Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Basic Techniques in Technical Writing
Basic Techniques in Technical Writing
TECHNICAL WRITING
DEFINITION
is
Informal Definition
comes
Formal or Sentence
definition
is
EXAMPLES
Specie Genus
A somnambulist
asleep
Differentia
is a person
A thermometer
temperature
is an instrument
that measures
Gravity
is the unseen force
the center of the earth.
Erosion
surface
A somniloquist
asleep.
is a person
Not this:
An emulsion is a fluid consisting of a microscopically
heterogeneous mixture of two normally immiscible
liquid phases, in which one liquid forms minute
droplets suspended in the other liquid.
Good:
An emulsion is a fluid consisting of a two
microscopically different liquids which are insoluble
with each other, where-in one liquid forms very tiny
droplets suspended in the other liquid.
Practise
Not this:
Sublimation is when a solid substance is transformed directly
into a gas without transition through a noticeable liquid state.
Good:
Sublimation is the transformation of a solid substance into a
gas without transition through a noticeable liquid state, e.g.,
dry ice, naphthalene.
Not this:
To oscillate is moving in a regular manner from side to side or
back and forth.
Good:
To oscillate is to move in a regular manner from side to side or
back and forth.
Avoid
Note this:
Engineering is the art and science taken
up by persons to become engineers.
Good:
Engineering is the professional art of
directing the great sources of power in
nature (matter and energy) for the benefit of
man.
Dont
Too Broad:
A rifle is a weapon......( knives, ice picks, swords,
etc. Are also weapons)
Too Narrow:
A rifle is a gun..........( pistols, revolvers, etc. Are
also guns)
Good:
A rifle is a firearm with spiral grooves inside its
barrel to impact a rotary motion to its projectile or
bullet and thus render its flight more accurate.
Extended Definition
comes
ASSIGNMENY: crosswise
Write a one-sentence definition of any three the following:
Calculator
Thermostat
Herbicide
Antibiotic
Osmosis
Inductance
Anesthesia
Diode
2. DESCRIPTION
is
Description of Mechanism
deals
1. Introduction
3
information:
a. what it is
b. what its purpose is
c. what it looks like
2. Part-by-Part Description
Describe
in detail paying
attention to the following
aspects:
Shape
Size
Relationship to other parts
Methods of attachment
Material
Finish
3. Conclusion
let
Description of a
Process
deals
1. Introduction
What are you doing?
- what is this process?
- who performs this process?
- why is this process performed?
- what are the chief steps in this process?
- from what point of view is this process
going to be considered in this discussion?
- why is this process being described?
How do you do it?
2. Organization
-Introduction to a description of a
process is followed directly by a
description of the chief steps in
the process.
-Follow chronological order or the
order of the performance of the
steps.
3. Conclusion
- May include:
a. Fixing the chief steps in mind
(listing
them again might help).
b. Recalling special points about
equipment or materials.
c. Analyzing the advantages and
disadvantages of the process.
d. Noting how this process is related
to other processes, or other work
that is being done, or reported on.
4. CLASSIFICATION
the