Explain the items found in the body of a technical document.

Section 3

The elements that make up the many kinds of technical documents are often similar in form and function. These elements, collectively called the format, include titles, abstracts, introductions and the like. Writers use formats to establish the order of content in the document's front matter, body, and end matter. The format is generally followed by a professional community because the standardization of the document form makes it easier for readers to establish the purpose of the document, to understand how the document is organized, and to compare the document's content with that of other documents.

Table of Contents Show

Front Cover
Front Matter
Table of Contents (TOC)
List of FIGURES (LOF)
List of TABLES (LOT)
OTHER List(s)
… (followed by) other CHAPTERS …
APPENDICES and ADDENDUM
What are the four components of technical documentation?
What are the 3 main parts of a technical report?

The following list identifies some standard elements that may appear in technical documents. Most documents, whether memorandums, proposals, research articles, research reports, or design reports, are composed of a selection of these elements.

Front Matter Title page

Abstract

Table of contents

List of figures

List of tables

List of terms

Acknowledgments

Body Introduction

Background

Theory

Design criteria

Materials and apparatus

Procedure

Workplan

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

Recommendations

End matter References

Appendixes

Index

## Elements of Technical Documents ##

Here are the various ingredients of the components of a technical document which may or may NOT be all present for the component in question.

Front Cover
Front Matter
Table of Contents (TOC)
List of FIGURES (LOF)
List of TABLES (LOT)
OTHER List(s)
CHAPTER 1
… (followed by) other CHAPTERS …
GLOSSARY
APPENDICES and ADDENDUM
INDEX
BACK COVER

Front Cover

TITLE of the document.

NUMBER of the document.

VERSION of the document.

TITLE of the software (if it’s a software document).

VERSION of the software (if it’s a software document).

RELEASE DATE of the document.

GRAPHIC or PRODUCT IMAGE.

CORPORATE LOGO.

Front Matter

NO page number.

TRADEMARK statement for various brands mentioned in the document.

Company information.

Contact, web site etc. information.

DISCLAIMER text.

DISCLOSURE text.

Table of Contents (TOC)

Starts with PAGE NUMBER “iii” – lower-case Roman numeral “3.”

LIST OF FIGURES (if any) title, and page number.

LIST OF TABLE (if any) title, and page number.

OTHER LISTS (if any) title, and page number.

CHAPTER titles, and page numbers. (LEVEL 1)

Indented SECTION titles, and page numbers. (LEVEL 2)

Indented SUB-SECTION titles, and page numbers. (LEVEL 3)

Etc.

GLOSSARY titles, and page numbers.

ADDENDUM titles, and page numbers.

APPENDIX titles, and page numbers.

INDEX title, and page number.

List of FIGURES (LOF)

TITLE of figures and page numbers. Comes right after TOC.

List of TABLES (LOT)

TITLE of tables and page numbers. Comes right after LOF.

OTHER List(s)

TITLE of other document objects with markers (“Authors” for example) and page numbers.

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER TOC (optional)

CHAPTER Header (optional: Runner Headers)

CHAPTER Footer (optional: Runner Footers)

PAGE number.

DOCUMENT TITLE, NUMBER, DATE (optional).

… (followed by) other CHAPTERS …

GLOSSARY

A TABLE with 2 COLUMNS: “Item” and “Description.” This could be a Glossary of technical terms, acronyms, abbreviations, or a combination of all three.

APPENDICES and ADDENDUM

See CHAPTER…

INDEX

Index items presented alphabetically under LETTERS, preceded by NUMERIC entries.

Maximum of THREE levels of indentations.

BACK COVER

CORPORATE LOGO.

CORPORATE address, fax and phone numbers, web address.

What are the four components of technical documentation?

They are: tutorials, how-to guides, technical reference and explanation. They represent four different purposes or functions, and require four different approaches to their creation. Understanding the implications of this will help improve most documentation - often immensely.