Tag archief:technical writing

Embrace the Cliche!

Last Friday I asked the students in my Technical Writing group what sentence they found the most difficult to write. They answered the same way all my writing students do every time I ask that question: the first one. Once they have got started they are usually able to continue, but it is writing thatMeer lezen over “Embrace the Cliche!”

Answer the questions or question the answers?

Sometimes I drive my students mad. And I do it on purpose too. You see, instead of giving them answers to their questions, I give them more questions. I’ll give you an example. Student: “Please, Bob, should this trade-off table be included in the text or should I move it to the appendix?” Bob: “Well,Meer lezen over “Answer the questions or question the answers?”

Three, no four ways the Spanish Inquisition will help you write better headings than this one.

    I bet you were not expecting me to use the Spanish Inquisition to help you write better headings. Well, that’s the point, isn’t it? Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition and I’m guessing that it got your attention, or you would not have read this far. The Spanish Inquisition have several ways to helpMeer lezen over “Three, no four ways the Spanish Inquisition will help you write better headings than this one.”

“Pass the parcel” writing exercise

It has been a long time since I wrote something about writing. This will not do. Here is a lovely creative writing exercise I did with my technical report-writing group last week. Make groups of four or five; tell everyone to find a pen and a sheet of paper (no laptops or books or anything likeMeer lezen over ““Pass the parcel” writing exercise”

Section Intoductions: Tell Your Readers What to Expect

When you divide your text into subsections you will have to make your reader understand what you are doing and what you are doing it for. This means that all sections at first and second level that you split up into subsections get an introduction. Third level sections  usually don’t get an introduction as theyMeer lezen over “Section Intoductions: Tell Your Readers What to Expect”