Relevant Laws and Ethical

Considerations Related to
Technical Writing

Prepared by: Gabriela C. Flores

 The Four Bodies of Law
Relevant to Technical
Communication
1. Copyright law - covers the protection of the rights of the author.
2. Trademark law – pertains to federal protection (different from
registered trademark).
3. Contract law - covers written warranties or their implied
warranties.
4. Liability law - pertains to responsibilities or obligations of writers
especially claims they made on their paper.
 They carefully study the
information to be presented
and they are aware that
PRUDENCE has to be
exercised.

Technical writers are

like researchers. Both take
into consideration the
bounds and limitations to
things they write.
 Do’s of Technical Communication
 Abide by relevant laws.
 Abide by the appropriate corporate or professional code of
conduct.
 Tell the truth.
 Be clear.
 Avoid discriminatory language.
 Acknowledge assistance from others.
Don’ts of Technical Communication

False implications - assuming the outcomes of a project or

making sweeping generalizations.
Exaggerations - expressing situations in extreme proportions.
Euphemisms - writing about situations in seemingly good
conditions even though they are not.
Don’t mislead your readers.
REINFORCEME
NT
 Reflect on the following situations. What will you do if you
are faced with any one of them?
1. You are the boss of a company. You received a report about missing milk
boxes in the shipment from one of your employees who made the
inventory. Your company ordered 150 boxes, but two boxes were missing.
2. You are in a hurry to submit the proposal for a very important meeting.
However, your fellow employee who is the main proponent forgot to sign
the proposal. It is 2:50 PM and the paper has to be submitted by 3:00 PM.
What will you do?
3. An attendance sheet is being passed around in the seminar room. You
were asked to write your purpose for attending because it is about
professional development. What will you write?