Technical communicators are frequently asked to prepare multiple versions of a document, adapting similar content for presentation on a website, in a printed manual, or for a corporate digital...

Technical communicators are frequently asked to prepare multiple versions of a document, adapting similar content for presentation on a website, in a printed manual, or for a corporate digital archive, for example. Each version may have different purposes and audiences. For example, the wordprocessing software installed on your computer probably offers both online help and a CD-ROM manual. (Most companies post PDF versions of their documentation on their websites as well.) Compare the online or on-screen help information to the information in the CD-ROM manual. Notice in particular the use of chunking. Is the online information organized differently from the CD-ROM? Which is easier to use? Which allows you to find a topic more quickly and accurately? Write a short report comparing different types of help information.