Lesson: 4 Cs of Technical Writing
After spending a number of years working in the business world as a consultant, I am shaping and structuring this course with practical information that I have gathered. You will find that you will be able to make far reaching practical applications with this information. At the same time, I know that in order for you to make the most of what you learn, you will need to participate in the learning process. I am going to ask you to help to develop some concept behind effective technical writing by reflecting upon four key terms, and by recording your ideas in the spaces provided.
I like to refer to these key terms as the 4 Cs: and these Cs stand for "Clear, Concise, Coherent, and Correct. Every effective piece of technical writing should have the characteristics of the 4 Cs.
Think about the first "C", clear. If we are referring to technical writing, would we be talking about the same meaning that "clear" would have in the sense of a clear windowpane?
No, of course not. Clear means something different in this context. A window pane is clear because you can see through it; it is transparent.
I am going to give you some phrases that apply different meanings of the word "clear" in the frame of technical writing, and I want you to do two things with each phrase. First I want you to give each word of these phrases some thought. Think about how they work with or relate to each other. Then I want you to briefly write what the phrases mean to you, and give an example or two to illustrate the phrase if possible.
When you are finished, check all of your answers over, type your name in the place designated, and press the submit button. Later I will tell you what these words mean to me, and you will be able to check your answers.
I will work the first example with you.
Clear:
Clearly defined Purpose (of a technical document):
My reflections: If there is a clearly defined purpose in a technical document, the reader will then know exactly what response is expected. Some purposes for writing might be to persuade, to inform, to instruct, or to recommend.
Now try the next one by yourself.
1. Adequate Factual Support for Purpose:
2. Clear and Appropriate Organization:
3. Clear Sentences:
4. Concise: The second of the 4 Cs stands for Concise. Effective technical documents are written concisely. Think about what the word Concise means to you. Follow the directions above for these two phrases:
Concise Presentation (of a technical document):
5. Effective Language:
6. I am not assigning grade point values to these answers, so what I want from these exercises is for you to begin building a knowledge base. I do want you to give each phrase some serious thought.
The 3rd "C" stands for Coherent. Think about what this word means to you. (It does mean something to you, doesnt it?) Try to relate the word coherent to the next phrases, and coherently follow the directions above for these phrases.
Logical Patterns
7. Argumentative Patterns:
8. Other Organizational Forms:
9. The 4th "C" stands for Correct. I would like you to clearly reflect upon the following phrases:
Appropriate Use of Standard Formats
10. Proper Conventions:
11. Now that you are finished, submit the answers to me. If you missed some of the important points, you will have a chance in the assignment to show a more complete understanding. I am a fairly understanding person. I made a mistake once, myself.
For grading purposes, please provide the following information:
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Once you have filled in all of the areas above, click the Send the assignment button below to send the assignment to the instructor.
FAQs
The 21st century learning skills are often called the 4 C's: critical thinking, creative thinking, communicating, and collaborating. These skills help students learn, and so they are vital to success in school and beyond.
What does the 4 Cs stand for? ›
The 21st century learning skills are often called the 4 C's: critical thinking, creative thinking, communicating, and collaborating. These skills help students learn, and so they are vital to success in school and beyond.
What is the concept of 4 Cs? ›
The 4Cs, or the four pillars of the marketing mix, are a modern twist on the traditional 4 P's. These principles focus on customer value, convenience, communication, and cost-efficiency. As a result, marketing campaigns must be designed around customer value.
What are the 4 C's explained? ›
The 4Cs, are the globally accepted standard for assessing the quality of a diamond —color, clarity, cut and carat weight.
What are the 4 C's of teaching? ›
To develop successful members of the global society, education must be based on a framework of the Four C's: communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creative thinking.
What do the 4 Cs represent? ›
The four C's of 21st Century skills are:
Critical thinking. Creativity. Collaboration. Communication.
What are the 4 Cs of teamwork? ›
If you want to establish a team identity, you have to give your team an opportunity to openly discuss the 4 C's of a Team Identity: clarity, commitment, contribution, and concerns.
What are the 4 C's of communication? ›
The document discusses the 4Cs of effective communication: clear, concise, correct, and courteous. Clear communication avoids vagueness by considering the recipient's background. Concise communication uses few words to maximize comprehension. Correct communication is factually and grammatically accurate.
What are the 4Cs standards? ›
The 4Cs in education are collaboration, communication, creation, and critical thinking, which represent the knowledge, skills, and expertise students need today to prepare for tomorrow's workforce.
What is the 4Cs thinking routine? ›
The 4 C's Visible Thinking Routine (Connections, Challenges, Concepts, and Changes) was developed in Harvard's Project Zero. This strategy is used to help students develop synthesizing and organizational skills.
Critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication – these four essential skills, often referred to as the 4 Cs of education, have become a fundamental framework for students in academic settings and their future professional endeavours.
What is the 4 C's protocol? ›
When dealing with suspicious items apply the 4 Cs protocol: CONFIRM, CLEAR, COMMUNICATE AND CONTROL.
What are the 4 C's in psychology? ›
In his book “Developing Mental Training,” psychologist Peter Clough, describes four important traits of mental toughness, which he calls the four C's: confidence, challenge, control and commitment. You may already possess a few of these traits, but having the four qualities in combination is the key to success.
What do the 4 C's mean? ›
Do you know what they are? Communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity are considered the four c's and are all skills that are needed in order to succeed in today's world.
How do the four C's work together? ›
Creativity teaches students to think in a way that's unique to them. Collaboration teaches students that groups can create something bigger and better than they can on their own. Communication teaches students how to efficiently convey ideas. Combined, the four C's empower students to become one-person think tanks.
What are the most important 4Cs? ›
Out of the 4 C's of diamonds, the cut of the diamond is the most important. This is followed by color, clarity, and carat weight.
What does the 4C stand for? ›
The 4Cs (Clarity, Credibility, Consistency, Competitiveness) is most often used in marketing communications and was created by David Jobber and John Fahy in their book 'Foundations of Marketing' (2009).
What is the order of the 4 Cs? ›
BEYOND THE 4CS OF DIAMONDS
- CUT. The first C of the 4 Cs is the diamond's cut. ...
- COLOR. The color of a diamond is the next important element of the 4 Cs. ...
- CLARITY. The Clarity of a diamond is an important element of the 4 Cs. ...
- CARAT WEIGHT. The last of the 4 Cs of diamonds is the carat weight.
Enjoying semi-retirement by working hard on civil… 'Communication, Coordination, Control & Command' or the 4C's is a mnemonic used in the military but which can just as easily apply to the business or government world. Reading left to right, the order presented is important as they are inter-related.
What are the 4 Ps and 4 Cs? ›
The marketing mix consists of four Ps (price, product, place, and promotion), four Cs (customer needs and wants, cost, convenience, and communication), and more. To get a better understanding of the marketing mix, we'll take a deeper dive into each of these areas to help you unlock the power behind it.
