Technical writing is a specialized form of exposition: that is,

written communicationdone on the job, especially in fields with

specialized vocabularies, such as science, engineering, technology, and the health
sciences. (Along with business writing, technical writing is often subsumed under
the heading of professional communication.)

The Society for Technical Communication (STC) offers this definition of technical
writing: "the process of gathering information from experts and presenting it to
an audience in a clear, easily understandable form."

In an influential article published in 1965, Webster Earl Britton concluded that

the essential characteristic of technical writing is "the effort of the author to
convey one meaning and only one meaning in what he says."

Computer science professor Raymond Greenlaw notes that the

"writing stylein technical writing is more prescriptive than in creative writing. In
technical writing, we are not so much concerned about entertaining the audience
as we are about conveying specific information to our readers in a concise and
precise manner" (Technical Writing, Presentational Skills, and Online
Communication, 2012).

See Examples and Observations below. Also, see:

Science Writing
Ten Quick Tips to Improve Your Writing
Top Ten Editing Tips for Business Writers
Twelve Tips for Improving Online Writing
What Is the "You Attitude"?

EXAMPLES AND OBSERVATIONS:

"The goal of technical writing is to enable readers to use a technology or

understand a process or concept. Because the subject matter is more
important than the writer's voice, technical writing style uses an objective,
not a subjective, tone. The writing style is direct and utilitarian,
emphasizing exactness and clarity rather than elegance or allusiveness. A
technical writer uses figurative language only when a figure of
speech would facilitate understanding."

Characteristics of Technical Writing

Here are the main characteristics of technical writing:
Purpose: Getting something done within an organization
(completing a project, persuading a customer, pleasing your boss,
etc.)
 Your knowledge of topic: Usually greater than that of the reader.
Audience: Often several people, with differing technical
backgrounds.
Criteria for Evaluation: Clear and simple organization of ideas,
in a format that meets the needs of busy readers.
Statistical and graphic support: Frequently used to explain
existing conditions and to present alternative courses of action

Audience and Purpose in Technical Writing

"The biggest difference between technical communication and the other
kinds of writing you have done is that technical communication has a
somewhat different focus on audience and purpose.

Technical writing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Technical writing is any written form of writing or drafting technical communication used in a variety
of technical and occupational fields, such as computer
hardware and software, engineering, chemistry, aeronautics, robotics, finance, medical, consumer
electronics, and biotechnology. It encompasses the largest sub-field within technical
communication.[1]
The Society for Technical Communication defines technical communication as any form of
communication that exhibits one or more of the following characteristics: "(1) communicating about
technical or specialized topics, such as computer applications, medical procedures, or environmental
regulations; (2) communicating through printed documents or technology, such as web pages, help
files, or social media sites; or (3) providing instructions about how to do something, regardless of the
task's technical nature".

Techniques[edit]
Good technical writing is concise, focused, easy to understand, free of errors, and is audience-
based.[11]:7 Technical writers focus on making their documents as clear as possible, avoiding overly
technical phrases and stylistic choices like passive voice and nominalizations.[3]:236245 Because
technical documents are used in real-world situations, it should always be explicitly clear what the
subject matter of a technical document is and what should be done with the presented information. It
would be disastrous if, for example, a technical writer's instructions on how to use a high-powered X-
ray machine were difficult to decipher.
Technical writing requires a writer to extensively examine his or her audience.[3]: 84114 A technical
writer needs to be aware of his or her audience's existing knowledge about the material he or she is
discussing as the knowledge base of the writer's audience will determine the content and focus of a
document.[3]: 84114 For example, an evaluation report discussing a scientific study's findings that is
written to a group of highly skilled scientists will be very differently constructed than one intended for
the general public. Technical writers do not have to be subject-matter experts (SMEs) themselves
and generally collaborate with SMEs to complete tasks that require more knowledge about a subject
than they possess.[3]:51
Technical writing must be accurate. A technical writer, after analyzing his or her audience, knows
what they are trying to communicate. The goal from there is to convey the message in an accurate
and ethical manner. Physical, environmental, or financial repercussions could result if a writer does
this incorrectly. Knowing the audience is important to accuracy because the language will be tailored
according to what they understand about the subject at hand. For example, instructions on how to
correctly and safely build a bookshelf are included when purchased. Those instructions are
constructed so that anyone could follow along, including accurate details as to where each fastener
goes. If those instructions were inaccurate, the bookshelf could be unstable and fail.[12]
Document design and layout are also very important components of technical writing.[3]:261
286
Technical writers spend large amounts of time ensuring their documents are readable, because a
poorly designed document hampers a reader's comprehension. Technical document design stresses
proper usage of document design choices like bullet points, font-size, and bold text.[13] Images,
diagrams, and videos are also commonly employed by technical writers because these media can
often convey complex information, like a company's annual earnings or a product's design features,
far more efficiently than text.[3]:306307

Technical writing is a type of writing where the author is writing about a particular subject
that requires direction, instruction, or explanation. This style of writing has a very different
purpose and different characteristics than other writing styles such as creative writing,
academic writing or business writing.