6.2 Performing Research
In order to write effective technical documents, technical writers need to do their research. Even if the subject matter is familiar, getting the facts straight ahead of time is essential for a successful project, assignment, or document.
There are a number of ways technical writers conduct research, such as the following
- Online – When a person is writing up a user manual, they might be able to find the necessary information online to complete their assignment.
- On-the-job – Many technical writers are already experts in their field, so they can rely on personal experience to create their documents.
- Interviews – In some cases, a technical writer may have to set up an interview with another professional to get the necessary details for the end result.
- Libraries and other research facilities – And there’s always the library for additional assignment-related information.
Effective Research Processes
Simply going to an information source, extracting it, and then putting it into your draft is not enough. While this might work for everyday writing, technical writing is meant to be used actively, so its content needs to be accurate.
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- Know the goal– Understanding the goal or purpose of the user document will guide the research process and allow the technical writer to find appropriate facts to use.
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- Check and double check– It never hurts to check the facts and then to check them again to ensure they are accurate.
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- Find multiple sources– Whenever possible, find multiple sources for the material and cite them in the technical writing document.
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- Talk with experts in the field– Another way to verify information, talking with experts in the field can yield better information from their experience.
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Technical Writing Research Methods
Research is not just the collection of facts for a technical writing document; it is a process in which information is uncovered and expressed in a meaningful way to the audience. Before you begin documenting your deliverables, you need to gather all the required information. You need to conduct different research methods to do this. Here are a few methods of conducting research in technical documentation:
Primary Research – Conduct primary research either using the source documents or interacting with the subject matter experts. These methods are called primary methods as you get first-hand information from the two most reliable sources – specifications documents and the subject matter experts.
Gathering Information from Sources – Begin reading and gathering all the available information on your topic from websites, library databases, as well as print media. However, you’ll likely encounter information irrelevant to your topic and audience, so you need to analyze the impact your sources will likely have on your audience.
Collecting Information from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) – Interacting with subject matter experts can help you answer research questions and provide accu