UCF Technical Communication Style
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1 UCF Technical Communication Style 2 University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd. Orlando, Florida 32816 www.ucf.edu Published by University of Central Florida, 2017 Copyright © 2017 by University of Central Florida EN4293 Students All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or used in any form whatsoever without express permission from the publisher except in brief quotations permitted by copyright law. Published in the United States of America ISBN 978-0-9817249-0-1 First Edition 3 Table Of Contents Introduction 9 Online Communication (Writing Team 1) 10 1. Maintaining awareness of your audience 10 1.1 Utilize non-discriminatory language 10 1.2 Respect cultural differences 10 1.3 Maintain professional conduct 11 2. Verbal vs. non-verbal communication 11 2.1 Absence of body language 11 2.2 Emoticons 11 3. Special considerations in an online environment 12 3.1 Private vs. public 12 3.2 Social media 13 4. How to communicate effectively online 14 4.1 Think before you send 14 4.2 Utilize clear and concise language 15 5. Utilizing online communication tools 15 5.1 Types of online communication tools 15 5.2 Benefits of online communication tools 17 5.3 Pitfalls of online communication tools 17 6. Common issues of online communication 17 6.1 Keeping in touch online 17 6.2 Avoiding/resolving conflict 18 Graphics (Writing Team 1) 19 1. The importance of graphics in technical communication 19 2. Types of graphics used in technical communication 19 2.1 Informational graphics 20 2.2 Identifying graphics 27 2.3 Decorative graphics 27 4 3. Choosing and creating effective graphics 28 3.1 Use of color 28 3.2 Text and background 30 3.3 Alternative text 31 4. Rules for effective use of graphics 32 4.1 Relevance to text 32 4.2 Clarity, size, layout, and labeling 33 5. Ethical and global use of graphics 34 5.1 Unethical use of graphics 34 5.2 Considerations for international audiences 34 6. Citing graphics 35 6.1 Reasons to cite graphics 35 6.2 Creative commons licenses 35 6.3 Citation style 36 Documentation and Citation (Writing Team 2) 37 1. Why citation is important 37 2. Different citation styles and their usage 37 3. How to cite with MLA, APA, and Chicago 37 3.1 Citing in MLA format 37 3.2 Citing in APA format 39 3.3 Citing in Chicago format 39 4. In-line citations 41 4.1 In-line citations in MLA format 41 4.2 In-line citations in APA format 42 4.3 In-line citations in Chicago format 44 5. The works cited section 44 5.1 MLA references page 44 5.2 APA references page 45 5.3 CMS references page 45 5 6. Citing graphics 45 6.1 Graphics in MLA 45 6.2 Graphics in APA 46 6.3 Graphics in CMS 46 7. Fair use 46 Presentation Skills (Writing Team 2) 48 1. Types of professional talks 48 1.1 Informative presentations 48 1.2 Persuasive presentations 48 1.3 Entertaining presentations 48 2. Organizing talks 48 2.1 Knowing your audience 49 2.2 Choosing a presentation method and style 49 2.2.1 Presentation methods 50 2.3 Outlining and organizing information 51 2.3.1 Outlining 51 2.3.2 Organizing information 52 3. Proper attire 52 3.1 Attire and your audience 53 3.2 Some general do’s and do not’s 53 4. Software and equipment 54 4.1 Software 54 4.2 Equipment 55 5. Visual aids and handouts 56 6. Public speaking tips 57 Sources (Writing Team 3) 58 1. Using Search Engines 58 2. Credibility 59 Library Navigation (Writing Team 3) 60 1. Searching the database 60 6 2. Find physical books 60 3. Journals 61 Plagiarism (Writing Team 3) 61 Information (Writing Team 3) 62 1. Non-relevant sites 62 2. Specific topics 62 Punctuation (Writing Team 4) 63 1. Periods 63 2. Commas 64 3. Exclamation Points 65 4. Question Marks 66 5. Parentheses 66 6. Brackets 68 7. Colons 69 8. Semicolons 70 9. Quotations 71 10. Apostrophe 71 11. Hyphen/Dash 72 Technical Writing Genres (Writing Team 4) 74 1.1 Memorandums 74 1.2 Grant Proposals 76 1.3 Research Proposals 80 Diversity in Technical Communication (General Editors) 82 1. Cultural competence 82 2. Culturally appropriate language 82 3. Non-discriminatory language 83 4. Simplified language 83 Grammar (General Editors) 84 1. Voice 84 1.1. Active voice and passive voice 84 7 1.2. Using voice 84 2. Sentence moods 84 3. Structure and wording 85 3.1. Subject/verb agreement 85 3.2. Pronouns 86 3.3. Parallel Structure 87 3.4. Compound words 88 3.5. Positive Phrasing 89 3.6. Informal words 89 3.7. Direct language 90 4. Numerals 91 4.1. General rules for the appropriate use of numerals vs. numerical words 91 4.2. Dates and common acceptable abbreviations for business expressions 92 4.3. How to properly express time, percentages, and monetary references 92 4.4. Page numbering 93 4.5. Phone numbers 94 5. Capitalization 94 5.1 When to use capitalization 94 5.2 Capitalizing job titles 95 5.3 How to not overuse capitalization in technical writing 95 Document Design (Technical Editors) 96 1. Principles of Design 96 2. Document Formats 96 2.1 Print 96 2.2 Electronic 96 3. Document Organization 97 3.1 Front Matter 97 3.1.1 Cover Page 97 3.1.2 Table of Contents 97 3.2 Body Matter 98 3.3 Back Matter 98 3.3.1 Index 98 4. Page Layout 98 4.1 Text Alignment 98 8 4.1.1 Centered text 98 4.1.2 Justified Text 98 4.1.3 Left Aligned Text 98 4.2 Page Margins 99 4.3 Paragraphs 99 4.3.1 Spacing/Indentation 99 4.4 Line Spacing/ Length 99 5. Font and Font Formatting 99 5.1 Font Size 99 5.2 Bold and Italic Font 100 5.3 Font Color and Underlining Font 100 6. Typeface 100 6.1 Typeface types 100 6.1.1 Serif Typeface 101 6.1.2 Sans Serif Typeface 101 6.1.3 Script Typeface 101 6.1.4 Decorative/Display Typeface 101 6.2 Choosing a Typeface 101 6.2.1 Typeface for headings, captions, and titles 101 6.2.2 Typeface for body text 102 7. Graphics 102 7.1 Types of graphics 102 7.1.1 Images 102 7.1.2 Charts 102 7.1.3 Graphs 103 7.2 Graphics Placement and Techniques 103 7.2.1 Text Wrapping 104 7.2.2 “Break the Grid” 104 Glossary 105 Biography 108 Works Cited 110 9 Introduction Technical writing is writing for a subject that requires distinct guidance or explanation. The content of technical writing must be straightforward and easily understood by your intended audience. A technical writing style guide such as this one, helps explain key elements present in most technical documents. This style guide was created by University of Central Florida (UCF) students in online course ENC4293 to be utilized as a resource for technical writers. This document establishes rules and guidelines for the following topics: language, grammar, numerals, capitalization, online communication, graphics, research and library skills, punctuation, documentation and citation, presentation skills, and document design. This guide’s purpose is to demonstrate effective technical writing and promote consistency in writing style. Use this guide in combination with the requirements set forth by your assignment. When tasked with creating a technical document, consider all the aspects set forth by this style guide before writing, during writing, and when finished writing. Following a style guide can help you produce a more effective and thorough technical document. 10 Online Communication 1. Maintaining awareness of your audience 1.1 Utilize non-discriminatory language There are a multitude of reasons why it is important to use non-discriminatory language when you are in an online group setting. The use of discriminatory language can cause other people hurt or pain and creates miscommunication. By using non-discriminatory language, you gain respect from your peers, increase productivity among group members, gain a sense of credibility, and raise the overall team morale. In an online situation, the use of non-discriminatory language becomes more important. It is common to have never met the people you are communicating with. In this situation you know very little about the person’s race, gender or nationality. Therefore, it is very important to be aware of what you are saying because you don’t know what may or may not offend them. To avoid using discriminatory language in any group setting: • Avoid terms or expressions that are patronizing. • Avoid sexist assumptions or comments towards group members. • Avoid irrelevant gender descriptions (ex: a woman teacher). • Avoid racist language. • Do not use terms describing nationalities or ethnic groups because they are often controversial. • Do not use slang or threatening or offensive slogans • Instead of using Miss or Mrs., address them by name or title, such as Professor Smith. • When listing names, try using alphabetical order except in situations when seniority is important. • Avoid using his or her and instead use anyone, someone, or nobody. • Avoid using masculine or feminine terms unless you are specifically addressing a male or female. • Avoid irrelevant gender descriptions—instead of saying a male doctor, use a doctor. • Do not single any one person out; instead try to write sentences in the plural form. • When listing a pair of nouns or pronouns that reflect stereotyped views of status, try varying the order.