Technical Communication: The Profession, Writing Style, and Format (A Career Builder Course)
Contact Hours: 50 (an estimated time frame devoted to a course of study from start to finish that can vary from student to student)
In this course we begin with a thorough refresher bootcamp in grammar, usage, and punctuation and then study style and format for industry, government, and business documents (such as headings, vertical lists, warning notices, highlighting, tables, graphics), technical terminology, and wordiness problems. During this course you will correct documents containing the kinds of problems you are studying and read and take quizzes on The Insider's Guide to Technical Writing. To conclude this course, students do a major overhaul on a technical report and on a user guide.
In Technical Communication: The Profession, Writing Style, and Format, you study format and style of technical and business documents, along with main problems involving grammar, usage, punctuation, and sentence style. You do not do any extended writing projects, but instead correct problems in existing ones according to the guidelines and rules you have studied.
There are three options in this particular course:
By the end of the course - Technical Communication: The Profession, Writing Style, and Format, you will be able to:
This course contains numerous reading quizzes to help you measure your progress and mastery of the materials. A score of 85 or higher is required to complete the course successfully. Quizzes may be taken up to 3 times each.
Week 1: Grammar, Usage, Punctuation Review, Introduction to Technical Writing.
Week 2: Technical Writing Process, Headings, Lists.
Week 3: Doc Plans, Outlines, Toolbox; Highlighting, Notices.
Week 4: Research, Rough-Drafting; Terminology, Style for Numbers, Symbols, Abbreviations.
Week 5: Task Orientation, Visuals; Introductions, Cross-Referencing.
Week 6: Editing, Indexing; Writing Style.
Week 7: Final Production; Grand Review of Grammar, Usage, Punctuation.
Week 8: Final Projects: Comprehensive Document Overhaul.
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Included, a free online textbook by the Instructor of this Course.