University of North Dakota

Certificate in Technical Writing for Current Technical Writers

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Course Name

Certificate in Technical Writing for Current Technical Writers

Contact Hours: 90 (an estimated time frame devoted to a course of study from start to finish that can vary from student to student)

Course Description

This program has been developed for those already in the field or those in the downsized IT industry. The Certificate in Technical Writing program is Instructor-Led, meaning you learn from highly qualified industry practitioners and tech writing faculty. Now in its 25th year, our program has been designed for those who want to enhance existing careers in technical writing or move in a new direction within the corporate workplace.

The program is designed for:

  • Those who aspire to develop their technical language and communication skills

  • Those who need to update their knowledge and skills

  • Those who need preparation for teaching professional communication

  • Those who must prepare and deliver training for their companies

  • Those who aspire to advance in documentation and other technical communication positions

  • Those who seek a verifiable Certificate Credential from an accredited university

 

General Questions

Do the instructors provide feedback? Instructors provide extensive feedback on each assignment. Some assignments are posted on web pages, others are delivered through Learning Management Delivery Platforms.

What credits do you receive by completing this course? These are CEU credits (Continuing Education Credit). They do not transfer to a "for-credit" institution. However, you can expect to take these online courses under stringent guidelines to gain a high quality educational and learning experience. Earning a valid Technical Writing Certificate will help you advance your career and increase your salary in the workplace.

Is any software to be installed? There is no software to be installed.

Do I need to submit a transcript to enroll in the Certificate Program? No, you do not.

What happens once I register? Once you register e-mail notification will be sent to your instructor and also to you. Course of study begins shortly thereafter.

When you say self-paced, do you mean that there are no deadlines on assignments or that you can start assignments when you wish to? You must complete your work within the 6 week per module allotted time period unless other arrangements are made between you and your instructor. Your assignments can be handled on a rather open-ended deadline. The Tech writing faculty will often work with a student to accommodate their requests for extensions.

How much time should I devote to study, assignments and projects? Individual learning behaviors and workloads can vary. We think about 5 hours minimum per week should be devoted to the Certificate course of study.

I am interested in taking the Certificate in Technical Writing. Must I sign up for all three courses at the same time?  No, you can take them one at a time.

Are there textbooks that I need to buy for any of the courses? There are no additional textbook purchases required for this course of study.

Upon successful completion of this certificate, you will be able to:

  • Analyze audiences and purposes for various technical documents and write effective technical documents by incorporating editorial changes and user feedback

  • Correct instances of improper usage, eliminate trite and redundant phrases, so you can write clear and precise sentences

  • Apply sound formatting principles to the design and layout of documents and insert eye-catching graphics, charts, and tables that illustrate key points

  • Create information plans and content specifications and implement publications projects

  • Manage production processes and evaluate project successes and failures

 

This Certificate Course must be completed within the specified time period noted at the time of enrollment. Extension fees are applicable beyond the end date if additional time is needed; reach out to courseinfo@jeronline.com for more information.  Upon successful completion of this course, you may apply for a paper-based certificate from one of our Accredited University Partners by writing to requestmycertificate@jeronline.com. Certificate fees apply.

Please note: Course of study may be completed earlier than indicated. Also, JER Online provides top-tier Technical Writing programs that adhere to academic guidelines. All assignments turned in by students are to be their own work with proper references cited. Any form of plagiarism noted will result in immediate course termination and failure.

Outcome

The courses that comprise this program are:
 

  1. Introduction to Technical Writing For Technical Writers.
  2. Intermediate Technical Writing.  
  3. Advanced Technical Writing.

See these individual courses listed for Outcome Details.

Assessment

See Inidividual Course Descriptions.

Outline

See Individual Course Descriptions.

Individual Course Descriptions

Technical Communication, an Introduction for Current Technical Writers, Editors and Designers
Intermediate Technical Writing
Advanced Technical Writing

Course Name

Technical Communication, an Introduction for Current Technical Writers, Editors and Designers

Contact Hours: 30 (an estimated time frame devoted to a course of study from start to finish that can vary from student to student)

Course Description

Get an overview of the whole field of technical communication. Expand your perspective. For current tech writers, editors, and designers. An excellent course of study facilitated by a seasoned industry practitioner. Please note: Course of study may be completed earlier than indicated. Also, JER Online provides top-tier Technical Writing programs that adhere to academic guidelines. All assignments turned in by students are to be their own work with proper references cited. Any form of plagiarism noted will result in immediate course termination and failure. Please note: Course of study may be completed earlier than indicated.

Outcome

By the end of this course, you`ll be able to:
 

  • Define the field of technical communication.
  • Identify tasks and job titles in the profession of technical communication.
  • Describe the historical forces that have shaped the profession.
  • Define key terms used in technical communication.
  • Analyze the actual experience of people using your documents.
  • Identify the way that typography and layout affect your readers.
  • Identify how you fit into a product management process, as a technical communicator.
  • Identify key components of an information plan, and content specification.
  • Analyze an audience.
  • Perform a task analysis.
  • Identify key activities in user-centered design.
  • Perform user testing on your documentation.
  • Identify the key emotional competences for outstanding performance.
  • Articulate the levels of edit.
  • Identify best practices when writing or editing procedures
  • Identify problems and opportunities when publishing text online.

Assessment

Your progress will be assessed in several ways:
 

  • Through evaluation of your written work, using detailed guidelines given in each module.
  • Through self quizzes.
  • Through comments on your reports of activities that you undertake.
  • A final exam.

Outline


Topics (Most or all are covered at discretion of the instructor)

  1. Defining the field, becoming a profession 
  2. The ideas of documentation, documents, and design 
  3. Forces that have shaped our concept of technical communication 
  4. A tour of the activities that now constitute technical communication 
  5. Key tools you need to know-and how you can learn them quickly 
  6. Observing readers in action 
  7. Engaging readers`thinking and feelings 
  8. Balancing the readers` needs with your organization`s goals 
  9. Considering the actual experience of the users 
  10. Seeing the text 
  11. The role of typography and space 
  12. Gestalt principles for design 
  13. The interplay of words and images 
  14. How your work fits into the organization`s life 
  15. The idea of process 
  16. The process of product management 
  17. The importance of the information plan
  18.  Analyzing your audience 
  19. Doing task analysis 
  20. Drawing up the task list 
  21. Completing the information plan 
  22. Creating a content specification
  23. The process of user-centered design
  24. How technical communicators fit in 
  25. Putting the user at the center of the development process 
  26. Testing your documentation for usability 
  27. Developing your emotional intelligence, to become a star performer 
  28. Understanding and using the levels of edit 
  29. Case study: Writing a procedure 
  30. Problems and opportunities when moving text online 
  31. Final exam

Course Name

Intermediate Technical Writing

Contact Hours: 30 (an estimated time frame devoted to a course of study from start to finish that can vary from student to student)

Course Description

This technical-writing course introduces you to basic page design such as headings, lists, tables, notices, and highlighting.

You`ll learn and be expected to use standard design, format, and style for these page-design elements in the documents you write for this course. These are much the same standards as those used in the technical-publishing industry today. After you study the page-design units, you will write a set of instructions in which you use these guidelines and of course the general standards for good writing as well.

You will e-mail these instructions to your instructor who will review, comment on, and send them back to you by e-mail attachment.

You`ll follow the same process for the recommendation report. The course is appropriate for people who have had some on-the-job experience as well as those who may have taken Introduction to Technical Writing for Industry. may be taken alone or as part of the sequence of courses leading to a certificate in technical writing.

Please note: Course of study may be completed earlier than indicated. Also, JER Online provides top-tier Technical Writing programs that adhere to academic guidelines. All assignments turned in by students are to be their own work with proper references cited. Any form of plagiarism noted will result in immediate course termination and failure.

Outcome

  • Quizzes on headings, lists, notices, tables, and highlighting. Instructor review and acceptance of the instructions and recommendation report.
  • Activities will include readings, exercises, and quizzes on headings, lists, notices, tables, graphics, highlighting; and then readings, exercises, quizzes, and examples focused on instructions.
  • Activities will also include writing and revising (as necessary) a set of instructions and a recommendation report that apply the standards for design, format, and style covered in the units on headings, lists, notices, tables, graphics, highlighting, and instructions.
  • Throughout the course students will receive in-depth feedback from the instructor on assignments and may discuss any issues related to technical writing with the instructor.

Assessment

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • State good design practices for headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting.
  • Recognize common problems involving headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting.
  • Use standard design, format, and style of headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting in their writing projects.
  • State the common design and structure of written instructions and for recommendation reports.
  • Use headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting effectively in written instructions.
  • Perform audience and task analyses in preparation to write instructions.
  • Create instructions that focus on reader tasks, that explain actions clearly and that use an effective design enabling readers to accomplish their tasks.

Outline


BEFORE THE CLASS BEGINS

Introductions and start-up. To begin the course, you will fill out an online schedule and questionnaire, specifying your own due dates for the units included in this course. Doing so will generate your own web-page schedule with links to all the assignments, readings, exercises, and related information.

You`ll receive an e-mail introduction from your instructor and will then send e-mail introducing yourself.

  1. Headings and lists. In more or less the first week of this course, you will study headings and lists, using the online textbook and other resources and then take quizzes on these two topics to ensure your understanding of them. Your instructor automatically receives your quiz results and is available by e-mail or chatroom to answer any questions you may have.
  2. Special notices and graphics. In more or less the second week of this course, you will study notices and graphics, using the online textbook and other resources and then take quizzes on these two topics to ensure your understanding of them. Your instructor automatically receives your quiz results and is available by e-mail or chatroom to answer any questions you may have.
  3. Tables and highlighting. In more or less the third week of this course, you will study tables and highlighting, using the online textbook and other resources and then take quizzes on these two topics to ensure your understanding of them. Your instructor automatically receives your quiz results and is available by e-mail or chatroom to answer any questions you may have.
  4. Writing project: instructions. In the next two to three weeks of this course, you will put what you`ve learned about headings, lists, notices, graphics, tables, and highlighting to work in a set of instructions. You`ll use readings, exercises, and examples from the online textbook as well as other resources. Your instructor will be available to discuss your ideas and plans for the instructions project. You`ll send your instructions by e-mail to your instructor who will review, comment on, and send them back to you by e-mail. You will then revise accordingly, e-mailing your instructor if you have any questions. If all goes well, your instructor will approve your revised instructions (if any revision is necessary).
  5. Writing project: recommendation report. In the final weeks of this course, you`ll write a recommendation report that gives you further practice with the concepts in this course. You`ll use readings, exercises, and examples from the online textbook as well as other resources. Your instructor will be available to discuss your ideas and plans for this report project. You`ll send your report by e-mail to your instructor who will review, comment on, and send it back to you by e-mail. You`ll then revise accordingly, e-mailing your instructor if you have any questions. If all goes well, your instructor will approve your revised recommendation report (if any revision is necessary), and you`ll have successfully completed the course.

Course Name

Advanced Technical Writing

Contact Hours: 30 (an estimated time frame devoted to a course of study from start to finish that can vary from student to student)

Course Description

This course at the advanced level will give you the expertise and confidence to market yourself as a technical writer or simply to tackle more advanced assignments at work. Building on the skills you have acquired in the previous technical writing courses, this course emphasizes audience analysis, document organization and design, supplements, visuals, and research techniques. The course consists of one proposal that will incorporate all stage of technical writing: planning, writing, designing, and revising.

Please note: Course of study may be completed earlier than indicated. Also, JER Online provides top-tier Technical Writing programs that adhere to academic guidelines. All assignments turned in by students are to be their own work with proper references cited. Any form of plagiarism noted will result in immediate course termination and failure.

Outcome

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Analyze readers and/or situations to prepare for writing a proposal
  • Define the purpose of a proposal
  • Gather, record, and interpret data
  • Use content, design, and style guidelines to produce a more readable, concise document
  • Write and edit technical documentation
  • Write a winning proposal Students will demonstrate their understanding of advanced technical writing by creating a proposal. The proposal will include research, supplemental materials, and graphics. The student will submit the proposal in stages for assessment and feedback. Students demonstrate mastery of advanced technical writing by achieving at least 80% on the final proposal. 

Assessment

Your assignments will be assessed as follows:

  • A (100 to 90)
  • B (89 to 80)
  • C (79 to 70)
  • D (69 to 60)
  • F (59 and below)

Outline

Advanced Technical Writing

Advanced Technical Writing will give you the expertise and confidence to market yourself as a technical writer or simply to tackle more advanced assignments at work. Building on the skills you have acquired in the previous technical writing courses, this course emphasizes audience analysis, document organization and design, supplements, visuals, and research techniques. The course consists of one proposal that will incorporate all stage of technical writing: planning, writing, designing, and revising.

Throughout the course students can communicate with the instructor on assignments and may discuss any issues related to technical writing.

Outcomes:

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Analyze readers and/or situations to prepare for writing a proposal
  • Define the purpose of a proposal
  • Gather, record, and interpret data
  • Use content, design, and style guidelines to produce a more readable, concise document
  • Write and edit technical documentation
  • Write a winning proposal

Assessment:

  • Students will demonstrate their understanding of advanced technical writing by creating a proposal that meets the required standards set forth by the instructor.
  • The proposal will include research, supplemental materials, and graphics that meet the expectations and criteria.
  • The student will submit the proposal in stages for assessment and feedback.
  • Students demonstrate mastery of advanced technical writing by achieving at least 80% on the final proposal.


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