To: Nancy Myers

From: Meagan Eirls

Date: September 27, 2022
Subject: APLED 121-Chapter 4 Summary

CHAPTER 4
OBJECTIVES IN TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

Achieving Clarity in Technical Communication

 Provide Specific Detail- Avoid using vague or abstract words that may be
misinterpreted, instead use specific words
 Answer Reporter’s Questions- Answering the who, what, when, where, why, and how
questions are important when trading information.
 Use Easily Understandable Words- using simple understandable words avoids
confusion or misunderstanding for the readers. Be careful when using acronyms,
abbreviations, or jargon, as they may be too obscure and lead to overly complicated
words the reader may not understand.

Simplifying Words, Sentences and Paragraphs for Conciseness

 Conciseness Saves Time- Avoid wasting others time by keeping topics short and to the
point.
 Technology Demands Conciseness- Certain technologies such as, mobile phones or
Twitter have limited the number of words one may use per message.
 Conciseness Improves Readability- understanding the readers readability is important
when trying to grasp their attention.
 Limit Word Length for Conciseness- Using one or two syllable words is preferable to
using three or more syllable words.
 Limit Sentence Length for Conciseness- For simpler sentences, use no more than 12
words on average per sentence. For more difficult sentences, use 20 or more words per
sentence.
 Limit Paragraph Length- Writing too long paragraphs may lead to less comprehension
for the reader.

Achieving Accuracy in Technical Communication

 Proofreading Tips- Letting someone else read it, setting it down and rereading it later,
printing a physical copy, using technology to catch mistakes, or reading it aloud are all
ways of proofreading your material.

Organizing Technical Communication

- Being as clear, concise, and accurate as possible helps get the point across to the
reader. Some of the ways to help organize technical communication include,
Analyzing the topic, spatial organization (physical descriptions), Chronological order
(chronology), etc.
The Writing Process at Work
 Prewriting- Planning out what to write.
 Writing- Maintaining organization while staying prioritized and on topic.
 Rewriting- Revising written work ensures readability to the audience.