Repsonse to Technical Writing Articles

In the article, “Technical Communicators at MTU” technical communicators were defined briefly. Based on this article, I believe I would use technical communication in my career to make scientific and technical knowledge available to different audiences in multiple forms of media. The forms of media I would use included in this article were manuals, computer documentation, reports and articles. The US Department of Labor article included job descriptions for writers and editors, which defined the many different types of writers that they were possibly looking for and many of the characteristics were relevant to my major. Applying to the Civil Engineering Field based on the article, it would be necessary for me to a familiarity with technology and personal computers. I would also need to establish some sort of credibility through strong research and appropriate sources. I will probably have to, “select the material…to use, organize it, and use written word to express information.” I would also have to be able to “put technical information into easily understandable language.” Finally, I will also have to be able to plan and create illustrations, diagrams, and charts. The PowerPoint actually defined Technical Writing throughout unlike the other articles. The PowerPoint stresses efficiency which will be very important to engineering. I will need to be able to bypass the impediments such as too many words, and jargon to create an efficient technical document. The PowerPoint did not include types of technical documents. The STC article mostly just defined communication and didn’t really narrow the topic down. I didn’t find anything helpful for my field of study in the article.

Repost: Response to Health Sciecne Interview

Good Interview! I was not suprised how at how important technical writing was in the field because my dad is also a doctor. To answer Rodney's question, I asked him when he used technical writing. He first mentioned the importance of chart writing for communication with other physicians that would read the chart, which Dr. Knight mentioned. Some things he mentioned that Dr. Knight did not was when writing articles for journals. There are many medical journals that are published weekly or monthly in which doctors submit articles with the most recent findings and treatments in the field. My dad said that he has submitted dozens of articles that have been published and read around the world. He said he must also keep up with his readings of these articles to stay current with the care he provides. So not only does he write technical articles on a regular basis, he also reads them. My dad also said he gives many presentations to other doctors who would understand the technical terms as well as to common people without the technical knowledge. He gave a talk which included a powerpoint presentation to a woman's group at our church just last week. He said it is very important to break down the technical terminology to a level his audience can understand. I hope this helps.

repost: response to Interview with the vampire; I mean, real estate agent, Stephen Dubose

This was an interesting interview to me because I have always been interested with real estate. I'm surprised that Mr. Cross didn't talk about the importance of contracts and forms such as that in the types of communications. If a contract isn't precise it could complicate many things in the furture and that could interrupt business through reputation. The interview was good though, I learned quite a bit about the way real estate agents display their product. I do understand that writing would be a minimal part of the process though because in sales it's more about the interaction personally with the person than how you write something up. This was overall a good interview and I like the title....it's original :)

repost: response to Interview with an Electrical Engineer , Jason

I was surprised most by the length that the protocols could reach. It isn't very surprising that in his field tha he has to rely on writing alot in his profession. Mainly due to the nature of the machines he's analyzing, they produce medicine for people and if they're not working properly they can hurt somebody or even kill them. Being "technical" with his writing is very much needed because any discrepancies could spell disaster. Great interview :)

repost: response to Interview with Sharon Williams, Contract Administrator, Mary

This was a good interview. I was suprised that more wasn't said about technology such as e-mails and things of that nature were not mentioned. There were great points brought up about being asked questions on the spot and having the ability to answer them. If you can't convey your message in a meaningful intelligent manner then you might be jeopardizing your position with that company.

Repost: Interview of teacher, Ashley Mauldin

This response caught my eye because I am from Pennsylvania and was educated in the public school systems. I was not aware of the requirements for “lesson plans to be in a specific format and meet specific goals and objectives”. Also surprising from the interview conclusions is the lack of use of current technology such as email. Since letters from the teacher to a parent do not always make it home, I wonder if teachers have turned to emailing parents to create an easier way to keep them informed. For instance, sending midterm grades to inform the parents of the child’s progress in school before receiving a final report card.

Repost: Interview of Newspaper Co-editor, bobby d

I found it very interesting that the telephone is the most important form of communication. While in my own interview of a CFO, email is the much preferred and easier form of communication. Within the job realm of a co-editor of a newspaper, I can see the need for immediate results due to deadlines, rather than waiting a day for a response by email. Since accuracy is so important in this line of work, I wonder how many editors revise the final draft before it goes out the door. It seems the writing that a co-editor does may be more of group collaboration than individual work. Since printing the newspaper is a job I could possibly do in the future, this interview was interesting to learn about the steps before printing the paper.

Repost: Interview Responce to ppryor

Since a prepress demonstrator is a job encompassed in my major, I found this interview response to be the most significant to me personally. I also held the same belief that technical writing had almost no place in the graphics industry. Discovering that McGuigan felt it holds a small but important role is interesting. A point which contradicts a finding in my own interview is that “most communication that occurs within the industry is done verbally”. My interview conclusions showed that all communication internally is written, in order to leave a paper trail for accountability. This demonstrates the use and need for writing in the industry is as varied as the jobs themselves.

Repost: Response to ER Doctor Interview by Bobby

After reading this post, I wish I would have interviewed Dr. Terrigno. I was impressed by his profession, let alone his ability to speak three different languages. This man is obviously brilliant. I thought this interview was great. I'm sure it was awesome to interview someone as busy as an ER doctor. I am certainly going to take his advice and try to learn more languages. -Good interview Bobby

Repost:Response to Computer Science Interview by Rodney

As a software tester, I can see how group communication is very important. Naturally, this would lead the way towards revisions to improve products. With all of the technological testing involved in Ms. Clyburn's profession, I was surprised she didn't place a stronger emphasis on computer knowledge(program knowledge more specifically). However, she did indicate that most of the content would be learned on the job.

Repost: Response to Civil Engineering Interview by Hayden

I was impressed by all of the responsibilities a civil engineer accepts. I was a bit surprised to find out how much technical writing John uses; but after seeing what all John's job entails, I understand why now. I was especially glad to see a fellow TIGER say that his ENG 314 class he took at Clemson has had " a positive impact on [his] writing skills."

Repost: Response to Robin's Special Education Interview

I definitely agree with Mr. Brenner that communication is a key factor in education. My mom is an elementary school teacher and I'm sure she can vouch for that statement as well. Being a special education teacher, I'm sure Mr. Brenner's writing is limited to his students. I was surprised he said writing is so important just generally conversing with colleagues. I thought this was a very basic, concise interview that went very smoothly. Good luck in the future Robin.

Repost: Response to Health Science Interview by Kinsey

This interview with Dr. Knight is very informative. The one thing that surprised me about the interview was that Dr. Knight did not mention more about the other forms of written communication besides charts. I am sure that as a doctor he had to communicate in other written forms as well. The rest of the interview was not surprising. The article really showed me how different professions focus on different types of writter communication.

Repost: Response to Civil Engineer Interview by Hayden

This interview furthered my understanding of some of the writings a civil engineer has to do. I like the fact that Mr. Hamby gave specific examples of some of the writings that he has had to do. The biggest surprise for me was the wide range of consulting services that his company provides. Overall I learned alot from the interview.

Repost: Response Interview in Civil Engineering by Shayaa Smiley

This interview was great in that it really helped me increase my knowledge about the range of things you do as a civil engineer. What suprised me the most is the amount of writing a civil engineer has to do, and the range of forms they have to write in. I like the fact that Mr. Easterling gave some organizations that can help you be better prepared for your job latter on. Overall I think the interview was very effective.

Response to Interview with Ken Edwards

Sounds like a very interesting interview. I always enjoy people that stress interaction and communication with the costumer. Without the customers, a business would not even exist. Clear involvment in this type of service is what I like to see in a company.

Repost: Interview Responses

After reading several of my classmates interviews, it became evident that each profession uses technical writing. Some of the professions use similar methods while others use completely different ones. One recurring theme that I noticed throughout was communication. Teachers, doctors, civil engineers, computer technicians, etc. , all have to be able to communicate with their clients and colleagues. It was interesting to see how the forms of communication differed from profession to profession. I was especially glad to see that the civil engineer that Hayden interviewed said that his ENGL 314 class he took at Clemson has had " a positive impact on [his] writing skills." I am also looking forward to working on these upcoming class projects that will give us some hands on experience with real world industries and organizations.

Response to Mr. Brenner's Interview

Mr Brenner couldn't have been anymore accurate. Verbal communication is the key to life. A job interview can either make or break a persons chances of getting the job. Sometimes persons transcript and good grades can only get them so far. I also have a huge amount of respect for people involved in the special education career. Sounds like Mr. Brenner is a good man.

Response to Interview with Dr. Maria, Comment

Good Interview. While written communication is very important, I find it hard to beleive that Dr. Maria did not mention communication between the patient. Maybe the fact that she deals with kids has something to do with that. Overall, she seems like a very intelligent Doctor.

Profiles

I was wondering where the profiles are located?

Interview Review

After reading over a few of the interviews, I realized that communication is the key factor in every profession. Without communication, jobs would be very hard. Also, I realized that writing is in every profession also but it varies in between professions. Writing skills are relevant in every job because no matter what, someone has to write something to another co-worker.

Interview Response

I found it very interesting reading over different interivews how many different was writing was used in each profession. Each field had its own specific documentation and specialized reports whether it be letters or contracts. One thing that I seemed to be similiar between all of the jobs was the need for communcation with clients. Writing skills were needed for writing emails to keep in touch with clients, send information, and give confirmation of orders. While the diversity of different uses for writing exists, there is also a few things that are consistant for each field.

Interview

I interviewd Linda McManis, a retired teacher who taught in the public schools in Pennsylvania. She informed me that technical writing is actually very important to the early childhood education profession. One of the most important aspects is the lesson plans that teachers have to write for each activity throughout the semester. Many school districts require the lesson plans to be in a specific format and meet specific goals and objectives. Secondly, teachers have to keep the communication lines open between the class and the parents/guardians. In most cases, this is done through letters and memos, and requires the teacher to give detailed information on the child’s progress and any special concern that needs to be addressed. Some of the more formal aspects of the profession are evaluations and grant writing. For evaluations, teachers must keep a detailed record of the students’ progress throughout the semester. Grant writing requires teachers to address specific needs of the class and/or school in a formal report.
In addition, Mrs. McManis said that formal, detailed planning is very important for teachers and that it should include appropriate guidelines for anything that may arise. She also pointed out that it is important to speak to parents/guardians in a clear and positive way when addresses issues concerning the student.

Interview with a Civil Engineer

I interviewed Civil Engineer, Rick Werts, from the South Carolina Department of Transportation. He is the director of traffic engineering and from this management position, has developed more experience with technical writing than most civil engineers. He said that the most important type of writing in his job is, “Any kind of correspondence between parties that outline proposed actions between these parties. These correspondences can be in the simple form of a letter or as complicated as a formal contract.”

He continues saying, “Most of my writing consists of correspondence with individuals requesting action by my organization. The responses are generally a detailed and technical explanation of what actions we propose to take. This correspondence is primarily through formal letters.” One major challenge in writing these letters is explaining the technical aspects of his job in laymen’s terms to members of the community. An example would be explaining in a letter to a concerned citizen why or why not an intersection has a warranted the installation of a traffic signal. What is very simple to explain to a fellow engineer by referencing a design manual, may be more difficult to convince someone unfamiliar with highway design standards.

He says that, “The best way to learn how to create these written correspondences and documents of specifications is to study good examples. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the technical content and method of presentation.”

<> I interviewed a paralegal from Robinson Law Firm, PA in Easley, SC. This paralegal deals with Real Estate, Family Court, Conservatorship, and Circuit Court matters. During the interview, I inquired about the different qualities a person should have in order to be a paralegal.
Overall, I learned that technical writing does play an intrical part in a paralegal’s job. Learning and studying the different “languages” is extremely important. A “language” is the vocabulary and phraseology used to talk about the different facets of law. For example, a paralegal will use a different language to write a legal description than the language used to type a Final Order in a custody case. It is important to understand and use the languages appropriately. <>Also, attorneys and paralegals communicate primarily through writing. They even summarize phone calls in letters after the phone call has taken place. So, it is very important that the letters and documents precisely and fully state the idea that is being communicated.
A paralegal MUST know how to use technical writing effectively in order to be efficient. There would be an absolute legal mess if a person did not know how to communicate in the right manner.

Interview Response – CFO of Bennett Graphics

Graphic communications is a diverse field. While preparing for the real world, graphic communication majors are taught the basic principles and concepts of many printing processes so that we are highly marketable employees. Graphics majors could land a variety of jobs such as an artistic photographer, specialized printing technician or pressroom manager. Within each of these fields, a need for writing exists as varied as the field itself. Graphic companies also employ people to deal with customers as well as finances.

Rhonda L. Williams in a Chief Financial Officer for Bennett Graphics located in Tucker, GA. She is in charge of the finances of the company along with all human resources responsibilities. As the CFO, emails are the most important type of communication and writing that Williams encounters. Approximately twenty percent of her day is consumed with writing of some kind. Procedures, emails to employees, insurance companies, banking and collections are most of the important documents she writes. The writing that Williams completes is not done as group collaboration. She is the first and last one to read her documents, so accuracy is important. There are no editors involved in her writing.

Communications with customers vary, but are mostly emails and occasional phone calls. She has found it so much easier to send an email than to pick up the phone and talk. Writing in the area of customer communication has taken over where oral communication was once present. All inter-company communication is written. The most important role of writing in the company is having a paper trail. The paper trail provides accountability. Here, accuracy is also key. On jobs that circulate throughout the graphic shop, with many workers having input, if a mistake is found, a paper trial would provide a path to where the problem originated.

Interview with Sharon Williams, Contract Administrator

I interviewed Sharon Williams, a Contract Administrator at Champion Aerospace in Liberty Sc. She had the following to say about Communication in her workplace:
Communication is an important aspect on any job. If you do not have the
ability to communicate with others, then you are at a disadvantage in the
workplace. If a company wants you to explain why they should use your
company for business, you must be able to reply to with a meaningful and
effective response. If you are in a meeting and your boss asks how the
company is benefiting from your position, you must able to respond with a
strong oral response. Being able to communicate in different forms is also
important. You may have to respond orally, or written. When writing
interoffice memos it is very important to make sure that you reduce
wordiness. If the memo is long, most employees will only scam the
document, missing vital information. When responding to a client by
e-mail, Sharon states that it is important to make sure that you respond
by only answering their questions and including a brief explanation if
necessary. Oral communication is also important because you may have to
explain something to an employee, client, or supervisor in person. You
also have to be very careful about what you write, because if a situation
arises where two different departments are involved, your writing may have
to be collaborated. Any person who has problems communicating would not
be able to be an effective Contract Administrator. Having a Business Writing class would help a person prepare for this job, because it teaches a person how to communicate in many diverse forms.

Interview with Dr. Bernard Maria, Pediatric Neurologist

For this assignment, I interviewed Dr. Bernard Maria. Dr. Maria is the executive director of the Children’s Research Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina, and he is also a practicing pediatric neurologist. I spent last summer working for Dr. Maria, and I am doing the same again this summer.

I began the interview by asking about what kinds of communication were important in his line of work. Dr. Maria commented that, in this line of work, all different kinds of writing and communication are necessary. Skill in technical writing is extremely important as much of his work focuses on submitting research articles to different scientific journals and submitting formal grant applications to different government agencies in order to gain funding for new research projects. The grant applications in particular require technical writing skills because of the structure they must be written in and the way they are very critically reviewed after being submitted. Within the institution itself, any new research projects must be reviewed by one or more committees. Each of these committees requires writing and submitting detailed research plans before any sort of review can take place. Again, technical writing ability plays a large role because each committee has different criteria for submissions that must be met.

On the topic of patient care, Dr. Maria described how written communication plays a large role as well. Written communication is one of the primary ways that different doctors communicate with each other. This is especially important when dealing with patients who normally see other doctors. Communication between different doctors is especially prevalent in pediatric neurology because some patients often require care from many different types of specialists.

I then asked Dr. Maria about what kind of preparation a person beginning a career in medicine would need. For research in particular, he described that a newly beginning researcher would need to develop good writing ability in order to accurately record experimental data and to prepare all different kinds of research and application submissions. For a newly beginning practicing doctor, focus on writing and verbal communication skills is very necessary. A practicing doctor must be able to interact well with patients and families, and he or she must be able to collaborate well with other doctors. This is especially true for doctors in private practice as their livelihood is dependent on the satisfaction of their patients.

Dr. Maria finished the interview with a description of how the field of medicine has a lot of focus around writing. He described how graduate and medical schools prepare you for this type of profession. Medical school in particular teaches you these abilities by placing you in the environment and requiring you to interact with patients and other doctors. This is very beneficial because it gives you practice in patient interaction, and it gives you the opportunity to gain a lot of valuable experience from other people who have had much more time working in the field.

P.S.-Thanks to everyone who wrote me back about posting on here, it was huge help.

Interview with an Electrical Engineer

My interview was with Jason Newton, an electrical/mechanical engineer for a pharmaceutical packaging consulting company. His primary responsibilities are project management, equipment integration (mechanical and electrical), and validation protocol/documentation creation. His clients are required by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to create, execute, and archive protocols that demonstrate that the equipment was installed to OEM specifications, that equipment functions as intended, that ranges of operation were established and documented, that cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) are met, and that the functioning of the machine does not effect product quality and labeling. These protocols and the pharmaceutical business itself are audited unannounced by the FDA on a regular basis. The results of these audits can be:

1) No action - the client passed
2) a 483 is issued - the client was found to have minor problems that need to be addressed. No formal follow up
3) Warning letter - many minor issues or a major issue was found. This is issued by FDA management based on results from FDA audit.
4) Product Hold - current inventory is locked up and not allowed to ship
5) Business License revoked
6) People arrested

Although the last two are not common, they have occurred.

I started the interview by asking Mr. Newton what kinds of writing/communication are most important in his line of work. He responded by telling me that they generate documents for their clients that are required by the FDA. These are technical documents that describe and test equipment functions or processes. These documents must be concise and unambiguous. He also mentioned that the protocols they generate for each piece of equipment (or for a packaging line as a whole) can range from 10 pages to 600 pages. Next, I asked how does technical writing function in engineering, and Mr. Newton said, “technical writing is the major source of income for their company.” This implies that technical writing has a large role in engineering. He went on to tell me that he spends about 75% of his time writing. After that, we went on to discuss the most important types of documents in the engineering workplace. Mr. Newton responed by saying, “Test documents are the most important. These prove the system works.” I closed the interview with the final question of, what kind of preparation would benefit a student getting ready to enter the workplace. Mr. Newton’s reply was as follows:

a) More technical writing needs to take place at the undergraduate level.
b) Every engineer needs to be a Microsoft Word expert. Every client our company has dealt with uses Word exclusively.
c) Every student should be required to try and install software or assemble a child’s toy from the instruction provided. More often than not it can’t be done on the first attempt.
d) Every student should be required to write an assembly or software installation instruction on 2 pages (3” x 5”) and have someone else perform it.

I really enjoyed the interview process with Mr. Jason Newton. He has even sent me a sample technical document with which his company uses for their writing. I would post it for all to see, however, he has asked me not to do so due to the fact that is has confidential information on it. Mr. Newton has enlightened me on how technical writing is used in the work place and has encouraged me to get the most out of this class as possible. He said that I can definitely use these skills after I graduate.

Technical Writing Defined

On its own, the word technical typically refers to specialization in a certain field or skill. However, in regards to writing, the word “technical” can have many different implications. To a writer, technical writing might be viewed as his or her ability to put their thoughts onto paper and combine those thoughts into a compelling story. To a research scientist, technical writing might be interpreted as the ability to write clear and concise scientific reports that can be easily read and interpreted by others in the scientific community. To someone in the medical profession, technical writing may relate to written correspondence between other doctors, nurses, or families. In almost every profession, written communication is very important, which means skill for the technical aspects of writing in that profession are very important. Personally, I view technical writing as my own ability to write both creatively and effectively; whether it be for pleasure or school/work related. In my profession, technical writing has great significance. In the scientific community, the ability to report findings from experimental data is very important and very necessary. Without good technical writing ability, scientists would be unable to report their findings in a way that could be read and interpreted by others, and that would be detrimental to the speed at which research today could be conducted.

Interview

I interviewed Ken Edwards, President of a web development company called ICN Ventures, Inc. Ken said that the most kind of communication that he does is educating customers and potential clients about developing a website and helping them to understand the dynamics of purchasing a site. Most people call and want a website, but they do not know where to start, how much it is going to cost them, or what is even available. Sometimes people want a professional website with graphics and content for almost nothing, while others are willing to pay a tremendous amount of money without even realizing what is available to them. Ken's biggest job is to communicate what ICN Ventures can do for them and help them come up with solutions that will fit their business.

The most writing done in web development is emails to clients, contract, estimates, and design layouts. Ken spends a significant portion of time responding to questions of his clients via email and discussing design proposals online. The more technical documents he has to write are contracts that describe user agreements for privacy and payment options when developing a site. Ken also writes up formal estimates to give people not only an idea of how much their website will cost, but also dictate exactly what is included and set boundaries on update plans and hosting fees.

About 10 percent of his time he said was spent on writing and the best way to prepare for this field is to learn how to clearly communicate technical aspects of this profession in very simple terms that will allow people to understand how to best meet their business needs.

Interview with newspaper co-editor

For this second post, I interviewed Jason Smith, an executive/assistant editor working for a weekly newspaper in Spartanburg. When asked what types of communication/writing was important in his profession, he answered that the telephone was the most important form of communication for his job. His job involves preparing legal notices and court documents for publication each week; he has to communicate by phone with secretaries at law firms and court offices in an efficient manner to ensure that these duties are performed correctly. Communication by email is also important, but is not used as much as the telephone at the newspaper. Writing/typing skills must be used to ensure that all notices are published for three weeks at a time, and are published with no mistakes. Accuracy is extremely important in this line of work. Verbal skills are also necessary within the office to ensure that deadlines are met and the paper is printed on time each week. When asked what kinds of preparation would benefit a person starting out in this kind of work, he said that journalism classes and extra communication classes would be beneficial.

ER Doctor Interview

I interviewed an ER doctor by the name of Danny Terrigno. Danny is the head of ER at the South Jersey Medical Center, a new hospital in Vineland, NJ. When asked what type of communication is most important in his field of practice, he said "the interaction between the patient and the doctor is vital. If you don't know what a patient is feeling or where the pain is, then it is sometimes very hard to treat them." He went on to explain how his ability to speak three different languages plays an important part in his ability to communicate with people. He speaks Italian, Spanish and English. He also explained that making sure the nurses and other doctors understand what he says is also imperative to the profession and could make the difference between life and death.

Accurate charts and sharp nurses is also a vital part of communicating in the ER. When asked whether there are ever times when communication is more harmful, he explained; "Sometimes the patient thinks they know more than they do and jump to conclusions about certain things concerning symptoms and health problems." He said that this can often make things frustrating, yet it is necessary part of being a doctor.

When asked what kinds of preparation would be beneficial to a person just beginning in the field, he explained that learning a second language has many benefits and can often help with promotions and overall succuess. Being able to interact with people in a personal manner will also help with future success. He emphasized being able to make a person smile and treating them like a person, not a patient number. "This business is one of communicating."

Definitions of Technical, Writing, and Technical Writing

Technical is an adjective describing something that is exact, specific, and specialized. “Technical” refers to an almost scientific methodology of whatever it describes. Writing is composing thoughts and expressions onto paper. Writing, in society today, is one of the leading techniques of communication. What is the first thing most Americans do when they wake up in the morning? They read the paper. Now putting the two words together, technical writing, the definition is pretty much the same as putting the two definitions together; a precise, scientific style of communication. In technical writing, one is not simply communicating an everyday subject, but a specific subject. Professionally, some parts of technical writing can mean several different styles of writing depending on the line of business and other forms are the same no matter the occupation. Writing reports and instructions as an engineer would be much different than the reports a lawyer would write. However, all careers use resumes to decide whom to hire. Technical writing is a valuable skill that everyone should learn before entering their careers.

Interview

I choose to interview lead prepress demonstrator, George McGuigan, from Heidelberg, US, an international company that manufacturers printing presses as well as prepress and post-press equipment. To clarify, prepress equipment serves to prepare designs for print. The types of machines that exist in prepress function to troubleshoot possible problems that might occur on the printing press and then compensate for those problems.

I went into the interview believing technical writing had almost no place in the graphics industry. However, after talking with George, I realized technical writing held a significant role in the industry; even having the potential to create a competitive edge for a graphics company. I realized this after George immediately responded to my question about how technical writing functioned in the field with, "Technical writing is most important when creating marketing material and in curriculum development. As a product demonstrator, that application is more for learning about new products and/or software versions and competitively positioning our portfolio during presentations." Without sound technical writing, George would not fully understand the prepress products he was demonstrating, nor the audience he was demonstrating to.

While extremely important, he did confirm my assumption that, within the industry, technical writing's existence was minimal. "A very small percentage of my time is used for technical writing. I do write down information about the status of my work in progress, but usage and activity records/reports are kept mainly for product and personal justification." He believes the most beneficial documents pertaining to his job are, “training collateral and competitive analysis reports.” These allow him to get an, “accurate description of the prospect's expectations.” Technical writing allows him to realize his competitors’ offers, thus allowing him to adapt his presentation to overshadow the competition. We concluded the interview with his advice on preparatory courses I should take for this industry. He felt that, “early exposure to application training, basic color understanding, and tradeshows,” would benefit me most. He strongly urged any hands on training since most communication that occurs within the industry is done verbally.

Special Education Interview

I interviewed Gordy Brenner who is a special education teacher at a school in Ohio. Mr. Brenner has been handling students and children for many years and has been in the school system for over twenty years. When I asked Mr. Brenner about communication and writing in his profession, he told me that "communication is a key factor in education." Teachers must communicate with each other verbally as well as by writing. Teachers also have to be able to communicate well with their students along with their students' parents. When I asked Mr. Brenner what the best way was for parents and teachers to communicate was he answered with "Face to face communication is the best way to communicate with parents and students because it allows for teachers to understand the parent(s) and vice versa."

Mr. Brenner told me that as long as I could communicate well verbally and in writing that everything in my future profession would be a breeze.

Robin Payne

Interview with the vampire; I mean, real estate agent

I interviewed a gentleman by the name of Ken Cross who is a realtor for Meybohm Realtors in Aiken, SC. I opened up our discussion by asking Ken what kind of writing/communication skills are most important in the real estate profession. Without any hesitation, Ken immediately said "you have to be computer savy." Many of Ken's sales are generated through e-mail. All properties have a MLS#, which is kind of like their own personal social security number. After a client identifies to Ken what kind of house/property they are looking for, Ken can have e-mails automatically sent to his clients with in-depth information and photos of the property. These MLS #s are categorized and allow Ken to save lots of time and money by narrowing down his client's interest and help Ken focus precisely on what is appealing to the buyer. Ken also said that it is extremely important to follow up with client's past sales. He likes to do this through e-mail as well as sending letters to the home. Ken said letters help create a sense of personal sincerity and honesty with clients, which is good for future sales.

Secondly, I asked Ken what kind of preparation would benefit a person just getting started in this line of work. His first response surprised me. Many real estate agents nowadays are not pursuing college degrees. This is simply because all you need to sell real estate is a license which requires no college education. Ken emphasized that an education is still VERY important in this profession. He revealed that anyone can sell real-estate, but not everyone can really make money. He said you need to not only be proficient with your business skills, you also need to have experience dealing with people; all kinds of people. Realtors are salespeople and inevitably deal with some clients that are more peaceful than others. Ken said you have to incorporate your business knowledge to maintain your professionalism, but also establish a down to Earth approach without coming across as being "pushy." This is much easier said than done, especially when hundreds of thousands of dollars come into play.

Last, I asked Ken how important writing was in the profession and more specifically how it affected communication with his clients. He again emphasized the importance of e-mail but then diverged to a different perspective on selling property. Ken finally said that in the real estate business, writing comprises approximately 10-15 % of the total sale. He indicated that verbal communication and good ethics are the most important features of a good agent. He said never neglect the writing sector, because it could be the determining factor of the final sale. However, all in all, "the house will sell itself," not a fancy letter.

Technical Writing

Technical means to have specific skill for a particular profession. Writing is a way people communicate many things to one another. Technical writing, to me, is a specific way people relate and communicate in certain profession. As a future special education teacher, technical writing would be lesson plans and school function layouts; however, technical writing in my person life is less formal such as a letter or email.

Robin Payne

Health Science Interview

I interviewed Dr. Benjamin Knight, Junior, a retired oral surgeon from Lynchburg, Virginia. During Dr. Knight's years in practice he managed his own office as well as hired nurses and medical staff to assist him. When I asked Dr. Knight about the types of communication he felt was important in his line of work, he answered "Charts must be perfect; clear and concise. After I work on a patient he is often sent back to his doctor or dentist, who must be able to understand what work was performed on that patient. If lack of communication occurs, damaging results may follow." I also asked Dr. Knight about communication between himself and his patients. He told me that it is always important to be able to effectively communicate procedures to patients before these procedures are performed. It is always important that every patient knows the process and any possible outcome that may result. Dr. Knight said, "Although in my head something makes sense, often times patients do not understand what I am telling them. I have to keep calm; sometimes I explain the same thing over and over before people realize what I am trying to say."
When I asked Dr. Knight about preparation for working in the medical field, he remarked that the most important preparation is "Understanding medical terminology. Most errors are a result of bad communication between doctors, and one way to prevent that is to use the same 'language'". He said that in this line of work, medical personnel cannot make up their own words or use slang very often. When writing patient charts one must describe in full detail, even if something seems irrelevant at the time. Any medical staff must be able to also listen effectively in order to both write and communicate effectively.
I asked Dr. Knight if he felt he used technical writing in his field. He replied "I use nomenclature that others can understand. Many times my charts were reviewed by my nurses and other doctors, they always needed to know precisely what I was talking about. "
Lastly, I asked Dr. Knight whether he felt writing or oral communication was more important in the medical field. He replied that each is equally important. "Documenting work is always necessary, and communication with patients and especially to other physicians must be concise in order to have everything run smoothly. Otherwise you run into trouble."

Technical Writing, not defined, just my own words

The term “technical” makes me think of technological development that can make our lives better. When I think of “writing” I think of types of communication, whether it is with pen and paper or computer. The two words combined, “technical writing”, makes me think of communication in a fast-paced business world, mainly by electronic means. I think of technical writing as a skill that would serve everyone well, regardless of their profession. Most successful people are good communicators; and in a professional environment, I believe technical writing is an important skill for that reason. Without an efficient form of communication, it would be hard to meet deadlines and get goals accomplished, regardless of the job.

I got a question about whether you would be posting everything to the weblog or if you would, eventually, be sending in assignments. The answer is that you will be submitting your major assignments to me as MS Word and/or HTML documents. This space is primarily for weekly weblog postings and for questions (to each other and to me.) Details of the assignments, btw, can be found near the bottom of the course home page, linked to pages that explain them each in detail.
-T. F.

Interview in Civil Engineering

I interviewed William Easterling from Shaw, Stone and Webster. He is a structural engineer that handles many daily activities that include “deliverables” such as calculations and specifications as well as front end activities such as research of the design basis for existing projects. The types of communication that he uses range from design drawings to proposals. He says “Organized, thoughtful communication is a key component of my work as a structural engineer. I would say that proposal writing is where I’ve benefited most from my writing skills.” He works for a consulting company and the first job they have is to present their clients with information about the service that is to be delivered. This is an extremely important step in the process because it sets up the company for a failure or success of the project. A good proposal writer will turn an idea into a money making endeavor. Being a well-rounded engineer depends on the ability to develop your communication skills as well as the scientific aspect of the job. If the information about any aspect of the project has a discrepancy or is unclear the client could go elsewhere.
In the beginning of your career as an engineer your communications skills are called upon constantly. Whether it is writing specifications or drawing notes to explain to a fabricator how a building should be constructed. Doing these tasks over and over will help to develop attention to detail and help you “see” the construction process of the structure in your mind. Depending on the intensity of your work you could be doing many drawings or responding to questions from contractors, so being able to effectively and intelligently express the information is a valuable and mandatory skill. He recommended working with organizations that participate in design and presentation competitions, such as the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineer’s) Carolina’s Conference. They participate in steel bridge and concrete canoe competitions which help build team working skills. Communicating with your teammates and the judges is similar to communicating with your co-workers. You have to let them know what tasks that you will be completing and maybe even help them find way to make their job easier.
The interview was very helpful in letting me know what I would have to deal with in my future career as well as in life in general. Being able to communicate your feelings or ideas to people is a very important tool that can be utilized in many facets of life.

TECHNICAL WRITING

I THINK THAT THE WORD TECHNICAL MEANS TO HAVE A SPECIAL AND PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT A SPECIFIC SUBJECT. I THINK THAT WRITING MEANS TO BE THE AUTHOR OR COMPOSER OF SOMETHING, I THINK IT ALSO MEANS TO PUT SOMETHING INTO LITERARY FORM .I THINK THAT THEY BOTH MEAN THE SAME TO ME PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT IS TO COMPOSE SOMETHING OF A PARTICULAR SUBJECT HAVING SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OF A SUBJECT WHEN WRITING ABOUT IT, WHICH IS WHAT IT ALSO MEANS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD.

Civil Engineer Interview

I interviewed John Hamby, a Civil Engineer, specializing in structures. One of my professors got me in contact with him, since he is a recent graduate from Clemson. He also received his MS from Clemson. Hamby is currently working for Kimley-Horn in Raleigh, NC. Kimley-Horn provides a wide range of consulting services to public and private clients for roadways and bridges, land developments, traffic signals, water/sewer systems, airports, landscape architecture, transit systems. When asked the kind of document he typically writes, he responded by saying, "I've been involved in writing project specifications (parking structures), multi-phased feasibility studies, structural condition assessment reports, construction documents, many job specific e-mails, in general we also use technical writing for contract preparation (letter agreements) specifically when defining an accurate project scope." He also mentioned that he used technical writing on a "weekly basis." He said that writing is important to CE's because, "CE's are technical by nature therefore our reports and client services must reflect the project specificity in the reports and construction documents." I also asked him if he took a technical writing course at Clemson and he responded by saying, "Yes, I took ENG 314 and I'm sure that it has had a positive impact on my writing skills." I also asked him if he had published anything and he had not. He also told me that pursuing a Masters degree is very helpful when trying to find a job in the Civil Engineering field.

Technical Writing

“Technical” refers to something that is specialized and in close correlation to a job or specific task. It also makes me think of something mechanical or technological, although something that is technical does not have to be technological. You can do something technically with seems to give an air of skill and exactness. “Writing” is physically putting language on to paper in a legible way. On a much deeper level, writing is a way to express one’s thoughts and emotions in a way that can be powerful, interesting, detailed, and sometimes professional. Technical writing would evoke a professional writing to inform or instruct someone within a professional field.
In the profession of Computer Science, technical writing could takes on some very interesting meanings because while you make have to write memos to employees or emails to clients, documentation of code would seem to be technical writing. Technical writing would then take on a very different meaning in my profession verses my personal life. Technical writing in my personal life would take on a very different feel (more relaxed and specific to people), while technical writing within computer science would be specific and detailed to code syntax.

Technical Writing in My own words.

The word "technical" refers to something belonging to a specific subject or field. The important part to note is that something that is technical is specific and usually not very universal. "Writing" is when thoughts or ideas are taken from a verbal or mental form and put into a readable state where other people can view them. To be more specific, it is when a person physically records something, using a pencil, pen or a computer. In my field, which is biology (medicine more specifically), writing is usually used as a means to record and keep track of patients medical history and future recommendations. A biological researcher would write a hypothesis and a lab report on a specific experiment. Most scientific breakthroughs take place when past work from many scientists is combined to reach a conclusion. Without "writing", these breakthroughs would be hard to come by, because every researcher would essentially be working alone. "Writing" differs in every field, but it remains important.

Technical writing in my own words

The word "technical" carries with it a meaning that demonstrates skill in applied fields, such as the sciences. Technical information can be a practical subject that is organized according to scientific principles, as well as having a technique along with it. To define writing is to say one literally inscribes characters in order to convey a particular idea. Therefore, when the two words are combined, technical writing is the process of informing others, through words, concerning information on practical scientific matters. In the field of Health Science, technical writing is very important. It is most often the lack of communication between doctors, nurses, or other practioners that results in patient error. Personally, I feel that technical writing is important in order to inform the public about sometimes complicated issues in a way that most people can understand.

Technical Writing in my words

When I think of the word technical, I think of having knowledge of a mechanical, scientific, or any specific field. When I think of writing I think of putting symbols together on some surface to form words. So if I were to think of technical writing I would think about putting symbols together to form information within, about, or pertaining to the field that a person has knowledge. As a Computer Science major the above definitions fits in perfectly with my profession and with me personally.

What is technical writing?

"Technical" is derived from the Greek word techne. Looking back to its origin, this means "skill." By breaking down the word into its simplest form, you can still manage to get a general understanding of the word without even consulting a dictionary for further reference. Just by looking at the word, one can infer that "technical" is in some way in, of, or demonstrating some kind of technique. Based on our knowledge, this makes perfect sense. Technicians, regardless of specialization, all share one common characteristic. All technicians have familiarized themselves with their specific line of work. In other words, they know what they are doing and how to address situations individually. I think this same principle can be applied to technical writing. William Shakespeare once said, "know thy audience." Every profession has to associate with different kinds of audiences. Lawyers, police officers, doctors, business managers, counselors, politicians etc., all have to at some time or another compose some kind of specialized writing to their respective audiences/clients. Like technicians, technical writers have to be knowledgeable and familiar with their audiences. This is what separates technical writers from regular writers. Technical writers have the edge. To me a technical writer can identify with their audience whereas a regular writer can't; at least to the same degree of effectiveness.

Technical Writing

Technical is having a specialized skill or knowledge in a specific field. Writing is a type of communication in which words or symbols are formed onto paper. Within the early childhood education profession, technical writing means conveying specialized knowledge about a child in the form of evaluations and assessments. The meaning of technical writing is different in my profession than in my personal life because it is more formal and specialized.

Technical writing defined

To me, the word technical pertains to a specialized, working knowledge within a respective field, most often dealing with or relating to a mechanical or scientific subject. Writing is the composition of letters and symbols to express, communicate, and share ideas with others. Consequently, the two together signify conveying the learned, practical skills of a particular industry through a form of written communication for related and unrelated industries to comprehend. Professionally, technical writing within the graphics industry, while it is important, is often replaced by verbal communication. However, technical writing still exists in the form of job tickets and product proofs for brochures and pamphlets. Although technical writing is minimal, this form of communication is extremely vital for the assurance of accuracy and precision of a customer’s request, and therefore will never completely disappear from the industry. With respect to my personal life, I would adopt a less formal approach to technical writing, but ensure that I still maintain a level of professionalism in the pieces I compose and send out. In my opinion, it would be more individual and private for the recipient; creating a more sincere connection between myself and others involved.

Pamela Pryor

Interview in Computer Science Profession

For my interview I interviewed Ms. Andrietta Clyburn who is a Software Tester at Itron, Inc. in West Union, SC. She said that in her profession there are a lot of documents written to communicate what individuals are working in within the group she works in. Some of the examples of the documents are as follows: Functional Specification – which tells what a piece of software or a component is supposed to do, Test Procedure and Results – which tell how the testing was performed and what happened from running the tests, and various other documents that keep others informed of what is going in throughout the software group that she works in. She said that most of these documents are written in some kind of outline form. She also went on to say that being able to communicate through email is very important.

She told me that for the actual content that goes into the various documents you will learn mostly on the job. She did say that it helps to be able to easily do a document in outline form, have good organization skills with your writing, practice maintaining a good flow with writings, practice being attentive and paying attention to little details, and learn how to minimize the length of a document but maintain its effectiveness.

Technical Writing Defined

Writing is a form of communication. It is letters and words put together in a written form to communicate thoughts and ideas to another person or particular audience. Technical writing is a type of writing. While technical carries the connotation of something highly developed in a business, mechanical or science related field, technical in general refers to the specialized knowledge and proficiency in a certain skill. Personally, technical writing is a written form of communication used to convey information in an effective, thorough and accurate way. More importantly the information must be comprehendible. Since technical writing seems to be dealing with subjects that are specialized and require an understanding of great knowledge, the author must translate all their knowledge into that which a general audience can understand. Technical writing, in a professional sense, would therefore be writing to communicate specialized information in a clear and effective way often concerning technical or business information. Technical writing could also be defined as how one communicates the message they wish to convey. Within the graphics profession, how the information is presented is important so that it enables the reader to understand what the author is portraying. The customers usually have no knowledge of the technical aspects of graphics, so language usage is important for them to understand the message.

Technical Writing Definition

According to the dictionary the word technical means to have a special skill or practical knowledge, this especially applies to the mechanical and scientific field. Writing is to form words or symbols on paper to communicate and idea. To me technical writing is a way to convey written information in percise and organized manner. In the field of social work technical writing may take on many forms. It can be anything from a resume to an office memo. Technical writing is a professional way to express knowledge.

Technical & Writing Definitions

Technical is a very specific characteristic or specialization in a subject. Writing can be specific to handwriting, that is, the act of creating letters or characters that communicate a message. Writing may refer to a composition of words and phrases that presents a message. Within my future profession of Civil Engineering, the word technical uses the same definition I stated above. However, for Civil Engineers, the word writing is most closely related to the creation of written specifications for products or projects. Other writing within Civil Engineering may include project proposals in which a document outlines a plan of action to accomplish a certain goal or objective.

Technical Writing

The term "technical" refers to having the specialized skills and knowledge relating to a certain profession or field. "Writing" is the physical means we use in order to communicate a variety of different ideas, whether we write a real estate contract, a newspaper column, or a legal document. Technical writing is incredibly important in the legal community. In fact, attorneys and paralegals have book after book filled with different legal forms that are worded and formatted very precisely. For any document, an attorney will write any number of drafts in order to ensure that a form or contract effectively communicates the ideas presented. For me, technical writing does mean that I take my time in order to effectively communicate an idea. I'm not so sure that I am as efficient as a professional within the legal community, but I will try to match their efficiency once I hopefully obtain a job.

What is Technical Writing in my own words

Technical means the precise components of a task or operation. It means the specifics of something instead of just the basics and broad items. Writing is the communication of ideas, expressions, or other information in the form of written word. Whether it is hand written or typed, writing is an easy way to relay information to a group of people that cannot be reached at the same time in one place. So my interpretation of technical writing is the communication of information in a profession and specific way. There should be a certain format for different forms of information, e.g. resumes, business letter, proposals etc.

Textbook

The required text (The Handbook of Technical Writing) is not in stock at the University bookstore.
I went in with the textbook information from the homepage.
Is there another book that should be purchased?
Thanks,

Welcome!

This is a collaborative space for members of Dr. Fishman's Summer Online Technical Writing Courses. Note: Several sections of this course will be utilizing this space. Please feel free to post your own class-related questions and discussions as well as responses to the discussion promts.