Technical Writing

Technical Writing

Course Hours: 
270
Price: 
$1,400.00
Course Type: 
Mentor Supported
  • Description
  • Objectives
  • Outline
  • Materials
  • System Requirements
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Technical Writing is a career that offers a variety of writing possibilities. Our Technical Writing course focuses on a reader-centered approach and helps students understand the nature of writing in the workplace. It leads students through the process of creating highly effective letters, proposals, emails, memos, documentation, and reports.  Students will learn how to conduct research and appropriately cite sources. Guidelines for persuasive writing and strategies for maintaining readers’ attention are also discussed.  Take our Technical Writing course and learn the skills and knowledge you need to start your writing career today!

Prerequisite(s): None

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Identify the characteristics and guidelines of technical writing
  • List the strategies for analyzing your readers and meeting their needs
  • Recall the steps for conducting research and preparing for technical writing
  • Recognize methods for developing document style, voice, and design elements
  • Identify strategies for reviewing drafts and managing projects

Technical Writing Module 1
Introduction to Technical Writing

  • Characteristics of Workplace Writing
  • Usefulness and Persuasiveness
  • Reader-Centered Strategies
  • Interaction Between Your Communication and Your Readers
  • Communicating Ethically
  • How to Write an Effective Resume
  • Creating a Professional Portfolio
  • Writing an Effective Application Letter
  • Defining Your Communication Goals
  • Stakeholder Ethics

Technical Writing Module 2
Conducting Research

  • Conduct Focused Research
  • Evidence-Based Analyses
  • Evidence-Based Recommendations
  • Intellectual Property Law and Documenting Sources
  • Exploring Your Own Memory and Creativity
  • Searching the Internet
  • Using Social Media
  • Using the Library
  • Interviewing
  • Reader-Centered Communications

Technical Writing Module 3
Drafting Reader-Centered Communications

  • Similarities among Paragraphs, Sections, Chapters, and Short Communications
  • Starting Segments
  • Clear, Coherent, and Persuasive Segments
  • Reader’s Cultural Background
  • Grouping Items Formally and Informally
  • Comparing Alternatives
  • Partitioning, Segmenting, Cause and Effect Relationships
  • Persuading Your Readers

Technical Writing Module 4
Professional Style and Graphics

  • Create an Effective, Professional Voice
  • Convey Meaning Clearly and Precisely
  • How to Plan Front and Back Matter
  • Transmittal Letters
  • Graphics and Communication Effectiveness
  • Use Color to Support Your Message
  • Graphics Software
  • Use Graphics Ethically

Technical Writing Module 5
Design Elements of Communication

  • Reader-Centered Graphics
  • How Communication is Organized
  • Visual Organizers
  • Word Processors to Create Page Designs
  • The Three Activities of Revising
  • Identify Ways to Improve Your Draft

Technical Writing Module 6
Applications of the Reader-Centered Approach

  • The Logic of Testing
  • Testing Draft’s Usefulness
  • Creating Communications with a Team
  • Varieties of Team Structure
  • Team Goals and Procedures
  • Creating and Delivering Listener-Centered Oral Presentations
  • Selecting Oral and Visual Media
  • Maintain Listener’s Attention and Goodwill

Technical Writing Module 7
Types of Projects and Documents

  • Project Management and Client Communication
  • Creating Reader-Centered Websites and Professional Portfolios
  • Useful, Persuasive Content
  • Designing Websites for Diverse Readers
  • Ethical and Legal Practices for Website Content
  • Writing Reader-Centered Correspondence: Letters, Memos, and Emails
  • Level of Formality

Technical Writing Module 8
Social Media, Proposals and Empirical Research Reports

  • Writing Effectively on Social Media
  • Ethical Guidelines for Using Social Media
  • Proposal-Writing Situations
  • How Readers Use and Evaluate Proposals
  • Superstructure for Proposals
  • Crafting the Major Elements of a Proposal

Technical Writing Module 9
Feasibility, Progress Reports, and Instructions

  • Superstructure for Feasibility Reports
  • Research and Organization for Feasibility Reports
  • Typical Writing Situations
  • Reader’s Concern with the Future
  • Superstructure for Progress Reports
  • Tone in Progress Reports
  • Superstructure for Instructions
  • Crafting Major Elements of Instructions

**Outlines are subject to change, as courses and materials are updated.**

 

Ed4Career is committed to being both environmentally conscious and making it easier for you to study! We’re making your education mobile! All of our textbooks are now provided as eTextbooks. You can access them on your laptop, tablet, or mobile device and can study anytime, anywhere.

The move away from physical books to eTextbooks means you get the latest, most up-to-date version available. This also makes your training more accessible, so you can study anywhere you have your phone or tablet. The best part is that all materials are included in your training cost so there are NO extra fees for books!

Internet Connection

  • Broadband or High-Speed - DSL, Cable, and Wireless Connections

*Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Classroom pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.

Hardware Requirements

  • Processor - 2GHz Processor or Higher
  • Memory - 1 GB RAM Minimum Recommended

 

PC Software Requirements

  • Operating Systems - Windows 7 or higher
  • Microsoft Office 2013 or higher. Also, you could use a general Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
  • Internet Browsers - Google Chrome is highly recommended
    • Cookies MUST be enabled
    • Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
  • The Kindle Reader App or VitalSource Bookshelf App are needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer.)
  • PowerPoint Viewer (if you do not have PowerPoint)
  • Adobe PDF Reader
  • QuickTime, Windows Media Player &/or Real Player

 

MAC Software Requirements

  • Operating Systems - Mac OS x 10 or higher with Windows
  • Mac office programs or a Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
  • Internet Browsers- Google Chrome is highly recommended
    • Cookies MUST be enabled
    • Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
  • The Kindle Reader App or VitalSource Bookshelf App are needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer.)
  • PowerPoint Viewer (if you do not have PowerPoint)
  • Adobe PDF Reader
  • Apple QuickTime Media Player