Technical Research Process
In Technical Writing there are many key factors such as your audience, communication etc... but, none more important than research. When researching technical writing some things need to be considered such as how does this information relate to the topic at hand? How can this information be translated to communicate to my audience?
Much of the information used in this blog was retrieved from Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. (2011). Technical writing for success (3rd ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
When Conducting Technical Research keep in mind the following...
Information is everywhere and it is for this reason alone that technical researchers need to"understand what information they need"(Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. 2011 pg.45).
Research at Work
Employees use information and data collected at work to solve problems. On the job research requires use in...
* Developing new products
* Handling a production problem
* Buying equipment or services
* Creating safety procedures
* Selecting employee benefits
* Brainstorming an advertising campaign
(Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. 2011 pg.45)
Keep in mind when writing on the job, that your writing should focus on helping businesses operate effectively, not show your abundance of knowledge on a particular topic (Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. 2011).
I know a question that you may ask yourself , how will I collect information for this topic? Consider the information you already have and the information you already know as great starting points to your writing process. Here are somethings that any technical writer should keep in mind your audience, purpose , and scope(Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. 2011).
One way to examine information is to use a strategy and use these suggestions as part of your strategy developing process.
* Locating and evaluating the correct material from the best sources ( make sure its relevant to your writing).
* Record the information accurately to avoid plagiarizing or violating copyright laws ( your information needs to be documented correctly).
*Document the information as in your information's source so that it can be located again by you or any one else (sourcing information properly is very important).
(Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. 2011 pg.45)
Sources
Secondary Sources by definition are indirect sources or second hand reports of information. Information gathered that the writer did not witness. Describing previously stated information from a meeting or courtroom is secondary sourcing.
Primary Sources are direct firsthand reports of facts or observation that you did witness. Firsthand accounts that you were present for. This includes materials such as journals that you have written.
Secondary sources are the most common used sources because they are easily obtainable.Most writings begin with second sourced infomarmation.
Many writers in this day and age gather information from the internet but how do you know that website you are using is credible. Even in technical writing the internet can be a helpful way to quickly gather information, but you should apply these guidelines when retrieving information from the internet.
Where was the source published? (is the article scholarly or from a scholarly source)
Who wrote it? (examine how many times a sources has been sited this will provide insight into its accuracy)
Is the piece timely and appropriate for its field?(make sure the material is up to date)
For whom is the source written? (consider the audience this information was written for)
Will you use the source as a primary or secondary text?( non scholarly information may be used as long as it is not the primary text of your writing)
Excerpts taken from (Columbia College n.d.)
Citing Sources
All information used in writing that is not original meaning from you must be cited to prevent plagiarizing.
"Plagiarism is the act of using another person's words or ideals without properly documenting or giving credit to that source"(Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. 2011 pg.52).
"Documentation is giving credit to another persons work , by using a citation system to note who's ideals and words the writer is using and giving credit for them" (Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. 2011 pg.52).
Sources are cited at the end of the presentation or written works on a works cited page or bibliography page.
In Technical Writing there are many key factors such as your audience, communication etc... but, none more important than research. When researching
technical writing some things need to be considered such as how does
this information relate to the topic at hand? How can this information
be translated to communicate to my audience? With the information shared in this blog you will be on your way to developing a great research strategy for a technical writing assignment.
Sources
Columbia College (n.d.) Evaluating the Credibility of Your Sources Retrieved from
http://www.college.columbia.edu/academics/integrity-sourcecredibility
Smith-Worthington, S., & Jefferson, S. (2011). Technical writing for success (3rd ed.). Mason, OH: South-
Western Cengage Learning.
J Dragonfly (2012) Technical Writing Process Retrieved from
