Technical Writing (80 hours)

Course Overview/Description

The Technical Writing program is designed for anyone who wishes to develop their technical writing abilities to a professional level. Students will learn research methods, audience considerations, style, drafting and revision techniques, how to work in a collaborative environment, and more. A variety of media and formats will be studied, including websites, emails, proposals, memos, and instructions.

Here are some indicators of how important the profession of technical writing is today:

• State governments spend $221 million annually training their writers.
• Employers spend an estimated $3.1 billion annually on writing instructions for their employees.
• According to survey results, “two-thirds of salaried employees in large American companies have some writing responsibility. ‘All employees must have writing ability…Manufacturing documentation, operating procedures, reporting problems, lab safety, waste-disposal operations—all have to be crystal clear,’ said one human resource director.”
• According to one employer interviewed, “writing skills are fundamental in business. It’s increasingly important to be able to convey content in a tight, logical, direct manner, particularly in a fast-paced technological environment.”
• Professionals in engineering, technological, and scientific careers may spend up to 40 percent of their time writing (i.e., up to two full days out of a five day workweek).

Surveys of employers have shown that people with well-developed writing skills are consistently hired and promoted over those without. Gatlin Education Services’ Technical Writing program will give you the writing expertise you need to get noticed.

Course Objectives

By completing the Technical Writing course, students will:

• Understand the differences between academic and technical writing.
• Develop effective research methods.
• Learn to consider the needs and abilities of the audience.
• Learn how to incorporate clarity and utility.
• Develop job-hunting and resume-writing skills.
• Become aware of ethical issues in technical writing.
• Learn stylistic methods for effective writing.
• Learn how to work as part of a team.

Course Outline

I. Introduction to Technical Writing
a) Defining Technical Writing
b) Distinguishing it from other types of writing
c) Writing Inventory

II. Understanding Your Role as a Technical Writer
a) Ethics
b) Communication Dilemma

III. The Communication Triangle – The Recipe for Establishing Common Ground with the Audience
a) Choosing a Topic
b) Determining the Purpose for Writing
c) Analyzing an Audience
d) Evaluating Common Ground

IV. Types of Technical Correspondence—memo, letters, abstracts, communication of dilemma, emails

V. The Seven Principles of Good Writing

VI. Writing as a Process

VII. Preparation—as a way to generate ideas

VIII. Research—the access to support

IX. Organization—the key to logical paragraph development and a coherent outline
a) Writing topic sentences
b) Formulating supporting details

X. Rough Draft—from outline to paragraphs
a) Writing an introduction paragraph
b) Writing body paragraphs
c) Writing a conclusion paragraph

XI. Revising and Editing
a) Pitfalls to avoid
b) Practices to employ

XII. The Final Word on Technical Writing

Prerequisites/Audience

There are no specific prerequisites for this course. GES recommends that students have a good grasp of the English language, grammar and punctuation, and students will need to be comfortable using email and the Internet.

This course is intended for anyone who desires to develop their technical writing ability to a professional level.

PC Requirements/Materials Included

 

This course can be taken from either a Mac or a PC. There are no specific computer requirements other than an Internet connection, email account, Microsoft Word (for Assignment submissions), Windows Media Player (available as a free download), and Adobe Acrobat Reader (also available as a free download). It is recommended that the student use the latest version of Internet Explorer in place of other web browsers.

GES will provide the required textbooks for this course:
• Technical Writing for Success, by Smith-Worthington and Jefferson, 2nd Edition. Thomson South-Western Publishing, ISBN 0-538-43872-X.
• Technical Communication: A Reader-Centered Approach, by Paul V. Anderson. Thomson Wadsworth Publishing, ISBN 1-4130-2750-4.

Instructor Bio

Lynn Atkinson

Lynn Atkinson’s career as a technical writer began in 1977 when she became the assistant editor of a monthly magazine. After the owner sold the magazine, she continued her career by editing other periodicals and publications until she went back to college to earn another degree, this time in English. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 1993 with a BA in English and subsequently entered graduate school as a graduate teacher (GTA). In 1996 she received her MA in English, with an emphasis in rhetoric. A published writer, editor, ghost writer, and college textbook writer/editor, including acknowledged for her contributions to several editions of college textbooks, she considers her greatest accomplishment that of an educator of 14 years to thousands of students at UTA, Devry, Tarrant County College, Southeast Career Institute and Everest College. Among her other accomplishments, Ms. Atkinson has developed or co-developed several writing curriculums, including the Gatlin Technical Writing Course; won writing contests; been nominated and awarded outstanding teacher at UTA, Southeast Career Institute, and Everest; been awarded distinguished instructor by department chairs at UTA, Southeast Career Institute, and Everest; and conducted over 10,000 hours of tutoring as a Level III Certified Tutor in the SOAR department at UTA and in private practice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I register?
Click on the register button at the top of the page and follow the directions. It is important that you type all your information in the boxes, then print it out to sign.  Payment and sending instructions are in the bottom right corner of the form.

2. How much do the courses cost?
The fee is in the pink box at the top of the page.

3. Can I register for courses if I live outside the United States?
Yes you can!

4. Do I ever have go to the school I register with?
All of our courses are delivered entirely online, so you never have to go to a class or travel to the school.

5. How long does it take to complete a course?
All of our courses are self-paced and open enrollment. You can start and finish the course at your own pace. When you register for a course, you are given 180 days (6 months) to complete the course. If you need more time, extensions are available.

6. Do I have to buy additional materials?
All materials are included. The cost of materials is covered by your tuition. GES ships all materials via UPS ground service upon registration.

7. Can I get financial aid?
GES courses are non-credit courses, so they do not qualify for federal aid. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses.

• GES provides a loan opportunity for students. Simply go to www.collegeloanapplication.com to apply for an easier qualifying loan at a slightly higher rate. Click here for more information on this loan program.

8. What happens when I complete the course?
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate of completion from the school with which you registered. You must obtain a final passing grade of 70% or greater to be awarded a certificate.

9. Am I guaranteed a job?
GES courses will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. We do not provide direct job placement services, but our instructors will help you build your resume and are available to give advice on finding your first job. Instructors will also be available to use as a professional reference upon completion of the course. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

10. Who will be my instructor?
Each student is paired with a facilitator for one-on-one interaction. The facilitator will be available (via email or phone) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All of our facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.

11. What do I have to have in order to take an online course, and what are the system requirements?
In order to take our online courses, you must have access to a computer and the Internet (a normal dial-up connection is fine). You can access the course contents from any Web-enabled computer. There are no necessary plug-ins. You do not have to use the same computer to log-in to the course every time. We recommend that you have a word-processing program (Microsoft Word is best) and the latest version of Internet Explorer.

12. Can this course be taken on a Mac?
Yes.

Note: An IBM or IBM clone PC is any standard desktop computer that is not an Apple or MacIntosh. IBM and IBM clone PC's run some version of Windows as an operating system and come in many brands other than just IBM, such as Dell, Gateway, and Compaq just to name a few.

13. How can I get more information on the course?
All of the information we have is available online under our course catalog (www.gatlineducation.com). If you have questions that are not answered online, please feel free to email us at courseinfo@gatlineducation.com or call 817-870-2870. We will answer your questions promptly.

14. When can I start the course?
Our courses are all open enrollment. You can register and start the course as soon as you are ready.

15. How many hours per week should I spend studying?
As a general rule, we suggest a minimum of between five and ten hours per week. However, this will vary from individual to individual. If you are just getting started and have little to no experience, certainly try to put in as much time as you can and try to maintain a persistent schedule. Ultimately each student will find a pace that is comfortable for them.