Need enlightment on Technical Writing
Need enlightment on Technical Writing
(OP)
Hi,
I am interested to know if anyone has completed a course of study in technical writing related to chemical industry/pharmaceutical industry (have come across advetisements of courses being offered by some univs and insititutes)? If so how useful it is in getting a job? I have six yrs' experience in technical support & project mgt. with a chemical industry but am new to US of A. Will this help me in getting a job?
I am interested to know if anyone has completed a course of study in technical writing related to chemical industry/pharmaceutical industry (have come across advetisements of courses being offered by some univs and insititutes)? If so how useful it is in getting a job? I have six yrs' experience in technical support & project mgt. with a chemical industry but am new to US of A. Will this help me in getting a job?





RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
Good Luck - Blacksmith
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
_____________________________________________________
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
-Steve Prefontaine
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
I concur with your assessment of the need for learning the proper style of writing - its not being taught in the US primary school system anymore - but I think the title "technical writing" threw me off. Good writing is good writing, be it technical writing, news articles (many of which are deplorable) or fiction.
Blacksmith
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
You will find there on the Internet tons of examples on Technical Writing as well as Colleges and Universities offering these kind of courses. There are very formal requirements for technical writing and reports and speak something about writer and his/her style.
Good luck !
Michael
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
He was an instructor at Red River Community Collage in Winnipeg. He also had a private course in communication skills. The book may be hard to find but it’s worth the effort. (www.albris.com currently has at least 12 copies starting at $4.99)
His main thrust is clear and concise communication. He suggests that you start every letter, report and paragraph with the six words “ I want to tell you that…” then finish the sentence and delete the first six words.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
www.kitsonengineering.com
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
As an Engineer (apps, training, product development, etc) I often wound up being the guy who wrote things- manuals, FAQs, training materials. A few years ago, I was re-assigned to this as a primary job description.
There are pros and cons, just like anything.
Check out the Techwr-l list- it is a great resource, and also links to more great resources!
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/index.php3
There are also various newsgroups and mailing lists around, many of which focus on a particular tool (Word, Frame, Ventura)
Jay
jmaechtlen@amada.com
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
Good writing may be "good writing", but If you do not take a class, you may not be able to write at all.
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
When I got my BS in Aerospace, I took a Writing Public Policy class as part of my minor. As a test engineer, I have to write test plans, installation instructions, cost estimates, and Reports of Test Results. What I have found in the Aerospace industry is that companies (generally) already have formats they want their engineers to use, so in reality, any writing class is useful in your background. If you are comfortable with writing (in American English perferably), you should already be set for writing skills.
My personal textbook reference is "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White. I hope this helps!
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
I would like to share information with you and tell you about what I have found useful and roadblocks. In my case I have been with the same company and same job for a long time, yet the new people above me have problems to understand my reports and recommendations. I have taken some seminars on bussiness writing and some of the hints and good practice has helped. There are still things internal to our company and people that I need solve. We have some people who only want to read one page total. In contrast to that, my manager wants all the details. Our production people want "pictures" for instructions, much like the comics captions frame by frame. I have a plan to work out the drawbacks and to improve myself, but just now starting. I think I need more input. Others here might have suggestions. Let me know if you have found some greart ideas. Email toolman2@lakedalelink.com Happy Hoildays, John
RE: Need enlightment on Technical Writing
When Gerald Ford was US President, he too wanted each national policy distilled to one page. Can you imagine how hard that must have been?