abbreviation = shorten a word or phrase, usually to a single recognised word format; the shortened form of a word or phrase, identified as an abbreviation by a dot/a full stop at the end of this format; a dot is usually only used when the abbreviation is a straight shortening rather than a common re-writing or omission, for example: abbrev. = abbreviation is an abbreviation whereas abbrevn is not considered to be an abbreviation and would not use a dot
absolute standard = an object that under specified conditions defines, represents, or records the level or magnitude of a unit. Usually expressed as a measuring device, a definition or equation. An example of an absolute standard is the "boiling point" of water. This is scientifically the point at which water is converted to steam (because of local temperature conditions). This is an absolute moment physically. The standard boiling point of water is 100 degrees C or 240 degrees F. The actual boiling point of water can never be an accurately predicted because local conditions impact on exactly what temperature this conversion will take place. However, this standard is used in scientific work every day. See also standards, comparative standard, normative standard, national standards, international standards
academic style = rules of document preparation developed by well known academic bodies around the world (some for specific scientific purpose and some for a much broader academic objectives) and adopted by academic institutions and technical writers as appropriate to their work etc. See Stylenames
acronym = a word (usually pronounceable) formed from the initial letters of a name; for legal and political acronyms in common parlance in Australia Click here
active voice = x acts y, x acted y; x will act y, etc.; as opposed to the passive voice: y is acted by x, y was acted by x, y will be acted by x, etc.
activity = a specified pursuit assigned to a person or a group in a procedure; See procedure; task
activity dependent = the procedure which follows is dependent upon the activity chosen as a result of or resulting from a set of circumstances
activity diagram = the structure representing different activities performed in a particular business area
addenda = more than one addendum
addendum = a separate document added at the end of the key document; in a published work, an addendum is usually referred to in the main text and added at the end of the main document to add meaning, explanation or to reduce the need for the reader to conduct additional research; in Tendering, addenda come later but are considered to be part of the original document, they are added as changes to the original RFT become necessary and they modify the meaning of the original RFT - they are issued to eliminate the need for re-issue of a modified RFT
Adobe = products (Acrobat Professional, Dreamweaver and Firework)
AGPS = was Australian Government Priniting Services now just Australian Style
algorithm = a. a procedure or a set of steps that may be used to solve a problem
algorithm = b. The logical sequence of operations to be performed in the execution of a program
ampersand = &; usually used only in company name or joint venture formation such as Corporations Act, State partnership name formation; sometimes used in report headings (not text) but this is often discouraged in modern styles
analysis = a systematic investigation of a problem or issue, involving the break up of the problem or issue into smaller units for a more detailed study. See also business analysis, risk analysis
annual report writer = a generalist technical writer who oversees the production of the annual report; this means working in-house for approximately 3 months, liaising with a variety of internal stakeholders from senior management downwards, and driving the annual reporting process by initiating draft documentation, conducting interviews, writing, editing and proof-reading, as well as working with external agencies such as printers and designers
ANSI = American National Standards Institute: a membership organization that coordinates the development of US voluntary national standards in both the private and public sector; a national standards organization but recognised internationally
APA = American Psychology Association (Style)
API = American Petroleum Institute: a corporation-based-membership ANSI accredited organization that coordinates the development and certification of industry consensus standards in the petroleum industry; these include standards, recommended practices, specifications, codes and technical publications, reports and studies, that promote safety, sound engineering practices, regulatory compliance, quality, and certification.
apostrophe = a punctuation mark used to mark or warn of standard omission of characters from a word or to mark the possession or ownership of one noun by another
apostrophe (omission) = a punctuation mark used to mark or warn of standard omission of characters: it is = it's; cannot = can't; would not = wouldn't; could not = couldn't; should not = shouldn't; did not = didn't; I will = I'll; government = gov't;
apostrophe (possessive) = a punctuation mark used to mark the possession or ownership of one noun by another; a slight difference between singular and plural: (singular) the minister's office ((implies) one minister possesses one office); the minister's offices ((implies) one minister possesses more than one office); (plural) the ministers' offices ((implies) more than one minister possesses an office (each)); the ministers' office ((implies) more than one minister possesses only one office); don't use apostrophe in the case of yours, his, hers, ours, its, theirs, and whose
appeals writer = marketing content editor called upon to write copy for fundraising appeals for NFP, such as ads, direct marketing letters to donors, etc.
appendices = more than one appendix
appendix = matter to supplement the main text; explanatory or detailing matter referred to in the main text
application = (software) (program): a set of files including executables, configuration files, and data that is usable by a user
application documentation = the documents necessary for proper installation, use, maintenance of an application (software) (program), including standard operating procedures (SOP), user manuals, online help, administration manuals, quick reference guides, facilitator guides, etc.
application form = a method of formalising and standardising the collection of information from potential recruits, providing to each applicant a form which helps to get the correct information for recruitment and helps in the comparison between applicants
application guide = user manual for a particular application; sometimes a cut-down version of the user manual
appointment schedule = a temporal record controlling a particular recruitment process containing all the steps in the process and planned and actual times
approval process = an agreed set of steps for obtaining official permission to publish
array = regular or agreed order of a group containing three or more
article = a brief section of a larger publication (such as a newspaper, newsletter, journal, magazine, etc.) that has a boundary separating it from the rest of the publication, that can be read and understood on its own, and whose author is identified; often a brief essay or report of known or likely interest to the audience of the broader publication
article = a marker [a, an, the] used to 'define' the noun, that is to imply definite or indefinite use of the noun; particular care is taken in mark-up of the word "the" as article to the noun as it often infers the particular (read as the pronoun "this") and can lead to misunderstanding or difficult interpretation of the author's intent
article = a chapter of a legalistic document or contract or agreement (such as an international legal instrument) that will be written, considered, and voted upon as a stand-alone section (say, in the committee stage) to be brought together to be considered as a single document only at the end (say, in plenary)
AS/NZS = a classified document number for a national standard certified by Standards Australia
AS IS = first stage in a project for process/procedure/work instruction improvements: badly or undocumented processes need to be properly documented (and reviewed and signed off by current operators) before they can be changed; see TO BE
ASTM = ASTM International: a (mainly US national) membership organization that coordinates the development and certification of industry consensus standards mainly in the Construction, Petroleum, Steel, Plastics, Environmental, Metals, Rubber, Textiles, and Paint industries
attachments = appendix, addendum
AS = Australian Standards
ASAP = "as soon as possible" (vernacular)
audience = the persons intended to be reached or to receive or to take an interest in the document; the readers of the document who need to understand all aspects of the document; a particular document may have more than one audience and may need to find a way of addressing the needs of more than one audience
Australian Style = (previously) AGPS
author = acknowledged writer with assigned copyright; the person publicly declared as originator of the key ideas contained within the document and owner of copyright attached to the document and taking responsibility for the text
AuthorIT = content management system used by tech writers to produce single-sourced document sets such as Help content in RTF, Adobe PDF, MS Word, etc.
benchmark = an agreed method of measuring achievement of a goal by setting a comparative standard or a normative standard
benchmarking = tests of quantitative measurement decided beforehand for measuring the results of change programmes (focussed on such things as ethical, functional, strategic, process-oriented, customer service, worker satisfaction, or career-oriented change programmes). A benchmark measures where we fit in the array of results when compared to others who have already undergone this change or when compared to ourselves over time.
best practice = formulas and procedures that have proven successful in practice, identified by general international acceptance. In the IT world, best practice often refers to software development methodologies widely accepted internationally
best practice policy = policy written for and adopted by the company (usually based on and involving the adoption of international best practice)
bid team = a temporary team brought together for the preparation of a tender; usually made up of subject matter experts and resourced by a bid writer
bid writer = tender writer
binder = a mechanical apparatus or folder for loose-leaf binding (see binding)
binding offset = usually ? inch, extra space situated along the binding edge of a page
binding = stapling (wire stitching), loose-leaf binding (in a binder), ring binding, spiral binding (wire or plastic coils), comb binding (plastic), perfect binding
blog = web log; web diary; online journal or newsletter; newsletter or diary on the Internet that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption; often includes philosophical reflection, social or political opinion, etc. See also vlog; slog; phlog; mlog; polog
blogger = one who maintains a blog; one who blogs
boldface = text in bold; bolding; often boldface is used to imply reference or meaning particular to this document and, since there are no agreed uses of boldface, this usually needs to be explained somewhere, often in the glossary; or maybe in a footnote: the footnote may be a footnote to the Preface or a footnote to the first bolding to appear in the document; the footnote will usually be the preferred method where the boldface is used to imply that the word appears in the glossary; the Preface is preferred in a technical report because there is no guarantee that the document is going to be read in a linear fashion. Because of this implied particularity, some forms of bolding should be removed in mark-up (such as emphasis) to be replaced by more agreed forms (such as italicised face for emphasis) that can be more easily understood without explanation
BPA = business process analysis
BPE = business process engineering
BPM = business process map
BPM = business process modelling
BPMN = business process modelling notation
BPR = business process review
BPR = business process re-engineering
BRD = business requirements document
BSI = British Standards Institute; UK Standards body; now BSI National Standards; a membership organization that coordinates the development of UK voluntary national standards in both the private and public sector; a national standards organization but recognised internationally
bullet list = a list should not be numbered unless there is a reason for the numbering and in technical reports lists of more than three entries need to be presented one entry per line to allow easy access, so bulleted lists have an important role to play in technical report construction
bulletin board = a virtual space created by an Internet service provider for the posting of messages and information by virtual members (usually members of a special interest group) who are encouraged to post and read and reply to messages that relate to other virtual visitors who frequent that specific bulletin board; communication but not in real time; for real time see chat room
business analysis = a systematic investigation of a business area, its business rules, functions, work flows, requirements and data. It can be carried out by IT professionals and/or by business analysts from the business area
business analysis specialists = Senior Business Analyst, Report Writer, Analysis Service Technician, Project Manager, Technical Writer
business analyst = a logician aware of business processes, an individual (usually with a BSc or MSc) who analyses the operations of a department or functional unit with the purpose of developing a general systems solution to the problem that may or may not require automation. If it does, may need the assistance of a systems analyst
business case writer = a generalist technical writer assigned responsibility for presenting detailed argument in consultation with divisional managers and bid/project teams to the Board of Directors or an executive committee on the acceptance or rejection of funds allocation requests (usually under a broad strategic plan) in a manner that ensures that the board/committee is easily able to understand competing needs and assign funds in the most productive manner
business documentation = a process of documentation (usually policy and procedures)
business intelligence unit (BIU) = database, library & meta-data system
business intelligence specialist = Senior Business Analyst, Report Writer, Analysis Service specialist, Project Manager, Technical Writer
business need = business requirement
business process engineering (BPE) = business process modelling (BPM); See BPR
business process map (BPM) = workflow diagram
business process modelling (BPM) = preparing workflows
business process modelling notation (BPMN) = standard rules for preparing a workflow and a workflow diagram
business process review (BPR) = preparing workflow diagram of existing business process and analysing it under current requirements; first step in business process re-engineering
business process re-engineering (BPR) = carrying out business process review and re-engineering process under current requirements
business report writer = a specialist technical writer with the skills and knowledge of AASB, AAS, SAC etc. to design a business report meaningful to a particular audience; these days this is usually combined with technical analyst skills related to the database from which the business report information is derived, such as VBA, SQL, etc.
business requirement = a requirement of the business stakeholder
business stakeholder = the stakeholder from the business section, concerned with management, enterprise, productivity and profitability
buzzword = a word used to create interest or excitement in the text or generate other text in response
callout = a line of text across a visual such as a plan, map, photograph, illustration or graph to define, explain, highlight or call attention to a particular section or place on the visual, and an arrow to pinpoint it
camera-ready copy = document has been approved and is now ready to go to press
capitalizing = to convert into a capital, used on all proper nouns
case = a particular instance in a case study
case study = a study incorporating a method of checking out all major instances of a complex system or outcome by conducting a true-to-life study (a case) for each instance and then bringing it together in a generalised account called a case study
catalogue = an itemized list that is arranged systematically, a list of records
cataloguer = specialist technical writer employed to produce and maintain accurate information in the form of a catalogue involving: research, codify, avoid duplication; assign name using taxonomy, enter into cataloguing system and/or inventory management system; liaise with users, liaise with suppliers to ensure satisfaction of user requirements, maintain catalogue data in the form of CD's, technical handbooks, new publications and catalogues etc., maintain and update internal data standards in line with technical developments and international standards changes over time
cataloguing = giving a piece of work a call number and describing it bibliographically
caution note = a written note that is cautioning its readers about something
CBD = central business district (vernacular)
CBE = Council (of) Biology Editors (University of Cambridge, UK) (Style); a great place for the tech writer to start because of its awareness of science, technology, mathematics and life sciences. It is also aware of UK and US influences. See Scientific Style And Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers
change bar = a line that indicates when there have been changes made to a piece of text, the line appears in the left or right margin
change control = the systematic proposal, costing, justification, risk assessment, evaluation, approval / disapproval, coordination, and implementation of all proposed changes
change control procedure = the process by which a change is proposed, evaluated, approved or rejected, scheduled, implemented and tracked
change focus = benchmarking: ethical, functional, strategic, process-oriented, customer service, worker satisfaction, career-oriented
change request = an officially recognized form (paper or electronic) by which users can submit their requirements for product modification/enhancement or service provision. The submission of a formal fully documented request, to include details of the change required, justification for the change and endorsed by key stakeholders
change management impact analysis report = a report which analyses proposed changes and identifies key changes such as
change management technical writer = a generalist technical writer who concentrates on change management policies, procedures and work instructions for various projects or internal change management, in accordance with agreed international standards or internal standards
changes to policy, process or procedure; = change in product or production characteristics; changes to user access; changes to project objectives, project costs, project performance and likely gaps; changes to management information reporting; and any other impact on risk (credit, market or operational)
chapter (document) = fundamental division of a written work, often numbered with letters Chapter A) or numbers (Chapter 1) and often sub-divided into sub-chapter (A.1) (1.1) and sub-sub-chapter (A.1.1) (1.1.1), etc.
chapter (module) = code (software) that will assist in the preparation of a document by chapter
chapter (political) = a way of splitting interested parties into working groups to focus on particular aspects of the work; this may be on the basis of those who have had influence on the focussed domain in the past or will have the power to change it in the future
chapter (table of contents) = a table of contents at the level of chapter showing name of chapter (if any) and page reference and may contain reference to sub-chapter and sometimes sub-sub-chapter
chat = an array of messages by two or more virtual attendees on a topic, a virtual discussion, occurring in real time on the Internet; a chat can take place anywhere (a space) where the knowledge of the attendees and the technology allows but often they occur in a space defined by an Internet service provider (a chat room) where membership rules or entrance requirements help identify the attendee to others in attendance upon entry into the chat room
chat room = a formal allotted space for chat on the Internet often provided by an Internet service provider
checklist = list of steps or actions, to be consulted or checked
class = a set or group the members of which possess common attributes or traits; membership of the class is determined by a process of classification
classification = the systematic grouping of individuals into categories on the basis of their evolution and/or the evolutionary or structural relationships between them; came from biology (taxonomy), but now has wide application
Chicago (Humanities) = (Style)
Chicago (Scientific) = (Style)
click-art = now clip-art
client focus documentation = online help, user manual, readme document, release note, knowledge base article, etc.
clinical writer = a specialist technical writer called upon to understand the international standards pertinent to the Pharmaceutical or Clinical Research environment and regulatory documentation related to clinical trials, have good knowledge of the drug development and quality process, together with in-depth knowledge of ICH-GCP, etc., and write clinical study reports and clinical summaries from clinical trials conducted locally and globally and ensure that documents prepared in relation to these are integrated and fully comply with those standards; this could include assisting technical teams with technical and scientific research, presenting detailed accounts of the requirement for compliance with international standards, preparing presentations and work to promote the compliance of the organisation in the marketplace such as developing capability statements, brochures and project data sheets, researching and writing articles for external publications, etc.
clip-art = images that are on a computer and can be inserted into a document
CM = change management
CMQ = common metric questionnaire
code of conduct = a document designed to influence the behaviour of employees and to establish an agreed set of minimum requirements that are placed upon an employee by the workplace they work in or the position that they hold. The code of conduct is sometimes incorporated with the contract of employment to ensure that it is strictly enforced (in particularly important legal circumstances), with particular consequences if it is not
code of ethics = a set of principles adopted by the company governing "right and wrong conduct" by the company and its directors, shareholders, management and staff. It can be extended to include the expectations of the company regarding "right and wrong conduct" by joint venture partners and contractors and suppliers or even customers, politicians and members of the public (which might include a restraint of trade based on moral principles). A code of ethics is at a very high level. It usually takes the form of a declaration made by the board of directors and made freely available to the public
code of practice = an agreed set of activities, actions, technical requirements, responsibilities or responses to events or conditions that apply to a profession, trade or industry. These are often based on international standards or national standards. Often these codes of practice have been agreed by a professional body in an act of self-regulation, considered necessary to restrict entry into the profession and to ensure that general professional practice is conducted at the highest level of integrity and quality. Sometimes industrial or professional codes of practice are formalised into law, with particular practices described and strict requirements placed on employers and employees, and with penalties if not strictly enforced
coil binding = a mechanical form of loose-leaf binding where pages are held together by the insertion of a metal or plastic coil (spiral) into a series of holes punched in the pages
collating = sorting or process of arranging sheets together in a sequence, putting together a document
colon = punctuation mark that has two equally sized dots in the a vertical line, it introduces a quote, list or series of items
comb binding = a mechanical form of loose-leaf binding where pages are held together by the insertion of a metal or plastic comb into a series of holes punched in the pages. In one version two metal combs clip together to form a multi-ring binder. In another, a plastic comb is forced open, allowing multiple flexible ribs to enter the holes.
comma = punctuation mark, used to show where you would normally pause in a sentence or used to separate parts of a sentence
common URL = the home page; the website address; See website
communications officer = a specialist technical writer called upon to develop and implement a communications strategy; this could involve maintaining communication channels, developing and releasing media stories and writing and preparing layout for internal news publications; PR officer; journalist
communications technical writer = a specialist technical writer called upon to understand the international standards pertinent to the organisation's product, services and projects, etc. and ensure that documents prepared in relation to these are integrated and fully comply with those standards; this could include assisting technical teams with technical and scientific research, presenting detailed accounts of the requirement for compliance with international standards, preparing presentations and work to promote the compliance of the organisation in the marketplace such as developing capability statements, brochures and project data sheets, researching and writing articles for external publications, etc.
communications writer = technical writer specialising in communications best practice
company policy = policy decided by the board of directors to be applicable and active at the time and to which all under their control and goveranance are required to abide
comparative standard = an acknowledged measure of (quantitative or qualitative) value used in comparison. Usually expressed as a logical relationship, a set of or array of definitions or equations contained within a formal relationship, or mathematical formula. Measurement can only be comparative, and, when measuring in the real world, standards are very important. For example, pressure under the sea is measured in "atmospheres", that is to say one atmosphere under water is equal to the same pressure that one would experience from the air standing at sea level. The standard for 1 atmosphere is 10 meters, meaning that, in the sea, every 10 meters you descend pressure increases by the same amount as that pressure experienced from the air at sea level. This standard is not an accurate measurement and in fact there cannot ever be an accurate measurement, as pressure changes at sea level depending on local circumstances. This standard is nevertheless a useful standard and one which is responsible for saving many lives. See also standards, absolute standard, normative standard, national standards, international standards
compliance = to act in accordance with the rules, to follow the rules exactly as stated
compliant = tested against a particular standard
conditional = a statement that depends upon a specific condition to be met, on the occurrence of something dependent
confidence level = an assumption of the VaR model about how confident we are about the results of the normal distribution, such as 99%, meaning that we expect unexpected losses to occur one day in 100
confidentiality = done or communicated in confidence; secret. company is entrusted with the confidence and personal information of the customer, the unauthorised disclosure of which poses a threat to the customer and to the company's relationship with the customer. An IT Risk
content = copy; text; these days often used to differentiate between web structure and web information (web copy or web content) in the building and maintenance of websites
content edit = see copy edit
content editor = not the author; a technical writer engaged to take first draft content and bring it to final and/or publication level, taking responsibility for compliance with (for example) the law, international standards, national standards, company policy, etc. and readability as required by the needs of the relevant audience(s)
content editor, marketing = not the author; reporting to the Marketing Manager and responsible for developing and writing the organisation's flagship publications, across traditional and online formats; focused at all times on the best corporate position for the organisation; writes and edits content for corporate and international marketing materials, including advertisements, case studies, information flyers and other sales material
content migration = to edit information lifted from a non-Internet source to bring it online and ensure that it is seamless with the rest of the website
content producer = not the author; researcher for a website; may be involved in content migration but, if (s)he is not the content writer/editor, (s)he is probably producing initial text that may be of some use to the migration process
content writer = not the author; a technical writer called upon to provide technical analysis, research and document writing to first draft level; often the title 'content writer' means the website content writer (WCW) which is distinct from the role of the website designer: the designer designs the page which then needs text provided by the content writer
content writer, marketing = not the author; a technical writer called upon to develop, proof, edit and implement marketing content which might include: product profiles, brand profiles, bundling profiles, project profiles, skills profiles, capability statements, standard paragraphs for bid submissions, presentation materials, brochure materials, award submissions, advertisements, advertorials, etc.
contract of employment = the basic legal agreement between the employee and the employer. Since the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005 see AWA
contraction = two conflicting ideas, a statement that contradicts itself means the statements are opposed
copy = text, content, material (vernacular borrowed from journalism)
copy = an actual copy; possible offence under Copyright Act; possible infringment
copy edit = to apply manuscript marks to the final draft that indicate the changes required, after which the printer has the authority to begin printing the final publication; these include corrections (such as a final review of any misspellings and grammatical errors), style changes (indicated by mark-up) required by in house publishing traditions and requirements, and copyright ownership and publishing house details
copy editor = not the author; senior technical writer given the job of final copy edit to prepare the work for printing and publication; by the time the copy editor gets hold of the manuscript, the editor has signed it off
copy writer = not the author; writer of text to first draft
copy, infringing = as defined by the COPYRIGHT ACT 1968 infringing copy means:
(a) in relation to a work - a reproduction of the work, or of an adaptation of the work, not being a copy of a cinematograph film of the work or adaptation;
(b) in relation to a sound recording - a copy of the sound recording not being a sound-track associated with visual images forming part of a cinematograph film;
(c) in relation to a cinematograph film - a copy of the film;
(d) in relation to a television broadcast or a sound broadcast - a copy of a cinematograph film of the broadcast or a record embodying a sound recording of the broadcast; and
(e) in relation to a published edition of a work - a facsimile copy of the edition;
being an article (which may be an electronic reproduction or copy of the work, recording, film, broadcast or edition) the making of which constituted an infringement of the copyright in the work, recording, film, broadcast or edition or, in the case of an article imported without the licence of the owner of the copyright, would have constituted an infringement of that copyright if the article had been made in Australia by the importer,
copyright = as defined by the COPYRIGHT ACT 1968 the exclusive right to reproduce the work in a material form; to publish the work; to perform the work in public; to communicate the work to the public; to make an adaptation of the work; to enter into a commercial rental arrangement in respect of the work reproduced in a sound recording; or in the case of a computer program, to enter into a commercial rental arrangement in respect of the program.
copyright, future = copyright to begin at a future moment or event
copywriter = copy writer
corporate document = legal or political document required to run the company
corporate documentation = preparing corporate documents with full knowledge of the law and best practice
corporate performance management (CPM) = an umbrella term that describes all of the processes, methodologies, metrics and systems needed to measure and manage performance
covariance = a statistical measure of the variance of two random variables that are observed or measured in the same mean time period. This measure is equal to the product of the deviations of corresponding values of the two variables for their respective means
cover design = the aesthetic layout for the cover of a document
CPM = corporate performance management
cross-reference = used in catalogues and indexes to refer or direct from one heading/definition to another
cross-referencing = a job assigned to a junior tech writer which requires him/her to insert cross referencing into the index
CSA International = CSA standards to test products to Canadian and U.S. standards and issue the CSA Mark for qualified products
curriculum vitae = a description of the background, skills and experience of an applicant being considered at the moment of recruitment, prepared by the applicant according to established general principles agreed across the profession. The words curriculum vitae is an old fashioned name for a r?sum?, still used in Australia, but more likely in more traditional professional positions such as medicine, law, accountancy and academia; those areas of the economy that still have strong links with Australia's British past
cybercaf? = Internet caf?
dash = punctuation mark, used between compound word or if a word is divided at the end of a line, it is longer than a hyphen
date/time = for the expression of date/time - of the Microsoft Word available formats the following are considered acceptable in Australian business common practice:
16/05/2007 acceptable within text
Wednesday, 16 May 2007 advisable formal letters and publications
16 May 2007 advisable formal letters and publications
16/05/07 acceptable within text
2007-05-16 not acceptable, should not be used, unless there is a technical or formal sort process that it supports in which case it needs to be explained in the glossary
16-May-07 acceptable within text and technical papers
16.05.2007 not acceptable, should not be used
16 May. 07 not acceptable, should not be used
May 07 not acceptable, should not be used
May-07 acceptable within text and technical papers
16/05/2007 8:01 AM acceptable within text and technical papers
16/05/2007 8:24:01 AM acceptable within text and technical papers
8:24 AM acceptable within text and technical papers
8:24:01 AM acceptable within text and technical papers
08:24 not acceptable, should not be used, unless a twenty-four hour clock is being used, in which case it needs to be explained in the glossary
08:24:01 not acceptable, should not be used, unless a twenty-four hour clock is being used, in which case it needs to be explained in the glossary
DDLC = document development life cycle
decision tree = process of analysis, lays out alternative outcomes and branches out how they may be reached
deliverable = any output that that is expected, or promised under contract. See also project deliverable
dependency = a. a certainty in system design formally derived (i.e. by logic) from assumptions or requirements
dependency = b. An absolutely sequential relationship between events
dependency = See also requirement
desktop publisher = a technical writer engaged to take first draft content and bring it to final and/or publication level, taking responsibility for compliance with (for example) the law, international standards, national standards, company policy, etc. and readability as required by the needs of the relevant audience(s) and then publishing it over the Internet, usually to PDF
direct-from-disk printing = a disk has been formatted with enough computer code in the form of operations and printer drivers to enable it to speak directly to the printer and thereby alleviating the need to install printer drivers on the computer prior to printout
comparative standards and absolute standards do play a role. See also ISO, ITME, ITSEC ISO Standard. See also standards, comparative standard, absolute standard, national standards, and international standards. For an example of a normative standard see the Risk Department's Policy Manual
notes = narrative information or suggestions
nouns, proper = formal names or titles, requiring capitalization
numbering, figures = the rules by which figures shall be numbered within the document; this could be continuous at the level of document (Fig. 1) (Figure 1) or continuous at the level of chapter (Fig. 1.1) (Figure 1.1), etc.
numbering, headings = the rules by which headings shall be numbered within the document; this could be Alpha (Chapter A) or Numeric (Chapter 1) or a combination of both at the sub chapter level (A.a) (A.1) (1.a) (1.1), etc.
numbering, = xxxxxxx
numbering, modules = xxxxxxx
numbering, pages = xxxxxxx
numbering, paragraphs = xxxxxxx
numbers, using = xxxxxxx
NZS = New Zealand Standards
OAIS = Open Archival Information System
OCR = Optical Character Recognition; See scanning
OH&S review = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with international standard ISO 4800 and state-based standards
offset printing = a printing technique where ink is transferred to the paper by a blanket, also called web offset or lithography
online content = content (copy and layout) for a website
online editor = take copy from departmental providers or online copy writers and apply design and edit policy to publication level; understand the needs of the audience(s); liaise with owner/stakeholder and with the web design team; maintain editorial needs of the website over time with regular routines for review, upgrade, removal, replacement, etc.
online manual = a manual that is available online through a computer
online writer = produce copy to draft level for assigned web pages; engage with owner/stakeholder to assess requirements
operations and maintenance manuals = policy, procedures and work instructions for a particular process
orientation session, for manuals = introduction to and understanding content of the manual and assigning responsibility to groups and individuals
organization chart = a method for explaining graphically the relationships between various roles in an organization. The key benefits are easy understanding by management for HRM directives, responsibilities and changes, and for promoting understanding at every level the role played and the role within a broader context. This means that all the org charts should be freely available, completed and up-to-date.
orphans = when the first line of a paragraph is left by itself at the bottom of a page
outline = a preliminary plan or brief account
page, breaks = an indication in a text document where one page ends and the next begins
page, control information = rules for setting up a page in the document
page, design = description of the rules for setting up a page that have been adhered to in the creation of the document
page, spread = when two pages of a word document can be viewed at the same time, left and right together
paper = written, literary composition
PAQ = position analysis questionnaire
paragraph, outlining = rules by which a continuous text will be broken into paragraph
paragraph, tag = a special text box used for quick understanding by the reader of the content of the paragraph
parenthesis = used when inputting a grammatically complete phrase or word into a passage, marked with two punctuation units: brackets
passive voice = y is acted by x, y was acted by x, y will be acted by x, etc.; as opposed to the active voice: x acts y, x acted y; x will act y,
paste-up = a mock of the document
PD = when someone asks you to "write a PD" they may be talking about specific personal development applications in HR packages such as SAP or Ellipse which may include such things as a personnel development plan (career planning, succession planning etc.)
PDS writer = not a writer but a particular type of share trader usually specialising in exchange traded options requiring him/her to "write" or "underwrite" a deal and "compose" a product disclosure statement (PDS)
peak body = the association, organisation etc. to which all other bodies belong and that will have final control
peer group = a group of staff members, generally working in the same area or with the same interests or responsibilities and at about the same level, used to informally review the work of another of the group
perfect binding = a form of binding where one edge of the pages is trimmed perfectly and then bound together at that edge with glue
phase = a discrete period of time delineated by a major beginning and an ending event and that can be understood as a single concept. There are a number of established phases for planning and control of a project under SDLC. These are planning; analysis; design; package evaluation and selection; configuration and package implementation; testing; implementation; and post implementation review. See also milestone
philosophical concepts = special terms and phrases
phlog = photolog; newsletter or diary on the Internet that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption based on continual updates of photographs, often with social or political impact, etc. See also blog, vlog; slog; mlog; polog
phlogger = one who maintains a phlog; one who phlogs
photocopying = process of creating photocopies; paper copies of a document
photograph = a created image, record on photographic film, provides visual relief and can motivate readers
plain language alternative = a policy decision to favour simple, clear, direct, and honest expression, to be evaluated with reference to the intended audience
planning = organizational process, to formulate a plan or maintain required activities
playscript procedures = step-by-step procedures in instructional form (each instruction begins with a verb) for procedures that involve multiple players. It "hands the baton" from one player to the next in temporal sequence specifying which person or entity is responsible for each instruction or set of instructions
policy = a management directive or statement of intent. Frequently expressed through issuing a standard, a policy manual or a policy statement
policy = plan of action
policy and procedures (P&P) = the general body of directives emanating from and approved by management that explains how things operate and who is responsible
policy, edit = the rules by which policy shall be formulated, expressed and disseminated that will apply in this document
policy chapter = a permanent working group taking responsibility for policy statements and policy manual(s) for a particular focus of the mission statement
policy manual = a document that discusses in detail all issues related to the implementation of a particular policy statement
policy officer = a specialist technical writer working for the minister; assigned the task of analysis and development, implementation and/or review of policy on a particular subject
policy statement = a statement made by the Board of Directors regarding those things that they consider to be true, correct and/or important
policy writer = a specialist technical writer who deals with the board and departmental managers and writes policy statements and policy manuals and maintains their impact on procedures and work instructions over time; this could include convening working groups and assisting company negotiations with peak bodies, key organisations and the government
policy writer = a specialist technical writer engaged to prepare policy document for use by the department and the minister; could include: liaise and negotiate with government and political stakeholders, research; co-ordinate and analyse submissions from across government and stakeholders into policy documents; writing and editing policy documents, case studies and executive summaries; writing to a particular audience, the cabinet, parliament, the press, etc.; negotiating with government agencies to source appropriate background material, photographs, etc.; obtaining required information from internal and external government agencies, media etc.; time, productivity and deadlines management
political stakeholder = the stakeholder from the management or the legal section, concerned with legality, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, public awareness, safety, privacy
polog = poetslog; newsletter or diary on the Internet that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption based on continual updates of poetry, often with social or political impact, etc. See also blog, vlog; slog; mlog;
pologger = one who maintains a polog; one who pologs
pop-up = small window or advertisement, appears on top of browser window, new opening that ?pops up?
possessive case = expressing possession, grammatical case used to indicate direct ownership
preposition = explanatory word that comes before a noun or pronoun, gives indication or information (a, to, in?)
presentation, methods of = choice of methods for presentation of these ideas to this audience
pricing index = index representing current price against past or projected prices, often against the price at an agreed start-date in the past
printing specification = clear instructions to the printer for final document printing
priority = the order in which a work will be undertaken
procedure = a document that describes a series of activities, tasks, decisions, calculations etc., that when undertaken in the sequence laid down produces the described result, product or outcome
procedure = a. A set of manual or automated steps or activities or tasks required to be completed for accomplishing a specified objective. A procedure is a part of a process
procedure = b. A document used to describe things that need to be done. Procedure is regarded as flowing directly from the policy statement. Usually, a procedure is authorised by the owner of the (technical or business) process that the procedure describes. Procedural statements are statements made by those in charge of day-to-day management (such as the Management Committee or the Divisional or Departmental Manager) (we call this person the "owner" of the procedure). Often more than one (related) procedural statement is needed to fully describe a process. The key factor dictating where a procedure starts and finishes is the logical sequence or flow of tasks required to complete the procedure. That is to say, a procedure is limited to those tasks that can be understood as a single array. A procedure must also be "owned" by only one "owner". A procedure can assign tasks to a number of different individuals or groups
procedure manual = document that outlines how to use a specific product or service, usually explains full functionality
procedure, step-by-step = routine, set of sequences intended to achieve a result, series of acts
procedural documentation = the act of creating and integrating procedures
process = a set of inter-related activities, which transform input into output. A productive process. An operation. A process is usually made up of a number of procedures
process = a series of inputs, resources, scientific/mathematical/technical or human relationships, activities, tasks, decisions, calculations, changes, locations and temporal occurrences that will result in a given event, transformation, result, product or outcome
process analyst = a generalist technical writer given the task of analysing a process into its constituent parts such as procedures, work instructions, technical requirements and producing required documentation of the process
process map = full process analysis
process map = workflow diagram
process mapping = analysing the process
process reference manual = a document describing all aspects of a particular process and making reference to every procedure and work instruction related to the process
process-related documentation = high level narrative description, process flow chart, high level procedures, control links to detailed procedure and work instructions
process review = recommendation/strategy for process improvement, simplification and variation reduction, improvement in auditability
process technical writer = a specialist technical writer called upon to fully understand the process and to fully document the process and its related procedures and work instructions etc.; this could include such subjects as product and process improvement, change control and the preparation of manuals, process flow diagrams, support tools, guidelines, work instructions, compliance schedules, cheat sheets, training material, user guides, training scripts, session plans, and information booklets, etc. related to the process
product information = detailed information describing a particular product
production = the process of creating goods or services
production control manual = manual containing all procedures used in the production process
project deliverable = any output that has been produced by a project team, that is expected, or promised. Examples of deliverables are: project plan; business case; post implementation review; logical design; database design; implementation plan; test plan and completed software applications. Deliverables are identified in the project management plan. See also deliverable
project management = management technique outlining the planning, organization and control of a specific project and the allocation of appropriate elements
proof reading = stage in the technical writing process where the final draft is read by a proof reader for error
proof-reading = a final act by a generalist technical writer before publication; this includes checking the correctness of headings, sub-headings and sub-sub-headings, table of contents, indexing, footnotes, captions, referencing, cross-referencing, bibliography of sources, spelling and the proper use of terms, glossary of terms and acronyms, list of figures, list of tables, list of scientific terms and equations, list of organisational rules and regulations, list of cases, list of statutes, list of laws and regulations, list of constitutional provisions, etc.
proofing = proof-reading
proofreading = proof-reading
proper nouns = formal or title names
proposal writer = a specialist technical writer called upon to understand the RFP and obtain all information required for the proposal either from inside the organisation or from outside, and prepare the proposal to first draft; the tech writer is specialist in that he/she understands enough about the subject of the proposal to evaluate omissions and current best practice applicable to the subject technology
PS-146 = Policy Statement 146 outlined under the Financial Services Reform Act (FSRA) 2001 administered by ASIC - minimum training standards for people who provide financial product advice to retail clients (training standards)
PSA = preferred supplier agreement
PSA Panel = appointed panel for choosing preferred suppliers
purpose and objectives = mission
Q & A = question and answer
QA = quality assurance
question and answer = format, used as instructional device, linguistic expression that conveys information
questionnaire = set of questions that pertain to information about a specific document or organization, requiring answers in order to collect data
quality assurance (QA) = a process (assigned to a department, procedure or programme) for testing that hardware and/or software performs as originally specified
quality assurance analyst = a person who is responsible understanding QA standards (such as the ISO 9000 family) and applying them within an organization
quality control = a process (assigned to a department, procedure or programme) for testing and manipulating so that the quality of output (products and/or services) is maintained above a minimal level
quality review = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with international standard ISO 9000 and related standards
quality systems practitioner = specialist technical writer qualified and experienced in ISO 900(?) with knowledge and experience in a particular industry called upon to process map, develop and write policies, procedures, work instructions and develop forms, as well as carry out internal auditing to ensure compliance with international standard ISO 9000 and related standards
R&D = research and development
re-write = a planned replacement; a review that will go through every step in the document lifecycle using a particular existing document as the rough draft but requiring a plan and new research and the publication of which will cause the retirement of the existing document. This is not a new version; it is a new document.
rank = a named level in a hierarchical classification
reader feedback form = useful in the document lifecycle
readme document = a particular document that is offered to the reader at a given moment in the document lifecycle
redundant phrase = unnecessary words or phrases to be eliminated in edit/review without impact on meaning
reference manual = information organized in a summary (usually alphabetically) used as a quick reference
report writer = application that specialises in preparing reports and reporting best practice; often industry-based
report writer = specialist technical writer assigned the task of preparing a particular report; includes liaison with subject matter experts and stakeholders, plan, design, research, write, edit, present
report writer, database = a specialist technical writer who uses his/her knowledge of DBMS and the principles and industry practices associated with database administration and his/her knowledge of SQL to write and publish reports and handle source control and configuration management issues, data security and integrity related to the political needs of the reporting process
report writer, database = a specialist technical writer who uses his/her knowledge of Java and JSP (Java server pages), Oracle Database, Tomcat web server, Crystal reports server, Visual Cyber Query reports server, etc., and the subject of the information held in the database to prepare a report definition document meaningful to an audience, develop web reports and take appropriate selection criteria for the report and deploy them to a dedicated report server and then pull the report as a PDF from a web site or portal. This could include such subjects as Production, Costing, Job Costing, Employee Rostering, Award Interpretation, Payroll System, etc. This could include complex multi-table queries, with many to many relationships and sub-queries within each row of the report.
requirements = see business requirements, user requirements, systems functional requirements, non-functional requirements
requirements modeller = a member of the team (a specialist technical writer) who can understand business requirements and user requirements and translate them into system specifications, systems functional requirements and non-functional requirements
review, ethical = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with a code of ethics
review, environmental = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with international standard ISO 14000 and related standards
review, final = a review conducted by a team of specialists to ensure compliance with and adherence to international standards, national standards, and internal standards, conformity to document styles, and to ensure that information is comprehensible to particular audience(s), logical and correct
review, OH&S = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with international standard ISO 4800 and state-based standards
review, quality = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with international standard ISO 9000 and related standards
review, risk = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with international standard AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 and related standards
review, technical = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with a particular international standard or national standard
revisions = extensive changes or editions to a document
RFP = request for proposal See tender dictionary
RFP Manager = often a generalist technical writer whose key focus is to support the business development activities through project managing RFPs. This could include planning, information gathering, development and delivering RFPs and tracking results. This might also include: preparing comprehensive written responses to RFP's; working closely with stakeholders to gather all relevant input and to develop and improve RFP material; (because RFPs are less stringent and more friendly than RFTs) liaising with prospective clients and consultants on company and product enquiries arising from the RFP; maintaining an internal knowledge base to ensure that all company details and data are up to date and accurately communicated; tracking RFP responses and closely monitoring results; and project work and competition analysis useful for future RFP work.
RFT = request for tender (See tender dictionary)
ring binding = a mechanical form of loose-leaf binding where pages are held together by the insertion of rings into holes punched in the pages
risk analysis = a particular business analysis involving the systematic investigation of risk in relation to the organisation, a project of the organisation, or an activity or set of activities of the organisation
risk management (RM) = the process of identification, analysis and acceptance or mitigation of risk
risk review = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with international standard AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 and related standards
risk writer = specialist technical writer experienced in AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 and related standards
RM = records management
RM = risk management
RME = records management expert
RoboHELP = Adobe application for building Help screens
SAI (also known as Australian Standards) = distributors of national standards and international standards in Australia
sample section = a sample of the document provided to decision makers at key moments of the document lifecycle
sans serif typeface = a typeface that has preferred status in many domains in modern document production
scanning = using technology to create an image of the document (HDS, GIF, JPG, PDS, etc.) or a related file of text (OCR)
schedule = agenda, ordered plan for an activity, list of actions
scheduling = the process of planning and inventorying a record, classification
screen illustration = creating an illustration on screen
screening = checking or filtering
sectional module = application working at the section level
semi-colon = punctuation mark, used to separate two complete phrases with a parallel concept, stronger than a comma, weaker than a full stop
senior technical writer = team leader
sentence length = rules for checking and modifying sentence construction in edit/review
serif typeface = a typeface category, serif is a non structural detail that comes from the end of a letter, give the illusion of connecting letters in words together
session designer = specialist technical writer given the task of preparing materials, manuals, overheads, slides, etc. for HR educational or motivational sessions or for marketing PR promotional sessions; also called materials writer
shell page = rules for page construction
sidebar text = rules for allowing text to appear in the margins, usually forbidden
sign-off = final review (approval and handover to proof reader)
SimBuilder = assists in the writing of such things as Participant Guides and Trainer Manuals based on simulations gathered using iHelp, Simulations and HTML
skimming and scanning = high speed reading process to locate specific information without reading the piece in its entirety
slog = sketchlog; newsletter or diary on the Internet that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption based on continual updates of drawings, sketches and other artistic endeavour, often with social or political impact, etc. See also blog, vlog; phlog; mlog; polog
slogger = one who maintains a slog; one who slogs
small caps = capital letters which are not the full height, smaller than standard, used in emphatic type to introduce references
SME = subject matter expert
SoA = Statement of Advice (FPA)
SoAA = Statement of Additional Advice (FPA)
solutions = development directly related to solving particular requirements/problems
spacing, after a period = rules for the number of spaces allowed, required, not allowed, after a period
specialist = expert; a professional (usually means qualified and accepted into a professional association and or holder of qualifications, trade ticket etc.) who specialises in a particular technical/scientific discipline or international standard; technician/scientist;
specialist technical writer = subject matter expert; a professional writer (usually viewed as "ghost writer") who specialises in a particular technical/scientific discipline or international standard and seeks to become more and more knowledgeable on this subject; closer to the techos/scientists; needs to learn particularities of the application/context and the related international standards on a particular project and the needs of particular audiences before starting the documentation process but may achieve high standards because of his/her intimate knowledge of this particular subject/standard; compare generalist technical writer
spec(s) = specifications
spec writer = specifications writer
specifications writer = a specialist technical writer working for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing or extraction industries, called upon to write specifications for technical information on product or process under strict international standards or national standards in a legal and/or situational environment and provide quality control and compliance reviews of industry documents and other technical resource services related to specifications; to complete the specs the specialist may need scientific or practical knowledge of materials and their qualities, measurement and transformation, production techniques, procurement methods, forms of contract and current industry work practices and best practice
speech writer = a ghost writer for a particular person usually for a high level executive or minister of state; a generalist technical writer called upon to understand fully the requirements placed upon the minister for communicating with particular audiences and prepare speeches and statements that fully comply with those requirements; this could include working closely with and being briefed by department and section head(s) and subject/project specialists
spell checkers = spell-checking/proofreading/editing program usually included in word processing applications, useful in the revision process
spelling and usage = rules for spelling (such as language) in initial draft and rules for checking spelling in edit/review
spiral binding = a mechanical form of loose-leaf binding where pages are held together by the insertion of a metal or plastic spiral (sometimes called a coil) into a series of holes punched in the pages
spot colour = particular colours that require their own run in the printing process
stakeholder = the customer to the tech writer (the customer who needs to be satisfied) is the manager or operator whose own customers are the audience of the document, usually called the stakeholder; there may be a number of these, See human resources stakeholder, political stakeholder, technical stakeholder
standard = generally, a degree or level of requirement, excellence, or attainment. The word "standard" has come to mean three key main concepts: comparative standard; absolute standard; normative standard. See also international standards
standard deviation = a statistic used as a measure of the dispersion or variation in a distribution, equal to the square root of the arithmetic mean of the squares of the deviations from the arithmetic mean
Standards Australia = key Australian standards body; now SAI; a membership organization that coordinates the development of Australian voluntary national standards in both the private and public sector; a national standards organization but promotes international standards
standards manual = outlines how expected or accurately things will be accomplished, how frequently and at what speed
stapling (wire stitching) = a means of binding where the pages are stapled by one or a series of staples, top left (or top right for Arabic or Hebrew, etc), fold A3 to make A4 and staple in centrefold, side-stitch with two staples, etc.
statutory writer = a kind of specifications writer working for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing or extraction industries, called upon to write or edit important documents necessary for approval by government or authority and ensure their completeness and their adherence to statutory requirements prior to lodgement, to guarantee the best outcome for the company and shorten the approval and/or compliance timeframes; to complete the documents the specialist will need sound knowledge of the relevant legal and regulatory environment as well as practical experience in relevant projects, processes, procedures, etc. known to be impacted by the law
structure = the way a document/text is constructed
structured text = xxxxxxx
style guidelines = AGPS, APA, CBE, Chicago (Humanities), Chicago (Scientific), Harvard, IDRC, MLA, Traditional, Vancouver
stylist = specialist technical writer employed to render work into in a particular style, prepare, enhance and update product documentation, user guides, technical reference material, etc. in accordance with the style, give advice to others on the application of that style on the works of the corporation and the reports, documentation, promotional material, online content emanating from the corporation
subject matter expert (SME) = could be a specialist technical writer (if he/she can write!) but usually he/she is the person a generalist technical writer has to work closely with to prepare documents of high technical or scientific standard
supply cataloguer = specialist technical writer employed to produce and maintain accurate product item master file involving: research product item identification data from user and manufacturer/supplier and purchasing/procurement data; codify new stock applications; avoid duplication; assign names using the taxonomy of NATO, EOTD, AUSLANG or UNSPSC etc.; enter into the ERP/EAM system and/or purchasing and inventory management systems; liaise with technical staff, vendors and suppliers to ensure satisfaction of user requirements; maintain resource data, CD's, technical handbooks, new publications and catalogues etc; maintain and update internal data standards in line with technical developments and changes to international standards over time
Swinburne Uni (Graduate Course)
syntax = the grammatical arrangement of language, the order of words in sentences
systematics = the use of taxonomy and nomenclature to systematically describe an organism
table of contents = list of the contents or topics covered in a document and the order in which they appear
table = a way of arranging data in the form of visual communication, displays a set of data elements
task = a job to perform, a specified pursuit, say, in an actvity or a process that can be assigned to one individual and for which that individual must take responsibility for completion under contract; the process is 'cleanup', the activity is 'garbage removal', and the task is 'drive the truck'
taxon = a group of plants at a particular rank in a hierarchy within a classification
taxonomy = definition of variations within a (plant) classification
technical author = some players make a difference between a technical "writer" who writes to instruction and a technical "author" who analyses what is required in the document, does the planning and formulates the instructions handed to the technical writer; requires good analytic skills and knowledge of requirements and a good knowledge of the law and/or international standards/national standards related to the technical writing job
TCANZ = Technical Communicators Association (of) New Zealand
technical documentation = informal documentation written for a technical audience, the systems engineer/developer, programmer, systems analyst, business analyst, system administrator
technical editor = a technical writer assigned the task of taking copy that has been prepared by the scientist/engineer/technician and modifying it in 'plain English' or making it available to a particular audience
technical illustration = conveying information of a technical nature through a technical illustration
technical quality management (TQM) writer = tech writer certified under ISO 9000
technical reference manual = formal manual written for a technical audience, the systems engineer/developer, programmer, systems analyst, business analyst, system administrator, usually describing a system or a platform
technical review = a review conducted by a specialist to ensure compliance with a particular international standard or national standard
technical stakeholder = the stakeholder from the technical section, concerned with national standards and international standards, compliance, useability, operability, resilience
technical writer = writes to instruction; a professional writer (usually viewed as "ghost writer") who concentrates on writing about technical subjects to a particular audience; includes a generalist technical writer and a specialist technical writer
template = a document or file having a preset format, used as a starting point for a new document so that the document does not have to be re-created from scratch; a document that has been 'put away for the next time it is needed'; a temporally transferring series of plates or forms
templater = a junior technical writer given the template either developed in-house or using templates provided by docDownload, Scriptura, EasyDOCs, etc.
tender =
tender presenter = a generalist technical writer called upon to do a final review of the tender against the RFT to make sure there are no blunders, to improve the overall quality of the document to current best practice, and to ensure that the information in the tender is integrated and acceptable to the audience; this could include such activities as preparing post-tender presentations and work to promote the tender capability of the organisation in the marketplace such as developing capability statements, brochures and project data sheets, researching and writing articles for external publications, etc.
tender writer = a specialist technical writer called upon to understand the RFT and obtain all information required for the tender either from inside the organisation or from outside and prepare the tender to first draft which could include such activities as coordinating the preparation of sections of the tender by teams; assisting bid teams with technical and scientific research, presenting detailed accounts of the requirement for compliance with international standards, etc.; the tech writer is specialist in that he/she understands enough about the subject of the tender to evaluate omissions and current best practice applicable to the subject technology
tense = the grammatical form of a verb that shows us when something happens (past, present, future)
term = a word used in a document that has an agreed meaning for that document; if it appears in the glossary of terms, it is a term, if it doesn't, it's just a word
term (temporal) = a period of time with an agreed start date/time and end date/time
testing = xxxxxxx
typographic convention = rule the outlines page design
test case = a case with a set of real and likely data where the result is known beforehand for testing a system against requirements following creation or change
test cycles = unit test, system (end-to-end) test, regression testing, system integration testing, user acceptance testing
test scripts = formal written scripts for test cycles
text boxes = graphic function in text, box surrounding text, edit box
text hierarchy = rules for which text use and choice of text variables are set for the document
time = for the expression of time - of the Microsoft Word available formats the following are considered acceptable in Australian business common practice:
time on its own should not be used but replaced with date/time unless within an array in which the date is known in which case it needs to be explained in a footnote
8:24 AM acceptable within text and technical papers
8:24:01 AM acceptable within text and technical papers
08:24 not acceptable, should not be used, unless a twenty-four hour clock is being used, in which case it needs to be explained in the glossary
08:24:01 not acceptable, should not be used, unless a twenty-four hour clock is being used, in which case it needs to be explained in the glossary
see also date/time
time estimating = job costing and production planning techniques are applied to the creation of the document
timely = temporal requirements of research, preparation, publication etc. based on needs of stakeholders
title page = a page at the front of a book/document, bearing the title; some styles have strict rules regarding titles pages (for a good example see CBE)
TO BE = second stage in a project for process/procedure/work instruction improvement: newly designed processes need to be properly reviewed by all involved in the old processes and signed off before they can be finalised and implemented, otherwise the third stage (implementation) will be ineffective or miss important requirements; see AS IS
Traditional = (Style)
training manual = booklet/document containing instructions, figures, examples, and other explanatory material, useful in the training process
training content = develop/ edit content to support the overall learning goals and objectives, training project specifications, and written content for instructor-led training, performance simulation and virtual web-based training
TRIM = (application) electronic records management and electronic document management system (Total Records & Information Management)
troubleshooting = identifying the source/cause (define/solve) of a problem by process of elimination
troubleshooting table, sample = a special if/then table used in the problem solving process
TQM = total quality management
TQM = technical quality management
TQM writer = technical quality management writer (certified under ISO 9000)
truth table = also called an if...then table; a means by which all the logical options or outcomes are displayed in easy access
typeface = style of lettering making up a document, contains a series of fonts
types of manuals = a variety of types of manuals exist to serve specific needs: tutorial, training guides, user guides, operator manuals, reference manuals, user reference manuals, job aids and quick reference guides
TWT = tech writers team
UAT = user acceptance testing
underlining = rules for using the underlining characters in the document
uniform resource locator (URL) = address of a Web page residing on the same server or any server worldwide (WWW). This address defines the route to a file on an Internet server (Web server, FTP server, mail server, etc.)
upper case = capital letter, used on the first word in a sentence, all proper nouns and sometimes for emphasis
URL (pronounced letter by letter or "erl") = uniform resource locator
user = user of system
user acceptance = a formal process for involving the user in the sign off of a new system. For an in-house developed system it involves early statement of user requirements, a sign off of the functional plan by the user, and the sign off by the user following user acceptance testing against the original requirements. For a purchased system it involves a user requirements statement and a gap analysis.
user acceptance testing = the final testing stages by users of a new or changed system. The system is tested for stability and whether it is processing data according to requirements. If successful, it signals the approval by the user to implement the system live.
user guide = a document written by a technical writer to give assistance to people using the system.
user manual = user guide
user manual = tells users how to operate a document
user requirements = practical outcomes that will impact the user that are the reason for the development of a new system or for enhancements and modifications to an existing system
user requirements documentation = a business or strategic plan containing all requirements and the reason for their inclusion
user requirements specification = a formal list of all user requirements contained within the user requirements documentation written in a form that allows validation that changes meet user requirements
Vancouver = (Style)
verb = word that represents action, occurrence or state of existence
videolog = vlog; newsletter or diary on the Internet that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption based on continual updates of video, often with social or political impact, etc. See also blog, slog; phlog; mlog; polog
visual = a plan, map, photograph, illustration or graph that forms part of the document; often referred to as a Figure. See callout
vlog = videolog; newsletter or diary on the Internet that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption based on continual updates of video, often with social or political impact, etc. See also blog, slog; phlog; mlog; polog
vlogger = one who maintains a vlog; one who vlogs
voice (vernacular) = the choice by the writer of words and means of expression for a particular document depending upon the audience
voice = the relationship between the subject of the verb and the action of that verb, either an active or passive voice
voice, active = subject of the verb preforms the action
voice, passive = the subject receives the action, reveals what was done
warning note = special note warning readers, offering three levels of emphasis: warnings, cautions and notes to inform
WCW = web content writer
WDT = web design team
web copy (WC) = content (copy and layout) for a website
web content writer (WCW) = a tech writer required to assist in the creation of content (copy and layout (not structure)) for a website, converting available content into suitable copy for inclusion on the website and maintaining URL content over time
web copy writer (WCW) = web content writer
web editor = a technical writer engaged to take first draft content from WCWs and bring it to web online publication level, taking responsibility for compliance with (for example) the project goals, marketing action plan (MAP) goals, the law, international standards, national standards, company policy, etc. and readability as required by the needs of the relevant audience(s)
website = a collection of pages or files each with their own URL address accessible via the Internet, these files arranged under a common URL (this common URL often has an identifying name to indicate this address as the common address such as 'index') known as the website address or the home page
website address = See website
white space = empty blank area, unused or left open space surrounding illustrations and text
widow = last couple of words or line at the end of a paragraph, which stands at the top of a page alone
word choice = authors precision in choice of word
word processing = computerised production of word processing including creating, editing and formatting text
work = as defined by the COPYRIGHT ACT 1968 a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work
work instruction = a document that assigns particular tasks (mentioned or implied in a procedure) to a particular individual or group
work plan = a document describing in detail the action plan, usually includes outlined required activities
working group = a temporary or permanent group often convened by the tech writer that crosses organisational lines of responsibility to focus on a particular document or set of documents
workflow = a standard recording of a process for explaining the process to others or preparing procedures and work instructions
workflow diagram = business process map (BPM)
workflow diagram = a standard graphical representation of a process for explaining the process to others or preparing procedures and work instructions
writing style = author's style of expressing prose and the document's voice; see academic style