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At the beginning of a project, the technical writer first identifies the audience for the documentation. For example, if writing documentation about a VCR, the writer must determine whether the audience is a nontechnical American of average literacy who needs to know how to set the time and tape television shows, or a technician who has to open the VCR's cover and diagnose, repair, or replace internal components.
Technical writers who must write for a technical audience, such as for programmers or electrical engineers, must have enough background to understand their audience's background and needs. For example, writers who develop documentation for software APIs, microcontrollerA microcontroller is a computer-on-a- chip optimised to control devices. It is a type of microprocessor emphasizing self-sufficiency and cost-effectiveness, in contrast to a general-purpose microprocessor, the kind used in a PC. A typical microcontroller operation, and other technical elements are often paid more than those who write guides for a nontechnical audience (for example, how to use email), because it is difficult to find those experienced in both proseProse is any writing without a formal structure of meter or rhyme only conforming to the basic rules of grammar, just as it is plainly spoken by people. Writing which uses these structures is known as poetry. Although some works of prose may contain trace and in the technical subject.
Technical writers often have degrees in EnglishThe English language is a West Germanic language, originating from England. It is the third most common "first" language (native speakers), with around 402 million people in 2002. English has lingua franca status in many parts of the world, due to the mil, technical writing, or the technical field for which they are writing, or a combination of these. Documentation that the writer produces is normally proofreadProofreading is reading a proof copy of text for the purpose of detecting errors. A proof copy is traditionally a version of a manuscript that has been typeset after copy editing has been performed. The line between copy editing and proofreading is narrow for accuracy by an expert in the subject. For example, after a technical writer who understands C++ programming develops documentation for a software product's API, he or she delivers the documentation to the product's development staff to review for technical accuracy.