Writing Better Technical Reports from Pluralsight

Technical reports require attention to sentence, paragraph, and document structure. They also demand careful word choice, avoidance of ambiguity, proper treatment of jargon, and awareness of style issues. This course shows how to be a better writer.

Technical professionals must occasionally write technical reports. Although there is no one right method for doing so, certain techniques and methods usually improve the results. In this course, Writing Better Technical Reports, you'll be encapsulated with a wide-ranging discussion of structure and style into successfully writing technical reports. First, you'll learn many of the more common writing mistakes and discover techniques for avoiding them. Next, you'll delve into a reader-oriented approach that will improve your reports' reception and effectiveness. Matters of sentence, paragraph, and document structure receive consideration here, along with tone, ambiguity, and technical jargon. Additionally, you'll explore tips specific for electronic document formats. Finally, you'll cover techniques for joining paragraphs using transitions, facilitating navigation within the report, avoiding confusing or opaque references, and exorcising bad habits, such as redundant, superfluous, and imprecise verbiage. By the end of this course, you'll have a solid understanding of how to efficiently make your technical reports leaner and more readable.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Know Your Audience

Choose Your Words

Build a Good Sentence

Build a Good Paragraph

Build a Good Document

Use Style to Your Advantage

Avoid Ambiguity

Manage Jargon

Special Concerns for e-docs

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Covers technical writing techniques that are applicable to other forms of writing

Teaches important nuances of technical writing, such as reader-oriented approaches, paragraph structure, and tone

Discusses the use of jargon and ambiguity in technical writing, which is often essential for technical professionals

Taught by an instructor specializing in technical report writing

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Writing Better Technical Reports with these activities:

Organize Your Course Resources

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Establish a system for organizing your course materials to enhance your learning efficiency.

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Gather all your course materials (notes, slides, assignments).
Create a designated workspace or folder.
Develop a filing system for different types of materials.
Regularly review and purge unnecessary materials.

Review Technical Jargon

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Refresh your knowledge of technical jargon to improve your comprehension of technical reports.

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Identify common technical terms and their definitions.
Practice using the terms in context.
Create a glossary of technical terms for reference.

Read 'Elements of Style' by Strunk & White

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Gain a foundational understanding of clear and concise writing principles.

View The Elements of Style on Amazon

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Read through the book thoroughly.
Apply the principles to your own writing.

Six other activities

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Review sentence structure

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Refresh your understanding of the basic building blocks of sentences to strengthen your writing skills.

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Identify the subject and verb in example sentences.
Diagram five sentences to visualize their structure.
Practice writing sentences with different sentence structures.

Summary Writing Exercises

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Develop your ability to condense complex technical information into clear and concise summaries.

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Choose a technical article or report.
Identify the main points and supporting details.
Write a summary that captures the essential information.
Have a peer or instructor review your summary for feedback.

Online Grammar Checkers

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Utilize online grammar checkers to enhance your writing accuracy and efficiency.

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Explore different online grammar checkers.
Choose a checker that meets your needs.
Use the checker to review your writing regularly.

Volunteer at a Local Library

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Develop your communication skills and gain experience presenting to a diverse audience.

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Inquire about volunteer opportunities at your local library.
Choose a role that aligns with your interests.
Prepare and deliver presentations on technical topics to library patrons.

Develop a Technical Report Template

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Create a customized template to streamline your technical report writing process.

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Gather examples of effective technical reports.
Identify the common elements and structure of these reports.
Develop a template that includes these elements and structure.
Test the template by writing a technical report using it.
Refine the template based on your experience.

Write a White Paper

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Demonstrate your understanding of a technical topic by researching and writing a comprehensive white paper.

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Choose a topic that aligns with your interests and expertise.
Conduct thorough research to gather data and insights.
Develop an outline and structure for your white paper.
Write a draft and seek feedback from peers or mentors.
Finalize and publish your white paper.

Career center

Learners who complete Writing Better Technical Reports will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Technical Communicator

Technical Communicators create and deliver technical information to a variety of audiences. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be beneficial for Technical Communicators who need to write clear and concise documentation on technical topics. This course can help Technical Communicators learn how to structure their documentation, use appropriate language, and avoid ambiguity and jargon.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Communicator

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation that explains complex technical information to a variety of audiences. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can help Technical Writers learn how to write clear, concise, and accurate documentation. This course can also help Technical Writers learn how to use appropriate style and tone, and how to avoid ambiguity and jargon.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Proposal Writer

Proposal Writers create documents that outline a solution to a problem and request funding or support. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can provide the knowledge and skills necessary to write persuasive and engaging proposals. This course can be a great tool for Proposal Writers to learn how to structure their proposals, choose the right words, and avoid ambiguity.

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Consultant

Consultants provide advice and guidance to organizations on a variety of topics. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be beneficial for Consultants who need to write clear and concise reports that communicate their findings and recommendations. This course can help Consultants learn how to organize their reports, use appropriate language, and avoid jargon.

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Technical Support Specialist

Technical Support Specialists provide technical support to customers. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be helpful for Technical Support Specialists who need to write clear and concise documentation on how to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues. This course can help Technical Support Specialists learn how to structure their reports, use appropriate language, and avoid jargon.

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Instructional Designer

Instructional Designers design and develop educational materials. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be helpful for Instructional Designers who need to write clear and concise documentation on their instructional designs. This course can help Instructional Designers learn how to structure their documentation, use appropriate language, and avoid ambiguity and jargon.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts design and implement computer systems. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can help Systems Analysts learn how to write clear and concise documentation that explains the design and implementation of their systems. This course can also help Systems Analysts learn how to use appropriate style and tone, and how to avoid ambiguity and jargon.

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Content Writer

Content Writers create written content for websites, blogs, and other marketing materials. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be helpful for Content Writers who need to write clear and concise content that is engaging and informative. This course can help Content Writers learn how to structure their content, use appropriate language, and avoid jargon.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be useful for Software Engineers who need to write clear and concise documentation on the design and implementation of their software systems. This course can also help Software Engineers learn how to use appropriate style and tone, and how to avoid ambiguity and jargon.

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Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality Assurance Analysts test and evaluate software systems to ensure that they meet quality standards. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be useful for Quality Assurance Analysts who need to write clear and concise documentation on their test results and recommendations. This course can also help Quality Assurance Analysts learn how to use appropriate style and tone, and how to avoid ambiguity and jargon.

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Project Manager

Project Managers plan, organize, and execute projects. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be useful for Project Managers who need to write clear and concise reports on the progress of their projects. This course can help Project Managers learn how to structure their reports, use appropriate language, and avoid jargon.

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Product Manager

Product Managers plan, develop, and launch new products. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be helpful for Product Managers who need to write clear and concise documentation on their product plans and launches. This course can help Product Managers learn how to structure their reports, use appropriate language, and avoid jargon.

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User Experience Designer

User Experience Designers design and evaluate user interfaces for websites and software applications. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be helpful for User Experience Designers who need to write clear and concise documentation on their design decisions and recommendations. This course can help User Experience Designers learn how to structure their reports, use appropriate language, and avoid jargon.

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Information Architect

Information Architects design and organize the content on websites and software applications. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be helpful for Information Architects who need to write clear and concise documentation on their design decisions and recommendations. This course can help Information Architects learn how to structure their reports, use appropriate language, and avoid jargon.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists analyze data to extract meaningful insights. The course, Writing Better Technical Reports, can be helpful for Data Scientists who need to write clear and concise reports on their findings. This course can help Data Scientists learn how to structure their reports, use appropriate language, and avoid jargon.

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