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Technical Editing

Technical Editing

This course is part of Technical Communication in the AI Era Specialization

Instructor: Emily Gresbrink, Ph.D.

Included with Coursera Plus

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Gain familiarity with components of the editing cycle.
Build an editing toolkit to take with you at the end of the course.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Technical Communication in the AI Era Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

Strong editing transforms technical content from adequate to exceptional. This course is designed for professionals who want to deepen their expertise in technical editing and apply proven practices used across industry settings. By completing the course, you’ll gain practical skills to improve clarity, consistency, accessibility, and usability in a wide range of technical documents.

You’ll explore the three levels of editing and learn how to choose the right level for a project. You’ll also develop hands-on experience with editing tools and workflows, while exploring accessibility and design principles that ensure documents serve diverse audiences. Each module builds toward creating an adaptable technical editing process you can use in your workplace. This course balances theory and practice: you’ll not only learn about editing frameworks and functional aesthetics but also apply them in realistic contexts. Whether you’re new to technical editing or looking to refine existing skills, you’ll leave with a toolkit to elevate technical content, enhance collaboration with writers and designers, and strengthen your professional value.

In this introductory module, learners will discover an overview of technical editing, the editing lifecycle and its parts, and how technical editors use the editing lifecycle in their daily work.

What's included

4 videos4 readings2 assignments2 plugins

4 videosTotal 14 minutes

Welcome & Course Overview2 minutes
Defining Technical Editing2 minutes
The Levels of Edit4 minutes
The Levels of Edit in Practice4 minutes

4 readingsTotal 105 minutes

What is Technical About Technical Editing?30 minutes
Technical Editing (Arnett)30 minutes
Levels of Technical Editing15 minutes
Technical Editing as Quality Assurance30 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Module 1 Quiz30 minutes
Check Your Knowledge on the Levels of Editing30 minutes

2 pluginsTotal 35 minutes

Where have you used editing before? 20 minutes
Levels of Edit in Your Work15 minutes

In this second module, learners will walk through components of accessibility & design in the editing lifecycle, including usability components and approaches for editing to help all users.

What's included

3 videos3 readings1 assignment1 peer review

3 videosTotal 7 minutes

Accessibility and Design in the Editing Lifecycle1 minute
Back End Components2 minutes
Design Components2 minutes

3 readingsTotal 70 minutes

Inclusive and Accessible Technical Editing30 minutes
Considering Accessibility in Editing10 minutes
Technical Communication and Usability30 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Knowledge Check20 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Revision120 minutes

The third module talks about a variety of tools and applications technical editors may use when doing their work. This module helps set up learners for success as they prepare to build out their own technical editing toolkits.

What's included

5 videos3 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

5 videosTotal 8 minutes

Starting the Process: Tools and Your Toolkit0 minutes
Technical Editing Tools2 minutes
Content Management and Structured Authoring Tools1 minute
Project Management and Communication Tools for Technical Editors1 minute
Artificial Intelligence Tools for Technical Editors2 minutes

3 readingsTotal 95 minutes

A Comprehensive Guide to Technical Writing Tools and Software30 minutes
What is Structured Content?45 minutes
The Project Management Institute20 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Module 3 Quiz30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 20 minutes

New Tools & Applications20 minutes

This final module is where learners will build out their own technical editing toolkits, building on lessons from previous modules. Here, learners will take tools, concepts, and ideas and leave with a ready-to-go list of tools for technical editing.

What's included

1 video1 peer review

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Emily Gresbrink, Ph.D.

Minnesota State University

1 Course33 learners

Offered by

Minnesota State University

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Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.