Technical Communication PDF

Technical Communication Fifteenth Edition Chapter 6 An Overview of the Technical Writing Process Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Edu...

Technical Communication Fifteenth Edition Chapter 6 An Overview of the Technical Writing Process Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Learning Objectives 6.1 Apply critical thinking to the four stages of the writing process 6.2 Identify the gathering, planning, drafting, and revising stages of the writing process 6.3 Understand why proofreading is an important final step 6.4 Consider the use of digital and collaborative writing tools and applications Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved The Technical Writing Process (1 of 3) Although the writing process is similar across all disciplines, the process for technical writing differs from essay writing in some ways: – Research often involves discussions with technical experts. & – Analysis of audience needs and expectations is critical. - – Complex organizational settings and “office politics” play an important role. – Colleagues frequently collaborate in preparing a document. – Collaboration usually takes place via digital writing and collaboration apps. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved The Technical Writing Process (2 of 3) Although the writing process is similar across all disciplines, the process for technical writing differs from essay writing in some ways: – Many workplace documents are carefully reviewed before being released. -j – Proper format (letter, memo, report, brochure, and so on) for a document is essential. – Proper distribution medium (hard copy, digital, or both) is essential. – Deadlines often limit the amount of time that can be spent preparing a document. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Critical Thinking in the Writing Process Whether you are working alone or as part of a team, you apply critical thinking throughout the four stages in the technical writing process: ①Gather evaluate ideas + ② plan ③ Draft 1. Gather and evaluate ideas and information. revise 2. Plan the document. G 3. Draft the document. of TR 4 stages 4. Revise the document. ① Gather- evaluate info ② plan ③ Draft ⑪ revise Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Figure 6.1 The Writing Process for Technical Documents Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Questions to Consider (1 of 4) Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Questions to Consider (2 of 4) Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Questions to Consider (3 of 4) Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Questions to Consider (4 of 4) Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Example of how to apply critical thinking to generate a good final draft from first draft (1 of 3) First Draft Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Example of how to apply critical thinking to generate a good final draft from first draft (2 of 3) Figure 6.4 Final Draft (how critical thinking pays off, compare this final draft with the first draft, on slide 10) Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Example of how to apply critical thinking to generate a good final draft from first draft (3 of 3) Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Make Proofreading Your Final Step Basic errors distract the reader and make the writer look bad. Proofread for the following: – Sentence errors – Punctuation errors (such as missing apostrophes or excessive commas) – Usage errors (such as “it’s” for “its) – Mechanical errors (misspelled words, inaccurate dates, or incorrect abbreviations) – Format errors (missing page numbers, inconsistent spacing) – Typographical errors (repeated or missing words or letters) Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Guidelines for Proofreading Save it for the final draft. Take a break before proofreading your final document. Work from hard copy. Keep it slow. Be especially alert for problem areas in your writing. Proofread more than once. Ask a trusted colleague to proofread, if time permits. Don’t rely solely on autocorrect or grammar and spell check. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Digital Technology and the Writing Process A variety of digital tools and programs exist that provide support for the technical writing process, such as: An outlining feature brainstorming and storyboarding software wikis or tools such as Google Drive tracking systems, programs such as PowerPoint and Microsoft Word social media for research flowcharting and mapping software. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Review Questions (1 of 2) 1. What are the four stages of the writing process? 2. What are five questions to ask when working with ideas and information? 3. What are five questions to ask when planning a document? 4. What are five questions to ask when drafting a document? 5. What are five questions to ask when evaluating and revising a document? Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Review Questions (2 of 2) 6. Why is proofreading important as a final step? 7. What are six types of errors to look for when proofreading? 8. When should you proofread? 9. How many times should you proofread? 10. What are three digital technologies that enhance the writing process? Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Copyright This work is protected by United States copyright laws and is provided solely for the use of instructors in teaching their courses and assessing student learning. Dissemination or sale of any part of this work (including on the World Wide Web) will destroy the integrity of the work and is not permitted. The work and materials from it should never be made available to students except by instructors using the accompanying text in their classes. All recipients of this work are expected to abide by these restrictions and to honor the intended pedagogical purposes and the needs of other instructors who rely on these materials. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved