© M. Reber 04/18/23

Why Details Matter in Technical Writing

Little things that make a big difference

Why Do I Insist Details Matter?

I’m Anal Retentive? I’m Too Picky? It’s My Personal Opinion? I’m a Hard Teacher? I Want to Make You Miserable? I’m Just Making up Stuff?

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The Answer Is…

NONE OF THE ABOVE!!!

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Details Matter Everywhere!

Programming JavaScript Updating Financial Reports Baking a Cake Jumping a Dead Car Battery Preventing Computer Viruses

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Programming JavaScript

If you leave a “}” or a “=“ out of a script…

<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript"><!—

function popitup(url) {newwindow=window.open(url,'name','height=200,width=150');if (window.focus) {newwindow.focus()}return false;}var newwindow = '';function popitup(url) {// --></script>

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Programming JavaScript (cont.)

You might see this…

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Programming JavaScript (cont.)

Instead of this:

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Updating Financial Reports

If you place decimals incorrectly…

12.11

1.211

121.1-------------

Updating Financial Reports (cont.)

You might see this…

12.111.211121.1------------- 134.421

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Updating Financial Reports (cont.)

Instead of this:

12.1112.1112.11------------- 36.33

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Baking a Cake

If you add 1t of baking powder instead of 1T in a recipe… Amaretto Sponge Cake

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Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine 1T baking powder 1 large egg 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 large eggs 1/4 cup amaretto liqueur

Baking a Cake (cont.)

You might get this…

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Baking a Cake (cont.)

Instead of this:

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Jumping a Dead Car Battery

If you clamp the red (+) cable onto the black (-) post...

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Jumping a Dead Car Battery (cont.)

You might get this…

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Jumping a Dead Car Battery (cont.)

Instead of this:

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Preventing Computer Problems

If you forget to protect your hard drive… Scan for viruses Turn your firewall off Give out your password Open suspicious e-mails Let dust build up in the vents

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Preventing Computer Problems (cont.)

You might get this…

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Preventing Computer Problems (cont.)

Instead of this:

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So What Did We Learn?

Every discipline has rules!!!

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What Kinds of Detail Matter in Technical Writing? Accuracy of Information Consistency Formatting Styles Graphics

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Accuracy of Information

Ensure the steps or procedures in a process are in an exact order.

Ensure the system you describe works the way you say it does.

Ensure the information you share is well researched.

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Consistency

Consistency is a critical concept in writing, especially technical writing. Consistency of naming conventions Consistency of formatting & style

Inconsistency can confuse your reader.

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Consistency (cont.)

Examples of inconsistent naming conventions:

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email E-mail Email Internet net Web site website

Print dialog box Print Screen PrtScrn Thumbnail Icon

an item A 2nd item A third item. item 4 Item #5

Consistency (cont.)

Examples of consistent and inconsistent formatting & styles:

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Heading 1 Heading 2

Body text

Heading 1 Heading 2

Body text

Heading 1 Heading 2

Body text Heading 4

Body text Heading 3

Body text Heading 3

Consistent Inconsistent

Formatting

Formatting creates: Distinct styles for each element of your document.

Formatting keeps: Style elements consistent throughout a document.

Formatting establishes: A relationship between subject.

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Formatting (cont.)

Formatting elements include: Headings (H1) and Subheadings (H2) Body Text Bulleted Lists Tables Headers and Footers White Space “Note!”, “Caution!” or “Warning!” Boxes

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Styles: Personal Style

Style: noun [stahyl]: Style is a particular, distinctive, or

characteristic mode of action, appearance or manner of acting.

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Styles: Personal Style (cont.)

Compare this style…

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Styles: Personal Style (cont.)

…to this style.

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Styles: Personal Style (cont.)

Just as physical attributes and mode of dress give a person a different look, feel or image…

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Styles: Text and Typeface

…dressing up your text gives it a different look, feel or image. Bold it Italicize it Give it some …….. space Give it some COLOR Differentiate your text levels:

Headline Level 1Headline Level 2

Headline Level 3Body Text

Use Microsoft Word to help you define common text styles that create your distinctive design.

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Styles: Microsoft Word Styles

Are a set of stored formatting commands you can use repeatedly throughout a document For example, you can define a style for headings that is

left-justified, bold, blue, 18 pt. font, with a 1.5 border With a mouse click, you can apply formatting characteristics to

selected text all at once instead of one at a time

Used to “tag” or identify parts of a document You can create unique styles for each type of text in a document

(headings, body text, captions, etc.) You can easily revise a style and automatically update all

occurrences of that style throughout a document

Allow you to customize the look/layout of a document33

Styles: Writing Style

Your unique writing style is defined by: The way you use metaphorical expression, words,

grammar and punctuation, etc.

But in the corporate environment, your writing style must mesh with others by: Modifying your personal style to match your

company’s style guide conventions and corporate image.

Writing in the corporate voice using standard abbreviations, verbiage, and term usage.

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Graphics

Just as text and writing styles make your document unique, graphics alter its mood and appearance.

Graphics can: Give a specific, consistent look to your document Break up the monotony of straight text Emphasize important information Appeal to right-brained users Convey quantitative relationships (percentile rankings,

trends, etc.) Communicate internationally

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Graphics (cont.)

Use graphics to: Show how something looks or is constructed Show how to do something Explain how a process works Show how something is organized Help the reader find specific facts Show relationships Make a persuasive point

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Not to beat a dead horse but...

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Details…

DO MATTER!!!

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