DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

SCIENTIFIC AND CREATIVE

WRITING

INTRODUCTION
TECHNICAL WRITING IS A BROAD TERM THAT ENCOMPASSES A WIDE
VARIETY OF DOCUMENTS IN SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND THE SKILLED
TRADES.
REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS IN DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS.
TECHNICAL PAPERS, MAGAZINE ARTICLES, BOOKS, AND THESES FOR
PURPOSES OF
EDUCATION, TEACHING, AND THE SHARING OF INFORMATION AND
KNOWLEDGE PATENTS
OPERATIONAL MANUALS, INSTRUCTIONS, OR PROCEDURES

CHARACTERISTICS OF TECHNICAL WRITING

INFORMATION TO CONVEY:
AN EXPERT MUST TRANSLATE FORMULAE,
NUMBERS, RESEARCH AND OTHER TECHNICAL CONCEPTS INTO A WRITTEN
FORM THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE TO GUARANTEE AN ACTION OR OUTCOME

PURPOSE OF WRITING:

TO INFORM
TO INSTRUCT
TO PROPOSE
TO PERSUADE
TO RECOMMEND

CHARACTERISTICS
RECOGNIZE THE AUDIENCE:
THE NATURE OF THE AUDIENCE DETERMINES THE LEVEL OF
TECHNICAL DETAIL, THE AMOUNT OF CONTEXT/BACKGROUND
INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE, AND THE ORGANIZATION OF THE
DOCUMENT.

BREVITY:
PARE YOUR LANGUAGE DOWN TO SHORTEST MESSAGE YOU CAN TO GET
ACROSS TO YOUR READERS.

MAKE IDEAS AND INFORMATION CLEAR:

TECHNICAL WRITING IS
KNOWN FOR ITS USE OF HEADINGS AND SUBHEADINGS AND FOR THE WAY
INFORMATION IS MADE EASILY ACCESSIBLE BY GROUPING MATERIAL

CHARACTERISTICS
SATISFYING DOCUMENT SPECIFICATIONS:
UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS
EXPECTED IN AN EMAIL VS. A MEMO, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO WRITE
UP THE RESULTS OF AN EXPERIMENT VS. THE CONCLUSIONS.

ORGANIZING INFORMATION LOGICALLY AND LINEARLY:

INTRODUCTION : ALWAYS PROVIDE THE BIG PICTURE BEFORE
JUMPING INTO THE TECHNICAL DETAIL
BODY: THIS IS WHERE INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL DETAILS ARE
GIVEN
CONCLUSION: THIS IS WHERE THE MAIN POINTS ARE REEMPHASIZED

COMPARISON OF TWO TYPES

CREATIVE WRITING
STRUCTURE
FAIRLY FLEXIBLE
STRUCTURES
TONE
MORE PERSONAL
EVEN SUBJECTIVE.
LESS FORMAL
VOCABULARY: MORE PHRASAL
VERBS
SIMPLER AND HIGHERFREQUENCY
VOCABULARY

TECHNICAL WRITING
STRUCTURE
RIGID ARTICLE OR ESSAY
STRUCTURE.
FOR EXAMPLE LITERATURE
REVIEW,
EXPERIMENTAL
DESIGN, MATERIALS AND
PROCEDURES; DATA RESULTS,
DISCUSSION
OF RESULTS;
GENERAL DISCUSSION
TONE
MORE IMPERSONAL AND
AUTHORITATIVE;
MORE
FORMAL.
VOCABULARY
LOWER-FREQUENCY

COMPARISON OF TWO TYPES

CREATIVE WRITING
GENRE
WRITING THAT IS MORE
COLLOQUIAL OR
CONVERSATION IN STYLE
VOCABULARY CHOICE
WORDS ARE USED WITH
MORE COMMON MEANINGS
(E.G., THEORY= CONJECTURE)
TOPIC SENTENCES
TOPIC SENTENCES
MAY BE AT THE START OR END
OF A PARAGRAPH, OR OMITTED
ALTOGETHER.

TECHNICAL WRITING
GENRE:
FORMAL, RIGID STYLES LIKE
ESSAY, LAB REPORT, CASE STUDY,
RESEARCH PAPER, THESIS,
LITERATURE REVIEW
VOCABULARY CHOICE:
WORDS HAVE MORE SPECIFIC,
TECHNICAL MEANINGS (E.G.,
THEORY =CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK)
TOPIC SENTENCES:
PARAGRAPHS USUALLY
START WITH A CONCISE, DIRECT
STATEMENT OF THE MAIN POINT,
FOLLOWED BY SUPPORTING
ARGUMENTS OR EVIDENCE

COMPARISON OF TWO TYPES

CREATIVE WRITING

TECHNICAL WRITING

VOCABULARY USAGE

VOCABULARY USAGE:

SOME
REDUNDANCY OR REPETITION
OF WORDS OR IDEAS
VERB FORMS

HIGHLY
DENSE TEXT; VERY CONCISE;
VERY PRECISE EXPRESSION;
MINIMAL REPETITION.
VERB FORMS

MORE ACTIVE VERBS,

GET-PASSIVE
(E.G., GOT REPLACED)

MORE PASSIVE
VOICE (BE-PASSIVE, E.G., WAS
REPLACED)

ASPECTS OF TECHNICAL WRITING

DEFICIT MODEL: A MODE OF THINKING HELD BY SOME SCIENTISTS
THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC IS TOP-DOWN AND ONE-WAY
READABILITY: A STATISTICAL MEASURE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF TEXT.
THE LONGER THE WORDS AND THE SENTENCES IN A SAMPLE OF TEXT,
THE LESS READABLE IT WILL BE
HEDGING: WRITING IN SUCH A WAY AS TO QUALIFY ASSERTIONS MADE
IN A PASSAGE OF WRITING
WAFFLING: PADDING OUT PASSAGES WITH UNNECESSARY WORDS
SUPER-COMPRESSION: LEAVING OUT TRANSITIONAL AND CONTEXTUAL
MATERIAL THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE HELP TO CLARIFY THE MEANING OF A
PASSAGE
AMBIGUITY: RESULTING FROM SENTENCES WITH AMBIGUOUS OR
CONFUSING GRAMMATICAL CONSTRUCTIONS

EXAMPLE OF AMBIGUITY
ORIGINAL
WITHOUT HUMAN
INTERVENTION TO REDUCE THE
CONCENTRATION OF CH4, THE 2
MILLION PEOPLE ALONG THE
LAKE KIVU SHORELINE MAY
SUFFER A CATASTROPHIC GAS
RELEASE.

RE-WRITE
HUMAN INTERVENTION IS
NEEDED TO REDUCE THE HIGH
LEVELS OF CH4 CONCENTRATED
IN LAKE KIVU TO AVERT A
LETHAL GAS RELEASE THAT WILL
RESULT IN THE DEATHS OF MANY
OF THE 2 MILLION PEOPLE
LIVING NEAR THE SHORELINE.

ASPECTS OF TECHNICAL WRITING

OVER-CITATION:
USING TOO MANY REFERENCES IN SUPPORT OF
POINTS, OR USING TOO MANY REFERENCES THAT LACK RELEVANCE TO A
POINT MADE

OVER-LONG SENTENCES:
STRINGING SEQUENCES OF SUBORDINATE PHRASES
TOGETHER WITH PREPOSITIONS THAT MAKE THE MEANING OF A SENTENCE
UNCLEAR

EXAMPLE OF OVER LONG SENTENCES

ORIGINAL
THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY
SUPPORT THE
HYPOTHESIS THAT APPETITE
FOR PROTEIN IS
REGULATED BY THE SYNTHESIS
OF GHRELIN

RE-WRITE
THIS STUDYS RESULTS
SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS
THAT GHRELIN SYNTHESIS
REGULATES PROTEIN APPETITE.

INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING

CREATIVE WRITING REQUIRES SAYING THINGS IN WORDS THAT
CREATE ILLUSIONS OR
ESTABLISH A MOOD OR OTHER DESIRED AFFECT.
IT CAN BE JUST HUMOROUS OR ENTERTAINING LIKE A MURDER MYSTERY.
A CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS TYPE OF WRITING IS THE USE OF
EXPRESSIVE AND DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE.

CREATIVE WRITING

CREATIVE WRITING ENCOMPASSES A BROADER SCOPE OF WRITING

THAN TECHNICAL
WRITING, WITH FEWER LIMITATIONS.
CREATIVE WRITING CAN BE FICTION, NONFICTION, OR A COMBINATION
OF BOTH, AND IS
USUALLY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES
FOR EXAMPLE, FROM FANTASTICAL STORIES OF MICKEY MOUSE TO
HARD-BOILED
DETECTIVE STORIES ABOUT CORRUPT POLICEMEN

CREATIVE WRITING
AUDIENCE OF CREATIVE WRITING:

IN CREATIVE WRITING, AUDIENCES TEND TO BE DIVIDED AMONG AGE,

HOBBY, TASTE, OR
INTEREST.

THE AUDIENCE THAT ENJOYS ROMANCE IS ADDRESSED IN ROMANCE

NOVELS.

THE AUDIENCE THAT ENJOYS SPACE EXPLORATION, OR FUTURISTIC

TECHNOLOGY, GETS
ADDRESSED IN SCIENCE FICTION.

IN CREATIVE WRITING, THE ONLY RULE ABOUT ESTABLISHING A VOICE

IS THAT IT APPROPRIATELY SERVE THE SUBJECT MATTER AND AUDIENCE
FOR WHICH IT IS BEING WRITTEN.

CREATIVE WRITING

ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSE:
MUCH WRITING IS INTENDED SIMPLY FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THE
READER.
COUNTLESS BOOKS AND MAGAZINES HAVE READER ENTERTAINMENT AS
THEIR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE. THIS IS NOT TECHNICAL WRITING.
STORIES AND NOVELS MAY NOT BE FACTUAL

EXAMPLES OF TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS

INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEDURESARE DOCUMENTS THAT
HELP EITHER DEVELOPERS OR END USERS OPERATE OR CONFIGURE A
DEVICE OR PROGRAM.EXAMPLES INCLUDEUSER MANUALS FOR
HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

PROPOSALSA DOCUMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE PURPOSE OF A

PROJECT, THE TASKS THAT WILL BE PERFORMED IN THE PROJECT, THE
METHODS USED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, AND FINALLY THE COST OF
THE PROJECT.

EMAILS, LETTERS, ANDMEMORANDA ARE AIMED AT SIMPLY

COMMUNICATING INFORMATION WHILE OTHERS ARE DESIGNED TO
PERSUADE THE RECIPIENT TO ACCOMPLISH A CERTAIN TASK. WHILE
LETTERS ARE USUALLY WRITTEN TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF A COMPANY.

EXAMPLES OF TECHNICAL WRITING

RSUMS ANDJOB APPLICATIONS THEY ARE DOCUMENTS
THAT ARE USED IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING TO INFORM READERS OF
THE AUTHORS CREDENTIALS.

TECHNICAL REPORTS ARE WRITTEN TO PROVIDE READERS WITH

INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND ANALYSIS ON TASKS. REPORTS COME
IN MANY FORMS.

WHITE PAPERS ARE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE WRITTEN FOR EXPERTS

IN A FIELD AND TYPICALLY DESCRIBE A SOLUTION TO A TECHNOLOGICAL
OR BUSINESS CHALLENGE OR PROBLEM.

WEB SITES.TECHNICAL WRITERS OF TODAY ARE OFTEN

RESPONSIBLE FOR AUTHORING PAGES ON WEBSITES LIKE ABOUT US
PAGES.

EXAMPLES OF TECHNICAL WRITING

PRESS RELEASES A DOCUMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE PRODUCTS

FUNCTIONS AND VALUE TO THE PUBLIC.

SPECIFICATIONSARE DESIGN OUTLINES THAT DESCRIBE THE

STRUCTURE, PARTS, AND DELIVERY OF AN OBJECT OR PROCESS IN
ENOUGH DETAIL THAT ANOTHER PARTY CAN RECONSTRUCT IT.

DESCRIPTIONSARE SHORTER EXPLANATIONS OF PROCEDURES AND

PROCESSES THAT HELP READERS UNDERSTAND HOW SOMETHING
WORKS.

SUMMARY
SUBJECT TREATMENT
IN TECHNICAL WRITING, FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS OF WRITER MUSTNOTBE
INCLUDED.

SCOPE OF DOCUMENT
IS

IN TECHNICAL WRITING, WRITER MUST BE AWARE OF THE SCOPE OF THE DOCUMENT HE

WRITING.

NEEDS OF READER
WRITER MUST UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF READER HE IS WRITING DOCUMENT FOR.
FOR EXAMPLE, WRITER MUST TELL THE READER, THIS IS OUR PRODUCT, YOU NEED THIS
PRODUCT
BECAUSE....... AND IT WILL BE VERY MUCH BENEFICIAL TO YOU BECAUSE
OF ........ ETC.

SUMMARY
ORGANIZE DOCUMENT
TECHNICAL DOCUMENT MUST BE WELL ORGANIZED. ITMUSTHAVE A
PROPER OPENING, BODY AND CONCLUSION.
IDENTIFICATION OF AUDIENCE
IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF WRITING A TECHNICAL DOCUMENT.
YOU MUST IDENTIFY THE AUDIENCE YOU ARE TALKING TO.
CONCISE
A TECHNICAL DOCUMENT MUST BE CONCISE AND COMPREHENSIVE

SUMMARY
NO PLAGIARISM:
A GOOD TECHNICAL DOCUMENT GIVES PROPER ATTRIBUTION WHEN THE
WORK OF OTHERS
IS CITED TO MAKE A POINT OR PROVIDE BACKGROUND
INFORMATION.

ACRONYMS:
ONE OF THE MOST NOTABLE AND EASY WAYS TO EASE THE
UNDERSTANDING OF A
TECHNICAL DOCUMENT IS TO LIMIT OR ELIMINATE THE USE OF ACRONYMS

UNDERSTANDABLE STATISTICS:
STATISTICS ARE BECOMING A MORE PROMINENT PART OF CORPORATE LIFE .
A GOOD REPORT SHOULD EXPLAIN STATISTICAL TERMINOLOGY IN WORDS
UNDERSTANDABLE BY THE INTENDED READERS