Basic Certificate In Technical Writing (90 Hours)

The Basic Technical Writing Certificate consists of three courses. The program is Instructor-Led, meaning you learn from highly qualified industry and tech writing faculty. Our course of study has been designed for individuals who lack sufficient experience in the field, those who want to enhance existing careers in technical writing or move in a new direction.

The certificate is specifically designed for those who:

• Aspire to develop their technical language and communication skills.
• Need to update their knowledge and skills.
• Need preparation for teaching professional communication.
• Must prepare and deliver training for their companies.
• Aspire to advance in documentation and other technical communication positions.
• Seek a verifiable Certificate Credential from an accredited university.

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Introduction to Technical Writing for Industry

If you want to become a technical writer, or if you have just become a technical writer and wonder what the job and the profession may involve, this course will introduce you to an exciting and rewarding career in technical communication.

Dig in and get right into planning, writing, editing, and testing, the key activities in a technical communicator’s day.

Outcome

By the end of this certificate program, you will be able to:

• Recognize all forms of technical communications.
• Perform an audience analysis.
• Create effective documentation.
• Apply the appropriate design elements to any form of communication.
• Utilize visual design elements.
• Perform a task analysis.
• Effectively review your content.
• Organize your material.
• Write a style guide.

Assessment

Your progress will be assessed through:

• Instructor evaluation of all written assignments.
• Self quizzes when appropriate.
• Instructor comments on activities.
• Suggestions and modifications made to your submitted work by the instructor.
• Submission of your final project.

Outline

• What is technical communication?
• Define the field and what it takes to become a professional.
• Review content, design, and purpose of documents.
• Understand the forces that have shaped our concept of technical communication.
• Learn about the proper use of visual display.
• Why is visual analysis necessary?
• Using tables and charts to communicate data.
• Applying the Gestalt principles for design.
• Perform a valid task analysis.
• Testing all communications for usability.
• Review grammatical structure.
• Edit and deliver a quality product.
• Understanding and using various levels of technical editing.
• Utilizing the correct formatting, styles, templates, and headings.
• Writing specifically for your audience.
• Knowing the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, context).

Intermediate Technical Writing

This course introduces you to basic page design such as headings, lists, tables, notices, and highlighting. You will learn and be expected to use standard design, format, and style techniques for the documents you write for this course.

The student will first study page-design units, then write a set of instructions in which you use these guidelines and of course, the general standards for good writing as well. Activities will include readings, projects, exercises, and quizzes on headings, lists, notices, tables, graphics, and highlighting.

Throughout the course participants will receive in-depth feedback from the instructor on assignments and may discuss any issues related to technical writing with the instructor.

Outcome

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• State good design practices for headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting.
• Recognize common problems involving headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting.
• Use standard design, format, and style of headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting in writing projects.
• State the common design and structure of written instructions and for recommendation reports.
• Use headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting effectively in written instructions.
• Perform audience and task analyses in preparation to write instructions.
• Create instructions that focus on reader tasks, that explain actions clearly and that use an effective design enabling readers to accomplish their tasks.

Assessment

Your progress will be assessed in several ways:

• Quizzes on headings.
• Quizzes on lists.
• Quizzes on notices, tables, and highlighting.
• Instructor review and acceptance of the instructions and recommendation report.

Outline

• Headings and lists.
• Special notices and graphics.
• Tables and highlighting.
• Writing project.

Advanced Technical Writing

The purpose of the Advanced Technical Writing course is to introduce you to a variety of skill sets and processes that will enhance any technical writing project.

You will begin by creating your own document after examining three different types of communications. This will help you understand how each communication is geared to a specific purpose and audience. Each lesson will present a different technique and process that will take your document to the next level. These techniques include focusing on the audience for whom the document is being prepared; writing user-centered documentation; incorporating just the right amount of visual elements to enhance the content; performing the necessary research to be sure that your readers receive the most accurate and comprehensive information about the specific subject; and performing a thorough final review to be sure that you have followed all of the guidelines set forth by the technical writing community.

After successfully completing the Advanced Technical Writing course, you will have a clear and solid understanding of the elements that enrich the content being delivered to your audience. You will quickly understand the difference between writing text and delivering a valuable, effective, and authenticated communication to your readers – this is advanced technical writing.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Understand the role of the 'new' technical writer.
• Identify key components of user-centered design.
• Apply the latest technical writing design principles.
• Define the user experience and develop your communications accordingly.
• Gather, record, and interpret data.
• Articulate the different levels of editing and polishing your documents.
• Understand the impact of visual design as it relates to technical writing.
• Use content, design, and style guidelines to produce a more readable, concise document.
• Review, edit, and polish every technical document to produce the highest quality result each and every time.

Assessment

• Participants will demonstrate their understanding of advanced technical writing by creating a proposal that meets the required standards set forth by the instructor. 
  
• The proposal will include research, supplemental materials, and graphics that meet the expectations and criteria. 
  
• The participant will submit the proposal in stages for assessment and feedback. 
  
• Students demonstrate mastery of advanced technical writing by achieving at least 80% on the final proposal.

FAQ

This Certificate Course must be completed within the specified time period noted at the time of enrollment. Extension fees are applicable beyond the end date as follows: 1 month, $149.00; 2 months, $179.00; 3 months, $199.00. Upon successful completion of this course you may apply for a paper-based certificate from one of our Accredited University Partners. University certificate processing fees apply.

Upon successful completion of this course you may apply for a paper-based certificate from one of our Accredited University Partners. University certificate processing fees apply.

At the time of successful course completion, Technical Writing Certificate Badges are generated for student use. They recognize and verify that specialized learning has taken place in the subject area enrolled in. Our Official Digital Badges can be used to display a skill set and achievements on social networking profiles such as LinkedIn, etc. as well as on various job sites and much more.

For details about this FAQ use our Contact Form to request more information.

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