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Online Class: The ABC's of Technical Writing

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Enroll today! This is a self-paced, online course. You have 6 months to finish. An instructor will monitor your progress and assess your body of work at course completion.
Course Cost: 6 Month Subscription
Basic Course (no certificate)   =   $35.00
Course with Online Certificate*   =   $60.00
* Document your course completion with an online certificate (additional shipping/handling charges apply for hard copy delivery). Instantly download, print, and share your certificate and CEUs once awarded. UniversalClass™ offers many wonderful learning tools to help you get the most out of your online course, including an online portfolio service that manages all your course completions, and a Certificate Verification Service you can use so others may view and verify the authenticity of your awards.
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Course Description

Technical writing is the art and science of translating technical information into readable, accessible writing usable by a wide audience. If you have ever read the user's manual for a piece of software or equipment you've purchased, you've seen technical writing in action. Creating manuals, help and technical support systems, online help systems, and instruction manuals are some of the main projects technical writers take on. Since nearly every business in every industry imaginable has at least an occasional need to bring technical information to its users and customers, technical writing is found in nearly every business, government agency, and non-profit organization.

If you work in a high tech industry, technical writing may be a part of your job description and daily duties. If you love to write, enjoy learning, and have an interest in technology, technical writing can be an exciting, rewarding career in itself. Job opportunities in the field are expected to grow as technology continues to advance.

Whether you are called upon to communicate technical information to clients and coworkers, or you are thinking of technical writing as a new and interesting career, this course is designed to help you get started. We'll talk more about the kinds of products technical writers get involved in, and discuss the kinds of skills that successful technical writing requires. We'll talk about ways to approach and organize a technical writing project, and look at the kinds of materials technical writers produce, from written manuals to video tutorials. For those looking at technical writing as a new career, we'll discuss ways of improving your skill set, getting training, making contacts, and breaking into the field.
 
Instruction Manual

Course Lessons

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Lesson 1: What is Technical Writing?

Technical writing is the art and science of translating technical information generated by subject matter experts into readable, accessible information usable by a wider audience.

Lesson 2: Projects for Technical Writers

As we've discussed before, nearly every industry involves some technical writing, especially if we include marketing materials under the technical writing umbrella.

Lesson 3: The Technical Writing Process

Whether you're writing software manuals, online help, brochures, or scripting a video, the core goals of technical writing remain the same

Lesson 4: How to Write Effectively

At its core, good technical writing is simply good writing about technical topics.

Lesson 5: Teaching an Alien to Drive

The challenge in delivering usable information is in knowing what level of detail and complexity is appropriate, and what elements of a given process you can assume your reader knows and which ones you'll have to explain.

Lesson 6: The First End User: You

In this lesson, we'll look at this part of the process in greater detail, and we'll see how the technical writer can add value to the company's product by evaluating its usability as it is being developed.

Lesson 7: Getting It Done: Project Management and the Technical Writer

Technical writers often need to manage more than one large project at a time. Developing good project management skills is as important (or more so) than good writing skills.

Lesson 8: Words, Pictures, and Links: The Growing Array of Deliverable Formats

As we've seen in earlier lessons, a technical writer's output is not just written manuals anymore. Let's look further at the types of deliverables you as a technical writer could be called upon to produce.

Lesson 9: Breaking into Technical Writing

Is a career in technical writing for you? By now we've talked enough about the kind of work you'd be doing to give you a sense of whether it's the kind of work you might enjoy.

Lesson 10: The Tech Writer's Toolbox

What tools do you need to succeed as a technical writer? Often, you need to know whatever tools your company chooses to use.

Lesson 11: Staying in Touch

What is the future of technical writing? The answer is interactivity. The phenomenon of Web 2.0 has converted Web surfers into Web content providers. People don't just browse the web anymore, they get involved.

Optional Certificates Awarded

  1. Certificate of Merit
  2. Certificate of Academic Excellence
In addition to the standard Certificate of Course Completion, Merit Awards may be issued by the instructor at his/her own discretion and are based on student achievement. Merit awards also incur an additional $30.00 processing fee that covers the customization, printing, and delivery of the award, as well as access to the UniversalClass™ Portfolio Service that documents your achievements online. Official Merit Awards have a serial number that verifies the authenticity of the award (great for employers to verify your achievement).
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Additional Information

Course Title : ABC's of Technical Writing
CEU Value :

1.0 (Continuing Education Units)

Course Number : 7550201
Course Type : Professional Development
Course URL :

http://technicalwriting.onlineclasses.com

Course Rating : Excellent Course! 4 Star Rating
Instructor :

Deirdre Mithaug

Syllabus :

View Syllabus

Duration : Continuous: Enroll anytime!
Course Fee :

Basic Course: $35

   

with CEUs & Certificate: $60

NOT FOR COLLEGE CREDIT
This is a non-credit course, and is provided for your personal enrichment. This course is not intended to be a substitute for any state, government, licensing, or educational requirements.

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