MODULE 1

TECHNICAL WRITING : AN OVERVIEW

Introduction

In a society that experiences a

lot of scientific and technological
breakthroughs and innovations almost
everyday, technical writing plays a
significant role.IN somewhat parallel
way, technical writing serves as an
instrument for keeping abreast with the latest events or landmarks in the world of
business , trade , industry, science and technology.

Teachers being the transmitters of knowledge are then tasked to perform their
duty by imparting about their cognition about the styles, rudiments and techniques on
the right way of preparing and writing various technical and scientific genres such as
reports, manuals, brochures, memorandums, systems analysis designs, technical
proposals, business letters and others. In this manner, they can totally develop both the
thinking and communicative skills of their targeted clients so that they will be globally
competitive in the performance of their assigned jobs or work.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Find out the basic characteristics of technical writing

2. Define technical writing
3. Distinguish between technical and literary writing
4. Determine the functions of technical writing
5. Find out the principles of technical writing
6. Find out the hallmarks of an effective technical writer

Basic Characteristics of Technical Writing

Primarily, technical writing explains and discusses a subject matter in a factual

and straightforward style. Gordon H. Mills and John A Walter ( 1981) describe the
general characteristics writing of technical writing as follows:
1. Technical writing is characterized by certain formal elements such as its scientific
and technical vocabulary, its use of graphic aids, and its use of conventional
form;
2. Technical writing is ideally characterized by the maintenance of attitude of
impartiality and objectivity by extreme care to convey information accurately
and concretely by the absence of any attempt to arouse emotion;
3. Technical writing is writing in which there is relatively high concentration of
certain complex and important writing techniques in particular definition,
description of mechanisms, description of a process, classification and
interpretation. Corollary to these, the following are likewise considered as
fundamental characteristics ( Conway; 1987)

A. Concrete Language

Speaking of language, the use of concrete word rather than of an abstract

one is the preference. If ever an abstract term is used, it must be supported by
concrete details.

B. Denotative Language

Technical language favors the utilization of dictionary or lexical meaning of a

word. This refers to the direct meaning of a particular word in a language.

C. Objectivity

Like other research papers, technical writing strives for objectivity, an

impartial, impersonal or unemotional weighing of evidence and information.
Sometimes this is called scientific point of view. With the adoption of this, the
writer can easily show the reader’s interest if the focus of the write-up

D. Targeted or Defined Audience

One of the basic consideration in writing is to know the target audience.
Defining the target audience helps the writer know what to write about
and how to write it.

E. Style
Comparatively, technical writing adopts a different style from a literary
writing. An effective technical writing style must be economical, clear, concise,
and concrete. To gloss, style is the manner by which your ideas and thoughts are
interwoven so that they are expressed concretely and smoothly.
 F. Common format

Formal report like instruction manuals, proposals, technical reports, business

letters, memoranda adheres to the practice of using standard layouts or formats.

What is a Technical Writing?

Various authorities have different concepts or idea about technical writing.

Generally speaking, technical writing is a written communication which has
characteristics of business, science and technology. It makes use of precise, economical
and unemotional language, employs technical jargon. Likewise, it uses certain
conventional and organizational format.

Technical Vocabulary

As noted and observed, technical writing deals with specialized subject matter,
therefore, his write-up must be supported with the use of numbers ,scientific symbols,
specialized vocabulary, abbreviation or acronyms applicable to the subject.

People’s perception tend to associate technical writing within the general fields
of business, science and technology. Contextually, as principles and features apply to
any subject matter that requires careful and precise explanation, description and
direction.

By all means, technical writing is designed to meet the language demands of

those work or deals with business, science and technology. Ultimately its role is to serve
them.

Technical Writing Territory

A large part of the professional work necessitates the knowledge of the

principles and practice of a kind of writing required of their particular profession,
addressed to particular audience. This is the essence of technical writing. As in all
communications, the facts and ideas presented within a technical report are intended to
persuade the audience of readers or listeners to act or accept these facts or ideas.
 Usually these special audiences are made up of managers, engineers, supervisors,
technologists, public officials, interest groups, potential customers, researchers,
scientists, inventors and stakeholders. Technical communications, therefore are
specifically tailored to meet the needs and interest of this particular audience.

The content of technical communications comes from science, technology and

industry. This specialized communications requires that the subject matter be presented
in a clear, concise, objective and logical way. To present this subject matter, the
framework of organizational or rhetorical patterns helps the writer describe devices and
processes. Define terms, contrast alternatives, analyze causes, give instructions and
interpret data in an easily accessible format.

Traditionally, the territory of technical writing includes materials for its target
business, industry, trade, science and technology. For instance, a computer scientist .

We all know literary writers cater to man’s affective sense, technical writers
cater to man’s cognitive sense.

Literary Writing Technical Writing

Purpose
It entertains or it amuses the reader It provides useful information
It suggests the writer’s messages It directly informs the writer’s ideas or
messages
It imparts a lesson It gives instructions or directions
It serves as a basis for decision making
Subject Matter
It focuses on man’s life or experience It focuses on the subject related to
including the intricacies of human heart business, science and technology
Language
It makes use of figurative or imaginative It employs specialized jargon which
vocabulary or language include technical or scientific
terminologies
Words or expressions are beautifully
interwoven so that they are rhythmically
sounded
Point of View
In treating the subject, the writer may In technical writing, the preferences is
use either of the following points of view the third person point of view ( the
( I, He, She, It, We, You or they) researchers, the proponent, the writer,
the author, etc)
Tone
It is emotional ,personal and subjective It is objective, unbiased or impersonal
Principles of Writing

1. The Transaction. There are all kinds of writers, others write by day, others by
night. It is personal and needs two important qualities - humanity and
warmth( Good writing should have an aliveness that keeps the reader interested
from one paragraph to the next.
2. Simplicity. The secret of good writing is no strip every sentence to its cleanest
components
3. Cluster. The laborious phrase that pushes out the short word which means the
same meaning. “At this point in time”= “now”; “in the present time”= “today”.
4. Style is organic to the person doing the writing. Fundamental rule- Be yourself.
relax and have confidence. Sell yourself and your subject matter will exert its
own appeal.
5. The audience. Whom am I writing for?
6. Words are only tools you will be given. Learn to use them with originality and
care.
7. Usage. What is good usage? Wise writers pick words wisely.
 8. The ending. Surprise is one of the most refreshing commodities in writing .If
something surprises you, it will surely surprise the people you’ve writing for.

Wholistic Guide to Technical Writing

For effective technical writing, the ABC’s of report writing can be considered in
depth. Always remember that quality concepts and principles have no fear of time.

ACCURACY

A research writer must be tactful in recording of data, statement , mathematical

figures because an error committed and an illogical statement, a writer always aim to be
understood and he has to guard himself against being misunderstood.

BREVITY

To enhance understanding of the main purpose of the report, brevity in the

development as well as the organization of ideas must be accounted for. In the same
manner, accuracy of statements must be maintained. Actually, there is always an
advantage of having a brief report, that is, it is easier to grasp the main idea of the
report written. It is common knowledge that observing brevity is courtesy to the reader.

CONFIDENCE

Lack of confidence on the part of the writer may result to poor writing. As a
mandate, a good writer must have the quality of self- confidence. It is not enough that
he has something to communicate but he has to be decisive or sure of what he is writing
about. In this case, he is always ever ready to either defend or support what he has
written especially when someone questions it. As they say, when one finishes a report,
he is an authority

DIGNITY

After developing the writer’s confidence, the next thing to establish is dignity.
Likewise this is one of the most ethical standards. It has been said that this is the
courtesy to your readers as professional. He must see to it that all grammatical
constructions must be complete, there must be no flowery words or high- fallured
terms ,the referent of pronouns “which or that” must be explicit and word construction
like can’t and don’t must be avoided. Lastly, he should be sure of the ideas or
information is well organized, simplified ,summarized and expressed in straightforward
manner.

EMPHASIS
 In every writing activity, stressing the major points and subordinating them has
always been the practice. As a matter of course, the writer must indicate the most
important ones and never expect the reader to find our for himself. He provides
markings of every step, direct him to the right way and gives him the reason for
stopping an a particular portion.

KNOWLEDGE

One of the primary objectives of writing is the imparting of one’s knowledge.

However, one should remember that knowledge is not limited for a mere collection of
data or information because it involves analysis, interpretation and formulation of
conclusions. Experience wise, data or information, which is not interpreted soundly, will
become useless.

LOGIC

For better understanding, logic is a process of showing the relations among

groups of things and classes of groups. Fundamentally, it is a way of doing classification-
putting things in their proper slots. By thinking logically, one can avoid the following
trouble spots: (1) statement must not contradict each other (2) words must be used in
consistent sense; (3) statement must move in one direction, whether space, time or
relation; (4)statement must make sense; (5) judgments must not be based on few data;
(6) cause and effects should be clearly distinguished from simple sequence; (7)
conclusion should not be inferred if they have not connection with the data; (8) an
authority should not be accepted if he is biased or he is not an expert in that particular
field.

MECHANICAL NEATNESS

This connotes the general appearance of the report. For best expression, a
report must be perfect in shape. It must be properly encoded or types. It must also
follow the proper margin, be free from any typographical errors, erasures, crossing-cuts
and smudges. Mechanical devices such as correct labeling of main headings,
subheadings, spacing, indentions and spacing, aid the writer to make the content
organization clear. A presentable and neat report reflects that the writer gave enough
time and effort to give the very best.

NORMAL PROCEDURE

The writer must follow the acceptable arrangement of the different parts of the
report.
SENTENCES

It is a good practice that the sentences to be employed must be limited to the

idea or closely related ideas. Realistically, the sentences carry the meat of the report. It
is a clear cut rule to avoid using clarity of statements. If there are some, prune or
eliminate them to achieve clarity to refrain from monotony, vary your sentence
structures and employ traditional devices. By employing such devices from one
sentence to another, it will show the reader the various thoughts leading him to what
the writer wants to communicate.

THOROUGHNESS

To have a lasting value, the writer should treat well the subject matter. Checking
the thoroughness of his write-up begins from the time he started writing to the time he
finished it. The popular saying goes this way ”a writer is judge by what he finished but
not by what he started”. With this, he is oblige to go over the subject, analyze and
investigate it, organize and interpret the results and draw conclusions whether it’s
positive or negative. Furthermore, he to make that he has said enough to satisfy the
readers’ needs and he has realized his objectives.

UNITY

A report is said to be unified when every part of it has correlation to the main
topic. There are three suggested ways for checking unity. (1) read critically the report
and find out whether all the statements have something to do with the main topic; (2)
determine whether the topic of each paragraph is related to the next paragraph. If the
subjects are tied together, the report is probably unified. (3)prepare a caption or
heading for each paragraph, list them down in outline form. If these have direct
relationship to the main focus of the report, chances are the report is unified. After all,
objective of a unified report is to let the readers feel that they have read everything
essential to the subject undertaken.

VIEWPOINT

A piece of writing whether it is a report, an article or a poem, is always written

from a certain viewpoint- a proponent, a researcher ,or an author. Actually, the
viewpoint is established in the first sentence. This must be maintained consistently
throughout the report. For instance, if you begin talking like a proponent stick to it until
the end of your report. Voice unity is likewise observed.

WORD CHOICE
 As the term denotes, it is the proper choice of words to be used in writing, an
engineer can easily understand the language of another engineer because they have the
same orientation and background.

Hallmarks of an Effective Writer

It is a common knowledge that a piece of writing is similar to a piece of art

because it reflects the writer’s personality including his discipline, intuition and
capability.

The hallmarks of an effective technical writer is represented by this acronym

REPORTER

R - resourceful

E - energetic

P - patient

O - observative

R - responsible

T - trustworthy

E - evaluative

R - Responsive