Marita Tjarks-Sobhani

Marita Tjarks-Sobhani (* 1948 ) is a German professor for technical editing at the International University SDI Munich and co-founder of the Hennig & Tjarks text agency.

Life

Tjarks-Sobhani studied German, English and pedagogy at the University of Hamburg , where she worked as a research assistant with a focus on technical language research after completing a linguistic dissertation . After completing her doctorate, she initially worked as a communications consultant for a Munich electrical company. She has been a freelance communications consultant and communications trainer since 1985, specializing in technical communication and trade press work. Between 1993 and 1998 she was Deputy Chairwoman of the Society for Technical Communication (tekom). Since 2007 she has been Professor of Technical Editing at the SDI International University in Munich. In the same year she founded the text agency Hennig & Tjarks together with Jörg Hennig.

research

Tjarks-Sobhani's publications mainly deal with the subject of technical writing (TR). Her teaching activity at the University of Applied Languages in Munich means that she focuses on studying. Tjarks-Sobhani sees "writing" as a core competence of the TR. In her contribution to the anthology "Professionellommunieren" (Professional Communicating), she highlights eight sub-competencies that a technical writer must master: text-type-specific writing , target-group-oriented writing , didactic writing , legally secure writing , translation-appropriate writing , media-specific writing , economic writing and writing for the global market . In their opinion, if you apply these sub-competencies to writing instructions, for example, it has the benefit that readers understand the texts more easily and thus can use products faster and better. For companies, according to Tjarks-Sobhani, this has the consequence that the number of complaints decreases and customer loyalty increases. She sees further positive effects for companies in the protection against liability claims , in legal protection or prevention of legal claims and in lower translation costs through a faster translation process. This faster translation process is also possible because the text is edited by the technical writer and the resulting modules (or text modules) can be translated more easily than is the case with more complex texts. These modules also have the advantage that they can be used multiple times, i.e. in several texts and by several departments of a company. However, this requires a formulation that is as perfect as possible, one that does not contain ambiguous, ambiguous or imprecise information, for example. According to Tjarks-Sobhani, this is another reason why only trained technical writers can be consulted on the TR. The eight sub-competencies can only be sufficiently developed in a degree to become a technical writer, explains Tjarks-Sobhani, thereby contributing to the professionalization of this profession. By addressing translation processes and the sub-competence “Writing for the global market”, which in her opinion is a basic requirement for smooth international communication, Tjarks-Sobhani also indirectly contributes to the professionalization of translation studies .

Publications

Article (selection)

Indexer - is a new profession establishing itself? Organization and training opportunities for index creators. In: Technical Communication. Issue 3 / 2011. 43–45.
With Anne Lehrndorfer: New higher education in Bavaria. University of Applied Languages - SDI University of Applied Sciences. In: Technical Communication. Issue 3/2007. 48–52.
Protective components: Reliable and safe. In: Magazine COMPONENTS / Applications. Issue 4/2003.
Advertise seriously and effectively - with specialist articles. In: Business Linguistic Contributions. Issue 5/2001.
The way to the technical editorial office - an inventory. In: tekom news. Issue 5 / 1996. 18-20.
Read first - then drive? Experience with vehicle operating instructions. In: tekom news. No. 5/1996. 6-8.
Is our language clipped? Controlled German in technical documentation. In: tekom news. Issue 3 / 1989. 23-24.

Publications together with Jörg Hennig (selection)

(Ed.): Content Management and Technical Communication. Lübeck: Schmidt-Römhild (writings on technical communication 18). 2013.
(Ed.): Target groups for technical communication. Lübeck: Schmidt-Römhild (writings on technical communication 17). 2012.
(Ed.): Technical communication in the year 2041. 20 visions of the future. Lübeck: Schmidt-Römhild. (Writings on technical communication 16). 2011.
(Ed.): Changed media habits - different technical communication? Lübeck: Schmidt-Römhild. (Writings on technical communication 15). 2010.
(Ed.): Dictionary for technical communication and documentation. Lübeck: Schmidt-Römhild. 1998.
How do children master the speech acts that are essential for teaching at the time of starting school? A project report. In: Ehlich, Konrad / Jochen Rehbein (ed.): Communication in schools and universities. Tübingen: Fool. 1983. 215-234.
(inter alia): Poetic language - trivial literature - advertising. Theses for German lessons as the result of a linguistic project. In: active word. Issue 23/1973. 379-389.

Monographs

Write instructional texts. Part of a distance learning course to become a technical author. Hamburg: Axel Andersson Academy. 1994.
Basics of communication II. Part of a distance learning course to become a technical author. Hamburg: Axel Andersson Academy. 1994.
Learn school. A description of the acquisition processes of situation-related language action. Frankfurt a. M./Bern/New York: Peter Lang. (Language in Society Volume 5). 1985.

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ The change in the professionalism of technical writers. Requirement profiles as the basis for training content using the example of the core competence “writing”. In: Regina Freudenfeld / Britta Nord (Hrsg.): Communicate professionally. New occupational fields - new placement concepts. Hildesheim: Olms. 2007. 23-39.

personal data
SURNAME	Tjarks-Sobhani, Marita
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German university professor for technical editing
DATE OF BIRTH	1948

[1] The change in the professionalism of technical writers. Requirement profiles as the basis for training content using the example of the core competence “writing”. In: Regina Freudenfeld / Britta Nord (Hrsg.): Communicate professionally. New occupational fields - new placement concepts. Hildesheim: Olms. 2007. 23-39.