Introduction To Technical Writing

TECHNICAL
WRITING
INSTRUCTOR: ALOHA J. DELA PEÑA
CHAPTER 1: UNDERSTANDING THE
NATURE OF TECHNICAL WRITING
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the Chapter, you should be able to:

 define technical writing;
 enumerate the end products of technical writing;
 use as guide the principles of technical writing;
 define technical communication;
 explain the qualities of a good English writer
 apply the processes involved in technical writing.
“All good writing begins with
terrible first efforts.
You need to start somewhere.”
-Anne Lamott
What is technical writing?
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 Bu

about various technical subjects associated with the sciences.
 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 the absence of any attempt to arouse emotion.
Continuation…
 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:
• 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.
Continuation…
• Contract is a written agreement between two people under

mutually agreed terms. 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.
• 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.
• Instructional manuals are written to guide the readers on how

to assemble, maintain, and operate an apparatus, machine or
gadget.
Continuation…
• 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.
• 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.
2. 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.
3. Use language that is simple, concrete, and familiar.
4. 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."
5. Make your report attractive.

PURPOSES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
1. It serves as basis for management decision.
2. It furnishes needed information.
3. It gives instructions.
4. It records business transactions through proposals.
5. It procures business proposals.
6. It serves as basis for public relations.
7. It provides report to stockholders of companies.

PURPOSES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
The following properties of technical writing are also

known as "considerations" when writing technical reports.
1. Subject matter. In writing technical papers, you must

ask the question, "What will I write about?“
2. Audience. When thinking about the audience, ask

"Whom am I writing for? Or who are my intended
readers?" This is a property which pertains to a
particular reader of a technical literature.
3. Expression. This property refers to two basic modes in

which a technical report has to be delivered-writing it
or reading it.
CONTINUATION
…
4. Style. This refers to how the material is written. A
technical writer uses clear, specific point of view, objective,
impartial, and unemotional style in writing.
5. Arrangement of materials. 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.
WRITING CAN BE GROUPED INTO FIVE
BASIC TYPES:
• Technical writing conveys specific information about a

technical subject to a specific audience for a specific
purpose.
• Creative writing is fiction-poetry, short stories, plays,

and novels and far different from technical writing.
• Expressive writing is a subjective response to a

personal experience journals and diaries whereas
technical writing might be objective observations of a
work-related experience or research.
WRITING CAN BE GROUPED INTO FIVE
BASIC TYPES:
• Expository writing "exposes" a topic analytically and

objectively, such as news reports. Like technical writing,
the goal of expository writing is to explain or reveal
knowledge, but expository writing does not necessarily
expect a response or action from the reader.
• Persuasive writing depends on emotional appeal. Its

goal is to change one's attitudes or motivate him/her to
action.
DIFFERENCES between TECHNICAL
WRITING AND CREATIVE WRITING
Technical Writing Creative Writing
Content factual, straight-forward imaginative, metaphoric or

symbolic
Audience specific general
Purpose inform, instruct, entertain, provoke,
persuade captivate
Style formal, standard, informal, artistic, figurative
academic
Tone objective subjective
Vocabulary specialized general, evocative
Organization Sequential, systematic Arbitrary, artistic
Evaluation (1/2 cross wise of yellow paper)

Directions: Determine whether the following statements are true or false.

______1. Subject and expression are properties of technical writing.

______2. It is important for a technical writer to take note of the attractiveness
of his paper.

______3. Writers have different writing styles,

______4. Technical writers can be creative when writing technical reports.

______5. Technical writing is all about technical jobs.
______6. One purpose of technical writing is that it gives instructions.
______7. A business letter and a monograph are types of technical writing.
______8. A sales letter is an example of a creative work.
______9. Graphic aids are often used in creative writing rather than in technical
writing.
______10. The language of technical writing is simple, concrete, and familiar.

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TECHNICAL

At the end of the Chapter, you should be able to:

Acclaimed proponents of technical writing Mills and Walter (1981)

 Technical writing is writing about scientific subjects and Bu

 Technical writing is characterized by certain formal

 Technical writing is ideally characterized by the

 Technical writing is writing in which there is relatively high

To students, perhaps, Technical Writing may just be a

• A business letter is a type of written communication. It

• Contract is a written agreement between two people under

• Printed action memo is a ready-format memorandum that only

• Graphic aids are drawings, sketches and illustrations that aid

• Instructional manuals are written to guide the readers on how

• Brochures are pamphlets or flyers that endorse a product in such

• Proposals are written suggestions on how to make the company

• Memoranda are inter-office written communication used to

1. Always have in mind a specific reader, real or imaginary, when you

3. Use language that is simple, concrete, and familiar.

4. At the beginning and end of every section of your report, check

5. Make your report attractive.

1. It serves as basis for management decision.

2. It furnishes needed information.

4. It records business transactions through proposals.

5. It procures business proposals.

6. It serves as basis for public relations.

7. It provides report to stockholders of companies.

The following properties of technical writing are also

1. Subject matter. In writing technical papers, you must

2. Audience. When thinking about the audience, ask

3. Expression. This property refers to two basic modes in

5. Arrangement of materials. This pertains to how ideas

• Technical writing conveys specific information about a

• Creative writing is fiction-poetry, short stories, plays,

• Expressive writing is a subjective response to a

• Expository writing "exposes" a topic analytically and

• Persuasive writing depends on emotional appeal. Its

Content factual, straight-forward imaginative, metaphoric or

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