Technical Writing in the Digital Age: Difference between revisions

Joseph P. Chapline is considered to be one of the first technical writers, having written in 1949 the first ever user manual for BINAC, an early personal computer.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Malone |first=Ed |date=2008 |title=Joseph D. Chapline: Technical Communication's Mozart |url=https://web.mst.edu/~malonee/chapline.pdf |magazine=<i>IEEE Professional Communication Society Newsletter</i> |access-date=October 31, 2023 |ref=harv }}.</ref> In the 1950s, technical writing as a distinct profession began to take shape when technical writers founded formal organizations, academic programs, and conferences dedicated to the art. One of these key writing associations was the Association of Technical Writers and Editors, also formed in the 1950s. Several of these groups eventually merged, forming the Society of Technical Communication in 1960.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Edward |first1=Malone |date=November 2011 |title=The First Wave (1953–1961) of the Professionalization Movement in Technical Communication |url=https://www.stc.org/techcomm/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/08/november-2011-58-4.pdf |journal=Technical Communication |volume=58 |issue=4 |pages=285 - 306 |doi= |access-date=October 11, 2023}}</ref>