TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Idiot Audience From:"Pritchard,Laurie N" <Laurie_Pritchard -at- MC -dot- XEROX -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 17 Nov 1997 08:41:50 PST
Mary Durlak wrote:
>> If you "talk down" to your audience, it's likely that you'll lose
them because they'll make the fairly logical leap that, if you don't know
who you're talking *to,* you also don't know what you're talking *about.* <<
This is an excellent point. I've helped train absolute computer
novices, and one thing they do not want is to be treated like
children. I've found that in writing for novices, it's easy to fall
into the trap of writing in a patronizing tone, which is an insult to
most adult readers.
