Archive for January 2009
How to Create a Cross-Reference in FrameMaker
Introduction A cross-reference is often used in technical and scientific publications to indicate related information. The purpose of cross-referencing is to help the reader find related information in the document. The following are some examples of how cross-references can be used in a document: A) To provide information about an author or article that is…
Read MoreHow to Scale or Resize PDF Pages in Acrobat
Introduction to Scale or Resize PDF Pages To know how to scale or resize PDF pages is a skill that can save you a lot of time and money. Why? Because disasters do happen. Imagine you have finished a 900-page PDF document and you realize that the left margin should’ve been 0.5 inch smaller. Oops!…
Read MoreWhen to Use Jargon in Technical Writing?
Introduction: What is jargon and why do people use it? You’ve heard it a thousand times and it’s true: you should stay away from jargon and write as you speak. Jargon is a type of language that is specific to a particular group of people, such as the military, medicine, or politics. The use of…
Read MoreWhat Should a Writer Do During Economic Downturns?
Introduction Are you a writer or thinking to become one? Then I’ve got good news for you. Writing is a profession that offers lots of opportunities and a variety of jobs at all levels. These jobs are quite flexible, you can write for blogs, newspapers, magazines, textbooks or fiction books. Depending on the kind of…
Read MoreHow to Use Bulleted Lists
Introduction: What is a Bulleted List and Why are They So Helpful? Bulleted lists are extremely helpful in summarizing and organizing information. They are also very easy to read and comprehend. Bulleted lists are also used to present the key points for a given topic, so that the reader can easily follow along with what…
Read More3 Ways to Find a Technical Writing Job
Introduction There are three ways to find a technical writing job: 1) On your own, as an independent freelancer. 2) Through a job agency, as a contractor. 3) As a company employee on the payroll. Each offers different benefits and advantages, depending on your skills as a technical writer, your background and your personality. Independent…
Read More4 Ideas to Organize Your Images and Screenshots
Most technical documents would have at least a few images to illustrate a point, or screen shots that accompany the description of a certain step-by-step procedure, etc. Organizing such images can really become a problem, especially when you have dozens and hundreds of them. Finding, editing, and importing them can quickly become a logistical nightmare,…
Read MoreHow to Write an Excellent Index
Introduction An index is an alphabetical list of subjects and page numbers that will help the reader find information in a textbook, journal article, or other publication. An index should be: – Alphabetized by the first word of the entry – Arranged so that words are grouped together by topic – Clearly labeled with…
Read MoreTwo Different Types of Technical (Software) Documents
In technical writing, there are two different but related types of software documents and I call them “Interface Manuals” and “Procedural Guides”. An INTERFACE GUIDE explains what each button, or the graphic user interface (GUI) element that one sees on a screen is and does. For example, such a button guide would explain that if…
Read MoreHow to Create a New MS Word Document Automatically With a Specific Template?
© 2009 Ugur Akinci MS word is a powerful word processor that you can use with a lot of different templates. If you do nothing and create a new document, Word will use its default Normal.dot template to create a 8.5″ by 11″ page. But let’s say you are generating a lot of 6″x9″ documents…
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