Taxanomy of Technical Writing.pdf

Taxanomy of Technical Writing MEMO Technical Writing - answering questions about s project progress Pedagogical Orientation...

Taxanomy of Technical Writing MEMO Technical Writing - answering questions about s project progress Pedagogical Orientation PROCEDURES - looking at technical writing or communication in the learning and technical set up - for complying with government - the books that you’re using in school, work texts regulations. the work books, presentation used by your prof, What is technical communication? talk to you the way you transfer, the way the transfer knowledge. - Technical Communication Is a Digital and a Human Activity Theoretical Orientation - Technical Communication Reaches - more scientific nature a Global Audience - thesis, research, books encyclopedia, dictionary - Technical Communication Is Part of Most Careers Professional Orientation - Technical Communicators Play - communication that we use in our professions Many Roles 3 classifications of Professional Theorem TechComm Is a Digital and a Human Activity 1. Scientific Writing - when you write research for the - Digital communication – any consumption own organization or purpose form of communication (Email, of using the results texts, chat sessions, social - product that is you know based on your media and blog posts, document research review features – spell check) 2. Technical Reporting that requires the use of a digital - cover the things that you are reporting device. - certain purpose - Requires basic professional - need instructions on how to use standards for workplace - operation manual and assembly manual communication. - provide write or reports. Critical Thinking and Digital Information 3. Business Communication - resume, applications letters, memos you Online research is not the same as receive, meeting agenda critical thinking Technical communication - Which information is relevant to this situation? - is the exchange of information that helps people - Can I verify the credibility and interact with technology and solve complex accuracy of this source? problems. - What does this information mean? - It helps us interact with technology in our daily - What action does it suggest? lives - How does this information affect - It helps us solve complex problems me or my colleagues? Kinds of Technical Communication - With whom should I share it? - How might others interpret this INSTRUCTIONS information? - for assembling a lawn mower Global Communication USER GUIDE - Transportation and - for operating an electron microscope Communication Link - Social, Political, and Financial REPORT Interests - analyzing the problem or issue - Diversity of People, Countries, and Cultures  Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture - reader-centered - accessible and efficient, - Individualism Versus Collectivism - produced by teams, and - Masculinity Versus Femininity - delivered in a variety of digital and hard - Power Distance copy formats - Uncertainty Avoidance - Long-term Versus Short-term Reader-centered Orientation - Focus on the reader, not the writer Power Distance - Knowing your audience - related to the different solutions to the Accessible and Efficient basic problem of human inequality: Make documents easy to navigate and Uncertainty Avoidance understand - related to the level of stress in a society in - worthwhile content - includes all the face of an unknown future; (and only) the information readers need Individualism versus Collectivism - sensible organization - guides the - related to the integration of individuals reader and emphasizes important into primary groups; material - readable style - promotes fluid Masculinity versus Femininity reading and accurate understanding - related to the division of emotional roles - effective visuals - clarify concepts between women and men; and relationships, and substitute for words whenever possible Long Term versus Short Term Orientation - effective page design - provides - related to the choice of focus for people's heads, lists, type styles, white space, efforts: the future or the present and past. and other aids to navigation - supplements (abstract, appendix, Indulgence versus Restraint glossary, linked pages, and so on) - - related to the gratification versus control allow readers to focus on the specific of basic human desires related to enjoying parts of a long document that are life. relevant to their purpose Technical Communication Is Part of Most Careers Purposes of Technical Communication - Most professionals serve as part-time technical - to anticipate and answer questions communicators (inform your readers); - to enable people to perform a task or - Employers seek portable skills - communication and follow a procedure (instruct your critical thinking readers); or Roles of Technical Communicators - to influence people’s thinking (persuade your readers). - Prepare and edit reports for punctuation, grammar, style, and logical Preparing Effective Technical organization. Documents - May oversee publishing projects, - Deliver information readers can use coordinating the efforts of writers, visual artists, - Use persuasive reasoning graphic designers, content experts, and lawyers to produce a complex manual, report, or - Weigh the ethical issues proposal. - Practice good teamwork - Enter related fields such as technical or scientific publishing, magazine Ethical and Legal Communication editing, video production (including writing - Ethics - The accepted principles of right scripts), training, and college teaching and wrong that govern behavior within a Features of Technical society Communication - Ethical Communication - Communication that includes all the information an audience needs in order to make an informed decision or take an informed stance on an issue, is not deceptive in any way, considers unintended consequences, and does not violate privacy Ethics - Ethical Dilemma A situation that involves making a choice when all competing alternatives are ethically valid or the What is Persuasion alternatives aren’t completely wrong or - Persuasion means trying to influence completely right someone’s actions, opinions, or - Ethical Lapse A clearly unethical choice decisions - Code of Ethics A written set of ethical - A claim is a statement of the point you guidelines that companies expect their are trying to prove employees to follow - Implicit Persuasion assures readers that the information is accurate; the Forms of Unethical Communication facts are correct; and the writer is - Withholding information fluent, competent, and knowledgeable. - Distorting information - Explicit Persuasion: wins readers over - Plagiarizing to a particular point of view about an - Ignoring negative consequences issue that is in some way controversial - Violating privacy Identify Your Specific Persuasive Goal Ensuring Legal Communication Do you want to: - Promotional communication - Influence people’s opinions? - Contracts - Enlist people’s support? - Employee communication - Submit a proposal? - Intellectual property - Change people’s behavior? - Financial reporting Try to Predict Audience Reaction Expect - Defamation Resistance - Transparency requirements - Privacy and data security When they accept it is for Understanding Your Audience 1. compliance (acceptance under pressure), - Who is the main audience for this document? - Who else is likely to read it? 2. identification (acceptance for personal - What is your relationship with the audience? reasons), or - Are multiple types of relationships involved? - What information does this audience need? 3. internalization (acceptance because the - How familiar might the audience be with argument makes good sense). technical details? Internalization - Do these readers have varying levels of expertise? - The ideal response - What culture or cultures does your audience Identification represent? - How might cultural differences shape readers’ - a willing and productive response expectations and interpretations? Compliance - How will people interact with the material: in digital formats, on paper, or both? - A grudging and often unproductive response  Connecting with the Audience - Social and psychological constraints: Constraints based on audience. Three ways of connecting with an audience: Support Your Claims Convincingly - The power connection - Offer convincing evidence: The evidence must have quality, use - The relationship connection credible sources, and be - The rational connection. reasonable. Types of evidence are factual statements, statistics, examples, and expert testimony. - Appeal to common goals and values Consider what the audience also wants to accomplish and how they feel. Consider the Cultural Context Reaction to persuasive appeals can be influenced by a culture’s customs and values. Be aware of the following considerations: Connecting with the Audience -Recognize that cultures differ -Understand the importance of face Allow for Give and Take Make a balanced saving in all cultures argument, with both sides of the issue - Learn all you can about various considered evenly and fairly: business cultures - explain the reasoning and evidence Weighing the Ethical Issues? behind your stance - When providing information or persuading an audience, always - invite people to find weak spots in your ensure that your writing is ethical: case, and to improve on it accurate, honest, and fair. - invite people to challenge your ideas - Recognize Unethical Communication in the Workplace - ask for a Specific Response but Don’t Ask for too Much Unethical workplace behaviors are common, but they are not always black and - don’t be afraid to ask for what you want white. Usually they are a result of yielding when making an argument. Let people to social pressure and blindly following the know what you want them to do or think. group: - However, remember that any request that exceeds its audience’s “latitude of acceptance” is doomed. Connecting with the Audience Recognize All Constraints Potential for Communication Abuse Constraints are limits or restrictions imposed by the situation when you make an argument: Unethical workplace communication usually takes on the following forms: - Organizational constraints: Constraints based on company rules. - Suppressing knowledge the public - Legal constraints: Constraints based on needs the law. - Hiding conflicts of interest - Ethical constraints: Constraints based - Exaggerating claims about technology on honesty and fair play. - Falsifying or fabricating data - Time constraints: Constraints based on - Using visual images that conceal the the right timing. truth  - Stealing or divulging proprietary information - Misusing electronic information - Withholding information people need for their jobs - Exploiting cultural differences Ethical Dilemmas - Never Depend Only on Legal Guidelines Legal guidelines often do not go far enough to measure unethical behavior. For example, the following misleading statements are not illegal Critical Thinking for Ethical Decisions Reasonable criteria take the form of the following obligations: - obligation to yourself - obligation to clients and customers - obligation to your company - obligation to coworkers - obligation to the community - obligation to society Recognize Plagiarism - Ethical communication includes giving proper credit to the work of others. In both workplace and academic settings, plagiarism (representing the words, ideas, or perspectives of others as your own) is a serious breach of ethics. - Plagiarism can be either blatant or unintentional. - The Internet has only made plagiarism easier than ever before. When and How to Report Ethical Abuses - Whistle-blowing is reporting someone else’s ethical abuses, but is tricky because it can backfire on you and you will not always be legally protected from the consequences. - Think very carefully about deciding when and how to report unethical situations in the workplace.