Technical WritingTechnical Writing

Prepared by: Jimmy J. Sapunto Richard J. Oclares

““Technical Writing”Technical Writing” is a is a writing about scientific writing about scientific and various technical and various technical subject associated with subject associated with science. science.

Technical writingTechnical writing is done in the is done in the workplace and workplace and centers around centers around technical topics. technical topics. Technical writingTechnical writing has unique has unique characteristics and characteristics and has specific has specific audiences.audiences.

Function of Technical Function of Technical WritingWriting

Serves as basis for management decisions Serves as basis for management decisions and actions;and actions;

Furnishes needed information;Furnishes needed information; Gives instructions;Gives instructions; Records business through proposals;Records business through proposals; Process business through proposals;Process business through proposals; Serves as basis for public relations;Serves as basis for public relations; Provides report to stockholders of Provides report to stockholders of

companies.companies.

““Characteristics Characteristics of Technical of Technical Writing”Writing”

Technical writing is characterized by its scientific point of view distinguished by an attitude of impartiality and objectively, by extreme care to convey information with accuracy and precision , and by the absence of any attempt to arouse emotion.

Technical writing has certain formal elements such as scientific and technical vocabulary, graphics aids and conventional report forms.

Technical writing uses complex and special writing techniques in particular, definition, classification, description of a mechanism description of a process and interpretation.

Proposals -Proposals - are suggestion for action, usually involving are suggestion for action, usually involving change or performancechange or performance

Shift records -Shift records - are equivalent to “time and motion” are equivalent to “time and motion” records which specify the time and mode of work of records which specify the time and mode of work of employees in an organization.employees in an organization.

Market projection –Market projection – is a market scheme or plan is a market scheme or plan predicting profits based on known evidences and predicting profits based on known evidences and observations.observations.

Shipping orders –Shipping orders – this may come in printed forms or this may come in printed forms or letters.letters.

““Kinds of Technical Literature”Kinds of Technical Literature”

““Kinds of Technical Literature”Kinds of Technical Literature” Design evaluation –Design evaluation – it is a technical literature which it is a technical literature which

assesses the value of design in engineering, aviation, military, assesses the value of design in engineering, aviation, military, production, business and other related fields.production, business and other related fields.

Contracts –Contracts – these are formal agreements between two or more these are formal agreements between two or more parties to do something on mutually agreed items.parties to do something on mutually agreed items.

Feasibility Report –Feasibility Report – it is an examination of the advantages it is an examination of the advantages and disadvantages of a proposal.and disadvantages of a proposal.

Meeting minutes –Meeting minutes – it is a formal record of the minutes of a it is a formal record of the minutes of a meeting or conference describing what transpired during the meeting or conference describing what transpired during the session.session.

Conference Report –Conference Report – it is a summary of a business or it is a summary of a business or professional meeting.professional meeting.

Survey Report –Survey Report – it is a thorough study of any subject. it is a thorough study of any subject. Production order –Production order – it is a technical directive on the it is a technical directive on the

manufacture of goods and services with exchange value.manufacture of goods and services with exchange value. Letter Report or Memo Report –Letter Report or Memo Report – these are reports in every these are reports in every

respect except that the subject heading substitutes for a title respect except that the subject heading substitutes for a title page.page.

““Kind of Technical Literature”Kind of Technical Literature”Policy –Policy – it is a plan of action adopted or pursued by an individual it is a plan of action adopted or pursued by an individual government, party, business and industry or it may be a government, party, business and industry or it may be a document containing a contract of insurancedocument containing a contract of insuranceComplaint Report –Complaint Report – it is a critical assessment of action, policy it is a critical assessment of action, policy procedure, or person.procedure, or person.Progress Report –Progress Report – it is an account of what has been it is an account of what has been accomplished on a project over a specific period of time and what accomplished on a project over a specific period of time and what may be expected it the next period of time.may be expected it the next period of time.Status report or project report –Status report or project report – it is similar to a progress it is similar to a progress report but the underlying difference is in the time covered.report but the underlying difference is in the time covered.Trip Report –Trip Report – it is an account of a business or professional trip. it is an account of a business or professional trip.Laboratory Report –Laboratory Report – it is a record of procedures and results of it is a record of procedures and results of laboratory tests.laboratory tests.Instruction Manuals –Instruction Manuals – these are directions for work these are directions for work procedures of policies, or for the use of technical equipment or procedures of policies, or for the use of technical equipment or appliances.appliances.

““Kinds of Technical Kinds of Technical Literature”Literature”

Technical Paper –Technical Paper – it is a research paper written for a it is a research paper written for a professional journal or magazine.professional journal or magazine.

Printed action memo – Printed action memo – it is a prepared form that requires it is a prepared form that requires only a checkmark in an appropriate square to indicate the only a checkmark in an appropriate square to indicate the massage.massage.

Summary Rerports –Summary Rerports – these technical literature highlights these technical literature highlights facts and figures.facts and figures.

Article for technical journal –Article for technical journal – it includes an abstract, it includes an abstract, followed by introduction, discussion, and summarizing followed by introduction, discussion, and summarizing concluding sentence or paragraph.concluding sentence or paragraph.

Monograph –Monograph – thorough, textbook treatment requires all thorough, textbook treatment requires all illustration and documentation.illustration and documentation.

Technical versus Academic Knowledge Knowledge

•You are You are the expertthe expert

Knowledge Knowledge •You are still You are still a learnera learner

Technical versus Academic AudienceAudience

•Technical Technical background, background, professionalprofessionals in the fields in the field

AudienceAudience•Wide range Wide range of academics of academics and general and general audiencesaudiences

Technical versus Academic Criteria for Criteria for

EvaluationEvaluation•Clear and Clear and simple simple organization,organization,

•Visually Visually appealing appealing and easy to and easy to follow.follow.

Criteria for Criteria for EvaluationEvaluation•Depth, Depth, logic, logic, clarity, clarity, unity and unity and grammargrammar

Technical versus Academic Graphics, Graphics,

charts, and charts, and numbers numbers are used are used very very frequently frequently to support to support conclusionsconclusions

Graphics, Graphics, charts, and charts, and numbers are numbers are sometimes sometimes used to help used to help explain and explain and demonstrate demonstrate knowledgeknowledge

Characteristics of Technical Characteristics of Technical WritingWriting

Clear, Concise and simply Clear, Concise and simply organized.organized.

Repetitive in nature.Repetitive in nature. Highly defined structure/format.Highly defined structure/format.

•Examples: Lab reports, Examples: Lab reports, memos, business letters, memos, business letters, technical reports, and technical reports, and proposalsproposals

Compare These Statements:Compare These Statements: Looking into Looking into the azure blue skythe azure blue skyone could see theone could see thegolden orb of sungolden orb of sunslip gently slip gently

beneathbeneaththe western sky.the western sky.

The sun set The sun set in the west.in the west.

The left-side description of The left-side description of the sun setting is an example the sun setting is an example of academic writing and the of academic writing and the right-side description is an right-side description is an

example of technical writing.example of technical writing.

Notice that the technical Notice that the technical description is description is clearclear, ,

conciseconcise, and , and coherent. coherent. These three C’s are These three C’s are

trademarks of technical trademarks of technical writing.writing.

Assignment:Assignment: Find an article out of a Find an article out of a Popular Popular

Mechanics Mechanics magazine. Compare the magazine. Compare the first two or three paragraphs of that first two or three paragraphs of that article with a passage from one of article with a passage from one of your favorite novels using the your favorite novels using the following categories:following categories:• Content, Organization, Layout, Intended Content, Organization, Layout, Intended

Audience, Purpose, Tone.Audience, Purpose, Tone.• You should notice a distinct difference in You should notice a distinct difference in

each of the categories, leading to how each of the categories, leading to how each is distinct in its clarity, coherence, each is distinct in its clarity, coherence, and conciseness.and conciseness.

Style in Technical WritingStyle in Technical Writing Writers have unique characteristics.Writers have unique characteristics.

• Sentence structure, word length word Sentence structure, word length word choice, and word order; these are choice, and word order; these are choices we make without being conscious choices we make without being conscious of it. These decisions shape the way we of it. These decisions shape the way we express ourselvesexpress ourselves

Style is personal choice, there is no Style is personal choice, there is no right or wrong hereright or wrong here

Tone- Tone- Expression of an underlying Expression of an underlying

attitude that can be:attitude that can be:•Casual Casual •ObjectiveObjective•PersuasivePersuasive

•EnthusiasticEnthusiastic•SeriousSerious•AuthoritativeAuthoritative•FriendlyFriendly

**Always present your material in a positive light. Never let the negative be presented.

The following tips lend themselves to better clarity and cohesion in technical writing.

Sentence TipsSentence Tips Place the main point at the beginning of the Place the main point at the beginning of the

sentencesentence

**Don’t make the **Don’t make the reader work to reader work to find it.find it.

Sentence TipsSentence Tips Use one main clause in each sentenceUse one main clause in each sentence

**more becomes**more becomesConfusing.Confusing.

Sentence TipsSentence Tips Examine your copy to Examine your copy to

make sure you vary the make sure you vary the sentence length –but aim sentence length –but aim for 15-20 words per for 15-20 words per sentence. If you use the sentence. If you use the same length sentences, the same length sentences, the text becomes tedious to text becomes tedious to readread

Conciseness TipsConciseness Tips Avoid the repeated use of Avoid the repeated use of

pronouns, this confuses the pronouns, this confuses the reader. Only use a pronoun reader. Only use a pronoun immediately following the noun immediately following the noun it represents. Try to use it represents. Try to use specific nouns such as the specific nouns such as the person’s name, or the specific person’s name, or the specific piece of equipment, etc. In piece of equipment, etc. In place of abstract nounsplace of abstract nouns

Assessment of-Assessment of-

Classification of-Classification of-

Computation of-Computation of-

Development of-Development of-

Elimination of-Elimination of-

RequirementRequirement of-of-

Abstract Nouns

Conciseness TipsConciseness TipsFocus on Focus on

strong verbs!strong verbs! AssessAssess ClassifyClassify ComputeCompute

DevelopDevelop EliminateEliminate RequireRequire

Conciseness TipsConciseness Tips Shorten wordy phrasesShorten wordy phrases Replace long words with Replace long words with

short onesshort ones Leave out clichésLeave out clichés Cut out extra words that Cut out extra words that

are redundantare redundant

Language Use TipsLanguage Use Tips Distinguish facts from opinionsDistinguish facts from opinions

Include supportive statements Include supportive statements when necessarywhen necessary

Choose your words carefullyChoose your words carefully

Avoid using words like Avoid using words like “always” and “never”—these “always” and “never”—these box the writer in and create box the writer in and create finalityfinality

Active VoiceActive Voice Active voice—emphasizes the doer or Active voice—emphasizes the doer or

the subjectthe subject““JoeJoe delivered the pizza within the specified time delivered the pizza within the specified time

frame.”frame.”

Active voice uses one verb “delivered” compared to Active voice uses one verb “delivered” compared to passive voice which uses a form of the verb “to be” passive voice which uses a form of the verb “to be” + the verb---”was delivered”+ the verb---”was delivered”

Almost all technical writing should be done in the Almost all technical writing should be done in the active voice, except lab reports.active voice, except lab reports.

Active Voice helps:Active Voice helps:•Create less wordy sentencesCreate less wordy sentences

•Places emphasis on the subjectPlaces emphasis on the subject—e.g. company or person’s —e.g. company or person’s namename

Passive VoicePassive Voice Passive voice—emphasizes Passive voice—emphasizes

the recipient of the actionthe recipient of the action•Verbs with the “to be” formVerbs with the “to be” form•Emphasize the receiver of Emphasize the receiver of the actionthe action

•Avoid repetitious use of “I” Avoid repetitious use of “I” and namesand names

Is it the roses or the receiver of the roses that is important to the giver?

Examples of editing Examples of editing for for

concisenessconciseness

•““the passage of the levy was the passage of the levy was accomplished through long accomplished through long and hard negotiations, and and hard negotiations, and door to door canvassing.” door to door canvassing.”

Revised:Revised:•““The levy pass through long The levy pass through long

and hard work.”and hard work.”

““Confirmation of the voting Confirmation of the voting results occurred yesterday.”results occurred yesterday.”

RevisedRevised ““The voting results were The voting results were

confirmed yesterday.”confirmed yesterday.”

Technical WritingTechnical Writing Provides clear Provides clear

communication in the communication in the workplaceworkplace

Has unique formats and a Has unique formats and a specific style of writingspecific style of writing

Creates clarity, conciseness Creates clarity, conciseness and coherency in writingand coherency in writing

ClosureClosure

Welcome to a new style of Welcome to a new style of writing. Hopefully the handouts writing. Hopefully the handouts that accompany these that accompany these Presentations will help you take Presentations will help you take your first steps to become a your first steps to become a Technical Writer. Technical Writer.