TECHNICAL WRITING
COURSE: TECHNICAL WRITING CERTIFICATE
Earn a Certificate in Technical Writing Online
As technology and innovations hubs grow across the country, so does the need for skilled technical writers. More so, the ability to provide clear explanations about complex subjects is one of the most in-demand skill sets a communications professional can have today. This 100% online course will help you master technical writing and build a robust portfolio that showcases this highly marketable skill.
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Job Outlook for Technical Writers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that jobs for technical writers will grow 11% through 2026, which equates to 5,700 additional jobs.
While entry-level technical writers start out around $45,000 per year, the BLS reports that the median annual salary in this profession was $71,850.
Similarly, Payscale estimates $70,616 with the highest paying jobs located in San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. The top earners in this profession take home up to $115,000 and upwards annually.
Course Objectives
Develop any type of communication used to explain complex technical processes. This includes executive summaries, reports, briefs, press releases, and emails. As long as a piece is designed to help others understand technical information, a technical writer is needed. Our technical writing course will teach you how to:
- Develop effective research methods
- Consider the needs and abilities of the audience
- Know how to incorporate clarity and utility
- Create memos, analyses, and reports
Prerequisites and Requirements
There are no specific prerequisites for taking this course.
Curriculum:
- INTRODUCTION TO TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION - Defining technical writing, the technical communication triangle and the seven principles of effective writing
- YOUR ROLE AS A TECHNICAL WRITER - Introduction to ethics and codes of conduct for technical writers
- THE COMMUNICATION TRIANGLE - Principles of communication, establishing common ground and the Communication Triangle
- TYPES OF TECHNICAL CORRESPONDENCE - Writing emails, memorandums, and letters; instructional writing and memos; various reporting methods
- SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF GOOD WRITING - Techniques in grammar, structure and syntax; mechanical conventions of strong writing
- WRITING AS A PROCESS - The stages of writing: prewriting, outline, rough draft, editing and revision
- PREPARATION - Applying the Communication Triangle to the prewriting process; analyzing the rhetorical situation
- RESEARCH - The research process; using primary and secondary data; documentation and plagiarism
- ORGANIZATION - Common organization and writing patterns; factors of the thesis and claims
- ROUGH DRAFT - Writing the introduction, body and conclusion; voice and tone
- REVISING AND EDITING - The revision process and developing a revision statement; editing and self-check
- CONCLUSION - Course Conclusion and summary of lessons
- FINAL - Final essay writing assignment
Registration and Enrollment
This course is 100% online. Start anytime.
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INSTRUCTORS
Lynn Atkinson
Lynn Atkinson earned a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 1993 and an M.A. in English with an emphasis in rhetoric in 1996. A published writer and editor, including contributions to college textbooks, she considers her greatest accomplishment educating thousands of students at UTA, DeVry, Tarrant County College, Southeast Career Institute, and Everest College. She has also been nominated for and awarded "Outstanding Teacher" at several of these institutions. Lynn has developed or co-developed several writing curriculums, won writing contests, and conducted over 10,000 hours of tutoring.
