Category: STC

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Introduction to Technical Editing Course

Meg Vezzu

Are you looking to learn more about technical editing and the skills needed to succeed in this area? Perhaps you have recently started a job in technical editing or are considering a career in the field. Or maybe your job involves editing technical documents for colleagues or clients and you would like to expand your knowledge or brush up on your skills. If any of this sounds like you, you may be interested in signing up for the course “Introduction to Technical Editing.” The next session of this six-week course will begin on April 8, 2024.

In this course, we will dive into a variety of topics related to technical editing and cover important skills that technical editors need to effectively advocate for the audience and help technical writers to produce content that is clear, organized, and useful.

The course will begin with an overview of technical editing, including the different types and levels of technical editing and important skills needed for this type of work. We will also go over tips for managing editing projects and establishing positive working relationships with writers. Next, we will learn about the different tools technical editors use to do their job, such as tools for electronic text markup (e.g., Microsoft Word track changes and Adobe Acrobat markup) and the style manuals used by different industries (e.g., APA, Chicago). In addition to an overview of grammar and mechanics that will focus on common errors, we will discuss strategies for editing for clarity, conciseness, and style, including reducing redundancy and wordiness, using active vs. passive voice, and editing according to plain language guidelines. We will also cover topics related to editing for visual design, such as use of fonts, color, graphics, figures, and tables, in addition to issues related to accessibility. Finally, we will talk about some special considerations in technical editing, including technical editing in a global context, bias-free language, and ethical issues.

The course is presented in an asynchronous format, with lesson videos posted at the beginning of each week. There will also be at least one optional live session scheduled where students can ask questions in real time. Additionally, there will be discussion forums in Moodle where students can ask questions or share information.

Students will have the opportunity to apply the skills learned in the class through weekly assignments. Some of these will involve editing content provided by the instructor, and other assignments will allow students to find content for editing (e.g., websites). The course culminates with a final assignment where students perform a comprehensive edit of a proposal.

This course is ideal for those who are just getting started in technical editing as well as those who may have some job-related experience but are looking for more formal instruction to hone their skills.

To find out more and to sign up for the course, visit https://www.stc.org/course/tech-editing-april-2024/.

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Of Interest: STC TechComm Unconference!

Calling all technical communicators: Join us for our first-ever Tech Comm Unconference!

The STC Chicago Chapter, in collaboration with the STC Rochester and STC Carolina Chapters and the STC Technical Editing SIG, will be hosting a collaborative space for technical communicators to come together and discuss relevant topics, including projects, questions, difficulties and more. You bring the topic and we provide the space for the discussion.

How It Works: Attendees can bring their own topics and lead discussions in our hosted breakout rooms, or they can join someone else’s topic that they find interesting. Just as at an in-person event, attendees can move freely between different breakout sessions.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to discuss new topics and ideas with colleagues in an open and inviting virtual environment!

To register, go to https://www.stc-chicago.com/tech-comm-unconference/.

When:

February 29, 2024 at 12:00-2:00 p.m. CST (for your local time, click here)

Cost:

STC members – FREE
Students – FREE
Non-members – $5

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Of Interest: STC Education Online Course – Creating and Using a Department Style Guide

Wednesdays, 13 September to 1 November 2023  at 6:30 to 7:30 PM ET
(click here for your time zone)

Instructor: The TESIG’s own Kelly Schrank!

Registration closes 12 September 2023

Whether building a new department, working as a department of one, or joining a new or existing department, many technical communicators have found themselves working on documents without the benefit of a style guide.

In this course, as a group we will create a new style guide from scratch, incorporate common elements, and decide together what’s needed and what might be better relegated to other documents or resources. From grammar and punctuation to style and formatting, we’ll go through the process together. We’ll tackle this as the big project it is, by planning its scope and schedule, including tracking status, training others, and gathering feedback.

After the course, everyone will be emailed the finished document in Microsoft Word to use as is or as a template for their own style guide.

  • STC Members: $375
  • Gold Members: $300
  • Student Members: $295
  • Nonmembers: $595

To register, go to https://www.stc.org/course/creating-and-using-a-department-style-guide-september-2023/.

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Wanted: Corrigo Correspondents for Summit 2023

Are you going to attend the STC Summit this year (14-17 May 2023)?

Are you going to listen to any of the excellent sessions?

Are you going to learn interesting things about our chosen profession of technical editing?

Why not share what you’ll learn with your colleagues?

Corrigo is looking for volunteer correspondents at the Summit to write summaries of the sessions they attend – if you are able to help,  send an email to editor@stc-techedit.org,

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Survey: The Current State of Technical Editing

by Kelly Schrank

The May/June issue of Intercom will be on technical editing, so we’d like to get an idea of what you do in your jobs as technical editors, the types of companies that employ you, tools you use, and how you work.

Please take our 5-minute anonymous survey and let us know about your work (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3QMZXDX). 

Note: This issue of Intercom will have articles about the past and future of technical editing, and how to become a technical editor. You may have contributed to those surveys, too, and we appreciate it! This is a new survey for a new article, though, so we'd love to hear your answers to these questions, too!