Technical Writing - What's a Copyright and How Long Does it Last in Technical Documentation?

There'll be many times when as a technical writer you'll be using text and images created by others. In order not to violate anybody's intellectual property rights, you need to know the different types of copyrights that exist (at least in the United States).

The standard copyright is expressed either with the word "Copyright" or the universal copyright symbol "©" (letter "c" inside a circle). Best information on U.S. copyrights is available at U.S. Copyright Office (at copyright-dot-gov).

The interesting thing about a copyright is that an original intellectual property, like this very article for example, has copyright protection the minute it is created. However, if there were a law suit, those technical documents officially registered with the U.S. Copyright Office has a better chance of winning the case. Copyright registry is voluntary but is the only sure-fire way of claiming ownership of an intellectual product.

Technical Writing - What's a Copyright and How Long Does it Last in Technical Documentation?

In general, copyright of a technical document created after January 1, 1978, lasts as long as its author is alive, plus 70 years after his or her death. For example, if someone registers a user manual with the U.S. Copyright Office on January 1, 2009 and then dies in 2010, the work would still be copyrighted until 2080.

Once you copyright-register your technical document, you do not need to renew the registration again.

One thing you should know as a technical writer: all text and images created and owned by the U.S. government have no copyrights for the U.S. citizens. They are in "public domain." Why? Because if you're a U.S. citizen, you have already paid for it through your taxes. But still you have to be careful not to use public domain work in a libelous manner.

NOTE 1: If you're a technical writer working for a company, the copyright of the work you are creating almost always belongs to the company and not to you as an individual writer.

NOTE 2: All the information quoted in this article was correct when the article was written in December 2008 but it may have changed by the time you're reading this. Please consult copyright-dot-gov and your attorney before making a decision on all copyright matters.

Technical Writing - What's a Copyright and How Long Does it Last in Technical Documentation?
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If you are interested to read more about what technical writing is all about and how it can help you earn a steady living, visit http://www.learntechnicalwriting.com You might be pleasantly surprised with what you'll find out. Join the thousands who are already helped and inspired by this information provided by a Fortune 500 Senior Technical Writer. Visit today and claim your free report "How Much Do Technical Writers Make?"

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Writing Tip - Decades and Apostrophes

Let's start with a quiz. Which of the following is correct?

1. We did better in the 1990's than we did in the 80's.

2. We did better in the 1990's than we did in the 80s.

Writing Tip - Decades and Apostrophes

3. We did better in the 1990s than we did in the 80's.

4. We did better in the 1990s than we did in the 80s.

5. We did better in the 1990's than we did in the '80s.

6. We did better in the 1990s than we did in the '80s.

If you said number six is right, congratulations. If you didn't, don't feel bad. This is one of those rules people seem to get wrong more than they get right. They get it wrong because they forget that apostrophes have two main purposes: (1) to show possession and (2) to create a contraction - that is, to show that something has been yanked out, as in the word "don't" - the contraction of "do not."

In the foregoing sentences, is 1990s either possessive or a contraction? No. So an apostrophe has no place in it. What about '80s? Is it possessive? No again. But is it a contraction? Yes! The 19 has been taken out, so we place an apostrophe where those numerals should have been - just so the reader doesn't think we're talking about the decade that began 80 years after the birth of Christ.

In short, don't put an apostrophe before the "s" in 1990s because it's neither possessive nor a contraction. But do use an apostrophe before the "8" in '80s - not because it's possessive, but because it's a contraction.

One last quiz: Is the following sentence right or wrong?

The 1960s' fashions were even more bizarre than the '70s' styles.

The sentence is correct. But why? Because we've made 1960s' and '70s' possessive - both of them.

Writing Tip - Decades and Apostrophes
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Steve Osborne is author of "Writing Tips for the Real World," a blog at [http://www.thewritersbag.com] He is an award-winning freelance writer and writing instructor. His blog teaches writing tips, techniques and strategies designed to help people from all walks of life turn the written word into a powerful success tool in their careers and personal lives.

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What is Content Writing & Why Has it Become So Popular?

What Is Content Writing?

Content writing is a serviced offered mainly to website owners and businesses, and many countries in the world have seen the benefits of this service, using it positively for their company. Content writing itself can come in many forms and companies that offer it can write about one specific category or a broad range, usually the ones that target a certain niche such as sport will be more focused and knowledgeable on that area than those that try to write about every possible category, so you will be getting your money's worth.

Why Is Content Writing So Popular?

What is Content Writing & Why Has it Become So Popular?

Its main use is to save webmasters a lot of time by writing out content for the websites, so instead they will produce a brief and outsource the job to a professional content writer who will research the given subject and complete the assignment for you. Content writing itself is quite cheap but with so many people offering this a service you do need to make sure the company or person is legitimate and that there prices are reasonable. As a guide, £7 - £10 for 250 words of content for web copy, articles and blog posts/news pieces is an excellent price and if you are going to a company that specialise is one certain area of expertise then you may pay a little more, but then you will know the quality and experience on that subject will be higher than elsewhere.

What Types Of Content Writing Is There?

Content writing isn't just for website copy though, a lot of business and individuals will ask for articles, blog posts, press releases and many more forms of the service.

For example if you wanted daily news pieces on topical subjects consisting of 150 words a day, these will be classed as blog posts and at many content companies they will gladly do this every day of the working week for you and in some instances offer an attractive price if you are passing work their way for a long period of time. Press releases and articles are quite similar, the first holding more editorial quality than the latter but still, you can expect 350 - 600 words for a good article.

What is Content Writing & Why Has it Become So Popular?
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For more information on the different types of Content Writing Services available feel free to take a look at Finance Talks Limited who offer web content writing for the financial sector. Here you will find a detailed write up of the services available and a competitive pricing structure.

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Essay Writing Technique - 7 Simple Steps

"When I was young each fresh piece of serious work used to seem to me for a time -- perhaps a long time -- to be beyond my powers." Bertrand Russell -- "How I Write", The Writer, September 1954.

Writing essays, articles and research papers may sometimes seems to be beyond our powers. Surely, organization and persistence are the keys in the process of writing. In what follows, there are seven hints for writing an essay:

1. Separate the different parts of the process associated with the writing: research, inspiration, organizing ideas, writing, and editing.

Essay Writing Technique - 7 Simple Steps

2. Make a list (10-20 items). Simply jot down phrases, keywords, definitions, questions, images and whatever which relates to the topic (the main essay subject). And then gather in big themes the ideas that can be connected.

3. Build an essay structure (template): title, opening sentence, background, statement of scope, thesis statement (or the position statement), development of ideas (with at least three main points and secondary points), and conclusion (summary paragraph). All the supporting paragraphs of the main body must have a strong organization, namely: topic sentence, evidence, commentary, and concluding sentence. Essays have many purposes, but the basic structure is the same.

4. Work on the individual sections: write the main body first, then the introduction, the title and the conclusion. And expand these sections: use always concrete and clear examples to argue on your thesis.

5. Edit and wrap up the paragraphs. Observe the logical linkage between the paragraphs and use appropriate transitional phrases. Introductory words such as "In fact", "Equally import", "All things considered"... are an "additional plus" as they show a knowledge of the literary language. In a word, the essay must flow smoothly.

6. Check the cohesion or the sense of the development, verifying if the thesis statement is functioning as a unifying spark.

7. Revise for grammatical and writing flaws.

Essay Writing Technique - 7 Simple Steps
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Marco Antônio Bomfoco is a professor at the Faculty of Technology SENAC in South Brazil. A Ph.D. from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, and an M.A. from the same university, Marco is a long-time language enthusiast. His many interests include writing, general linguistics, anthropological linguistics, case theory and grammatical relations, history of linguistics, artificial languages, phenomenology, story telling, myth, and game theory.

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Public Speaking - Nonverbal Skills You Need to Create Positive Connections and Cash Flow

Public speaking is one of the most powerful ways to market your business and build a subscriber list. Anyone can give a good presentation with a little practice and by following the right formula. What makes a good presentation great is focusing on not only your language and content, but also on your nonverbal messages as well.

Essentially, nonverbal communication is anything that communicates meaning and a message that is not the words you choose. Depending on the source you consult, there are anywhere between 10 and 15 different forms of nonverbal communication. Because you only have 10 seconds to make a first impression, all forms of nonverbal communication are important. However, when we are working on developing a skill - any skill - it's best to focus on three main areas at a time. When we're talking about doing a face-to-face presentation, to any size group, the three forms of nonverbal communication you want to focus on are paralanguage (also known as vocalics), kinesics, and occulesics.

1. Your Voice, known as Paralanguage, is anything that comes out of your mouth that is not the words you choose. Focus on your tone of voice, volume, rate, pitch, and "sound effects" (think of an audible sigh, for example). When presenting to any size group you want to sound comfortable and confident about your topic, which will lead to increased credibility and ultimately increased sales for you. Avoiding "ums" and "ahs" will go a long way to showing your comfort with discussing your topic. When using your paralanguage effectively, people will see you as the expert you are and be much more willing to work with you as a result.

Public Speaking - Nonverbal Skills You Need to Create Positive Connections and Cash Flow

2. Your Body, known as Kinesics, is what is commonly known as body language and gestures. Focus on how you stand or sit, what you do with your hands and feet, and your body positioning relative to your audience. Keep your arms open and unfolded. When you're only meeting with one or two people, try a rapport-building technique known as"mirroring," where your body and gestures emulate those of your listeners. If they are sitting forward in their chairs, you should be sitting forward in your chair, too. Communication research has proven people are attracted to those most like them. Using this mirroring technique will send one more subconscious signal that you are like your listeners, and they will feel much more comfortable with you. When people are comfortable with you, they are more likely to do business with you.

3. Your Eyes, known as Occulesics, is communicating with your eyes. Simply stated, you absolutely must make comfortable and consistent eye contact with your audience for them to trust you. Don't look at the papers on the desk in front of you. Don't look over their heads or at the floor. Look your audience members, each one of them if possible, in the eye and smile. As with the other two forms of nonverbal communication, making eye contact will go toward building your credibility. Although most of us know people who try to deceive others while making good eye contact, on the whole we still get the general sense that if someone is looking us in the eye, s/he is honest. And showing your honesty is one quick way to more cash flow.

Because there are many forms of nonverbal communication functioning simultaneously, it's nearly impossible to think about controlling each one as they occur. However, careful attention to your voice, your body language and your eye contact will put you in the position you want to be in with your clients and prospects. You'll be seen as credible, trustworthy, and likeable - all the attributes you need to get more business and increase your cash flow.

Public Speaking - Nonverbal Skills You Need to Create Positive Connections and Cash Flow
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And now I invite you to learn all the ways you can communicate your credibility and get more business as a result. Pick up your free e-course at: http://www.communicationtransformation.com/creating-credibility-ecourse.html

If you'd like to know more about putting together a speech to market your business, visit [http://www.CashInOnSpeaking.com] In this Signature Speech Home Study Program I show you the exact formula I use to get 90-100% conversion rates every time I speak. It's a simple step-by-step process. Plug in your info and you're set!

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Felicia J. Slattery, M.A., M.Ad.Ed., is a communication consultant, speaker & coach with more than a decade of experience teaching effective communication skills for massive success.

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Technical Writing - How to Format Your Technical Documents Consistently With a Template?

Consistency of a technical documentation is what creates that subliminal sense of trust and confidence in the end-users.

Someone once quipped: "it ain't technical documentation if it ain't boring." This of course is not literally true since I always found technical documents very interesting indeed.

However, this quip reflects the truth that a technical document must be "boringly consistent" in order to be taken seriously. I could also say "religiously consistent" as the phrase goes, but I thought I might inadvertently offend someone and that certainly is not my intention here.

Technical Writing - How to Format Your Technical Documents Consistently With a Template?

Just ask yourself: would you trust an airplane maintenance manual that has missing page numbers, has chapter headings printed in different fonts and sizes, has differently formatted figure captions for consecutively printed figures (like "Figure 2-14" on one page, and "FIGURE 15" on next)?

Consistency all starts with a document TEMPLATE.

It is harder to shift between different page templates if you are using MS Word as your main text editing program, and much easier if you are using Framemaker or InDesign since the last two are built on the "Master Pages" concept. But a page template is what you definitely must have.

When you have a template, you have consistent margins, sidebars, headers and footers, for starters. You have consistent page numbering and column, and page gutter(s) if you have more than one column.

If your text editor allows you to create Master Pages, I'd recommend you to create a document template starting off with the following 5 types of pages (assuming you are writing a book):

1) Front Cover.
2) First Page.
3) Right Page.
4) Left Page.
5) Back Cover.

And it wouldn't hurt at all of you design templates (Master Pages) for the following types of special pages as well:

6) Front Matter.
7) TOC.
8) List of Tables and Figures.
9) Index.

Have a template first before structuring your information. It's a must. "Don't leave home without it," as one credit card commercial used to say.

Technical Writing - How to Format Your Technical Documents Consistently With a Template?
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If you are ready to read more about what technical writing is all about and how it can help you earn a steady living, visit http://www.learntechnicalwriting.com and claim your free report "How Much Do Technical Writers Make?" You might be pleasantly surprised with what you'll find out. Join the thousands who are already helped and inspired by this information provided by a Fortune 500 Senior Technical Writer. Visit us now.

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Technical Writing - The Difference Between a Process and a Procedure

In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, Act III, Scene 1, in an argument about how to divide a piece of land, one character says that he'll "cavil on the ninth part of a hair." Cavil means to quibble over an unimportant point. Even better, it's a really annoying and trivial objection. The reason for mentioning this is because there's often a fine line between caviling and getting it technically right. Here at The Tech Writer's Tool Kit, the general view is that every word has a specific meaning and no two words ever have exactly the same meaning. Is it a cavil to insist that there's an important difference between a procedure and a process? They both mean a way to get something done. Is changing a tire a process or a procedure? Did you just go through the (process or procedure) of refinancing your home?

Procedure - The dictionary gives the etymology of procedure as a French word, procédure, from proceder which means to proceed. To proceed is defined, simply, as to go forward and procedure is defined as a manner of proceeding. We have to go beyond simple definition to usage. In American English, the word is used, most often, to designate a unique type of undertaking. So, we have medical procedure and nomination procedure. A procedure, then, is a single activity, consisting of multiple steps, performed to accomplish a specific outcome. - This is the procedure we use to elect our officers.- The doctor said the procedure is simple enough to be done in his office.- It's a long and complicated procedure that must be performed carefully.

Process - Starting with the dictionary for the etymology, we do kind of a loop around to find out process comes through Middle English and Old French from Latin prMcdere that means to advance or proceed. Sounds a lot like procedure. But, the definition of process shows a difference. It says a process is a series of actions that bring about a result. In most cases, that result is a completed procedure. The distinction holds up in general usage in a number of fields. For example, we talk about a hair coloring process, events now in process, and processing an order. In Law, process is defined as the whole judicial proceeding (procedure). In Engineering, the steps in changing iron into steel is a process. In Computer Science, it means performing operations on data, which is done by a processor.

Technical Writing - The Difference Between a Process and a Procedure

Based on general usage, then: - a procedure is a total operation - the complete set of actions - that results in some desired outcome- a process is the series of individual steps within the procedure that is followed to achieve the outcome The difference is that you must follow a process in order to complete a procedure. That would mean that saying, "The process of getting a haircut is boring" doesn't mean the same as saying, "The procedure of getting a haircut is boring." It depends on whether you're saying that the individual steps are boring or the whole operation boring. Two different words: two different meanings? We think so. What about you?

Technical Writing - The Difference Between a Process and a Procedure
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If you can write a simple sentence and organize your thoughts then technical writing may be a rewarding field. You can easily make it a second income stream in your spare time.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average salary for technical writers is ,380. Freelance technical writers can make from to per hour.

The field of technical writing is like a golden city. It's filled with wealth, rewards and opportunities. After learning technical writing you can branch out into business writing, marketing writing and communications writing. All of these can become additional income streams.

But to succeed you must learn how to market yourself to clients. You have to prove to them that you are an invaluable asset. That's where ProTech - Your Fast Track to Becoming a Successful Technical Writer can help. It's a technical writing course that does two equally important things:

1. It teaches you the skills to become a technical writer in the shortest time frame. You'll learn to create manuals, procedures, tutorials, processes, proposals, spec sheets and other documents that businesses need.

2. It shows you how to market yourself to clients so you can start your income stream as soon as possible.

In fact, you'll get a complete marketing toolkit which has templates and technical writing job sites to get started immediately!

You can download two sample lessons by clicking the link below.

This could be your chance to create a prosperous future.

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How to Improve Your Vocabulary to Speak and Write Better

The other day a French Canadian woman I'm working with asked me to help improve her vocabulary by giving her a list of words she could memorize. I admired her determination, but the thought of handing over a page of words for her to memorize, without any kind of context, struck me as a form of punishment rather than a good learning experience.

But I understand where she's coming from. (You may too, if you've ever found yourself in a dentist's office mulling over the Reader's Digest vocabulary quizzes, like Word Power. Although English is my first language, I know that having a good range of vocabulary is invaluable when it comes to making presentations or writing any kind of business document. It's not about acquiring complicated words with many syllables; it's about finding new and striking ways to make a point.

So instead of giving my client a laundry list of words, I suggested the following ways she could expand her written and spoken vocabulary to help both in business and everyday life:

How to Improve Your Vocabulary to Speak and Write Better

Read publications that interest you, jotting down words you don't understand. This has the added benefit of increasing your vocabulary in a subject matter you already care about. Podcasts and Web Streaming: Just Vocabulary is one example of a website that works on vocabulary through podcasts (and web streaming, where you can just listen at your computer). They focus on words that are rich with meaning, many of them used in more formal business communications, such as contracts. The Visual Thesaurus lets you create a kind of word map. You plug-in a word and other words conveying all shades of meaning of your word choice jump onto the screen. There's also an audio component so that you can hear the words spoken.

By the way, if you are reading this blog post and English is your second language, I'd also suggest listening to radio or television news. Why the news? News announcers tend to speak slowly and clearly, which gives you time to write down any unfamiliar vocabulary.

Expanding vocabulary can be fun. It's only when it's just a matter of dry and dusty memorization that it becomes overwhelming. This is why at the end of a long day sometimes I improve my vocabulary in yet another way. Scrabble or boggle, anyone?

How to Improve Your Vocabulary to Speak and Write Better
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Dr. Sandra Folk is a Toronto-based educational consultant and award-winning university lecturer. She set up The Language Lab to help business executives and employees write and express themselves more effectively. Find out more about the programs we offer to improve the communication skills of native English speakers and ESL learners at http://thelanguagelab.ca/

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