ELE 14-Chapter1-Lesson 2 Technical Writing Laws.pptx

Relevant Laws of the Technical Writing

1. Relevant Laws and Ethical Considerations Related to Technical Writing Lesson 2

2. “In law, a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics, he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so.” - Immanuel Kant

3. There are four bodies of law that are relevant to technical communication. Technical writers must be aware of legal and ethical considerations when preparing technical papers. Copyright Law Covers the protection of the rights of the author. 1 Trade Law Pertains to federal protection (different from registered trademarks). 2 Contract law Covers written warranties or their implied warranties. 3 Liability law Responsibilities or obligations of writers especially claims they made on their paper. 4

4. PRINCIPLE OF ETHICAL COMMUNICATION Technical writers are like researchers. Both take into consideration the bounds and limitations to things that they write. They carefully study the information to be presented and they are aware that prudence has to be exercised.

5. Do’s of Technical Communication Abide by relevant laws. Abide by the appropriate corporate or professional code of conduct. Tell the truth. Be clear. Avoid discriminatory language. Acknowledge assistance from others. Don’ts of Technical Communication False implications- assuming the outcome of a project or making sweeping generalizations. Exaggerations proportions. Expressing situations in extreme. Euphemisms writing about situations in seemingly good conditions even though they are not. Don’t mislead your readers.