Course Description

Technical Writing Essentials is designed to meet the basic communication needs of students and working professionals in scientific or technical fields. This course is also an excellent introductory writing course for students who may choose to pursue a certificate in technical writing. The course covers issues of purpose and style while allowing students plenty of focused practice with short writing exercises.

Technical writing is a form of communication, a type of conversation, an interactive process that involves writers and readers who respond to one another. In fact, technical writers create documents that use description and explanation in order to persuade readers to take action. Consequently, effective technical writers must have:

• a clear understanding of the subject matter
• a thorough awareness of the the intended audience(s)
• a strong mastery of the required technical writing forms

Technical writing has many forms, including letters, memos, reports, proposals, presentations, and manuals.  Since there are so many forms, it's not possible for students to learn everything they might eventually need for a workplace in this one course.  Students can, however, gain an appreciation for and refine skills needed to develop writings that are

• CLEAR
• CONCISE
• WELL-ORGANIZED
• and HONEST. 

Clear writing is expressed in a manner that is suitable for an intended audience.  Concise writing says all it has to but not more. Well-organized papers are easy to follow because form and logic work together.  Facts and figures, sources and statements, interpretations and conclusions must be meticulously honest in order to establish and maintain the author's integrity and authority.

In Technical Writing Essentials students will review the basic elements of written communication that are involved in technical writing tasks. They will then apply those skills as they develop documents that typify what technical writers routinely do. Similar to the research or business workplace, students will work alone on some tasks and in collaborative groups on others. By the end of the course students will have improved their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking skills, particularly as these skills apply to the business environment.

Use the links to the right to learn more about Technical Writing Essentials and other business and technical writing classes.