A Handbook for PWTC Students
Contents
1. 4 Write in complete but short sentences Lengthy sentences can become confusing but fragments do not give enough information Do not drop articles to save space or word count Articles help to clarify what is being done where and to what or whom 5 Do not use the passive voice It represents possibilities not absolutes for the reader User Testing What is User Testing User testing is a critical part of the manual drafting process a way for the manual author to collect feedback from real users not just peers During the drafting process your manual should be reviewed through a process called user testing Your test subjects may point out typos or design flaws in your manual but more importantly they are testing the usability of your manual User testing is more than just getting another set of eyes on your manual before it goes to the printers Oftentimes an experienced technical writer can miss some of the finer details that the average user isn t familiar with User testing provides the opportunity to find these areas where the instructions might be too broad or more explanation is needed All manuals benefit from user testing Tips and Tricks for User Testing Read Graves A Strategic Guide to Technical Communication for an overview of the different types of users It is best to have most users come from your primary user group however don t discount the benefit of having users with multiple ability level2. ford tere De 60m bote ue Aree e q table ow e o two Thee ets lagras pe ewe rhe q ae o tee STO RANA r 1 Fiat Meaty Pa Pe vTr fA My mm o Pest Ler TEM Y In the image to the right differences in text size and value offer different levels of hierarchy There are three levels of vertical alignment that further cement the hierarchy of the text The most impor tant text is seen at the top of the page while the less important text is seen towards the bottom of the page CALLING ALL COLORS More than sixteen million to render which ones to choose Choosing the right color for your project is pivotal When deciding what kind of color scheme to go with keep in mind that different colors and shades will evoke different emotions and associations in your audience For example the color red can stimulate adrenaline or blood pressure while orange because it is rarely found in nature pops out at us more than other colors That s why we find it on life vests hunting vests and in construction work areas Here s some helpful vocabulary to help you on your way Chromatic Value The measure of lightness or darkness in a color Adding white to a color creates what s called tint and adding black to a color cre ates a shade Monochromatic If a color scheme is monochromatic it consists of different tints and shades of one color Analogous Analogous colors are those colors that are situated right next
3. All of the work completed for this course Online Portfolio is showcased in an online portfolio each student creates for his or _ Protossite herself Upon completion of this course students will be fluent in Serer le Cee 0 000 use of HTML Software used Adobe Dreamweaver Adobe Flash Adobe Photoshop MS Powerpoint PWTC Soilware The PWTC program has a strong focus in pairing analytic writing with new technologies As a PWTC student you will gain experience in specialized documentation and editing soft ware by drafting original content on digital platforms Here is an alphabetical list of software used throughout the PWTC program Adobe Dreamweaver is a web authoring and editing program that provides visual and code level capabilities for creating standards compliant XML and HTML websites and designs You will use this program to build numerous websites in English 391 Adobe Flash is a creative environment for producing expressive interactive content You will be introduced to Flash and its built in programming language called Action Script 3 0 for coding your own animations and games in English 391 Adobe FrameMaker is a powerful authoring managing and publishing solution for use in consistent creation of template based technical documents You will tame your own massive writing projects with FrameMaker in English 381 Adobe InDesign is a design package used in proofing page layouts before their print or digital distribution The
4. When selecting a font or font combination for your document keep in mind that less is more Select a font that is readable in print and that does not distract the reader from the written content It can be tempting to design titles in big gaudy font but subtlety is usu ally effective Ho Mons Play tae vert na too qu to ot oot a E Nes Po wer a ad ee _ be e ee Sc te a oe a A nee Sn pio i es a gt Pee e qu o gt en am er mae post vas pe eel eT p ap ae et a ee a A la Mos g q ai y ee tita st pr pr p i ae ses e A j f em ua SERIFS VS SANS SEQIFS Serifs are are semi structural details on the ends of some of the strokes that make up letters and symbols and sans serifs are simply typefaces without the fancy flourish You can mix and match these two classes of typeface within your docu ment to create a sense of logic within the confines of the page For example a document with titles in serif typeface and body paragraphs in sans serif typeface il lustrates a subtle contrast in font and helps guide the reader s eye across the page Experiment with different serifs and sans serifs to see what kind of meaning it can create on the page ALIGNMENT AND MERARCHY When designing a document it is important to consider the alignment and hierarchy When used correctly both design elements can make your document look more professional and structured ALIGNMENT T
5. 380 class of 2011 uploading it to the Staples website you re there spent between 12 and 30 on STAPLES Or bring a flashdrive with your files saved printing and binding Each manual as a PDF You won t have the flexibility Staples prepare your manual beforehand was a total of around 30 pages slone mon to make last minute changes like you by uploading it to the Staples website You and the prices varied depending o ad would at a local shop won t have the flexibility to make last min on the type of binding and paper A AR ute changes like you would at a local shop used o eua api Color Printing and Binding Cost a M http www staples com e For a 32 double sided color pages with o vinyl back and clear plastic front 23 00 Dual Boot is the term for having two operating systems running on one computer Dual Boot In 380 you might have to write a manual on Windows specific products like Word 2010 Frame Maker and RoboHelp If you re a Mac user and the idea of continually having to return to school or the PWTC lab to work on homework isn t appealing to you you can install a Windows OS right on your Mac computer with these steps What You Will Need 1 A legal physical copy of your preferred Windows OS which can be obtained for free at msdnaa oit umass edu 2 Patience 3 Bravery Checking Requirements Before you can install a Windows OS on your Mac you have to make sure your computer can han
6. Follow these simple but key steps to make sure nothing goes wrong in the process 2 Back up important files using Time Machine or other backup assistant or copy them to an exter nal hard drive 3 Log in as administrative user and log out all other users From the Apple in the menu bar choose Software Update Install all available updates After re start if required install any additional updates that remain Quit all running applications 6 Plug in the power adapter if the computer is a laptop sd Partitioning Your Hard Drive Now that you re all ready to go you ll need to partition your hard drive Partitioning a hard drive is when you break it up into sections to be allocated to different tasks If this sounds scary it kind of is that s why you backed up your important files With a partitioned hard drive you can run any op erating system you want Linux Windows Mac OS 9 and still run your current operating system that you know and love But don t be nervous we re here to help 1 From the Utilities folder in the Applications folder open Boot Camp Assistant SUGGESTED Click Print Installation amp Set Up Guide Click Continue Make sure the Download the Windows support software for this Mac bubble is selected Click Continue The Windows Support Software downloads Click Continue Drag the divider to allocate hard drive space for Mac OS X and Windows Click Partition e ee aE NOTE This is a thor
7. creative tools in InDesign provide precise control over typog raphy and consistency You will become familiar with this powerful production tool in English 381 Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard digital imaging program This program includes tools for photography editing and realistic painting You will design both task based and free form PhotoShop projects in English 391 Adobe RoboHelp is a software solution that creates and organizes help systems policies and procedures in an industry standard format You will use RoboHelp to cre ate an online help system for a process or procedure of your choosing in English 381 Microsoft PowerPoint is the leading presentation software for use in illustrative and informative projects Designed for use in front of an audience you will use PowerPoint to give presentations on controversial and intriuging topics in both English 379 amp Eng lish 391 Microsoft Word is the definitive word processor Between formatting tips command shortcuts and practical demonstrations you will become intimately familiar with Word s capabilities as you write a software manual on the program in English 380 Professional Writing and Technical Communication Alumni Graduates of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Professional Writing and Technical Commu nication program have been employed by companies such as Alacatel Lucent Hewlett Packard IBM Lotus Software Motorola Outcome Sciences RSA Security M
8. final project is a semester long process including planning writing editing user testing and profes sional printing and binding English 379 must be taken prior to or during the same as English 380 Software used InDesign Adobe Robohelp Adobe Framemaker Major Projects e 30 35 Page Word Manual Group Demo English 381 Advanced Technical Writing This course builds upon the skills learned in English 380 in order Major Projects to improve students level of organization as well as written and E Calleborni ve Handbook graphical talent The specific software covered is currently used in Group Demos fields students may enter upon graduation English 380 must be oct cw cw cw ewe taken prior to taking this course Software used InDesign Adobe Robohelp Adobe Framemaker English 382 Advanced Technical Writing II This class functions as the capstone course for the PWTC pro gram and is therefore geared towards seniors This course gives students a chance to choose a specific area they may want to specialize in There will be mock interviews alumni visits port folio workshops and more English 381 must be taken prior to or simultaneously with this course Major Projects Independent Project of Student s Choice English 391C Advanced Software for Professional Writers Focusing specifically on print and web design this class is the most Major Projects software heavy of all five
9. user that you are attracting and always keep the intro duction as concise as possible Y S S gt e Es Es Es a e e A Y 2 Y A DA DIRA ADORO DO IR IR IR RR LR LRD ee TUTTE ETL e ROLA IN IAN THEE l Il LLALLA S N The ove i E soin a IMponanes of an introduction is to state the task that is amido e RE in the following set of directions Mainly th ion clarifies any information the that can be vi Hons le e viewed in the direc a a gain a better understanding of basic concepts and ine if the following set of directions will be beneficial Y My 1 Y OT 4 Hit How to Write an Introduction N AO 4 N Z Z S 4 AANA TTT Tn TUTTLE TTT TTA Z 4 2 G ES So A ES Es Es Es Es gt _ _ mm Z e S S S S N Mana ing Tone in Technical How to Write a Callout Writi An aspect of your writing that your users will very likely scrutinize is the tone When writing tech nical documents your tone will be modified accordingly to best suit your target user audience For example if you were writing a technical document for an audience of college students your tone would differ from that of a technical document for your professors Despite these minute adjust ments there are key points you should keep in mind when exercising a spe
10. will guide you from a 3 ee nee eee tae f ANALE ina cabal diate level indicate shortcuts on a screenshot conclusions about your users if you re writ ing to a specific group of users do not make BAD This user manual will get you to exactly e Expert or insider tips that will help the user understand the program assumptions about them In making these where you need to be in no time Soon you ll be better assumptions you may alienate select users a great chef in your own right of your user audience Avoid Exaggeration and Exclamations GOOD A college students life can be hectic WHAT NOT TO weite IN a CALLOUT between whatever schoolwork social life and Sometimes we might feel the need to infuse our writing with energy to appeal to our us extracurricular activities you May have so this ers Note however that exclamation points user manual will guide you through the steps of Essential Information Never assume that your reader will give the call and bubbly adjectives can give your writing setting up your free UMass blog in a few quick outs a second glance Make sure that all the important issues are covered in your instruction steps an overall feeling of fake enthusiasm as well AS A a i BAD As a college student you re often too busy with partying to pay attention to the finer details of setting up your free UMass blog so this guide will do all the hard work for you That way you can get back to the acti
11. CD in hand what next Time to install it onto your computer It is imperative that you follow the instructions exactly or you could lose A everything on your Mac Still not worried Good Let s keep going e NOTE Do NOT select any partition other than the one noted or you risk losing all 1 Insert your Windows installation disk PEE AENA data on your computer 2 Click Start Installation in Boot Camp Assistant The computer reboots NOTE If asked to ge E dW ia ada aa 3 Follow the installer instructions choose between 4 Select Disk O Partition 3 BOOTCAMP from the prompt e upgrade or cus e SS 0 tom installation y A NOTE Do NOT delete any partitions or make any changes in e a E AES ae it ae a ha nde Hiat e this screen Do NOT Select any other partition other thanthe e H o tap Windows MP an che elected tem prevu ENTER One noted or you risk losing all data on your computer ICE RE E ser RR DR RD RR RR RD O RR RD DD rr o o CHECA EA blisk O ddr baa N an atini EM FT rara Em u HH pa op toner A PE Tres i F A i ATTE MET E 1 Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to select NTFS or FAT format See note above or printed guide for additional information on each Press return on the keyboard 2 Reboot the computer
12. Droogs 101 A Handbook lor PWIC Students Edited and Des igned By Meliss A Karl en Droogs 101 A Handbook for PWTC Students Contributing Authors Victoria Willis Rik Franklin Peter Arsenault Kevin O Connell Ashley Caprarella Ashley McShea Anna Hatton Sadie Trombetta Robin Garabedian Karina Laurenitis Shevonne Commock Devon Magoon Allison Rocheleau Lisa Donaghue Daniel Ronan Ismail Eddafali Emma Pampanin Alex Foley and Kirstyn Costa Edited and Designed By Melissa Karlen 2012 Introduction Fellow Droogs The PWTC class of 2012 leaves behind our tips and ad vice for surviving the Professional and Technical Writing Certificate Program We hope that you read this handbook carefully whether it be frontwards backwards or out of order If you ever feel lost and overwhelmed which may be more often than not just take a deep breath rest your eyes and return when you re ready Inspiration seems to always happen well after midnight Table of Contents AO UC AA es 3 Chapter 1 Welcome Fellow Droogs Mate cin ica Un A de Soa apa uno O OR ai NN E 6 lee BRO COURE A SS id 7 A A A ie RR E A ean 8 MERDA NGS crane Cae oar cette ate ee re a ole lo a ee 9 Chapter 1 welcome Fellow Droogs Chapter 4 Finishing Up 4 1 Last Minute Checklist 26 o Cover andi kroni Matter eae e a ale Ge Combining POF Fages a 28 EE cali a O 29 30 A A OO O dee ea saan 31 33 What are Professi
13. cific tone in your writ S What Is a Callout A callout is a handy text wrapping tool that writers use for a number of reasons They float on the page and often but not always have a line or an arrow that indicates a point of refer ence Callouts also provide opportunities for eye catching and well balanced designs Ad ditionally callouts reinforce information that is already on the module While module steps require concise language callouts often take on a more relaxed tone AMEN SN A SLL GORRO RASA TTT ing regardless of your users 2 SY GOOD Preheat the oven to 350 If you are un Avoid Condescending Language sure how to do so please see the Appendix Unfortunately while it might seem that this would be easily avoided condescen BAD Preheat the oven to 350 If you are unsure sion can slip into your tone if you re not how to do so please see the Appendix and do not WHAT TO INCLUDE Im A CaLLooT careful especially if you are preoccupied with an overly amiable tone Your us feel badly as you are new to the kitchen this is to ers need guides not the implication that se SPECTET e Information that you think the reader should be aware of that may not have been appropriate to include in the main set of instructions they re being talked down to Information that supports a screenshot Sometimes screenshots shouldn t Avoid Making Assumptions GOOD This user manual
14. dle it These steps will guide you through the process of checking your system s specs to see if they meet the requirements If by the end you find that your computer does not have the minimum requirements do not continue with the dual boot 1 From the Apple in the menu bar choose About This Mac 2 Check to see that the computer meets minimum operating system and processor require ments The operating system should be Mac OS X Version 10 5 or higher Mac OS X though 10 6 is recommended The processor must be Intel 3 Select the Finder by clicking on the desktop or choosing it from the dock and open a new Finder window Determine your free hardware space at the bottom of the Finder window Check that there are at least 10GB of free hard drive space A A T e os em eee 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dual Boot continued Burning Windows to a Disc If you downloaded your copy of Windows i e through the school through MSDN AA you need to burn it to a disk to properly install it You may skip these instructions if you already have a disk copy of Windows Double click the iso to mount the disk image to your desktop Insert a blank DVD into your disc drive Right click or press control and click on the disk image Select Burn file name to disc Eject disc when it has finished writing ois Ge ie e Getting Ready 1 Now that you know your computer can handle the process it s time to get ready
15. erst offers students an op portunity to learn about different kinds of soft ware as well as teach and help others through their completed grant proposals user documen Jobs within Technical Communication e Technical Writers amp Editors e Information Architects e Instructional Designers e Technical Illustrators tation and personal portfolio websites e Globalization amp Localization Specialists e Usability amp Human Factors Professionals Students challenge their technical skills as well e Web Designers amp Developers as their writing constantly learning and push ing their abilities in this digital world Overview of PWIC Courses All courses are 3 credits English 379 and English 380 are offered in the fall semesters while Eng lish 381 English 382 and English 391c are offered in the spring semesters Students must be a junior or senior and maintain a 3 0 GPA to be enrolled in the PWTC program Eng 379 Introduction to Professional Writing ee ete ee eee oe ee This class teaches you the basics of Professional Writing It focuses Major Projects on technicalities of writing like style and grammar as well as r sum Research Paper building Prerequisite is English 112 or equivalent Group Presentation Software used MS PowerPoint W E B Dubois Library Databases Mock Grant Proposal Eng 380 Intermediate Technical Writing This class focuses on Technical Writing specifically modular docu mentation The production of the
16. ght Could using fine gray lines in their place Cool simplify the presentation Could they be eliminated altogether Using a variety of line weights and Colors limited inclusion of color are also subtle but powerful ways of differentiating information White Space One may want to crowd information in to get the most out of a module But a cluttered page does not invite a reader s interest White or negative space is any portion of the page that is blank A designer can delib erately use white space to make a page look clean and polished DOOODOOOO OOO OR OD JODO OODOD A DOD JO JOD JO DOD OOD ODOODODOOODODOD JODO SOOO ODO 1 This is just a small slice of a vast sea of words used to describe varieties of color Start building your color vocabulary early to start speaking the right language You ll come across terms like hexadecimal notation split complementary triadic tetradic discordants achromatic and many more Be prepared E ne d Commons Take care not to create trapped white space These awkward chunks of negative space might get left over o A between sections or images in a module AA of Massachusetts gt 4 sw 2 y Color can be the foremost attracting element of a webpage layout or what have you so choose wisely and do a little bit of research before you come to a final decision Check out some alluring color configurations online or on book covers to get a sense of what exactly you
17. gt lt gt lt gt lt gt lt gt lt gt lt Combining PDF Files with Adobe Acro bat Pro 1 Convert your Microsoft Word File to a PDF 2 Open Adobe Acrobat Pro X 3 Click Combine Files into PDF pS it eA E FA be do Rec eed Fie LAI ated A Ciper La Cima POF j cm A a FOR a Es Crea FO Form er Orea P rm OLLECTIVE COPIES Store Hours Mon Fri 8am 8pm Sat 9am 3pm Sun 11am 3pm ampus Design amp Copy What to Bring A flash drive with your manual saved on it as a PDF You will be able to explain how you want the final layout to look once your there Pru Fu Bu U Take a deep breath you ve finished your manual and are ready for the next step printing binding and handing it in This process is relatively quick and reasonably inexpensive There are two local printing options in the Amherst area Campus Design amp Copy CDC in the Student Union and Collective Copies CC in downtown Amherst Or use the Staples copy and printing department You ll find everything you need to know about printing and binding below What to Bring A flash drive or have your manual saved to your UDrive or a site you can access from online You ll be able to make any last minute changes while you re there Where Should Go When choosing a copy shop to go to there are a few things in addition to cost to keep in mind It s important to realize that CDC i
18. here are two types of alignment vertical alignment and horizontal alignment For example if your document is left aligned you should make sure that the text running down the left side of the page lines up and that the text or images on the top of the page line up In the image to the left the text is put into columns but the designer made sure that each column s text was both vertically aligned and horizon tally aligned This allowed for a neatly organized page with no ambiguity as to what information went to which person Another name for the top and left side of the page is the power zone Text placed in this area gets more emphasis than the text in the bottom right side of the page HIERARCHY Hierarchy is the most basic form of visual design and makes a document easier to read and understand The two images below both of the same written text show the power of hier archy and what it can do to a page s organization Komp and queens barri Acme Aasa Setup and Operating Instructians Barre Amt wet ng ecos MITO 448 ea w bm jus bone dm Arw Pate mar o ear a The tre Amorru Ma tere ha Cu Ds tara s 2 Lola ras dg Catu Tuts lo med lo mr a das ramo mes Do rs A va Pee et rara o aptin rig a sr ensa toor o ad empen hor E Eag ca Ds A Pee TT bs Otay be aar hoh De dodo wy enasrrasr fe nevera Tua Pete dt hee Corta r ow 2j Bl mest ss piye ae dt Tu ex il b rr wy wi q De 1 ow Linera Ma trem
19. isn t open on the weekends and that it can How Long Will It Take close early or have reduced hours during finals week CC is generally more expensive The whole process if everything but has longer hours Staples is open 7 days a goes as planned shouldn t take week but you won t be able to change your more than an hour However keep manual once you get there in mind that during finals it might be crowded Also it s a good idea to leave time to reprint a page or two if you catch a typo you missed the first time it s possible to re place a single page Color Printing Costs 10 24 pgs color 0 75 each side Color Printing Costs 25 99 pgs color 60 each side A Single side 60 Double sided 1 15 Binding Options Tape binding 2 50 Comb binding 2 75 Coil Velo binding 3 25 Prices include printed cardstock cover Biding Options Strip Binding 1 50 Comb Binding 1 25 Coil 2 00 Whole Punch 0 60 Cover Paper Clear plastic or black vinyl 1 00 Cover Paper What Do I Bring Transparency 0 50 Cover Stock 0 10 Collective Copies A flash drive with your manual saved on it as a PDF Campus Design amp Copy A flash drive or na o have your manual saved to your UDrive or Prices An Overview What to Bring a site you can access from online You ll be o Prepare your manual beforehand by able to make any last minute changes while The English
20. isys Healthcare Eze Castle Software and Oracle Corporation Some alumni have gone into the medical field while others continue to work with software One was offered a job as a technical writer but ended for a travel agency in Italy PWTC alumni have also become documentation managers technical writers book and journal editors and trainers Some of the daily tasks technical writers do include contacting other coworkers to develop different projects and using the skills learned in the PWTC courses to write email effective instructions ALUMNI Kelsey Anderson graduated in 2011 User Experience Copywriter at Athena Health Michael Fonseca graduated in 2010 Wh e Associate Technical Project Consultant at Th Fe Are Outcome Science N Owe Gwendolyn Gustavson graduated in 2011 Senior Paralegal at Bergmann amp Moore Average Salaries Technical Writer 32 000 to 84 000 Technical Editor 36 000 to 57 000 Senior Technical Writer 56 000 to 81 000 Corry Mackin graduated in 2009 Associate Technical Writer at Oracle Gabrielle Segalla graduated in 2010 Junior Technical Writer at Axeda Corpo ration Megan Strathearn graduated in 2010 Web Design Developer at the College of Humanities and Fine ArtsInformation Technology department at UMass Am herst Research Assistant for 4MALITY web based tutoring system within the School of Education Overall it depends on the company you are working for your position skill
21. ld be polite and professional and it is also important that your memo be concise This way your audience can quickly skim the memo and understand its contents In the PWTC program cover memos are an opportunity to explain your work to your instruc tor You can use cover memos to ask questions request feedback explain your reasoning behind certain choices you made in your work and more Purpose Tell the reader what you are submitting and why This can be a brief statement I am submitting the report that you requested in class last week Summary Summarize the contents of the document Because cover mem os should be concise it is essential to not draw this section out any more than necessary In some cases the reader may already know the contents of the document In cases like this it may be best combine this section with the previous one Background Discussion Note any special information or concerns If there is a particu lar section you would like feedback on an area that you are especially concerned about or a portion of a document that has diverged from a previously decided plan this is the ideal place to note such things Conclusion Tell the reader what will happen next If you plan on continu ing the project or would like a response from your reader note this here It is especially important to watch your tone in this section make sure you re no
22. ll want to convey in your color schemes Most impor tantly never forget your audience xXx L LL DLL gt Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q gt Q Q gt Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q gt Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q gt Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q gt Q Q Q LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWOOWOPWODHDR L Commonwealth a of Massachusetts HELPFUL HINT When printing out any final draft pre pare for the inevitable Your colors will look a little different on a physical sheet of paper as compared to your com puter screen Save yourself a huge hassle and some cash by conducting a trial print to make sure your canary yellow doesn t print like macaroni vomit yellow Figure 1 The diagram on the bottom simplifies matters by minimizing the callout s pointer and border Figure 2 The top image shows us some white space that has been left trapped between objects while the bottom image one of the objects has been shifted to free up this trapped white space CREATING CALLOUTS Callouts are pretty simple Think of them as brief pieces of information that point to an image or a specific part of an image They are meant to call attention to an image or part of an image hence the name callout They are very flexible You could take a mini malist design and write one word with a thin line or get more complex a
23. nd creative with a few words in a large colorful box and a line zigzagging across the page Creating callouts in Microsoft Word 2010 1 Go to the Insert tab 2 Click on the Shapes button in the Illustrations group 3 Pick a callout at the bottom of the drop down list 4 Click on the area of your document you wish to place the callout 5 You re curser is placed in the callout fill it out appropriately Note Don t limit yourself to just the supplied callouts Try making your own in different ways Creating a callout in Adobe InDesign 1 Add Anchor Points Tool 2 Select the Rectangle Tool 3 Create a rectangle on the Document page or the Paste Board area 4 At the pen tool right click and select the Add Anchor Point Tool 5 On the side of the rectangle add three 3 anchor points the same space apart 6 Select the Direction Selection Tool then click the out side of the rectangle 7 Select the inside of the rectangle notice that the anchor mpoints have become small white squares 8 7Select the middle anchor point and drag out to create the pointer of the callout Chapter 4 Finishing Up Last Minute Checielist You can now probably taste the sweet nectar of conclusion but before you hand in your manual it is important to go through at the end and make sure you are prepared to print it and pass it in Here are some quick steps to help you c
24. omplete your project smoothly C HAVE YOU RE 2EAD THE AssianmeNnT PROMPTS You are going to get a lot of different handouts that specify what each section of your Word manual should include what modules need to explain table of contents front matter etc Hopefully you have saved these and now you should take the time to refer back to them and make sure that you have ev erything that you are supposed to If you haven t saved them you can borrow them from a classmate check the UDrive or class website or as a last resort ask the professor for the electronic PDF files HAVE YOU PROOFREAD Y EDITED YOUR MANUAL Editing is extremely important for the successful completion of the manual No one wants to have to pay for printing more than once Here are some tips to get the best editing done Print the pages you have so you can see what they look like on paper Seeing the printed version will al low you to see how the layout will appear on paper and not just visualize it on the screen It is easier for a lot of people to see mistakes when they have a piece of paper in front of them Do some user testing It may sound like a waste of time but having someone else read your content is beneficial to making sure you are conveying the infor mation the way you want to When you think you are done editing proofread at least one more time You will be glad you did HAVE YOU FOUND MHERE YOU ARE GOING TO PRINT See thi
25. on as soon as possible Fluff Don t just write the first thing that comes to your mind to fill up writer space Writing Modular Documentation One of the most critical skills you ll learn in the PWTC program is writing user documentation Documentation allows a software user to become acquainted with technology by reading simple concise steps The most common form of documentation for technical writers and within the PWTC program is called Ny Y O TN Y Y modular documentation WHAT IS MODULAR Documentation Modular documentation is distinguished from other forms of documentation by its adherence to small independent documents or modules that can be accessed based on need and convenience collectively they form a software manual or an online help system WHAT Goes INTO A MODULE While every module will have distinctions based upon its purpose the core compo nents include outside tside information that is the us er 1 A brief descriptive title 2 An introductory paragraph 3 Instructional text in a procedural step by step format 4 Supplementary images figures and charts Writing A Cover Memo Cover memos are short letters that typically accompany and introduce a document These letters can also have important secondary purposes such as building a good relationship with someone or reassuring someone that you are working on a certain project Cover memos shou
26. onal Writing and Technical Communication As English majors students often study the works of many famous authors striving to understand the world they lived in These authors write in ink on paper published in books about politics philosophy movements and society But our world is very different than the world those dead authors came from We live in a digital world surrounded by technology We type on screens and talk about apps browsers and software We scan websites not just reading text but listening to podcasts and watch ing YouTube videos Professional writing and technical communication is an English major s adap tation to the 21st century opening up opportunities beyond writing novels and poetry Examples of Professional Writing G PROFESSIONAL WITWE Ser or eo Professional writing uses clear language to convey information in a way that is easily understood by an intended audience e Software Documentation e Journal Articles e Website Authoring e Reviews Modes of Technical Communication TECHNICAL Communication Technical communication provides information e Web Pages or instructions for how to use and understand e Help Files specific technologies By presenting technical e Social Media Sites information in an appropriate way information e Software Instructions can be more accessible making someone s life gt Uger Documentation easier and more productive PWTC AT UMASS AMYERST PWTC at UMass Amh
27. ough guide to installing Windows on the computer and provides helpful troubleshooting tips Dual Boot continued Dual Boot continued 5 Click Drive options advanced e Note Your Windows partition can 6 Click Format Click OK either be FAT or NTFS format FAT 7 Click Next The Windows partition is formatted using the NTFS file system allows you to read and write files 8 Reboot the computer e ononthe Windows partition from the Mac Partition but must be 32 Installing Windows XP Ignore if installing Vista or Windows 7 e GB or smaller NTFS can be any Don t have Windows Vista or 7 No problem Follow these steps instead It is imperative you follow NN size and provides better security these instructions exactly to avoid losing everything on your Mac from your Mac partition Windows 2 Click Start Installation in Boot Camp Assistant The computer reboots e Vista and Windows 7 require NTFS 3 Follow the installer instructions PELE co SOL SS SG EOS NOTE If asked to choose between upgrade or custom installation choose custom O Leave Boot Camp running once the partitioning is complete f O ion 000 0 06 06 0 06 06 0 0 06 0 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 0 06 06 0 0 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 0 6 E Installing Windows Vista or 7 Ignore if installing XP 4 Select C Partition 3 lt BOOTCAMP gt FAT32 Press return on the keyboard Your hard drive is partitioned you have your Windows OS
28. s The more users you can test your manual on the better Every user will bring a unique set of eyes and skill sets to the table Make your users feel comfortable this is not the time for a dark holding cell and a single bright overhead light Invite them to coffee relax at a kitchen table wherever they are most comfortable It s best not to overwhelm your users with the entire manual Pick out a few of your best or worst modules and focus just on those Ask open leading questions One example is What could improve You want to encourage conversation about your modules not yes or no answers Tell your users to feel free to make notes directly on the modules these marked up sheets will be valuable resources for future editing Reassure your user make it clear that you are not testing their skills Instead you are testing your skills as a technical writer and they are doing you a huge favor Thank your testing subjects Chapter 3 Tips for Visual Design WHAT THE FONT In the realm of PWTC the term typography is used broadly to refer to the practice of design ing documents with font Font is just as much a part of the visual display of your document as choosing a color scheme and it is important to understand the functions that a font car ries out Font can give users important clues about the structure of your document and help guide the user across the page WHAT Fonts SHOULD I Cuoose
29. s and years of experience The average pay for some technical writing positions can be found at payscale com and poewar com Chapter 2 Tips for Writing UU CO A What Is an Introduction After familiarizing yourself with writing an introduction to a module it progressively becomes a simple process s long as you are paying attention to who your user 15 The introduction Is straightforward and directions are never included This section is clear cut organized and enables the user to prepare for the directions The user has some background knowledge of the module that you are explaining so the introduc tion is always kept brief in order to avoid redundancy AAA S ONO NY Why Write an Introduction RY aL OO THT l gt SN AN DUDARLO DADA DADO DDD ODOR RREO DERROCADA DOADA DADO DD 11117 2 ly What should be in an Introduction It is crucial to recognize that often users will skip right into the directions so do not make the introduction too long or descriptive Do not include any information that is crucial to the procedure being documented Key terms should be introduced with a brief definition so the user will not be confused in the direc tions Lastly slogans and advertisements should not be placed into the introduction statement because the reader has already committed to the product ALT O Reminder Make sure your phras ing is geared towards the specific
30. s chapter s section on printing and binding information to make sure you know how much it will cost and where and when to bring it HAVE YOU WRITTEN YOUR MEMO It is easy to forget this part of the process after focusing so much on your manual However sending your completed project in with a memo attached shows pro fessionalism and it also gives you a medium to convey any thoughts questions or concerns about your experience making the manual that you may have for your professor Combining PDF Files i Many English 380 PWTC students choose to create and save each module for their final Microsoft Word Manual as different Word documents Instead of A combining these documents in Word it s much easier and organized to Adob E robat convert them first to PDF files and then combine the PDF files into one large PDF document This allows the formatting to be preserved on each individual page such as if your manual s sections have dif ferent header titles for each section Q SS SS SS lt lt lt SS SS SS lt lt lt SS SS XX SS lt lt lt SS SS OOO SPO POD JO JO JOJO JOJO O You can use Adpbe Acrobat Pro in the Du Bois Library to get the job done You can also uses a free online tool called PDF Merge Do not download anyhting fromt he websites lt lt lt lt lt SID OOOO OOD OOOO OOO OOO ODDO O DODO DO 9999 J9JOSJJJJ JO JODO DON D999 999K 9K SJSO MO DOJO O SS SS lt lt lt gt lt gt lt gt lt
31. t issuing commands to a boss Supervisor or instructor End with a positive closing note Something as simple as thank you or I look forward to hearing from you works fine Concision Tips Use lists Lists are easy to read and understand quickly When using lists it is important to o l keep a uniform grammatical When engaging in technical writing structure whether in an instruction manual or otherwise it is important to exercise concision From consumer manuals to highly trained technician s guidelines not interchange enter for 2a ae as 5 return key for example the following guidelines will help you l Choose one and stay consistent to write effectively to avoid any confusion Use the same terminology throughout your writing Do Use the imperative mood Us ers understand the command form best when dealing with instructions Examples BAD Left click the Orientation button on the Page Layout Menu You can left click the Landscape or Portrait button and the orientation of the page can automatically change GOOD Left click the Orientation button on the Page Layout Menu Left click the Landscape button The orientation of the page automatically changes BAD Highlight Click Bold on Menu GOOD Highlight the text Left click the Bold button the Font Menu BAD Click the Print button A window should appear GOOD Click the Print button A window will appear
32. to each other on the color wheel Complementary Complementary colors are colors located on opposite sides of the color wheel like orange and blue Saturation The saturation of a color is how pure the color appears Color Models Additive RGB Red Green Blue color model This color model makes up the colors displayed on your Computer screen Subtractive CMYK Cyan Magenta Yellow and Black color model This is the color model that computer printers follow Watch out for simultaneous contrast which is the effect caused when colors placed next to each other make the other appear more vibrant and a war of which is brighter ends in a stalemate It can be painful to look at WHITE SPACE Presentation is a valuable tool for drawing in and immersing a reader It can be easy to place too much emphasis on the packaging Rather presentation at its best lets the content shine Example of a Blue Color Scheme Warm Colors Smallest Effective Difference In Edward Tufte s writings on data visualization he insists on smallest effective difference Make all visual distinctions as subtle as possible but still clear and effective This strategy employs our ability to see just noticeable differences fine distinctions in line weight and color Reducing clutter emphasizes data Dark heavy lines in callouts and tables Word s default settings are often guilty of this detract from information s visual wei
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search