The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

The Technical Writing program is designed for anyone who wishes to develop their technical writing abilities to a professional level. Students will learn research methods, audience considerations, style, drafting and revision techniques, how to work in a collaborative environment, and more. A variety of media and formats will be studied, including websites, emails, proposals, memos, and instructions.

Here are some indicators of how important the profession of technical writing is today:

• State governments spend $221 million annually training their writers.
• Employers spend an estimated $3.1 billion annually on writing instructions for their employees.
• According to survey results, “two-thirds of salaried employees in large American companies have some writing responsibility. ‘All employees must have writing ability…Manufacturing documentation, operating procedures, reporting problems, lab safety, waste-disposal operations—all have to be crystal clear,’ said one human resource director.”
• According to one employer interviewed, “writing skills are fundamental in business. It’s increasingly important to be able to convey content in a tight, logical, direct manner, particularly in a fast-paced technological environment.”
• Professionals in engineering, technological, and scientific careers may spend up to 40 percent of their time writing (i.e., up to two full days out of a five day workweek).

Surveys of employers have shown that people with well-developed writing skills are consistently hired and promoted over those without. Gatlin Education Services’ Technical Writing program will give you the writing expertise you need to get noticed.

Upon registering, you are given an initial six months to complete the program. Should you need more time, you may request a 6-month extension at no additional charge.

Course Objectives

By completing the Technical Writing course, students will:

• Understand the differences between academic and technical writing.
• Develop effective research methods.
• Learn to consider the needs and abilities of the audience.
• Learn how to incorporate clarity and utility.
• Develop job-hunting and resume-writing skills.
• Become aware of ethical issues in technical writing.
• Learn stylistic methods for effective writing.
• Learn how to work as part of a team.

I. Introduction to Technical Writing
a) Defining Technical Writing
b) Distinguishing it from other types of writing
c) Writing Inventory

II. Understanding Your Role as a Technical Writer
a) Ethics
b) Communication Dilemma

III. The Communication Triangle – The Recipe for Establishing Common Ground with the Audience
a) Choosing a Topic
b) Determining the Purpose for Writing
c) Analyzing an Audience
d) Evaluating Common Ground

IV. Types of Technical Correspondence—memo, letters, abstracts, communication of dilemma, emails

V. The Seven Principles of Good Writing

VI. Writing as a Process

VII. Preparation—as a way to generate ideas

VIII. Research—the access to support

IX. Organization—the key to logical paragraph development and a coherent outline
a) Writing topic sentences
b) Formulating supporting details

X. Rough Draft—from outline to paragraphs
a) Writing an introduction paragraph
b) Writing body paragraphs
c) Writing a conclusion paragraph

XI. Revising and Editing
a) Pitfalls to avoid
b) Practices to employ

XII. The Final Word on Technical Writing