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Chapter 4 Summary

The document summarizes key points from Chapter 4 of APLED 121 about achieving clarity, conciseness, accuracy, and effective organization in technical communication. It discusses providing specific details, answering basic questions, using simple language, being concise to save time and improve readability, limiting word, sentence and paragraph length, ensuring accuracy, and organizing information through various structures like chronology, importance, problem-solution, and cause-and-effect. Effective writing involves prewriting, writing, and rewriting stages.

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170 views

Chapter 4 Summary

The document summarizes key points from Chapter 4 of APLED 121 about achieving clarity, conciseness, accuracy, and effective organization in technical communication. It discusses providing specific details, answering basic questions, using simple language, being concise to save time and improve readability, limiting word, sentence and paragraph length, ensuring accuracy, and organizing information through various structures like chronology, importance, problem-solution, and cause-and-effect. Effective writing involves prewriting, writing, and rewriting stages.

Uploaded by

api-593708085
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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To: Nancy Myers

From: Thomas LaLone

Date: January 6, 2022

Re: APLED 121-Chapter 4 Summary

Chapter 4
Objectives in Technical Communication
Achieving Clarity in Technical Communication

• Provide Specific Detail-Make sure you give specific information that’s important. You should be
able to express yourself clearly.
• Answer the Reporter’s Questions-What is the subject? Who is involved? When and where did it
take place? Other questions you could answer are “why” and “how.”
• Use Easily Understandable Words-Use alternatives to difficult terms. Use words that the reader
can understand.

Simplifying Words, Sentences, and Paragraphs for Conciseness

• Conciseness Saves Time-Long presentations can waste people’s time. Using more concise words
keeps the presentation shorter for everyone else.
• Technology Demands Conciseness-There are certain limitations digitally. Using more concise
words keeps the word count, page count, etc. shorter.
• Conciseness Improves Readability-Everybody’s reading habits are different and changing. Using
concise words makes the presentation easier to read.
• Limit Word Length for Conciseness-Using less syllables is another way to be easily understood.
• Limit Sentence Length for Conciseness-Avoid using certain words and phrases while also
speaking actively versus passively.
• Limit Paragraph Length for Conciseness-Depending on the development of the paragraph, use
as many words as you need. Remember though, longer paragraphs are more difficult to read.
• Achieving Accuracy in Technical Communication-Concise words do not matter if the context or
grammar is incorrect. It must be accurate to be effective.
• Proofreading Tips:
• Let someone else read it
• Let it sit
• Print it out
• Use technology
• Read it out loud
Organizing Technical Communication

• Analysis-Analyzing the presentation helps you focus on the more minor details that build up
the major point.
• Spatial Organization-
• Chronology-Using chronological order organizes the points you’re trying to make.
• Importance-Organize the presentation by which topics are most important.
• Compare/Contrast-Consider all available choices and compare them to help show pros and
cons.
• Problem/Solution-Organize the presentation by focusing on the problem; once the problem
is clear, provide a solution.
• Cause & Effect-Organize the presentation by focusing on what caused the situation,
followed by focusing on the results.

The Writing Process at Work

• Prewriting-Planning the paper


• Writing-Writing the paper
• Rewriting-Revising/Editing the paper

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