TECHNICAL WRITING

MODULE 1
CHAPTER 1: UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF TECHNICAL WRITING

FIRST SEMESTER
PRELIM

S.Y. 2020-2021
1ST EDITION
 COURSE CODE
COURSE TITLE Technical Writing
COURSE CREDIT 3 Unit
MODULE NO. 1
TOPIC Understanding the nature of technical writing
LEARNING By the end of this course, you should have been able to:
OUTCOMES  Define technical writing;
 Enumerate the end products of technical writing;
 Use as guide the principle of technical writing;
 Define technical communication;
 Explain the qualities of a good English writer; and
 Apply the processes involved in technical writing.
REFERENCE Technical Writing, Lori Mar Publishing © 2019
TIME ALLOTMENT 1 week
INSTRUCTOR Zerhan S. Laarin
CONTACT NUMBER +639753072789
Gmail and FB zerhanlaarinsiddik@gmail.com
Account Zerhan Siddik Laarin

CHAPTER 1
UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF TECHNICAL WRITING

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 about various technical subjects associated with the
sciences
 Is characterized by certain formal elements, such as its scientific and technical vocabulary, its use
of graphic aids, and its conventional report forms.
 Is ideally characterized by the maintenance of an attitude of impartially and objectivity, by extreme
care to convey information accurately and concisely, and by the absence of any attempt to arose
emotion.
 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.

Products of Technical Writing

 Business letter is a type written communication. It is written using formal language and follows formal
elements of letter writing.
Ex:
 Communicate with companies
 Organizations or individuals with the purpose applying for a job
 Making request
 Seeking appointment

 Contract is a written agreement between two people under mutually agreed terms.
 Monograph is a detailed essay of book on a very specific topic. It is usually written by professionals or
academicians on topic 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 circumstances or situation.
 Graphic aids are drawing, sketches and illustrations that aid the readers in understanding the presented
data.
 Instructional manuals are written to guide the reader on how to assemble, maintain, and operate an
apparatus, machine or gadgets.
  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 imagery, 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 make a clear contribution to the purpose.
3. Use language that is simple, concrete and familiar.
4. At the beginning and every end of 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.

Purpose of Technical Writing

 It serves as basis for management decision.
 It furnishes needed information.
 It gives instructions.
 Its records business transaction through proposals.
 It procures business proposals.
 It serves as basis for public relations.
 It provides report to stockholders of companies.
Properties of Technical Writing
1. Subject matter. In writing technical papers, you must ask the question, “what will I write about?”
The subject matter is an essential element in technical report writing. Some examples of this are
description of a process, writing about a theory, or submitting a policy.
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 writing.
3. Expression. This property refers to two basic modes in which a technical report has to be delivered –
writing it or reading it. Your expression of the content will depend on your audience and your style in
writing to be able to reach your audience’s/ reader’s understanding.
4. Style. This refers to how material is written.
5. Arrangement of materials. This pertains to how ideas should be organized in chronological, spatial or
logical order and use illustration to present the information.
Writing can be group 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 work-related experience or research.
 Expository writing “expose” a topic analytically and objectively, such as news reports. The goal of
expository writing is to explain or reveal knowledge, but expository writing does not expect a response
or action from reader.
 Persuasive writing depends on emotional appeal. Its goa is to change one’s attitudes or motivate
him/her to action.
Difference between Technical Writing and Creative Writing