Creating Your

Document
3 Ways to Organize Your
Information
Chronologically, spatially (describes objects and
physical sites), general to specific
For spatial, provide signposts (i.e.: left, above, in the
center, etc.)
Consider using graphics
Analyze events when/where appropriate
Writing Coherent
Documents
When writing a document, ask yourself the following:
Have I left out anything in turning my outline into a
draft?
Have I included all the elements my readers expect
to see?
Have I organized the document logically?
Is the document persuasive?
Do I come across as reliable, honest, and helpful?
Have I presented all the elements consistently?
Is the emphasis appropriate throughout the
document?
Writing Titles
Which title is better?
Snowboarding Injuries
or
How to Prevent Snowboarding Injuries
Yours should look like:
Blah, Blah, Blah: A Feasibility Study
Headings
Headings are lower-level titles for the sections and
subsections in a document-they divide the
document into major sections and subsections
Major sections=primary info
Subsections= secondary or subordinate info
Clearly separate these headings through italics,
boldface, etc.
When making headings: Avoid long noun strings; be
informative; use a grammatical form appropriate to
the audience; avoid back-to-back headings
Lists
Why are lists used in technical documents (instead
of traditional paragraphs)?
They add visual dimension to the text and make it
easier for the reader to remember.
4 Advantages of turning paragraphs into lists:
1. It forces you to look at the big picture
2. It forces you to examine the sequence
3. It forces you to create a helpful lead-in
4. Forces you to tighten and clarify your prose