Writing Lesson: Using Jargon

What is jargon?

• Terminology specific to an industry or discipline that is unfamiliar to novices.

Why is jargon often inappropriate for technical documents?

• Jargon intimidates and frustrates readers.
• Jargon wastes reader's time.
• Use of jargon may indicate the writer's ignorance of the audience.

When is jargon appropriate for technical documents?

• Audience knows the jargon from experience.
• Audience has been trained on the jargon.

When appropriate, replace technical jargon with familiar words.

Jargon
Purchase Order is an eight-position alphanumeric entry field.
Familiar
Enter up to eight numbers or letters in the Purchase Order field.

Jargon
Input "MM" (M+PM specific) in the application code field of the main menu and depress the "enter" key.
Familiar
Type MM in the Application Code field of the Main Menu, and press Enter.

Question: When is it appropriate to use the term "field," which is clearly computer jargon?
Answer: When the writer knows that the user has been trained in basic computer terminology