Have you ever wondered what it takes to author papers or articles for PCI magazines? Do you know how to write a technical manual for your committee? From the editors of the PCI Journal comes a new series on technical writing that will explain the writing process from inception to publication. This series will explain the foundations of sound technical writing and you’ll plainly see why technical writing style is distinct from other types of writing. Join us for the first two parts. (Part I is not a prerequisite for Part II)

The first session on technical writing gives an overview of technical writing.  Whether you’re writing a paper for publication, a memo to your boss, or a report to your client, the basic principles of technical writing apply.  We’ll discuss what technical writing is and how it is and is not like other types of writing.  We’ll cover ways to approach the daunting task of staring at the blank screen and filling it with meaningful prose.  We’ll discuss writing style as it pertains to technical writing.  We’ll examine the basic elements of all technical reports and briefly discuss the other elements that may appear.  Lastly, we’ll talk about some ethical and legal considerations as they pertain to technical writing.

After attending this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand what technical writing is and what makes it different from other kinds of writing.
• Know what questions to ask yourself to decide how best to get your ideas across to your readers.
• Convey ten logical ways to organize a technical report – and one psychological way.
• Understand some ethical and legal considerations that pertain to writing and publishing.