Of the million words that exist in English language, the common man is estimated to know only 30,000 words. Hence, the challenge of the technical writer is not just to choose the apt words that ably explain a concept or scenario. They also have to make sure that the chosen word is not uncommon.

The problem of choosing the right word arises when there are multiple synonyms for a given word. The concept of pompous words becomes relevant in this context. Pompous words are the uncommon words that are synonymous to a commonly understood word. Hence, technical writers should choose the ‘common’ synonyms of the pompous words to increase the readability of their documents.

Listed below are some of the pompous words and their appropriate synonyms:

1. Optimal (Best)
2. Actuate (Start)
3. Transpire (Occur, Happen)
4. Fabricate (Make)
5. Initiate (begin)
6. Concurrence (Agreement)
7. Amalgamation (Combination)
8. Elucidate (Explain, Clarify)
9. Impediment (Obstacle)
10. Celerity (Speed)
11. Implementation (execution, completion)
12. Nascent (Emerging, Beginning)
13. Potentiality (Possibility)
14. Segregate (Separate)
15. Parameters (Variables)
Adityan.S
PGPTC3

Persuasive writing is used basically to convince your readers to do something you want them to do or to agree with your point of view.

Application: Marketing Collaterals.

Persuasion is generally an exercise in creating a win – win situation. You make a case that others readily agree to. Then you make them an offer that they cannot refuse. It means, it’s a good deal for that person or a position that makes sense to that particular person. Well there are techniques which you can use to make your point more compelling.

1. Repetition

Repetition is crucial in persuasive writing. This is needed to make a person understand what you are saying, only then can he agree to what you are saying. There are various ways you can make your point, such as directly, using an example, In a story, use a quote from a famous person and once more in a summary.

2. Why?

People are more likely to comply with a request if you simply give them a reason, why? even if that reason makes no sense. We don’t like to be told things or asked to take action without a reasonable explanation. If you want people to receive what you are thinking, give reasons, why?

3. Consistency

Consistency in our thoughts and action is a valued social trait. We don’t want to appear inconsistent, since that characteristic is associated with instability, whether it be fair or not.

4. Social Proof

Looking for guidance from others as to what to do and what to accept is a general trait observed in everyone’s lives. For examples: Social proof can be found in testimonials and outside referrals. This is a major driving force behind social media.

5. Agitate and Solve

This is a great theme that works well to making your case. Firstly, identify the problem, and qualify your audience. Then you agitate the reader’s pain before offering a solution as an answer that will make it all better.

6. Address Objections

If you present your case and someone is left thinking “yeah, but …”, well you have lost. Addressing all the potential objections of atleast the majority of your readers can be tough. If you know your subject well, the arguments against you should be anticipated and fair reasons should be provided.

7. Story Telling

Story telling is really a great technique. Stories allows people to persuade themselves, and that’s what it’s really all about. You might say that we never convince anyone of anything, we simply help others decide independently that we are right. Do everything you can to tell better stories, and you will find that you are a terribly persuasive person

from: http://writing.learnhub.com

Hi All,

This time on Blog I like to  discuss about the proper terminologies that have to be used while framing  questions.  This  Blog will help you to get focused on the questions asked, so that you can provide an appropriate answer. Following are some of the words that we come across while answering various questions.

• Analyze -separate the subject into different parts and discuss each part
• Argue -give your opinion on a topic and support it with examples, facts, or other details
• Assess -tell what is good and bad about a given topic and explain how you arrived at your conclusions
• Classify -organize the subject into groups and discuss the logic behind your grouping
• Compare -point out how the items are alike and different
• Contrast -point out how the items are different
• Define -give meaning to the term
• Describe -tell what the subject is like
• Discuss -list the main parts or issues of the subject and elaborate on each one
• Evaluate -tell what is good and bad about a given topic and explain how you arrived at your conclusions
• Explain -support your statements with specific facts, examples, and so on;Elaborate on the logic you used to     make your conclusions
• Give evidence -back up your statements with facts, examples, or other supporting information
• Give examples -use specific details, facts, or situations to make your point
• Identify -name or list the items requested
• Illustrate -give specific examples
• Include -put this information in the essay
• Indicate -tell what you think about a subject and how you arrived at your conclusion
• List -name the items requested
• Outline -organize the main points of the subject
• Relate -point out the connections between the items indicated
• Review -list and discuss the main points of the subject
• Summarize -briefly describe the main points of the topic
• Support -give evidence to back up your statements
• Trace -list and describe the points or events in a logical or chronological order

A noun stack is a series of nouns used as a single phrase. It is a common sentence style problem in technical writing. A technical writer should avoid using noun stacks, as it reduces the clarity of the sentence. Noun stacks also alter the natural flow of thought that is essential for a good sentence.

For example, ‘An acquisition candidate identification process’ is a noun stack that does not convey a clear meaning. Also, it can be observed that the noun stack makes sense only after the word ‘process’ is introduced. The above noun stack can be re-written as, ‘a process for identifying candidates for acquisition’.

Some other examples are:

1. Customer skills transfer session (can be re-written as training session for customers)
2. Strategic application development productivity (can be re-written as tools for developing software)
3. Macro virus population diversity (can be re-written as diversity of macro viruses)
4. Gas-station vapor-recovery requirements (can be re-written as requirements to install vapor recovery at gas stations)
5. New national ambient ground-level ozone air-quality standards (can be re-written as new national air-quality standards for ground-level ozone.)

Adityan. S

PGPTC3

One of the key features in Technical Writing is writing concise sentences. Usage of lengthy sentences, sometimes, takes the reader away from the actual purpose of the document. This can lead to ambiguity and the reader might have to read the sentence several times or even look out for other sources for valid information. This completely negates the purpose of a Technical Document.

The reason for this could go back to our schooling days where we were indirectly taught to write pages together in order to get more marks. We had a predefined length for an answer in our mind according to the marks allotted for it. And to this day we prefer writing in “quantity” and sometimes lose out “quality”.

We as technical writers have to do a lot of unlearning in this area. But it certainly will not be a difficult task. To begin with we can identify the redundant phrases that we use in our day-to-day vocabulary and instead use simpler words.

Few examples of redundant phrases along with an alternate word for the same are mentioned in the following:

Adequate number of – Enough
Conduct an investigation – Investigate
Contiguous to – Next to
Gives an indication of – Shows
Has the ability to – Can
Made a statement – Said
Not withstanding the fact that – but, although, still
Perform an assessment of – assess
During such time – while
Arrived at a conclusion – Concluded
As a consequence of – Because, because of
Despite the fact that – Although
In an effort to – To

Taking this initial small step to correct ourselves will certainly help us in writing concise and meaningful sentence and keep ambiguity at bay!

Nita Joseph, joined the Fundamental Certification Program Plus in December, 2009. She completed the course in the second week of February, 2010 and has now joined IBM as a Content Manager.

Team TWB wishes Nita Joseph the very best in all her future endeavors.
From: Nita Joseph
Date: Fri, Mar 5, 2010 at 10:20 AM
Subject: To: Kenneth, Phebe, Trevor, Renu
To: “trainers.twb TWB” <trainers.twb@gmail.com>

Hello Trainers,

How are you? I want you to know that by the grace of God, I have joined IBM. The role is more to do with content management than writing. However, I am very happy with the role. I hope I do well as everything depends on my performance.

Thank you once again for everything!

(@Kenneth and Phebe: Thanks for having faith in me! It is your encouragement that helped me stay focused during the course.)

Regards,

Nita

A huge fraud has been revealed.

Authors are gaoled inside the city of books,
where hungry street dogs at the corner
prefer the bone of extinct words

The city is confirmed to be inside the bookshelf
of the god of languages –

Banished perhaps,
from his realm of comprehensible wisdom
to this far away land of alexithymia

God always sits amused at a chair afar
and watches us –

Bumblers, trumpeters, jokers
with single syllable tambourines
hanging from our necks

We meander clueless through his landscape,
an unending vineyard between word and meaning
where

W, V, U, M –are nothing but birds
Z, C, I, O – all snakes
B is a mocking bird
G is a crocodile lost in thought

Let’s no more call them words.
They are the wild –
animals and birds, wind and trees
migrating to safer places from our speech,
our epics.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote 432 pages
of nothingness in One Hundred Years of Solitude.

As he throngs the bars of the prison,
his book collapses at the city center
like a an old building