# The Nature of Technical Communication
**What do you read or create everyday without realizing?**
Everyday, you read or create *technical communication* without realizing.
**What does the National Commission on Writing for America's Families, Schools, and Colleges declare about writing?**
The National Commission on Writing for America's Families, Schools, and Colleges declares that *writing is not a frill for a few, but an essential skill for the many.*
**Much of what is important in American public and economic life depends on strong ... and ... communication skills.**
Much of what is important in American public and economic life depends on strong *written* and *oral* communication skills.
# So How Do we Define this Kind of Writing?
**What does the word "document" refer to throughout the book?**
Throughout the book, the word "document" refers to *any kind of technical writing, including web pages, instruction manuals, lab reports, or travel brochures.*
**What are the two aspects of technical communication?**
The two aspects of technical communication are:
1. The process of making and sharing ideas and information in the workplace.
2. The genres which comprise the documents you write, including letters, emails, instructions, reports, proposals, websites, and blogs.
**What does** ***STC*** **stand for in the context of technical communication?**
In the context of technical communication, STC stands for *Society of Technical Communications.*
**How does the Society of Technical Communications (STC) define technical communication?**
The STC defines technical communication as *a broad field which involves any form of communication that does any of the following:*
* Discusses technical or specialized topics.
* Uses technology such as web pages or help files.
* Provides instructions about how to do something.
**When was Technical Writer recognized as a profession by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics?**
Technical Writer was recognized as a profession by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics *in 2009.*
**What questions should you ask when analyzing technical documents?**
When analyzing technical documents, you should ask:
* Who is the target audience?
* What information does this document provide?
* What task or goal will it help to accomplish?
* What elements of this document do you think make it useful?
* Does it solve a problem?
* Is it concise and accurate?
* Would you say this is an effective document?
**What are the characteristics of technical writing?**
The characteristics of technical writing include:
* Focused on audience.
* Rhetorical, persuasive, purposeful, and problem-oriented.
* Professional.
* Design centered.
* Research and technology oriented.
* Ethical.
* Socially just.
* Accessible.
**What standards should you observe to produce the best writing you can?**
The standards you should observe to produce the best writing you can are:
* Honesty - Trustworthiness in the community reflects on you personally and your organization or discipline.
* Clarity - Leave no room for misinterpretations.
* Accuracy - Present factual information.
* Completeness - Include everything the reader needs to understand the text.
* Simplicity - Cut excessive verbiage.
* Design - Present in a visually appealing way.
* Considerate - Write with all of your possible audiences in mind.
**How do you ensure your technical writing is legible?**
To ensure your technical writing is legible:
* Make the font large enough to be read by a variety of audiences.
* Use an easy-to-read font style that is appropriate for the content.
**What does it mean for a technical document to be readable?**
For a technical document, to be readable means *to easily be understood by the target audience.*
**How do you ensure your technical writing is comprehensible?**
To ensure your technical writing is comprehensible:
* Use language and terminology familiar to the reader.
* Limit paragraphs to one idea.
* Strive for brevity if your audience will be reading on smaller devices.
* Use visuals like charts or diagrams.
**What does it mean for a technical document to be accessible?**
For a technical document, to be accessible means *to ensure all users have an equal opportunity to engage with the document.*