TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Developing a technical writing class From:Kirstin Mercer <kirstin -at- INTERCON -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 19 Jul 1995 09:20:15 -0500
> Considering your daily experiences as technical writers, what do you
> think students need to learn in an entry level class?
As a fairly recent graduate (May 1993), I can say that the best =
possible experience I got out of my Introduction to Technical Writing =
class was the "final project." We were told on the first day of class =
that we'd have to go out in a few weeks and find a "client" and do =
some sort of a job for them (a brochure, a catalog, a small manual, =
etc.) As the semester went on, we were responsible for turning in =
various pieces of what would eventually be the entire =
project (corresponding, of course, to when we were learning about =
those things in class). First we had to write a formal proposal to give =
to the client (and the instructor). Once the proposal was accepted, we =
met with the client to discuss what the job would include. We worked on =
the project and provided one or two formal progress reports to the =
client (and the instructor) during the course of the semester. At the =
end of the semester, we were responsible for turning the completed =
project over to the client (with a formal cover letter) -- and giving =
a copy to the instructor. The last two weeks of class were spent giving =
and watching formal presentations about the project you had done. We =
were to talk about the project, about the client/writer relationship, =
and about the things that went well and the snags we ran into. We also =
had to show the project. Most people outlined what they were talking =
about on overheads and used an overhead projector to display them to =
the rest of the class.
We did the same sort of project for our Advanced Technical Writing =
class, though the project was supposed to be on a more difficult level.
We actually had a text book for our Intro class, and I still use it as =
a source of reference. It's Houp and Pearsall's _Reporting =
Technical Information_.
Good luck!
Kirstin Mercer (BGSU '93)
Technical Editor
InterCon Systems Corporation http://www.intercon.com/
