Chapter 6

1. Chapter 6 An Overview of the Technical Writing Process Technical Communication, 12th edition John M. Lannon Laura Gurak

2. Stages in the Writing Process • Gather and evaluate ideas and information. • Plan the document. • Draft the document. • Revise the document.

3. The Technical Writing Process • Research often involves discussions with technical experts. • Analysis of audience needs and expectations is critical. • Complex organizational settings and “office politics” play an important role. • Colleagues frequently collaborate in preparing a document. • Many workplace documents are carefully reviewed before being released. • Proper format for a document is essential. • Deadlines often limit the amount of time that can be spent preparing a document.

4. Make Proofreading Your Final Step • During proofreading, look for • Sentence errors • Punctuation errors • Usage errors • Mechanical errors • Format errors • Typographical errors

5. Guidelines for Proofreading • Save it for the final draft. • Take a break before proofreading your final document. • Work from hard copy. • Keep it slow. • Be especially alert for problem areas in your writing. • Proofread more than once. • Never rely on the computer.

6. For additional help reviewing this chapter, please visit the Companion Website for your text at http://www.ablongman.com/lannon. Any Questions?