UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE

OF TECHNICAL WRITING
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the Chapter, you should be able to:

1.define technical writing;

2.enumerate the end products of technical writing;
3.use as guide the principles of technical writing;
4.define technical communication;
5.explain the qualities of a good English writer; and
6.apply the processes involved in technical writing.
WHAT IS A TECHNICAL WRITER?
A technical writer creates written content that is designed to
communicate about technical or highly specialized topics, in
industries ranging from finance to engineering to
manufacturing and more.

It is also used to describe processes and procedures, from

using your iPhone to building a Lego house, for example. The
main goal of technical writing is to break down complex
information into user-friendly language.
Technical writing can come in the form of white papers,
proposals, instruction manuals, standard operating
procedures (SOPs), product demonstrations, and more.
WHAT IS TECHNICAL WRITING?
“All good writing begins with terrible first efforts.
You need to start somewhere.”
- Anne Lamott
Acclaimed proponents of
technical writing, Mills and
Walter (1981) gave several
definitions to aid us in
understanding the nature of
technical writing.

According to them:
Technical Writing is writing about scientific subjects and
about various technical subjects associated with the sciences.
1
 2
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 report forms.
Technical Writing is ideally characterized by the maintenance of an
attitude of impartiality and objectivity, by extreme care to convey
information accurately and concisely, and by absence of any attempt
to arouse emotion. 3
 4
Technical Writing is writing in which there is relatively high concentration
of certain complex and important writing techniques, in particular
description of mechanisms, description of process, definition,
classification, and interpretation.
To students, perhaps, Technical
Writing may just be a requirement
to pass an assignment, but to
professionals, it may be any of
the following which is required to
fulfill a task. These are the
products of technical writing:
 1
A business letter is a type of written communication. It is
written using formal language and follows formal elements of
letter writing.

People usually write business letters to communicate with

companies, organizations or individuals with the purpose of
applying for a job, making requests, seeking appointments, etc.
 2
Contract is a written agreement between two people under
mutually agreed terms.
 3
Monograph is a detailed essay or book on a very specific
topic. It is usually written by professionals or academicians on
topics of interest concerning their specific fields.
 4
Printed action memo is a ready-format memorandum that only
requires a checkmark on the appropriate box that contains the
message.

This is especially useful for busy people who need to make quick
decisions and act on the circumstance or situation.
Graphic aids are drawings, sketches and illustrations that aid
the readers in understanding the presented data.
5
 6
Instructional manuals are written to guide the readers on how
to assemble, maintain, and operate an apparatus, machine or
gadget.
 7
Brochures are pamphlets or flyers that endorse a product in
such a way that the potential customer will be convinced that
the product is effective and eventually avail of the product.
Proposals are written suggestions on how to make the
company or organization more productive and successful. Most
companies and organizations require this before an agreement
is reached. 8
 9
Memoranda are inter-office written communication used to
disseminate information.
 FIVE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES
IN GOOD TECHNICAL WRITING
 1
Always have in mind a specific reader, real or imaginary, when
you are writing a report. Always assume that he is intelligent,
but uninformed.
Before you start to write, always decide what the exact purpose
of your report is, and make sure that every paragraph, every
sentence, every word makes a clear contribution to that
purpose. 2
Use language that is simple, concrete, and familiar.
3
At the beginning and end of every section of your report, check
your writing according to this principle: “First you tell the reader
what you’re going to tell him, then you tell him what you’ve told
him.”
4
Make your report attractive.
5
SEVEN PURPOSES OF
TECHNICAL WRITING
It serves as basis for management decision.
1
It furnishes needed information.
2
It gives instructions.
3
It records business transactions through proposals.
4
It procures business proposals.
5
It serves as basis for public relations.
6
It provides report to stockholders of companies.
7
FIVE PROPERTIES OF
TECHNICAL WRITING

The following properties of technical writing are also known as

“considerations” when writing technical reports.
SUBJECT MATTER
1
The subject matter is an essential element in technical report writing.
Some examples of this are description of a process, writing about a
theory, or submitting a policy.
AUDIENCE
2
This is a property which pertains to a particular reader of a
technical literature.
EXPRESSION
3
This property refers to two basic modes in which a technical
report has to be delivered – writing it or reading it.
STYLE
4
This refers to how the material is written. A technical writer
uses clear, specific point of view, objective, impartial, and
unemotional style in writing.
ARRANGEMENT OF
MATERIALS
5
This pertains to how ideas should be organized in chronological,
spatial or logical order, from general to specific or specific to
general, and use illustrations to present the information.
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
TECHNICAL WRITING & CREATIVE
WRITING
 Technical Writing Creative Writing
Content factual, straight-forward imaginative, metaphoric or
symbolic
Audience specific general
Purpose inform, instruct, persuade entertain, provoke, captivate
Style formal, standard, academic informal, artistic, figurative
Tone objective subjective
Vocabulary specialized general, evocative
Organization sequential, systematic arbitrary, artistic