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Technical Communication, an Introduction for Current Technical Writers, Editors & Designers

(Contact Hours: 30) $349

Course Description

If you have been doing some form of technical writing, editing, or design for a while, but you wonder what the whole profession really involves, this course will expand your perspective, and help you polish your skills.

You'll learn how to articulate the benefits of technical communication for the user and for your organization. You'll see how the profession looks today, reflect on the forces that have shaped our field, and identify the wide range of activities that now constitute technical communication.

Learn how your work fits into the organization's process, and where the field is headed. You'll learn best practices for planning, designing, writing, editing, and user-testing your documentation, online and on paper.

Each week, you receive course materials from me and read material in Karen Schriver's book. You can email me questions, stray thoughts, or concerns at any time, and I will get back to you as quickly as I can.

When you have read the material and done the challenges I suggest, you send those to me by email. You get my comments back within 24 hours, along with materials for the next module.

The course is designed to help you become a sophisticated professional, so I invite you to ask any questions that occur to you, along the way.

Required Book:

Dynamics of Document Design: Creating Text for Readers, by Karen A. Schriver. Wiley, ISBN 0-471-30636-3 (See Below).

In addition, each week I will send you material expanding on the text, covering other topics, and offering challenges.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

• Define the field of technical communication.
• Identify tasks and job titles in the profession of technical communication.
• Describe the historical forces that have shaped the profession.
• Define key terms used in technical communication.
• Analyze the actual experience of people using your documents.
• Identify the way that typography and layout affect your readers.
• Identify how you fit into a product management process, as a technical communicator.
• Identify key components of an information plan, and content specification.
• Analyze an audience.
• Perform a task analysis.
• Identify key activities in user-centered design.
• Perform user testing on your documentation.
• Identify the key emotional competences for outstanding performance.
• Articulate the levels of edit.
• Identify best practices when writing or editing procedures.
• Identify problems and opportunities when publishing text online.

Assessment

Your progress will be assessed in several ways:

• Through my evaluation of your written work, using detailed guidelines given in each module.
• Through self quizzes.
• Through my comments on your reports of activities that you undertake.
• A final exam.

To register or for more information This on-line registration process is for credit card registrations only.
Online	registration
Phone	919.515.2261
Fax*	919.515.7614
E-mail*	ContinuingEducation@ncsu.edu

*Make sure to include your name, address, and what information you are requesting.