Lesson 1: 

Introduction to Technical Communication

Topic: Definition and Characteristics of Technical Communication
 Learning Outcomes: At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

1. Define technical writing;

2. Compare different categories of writing communication;
3. Accomplish worksheet on the importance of technical communication
LEARNING CONTENT
Introduction:
            Technical communication is written for and about business and industry,
focusing on products and services: how to manufacture them, market them, manage
them, deliver them, and use them. Technical writing is written: in the work environment
or for supervisors, colleagues, subordinates, vendors, and customers.  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, and graphics. Technical writing/Technical
Communication is the resume that helps get a job and the web page that promotes a
company. In each case, the technical document must be quantifiable, precise, and
easily understood.
Why would you study technical communication? Is your learning not enough
without adding one more assignment or series of assignments? What’s the point?
You often do not believe that you will have to write at work. Do not assume that
once your education is completed, writing will be a distant memory because you are
wrong!  Once you are employed, you will have to write on the job. One reason for
studying teaching technical communication is so you will know the types of documents
you will write on your future job.
So, let’s prepare ourselves for an enjoyable technical writing experiences!
Lesson Proper:
What Is Technical Communication?
 
Technical information is frequently communicated through documents such as
proposals, emails, reports, podcasts, computer help files, blogs, and wikis. Although
these documents are a key component of technical communication, so too is
the process: writing and reading tweets and text messages, for example, or
participating in webinar or videoconference exchanges with colleagues. Technical
communication encompasses a set of activities that people do to discover, shape, and
transmit information.
  
When you produce technical communication, you use the four basic
communication modes — listening, speaking, reading, and writing — to analyze a
problem, find and evaluate evidence, and draw conclusions. These are the same skills
and processes you use when you write in college, and the principles you have studied in
your earlier writing courses apply to technical communication. 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 purpose and audience.

Difference of Technical writing from other types of write-ups

Technical Writing is different from other types of write-ups in terms of content, style,
language, and purpose.
 

Technical Writing versus Academic Writing

Academic and technical writing are two forms of writing between which a key difference
can be identified. Most people assume that a technical writer is, in fact, an academic
writer as well. This, however, is a false assumption. Although both academic writing
and technical writing require excellent writing skills, the key differences between these
two types of writing are the audience and purpose of writing. Academic Writing is a
form of writing that is used in academic disciplines. On the other hand, technical writing
is a form of writing that is mostly used in technical disciplines. As you can see, the
context of the two forms of writing differ from one another. Also, the target audience
for academic writing is mostly scholars, but not in the case of technical writing. Even a
lay person can be the target audience.
Technical Writing versus Creative Writing
Technical writing and creative writing are two styles of writing, which may very well be
distinguished just by having a look at their traits. The principal between every of them
is that, creative writing is written to enthrall, entertain and arouse a certain feeling in a
reader, whereas technical writing is to show the viewers with the factual knowledge and
is launched in a logical technique.
 
Below is a poem about a tennis shoe as well as technical specifications for
manufacturing the same shoe. These two writing samples further illustrate the
difference between technical writing and other types of writing.
 

 
UNDERSTANDING PURPOSE
 
Technical communication begins with identifying a problem and thinking about how to
solve it. Because of the variety of problems and solutions in the working world, people
communicate technical information for a number of purposes, many of which fall into
one of two categories:
Communication that helps others learn about a subject, carry out a task, or make a decision.  For
instance, administrators with the Department of Health might hire a media production company
to make a video that explains to citizens how to use a website to manage their Medicare
benefits. The president of a manufacturing company might write an article in the company
newsletter to explain to employees why management decided to phase out production of one of
the company’s products. The board of directors of a community-service organization might
produce a grant proposal to submit to a philanthropic organization in hopes of being awarded a
grant. Figure 1.1 shows a screen capture from an online video that explains how to create a
facebook web page.
 
 FIGURE 1.1 A Communication That Helps Others Carry Out a Task
The purpose of this online video is to help viewers carry out the task on how to
create their own web page. 
 Communication that reinforces or changes attitudes and motivates readers to take
action. A wind energy company might create a website with videos and text intended to
show that building wind turbines off the coast of a tourist destination would have many
benefits and few risks. A property owners’ association might create a website to make
the opposite argument: that the wind turbines would have few benefits but many risks.
In each of these two cases, the purpose of communicating the information is to
persuade people to accept a point of view and encourage them to act — perhaps to
contact their elected representatives and present their views about this public-policy
issue. Figure 1.2 shows an excerpt from a website that promotes the building of wind
turbines off the coast of Massachusetts.
 FIGURE 1.2 A Communication That Aims to Change Attitudes
The purpose of this website, created by an energy development company, is
to generate public support for an offshore wind park.
UNDERSTANDING AUDIENCE
When you communicate in the workplace, you have not only a clear purpose — what
you want to achieve — but also a clearly defined audience — one or more people who
are going to read the document, attend the oral presentation, visit the website, or view
the video you produce. Sometimes audience members share the same purpose, but not
always. It’s possible, even likely, that a piece of technical communication will have
multiple audiences with different purposes.
In most of your previous academic writing, your audience has been your instructor, and
your purpose has been to show your instructor that you have mastered some body of
information or skill. Typically, you have not tried to create new knowledge or motivate
the reader to take a particular action — except to give you a “95” for that assignment.
 By contrast, in technical communication, your audience will likely include peers and
supervisors in your company, as well as people outside your company. For example,
suppose you are a public-health scientist working for a federal agency. You and your
colleagues just completed a study showing that, for most adults, moderate exercise
provides as much health benefit as strenuous exercise. After participating in numerous
meetings with your colleagues and after drafting, critiquing, and revising many drafts,
you produce four different documents:
 a journal article for other scientists
 a press release to distribute to popular print and online publications
 an infographic for use in doctors’ offices
 an animated blog post for your agency to share on social media
In each of these documents, you present the key information in a different way to meet
the needs of particular audience.

 
 The Challenges of Producing Technical Communication
One of the most challenging activities you will engage in as a professional is
communicating your ideas to audiences. Why? Because communication is a higher-
order skill that involves many complex factors.
The good news is that there are ways to think about these complex factors, to
think through them, that will help you communicate better. No matter what document
you produce or contribute to, you need to begin by considering five sets of factors.
AUDIENCE-RELATED FACTORS
What problem or problems is your audience trying to solve? Does your audience know
enough about your subject to understand a detailed discussion, or do you need to limit
the scope, the amount of technical detail, or the type of graphics you use? Does your
audience already have certain attitudes or expectations about your subject that you
wish to reinforce or change? Does your audience speak English well, or should you
present the information in more than one language? Does your audience share your
cultural assumptions about such matters as how to organize and interpret documents,
or do you need to adjust your writing approach to match a different set of
assumptions? Does your audience include people with disabilities (of vision, hearing,
movement, or cognitive ability) who have requirements you need to meet?
PURPOSE-RELATED FACTORS
Before you can write, you need to determine your purpose: what do you want your
audience to know or believe or do after having read your document? Do you have
multiple purposes? If so, is one more important than the others? Although much
technical communication is intended to help people perform tasks, such as configuring
privacy settings in a social-media environment, many organizations large and small
devote significant communication resources to the increasingly vital purpose of
branding: creating an image that helps customers distinguish the company from
competitors. Most companies now employ community specialists as technical
communicators to coordinate the organization’s day-to-day online presence and its
social-media campaigns. These specialists publicize new products and initiatives and
respond to questions and new developments. They also manage all of the
organization’s documents — from tweets to blog posts to Facebook fan pages and
company-sponsored discussion forums.
SETTING-RELATED FACTORS
What is the situation surrounding the problem you are trying to solve? Is there a lot at
stake in the situation, such as the budget for a project, or is your document a more
routine communication, such as technical notes for a software update? What is the
context in which your audience will use your document? Will the ways in which they use
it — or the physical or digital environment in which they use it — affect how you write?
Will the document be used in a socially or politically charged setting? Does the setting
include established norms of ethical behavior? Is the setting formal or informal?
Settings can have a great deal of influence over how audiences think about and use
technical communication.
DOCUMENT-RELATED FACTORS
What type of content will the document include? How will the content aid problem
solving? Does your subject dictate what kind of document (such as a report or a blog
post) you choose to write? Does your subject dictate what medium (print or digital) you
choose for your document? Do you need to provide audiences with content in more
than one medium? If you’re using a document template, how should you modify it for
your audiences and purposes? Does the application call for a particular writing style or
level of formality? (For the sake of convenience, we will use the word document
throughout this book to refer to all forms of technical communication, from written
documents to oral presentations and online forms, such as podcasts and wikis.)
PROCESS-RELATED FACTORS
What process will you use to produce the document? Is there an established process to
support the work, or do you need to create a new one? Do you have sufficient time for
planning tasks, such as analyzing your audience and purpose, choosing writing tools,
and researching and reading background information? Does your budget limit the
number of people you can enlist to help you or limit the size or shape of the document?
Does your schedule limit how much information you can include in the document? Does
your schedule limit the type or amount of document testing you can do? Will the
document require updating or maintenance?
Because all these factors interact in complicated ways, every technical document you
create involves a compromise. If you are writing a set of instructions for installing a
water heater and you want those instructions to be easily understood by people who
 speak only Spanish, you will need more time and a bigger budget to have the document
translated, and it will be longer and thus a little bit harder to use, for both English and
Spanish speakers. You might need to save money by using smaller type, smaller pages,
and cheaper paper, and you might not be able to afford to print it in full color. In
technical communication, you do the best you can with your resources of time,
information, and money. The more carefully you think through your options, the better
able you will be to use your resources wisely and make a document that will get the job
done.
 
END of LESSON

 Introduction to lesson 2
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
 Identify the different types of technical writing;
 Reflect on the given example of technical document;
 Enumerate the qualities of technical communicator; and 
 Recognize the basic principles of good technical writing
 
INTRODUCTION
                              
In the first week of your module, it was clearly discussed what technical communication
is. So, we will just have a recap of its definition. When we say technical writing, it is a
form of written communication – especially in engineering and other applied sciences in
– which scientific, business, and legal ideas, concepts, and data are presented in an
objective, accurate, and logical manner. Is it also defined as the practice of
documenting processes, such as software manuals or instructional materials. In short,
technical writing is a type of writing where the author is writing about a particular
subject that requires direction, instruction, or explanation. With the different definitions
of Technical Writing, we are going to discuss the Types of Writings in Technical
Professions

Types of Technical Writing

TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITINGS

1. Traditional Technical Writing- While traditional technical writing sounds broad, pieces

of content within this category are specifically written for professional audiences. These
 experts rely on traditional technical writing for targeted research papers, programming
guidelines, and repair manuals.

1.
a. Science and Medical Papers- Research results can be hard to explain, so scientists
collaborate with technical writers to interpret and organize findings. These papers act as
learning resources for practitioners to understand procedures and results. As with any
form of research, technical writers ensure that proper credibility is given in the text.
b. Professional Reports and Review- In addition to writing for scientists and doctors,
technical writers assist in creating reports for business growth and educational
institutions. Examples of professional reports include project and business status
reports, legal case reviews, and personnel activity reports.
2. End-User Documentation- Almost every product you purchase has a written explanation
of operation. These “how-to” pieces are written to help users understand and operate
products correctly. Since end-user documentation requires clear and concise instruction,
it’s important to create content that breaks down technological terms to layman’s
terms.

1.
a. User Help Guides- When software product users have questions that
needs specific answers, they turn to user help guides. These are written
to provide clear and sensible answers to common questions that may
develop as use of software programs continue. User help guides are
broken down into sections depending on the type of ‘help’ needed –
allowing users to read ahead or re-read information to make their
understanding of a product stronger.EXAMPLE:         

b. Product Manuals- Product manuals are those small booklets that highlight a product’s
main features, general maintenance, and basic operation. It contains written guidelines
informing the audience how to use a certain product.
EXAMPLE:
      

c.  Assembly Guidelines
- Since assembly guidelines tell users how to physically set up a product, technical
writers are responsible for writing clear and user-friendly, step-by-step instructions. It’s
important for these instructions to be written in a way that ensure users can accurately
assemble products.
EXAMPLE:
 3.  Technical Marketing Content
-Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and
distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly
defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. The primary
goal of marketing content, is to convince the reader to buy a product or service.

1.
1.
a. Brochures- Brochures take users to a deeper level of understanding and appeal through
clear descriptions, functions, and uses of a product. It is intended to provide customers
with additional information on corporate offerings, and are used by sales personnel to
persuade customers to purchase a product. The brochure – also called a data sheet,
product brief or solution brief – describes the main features of the product, any
specifications for its use and is usually accompanied by either a picture of the product
or an architectural design, illustrating the solution.
EXAMPLE:
  
 

 Basic Principles of Good Technical Writing

We are done with the different types of technical writing needed in a specific
profession. Now, are to move on to our next topic which is about the Basic Principles of
Good Technical Writing. Have you ever wonder how do technical writers write direct
and specific instructions? What principles do they follow to make technical writings?
What are the qualities of technical writer to make a good technical instructions?
 
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GOOD TECHNICAL WRITING

Technical writing is one of the most important elements of a company's customer

support strategy, and these five principles that technical writers must bear in mind to
be successful. Inattention to any of these five areas often leads to a substandard
document and dissatisfaction on the client end.
 
Mills and Walter (1980: 13-14) identified the basic principles as follows:

1.
1.
1. Always bear in mind a specific reader, real or imaginary, when you are writing a report;
and always assume that he is intelligent but uninformed.
 An awareness of who is going to read a user guide, the knowledge gap that the user
guide is filling and the delivery method of the guide all play important roles.
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 and makes it at the right time.  
 Before beginning any writing task, the writer analyzes audience and identifies the
purpose for the document. The writer asks following questions about the audience:*
 Who will read the document?* What are their biases?* What are technical writer’s
ethical responsibilities when communicating this to audience?
 With regard to purpose, technical writers ask: what should this document accomplish?
What should it do? Should it:* Inform* Request* Instruct* Suggest* Order* Report*
Reply* Analyse/ critique* Compare
3. Use language that is simple, concrete, and familiar.
 Different types of writing have different audiences, and each audience has its own
linguistic needs, which the writer respects with tone and word choice.
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 to look at.
 

Characteristics or Properties of Technical Writing

After knowing the basic principles in technical writing, I know that you are pondering on the
question, “How can I make my technical written work attractive? What are the features needed
to make a technical document accurate to its audience?” Let us answer all your questions by
discussing our next topic!
 
CHARACTERISTICS OR PROPERTIES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
The following descriptive words sum up all the characteristics or properties of
technical writing that experts or authoritative people named in the book (Technical
Writing in this Era Globalization and Modern Technology) clearly expressed in their
books.
ACCURATE
A technical written work is accurate when it deals with the facts that are
completely true, instead of things whose identity, appearance, or measurements are so
difficult to determine. An accurate report uses words, sentences, numbers, or figures
that exactly express what the written work intends to convey (Bantin, 2008). It avoids
the frequent use of expressions for hedging such as may, perhaps, maybe, seem,
apparently, would, etc. Using an expression that conveys one and only one meaning
instead of an ambiguous term with multiple meaning will help readers get an easy and
quick understanding of the whole composition (Ling, 2004).
CLEAR
Your written work is clear if, on one reading, your readers are able to get a quick
understanding of the main message or point of the whole composition. You can easily
achieve this if you always remember that clear writing always results from clear
thinking, as well as from the use of simple, concise, specific, and grammatically correct
language structures. How the person around you express themselves or how you
 express the ideas as they come to your mind serves as your guide or pattern in writing
things on the paper.
For the sake of clarity, it is important too, that you apply in your work all the
principles of good sentence construction like parallelism, consistency of tense, dangling
modifiers, split infinitive, choppy sentences, run-on sentences, comma splice,
wordiness, and so on. Applying the qualities of a good paragraph writing such as unity,
coherence, and emphasis are likewise essential to making your technical written work
appear clear to your readers. (Gustavi, 2008; and Marsh, 2005)
FORMAL
In technical writing, you cannot just write anything you like in any way you want
on your writing paper, because some writing standards underlie the structure, pattern,
format, and language of this kind of writing. You have to adhere to these agreed upon
technical writing rules because your readers judge the value or reputation of your
output based on the how you conform to the conventions governing this kind of writing.
 
GRAPHICAL
Graphs like tablets, charts, figures, diagrams, maps, pictures, and other
illustrations are absolutely necessary in technical writing. This is so because this kind of
writing deals with topics that are technical; meaning, it deals with things appealing only
to certain group of people, or uses words expressing specialized meanings or ideas
known only to a specific set of people. Considering that this nature of technical writing
makes the technical work not readable to all types of readers in this world, you then
have to include in your work non-prose materials like graphs to stress, clarify, simplify,
or sum up ideas which you textually present in your written compositions. (Bertoline,
2009)
OBJECTIVE
This characteristic of technical writing is shown by any written work of yours that
avoids revealing your individual thinking, personal meaning, or emotional attitude about
your subject matter. Whatever understanding you have about your written work comes
from outside yourself; meaning, from the results of your environmental observations or
sensory experiences. Avoiding to include in your technical paper, your inner thoughts,
sentiments or feelings means adopting an impartial or impersonal stand or attitude
towards what you’ve written.
This is what others call as the “You Attitude” or “Scientific Attitude”, whereby, in
your writing, your focus is on your reader’s point of view rather than on your
views as the writer. The following are some ways to maintain an objective or
impersonal tone your technical written work.

1.
1.
1.
1. Use passive voice instead of active voice structures.
2. Use third-person point of view by using words like his/her, they, or the user, instead of
the personalized first person point of view like I, We, Me, Ours, and the like.
3. Downplay the subject or personal nature of the text by avoiding the use of emotive
words like dissatisfied, uninteresting, or undignified.
However, some experts with the modern view on technical writing argued that
adopting a modern view of technical writing means humanizing technical writing;
that is, feeling free to use personal pronouns to arouse the readers’ involvement
or interest in what they are reading.
PRACTICAL
Technical writing is practical if it results in a written output that you can apply,
use, or carry out in your day-to-day living. It does not mainly deal with scenarios or
situations that you can just imagine or ponder on, but also tackles up things you can
practice in your everyday life situations like designing, constructing, repairing, selling,
travelling, buying, bidding, inquiring, cooking, painting, and many others.
PROCEDURAL
Being a formal and scientific way of writing whereby rules or conventions
determine the appropriateness of your written output, technical writing adheres to a
particular course of writing acts. It presents facts and information in a systematic or
methodical manner. Here, you act like a scientist following a certain procedure or a
step-by-step method in proving your point about your subject matter. For instance, first
you have to identify and analyse your problem, collect data about it, and present your
conclusions, discoveries, or findings about the object of your study.
SPECIAL
Writing something to cater to a specific set of people rather than to any group of
people using expressions quite understandable and familiar only to this specific set of
readers, not to all kinds of people, is what makes technical writing special. Inclined to
be exclusive and selective of its topic, language, methodology, and readers, this kind of
writing is special, unique, or extra different from the other modes of writing.
DIVERSIONARY
Considering technical writing as on-the-job writing that is prone to extensive
exposure to multicultural clients, co-workers, cross-cultural or multilingual
communication brought about by globalization through the internet or the Email, you
come to think of this kind of writing as one that will lead you to various topic, ideas,
people, methodologies, concerns, purposes, formats, language, etc. It has some
aspects or features that are as diverse or varied as the different kinds of jobs available
to all kinds of people all over the world. Though (Perkins, 2008) argued that
intercultural communication is the “highest art and science of human communication,”
your technical writing acts must always be “sensitive to pitfalls” or hidden dangers
arising from diversities in a multi-cultural environment. (Canavor, 2010)
STRAIGHTFORWARD
A straightforward manner of writing means presenting knowledge or ideas
honestly and directly. Unlike these other ways of writing – literary and expository
writing that permit the writer to hide some meanings through figurative language –
technical writing brings out things in frank, unequivocal, or clear-cut way. Metaphorical,
idiomatic, or circuitous expression of ideas has no place in technical writing because
your immediate purpose as a technical writer is to persuade your readers to say “yes”
instantly to what you have written.
Hence, to realize this objective, the language of your written work has to be
direct, specific, and simple enough to make you and your readers come to terms with
you immediately. The use of complex, highfalutin or pretentious words demands longer
time for the reader to think or decide about the effectiveness of your offer. This
consequently hampers or delays the decision-making power of any person you want to
agree with what you have written.  
AUTHORITATIVE
To describe technical writing as authoritative is to think of it as one clothed with
full rights, powers, and influence to do a thing, to command or be obeyed, or to enforce
something on any one. The authority or power that you technical writing may wield
over your reader springs form the fact that the contents of your output does not mainly
come from your our intelligence but also from other people’s expertise, knowledge, and
experience that could command respect or belief.
Proofs of the authoritativeness of your technical paper are the properly cited and
documented ideas of knowledgeable writers of technical writing books in your work,
specifically, the in-text citations, footnotes, and bibliographical entries in your paper.
Another proof is the reality that you are the creator of the paper, and, such as, you
have an idea of the extent of its excellence, and have the full control over the quality,
kind, or extent of ideas to go into your paper, including the way you react to inquiries
about your output.
PRESENTABLE
The physical appearance of a technical writing output somehow mirrors the
person who produced such kind of paper. A dirty-looking technical written work
diminishes its power, influence or authoritativeness. So, if you want your technical
paper to have a strong impact on the reader or to elicit an immediate and positive
response from him, see to it that your written work is free from any grammatical and
typographical errors. Present it nearly whether it is handwritten, typewritten, or
computerized.
The layout, order, or placement of the various parts of your work likewise makes
your work presentable. In addition, focusing your attention on these basic elements of
 a written prosaic work; margin, spacing, punctuation marks, size/style of the letter, and
quality/size of the stationery or bond paper contributes a lot to making your entire
composition presentable or capable of getting serious and favourable attention from
your readers.

QUALITIES OF A TECHNICAL WRITER

In view of these properties and principles of technical writing, the technical writer
should possess the following basic qualification:

1. Adequate knowledge of the subject matter.

2. Ability to compile information.
3. Ability to organize facts or ideas.
4. Ability to analyze and synthesize.
5. Ability to learn and use specialized vocabularies.
6. Ability to write at the reader’s comprehensive level.
7. Ability to use the inductive and deductive methods of reasoning.
8. Accuracy of language.
9. Objectivity in presenting facts and issues.
10. Ability to write concise prose.
11. Ability to determine the effectiveness of words, sentences, and paragraphs.
12. Ability to conform to the code of ethics in the technical writing professions.
 
END of LESSON 2
 

 Week 3 Learning Resources and Assessment

Continue

Introduction
At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. analyze the different characteristics of technical communication;

2. recommend other characteristics of technical communication; and
3. rewrite and proofread faulty sentences.

 
 
This module presents the different properties/characteristics of technical
communication. Each characteristic provides steps on how to achieve a good technical
work in a clear and understandable manner. 
These properties or characteristics will surely help you to develop your technical writing
skills towards learning how to write different technical works such as business letters,
application letters, progress reports, among others.
With the goal of this course, that is, to teach you to write quality reports in the future.
Understanding the properties or characteristics of technical communication is really
important in comprehending on how these are used in technical world.

Characteristics of Technical Communication Style - 01

LESSON PROPER:
The theory of Jerome Borowick on technical writing has five (5) hallmarks, to wit:
objective, clear, concise, and convincing. He believed that these hallmark must be
accomplished when the style is descriptive and qualitative. Paul M. Zall, in his book
titled “Elements of Technical Report Writing,” discussed the different characteristics of
well-written technical works. He named these properties as the ABC’s of technical
writing.
 
ACCURACY
A technical work is considered accurate when it presents facts that are completely true.
For instance, misplaced decimal point of your grades could make years of labor
worthless; a misstated fact could create misinformation. One error in calculation, one
illogical statement can make the whole report doubtful. That is why every statement
must undergo copy-editing or proofreading to check accuracy of statements, texts,
numbers, and figures. A technical work must also avoid frequent use of expressions for
hedging such as may, perhaps, maybe, seem, apparently, among others.

 
In order to come up with error-free written works, you have to demonstrate a strong
“attention-to-detail” skill. This skill refers to the ability to achieve accuracy and
thoroughness when accomplishing a certain task. For example, during your internship,
your supervisor assigned you to write a report but you submitted your work with a lot of
mistakes. Read and re-read your work before submitting so that your work will
completely devoid of errors. Check mistakes on spelling, grammar and punctuation.
 
BREVITY
In technical communication, technical papers must be short or brief. It also makes use
of concise expressions. A good technical writer should begin with his/her main points
and then show why it is sound. Emphasizing the highlights of your work, cutting out
irrelevant comments as well as immaterializing excursions and meaningless statements
are highly recommended and observed.

 
Brevity is considered as the striking feature of any written communication. This feature
can be achieved by avoiding wordiness and repetition; thus, writing enables you to
arrive quickly of what you want to convey in a clear and understandable manner.
 
 
 
Below listed are the ways on how to achieve brevity in writing.
        a. Using key words to hold attention

This method helps the reader to skim for better information.

Example: My account balance got deducted because of activation Spotify. I did not
request for the subscription. (18 words)
Correct: Unauthorized subscription of Spotify caused balanced deduction in my
account. (11 words)
b. Stating important information first
Readers get convinced when they have the reason first.
Apply this idea in writing:
Bring ‘because’ part to the front; delete because; add ‘so’ to
the last sentence
Example: We need more classrooms because the University’s enrolment is increasing.
Correct: The University’s enrolment is increasing. So, we need more classrooms.
 
c. Delete over-polite phrases
Example: With due regards, we would like to state that the schedule of examination has
been cancelled.
Correct: The schedule of examination has been cancelled.
d. Delete repetitions
We remove repetition through:
1. Using umbrella terms (mobiles, laptops, iPads = electronic devices)
Example: All examinees are instructed to bring their receipt of examination fee and
identification card on the day of board examination. They would not be allowed to enter
the testing rooms if they do not have receipt of examination fee and identification card.
 Correct: All examinees are instructed to bring their receipt of examination fee and
identification card on the day of board examination. They would not be allowed to enter
the testing rooms if they do not have these documents
 
2. Using pronouns to replace nouns
Example: The SHS principal has called a meeting at 2:00 pm. The venue is SHS
principal’s meeting room.
Correct: The SHS principal has called a meeting at 2:00 pm. The venue is
in her meeting room.
 
3. Using abbreviations for technical terms when used twice in statements.
Example: The Dean of Student Affairs and Services said that the Electronic Voting
Machines were bugged. However, bugging an Electronic Voting Machines is highly
technical and costly.
Correct: The Dean of Student Affairs and Services said that the Electronic Voting
Machines were bugged. However, bugging an EVM is highly technical and costly.
 
e. Cross out Redundancies
Example: Please meet me at 3 pm in the afternoon.
Correct: Please meet me at 3 pm.
 
f. Cut out lengthy phrases

Example: The Office of the Dean of the Student Affairs and Services is in close
proximity to the Good Shepherd Chapel.
 Correct: The Office of the Dean of the Student Affairs and Services is near  the Good
Shepherd Chapel.
   List of lengthy phrases and their corrections:

1. due to the fact that – because

2. In accordance with – according to
3. With regard to – regarding
 
COHERENCE
Coherence refers to the logical togetherness of the material. Sentences, paragraphs
and groups of paragraph hold together by means of appropriate transitional devices.
Coherence is an essential quality of a good written technical work. Without cohesion,
the reader will not understand the main points that you are trying to make. It also
hampers readability.
Cohesion necessarily precedes coherence. Cohesion is achieved when sentences are
connected at the sentence level, whereas coherence is achieved when ideas are
connected.

Coherence also means as “clarity of expression.” Using simple transitions such as in
addition, additionally, furthermore, therefore, thus, on the contrary, by the same token,
at the same time, in other words, etc. is one of the strategies in ensuring coherence in
technical writing.
Other strategies are: 1) write sentences that flow by varying the lengths and structures,
the use of correct punctuation, and broadening your word choices; 2) Repeat your
keywords but be careful of excessive repetition; 3) Repeat sentence structures, which is
used as a rhetorical technique rather than cohesion to highlight parallelism between
sentences; and 4) Start every sentence or paragraph with information that hints at the
content of the next sentence
 
 
CONFIDENCE
As a writer or speaker, you have to display a sense of certainty of the things you write
and tell. You must not use “perhaps” and “maybe’s” and other forms of needless
hedging and qualifying since you know more about your subject. If you are hundred
sure, say it; if you are not, then go back and analyze where the problem lies and correct
it.
 
DIGNITY
In technical communication, as a writer or speaker, you need formality with respect to
words and the way words are used. It refers to the quality of being honored, esteemed
and worthy by using straightforward expression as well as with simplified, summarized
and well-organized information.
Grammatical constructions should be complete. Pronouns like “which” and “that” should
be used.
For example: The CHED Commissioner informs students that classes in higher
education institutions will commence on September 15, 2020 and not The CHED
Commissioner informs students classes in higher education institutions will commence
on September 15, 2020. Contractions like don’t, can’t, won’t, didn’t and others be
avoided.
 
EMPHASIS
Stressing major points is major role of a technical writer. You should tell your readers
what is important and lead him from point to point by using a straightforward style,
plenty of guideposts and transitional aids.
 
FACILITY
Facility is making the report easy to read. For facility, report writing should observe
pacing, sequence, arrangement and continuity.

GRAMMATICAL CORRECTNESS
 In technical communication, grammatical correctness is a must. As a writer, you need
to make your writing straightforward, logical and clear. Following the basic rules of
grammar is equally important. Below is the technical writing guide of Michigan State
University (2007).
Parallel Structure
 Parallel structure means using the same form for words that have the same level
of importance in a sentence or for a list of items that are joined by a coordinating
conjunction, such as “and” or “or.”
The scientist collected, dried, and weighed the samples.
When preparing bulleted or numbered lists use the same word type (i.e., all
nouns, all verbs) and maintain parallel structure. If the listed items complete the
introduction grammatically, place a period at the end of every line. Capitalize the first
word in a bulleted or numbered list.
 
Subjects and Verbs
It is important for text to flow smoothly. Subject and verb quality and agreement are
essential and allow the reader to move through the text. To ensure the reader
understands the intended meaning, abide by the following subject and verb rules and
use the correct verb tense.
 
Active and Passive Voice
Take responsibility by writing in active voice; use passive voice only when it is
appropriate for emphasis or when you lack information.
 Active voice distinctly identifies the subject and the action taken by the subject. The
passive voice indicates that the subject receives, rather than performs, the action.
The sound’s reverberation struck the walls.
 Passive voice changes the position of the previous subject into an indirect object and
focuses the sentence on what receives the action, the walls: The walls were struck by
the sound's reverberation.
 When the active voice is appropriate, use it to create concise, energetic text. Only use
the passive voice when it is appropriate to say that an action is done to the subject.
The final project was finished by the team. (passive)
The team finished the final project. (active)
 
Cases of Pronouns

1. Nominative Pronouns: Used as a subject in the sentence (I, we, you, he, she, it, who,
and they): Mary and I will attend.
The guard who let us in checked our identification.
 
2. Objective Pronouns: Used as objects of verbs or prepositions (me, us, you, him, whom,
and them): He questioned Susan and me about the copyright. Whom did you ask?
 

3. Possessive Pronouns: Used to show possession or ownership (my, mine, our, your, his,
her, theirs, its, whose, etc.): The Swartz Company may lose its best customer.
 
Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement

1. A pronoun and its antecedent must agree in number. Examine the various constructions
of compound antecedents and the proper protocol in the examples below.
The owner is concerned about sales, but they will rebound.
The President or his advisers should devote part of their time to this issue.
 

2. A parenthetical expression that appears between an antecedent and a pronoun does

not influence the form of the pronoun used.
The accountant, rather than any of the other officers, will be asked for his or her
opinion of this purchase.
 

3. If the antecedent is a collective noun that refers to a group as a single unit, a singular
pronoun is needed. Company names are generally considered to be collective nouns.
Stein & Smith has sold its Chicago properties.
 

4. For clarity, make pronoun usage clear and understandable by avoiding vague
references.
I worked hard on the experiment, and it was difficult.
Does the writer want us to consider the experiment as difficult, the work that was
done as difficult, or that it was difficult to work hard?
 
Compound Words
A compound word conveys a unit that is not as clearly conveyed by separate words.

1. Use a hyphen to connect elements of compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-

nine and in adjective compounds with a numerical first element. The hyphen not only
unites but also separates the component words.
 Example: 7-hour day, 3-inch ruler, eighty-five.
 

2. Use a hyphen after the “e” to designate “electronic”: e-mail, e-commerce, e-article
 

3. Omit the hyphen when words appear in regular order and the omission of the hyphen
causes no confusion in sound or meaning.
Example: palm oil, eye opener, living costs
 

4. Use a hyphen for clarification when four nouns appear in a row.

Example: A sand-filtered purification system. The end-of-year report
 
Capitalization

1. Capitalize the name of a particular person, place, or thing, as well as an adjective that
refers to a specific name.
Canada/Canadian, Tibetan Alpacas
 

2. Capitalize descriptive names that are substituted frequently for the real proper names.
the Windy City, Honest Abe 10
 

3. Capitalize brand names and trademarked names.

Palmolive soap, Maxwell House coffee
 

4. Generally capitalize a noun that is followed by a number or letter used to identify a unit
or division.
Lot 14, Tract 833, Volume III, Chapter 8, Policy No. 12345, Catalog No. 214.
 

5. Capitalize the names of courses of study only if they are derived from proper nouns.
English, shorthand, history, German, Business Mathematics 121
 
6. Unless a comma intervenes, capitalize titles that precede names; generally, do not
capitalize those that follow names.
I have never met Congressman Nelson.
I have never met our congressman, Tim Nelson.
Professor Swartz did the research.
 

7. A name that indicates a family relationship is usually capitalized unless a noun or a

pronoun in the possessive case precedes it.
Uncle Ralph, Mother My aunt Millie, my mother
 

8. The names for the points of the compass and their derivatives are capitalized when
used to name regions, but not when used to indicate directions.
This sweater was made in the East. Turn west on M-20.
 

9. Capitalize the name of a season or the word "nature" only if it is spoken of as if it were
human. Old Man Winter left a foot of snow; our spring suits are on sale.
 

10. All words except articles (a, an, the), conjunctions, and short prepositions are
capitalized in names or titles that consist of more than one word. Do not capitalize "the"
if it precedes the name of an organization but is not actually a part of that organization's
name.
Official Draft of the NBA; the Eastman Kodak Company
 

11. Do not capitalize classes

(freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior), degrees (doctorate, doctor's, master's,
bachelor's, baccalaureate), or seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter), unless they
appear at the beginning of a sentence or in a headline.
 

12. Readability studies have shown that text is more easily read when in lower case as
opposed to all caps. When too many words are capitalized, they lose their importance.
Emphasis is achieved more effectively by using various font styles and sizes.
 
 Numbers as Words

1. Generally spell out isolated numbers from one to ten.

The discussion lasted for ten minutes.
 

2. Unless emphasizing them, spell out indefinite numbers that may be expressed in one or
two words. Approximately thirty appliances were damaged.
 

3. Spell out a number that introduces a sentence. If the number is long, recast the
sentence to avoid awkwardness. Twenty people attended the lecture.
 

4. Spell out common fractions that are used alone. However, use figures in writing a mixed
number. He refused to accept his one-fourth share. The hike was 10 ½ miles long.
 

5. When two numbers come together, express one in figures and the other in words. As a
rule, spell the first number unless the second number is a significantly shorter word; i.e.,
Sixty $5 bills or 500 four-page booklets.
 

6. When rounding numbers, spell out million or billion to make reading easier. This tax
legislation will increase revenue by $7 million.
 
Numbers – Text or Digits

1. Generally use numerals to express all exact numbers above ten.

The corporate file has been missing for 31 days.
 

2. Use the written form of a number for values 10 and below except to express market
quotations, dimensions, temperature, decimals, street numbers, pages and divisions of
a book, time, weights and measures, and identification numbers.
The experiment had three independent variables staged at 5, 10, and 15 degrees
Kelvin.

3. If several numbers in a sentence perform similar functions, express them uniformly. If

one is written as a figure, write all as figures.
 The inventory shows 21 ranges, 9 refrigerators, 37 washers, and 10 dryers. The
32 tables sold in five days. (The numbers do not perform similar functions.)

Characteristics of Technical Communication Style - 02

HONESTY
Honesty in writing acknowledges the use of other’s information or work either in
footnotes or in text. Honestly also involves reporting of your own mistakes and failures
as well as successes in the hope that it will provide a clue for some researcher working
on a similar subject from different angle.
 
ILLUSTRATION
Illustrations (visuals or graphics in books) such as charts, graphs, diagrams and photos
are helpful in technical communication. These are used to clarify or support the text, to
summarize detailed and complex data or to simplify a complicated concept.
It can also be used to show a situation, a trend, or a movement. Illustration aids should
be referred somewhere in the text and should bear a caption referring directly to the
discussion they are supporting.
These illustration aids are used for data visualization. People will understand the report
easily by using then correctly. For example, pie graph is used for distribution and line
graph is used to determine a trend.
 
JUDGMENT
Evidence in technical communication is the body of facts or data gathered and used by
the writer to develop a report. The best evidence is that which is 1) most ample; 2) most
pertinent; 3) most simple in explaining the facts with least additional evidence; and 4)
most in harmony with the rest of the available evidence. Evidence can be used as a
basis for judgment (as in conclusions and recommendation) should be included in the
report.
 
KNOWLEDGE
The communication of knowledge is one of the chief functions of report writing.
Collection of data involves interpretation and the formulation of conclusions. Without
interpretation, data could remain useless.
 
LOGIC
Logic is thinking straight. It is chiefly a process of classification, putting things in their
proper places. Thus, there are certain trouble spots to avoid: 1) statements must not
contradict each other; 2) words must be used in a consistent sense; 3) statements must
make sense; 5) judgments must not be based on too few data; 6) cause and effect
should be clearly distinguished from simple sequence; 7) conclusions should not be
inferred if they have no connection with the data; 8) an authority should not be accepted
if he is biased and not an in particular field.
 
MECHANICAL NEATNESS
Mechanical Neatness involves putting the report in perfect shape – neatly typed and
well marginalized. Also, the use of frequent headings, subheadings and indentations
helps to make the organization of the content clear. Your report should also be free from
typographical errors, crossings-out, smudges and the like. A clean report shows that
you care enough to send the best.
 
NORMAL PROCEDURE
 
Normal procedure is conformity to standard practices, making the report easier to
understand. Report readers are used to finding information presented in standard
fashion. If you depart from the standard procedure, the reader may find report confusing
and unnerving and may be unsympathetic no matter how good the material is. If you
want to deviate from the standard way, you must re-educate the reader and explain the
change in the introduction, giving sound reasons for doing so.
 
 
OBJECTIVITY
Objectivity is the writer’s assuming a detached, impartial point of view. It involves writing
in the manner of a disinterested (not uninterested) second party. Reports must avoid the
use of person (I, me and my) except in short informal reports. By doing so, this indicates
that the work is team or company rather than individual activity.
 
QUALIFICATION
Qualification is explaining the circumstances surrounding your work because they might
have affected the results you are reporting. Modern scientific thinking  is based on the
concept of change – what is true at a given time may no longer be true when that time
has passed. As you report your results, you are saying “This is true under the given
condition.” The scientific reader wants to know what these conditions were because he
would like to decide for himself whether your work is valid or not. You should also
describe what factors were constant and what factors were variable as you worked.
 
 STRAIGHT SENTENCES
Sentences carry the full weight of meaning in report. Each paragraph begins with a
statement of its subject (topic sentence). The succeeding sentences have direct bearing
on the first one. All sentences proceed straight ahead, the subject coming first followed
by the verb. It is a good idea to limit a sentence to one idea or two closely related ideas.
Transitional aids from sentence to sentence will enable the reader to follow your thought
and also provide straightforward movement leading him where you want him to go. The
chief thing to strive for is movement so that sentences  move straight ahead.
 
THOROUGHNESS
Thoroughness is treating your subject fully for your report to have lasting value. It
extends throughout the report writing project from initial thinking to final submittal You
can achieve thoroughness by: 1) preparing a checklist of requirements in the planning
stage, 2) marking off each requirement as it is fulfilled, and 3) using the checklist again
in the revision stage for a final check.
 
UNITY
Unity implies that all details and facts in the report are clearly relevant to the main point
under discussion. One way to check unity is to read critically read as you go along,
asking “What has this to do with the subject?” Another mechanical check is to draw a
line from the subject of a paragraph to the subject of the next and succeeding
paragraphs. A third check is to prepare headings for each paragraph and then list them
in outline form. A unified report satisfies the reader.
 
VERACITY
Veracity means truthfulness. Truth is the soul of science. This, good technical writing
never misleads or mispresents. It sticks to facts. It does not indulge in evasion,
equivocation, or shifting the issue. It is chiefly concerned with reporting the facts, no
more, no less.
 
VIEWPOINT
A report is written from a certain viewpoint – that of reporter, teacher, researcher, or the
like. The viewpoint is established with the first sentence and should be maintained
throughout the report. Thus, if you begin talking like a professor, stick with that voice to
the end.
 
WORD CHOICE
You are the report writer, an expert or specialist. But your reader is not always a
specialist like you; he may be a non-specialist or a layman. It is safe to assume;
however, that he is a semi-specialist who has sense to grasp the meaning of
specialized words from the context or he will look them up in technical dictionary.
Technical words, therefore, may be used in technical report. But you must avoid
pompous, ornate words, and specially vague words. Be precise as you can; if you mean
24 samples say “24 samples” and not “a couple of dozen.” If you mean the part could
not be used because it rusted, say “The part was rusted beyond use,” rather than “The
part was not used due to rust.”
 
YOU-POINT
Technical writing is writing exclusively for an intended reader. You should have an
accurate knowledge of the reader’s comprehension level, experience, needs and
training and think of pacing and timing. Present your information in segments
appropriate to the reader’s knowledge and needs. Get into the habit  of going from the
simple to complex, from the known to the unknown, the familiar to the unfamiliar, the
nontechnical to technical. Do not smother the reader with details, but show him main
ideas occasionally. Above all, avoid overwriting.
 
ZEST
Report writing involves thinking and working, which may not be easy to do but have to
be done. The activity need not to be painful if you write as though you were performing
a service that only you can perform and feel that you are writing something worth saying
and that you enjoy doing it. The report writing activity indeed should be characterized by
zest or hearty enjoyment. If you get tired or bored, take a break, go for a walk, read a
book, or get some sleep. Then, resume working with a fresh mind that could help bring
out the best result.

WEEK 4: Learning Resources and Assessments- PRELIM

Continue

Introduction to lesson 4
Lesson 4: The Language of Technical Writing

The Language of Technical Problems and Practical Problems Regarding Style in

Topic:
Technical Communication

Learning At the end of this module, you are expected to:

 1. Describe the style used in technical communication;
2. Identify the common problems regarding technical communication
Outcomes: style;
3. Discuss the different ways of achieving coherent, unified and concise
sentences; and
4. Revise incorrect sentence applying the different guidelines in
achieving effective sentences
A technical communications writing style is (almost always) concise, precise,
direct, and well organized. Writing style is something you must be aware of and
continually work to refine as you develop your communication skills. A technical
communications writing style prioritizes the efficient transfer of information—this may
be a change from the types of writing you have done in the past. “High school writing”
is more typically descriptive expository essays with a length requirement. Technical
communication asks you to document information and communicate it in a concise,
precise, and professional way. 
Technical Writing is easily distinguished from other types of writing because of
its language. Giving a particular attention to the language of technical writing is the
clearest way to differentiate this from other types of writing.
            Read not only by company members but by other people as well, any output of
technical writing has to use words that appeal to the intellect and emotions of all its
readers. Having effects on both mind and body of the reader, any technical written
work easily reaches its audience. This is possible through its use of language that is
simple, direct and specific. (Rubens, 2011)

The Language of Technical Writing and Practical Problems Regarding

Style in Technical Communication
The following techniques on using the right language for producing effective technical
reports:

1. Practice Conciseness
-Conciseness which means expressing oneself in the fewest number of words at the
same time retaining completeness in meaning is possible through the following
methods:

 Shortening words/phrases     
Wordy Phrases Shortened Forms
 Afford and opportunity Permit
As soon as possible By 8:00 am
At the present time Now
By means of By
Despite the fact that Although
Due to the fact that Because
In the final analysis Finally
In the proximity Near
In the near future Soon

 Substituting long and complex words with short simple

Long/Complex Words Short/Simple Words

Advantageous Helpful
Alleviate Lessen
Commence Begin
Discontinue Stop
Fabricate Make
Modification Change
Numerous Many
Utilization Use

 
 Avoiding nominalizations or the use of “camouflaged or shun words” (words ending in –
sion or –tion), replace them with active words
Nominalizations Active words

Come to the conclusion Conclude/decide

With the exemption of Except for
Make revisions Revise
Implementation of Implement
Investigation of the Investigate
Take consideration Consider
Assessment of Assess

 Omitting clichés, hackneyed, trite, old-fashioned, worn-out, expressions

Cliché Fresh/Natural Language

According to our records

Our record show
At all times
Always
As plain as day
Clear
At an early date
(specify the date)
Needless to say
Obviously
Thanking you in advance
I shall appreciate
This is to inform you
(say immediately what you wish to tell the reader)
We take this opportunity
(state your intention immediately)
Hoping to receive
I hope to receive
With your kind permission
May I

 Avoiding redundancies or words that say the same meaning

Don’t say Say
 In 2012
During the year of 2012
Like or for example
Like for example
New
New invention
Worked together
Collaborated together
Plan
Plan in advance
Why
The reason why
Monthly
Regular monthly status report
This is the way or this is
This the way how to
how
I mean to say
I mean or I say
Color green
green

 Avoiding expletives or sentences with no true subjects like sentences beginning with There
is, There are, Here is, It is, It has been, and many more
Don’t say Say

There are many customers at the lobby. Many customers are at…
There is a sharp tool on that table. A sharp tool is on that…
There will be a meeting tomorrow. A meeting will be…
It is requested that you stay. You are requested to…
Here is the answer of Mr. Lee The answer of Mr. Lee is…

 Cancel or drop extra wordsDo not say:

1. Allowing the agent’s request means the showing of all confidential documents.
2. I think that the checking of all records is important.
3. It is necessary for the customers that they have to surrender the receipts to the officer
in charge of the day in order to get a refund.
 Say:

1. Allowing the agent’s request means showing confidential documents.

2. I think checking of all records is important.
3. The customers have to surrender the receipts to the officer to get a refund.
2. Express your ideas in active voice rather than in passive voice.


Sentences in active voice stress the doer of the action; in passive voice, the receiver of
the action. At times, some prefer to use passive voice to prevent the frequent use of “I”
because the repeated use of this personal pronoun somehow indicates self-
centeredness, monotony, or repetitiveness. Between these two voices of verbs, many
technical writers find the use of active voice better this clearly recognizes the identity of
the person answerable for the act (Pearsall, 2010). According to Vanhauss (2005),
technical writing should be an “action-oriented style,” rather than be one with a great
deal of “hidden words.”
In addition, active voice should be used when it's important to emphasize the actor,
while passive should be used when it's more important to emphasize the action. Use
active when a particular action is required of someone or when the user/writer is
expected to complete a particular action; use passive when it's less important who or
what completed the action and more important that the action was completed.
Active voice example:
Here’s a short, active voice sentence:
The cat sat on the mat.
actor: The cat
verb: sat
target: the mat
Passive voice example:
By contrast, here's that same sentence in passive voice:
The mat was sat on by the cat.
target: The mat
passive verb: was sat
actor: the cat
 
3.  Use non-sexist instead of sexist language by expressing yourself in the following ways:
a. Use plural pronouns instead of single pronoun
Do not say

1. The technician has to show his I.D. card to the guard.

2. Each reporter should submit his monthly report on time.
Say:

1. The technicians have to show their I.D. cards to the guards.

2. Reporters should submit their work on time.
b. Using 2nd person point of view instead of 3rd person point of view.
Do not say:

1. She presented her proposal report on time.

2. The customer showed his receipt to the guard.

Say:

1. Present your proposal report on time.

2. Show your receipt to the guard.
     c. Using expressions like He or She – him or her. Avoid using a slash mark – He/She –
him/her. Others however find He or she – him or her wordy, hence they prefer using the
plural form – their, or the 2nd person point of view – you  
Do not say:

1. The customer explained her point to the manager.

2. The X-ray technician affixed his signature to the
document.
Say:

1. The customer explained his or her point to the manager.

2. The X-ray technician affixed his or her signature to the document.
4.  Avoid using words that explicitly favour one gender

Do not say: Say:

 Businessman Business person
Chairman Chairperson
Craftsman Artist, crafts person
Manpower Personnel
Mankind Humanity
Fireman Firefighter
Camera man Camera operator
Career girl Artist, Designer

5.  Avoid using jargons, gobbledygook, horse-and-buggy, verbal dead words

These expressions are long, pretentious, and high-sounding; words that have no
significant or necessary place in the sentence. Appearing complex, they work, to hide
the meaning of the term or make the writer sound learned or professional. Eliminate
these vogue expressions by substituting them with simple and easier terms. One good
rule of thumb in technical writing is: write to express, not to impress. This means that
you have to write the way you speak or use a conversational or casual language you
often use in you day-to-day interactions with people. (Guffey, 2005)
Jargons are technical terms commonly used by people belonging to the same field of
profession. Exclusively used by a specific set of persons like the lawyers, the physicians,
the engineers, or the businessmen, these terms do not sound familiar or
understandable to ordinary persons in society. Seemingly, the use of these terms works
to exclude laypersons from knowing what are happening in a company of experts or
specialists or of people belonging to one field of profession.
Examples:
Legal profession                      - habeas corpus, subpoena, status
quo, preliminary injunction
Business world                        - rebate, assets and liabilities,
amortization, mortgage, balance sheet
Medical world                               - stethoscope, hypertension,
differential diagnosis, formaldehyde
Computer world                           - user friendly, on-line adapter,
debug, quick-assess storage, scramble
time
Teaching profession                     - lesson plan, intrinsic
motivation, systematic functional
grammar, grade sheet
6.  Give careful attention to words and phrases that are commonly misused and misspell
 Example:

 Accept – to take something seriously

 Except – to exclude a rule or statement from a list
Let him accept those tools except the one with a red mark.

 Adapt – to adjust or to be in harmony with somebody.

 Adopt – to make a person own a thing belonging to another person.
If you are familiar with their culture, you can easily adapt yourself to their cultural
practices and will eventually make you adopt every aspect of their lifestyle in your long
exposure to this cultural group.

 Already – by this time or before a particular moment

 All ready – state of being fit or balanced for an immediate action or use
The company secretary has already sent a notice of meeting to all members who seem
to be all ready in discussing salient points in the general assembly.

 Between – a preposition for only two persons, things, or places

 Among – a preposition for three or more persons, places, or thing
Among all the imported products, the Japan-made item
placed between two big boxes appear qualitative.
 

 Affect – a verb used to men having an influence on another person or thing

 Effect – a result coming from a cause
The manager’s resignation will not affect the company’s business reputation, but may
have an effect on the economic standing of his family.

 Differ from – not the same in observation

 Differ with – not the same in opinion
As to size, the two differ from each other; as to their usefulness, the prospective buyers
of the machine differ from with one another.
 
END of LESSON 4
 Week-5. Learning Resources and Assessments- Prelim
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Introduction to lesson 5
Lesson 5: Special Techniques of Technical Communication: Methods of definition

Topic: Methods of Definition

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1.       Identify the different parts of a dictionary definition;

2.       Recognize formal, informal, and extended definition;
3.       Identify the three distinct parts for formal definition.
 
LEARNING CONTENT
Introduction:
The world of business and industry depends on clear definitions. Suppose you learn
that your school pays tuition and expenses for their student workers’ education. You
would need to study the student-benefits manual to understand just what the school
would pay for. Who, for instance, is a student worker? Is it anyone who works for the
school, or is it someone who has worked for the school part-time for at least six
uninterrupted months? What is tuition? Does it include miscellaneous fees or student
fees? What is a student worker’s education? Does a second course qualify? What, in
fact, constitutes education?
Definitions, then, are crucial in many kinds of technical communication, from brief letters
and memos to technical reports, manuals, and journal articles. All readers, from the
general reader to the expert, need effective definitions to carry out their jobs.

Methods of Definition
Lesson Proper :
 WHAT ENTERS YOUR MIND THE MOMENT YOU HEAR THE WORD
DEFINITION?

 
What is definition?

Definition is a way of giving or explaining the meaning of an abstract term or a concept.

It is derived from the Latin word finire (to limit); and de(from), the explanation it gives is
limited onl
y to what the reader need to know about the term to avoid confusion with other word
belonging to the same class to where the target word belongs.
When we define then, we are narrowing or limiting down the area of meaning of the
word which prevents you to attach other meaning to the other term. As Burnett says:
“definition that fits only the word; the word only fits the definition.”
Technical writing uses many scientific, technical or abstract terms and symbols that
appear complex and ambiguous. Unless you know who your readers will be and how
much they know about the subject, you cannot determine which terms to define or what
kind of definition to write. Physicists wouldn’t need a definition of entropy, but lawyers
might. Builders know what a molly bolt is, but many insurance agents don’t. When you
write for people whose first language is not English, definitions are particularly
important. So, the extent of explanations given to a word greatly depends on the
audience’s or reader’s background knowledge of the term or on their familiarity with the
word being defined.
Importance of Definition 

1. It gives the reader a clearer and easier understanding of the concept or idea enough to
encourage him to read continuously till the end of the text.
2. It explains ideas or concepts behind various innovations, methods, and techniques in
the field of technology.
3. It lessens the gap between technologically expert or “high-tech’ people and “low-tech”
people.
4. It frees a person from any confusing, or wrong understanding of a term.
5. It helps a company member do his job more efficiently towards a certain goal.
6. It makes many technical written work readable to all kinds of audience of readers.
7.
Placement of Definition in the Text
If you are writing a sentence definition or an extended definition, you need to decide
where to put it. The location of definition in a Technical Report is based on the following:
1.      The nature of the audience or the readers;
2.      The length of the definition;
3.      The purpose and lay out;
4.      The agreed rules and practices in an area of discipline.
 
Where in your technical report should you specifically place your definition of terms? A
definition is typically placed in one of these six locations:

1.
1. In the text. The text is an appropriate place for sentence definitions that many or most
of your readers will need and for extended definitions of important terms.
2.       In a marginal gloss. Sentence definitions placed in the margin are easy to see, and
they don’t interrupt readers who don’t need them.
3.       In a hyperlink. In a web page, definitions can be put in a separate file and
displayed.
4.       In a footnote. If definition is short, it should be put in the A footnote is a logical
place for an occasional sentence definition or extended definition. The reader who
doesn’t need it will ignore it. However, footnotes can slow readers down by interrupting
the flow of the discussion. If you think you will need more than one footnote for a
definition on every two to three pages, consider including a glossary.
5.      In a glossary. A glossary — an alphabetized list of definitions — can accommodate
sentence definitions and extended definitions of fewer than three or four paragraphs in
one convenient location. A glossary can be placed at the beginning of a document (for
example, after the executive summary in a report) or at the end, preceding the
appendixes.
6.      In an appendix. An appendix is appropriate for an extended definition of a page or
more, which would be cumbersome in a glossary or footnote.
 
Types of Definition
Your audience and purpose will also determine the length and formality of your
definitions. There are three basic types of definitions: parenthetical (Informal), one
sentence logical or Aristotelian (formal), and extended (Expanded or Amplified).

1. Informal Definition
A parenthetical definition is a brief clarification within an existing sentence. Sometimes,
a parenthetical definition is simply a word or phrase that is enclosed in parentheses or
commas or introduced by a colon or a dash. It is a sentence following another sentence.
This type of definition applies to general readers and it is also called a dictionary
definition because the meanings coming in the forms of individual words or phrases
written after the term look like list of words in the dictionary sequentially arranged
opposite in the target term.
 In the following examples, the term being defined is shown in italics, and the definition is
underscored:
The computers were infected by a Trojan horse (a destructive program that appears to
be benign).
Before the metal is plated, it is immersed in the pickle: an acid bath that removes scales
and oxides from the surface.
Parenthetical definitions are not meant to be comprehensive; rather, they serve as quick
and convenient ways of introducing terms. But make sure your definition is clear. You
have gained nothing if readers don’t understand it:
Next, check for blight on the epicotyl, the stem portion above the cotyledons.
Readers who need a definition of epicotyl are unlikely to know the meaning of
cotyledons. To solve this problem, think carefully about your readers’ understanding of
your subject before including technical terms specific to that subject.

2. Formal Definition
A sentence definition — Aristotelian and a one-sentence logical definition — is more
formal than a parenthetical definition.
Defining a term in a formal manner requires you to:

1.      Mention the term or species to be defined.

2.      Name the genus, group or class where such term belongs;
3.      Give the differentia to indicate its difference from other members
belonging to the class.
All these 3 elements – term, genus and differentia should be contained in one complete
sentence, not just in a phrase or a clause.
The term to be defined has to fall under a genus or class to exclude explicitly other
meanings that anyone may attach to the term. You need to determine and exactly name
the context or class to which the term belongs. This is because some words are
ambiguous or have multiple meanings.
 
A sentence definition usually follows a standard pattern: the item to be defined is placed
in a category of similar items and then distinguished from them.
ITEM                                      =                             CATEGORY          +            
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Crippleware                is                      shareware                                    in which
some features of the  
                                                                                                                program is
disabled until the user
                                                                                                                 buys a
license to use the program.
 
            Hypnoanalysis            is                     psychoanalytical                        in which
hypnosis is used to elicit
                                                                       technique                                   information
from a patient’s
                                                            
unconscious mind.
 
In many cases, a sentence definition also includes a graphic. For example, a definition
of an electron microscope would probably include a photograph, diagram, or drawing.
Writers often use sentence definitions to present a working definition for a particular
document: “In this report, electron microscope refers to any microscope that uses
electrons rather than visible light to produce magnified images.” Such definitions are
sometimes called stipulative definitions because the writer is stipulating how the term
will be used in the context of the document rather than offering a general definition of
the term.
Guidelines in giving a formal or one-sentence logical definition

1.  Give one and only meaning to the term.

2.      Put them in a genus or class that is familiar to your audience or readers.
3.      Prevent the reader from thinking of many comparable and containing features of the
term in relation to others by using a specific class rather than a general class.
4.      Use positive words in stating the differentia
5.      Avoid giving a bias or subjective definition by basing your explanation on facts or
universal truths rather than on your viewpoints or opinions.
6.      See to it that you do not commit any of the following errors in defining.
Erroneous ways of Defining a Term through the Formal Method
1.      Tautology or Circular definition
Definitions that merely repeat the key words or the distinguishing
characteristics of the item being defined in the category. The definition “A
required course is a course that is required” is useless: required of whom, by
whom?
2.      Analogy or Figurative definition
This erroneous definition just compares the word being define to other term
instead of giving additional information about the word.
3.      Negative or no-not definition
This definition simply presents in the sentence the term as the antithesis or
the opposite of another term. Remember that a good one-sentence logical
definition stresses the positive aspect of the term not its negative attributes.
 4.      Is where or is when definition
The use of where and when after the linking verb is does not compliment the
term. The where and when has to be changed to a word similar in rank or
class to the target term.
 Extended, Expanded or Amplified definition
 
An extended definition is a more detailed explanation — usually one or more
paragraphs — of an object, process, or idea. Often an extended definition begins with a
sentence definition, which is then elaborated. For instance, the sentence definition “An
electrophorus is a laboratory instrument used to generate static electricity” tells you the
basic function of the device, but it doesn’t explain how it works, what it is used for, or its
strengths and limitations. An extended definition would address these and other topics.
There is no one way to “extend” a definition. Your analysis of your audience and the
purpose of your communication will help you decide which method to use. In fact, an
extended definition sometimes employs several techniques which we are going to
discuss one by one here.
 
Some ways of expanding or extending a definition of a term:
 

1. Etymology or word derivation

Gives the origin of the term based on the country that has first introduced the
term to the world. Citing a word’s etymology, or derivation, is often a useful and
interesting way to develop a definition. The Oxford dictionary is the appropriate
material to use for etymological definitions.

2.      Historical definition
Historical definition stresses the development of the term. Mentioned in this
definition are people, places, and dates that played significant roles in the
existence of the word.

3.      Negation or elimination
A special kind of contrast is negation, sometimes called negative statement. Negation
clarifies a term by distinguishing it from a different term with which readers might
confuse it. The following example uses negation to distinguish the term ambulatory from
ambulance.
 An ambulatory patient is not a patient who must be moved by ambulance. On the
contrary, an ambulatory patient is one who can walk without assistance from another
person.
  Negation is rarely the only technique used in an extended definition; in fact, it is used
most often in a sentence or two at the start. Once you have explained what something
is not, you still have to explain what it is.

4.      Operating principle
Describing the principle of operation — the way something works — is an effective way
to develop an extended definition, especially for an object or a process. It is arranged
based on their time of occurrence and uses connectors such as: first, second, then,
next, soon, previously, lastly, finally, afterwards, before, and so on.

5.      Comparison-Contrast
Definition which makes you extend your explanation of a concept or a thing by
pointing out how such thing or concept is similar to or different from another
concept. Using comparison and contrast, a writer discusses the similarities or
differences between the item being defined and an item with which readers are
more familiar.
 
The following definition of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) contrasts this new
form of phone service to the form we all know
 
Voice over Internet Protocol is a form of phone service that lets you connect to
the Internet through your cable or DSL modem. VoIP service uses a device
called a telephony adapter, which attaches to the broadband modem,
transforming phone pulses into IP packets sent over the Internet.
 
VoIP is considerably cheaper than traditional phone service: for as little as $20
per month, users get unlimited local and domestic long-distance service. For
international calls, VoIP service is only about three cents per minute, about a
third the rate of traditional phone service. In addition, any calls from one person
to another person with the same VoIP service provider are free.
 
However, sound quality on VoIP cannot match that of a traditional land-based
phone. On a good day, the sound is fine on VoIP, but frequent users comment on
clipping and dropouts that can last up to a second. In addition, sometimes the
sound has the distant, tinny quality of some of today’s cell phones.
 
In this excerpt, the second and third paragraphs briefly compare VoIP and
traditional phone service. Notice that this passage is organized according to the
part-by-part comparison-and-contrast pattern.

6.      Analysis by Partitioning
Partitioning is the process of dividing a thing or an idea into smaller parts so that
readers can understand it more easily. The photo below uses partition to define the
components of a roof.
     7. Use of examples
Examples are particularly useful in making an abstract or difficult-to-explain term easier
to understand. The paragraph-length definition enumerates the many uses of one
concept in a particular context of life.
      8.Explication
The second, third or the succeeding sentences operate to give the meaning of some
difficult expressions used in the previous sentences. Its function is to unlock difficult
words to understand in the sentence.
      9.Operational definition
This definition means you explain the indispensable function or use of the thing in the
process, project or activity. This gives the emphasis to the role or use of the thing in a
particular activity.
     10. Stipulative definition
It is a way to extend the definition of a term by explaining the word based on a special
condition, a particular purpose, a requirement or a limitation affecting any agreement
between or among people. It assigns meaning to a word, sometimes without regard for
common usage. This term is often used in a pejorative sense to refer to a definition that
appears to be deliberately misleading. Stipulative definitions are also known as Humpty-
Dumpty words or legislative definitions.
  A Sample Extended Definition
The figure below is an example of an extended definition addressed to a general
audience.

 
*** END of LESSON 5***
 WEEK 6 LEARNING RESOURCES
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INTRODUCTION
Lesson 6: Description of a Process and Mechanism

1. Description of a Process
Topic: 2. Description of a
Mechanism

Learning At the end of this module, you are expected

Outcomes: to:

1. evaluate composition of sample technical descriptions;

2. write description of specific process in your field; and
3. write mechanism description of specific tool or device in your field of specialization.
 
LEARNING CONTENT
INTRODUCTION:
According to Holloway, description is a technical writing technique that uses words and
visuals towards creating a picture of a mechanism or a product. Words are important
instrument or capital in painting on the paper a vivid impression of the object of the
description. The power of words will help readers’ sense to have visualization of a
product as well as follow a specific process.
 
These writing tasks entail an explanation of how something works, how somethings is
done, or how something is made. With this, the knowledge in describing a process will
help technical writers as well as his/her readers perform certain things. Technical
descriptions can be found in almost all kinds of written communication such as technical
reports, business reports, training materials, service manuals, promotional materials
and the like. In this module, description of a “Process” and “Mechanism” will be tackled.
 

DESCRIPTION OF A PROCESS
Process description includes sequence, instructions and procedure. Process is a
description of materials, equipment and procedures. It also uses graphic materials to
show detailed presentation of a process. Technical writers also use sequence markers
such as first, second, then, next, subsequently, finally and at last to link sentences and
to follow the natural or mechanical system.
 
There are four Types of a Process, these are: 1) How it operates or how it works
process, 2) How to do it process, 3) How it happens process, and 4) How it is organized
process. In the first type of process, this process description focuses on the way things
function or operate. The second type of process gives emphasis on how you do a thing
or perform. This process type occurs in giving directions or instructions.
 
The third process type stresses the process itself. Some call this type as Process
Analysis.  Processes that you can subject to process analysis are food digestion,
earthquakes, water cycle communication process, among others. The fourth type of
process also happens when you write or talk about the way an organization or a schools
assign its faculty to a certain rank or position.
In adapting the description, it is important to consider the needs of the readers. The
writer should avoid many details and emphasize the broad outlines of the process if the
reader is interested only in acquiring a general knowledge of the principles involves and
has no intention to perform the process. A process description is organized as follows:

 
THE INTRODUCTION
            The introduction of the description of a process is a comprehensive answer to
the question, “What are you doing?” An answer to the question can be given by
answering still other questions, principally the following:
DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
With the possible exception of the discussion of equipment and materials, the
introduction to a description is followed directly by a description of the chief steps in the
process. Two problems appear in organizing the description of the chief steps. One is
how to organize the steps; the other is how to organize the material within each
individual step. The organization of the steps can be dismissed at once for it is
chronological in order. The organization within the description of the individual steps
requires more discussion because each individual step constitutes a process in itself.
The individual step should be introduced properly and must be divided into sub-steps.
Its description is essentially a miniature of the description of the process as a whole.
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION
In describing the action, the writer must say everything the readers need to know
and understand or even to visualize the process. The omission of a slight detail may be
enough to spoil everything. Care should be taken not only in connection with the details
of what is done but also of how it is done. The content of the description of a process is
governed by the reader’s need to comprehend every step in the action.
STYLE OF USING SENTENCES IN EXPLAINING A PROCESS
A discussion in style in the description of a mechanism however would focus on
the problem of choice of the mood and voice of the predicate, and of the noun or
pronoun used as a subject. A good many possibilities exist, but three are of special
importance: the active voice and indicative mood, the passive voice and indicative
mood, and the active voice and imperative mood. See examples below.

CONCLUSION
The last part of the description of the process is naturally the conclusion. It is not always
necessary to write a formal conclusion. Whether one is desirable depends, of course,
on whether it will help the reader. Sometimes the reader needs help in matters like the
following:
1. Fixing the chief steps in mind (listing them again might help)
2. Recalling special points about equipment or materials
3. Analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the process.
4. Noting how this process is related to the other processes, or other work that is being
done, or reported on.

DESCRIPTION OF A MECHANISM
  
GUIDELINES FOR TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
SAMPLE MECHANISM DESCRIPTIONS
An electric generator is an apparatus for converting mechanical energy into electricity. It
is also called Dynamo and as such, it produces gas or steam. Derived from the Latin
term “generate or generates,” it means to beget or produce. As a source of electricity, it
is used for factory machines, lighting and home appliances. It functions either as direct
current (DC) producing electric current flowing in one direction, or alternating current
(AC) producing electric current that reverses direction periodically. It comes in different
sizes. A small generator is used in some scientific inventions while the large one is for
supplying electricity to the entire city.
                                                                                                                        -
Engineering and Technology
                                                                                                                        Babcock, D.
and Morse, L.
 
The ATM effectively consists of three layers: PHY, ATM and AAL. The first layer, PHY,
is concerned with the physical transmission of data and depends on the medium being
used. There is a different set of standards for each medium. The ATM layer is
concerned with maintaining the cells and their routing through the switching network.
The ATM adaptive layer (AAL) provides standards for the segmentation and
reassembling of data into the cells and vice versa. This is also the layer that is
concerned with the quality of service
                                                                                                                        -Computers
                                                                                                                        Long, L.
and Long, N.

1. does your budget limit the number of people you can enlist to help you or
limit the size or shape of the document? Falls under which factors in
technical communication – PROCESS-RELATED FACTOR
2. technical communication encompasses ACTIVITIES that people do to
discover shape, and transmit information
3. a wind energy company might create a website with videos and text
intended to show that building wind turbines off the coast of a tourist
destination would have many benefits and few risks. A property owner’s
association might create a website to make the opposite argument, that
the wind turbines would have few benefits but many risks. This scenario
falls under which category in purpose of technical communication?
COMMUNICATION THAT MOTIVATES READERS TO TAKE ACTION
4. which of the following relates to setting-related factors in technical
communication? WHAT IS THE CONTEXT IN WHICH YOUR AUDIENCE
WILL USE YOUR DOCUMENT?
5. To have zest in technical writing means to view things POSITIVELY
6. In technical writing, improving your communication skills means being
excellent ALL FOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS
7. In technical writing, forum is required for selling introducing
products/services, using six-to-eight panel foldouts, known as
BROCHURES
8. Trusting in the effectiveness of your report is giving your work the quality
of OBJECTIVENESS
9. if you are writing a set of instructions for installing a water heater and you
want those instruction to be easily understood by people who speak only
Spanish, you will need more time and bigger budget to have document
translated and it will be longer and thus a little bit harder to use, for both
English and Spanish speakers. This is an example of COMPROMISE
10. letting your readers study various graphs or illustrations in your technical
report encourages readers to think INTERPRETATIVELY
11. a well-written technical report or business letter functions to AVOID
INQUIRES
12. Your schedule can limit the type or amount of document testing you can
do is an example of PROCESS-RELATES FACTORS
13. Which of the following is to be constructed when we speak of audience-
related factor in technical communication? DOES YOUR AUDIENCE
SPEAK ENGLISH WELL, OR SHOULD YOU PRESENT THE
INFORMATION IN MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE
14. Which of the following pertains setting-related factors in technical
communication? BUDGET FOR A PROJECT
15. Which of the following technical wiring theorem is crucial for technical
writing? ALL OF THE CHOICES GIVEN (WRITING SHORT SENTENCE,
CREATING A LOGICAL FLOW, USING PLAN AND SHORT WORDS)
16. WHICH of the following is the definition of journal article? IT PRESENTS
THE MOST RECENT RESEARCH, WRITTEN BY EXPERTS, FOR
EXPORTER MAY BE PUBLISHED IN PRINT OR ONLINE FORMATS,
OR BOTH.
17. Most companies row employ community specialists as technical
communicators to coordinate the organization’s day-to-day online
presence and its social-media campaigns. Which technical communication
factors is described in the statement? PURPOSE-RELATED FACTOR
18. What does chronology refers to? INFORMATION ABOUT THE
RELEVANT SUBJECT
19. The president of a manufacturing company might write an article in the
company newsletter to explain to employees why management decided to
phase out production of one of the company’s products. This scenario falls
under which category in purpose of technical communication?
COMMUNICATION TO HELP OTHER LEARN ABOUT A SUBJECT
20. This term is defined as creating an image that helps customers distinguish
the company from competitors. BRANDING
21. Writing and reading tweets and text messages or participating in webinars
are examples of which one component of technical communication?
PROCESS
22. What writing style is usually used in reports? OBJECTIVE AND
DETACHED
23. The following has to be considered in document-related factors except for
one. WHAT PROBLEM IS YOUR AUDIENCE TRYING TO SOLVE?
24. Technical communication is written in the work environment, for
supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates, which among the following is a
characteristic of a technical documents? QUANTIFIABLE
25. A document that consists of instruction on how to use or troubleshoot
products is known as a HELP GUIDE
26. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
NOW THAT WE ARE IN HEALTH CRISIS, WE NEED TO BE AWARE
OF OUR SAFETY
27. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
THE SCHEDULE OF THE MIDTERM EXAMINATION HAS BEEN
MOVED.
28. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
BECAUSE I WAS NOT HERE YESTERDAY, I CANNOT PRESENT YOU
MY REPORT TODAY.
29. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE, DATA GATHERING IS THE MOST
DIFFICULT PART OF CONDUCTING A RESEARCH STUDY.
 30. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
OUR CLASS CHAIRPERSON WILL BE RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR
THIS INCOMING DEPARTMENTAL ELECTION.
31. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN PROCESSING MY
ENROLMENT DOCUMENTS.
32. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
MY THREE-MONTH INTERSHIP HAS PROVIDED ME WAYS ON HOW
TO DEVELOP PROFESSIONALISM.
33. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
WE ARE GOING TO EMAIL THE DOCUMENT TOMORROW.
34. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT PRESIDED OVER THE BOARD
MEETING.
35. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
ACCORDING TO THE ADVISORY, OUR ONLINE LEARNING IS
SUSPENDED TOMORROW BECAUSE IT IS A HOLIDAY.
36. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
I AM HAPPY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE
COMPANY.

37. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.

THE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM CHAIR SIGNED THIS
REPORT LAST MONDAY.
38. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
THE GUARD OPENED THE GATE UPON SEEING THE MAIL
COURIER.
39. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
THE UNIVERSITY HAS DEICDED TO CANCEL THE CONDUCT OF
GRADUATION RITES THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC.
40. Choose the correct, clear and concise statement.
I RECEIVED YOUR LETTER ABOUT YOUR RESEARCH STUDY LAST
WEEK.