History of Technical Writing

Introduction

Technical writing also termed as report writing compose of various writings

including the world of science, technology, professionals writings, business papers or
anything that they may use in their work. The aim of technical writing is to convey
message or a specific means of information to readers as well as to the person who are
only allowed to know. Technical writers need to have good writing skills, because they
have to convey accurate and clear information.

Body of the research

It all started In classical antiquity. The earliest examples of technical writing

belong to Aristotle (384–322 BC). Archaeologists managed to retrieve short examples of
his technical writings, including a dictionary of philosophic terms and a summary of the
“Doctrines of Pythagoras”. Aristotle’s works are considered the earliest forms of
technical writing. The first example of a technical document published in English was
created by Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400). It was a scientific treatise on the astrolabe —
a device used for measuring the distances of stars, planets etc. and for calculating the
position of a ship. That work brought him fame during his lifetime as an author,
philosopher and astronomer. During the Renaissance, Famous inventors and scientists
like Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) and Isaac Newton (1642–1727) compiled
documents with their inventions and findings. Those documents played a crucial role in
developing modern forms of technical writing and communication.

More complex inventions had been made during the Industrial Revolution.
However, at that time, only the inventors themselves knew how to use their new
machines. The innovations waited to be tested and implemented into the daily life, but in
order to do that people needed to learn how to use them. Unlike the past, when skills
were handed down through oral traditions, the writers who could document these devices
were desired. The golden age of technical writing began with World War I, when the
nuclear technologies had been updated and the advances in medicine and aerospace
technologies had been made. This rapid growth and the urgency of war created a need for
documents that chronicled pipe use of these technologies. In 2000s how-to books and
guides increased in popularity. And in 2010s applications and programs included tooltips
and product tours, and web help became even more sophisticated.

Findings/Conclusion

Looking back on the history of technical writing, the texts, letters, magazines and
any type of books or documents that the prominent individual made was then adopted
today in our modern world. Readers are able to use handbooks and it is believe that it is
much more effective to read and write information authored by our own. Furthermore,
technical writing became the most essential medium of communicating or carrying
information or ideas to another though it may deliver in any language but as long as the
readers understand and could interpret the message then it is effective and accurate for
them.