grandview bill Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 As I finishing posting a piece today....i realised the language in the description of the project was clumsy and unclear.One would think a technical person would have an easy time writing about projects.I think one of the prolems might be ,there is so many ways to describe the same thing.But also ,there are as many ways to interpertate.After all,How many different things are a 'thinggammy jig?"Iv'e read many many technical articles in my life,writing them correctly is an art form.You'll know the good ones because the ideas will come across effortlessly.Years ago a friend was taking a technical writing class at the U of M (minnesota),one of his assignments was to write a description of a wood screw,he really struggled to get it done.Hemingway was supposed to have used the least words to tell a story....would he have been a good technical writer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydancer2992 Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 My preference is inverted pyramid form - leading with who, what, where, why followed by how and background information. The lead sentence makes the most impact and tells the reader what they want to know or maybe they are looking in the wrong place. Saying a lot with few words is a secondary goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 The most important thing in tech writing is the recipient, not the subject matter. If you can't explain how to do something to somebody the most beautiful written set of instructions are useless. That's why a lot of Army TMs look like comic books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 My favorite are Chinese manuals translated to English I often can’t make any sense out of them and I’m not sure the Chinese can either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Direct translations are pretty funny...I have photos from when I was in china of their signs in "English". Funny stuff. I work in state government, and I can't believe the way people write. They think because they're "professional", that their writing needs to be technical. They write letters to the general public with so many multi-syllable words they would never use in speech, so much jargon...I work in the same program as them and I have to work hard to figure out what they're saying! Why do people do this when they write? Are they trying to sound official? Compensating for feeling like maybe they don't know what they're talking about? I don't know. Say it plain. Say it so people will understand. Not in a way that matches some concept you have in your head of what sounds "professional". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 When I had to write USAF T.Os the supervisor made us put 5 cents in the party kitty for each word over 3 syllables. It was a learning experance, the first year I supported the shop party, next year was better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bufbooth Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Long time ago in grade school, I was told that Napoleon would tell his orders to a front line solider before having them released to his chain of command in order to ensure that the orders were clear and understandable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Its all so confusing, sometimes I just don't understand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandview bill Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 youre' confused?How about me ,they took " Car Talk '' off the air in NW wisc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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