Rudolph Angelou R.

Musngi ABComm2A Technical Writing

Technical Writing (TW) – is a practical way of writing that enables the reader to react so as to get the work done.

Basic principles of TW

a. Audience Centered b. Presentational c. Responsible

TW VS LW (Literary Writing)
Business, Science, Tech Subject Matter Life
Inform Purpose Entertain
3rd Person POV 1st to 3rd
Objective Tone Subjective

Types of TW Outputs

Abstract Is the summary of a research paper or article

Memorandum A letterheaded article used to inform offices or
members of a certain institution
Technical Journal Anything
Specifications Specifies things. Capabilities of a certain material
Proposals Way of advertising of proposed products
Feasibility study A business related survey on how a business will
be effective
Instructional Manuals How to's of a material
Policy Principle to guide decision
Monograph Single subject, released with in a book
Contract A written output that compels two parties to do
something
Printed Action Memo Like a memo but has boxes
Business letters To the owner, to inform or negotiate
Graphic aids Printed images
Brochure Inform or advertise. Usually folded

Punctuations

There are two types of punctuation Marks:

a. Internal punctuation marks include hyphens, dashes, etc. that are placed within the sentence
b. External punctuation marks include periods, question marks, etc. that are placed after the sentence is finished.

Period (.)  Used to mark declarative

and imperative
sentences.
 Rhetorical questions
 Abbreviations
 Numerals or letters
Question Mark (?)  Indicates an
interrogative sentence
 Direct queries
 To turn a statement into
 a question
 Statements inflicted with
a inquiry (tag q’s)
 Indicates request
 Uncertainty
 Internal punctuation
Exclamation Point (!)  Excitement or intense
emotion
 Astonishment etc.
 Interjections
 Overuse undesirable
(!!!!!???)
Quotation Marks (“ ”)  Direct quotations
 Enclose a quotation in a
single quotation
 Enclose
Parentheses (())  Are used to put
incidental actions, ideas,
etc.
Comma (,)  Separate things
 Used to slow, a slight
pause.
 Used to separate places
 Tag q’s
 Separates devices
 Elements of the same
type
Colon (:)  Used in dialogues
Semicolons (;)  Separates independent
clause from dependent
 Clauses with related
meaning
Apostrophe (‘)  Indicates possession
 Contractions
Hyphen (-)  Used to separate
syllables
 Numbers
 Compound
Slash (/)  Used to replace hyphens
 Signifies alternatives
 Fractions and dates
Three number signs (###)  Nothing follows
EM Dash (–)  Used in substitution for
commas, parentheses,
and braces.
 Shift of idea
EN Dash (–)  Used in dates
3EM Dash ( ------ or _ )  Used for confidentiality
of identity