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What is Technical Writing?
By Robert Shorn

Writing falls into different types such as technical writing, creative writing and business writing. As a field, technical writing has been gaining a lot of popularity and as a result, there has been an influx of freelancers who do it. Technology can be said to be a driving force behind all the excitement surrounding this sector.

When you decide to write down any material regarding a technical subject, it becomes technical writing. The main fields being written about in technical writing include computer science, IT, biology, consumer electronics and other fields like aerospace engineering. This calls for simplification of ideas to layman terms.

The technical writers focus on writing stuff in a language people can understand. They come in to save the day by writing out how to manuals for electronics products and other computer software.

If there is to be any effective work at the end of it all, the writer should work under close supervision of a technical expert’s work. He should be referring to an expertly written manual while he goes about the writing process. This way, the people involved in the writing of the material have all the understanding required to gather an audience.

Technical writing can be started in many ways. It is best that a technical writer sticks to a field within which he has a passion for doing. Therefore, is someone has a qualification or a liking for engineering; he can write about engineering manuals and keep readers abreast with the latest in that field.

Working knowledge about something is an added advantage because in this case the writer will just keep writing about a certain subject matter that he knows inside out. He will be interested in transferring those skills. He demonstrates the ability to break down complex arguments into palatable content.

The first thing to do if you are dreaming of becoming a technical writer is to join a technical writing association. Open up to ideas from others in the same field.

You should then get certification in the chosen field and this will as a result develop your techniques.

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Not All Grammar Checkers Are Created Equal
By Tom Harel

When people think about using a grammar checker, they usually have one thing in mind: a program that will find and correct grammatical errors. The truth is, however, that there are so many different types of grammar checkers. In fact, before investing in a grammar checker, it’s important to know what options there are so you can invest your money wisely.

First of all, you need to make sure that a grammar checker program corrects both grammar and spelling. Some programs will correct spelling, but don’t have the feature to correct grammar at all. Other programs claim to be a grammar checker, but in reality, its quality is so poor that it’s good for nothing. So, make sure your program has both features, as you will need them both for proofreading and making corrections in everyday typing.

Another thing that you should remember is that some grammar and spelling checkers are designed for specific groups of people. So, you should ask yourself why you need a grammar and spelling checker. Many people just use the features that come within their word processing program. However, there are other people who have learning disabilities who need much more. The checkers that come with most word processing programs are greatly generalized and may not find errors by people who have dyslexia or other learning problems. Another group of people who often need a top checker is those who are learning English as a second language. Unfortunately, word processing programs do not find these types of errors with their grammar and spelling checkers. It’s important to find a grammar and spelling checker that will be the most beneficial to you.

There are different ways that grammar and spelling checkers are made available. The feature is generally on any word processing software that you purchase. Many operating systems are now using some spelling checkers within their systems, along with some web browsers. There are also separate grammar and spelling checkers that you can buy separately, either online or at a retail store. This would be a program that you would install on your computer, specifically for correcting grammar and spelling errors. These programs usually do a much better job at correcting errors and giving suggestions for corrections. There are also programs that you can purchase and download online that will allow you to make corrections while you are working online. This might be a networking site such as Facebook, an email program such as Outlook or a blog site such as WordPress.

Take time to make sure that any new program is compatible with programs you may use and also your operating system. Before investing in a grammar and spelling checker, make sure it will work with the programs you already have. Any checker that you consider should be using cutting edge technology and have the ability to work within the most up-to-date programs, operating systems and web browsers.

Text to speech capability is another handy feature for any spelling and grammar checker. This amazing technology actually allows each sentence to be read out loud so that the writer will hear what he or she has typed. For those who struggle with using correct grammar, this is especially helpful because you can hear the errors as they are read.

A contextual checker is absolutely the best kind. This is a spelling and grammar checker that makes corrections based upon the content of the sentence. It can be complicated to know which word to use in a sentence to make it grammatically correct. Spelling is the same way - some words sound the same, but have very different spellings. Content-based corrections are corrections that are made based on the other words in the sentence.

This brings us to the next feature that a grammar and spelling checker should have - automatic correction. Usually, grammar and spelling checkers will suggest corrections, one word at a time. Rather than do this, an automatic grammar and spelling checker will correct the whole sentence, based on the content. Especially for those who struggle with using correct spelling and grammar, a one-click correction will give them a great advantage.

Another feature that some checkers have is error reporting. For those wanting to improve their grammar and spelling skills, this is a feature you won’t want to miss. A report can be generated that will show the errors that were made and how often they were made. This is especially helpful for a parent or teacher who is helping a student improve or for someone who is trying to improve his or her own skills.

There are many things to consider with a grammar checker. It’s not an easy decision to make, when you consider all of the options. However, like anything else, you get what you pay for. If you just use the checker on your word processing program, it’s going to find some errors. However, if you are finding that your grammar and spelling checker is not doing the job for you, it’s time to learn why and then invest in a program that will give you the greatest benefit and ability to write using the correct grammar and spelling.

There is no reason to continue struggling with English spelling and grammar. If you are looking for an online spelling and grammar checker to help with your writing, you need to check out our website today. You can easily run a spell & grammar check on your documents and emails with our user-friendly innovative tool. Visit us today!

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Presentation Crisis - How a Quote, Cartoon and Story Could Save Your Career
By George Torok

The Six Blind Men and the Elephant saved my job.

Props provide a powerful way of enhancing presentations. Verbal arguments aren’t enough to convince people of your message. Try using visuals such as charts or cartoons, or physical props such as products or tools. Verbal props come in several forms: quotations from famous people, anecdotes, plays, poems or even questions.

The following is a true report of how I used my new-found communication skills and a combination of props to get me out of hot water with my company’s auditors.

The auditors had submitted a report suggesting that I, as the chief supply manager, had exceeded my purchasing approval authority. I strongly disagreed and tried explaining to them the difference between our use of approval authority and implementation authority within the computer system. They did not buy my explanation - that is, until I had a chance to meet with them.

The meeting seemed to take forever. Tension clouded the room, because the auditors intended to remain firm on their “observation” and everyone knew my position.

Finally, it was my turn. I started: “I offer the quotation from George Bernard Shaw who said, ‘In the right key you can say anything, in the wrong key, nothing.’ So to help set the right key I ask you to look at this cartoon and parable that I am passing out.”

There were some raised eyebrows at this point, but no one objected to my strange approach - yet.

After everyone had a copy of the handout I continued:

“This cartoon shows the parable of the six blind men and the elephant. The six blind men went to see the elephant, but being blind they had to examine the elephant with their hands. Each touched a different part of the elephant and noted their observation. For example, the first clutched the swaying trunk and said, ‘The elephant must be a snake.’ The next grabbed the tail and noted, ‘The elephant is really like a rope.’ Another fell against the side and exclaimed, ‘Oh my, this elephant is like a wall.’ Hugging the leg the next argued, ‘The elephant is like a tree.’ The fifth, while holding the tusk, stated, ‘You are all wrong, I know it is like a spear.’ And finally, the sixth felt the flapping ear and noted, ‘This elephant is surely like a fan.’”

The nervous laughter dissipated the tension and now the people were more relaxed. Then I explained how the computer system we were using was very big and complicated, like an elephant, and that we had poor documentation. Therefore, it was unreasonable for any visitor to fully understand the workings in a two-week period (this was the duration of the auditors’ visit). The heads nodded in agreement at this point. Then I showed a flowchart of our approval process - emphasizing that the “approval” they were focusing on was only “an approval to print”.

The bottom line is they understood my point, and the audit report was changed. It is important to know that the facts were unchanged from my earlier discussions with them, but this time I packaged my sale and they bought it.

When was the last time you had a proposal or idea turned down? Could it have gone better if you had taken more care to sell it? To deliver a powerful message understand your audience, be clear on your purpose, plan your approach - and use props!

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How to Fix the Blue Screen - Add Professional Help!
By Katherine Mark

As per the present scenario, the high-resolution technology is in use for every sector. When you have decided to put a latest or unique program on your PC, you need to think about how to fix the blue screen. How to fix the blue screen is a big problem for most of the computer users. Often the rectification process comprises of many installation standards.

These types of techniques are widely used among the computer users. The fixing of the blue screen catches the point during when the PC has rebooted. When the option will come you need to choose the reboot and Windows will load it again. After the loading of computer you need to wait for few seconds. After processing you will see the computer blue screen error. You should be careful as there are lots of people from all over the world who face such problems.

The professionals in this field can solve such problems. You can hire these professionals to install the required techniques. Here you can look for some points that can offer more help for you.

• These types of techniques have a special code. You can move for the Microsoft’s Help Center or the Service Provider’s Base, and you can put the error message to accomplish a search. There are also search engines through which you can collect more help about how to fix the blue screen.

• With the help of the online media, you can fix the problem and can eliminate it from the computer. If you cannot find or diagnosis the information from the online media, then you may opt for the professionals that can accomplish such task. You can also collect information from another computer. Yet, the memory must match your computer memory. If all ideas will fail, then you can take the old memory from another computer store.

The blue screen problem is very easily fixed by making use of the registry cleaner in case your errors are been caused by the errors in your registry, then this was precisely what I did in order to cure my PC from this error. It doesn’t just get rid of blue screen, however you must as well find that your PC performance may improve in case you have not maintained the registry earlier with you.

To clean your registry, you will need to download a cleaner software and run a free scan to find all the errors. To download the top rated software that I used, you can visit my website link at the end of this article to learn more.

If unfortunately, your computer problems are coming from the RAM, you will have to replace the faulty RAM stick.

Fore more information on Blue Screen Death Fix and and how to prevent it check out Best registry cleaner.

Check out the step by step procedure to Fix Blue Screen Death Error

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Tips to Write an Article Summary - A Simple Format to Get Your Audience to Read More
By Justin Arnold

A tremendous number of SEO article writers have a simple format when it comes to creating a summary that’s really focussed on getting the reader to click the link and go on to read the full article: copy and paste the first sentence or two of the article.

Although in many cases this may work, it isn’t the best strategy, especially when most article writers focus on their main keyphrase within the first sentence, rather than on creating a catchy, enticing and engaging summary for the readers. The problem really stems from a perception of focus, or a misperception of focus.

Whilst the first few sentences within an SEO article are pretty important ones in terms of search engine optimisation, the summary is much less important in this regard. The summary is usually what’s seen in either the search results listings, or the listing on the article directory. It’s prime purpose is to capture the attention and interest of the reader, because unless this is achieved, the article will remain unread, and your links fairly worthless.

So what is the best approach when creating an article summary that will ensure your audience wants to read more of what you have written? One of the easiest ways of starting to think about how to approach this is to imagine you’re in a pub sitting round a table with half a dozen of your friends, sharing gossip. Suddenly a story hits you that you want to tell them, but everyone’s keen to have their but of gossip heard. So what do you do?

You make a short, simple statement that you know will whet their appetite, get everyone else to shut up, and leave them hanging on your every word. It’s something most of us know how to do, and it’s a skill we use when it suits us. Writing SEO articles and developing an effective summary should be approached in the same way. Except that your audience isn’t sitting round a table at a pub with a drink in hand and a readiness to listen to your gossip. Your online audience is much harder to convince, and so you have to work hard to gain their attention.

One of the most important points to appreciate is that you must know who your audience is, and what they’re looking for. Knowing what someone is looking for means that you can shock them, surprise them or intrigue them more easily. Again, back at the pub your tactic would be much less successful were it not for the fact that you knew your friends would be interested in that particular type of gossip. If your audience is likely to be looking for information on how to do something a little better, surprise them by suggesting that their approach is wrong, or that their hopes are about to be realised.

But then there is another important rule - make sure you deliver on your promise. It’s no good shocking or surprising someone with a stunning summary only to let them down when it comes to the article itself. You must make sure that your article delivers as promised.

When it comes to writing summaries I tend to wait until I have written the article completely. After all, how can you summarise something that hasn’t been written yet? Once I have written my article I think again about who my audience is, what they’re looking for and why they’re likely to have clicked the link that brought them to my article. Then I think about a way of phrasing my summary that will intrigue them quickly and effectively, without giving away the answer.

This is the final rule - don’t summarise your article in the summary. Okay, so I have slightly contradicted myself here, but the thing is that if your title suggests that you’ll describe 3 ways of doing something, and your summary explains those three ways fairly well, no one’s going to bother reading the article itself. Your summary must attract people, intrigue them, but not satisfy their curiosity. That’s what the article should do.

So, to summarise then, the simple format used to get your audience to read your article by creating an effective summary is:

1. Wait until you’ve actually written the article

2. Don’t just copy your first sentence or two

3. Make sure you know who your audience is, and what they’re likely to be looking for

4. Capture their attention quickly by shocking, surprising or intriguing them

5. Don’t summarise the entire article - leave them curious

Are you looking to increase the number of customers, rather than just boosting traffic? For real results visit The Mightier Pen and discover how the UK’s #1 SEO article service can give your business a professional shove up the search results listings. Not every article service is the same, because not every article service has been #1 in the UK on Google and Bing for the last year.

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