Assignment No 1 (6465) B.ed
Assignment No 1 (6465) B.ed
Assignment No 1 (6465) B.ed
Assignment No:1
Units (1–4)
Q.1 Define technical communication. Also discuss the importance of technical communication.
Technical Communication:
Technical communication is a broad field and includes any form of communication that exhibits
one or more of the following characteristics:
Communicating about technical or specialized topics, such as computer applications, medical
procedures, or environmental regulations.
Communicating by using technology, such as web pages, help files, or social media sites.
Providing instructions about how to do something, regardless of how technical the task is or even
if technology is used to create or distribute that communication.
The value that technical communicators deliver is twofold: They make information more useable
and accessible to those who need that information, and in doing so, they advance the goals of the
companies or organizations that employ them.
Software instructions help users be more successful on their own, improving how easily those
products gain acceptance into the marketplace and reducing costs to support them.
Medical instructions help patients and care-providers manage a patient’s treatment, improving the
health of the patient while reducing costs and risks associated with incorrect care.
Functional specifications and proposals help one group of technical experts communicate
effectively with other technical experts, speeding up development cycles, reducing rework caused
by misunderstandings, and eliminating risks associated with miscommunication.
Training programs provide people with new or improved skills, making them more employable
and their organizations and products more efficient and safe.
Well-designed websites make it easier for users to find information, increasing user traffic to and
satisfaction with those websites.
Technical illustrations clarify steps or identify the parts of a product, letting users focus on getting
their task done quickly or more accurately.
Usability studies uncover problems with how products present themselves to users, helping those
products become more user friendly.
The following is a partial list of the different jobs within technical communication:
Technical Writers & Editors
Indexers
Information Architects
Instructional Designers
Technical Illustrators
Globalization & Localization Specialists
Usability & Human Factors Professionals
Visual Designers
Web Designers & Developers
Teachers & Researchers of Technical Communication
Trainers and E-Learning Developers. What all technical communicators have in common is a user-
centered approach to providing the right information, in the right way, at the right time to make
someone’s life easier and more productive.
Creation and optimization of templates and designs for customized documentation and information
products.
Consulting in the implementation and support of global, site-transcending editing processes.
System-wide monitoring of legal requirements, general norms and guidelines for technical
documentation.
Consulting and implementation of consistent modularization and structuring of information units
Media transcending publication.
Development of interfaces to upstream and downstream systems.
The importance of technical communication is to make information clear and understandable in order
to make business more productive and consumer goods more convenient. Technical communication
helps to advance our economy by ensuring viable research and development, safeguarding design and
manufacturing, and protecting consumers through accurate and informative documents. Good
technical writing will:
Communication:
Technical communication facilitates the communication of concepts to workers or customers,
but may sometimes help you direct your employees in a particular course of action. For example,
if the workers in your bank are not properly posting deposits to accounts, you would instruct
them on the correct practice by writing all the proper instructions.
Cost:
It is important to understand technical communication because it can cost you a lot of money
that may go to waste if not properly used. The total cost of your company’s correspondence,
such as e-mail, letters, memos, and reports is an expensive but necessary exercise.
Income Generation:
Communication skills may cost the company money but they can as well earn money since a
well-drafted brochure, Web site, sales letter, flier, or proposal, can generate corporate income.
In essence, good communication may help pay you or your workers’ wages.
Instruction:
Technical communication helps in research and creation of information about technical
processes or products targeting your workers through various forms of media, such as the
Internet. For example, it may give instructions about computer applications, medical procedures,
or environmental regulations aiming at reaching your employees depending on the business you
are dealing with. It uses technology, such as Web pages or social media sites.
Customer-Client Relations:
A successful business depends on how it builds up the ambiance, the attitude it expresses and
the atmosphere it creates. Your technical communication indicates that you can think logically
and communicate your thoughts clearly thus co-workers or customers will judge your
proficiency according to what you say and how you say it.
Time:
According to a survey by the National Commission on Writing, technical communication is
important as it requires your attention, regardless of your profession Normally, you may spend
more time directing your subordinates through written messages, in addition to communicating
orally, while your new employees might spend less time writing as part of their work.
Q.2 Elaborate major characteristics of technical writing with the help of examples.
Characteristics of Technical Writing:
Technical writing is writing or drafting technical communication used in technical and
occupational fields. Such as hardware and software, engineering, chemistry, aeronautics,
robotics, finance, medical, consumer electronics, biotechnology and forestry. Technical writing
encompasses the largest sub-field within technical communication.
The characteristics of technical writing is very important if you are a person that is interested in
writing professionally. Technical writing is different from other types of writing in that it is more
informative. The purpose of this type of writing is to explain a variety of topics to other people.
Technical writing is commonly seen in how to manuals and other pieces that provide direction.
Learning the characteristics of technical writing is essential if you want to build a successful
writing career.
Technical writing, just as any other form of writing, has certain characteristics which distinguish
it from other types of writing. It is very different from writing opinion pieces, essays, prose, non-
fiction or fiction.
It is clear and straight forward.
The language is very direct and straight to the point.
It is very detailed and informative. The perfect example of technical writing is a textbook.
It is very structured. Solid structure is needed with technical writing as it allows the audience to
easily access the information as needed.
Technical writers identify the readers to whom they are writing evaluate what they require of the
documentation and determine why they will use documentation. They classify the readers by three
main characteristics:
Education
Knowledge and experience levels
Expectations and needs
Based on the knowledge level, you can categorize the audience as novice, intermediary or
experienced user. The content of the document will vary depending on the categorization.
Topic:
Topic involves the gist of what technical writers are planning to write about. For example, in a
document that explains how the retailer book an order with the wholesaler, the topic will be
“Booking an Order”.
Purpose:
Purpose will reflect the activity the audience wants to be able to perform after reading the
document.
To inform: – to provide the information without expecting any action on the part of the
reader.
To instruct: – to give information in the form of directions, instructions, procedures, so
that readers will be able to do something.
To propose: – to respond to a request for proposals (RFP) or to suggest a plan of action
for a specific problem.
To recommend: – to suggest an action or series of actions based on alternative possibilities
that have been evaluated.
To persuade: – to convince readers to take action, to change their attitudes or behaviors
based on valid opinions and evidence.
Has structured content:
The structure of the document is an important aspect of the documentation development. It would
depict how one section would flow into another and the segregation between chapters and
appendices.
Is objective:
Technical writing is rarely about opinion. Technical writing is grounded in fact. While writing
facts, care is needed to ensure that any assumption, conjecture, extrapolation, generalization,
opinion or possibly mentioned early in the document is not later referred to as if it were a fact.
Technical writers rely on evidence and not authority.
Uses Illustrations:
Technical writers consider tables and illustrations as part of a document, not as ornament. They
complement the writing. They do not add them at the end as if they were an afterthought. Instead
when planning a composition, they consider how information or ideas can be best conveyed to the
readers they have in mind- in words, numbers, tables or illustrations.
Is presented consistently:
Technical writers are consistent in use of headings, names, terms, abbreviations and symbols; in
spelling and punctuation.
Technical writing covers many genres and writing styles depending on the information and
audience. Technical documents are not solely produced by technical writers. Almost anyone who
works in a professional setting produces technical documents of some variety. Some other examples
of technical writing include:
Instructions and procedures: are documents that help either developers or end users operate or
configure a device or program. Examples of instructional documents include user manuals and
troubleshooting guides for computer programs, computer hardware, household products, medical
equipment, mechanical products and automobiles.
Proposals: Most projects begin with a proposal and document that describes the purpose of a
project, the tasks that will be performed in the project, the methods used to complete the project,
and finally the cost of the project. For example, a technical writer may author a proposal that
outlines how much it will cost to install a new computer system.
Emails, letters, and memoranda: are some of the most frequently written documents in a
business. Letters and emails can be constructed with a variety of goals some are usually aimed at
simply communicating information while others are designed to persuade the recipient to
accomplish a certain task.
Press releases: When a company wants to publicly reveal a new product or service, they will have
a technical writer author a press release, a document that describes the product's functions and
value to the public.
Specifications: are design outlines that describe the structure, parts, packaging, and delivery of an
object or process in enough detail that another party can reconstruct it. For example, a technical
writer might diagram and write the specifications for a smartphone.
Descriptions: are shorter explanations of procedures and processes that help readers understand
how something works. For example, a technical writer might author a document that shows the
effects of greenhouse gases.
Resume and job applications :are another example of technical documents. They are documents
that are used in a professional setting to inform readers of the author's credentials.
Technical reports: are written to provide readers with information, instructions, and analysis on
tasks. Reports come in many forms. For example, a technical writer might evaluate a building that
is for sale and produce a trip report that highlights his or her findings and whether or not he or she
believes the building should be purchased.
Case study: is a published report about a person, group, or situation that has been studied over
time also a situation in real life that can be looked at or studied to learn about something. For
example, an individual's challenging situation at his or her workplace and how he or she resolved
it is a case study.
White papers: are documents that are written for experts in a field and typically describe a
solution to a technological or business challenge or problem. Examples of white papers include a
piece that details how to make a business stand out in the market or a piece explaining how to
prevent cyber-attacks on businesses.
Websites: The advent of hypertext has changed the way documents are read, organized, and
accessed.
Datasheets: are the document that summarize the features, key specifications, technical
characteristics, application circuits and some other important information about the product,
machine, equipment, software, application, system in brief.
API guides: are written for the developer community and are used to explain the application
programming interfaces.
Help systems: are online help centers that provide users with technical information about products
and services. They provide content as web pages that are viewed in a browser. The content may
be created in help center software, such as system that can create a help center as an HTML output.
Q.3 Define ethics. Which type of ethical considerations are important in technical
communication process?
Ethics:
Ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought
to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.
"The basic concepts and fundamental principles of decent human conduct. It includes study of
universal values such as the essential equality of all men and women, human or natural rights,
obedience to the law of land, concern for health and safety and, increasingly, also for the natural
environment".
Sociologist Raymond Baumhart asked business people, "What does ethics mean to you?" Among
their replies were the following:
First, ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought
to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. For
example, refers to those standards that impose the reasonable obligations to refrain from rape,
stealing, murder, assault, slander, and fraud. Ethical standards also include those that enjoin virtues
of honesty, compassion, and loyalty.
Secondly, ethics refers to the study and development of one's ethical standards. As mentioned
above, feelings, laws, and social norms can deviate from what is ethical. So it is necessary to
constantly examine one's standards to ensure that they are reasonable and well-founded.
Ethics also means, then, the continuous effort of studying our own moral beliefs and our moral
conduct, and striving to ensure that we, and the institutions we help to shape, live up to standards
that are reasonable and solidly-based. In their attempt to define ethics, Verlasquez et al. (1987)
drew attention to four things that should not be considered as ethics.
1. They suggest that ethics is not necessarily about acting in accordance with one’s feelings as
sometimes a person’s feelings about a particular issue may lead them to act in a way that is
unethical.
2. Ethics cannot be equated with religion because although most religions advocate and provide
incentives for people to act in an ethical manner, ethics applies to everyone whereas religion is
limited to certain groups of people.
3. Behaving in an ethical manner should not be confused with respecting laws as throughout history
examples can be found of laws which with hindsight were clearly unethical (e.g. linked to slavery,
apartheid and compulsory sterilization of certain groups of people
4. Finally, ethical behavior cannot be based on “what society accepts” because people’s behavior
may deviate from what is ethical and societies may condone unethical behavior (such as
withholding vital medical treatment from certain groups of people or even trying to eliminate
certain groups of people altogether).
Stakeholders:
When writing any professional document, it is important to identify the potential stakeholders. A
stakeholder is anyone who will be affected by what you are intending on writing.
Direct:
The direct stakeholders are those initially impacted by what you write. For instance, if you are
writing about opening a new waste disposal area, the stakeholders clearly include the company
you are writing to.
Indirect:
The indirect stakeholders are those that are not impacted until a later time. Using the example of
the waste disposal, citizens in the area would be indirect stakeholders.
Remote:
The remote stakeholders are not affected until far into the future. One example following our
hypothetical waste disposal area, is future generations.
Basics Process of Ethical Communication:
Communication ethics is concerned primarily with human communication mediated by
communications technologies, from print to radio, television, and other advanced electronic media.
The importance of ethical responsibilities in direct or immediate communication, such as the
obligation to speak truthfully, and seeks to reflect on how these carry over into the complex
circumstances that arise with the development of communications science and technology.
Because of the historical role played by reflection on ethics in relation to mass circulation print
technologies in the form of newspapers during the first half of the twentieth century, communication
ethics has its roots in journalism ethics. Because of the multiplicity of communications media during
the last half of the twentieth century, the term media ethics is sometimes used as a synonym for
communication ethics.
The ten basics process of ethical communication are:
1. Seek to “elicit the best” in communications and interactions with other group members.
2. Listen when others speak.
3. Speak non-judgmentally.
4. Speak from your own experience and perspective, expressing your own thoughts, needs, and
feelings.
5. Seek to understand others (rather than to be “right” or “more ethical than thou”).
6. Avoid speaking for others, for example by characterizing what others have said without checking
your understanding, or by universalizing your opinions, beliefs, values, and conclusions, assuming
everyone shares them.
7. Manage your own personal boundaries: share only what you are comfortable sharing.
8. Respect the personal boundaries of others.
9. Avoid interrupting and side conversations.
10. Make sure that everyone has time to speak, that all members have relatively equal “air time” if
they want it.
Definition of Reports:
A Report may be defined as a statement or an account, either big or small, on some happenings,
findings, observations or recommendations prepared either by an individual or by a group.
A report may be oral or written.
It may be prepared by a single individual (like a secretary or a departmental head or an
investigator) or by a group of persons or a committee or a sub-committee.
A report may be prepared at regular interval of time (like annual report of an organization or a
monthly report by a branch to the head office) or only once (like a report by an enquiry
committee). Sometimes reports have to be prepared, submitted, and circulated statutorily. For
example, annual reports of a company.
A report has a documentation value. It is a source of reference, evidence, and history. The
secretary of an organization or a committee or a sub-committee, etc. has great responsibility in
connection with reports because he has to prepare them.
Importance of Reports:
Importance of reports in organizational life and for general administration is very great. Decisions
are very often taken on many controversial and problematic issues based upon some reports.
Members of an organization or a committee or a department, etc., can know many relevant and
material facts about the organization or committee or group itself or of other organizations,
committees or groups through reports thereon. General administration is guided very much by
different kinds of internal and external reports.
Parts of a report:
Whether you are writing a short report in memorandum format, preparing your report for a verbal
presentation at a meeting or constructing a formal printed report, it is likely to contain three main
parts:
Summary
Body
Conclusion.
1. Title page: The title page of a report, book, thesis or other written work is the page at or near
the front which displays its title, subtitle, author, publisher, and edition.
2. Table of contents: This is optional depending on the length of the report, a 2 to 3-page report
probably wouldn't have a table of contents but a 10 to 20-page report would.
3. Executive summary: An executive summary is a brief overview of a report that is designed to
give the reader a quick preview of the report's contents.
Its purpose is to present the key points of a report in one place of an executive summary is to
provide an overview or preview to an audience who may not have time to read the whole report
carefully.
An executive summary explains why you wrote the report, emphasizes your conclusions or
recommendations
Executive summaries are usually organized according to the sequence of information
presented in the full report.
Executive summaries are usually proportional in length to the larger work they summarize,
typically 10 to 15 percent.
Write the executive summary after you have completed the report and have decided on your
recommendations.
Review your report and identify the key points and use these to organize a draft of your
summary.
Make the summary concise, but be sure to show how you arrived at your conclusions.
Don't introduce any new information that is not in your report.
Executive summaries should communicate independently from your report.
4. Introduction:
The introduction should:
Briefly describe the context and background to the research.
Describe the change, problem or issue.
Define the specific objectives and purpose of the report indicate the overall answer to the
problem explored.
In the report outline the report's scope (the extent of the investigation, also known as its
terms of reference or brief).
preview the report structure.
comment on the limitations of the report and any assumptions that are made.
5. Discussion:
This is the main body of the report and it has two key purposes:
To explain the conclusions
To justify the recommendations
Key points to remember when you are writing the discussion:
Present the analysis in a logical and systematic way.
If necessary, divide the material with appropriate headings to improve the readers'
understanding.
Back up your claims with evidence, explain your findings.
Link theory to practical issues.
Persuade readers of the validity of your stance.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion should:
Be arranged so that the major conclusions come first.
Identify the major issues relating to the case and give your interpretation of them
Relate specifically to the objectives of the report as set out in the introduction
Be a list of numbered points
Follow logically from the facts in the discussion
Be clean-cut and specific
Be brief
7. Recommendations:
Your recommendations point to the future and should be:
action-oriented
feasible
logically related to the discussion and conclusion
numbered
arranged in order of importance
brief
8. References:
See the Library's website for information on citation and how to compile a reference list.
9. Appendices
Include in the appendices any essential extra material, such as tables and graphs that support
your research but don't relate directly to the discussion of your findings.
Types of Reports:
Reports are of various types. They are classified on the basis of various principles. Such
classification is also based on groups.
They are detailed below:
(1) Routine or Special:
A Routine Report: is prepared and presented as a routine work and at a regular period of time.
For example, the annual report of an association or a company which has to be prepared by the
secretary.
A Special Report: is prepared and presented not as a matter of routine. This is prepared on the
basis of some enquiry or investigation either by a single individual or by a body or a committee
or a subcommittee or a commission specially formed and entrusted with the duty.
(2) General or Confidential:
A General Report is that which is for distribution among many, like the members of an
organization- Such reports may be printed in large numbers or even published in newspapers for
the public information. The Government publishes reports of different committees or
commissions and places them on sale to the public.
A Confidential Report is meant for some superior person or persons and is not for general
information. Sometimes the report may be so confidential that the secretary or any other person
preparing it. Writes it by hand or types it out him-self.
(3) Formal or Informal:
A Formal Report is that which is prepared according to some prescribed form and at a
prescribed time and is presented according to a conventional procedure. For example, the annual
report of a company or any association, a report of a branch to its head office, etc.
Resume:
A resume is a document used and created by a person to present their background, skills, and
accomplishments. Resumes can be used for a variety of reasons, but most often they are used to
secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a "summary" of relevant job experience and
education.
A resume summarizes the most important information an employer needs to know when they
consider a new hire. The job seeker's relevant qualifications, training, and work history are listed
under easily understood resume headings such as "Summary of Qualifications," "Professional
Experience," or "Education." A typical resume will include the following:
1. Contact information: Job seeker's name, address, phone numbers, and email.
2. Objective or Summary of Qualifications: Relevant and impressive qualifications for the
desired position, presented at the top of the page, directly under the contact information.
3. Work History: Present and/or past employment, including dates, companies, job titles, and
relevant skills and accomplishments.
4. Education: Highest level of education completed.
The popular belief is that resumes land jobs. Not true. The resume's sole purpose is to land you
an interview. If employers like what they see in your resume, they'll contact you to schedule an
interview. During the interview, they'll evaluate how well your skills match the job requirements,
and how well your personality fits with their team.
Types of Resumes: Many kinds of resume templates are available, but the top three formats are:
1. Chronological: With work history listed in reverse chronological order (most recent position
first, oldest position last), this traditional type of resume focuses on titles and dates.
2. Functional: This less-common format focuses on skills and accomplishments, rather than
dates and titles. It divides your qualifications into functional categories, such as
Administrative, Marketing, or Project Management.
3. Combination/Hybrid: Featuring a mix of elements from both of the above resume types, this
format is the most versatile for individual scenarios. Many feel this format gives hiring
managers the best of both worlds.
In today’s information age, communication from job portals, social networking recruiters and
employers are able to throw out a large net to attract the job seekers to apply for a position at any
given time.
The down side to this is that recruiters and employers normally have many resumes to look
through for one vacancy and in many cases recruiters have more than one position that they are
looking for a suitable candidate.
Therefore, deadlines and the number of applicants create a situation where recruiters may only
read your resume for no more than a minute or two. So it is of the utmost importance you create
a resume that stands out.
In today’s information age, communication from job portals, social networking recruiters and
employers are able to throw out a large net to attract the job seekers to apply for a position at any
given time.
The down side to this is that recruiters and employers normally have many resumes to look
through for one vacancy and in many cases recruiters have more than one position that they are
looking for a suitable candidate.
Therefore, deadlines and the number of applicants create a situation where recruiters may only
read your resume for no more than a minute or two. So it is of the utmost importance you create
a resume that stands out.
Hera are the list of advantages of professional good resume:
Which courses you have completed successfully in your college? Mention any
two or three courses.
English
Mathematics
Computer
Finance accounting
What honors and awards have you received? Do you have any special college
achievements?
I have done Research project on:
Performance Impacts of Information Technology: Is Actual Usage the Missing Link?