Subjects You Missed (Long Post)

[Ellen Adams <ellena -at- TOLSTOY -dot- SC -dot- TI -dot- COM>]

Tech Writers,

A while back, I asked for your able assistance
on course work I was asked to develop for
a state university. The response was terrific.

For a Degree in Technical Communications, I propose
that the core communications courses be supplemented by
30 hours of advanced course work in Technical Communications.
In the editing courses, technical communication students are
encouraged to select a specialization (in life- or computer-science,
or engineering) and collaborate with a faculty member on
a documentation project.

This is an undergraduate course program designed to
produce future professional tech writers.
Students can select from the courses below.

* Researching the Task: Gathering Effective Source Material (3 hours)
This class discusses effective people skills, interrogation and interviewing
techniques; proper library research procedures; internet, CD-based
and on-line resources; organization; and outlining.

*  Writing for Technical Publication, Level I, Communicating Ideas (3 hours)
Writing for your audience is the focus of this class aimed at the
beginning technical writer. Students are asked to complete one example
of an engineering specification, instruction manual,
or proposal. Course topics include an overview of the various
patterns of organization; the process of information
components and modules; specing the documentation; and the
various methods of drafting the document; including: chunking, queueing,
filtering, and storyboarding.

*  Writing for Technical Publication, Level II,
Designing Effective Documentation (3 hours) [Prerequisite: Writing for
Technical Publication, Level I]
Visual information presentation is the focus of this course, which
includes segments on effective document design and efficient information
delivery. Students will study basic design concepts. Discussion
topics include: efficient use of white space, color, illustrations,
schematics, graphics and charts, and all aspects of typesetting: from fonts,
line weights and heights to kerning and text placement.
Students will complete a documentation project, and host a mini-focus
group to test documentation for efficacy.

*  Editing Technical Writing, An Introduction (4 hours, with one-hour lab)
Includes an overview of proper English grammar structure and syntax,
but disects the subject within the context of the technical document.
In addition to class sessions, students are required to take a lab
(one-hour credit) within their specialization (i.e. self-study with
faculty guidance of computer programming, biology or chemistry),
and to complete one documentation project within the specialization.

*  Editing Technical Writing, Advanced. (4 hours, with one-hour lab)
[Prerequisite: Editing Technical Writing, An Introduction]
Students learn various methods of editing according to style sheets
and style manuals; they also cover methods of workgroup collaboration,
edit tracking, and editing for consistency within a book or series.
The course includes a discussion of the levels of edit, as put forth
by Robert Van Buren and Mary Fran Buehler. As in Editing I, students
are required to complete a lab project within their area of specialization.

* Effective Presentation Design (3 hours)
This course teaches the variety of ways information can be presented,
from black and white laminated quick-reference cards to
elaborate multimedia slide shows, replete with sound bites and animation.
Students will study effective applications of visual tools; abstracting;
and optimizing retrieval aids.

* Computer-Based Training and Online-Documentation (3 hours)
This course covers all aspects of online documentation, including:
project estimations; computer software selection; interactive
tutorial design; hypertext linking; screen design and storyboarding.

* Managing Technical Documentation Projects (3 hours)
This course covers a wide array of topics, including: estimating
project requirements; planning production schedules; acquiring
resources; evaluating and choosing tools; analyzing the psychology of the
project team; selecting the medium of presentation; and deadlines
and delivery.

* Standardizing Documentation (3 hours)
This course covers the wide array of government standards, such
as ANSI, DOD and ISO standards, (including SGML) and internet standards
(including HTML), to which technical documents are subjected.
Students are required to complete a Style Guide tailored to
documents within their specialization.

* Analyzing Effectiveness: Evaluating the Usability of Technical
Documents (3 hours)
In this course, students will design, plan, and conduct usability tests.
Topics will include: determining the user's needs and goals; planning
to meet user objectives; tailoring documentation to the user;
and testing via a variety of methods.

SUGGESTED TEXTS:
Editing Technical Writing by Donald Samson Jr., (1993: Oxford Univ. Press)

The Elements of Style, 3rd Ed., by W. Strunk and E.B. White, (1979: MacMillan
Publishing Company)

The Levels of Edit, 2nd Ed., by Mary Fran Buehler and Robert Van Buren
(1980: JPL Publications)

Techniques for Technical Communicators by Carol M .Barnum and Saul Carliner
(1993: MacMillan Publishing Company)






Thanks to everyone who contributed.

I'd appreciate any feedback you could offer
on these course descriptions.

Ellen Adams
ellena -at- tolstoy -dot- sc -dot- ti -dot- com