A memorandum is best used for internal business communications. It is often informal in tone and can be used to facilitate a request for information, or to pass along information to a large group. A letter, on the other hand, is in many ways the opposite of a memo. It is usually used for external communications and takes a formal tone. Like the memo, it can be used to request or transmit information (VanAlstyne, 2005).

Electronic mail can be used in almost any situation. It has the ability to transmit information internally and externally, and can be informal or formal (VanAlstyne, 2005). There are some situations in which electronic mail is inappropriate, but these situations are often inappropriate for any kind of written communication. For example, firing an employee is a situation in which no form of written communication is acceptable.

VanAlstyne, J. S. (2005). Professional and technical writing strategies: Communicating in technology and science. Sixth ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

Due to its technical nature, the digital camera owner’s manual is much longer. It provides a wealth of features, and each feature requires a section of the manual. In contrast, the air compressor manual is much lighter weight. The air compressor only has a few features. It doesn’t have a Table of Contents and really doesn’t need one. The digital camera owner’s manual, on the other hand, is over 200 pages long and would be useless without one.

The most effective component of both owner’s manuals is the diagrams. Since neither of these devices is aimed at experienced professionals, it’s important to help the user visualize what they are doing. In the case of the air compressor, this means showing the user where the safety features are located. The digital camera owner’s manual has a myriad of menus that must be navigated by the user. In both cases, detailed diagrams ensure the user is able to understand the process and operate the device correctly.

Canon. (2008). Canon PowerShot A590 IS Camera User Guide. Retrieved August 8, 2008.

Porter-Cable. (2005). Pancake Compressor Instruction Manual. Retrieved August 8, 2008.

The first entry listed in Google when searching for “double-entry accounting” is a Wikipedia page. Listed above the Wikipedia entry is a sponsored link. Sponsored links are advertising. A company, in this case Intuit, has paid Google to show their link above others when the keywords “double-entry accounting” are entered. Google’s policy is that all sponsored links must be relevant to the search entered (Google, 2008).

Janice VanAlstyne (2005) points out that the word plagiarism comes from the Latin word plagiarus meaning “kidnapper” (p. 172). Like a kidnapper, a plagiarizer takes something that belongs to someone else. Plagiarism includes not only directly copying someone else’s work, but also paraphrasing or adopting their ideas and presenting them as your own (VanAlstyne, 2005). Although it is acceptable to quote from another source, it is important to take care and cite that source properly. For guidelines on citing sources, refer to the Owl at Purdue (Purdue University, 2008).

Google. (2008). What is google adwords? Retrieved August 1, 2008.

Purdue University. (2008). APA formatting and style guide. Retrieved August 1, 2008.

VanAlstyne, J. S. (2005). Professional and technical writing strategies: Communicating in technology and science. Sixth ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

This is definitely a case of plagiarism. Judith VanAlstyne (2005) points out that the word plagiarism derives its meaning from the Latin word plagiarus meaning “kidnapper” (p. 172). Plagiarism is considered a serious breach of ethics, and many organizations consider it a very serious offense. Although a writer must take care to avoid plagiarism when writing, discovering an act of plagiarism is another matter for an editor.

This is a situation that can probably be handled between the editor and the writer. If the editor suggests that the writer re-write the work because it is strikingly similar to another writer’s work, it is likely no conflict will occur. The writer will likely realize that he or she has been outed and re-do the work to avoid any potential embarrassment. If the writer is unwillingly to change the document or claims there is no plagiarism, the editor has no choice but to go to his supervisor with the information.

As Jonathan Bailey (2005) notes, plagiarism in the work place is not usually a legal matter. Although copyright law does protect works created in the workplace, the copyright is held by the employer (Bailey, 2005). This means that no legal action can be taken against an engineer that plagiarizes from another engineer within the company. This does not mean that an ethical code has not been broken.

Bailey, J. (2005). The Three Kinds of Plagiarism: Part Two. PlagiarismToday. Retrieved July 29, 2008/

VanAlstyne, J. S. (2005). Professional and technical writing strategies: Communicating in technology and science. Sixth ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

In an attempt to circumvent revenue loss caused by DVRs, advertisers have tried increasing product placement and branded entertainment. This article describes how these attempts have been mostly unsuccessful and are now being abandoned.

Digeo. (2007.) The future of TV and industry backgrounder. Retrieved July 25, 2008.

This article was written to promote Digeo’s Moxi DVR offering. As such, its information is somewhat skeptical, but it does provide some interesting statistics. Chief among this information is the anticipated growth of the DVR industry.

Carmel Group. (2007.) Digital Video Recorders: Time in a magical box – Present trends and future projections 2007. Retrieved July 25, 2008.

This report requires a bit of monetary investment as it currently costs € 2,087.00. As the market research in this report is aimed at manufacturers of DVRs, the information within should be invaluable in terms of future terms.

Drummond, J. (2005.) The House Is on Fire, Don’t Jump Yet. Mediaweek, 15(24). Retrieved July 25, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global Database (Document ID: 855588631).

Digital Video Recorders are changing the way advertisers think about television. Although most consumers are already switching away from intrusive advertising, new modes are necessary for advertising to maintain its place on network television.

Felteau, D. (2006.) DVRs, placeshifting, and the Internet: Future home video trends. Retrieved July 25, 2008.

Although this article focuses on a myriad of trends in home entertainment, it does discuss the future of digital video recorders (DVRs). Specifically, it discusses the news that TiVo series 3 DVRs will support high-definition. Additionally, the trend toward increased storage capacity in DVRs may lead to the DVR as a media server platform.

Lafayette, J. (2008.) TV’s Time Warp. TelevisionWeek, 27(14). Retrieved July 25, 2008 from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1484104011).

This article discusses the impact DVRs have had on television programming. DVRs and web-based access to television programming have forced networks to start making changes that force users to tune in rather than view episodes via another method.

Lieberman, D. (2005.) Can the future of TV be seen on the Web? ; As broadband and wireless expand, signs point to yes. USA Today, p. D.1. Retrieved July 25, 2008, from ProQuest National Newspapers Expanded database. (Document ID: 866552041).

Due to the growth of broadband Internet access, there is a growing trend to make content available via the World Wide Web. This trend does not bode well for DVRs, which usually have a high entry cost and monthly subscription rate.

M2 Presswire. (2006.) Exploring the future trends of TiVo Inc. Retrieved July 25, 2008.

As the market leader, the activities of TiVo can be used as a predictor for the entire industry. This report details the financial situation of TiVo, Inc.

Murray, S. (2003.) Keeping a watchful eye via the Internet. Financial Times. Retrieved July 25, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 411604381).

This article focuses on an overlooked use for DVRs in the security industry. Although DVRs are traditionally associated with home entertainment, there is a growing use for them in closed circuit television (CCTV) installations.

Savitz, E. J. (2005.) Tuning Out. Barron’s, 85(4). Retrieved July 25, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 785002251).

TiVo is the major player in the DVR market space. Although it has made in-roads supplying DVR set-top boxes to satellite companies, it has not enjoyed the same success with cable companies. This has opened the door for other DVR manufacturers such as Motorola and Scientific Atlanta.

In relation to technical writing, organization has two meanings. The first thing that comes to mind is the ability to organize information gathered during research. This type of organization is the ability to know which facts relate to each other and should be presented together. But, organization is also the ability to construct the flow of a document so that it makes sense to the audience. This kind of organization often manifests itself as proper formatting.

The third vital technical writing skill is revision. It’s not enough to simply research and organize information; it has to be presented in a manner that can be clearly understood. Revision is the ability to analyze a document and weed out any mistakes of spelling, grammar, or sentence structure. Not only can these mistakes impact the audience’s perception of the information, some mistakes can actually unintentionally change the meaning of the data. Along with research and organization, revision is a vital skill for any technical writer.

VanAlstyne, J. S. (2005). Professional and technical writing strategies: Communicating in technology and science. Sixth ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

July 15, 2008

Engineering Team
Technical Writing Journal
123 Fake Street
Boston, Massachusetts 01234

Dear Engineering Team:

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and pass on some of my philosophy regarding technical writing. As you probably already know, I’m the new Technical Editor here at Technical Writing Journal. I’m a graduate of Colorado Technical University, and I have recently completed a technical project development internship at Really Big Technical Writing Digest.

In terms of technical editing, there are four primary skills that are necessary for success. Three of these skills, research, organization, and revision, are closely related. The final skill, adapting to the audience, is arguably the most important.

Research, or the collection of information, is an important skill for any technical writing. Although this skill is often field specific, there are some general techniques that can be applied to any field. The key to success in this area is to take the general techniques and adapt them to the specifics necessary for the selected field.

Taking the research that’s been done and presenting it in a well thought-out and structured manner requires organizing skills. Although this process relates to visual elements such as graphics and formatting, it is also concerned with the structure of sentences and flow of paragraphs in the writing. It is, however, not focused on grammar and spelling.

Revising is the act of fine-tuning a document so that there is no grammar or spelling errors. Although spelling errors are easy to avoid thanks to spellcheckers, grammar still requires the skill of an editor. Without the skill of revision, it would be easy to make an embarrassing mistake.

Finally, adapting writing to a specific audience ensures that the writing will be well received. All too often, writing of a technical nature is written at a level that goes over the heads of the audience. It is important to always keep the audience in mind when considering word choice and the use of jargon.

Sincerely,

Scott Hebert
Technical Editor

Style and technical skills of the audience are closely tied together. Generally, engineers have a greater understanding of the technical jargon related to their field. This naturally means that a technical manual for engineers can include jargon and more difficult technical subject matter. A business report for executives, on the other hand, should avoid technical jargon and present technical matter only if necessary. Business reports tend to highlight business-related matters, rather than technical matters, so it can be assumed that business executives have an understanding of jargon related to their field.

Formatting will naturally be different for each kind of document. The two documents have different purposes and that will present itself in the formatting. Technical manuals are informative, while business reports tend to present analysis. A technical manual for engineers will include detailed processed and diagrams explaining how to perform the necessary functions. A business report for executives presents a high-level overview of the subject matter, but should also include graphs and diagrams as necessary.

VanAlstyne, J. S. (2005). Professional and technical writing strategies: Communicating in technology and science. Sixth ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

Just like a letter, every email should have an opening addressing the recipient. Unlike a letter, emails do not usually include a salutation like “dear”. In the case of an organization wide email, a formal greeting acknowledging that this email is going to all employees is appropriate. For example, group wide names such as “staff”, “faculty”, or “employees” conveys the message that this email is intended for everyone in the company (Lesikar, et al., 2008).

The direct approach to email composition puts the most important facts at the very beginning. It is often the case that the initial sentence in a direct email will restate the subject. From this initial statement of purpose follows increasingly less important facts. This ensures that even the busiest reader will get the essential purpose of the email. No matter what, the writer should strive to be clear, concise, and courteous (Lesikar, et al., 2008).

Evans, C. & Wright, W. (2008, April). To: ALL USERS, Copy: ALL USERS. Management Services, 52(1), 24,26-27. Retrieved June 16, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1470882271).

Lesikar, R., Flatley, M., & Rentz, K. (2008). Business communication: Making connections in a digital world [Electrionic Version]. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Moore, R. (2008, May). Email autopilot: “e” means “electronic” not “everything”. Agency Sales, 38(5), 30-33. Retrieved June 16, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1489288111).

To: “All Staff” <staff@example.com>
From: “Scott Hebert” <scott.hebert@example.com>
Subject: Mandatory Staff Meeting – June 21, 2008 10:00 AM

Example.com Employees,

On the morning of June 21, 2008, there will be a mandatory staff meeting to discuss the pending changes to the company medical insurance plan. The attendance of all employees is mandatory. The meeting will be held in the East Conference Room and will begin promptly at 10:00 AM CST.

If you will be unable to attend, please inform your supervisor immediately so that alternate arrangements may be made.

The agenda of this meeting will be as follows:

10:00 AM: Introduction: United Healthcare

10:30 AM: Discussion of the new benefits plan and changes from the old plan

11:30 AM: Question and Answer

If you have any questions, please forward them to your supervisor or myself.

–
Scott Hebert
Example.com

When delivering any business communication, it is highly likely that the some portion of the audience will misunderstand the meaning of the message (Fielden, 1989). The three-step process was designed to help writers effectively organize collected data and present it in a format that is most acceptable to the audience. During the planning stage, the writer must analyze and organize the collected data to determine what is meaningful, and what can be dropped. For example, when compiling facts for a brochure regarding the company’s new health insurance plan, the writer will likely decide that details regarding premiums is important information, while an in depth analysis of tax savings related to Flexible Spending Accounts is not appropriate. This ability to organize information will get the message off to the right start (Lesikar, Flatley, & Rentz, 2008).

Organizational skills also come into play during the next stage of the writing process. The drafting phase is when critical decisions regarding the organization of the message are decided. It is important for business messages to lead with their objective. This ensures the audience will not be distracted by details before understanding their importance. A congratulatory memo from a company executive to all employees, for example, will not be effective if it leads with a detailed analysis of stock performance. Instead, that memo should begin by congratulating the employees on their success, and then use the stock performance as justification (Lesikar, et al., 2008).

Fielden, J. S. (1989, January). Why Can’t Managers Communicate? Business, 39(1), 41. Retrieved June 13, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 126656).

Lesikar, R., Flatley, M., & Rentz, K. (2008). Business communication: Making connections in a digital world [Electrionic Version]. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Meisinger, S. (2004, May). Communication Skills Are Key To Achieving HR’s Goals. HRMagazine, 49(5), 8. Retrieved June 13, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 629931151).