writing Responsibilities, Task Team Members, Edit and Revise, Final Review and Delivery.
• Form Team/Student vs. Professional: Random, Proximity, Similarities or Differences, Expertise, Availability by Management
• Leading Writer Role
• Tools
• Revision: Critiquing a Colleague's Work: Start with a positive comment, Discuss issues, Consider the document not the writer, Give feedback, Improve work
• Cultural and Gender-related Issues: Assert oneself, unwilling to respond 'no', reluctance to ask clarifying questions, avoid criticizing others, avoiding initiating task, value nurturing, value separateness, value consensus and relationships, superior listening skills.
• Presentation Speaking Situations: Manuscript Speaking, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking.
• Advantage and Process of Presentation: Preparation, Slides production, and Performance
• Time Consideration for Presentation, including the preparation for the slides, the presentation of the slides, and the Q&A section after the presentation.
• Professional Performance in Presentations: Looking professional, Evaluate the presentation tools, Use professional images, Avoid any errors in mechanics
• Hook the audience's attention with a rhetorical question, a poll, a story, or an impressive solution.
• Conclude the presentation by announcing it's concluding, summarize main points, thank the audience, and invite questions politely.

Test your knowledge on the principles of oral and written presentations as well as technical writing genres. This quiz covers preparation phases, audience analysis, and characteristics of effective communication. Hone your skills in crafting persuasive and demonstrative presentations.