TECHNICAL WRITING

TECHNICAL WRITING –is a communication in any field whose primary aims is to convey a a particular piece of information for a particular
piece of information for a particular purpose to a particular reader or group of readers . It is objective, clear, and accurate , concise and
unemotional in its presentation of facts .

THE NATURE OF TECHNICAL WRITING DEFINED

Technical Writing Defied

Technical Writing may be defined and described in the following manner (Mills and Walter, 1981)

1. Technical writing is exposition about scientific subjects and about various technical subjects associated with the sciences.
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 .
3. Technical writing is ideally characterized by the maintenance of an attitude of impartiality and objectivity , the extreme care to convey
information accurately and concisely , and by the absence of any attempt to arouse emotion.
4. Technical writing is writing in which there is a relatively high concentration of certain complex and important writing techniques-in
particular , definition , description of mechanism , description of a process , classification and interpretation.

Technical writing, which must be understood easily and quickly, includes: ! memos and e-mail ! letters ! reports ! instructions ! brochures and
newsletters ! the job search ! web pages ! fliers ! PowerPoint presentations ! graphics

PURPOSES OF TECHNICAL WRITING

Technical writing has three important purposes:

1. It gives information in decision-making and task accomplishments

2. It analyzes events and their implications, the failure of systems (educational, socioeconomic, political etc.)
3. It persuades and influences decision making.

Functions Technical Writing

With understanding the characteristics of technical writing, you can better comprehend how this type of writing is used. Technical writing is found
everywhere. There are a variety of different types of writing which use a technical style.

For example, instructions of all sorts are a perfect example of technical writing.

 When you open up an instruction manual, as the reader, the goal is to be informed about the product so that you can use it as efficiently as
possible.
 Lab reports are another example of technical writing. The main purpose of a lab report is to explain the occurrences in a lab so that others will
be able to gain information.
 Driving directions can be considered a type of technical writing as the goal is to clearly and efficiently provide instructions on how to go from
point A to point B.
Overall, technical writing is a very useful form of writing that is encountered by everyone almost every day.

FUNCTIONS OF TECHNICAL WRITING

1. Serves as a record
a. basis; future reference
2. Furnishes needed information
3. Procures business through proposal
4. Records what had been done
5. Provides reports to top management and stakeholders of the company
6. . Gives instructions

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 BASIC ASPECTS OF ND PRINCIPLE OF TECHNICAL WRITING

To achieve this, writers should focus their craft on five basic principles of good technical writing namely:

1. Writers should always have in mind a specific reader, real or imaginary, when writing their report and always assume that they are
intelligent but uninformed.
2. They should decide on their exact purpose in writing.
3. They should use simple, concrete and familiar language.
4. They should check or review then writing from time to time .
5. They should make the paper as neat and as attractive as possible.

SUBJECT MATTER OF TECHNICAL WRITING

All formal aspects of professional areas, data in business , sciences . industry, technology and engineering are the subject matter of technical writing.

ACADEMIC WRITING vs. TECHNICAL WRIITNG

Academic Writing

Words •Elaborate •Transitions •Subjective •Cogitative •Multiple meaning

Sentence Structure •Complex •Embellishment •Excessive words •Synonyms •Passive voice

Technical Writing

Word -sexist •Avoid pronouns

Sentence Structure •Uncomplicated •Repetition •Active voice

2. STYLES IN TECHNICAL WRITING

a. DIFFERENT KINDS OF SENTENCES

Sentence patterns are made up of phrases and clauses.

A phrase is a group of connected words, but it is not a complete sentence because it is missing a subject and/or a verb. Phrases are just one
component that makes up a complete sentence.

A clause contains a subject (actor) and a verb (action). There are two types of clauses:

1. An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a complete sentence.

2. A dependent clause (a.k.a. subordinate clause) cannot stand alone as a complete sentence (even though it may contain a subject and a
verb). It begins with a subordinating conjunction (because, when, while, after… and many more).

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The possibilities are endless for different types of sentences patterns. Here are the most common and basic sentence patterns:

1. The chef cooked.

Pattern: Subject + Verb

2. The creative chef cooked.

Pattern: Adjective + Subject + Verb

3. The creative chef methodically cooked.

Pattern: Adjective + Subject + Adverb + Verb

4. The creative chef methodically cooked in the kitchen.

Pattern: Adjective + Subject + Adverb + Verb + Prepositional Phrase

Compound Sentence

A writer creates a compound sentence by joining two complete thoughts (meaning each thought has a subject and verb, and the thoughts could stand
all on their own—otherwise known as “independent clauses”).

There are several ways to correctly punctuate a compound sentence (in order to avoid a comma splice or run-on sentence).

Option #1:

Complete Thought + Comma + FANBOYS + Complete Thought

He came to pick her up , but she wasn't ready yet.

Side Note: The acronym FANBOYS stands for those short connecting words (technical term: coordinating conjunctions) that you use frequently: for,
and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

Option #2:

Complete Thought + Semicolon + Complete Thought

He came to pick her up ; she wasn't ready yet.

Option #3:

Complete Thought + Semicolon + Conjunctive Adverb + Comma

He came to pick her up ; however ,

Side Note: Some other examples of conjunctive adverbs are however, moreover, therefore, thus, consequently, furthermore, and unfortunately.

Option #4:

You could also use a dash (which shows emphasis) or a colon in place of the semicolon as well.

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COMPLEX SENTENCE

A writer creates a complex sentence by joining an independent clause (or “complete thought”) and a dependent clause (a.k.a. subordinate clause).

First, let’s define “dependent clause.” It cannot stand alone as a complete sentence (even though it may contain a subject and a verb), and it begins
with a subordinating conjunction (because, when, while, after… and many more).

Side Note: If a dependent clause comes first, a comma should follow it. No comma needed if the independent clause comes first (unless you’re trying
to show contrast between the two clauses).

For example...

Dependent Clause + Comma + Independent Clause

While I checked my text messages , she proofread our group project.

Independent Clause + NO Comma + Dependent Clause

She proofread our group project while I checked my text messages.

COMMA SPLICE

A comma splice results when a comma is incorrectly used to join two complete thoughts (meaning each thought has a subject and verb, and the
thoughts could stand all on their own—otherwise known as “independent clauses”). Think of it this way: a comma is a weak punctuation mark, and
you need something a little stronger to separate two complete thoughts (such as a period or a semicolon—see below for more solutions).

Comma Splice: I had class at 9a.m., I woke up at noon.

RUN ON SENTENCES

A run-on sentence (sometimes called a “fused sentence”) results when two complete thoughts (a.k.a. “independent clauses”) are joined without any
punctuation separating them. Hence, your sentence just runs on and on…

Run-On Sentence: I had class early this morning I woke up at noon.

See below for five solutions to your run-on sentence dilemma.

Solutions for Revising Comma Splices and Run-On Sentences:

1. Separate sentences with a period:

I had class early this morning. I woke up at noon.

2. Join sentences with a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction:

I had class early this morning, but I woke up at noon.

Side Note: A simple way to remember coordinating conjunctions is to use the acronym FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

3. Join sentences with a semicolon:

I had class early this morning; I woke up at noon.

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 4. Join sentences with a semicolon followed by a conjunctive adverb:

I had class early this morning; however, I woke up at noon.

5. Join sentences using a subordinating conjunction:

Although I had class early this morning, I woke up at noon.

Sentence Fragments

Fragments results when an incomplete thought is punctuated as if it were complete sentence.

Sentence Fragment: Down by the bay.

That looks like a complete sentence because it begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, but it is not. It begs the question, what is down by
the bay?

Fragments can happen for a lot reasons (maybe there is no subject, maybe there is no verb, or maybe you’ve written a modifying phrase that isn’t
actually modifying anything). The previous example could be edited many different ways to achieve a complete sentence, but here’s one example:

Correction: The blue heron landed down by the bay.

Now I have both a subject (“blue heron”) and a verb (“landed”).

b. Active vs. Passive Voice

-Active voice means that a sentence has a subject that acts upon its verb. Passive voice means that a subject is a recipient of a verb’s action. You may

have learned that the passive voice is weak and incorrect, but it isn’t that simple. When used correctly and in moderation, the passive voice is fine.

-In English grammar, verbs have five properties: voice, mood, tense, person, and number; here, we are concerned with voice. The two grammatical
voices are active and passive.

- According to Vanhauss (2005) technical writing should be an action –oriented style rather than be one with a great deal of “hidden words.”

Example: ( see attachment 002)

c. USE OF NON-SEXIST TECHNICAL TERMS IN TECHNICAL WRITING

SEE ATTACHMENT 003 -004
d. USE JARGON TERMS IN A SENTENCE