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This attempts to outline some basic principles for '''effective technical writing'''. How to communicate practical knowledge
== Key features ==
=== Collaborate ===
* Technical documents are hardly ever written alone.
* Ask the experts.
=== Clear communication ===
* Put yourself in the readers place, write appropriately for your intended audience.
* Use real world examples that your audience will understand.
* Use plain readily understood words.
* Use words with unambiguous meanings.
Line 18 ⟶ 22:
* Avoid making nouns from verbs.
* Try to balance comprehensive coverage without overwhelming with too much information.
* Use a [[Help:Article style|consistent familiar style]].
=== Complete explanation ===
* Must be true, references are useful to validate the text.
Line 25 ⟶ 30:
=== Highly organised ===
* Divide into sections and subsections.
* First explain the simple aspects then go into more detail about the complex facets.
* Use ordered lists for your step-by-step procedure writing.
* Use parallel constructed lists.
* Use tables.
* Use flow charts to illustrate decision making processes.
* Use images with descriptions and place them adjacent to the text.
* Use links to connect related topics and sections.
=== Usability testing ===
<ref name="what"/><ref>[https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-principles-to-apply-in-web-based-technical-writing-to-effectively-impart-practical-knowledge-about-the-subject/answer/Ugur-Akinci What are the principles to apply in (web based) technical writing to effectively impart practical knowledge about the subject?] answer by Ugur Akinci, Quora, 21 Jan 2020</ref><ref>[https://www.quora.com/Technical-writing-is-different-from-causal-writing-It-involves-certain-basic-techniques-Is-this-true/answer/Bradley-Nice Technical writing is different from causal writing. It involves certain basic techniques. Is this true?] answer by Bradley Nice, Quora, 20 Jan 2018</ref>▼
* Test that the writing is understood as intended and rewrite until it is.
▲<ref name="what"/><ref>[https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-principles-to-apply-in-web-based-technical-writing-to-effectively-impart-practical-knowledge-about-the-subject/answer/Ugur-Akinci What are the principles to apply in (web based) technical writing to effectively impart practical knowledge about the subject?] answer by Ugur Akinci, Quora, 21 Jan 2020</ref><ref>[https://www.quora.com/Technical-writing-is-different-from-causal-writing-It-involves-certain-basic-techniques-Is-this-true/answer/Bradley-Nice Technical writing is different from causal writing. It involves certain basic techniques. Is this true?] answer by Bradley Nice, Quora, 20 Jan 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-principles-of-technical-writing/answer/Andrea-Mock-1 What are the principles of technical writing?], answer by Andrea Mock, Quora, 4 September 2016</ref>
== References ==
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Revision as of 23:48, 21 January 2020
This attempts to outline some basic principles for effective technical writing. How to communicate practical knowledge about a complex subject and break it down into understandable chunks.[1]
Key features
Collaborate
- Technical documents are hardly ever written alone.
- Ask the experts.
Clear communication
- Put yourself in the readers place, write appropriately for your intended audience.
- Use real world examples that your audience will understand.
- Use plain readily understood words.
- Use words with unambiguous meanings.
- Be concise, cut out redundant words.
- Use precise terminology.
- Avoid jargon.
- Avoid acronyms.
- Use short sentences 15 to 25 words on average.
- One sentence per idea.
- Break the text up, one concept per paragraph.
- Use plenty white space in between the sentences.
- Use the active voice.
- Do not use adverbs aka weasel and peacock words.
- Avoid making nouns from verbs.
- Try to balance comprehensive coverage without overwhelming with too much information.
- Use a consistent familiar style.
Complete explanation
- Must be true, references are useful to validate the text.
- Put important information first.
- Be logical and sequential. Have no gaps in the logic and all steps should make sense to one another.
- Make no assumptions the user will know or understand something, unless this is a prerequisite from all users.
Highly organised
- Divide into sections and subsections.
- First explain the simple aspects then go into more detail about the complex facets.
- Use ordered lists for your step-by-step procedure writing.
- Use parallel constructed lists.
- Use tables.
- Use flow charts to illustrate decision making processes.
- Use images with descriptions and place them adjacent to the text.
- Use links to connect related topics and sections.
Usability testing
- Test that the writing is understood as intended and rewrite until it is.
References
- ^ a b What are the features of technical writing?, Quora, 2017
- ^ What are the principles to apply in (web based) technical writing to effectively impart practical knowledge about the subject? answer by Ugur Akinci, Quora, 21 Jan 2020
- ^ Technical writing is different from causal writing. It involves certain basic techniques. Is this true? answer by Bradley Nice, Quora, 20 Jan 2018
- ^ What are the principles of technical writing?, answer by Andrea Mock, Quora, 4 September 2016
Further reading
- Letting Go of the Words: Web Content that Works by Ginny Redish, Morgan Kaufmann, 2007, ASIN B005NZ5K0W
- Every Page is Page One by Mark Baker, XML Press, 2013, ISBN 1937434281
External links
Examples
- Heathkit manuals, Archive.org