The cover page should be clear and easy to read, but can have some graphics or design interest to attract to the reader

The type of report you create will depend on the purpose of the document and who will read it

A properly written question will be clear and concise, and contain the topic being studied (purpose), the variable(s), and the population.

The type(s) of research you choose should be based on your purpose, audience, and, often when completing a research project, your hypothesis and research questions.

What does it mean to be information literate? Simply stated, information literacy is the ability to locate, evaluate, and implement information efficiently

An elevator pitch is a concise, oral proposal, used to persuade the audience in a short amount of time—often less than one minute

With external projects, you may need to list your hourly rates, projected hours, costs of equipment and supplies, and so forth, and then calculate the total cost of the complete project

A main difference between a proposal and other documents is that a proposal will sell the writer (or the writer’s organization) as the one to complete a future project.

Just as the title should provide your reader with a good idea of what the instructions involve, the goal of your introduction is to give your reader general information about the process

In general, the purpose of a set of instructions is to guide the user through a series of steps that lead to the completion of a task. However, each set of instructions will also have a more specific outcome. Identifying what that specific outcome is will help you make more effective rhetorical decisions about content and design

Be cautious about using sources that are not reviewed by peers or editor, or in which the information cannot be verified, or seems misleading, biased, or even false

Graphics will usually be the first thing a reader notices about your document; if a reader finds your graphics misleading, your entire document may be called into question.

Using a variety of sources helps the writer avoid potential bias that can occur from relying on only a few experts

Ethical behavior, including ethical technical communication, involves not just telling the truth and providing accurate information, but telling the truth and providing information so that a reasonable audience is made aware of the behavior

Technical writers need to be aware of cultural differences in behaviors, norms, beliefs, and values

The layout of documents—their content, color scheme, alignment, etc.—is the result of individual choices

The document should be reader friendly, or reader-centered rather than writer-centered

Do not rule yourself out if every requirement does not match. Instead, think of something that is somewhat related

The more you quantify your accomplishments using specific details, the more your abilities will be understood.

Remember, as the most critical component of a marketing campaign in which you advertise your professional self, your résumé must be clear, concise, and error free

Once you have found a job, be sure to print and/or save a copy of the job posting or job description. You will use this document to help you tailor your application materials

Think of the text as permanent

Emojis, though helpful in informal communications like texting with friends, may also be perceived as unprofessional in business contexts

One-word subjects such as Hi, Question, or FYI are not informative and may undercut the message’s importance. Overly long or rambling subjects may result in a similar problem

Information is highly confidential. Email is NEVER private!