RE: Breaking into the tech writing job market

Subject: RE: Breaking into the tech writing job market
From: Jane Credland <circe -at- lmi -dot- net>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2006 11:42:07 -0700

Quoting Laura Lemay:

> When we as tech writers aim for a sxith grade reading level it just
> means we should be writing short, declarative sentences; that we are
> writing plainly and clearly; that we are using active voice, and that
> we are avoiding jargon or complex language our audience will not
> understand. Those basic rules apply regardless of complexity of the
> subject or sophistication of the audience.

I agree.

We also have to remember that no matter their level of subject knowledge or
education, the first language of any user may not be English.

I was reminded of this in the last release when the developer who programmed the
code I was documenting commented that she had a hard time parsing the few
longer, more complex sentences that I had left in. And she knew what I was
trying to say.

Jane
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References:
RE: Breaking into the tech writing job market: From: Mike Schmidt

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