Online Technical Writing Classes

THE PROGRAM
The online Technical Writing Certificate
of Completion introduces students to the many aspects of contemporary technical writing practices and helps them develop the skills and confidence to communicate complex technical concepts simply and effectively. Students can take individual courses or the entire series

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Technical writing plays an extremely important role in the business field and high tech world. With increasing reliance on sophisticated technology, written technical instructions have become the primary paths to understanding complex procedures. Some of the concepts that students will learn include how to determine their audience, purpose and objectives for various documents; how to follow steps to successful technical writing; how to write collaboratively; how to write a procedures manual; and how to design the most common types of technical documents.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Career opportunities are found in the financial, industrial, construction, electronics, automotive, medical, computer, biomedical, healthcare, agricultural and petrochemical industries. Many engineers, scientists and technicians have increased their effectiveness through improvement of their technical writing skills. Individuals who are interested in becoming technical communicators, or those who are already in technical writing positions and would like to improve their skills.

ONLINE CONVENIENCE
California State University, Dominguez Hills online technical writing classes are convenient for people who live or work anywhere, including Los Angeles, Torrance, Long Beach, Carson, Compton, El Segundo, Palos Verdes, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, San Pedro, Hawthorne, Gardena, Lakewood, Paramount, Bellflower, Downey, Inglewood and other parts of the South Bay and Southern California.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Students must have a command of the English language, and understand the basic principles of composition including grammar and sentence construction.

Students are expected to have Internet connectiviety and the ability to create Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat files for class projects. MS Office is strongly recommended.

SPECIAL FEATURES
The program will be taught online.

CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
A Certificate of Completion is awarded upon successful completion of the entire program.

COURSES
Fundamentals of Technical Communication
Advanced Technical Communication
Information Design

COSTS
The cost of each course is $450. Total cost for a certificate is $1,350.
There will be an additional cost for materials and/or textbooks.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Fundamentals of Technical Communication
This 9-week course examines the basic requirements of technical style and organizational patterns used in a variety of business and technical documents. Students learn and practice how to condense extensive information into the fewest words possible without sacrificing content. The class also covers how to identify the audiences and apply various styles to each.

Advanced Technical Communications
This 9-week course further examines the concepts learned in the “Fundamentals” course. Students hone their skills by writing various types of proposals, informal and formal reports, procedures manuals and oral presentations. Additionally, students learn about interviewing, portfolios, and resources for technical communication. Students work on several projects they can use for their portfolios.

Information Design
The final 9-week course gives students a command of the design principles and production processes required for truly effective technical communication. Students study technical communication design aspects including Gunning Fog Index, mental models, type, newsletter layouts, human factors, conventions in design, and graphics. The focus of the course is the completion of a capstone project that incorporates every aspect of technical writing learned in the program for the student's portfolio.

Schedule/Costs

Bookstore

Instructor Profiles
Lu Kondor, MA, technical writer and systems administrator for more than 15 years, is employed by Sony Pictures Imageworks. Member STC.

Rachael Post, M.A., M.J., U.C. Berkeley, is a writer, editor and owner of Luna Sky Media, a digital media marketing form with a speciality in green technology. As a journalist, she worked for the Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo, the San Jose Mercury News in Hong Kong, and Business Mexico magazine. She has been developing Web sites and putting print publications online since 1998.

TEXTBOOKS
Technical Communication, Markel
Handbook of Technical Writing, Alred, Brusaw, Oliu
Document Design: A Guide for Technical
Communicators
, Kimball

For further information contact:
Babette Wald: bwald@lists.csudh.edu

To Register
Call 310-243-3741 or 877-GO-HILLS

Professional Links

Society for Technical Communication
http://www.stc.org

Los Angeles County Society for Technical Communication
http://www.lastc.org

Orange County (CA) Society for Technical Communication
http://www.ocstc.org

Technical Writing:
http://www.deanza.edu/twrt/orgs.html

American Medical Writers Association
http://www.amwa.org/default.asp?id=1

American Society of Business and Publication Editors
http://www.asbpe.org

American Society of Indexers
http://www.asindexing.org/site/index.html

American Society of Journalists and Authors
http://www.asja.org

HTML Writers Guild
http://www.hwg.org

Women in Technology International
http://www.witi.com/center/aboutwiti
http://www.witi.com/center/regionalchapter/chapter_popup.php?search_type=
state&search_string=California