The Technical Writer's Handbook


Book Description

The Technical Writer's Handbook is by a practising scientist who screens hundreds of manuscripts each year. It is directed at scientists, engineers and others who want to improve their writing and communication. It teaches that technical writing, although it has its own special requirements, is no different from ordinary writing and should be written with short, clear sentences and in the active voice.




Developing Quality Technical Information


Book Description

Drawing on IBM's unsurpassed technical communications experience, readers discover today's best practices for meeting nine quality characteristics: accuracy, clarity, completeness, concreteness, organization, retrievability, style, task orientation, and visual effectiveness. Packed with guidelines, checklists, and before-and-after examples, Developing Quality Technical Information, Third Edition is an indispensable resource for the future of technical communication.




The Insider's Guide to Technical Writing


Book Description

Every complex product needs to be explained to its users, and technical writers, also known as technical communicators, are the ones who do that job. A growing field, technical writing requires multiple skills, including an understanding of technology, writing ability, and great people skills. Whether you're thinking of becoming a technical writer, just starting out, or you've been working for a while and feel the need to take your skills to the next level, The Insider's Guide to Technical Writing can help you be a successful technical writer and build a satisfying career. Inside the Book Is This Job for Me? What does it take to be a technical writer? Building the Foundation: What skills and tools do you need to get started? The Best Laid Plans: How do you create a schedule that won’t make you go crazy? How do you manage different development processes, including Agile methodologies? On the Job: What does it take to walk into a job and be productive right away? The Tech Writer Toolkit: How do you create style guides, indexes, templates and layouts? How do you manage localization and translation and all the other non-writing parts of the job? I Love My Job: How do you handle the ups and downs of being a technical writer? Appendixes: References to websites, books, and other resources to keep you learning. Index




Handbook of Technical Writing


Book Description

New to this edition: Up-to-date information on on-line research and computer resources. A unique four-way access system enables users of the Handbook of Technical Writing to find what they need quickly and get on with the job of writing: 1. The hundreds of entries in the body of the Handbook are alphabetically arranged, so you can flip right to the topic at hand. Words and phrases in bold type provide cross-references to related entries. 2. The topical key groups alphabetical entries and page numbers under broader topic categories. This topical table of contents allows you to check broader subject areas for the specific topic you need. 3. The checklist of the writing process summarizes the opening essay on "Five Steps to Successful Writing" in checklist form with page references to related topics, making it easy to use the Handbook as a writing text. 4. The comprehensive index provides an exhaustive listing of related and commonly confused topics, so you can easily locate information even when you don't know the exact term you're looking for.




Developing Quality Technical Information


Book Description

"The examples are excellent--right on target and easy to understand and adapt. Even those who don't adopt the entire procedure can profit from the parts, but the greatest value will flow to those who adopt the whole." --Carolyn Mulford, senior writer and editor of Writing That Works "This is also a book that students can keep for their professional libraries because it will increase in its value to them after they leave class and face real life experiences on the job. It is plain enough for them to understand while they are learning, and at the same time comprehensive enough to support them as professionals." --Elizabeth Boling, Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University "It practices what it preaches. Its guidelines are understandable and appropriate; its examples clear. It contains exactly what writers and editors need to know. It is the book that I would have written." --Cynthia E. Spellman, Unisys The #1 guide to excellence in documentation--now completely updated! A systematic, proven approach to creating great documentation Thoroughly revised and updated More practical examples More coverage of topic-based information, search, and internationalization Direct from IBM's own documentation experts, this is the definitive guide to developing outstanding technical documentation--for the Web and for print. Using extensive before-and-after examples, illustrations, and checklists, the authors show exactly how to create documentation that's easy to find, understand, and use. This edition includes extensive new coverage of topic-based information, simplifying search and retrievability, internationalization, visual effectiveness, and much more. Coverage includes: Focusing on the tasks and topics users care about most Saying more with fewer words Using organization and other means to deliver faster access to information Presenting information in more visually inviting ways Improving the effectiveness of your review process Learning from example: sample text, screen captures, illustrations, tables, and much more Whether you're a writer, editor, designer, or reviewer, if you want to create great documentation, this book shows you how!




The Tech Writer's Survival Guide


Book Description

The Tech Writing Game (Facts On File, 1992) offers a comprehensive introduction to the craft and business of technical writing.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing


Book Description

Covers the field of technical writing, providing information on such topics as building a portfolio, writing an effective resume, finding well-paying jobs, passing a writing exam, and creating a document online.




Technical Editing


Book Description

At last, direct from the trenches, here's the book technical editors have been waiting for. Unlike other guides which review grammar and spelling—but don't address the special challenges of technical editing—this lively, practical book deals with the real-world problems, issues, and decisions that face technical editors and writers.In this book you'll get tips for preparing a style guide technical writers will want to use. You'll find checklists of what to look for during different types of editorial reviews, learn how to make the transition from traditional to desktop publishing, and see how you can build true usability into printed and online documentation. Enhanced by real examples, case studies, and practical techniques, these flexible and pragmatic solutions go far beyond the mechanics of marking up manuscripts. You get guidance that will help you decide how heavily to edit, how to manage and track large projects, and even how to position yourself for the future when software will handle the copy editing.Whether you edit technical documentation for a living, write technical material, or review the work of others, this book helps you improve your skills and your understanding of the technical editing function.




How to Become a Technical Writer


Book Description

If you can write clear, concise instructions, then you can be a technical writer. Learn, step-by-step, how to turn your creative writing talent into a highly lucrative career, where you get paid big money consistently to use your writing skills.




Engineers' Guide to Technical Writing


Book Description

Annotation An engineer with experience in the automotive and chemical process industries, Budinski has compiled material he used to train new engineers and technicians in an attempt to get his co-workers to document their work in a reasonable manner. He does not focus on the mechanics of the English language, but on the types of documents that an average technical person will encounter in business, government, or industry. He also thinks that students with no technical background should be able to benefit from the tutorial. c. Book News Inc