Questions tagged [technical-writing]
Documentation, tutorials, training, user guides, installation guides, design documents, and all other types of technical documentation in any domain (not just software).
15 questions from the last 365 days
-3
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1
answer
101
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Is writing articles/blogs still relevant in the age of AI?
People around me and I use AI like ChatGPT to get information on the internet. If we don't find the accurate data about what we are looking for, only then we search on Google and copy the content of ...
- 95
0
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1
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42
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Is there a format for scholarly writing that allows you to cite "where did I find this citation?"
I know in many fields such as journalism there is usually a notion of "primary, secondary, tertiary sources" in that you can directly cite someone at an event, or cite a citation of them etc....
- 101
0
votes
0
answers
30
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is the word presumed used correctly in my sentence?
what was wrong with account I told her since Shes not on the acct I couldn't provide her with details. I presumed to ask about the relationship, and she said she was the caregiver.
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
68
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Is there a point to splitting a blog post into multiple parts?
I write blogposts on Computer Science (not specifically about programming though). Usually my posts are 1500 to 2500 words long. The one I am currently writing will probably end up being 7,000 words ...
- 111
1
vote
2
answers
99
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Is there a good term for instructions that are presented in the wrong order?
I'm trying to document/comment on an error someone is making in their technical writing, and I don't want to give half a page of explanation. I thought I'd heard a writing term for it.
It's where ...
- 113
0
votes
1
answer
86
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'input-file' and 'output-file' vs. 'source-file' and 'target-file' as generic names
When documenting command-line things, it is often necessary to use generic names.
Sometimes I use input and output words, and they play nice:
# example 1
pandoc input_file.md -o output_file.htm
But ...
- 107
0
votes
2
answers
66
views
When vs If, when describing settings and parameters
For a current guide, I'm describing settings of an application where you can toggle the setting from Yes to No.
Which of the following is correct, or better, to use?
When set to Yes, this...
If set ...
- 3
1
vote
2
answers
112
views
Is it a good idea to use Git for document management of technical documentation?
I have compiled the technical documentation for a physical product. It includes documents like user manuals, technical descriptions, maintenance instructions, etc. I have decided that all these ...
- 111
3
votes
1
answer
150
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Is sacrificing "clarity" for sounding smarter on a college continued interest letter a good idea?
I put "clarity" in quotes because I know it is not the right word but I cannot think of what the correct word should be.
I am writing a continued interest letter for my top college. I have ...
- 145
2
votes
2
answers
107
views
Optimal word distance
In scientific writing, we are often in a situation where we need to think about whether we should write down the full sentence that defines a concept, or we can be more concise without raising any ...
- 123
3
votes
2
answers
502
views
Is it OK to repeat the word implied by an acronym?
Say, we have a sentence like that (found on the web):
The ICAP protocol specifies extensions allowing a client to report the IP address of the client and the origin server involved in the HTTP ...
- 31
0
votes
2
answers
91
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Technical Documentation and Training System Utilizing Markdown and Live Updates
This may not be the correct place to post this question, but I'm at a loss of where else it can go.
I'm attempting to research a potential documentation system for my company to use that would replace ...
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
74
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Conveying meaning using "such as" [closed]
I am having trouble deciding if the use of "such as" in sentence 1 conveys the meaning correctly, or does the meaning need to be reiterated like in sentence 2. I hope this makes sense.
This ...
- 111
1
vote
2
answers
117
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How can I make the process of writing easier?
I came up with an AI image generation party game, and I wanted to tell about it to others. It took me an hour to write the description, even though I already knew all the details in my head. It was ...
1
vote
1
answer
24
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Should the APA In text citation go before or after organization name when the organization is used descriptively?
As examples, which would be considered correct in APA style?
A:
Researchers from the University of Michgian's Department of Computational Analysis (John et al., 2023) determined that...
B:
Researchers ...
- 13