Module 1 - 4

MODULE IN TECHNICAL WRITING 1
To the University of Rizal System Student:
Welcome to EL 108 (Technical Writing). This course provides the theories,

principles and practice of technical communication across discipline.
The Authors
Verna A. Gaston, the Course Coordinator for EL 108 (Technical Writing), an

Asst. Professor IV, is a graduate of AB Communication Arts from Lyceum of the
Philippines and Master of Arts in Teaching major in English from URS Morong Campus.
She serves as the Publication Adviser of Dampol Publication of URS Pililla Campus.
She is a faculty of College of Education of URS Pililla. Should you wish to get in touch
with her, please connect at verna.gaston@urs.edu.ph.
The other members of the course team are:
Zamora P. Medrano, an Associate Professor ll, is a graduate of Bachelor of

Secondary Education major in English from Tomas Claudio Memorial College and
Master of Arts in Education from Philippine Normal University & Tomas Claudio
Memorial College. She is a faculty in the English Department of the College of Industrial
Technology of URS Morong Campus.
Jackielou B. Elardo, an Assistant Professor I, is a graduate of Bachelor of
Secondary Education major in English from Tomas Claudio Memorial College and
Master of Arts in Teaching major in English from URS, Morong Campus. She is
currently taking Doctor of Philosophy major in Educational Management at University of
Perpetual Help System -Dalta, Las Pinas City. She is a Program Head and faculty of
College of Education in the English Department of URS Cainta Campus.
Irene O. Feliciano, an Instructor III, is a graduate of Bachelor of Elementary

Education at Philippine Normal University and Master in Educational major in
Educational Management at URS Antipolo Campus. She has also acquired units in PhD
major in Educational Leadership Management in Pamantasan Lungsond ng Marikina.
She is s faculty and currently the Campus Head of the Extension Unit of URS Antipolo
Campus.
Janette D. Fronda, an Assistant Professor IV, is a graduate of Bachelor of
Science in Education major in English, minor in Library Science at Saint Mary's
University and Master of Arts in Performing Arts major in Music, Dance and Drama from
the Philippine Women's University. She also earned units in Master of Arts in Teaching
major in English. She is a faculty of College of Education of URS Angono Campus.
Course Code : EL 108

Course Title : Technical Writing
Credit Units : 3 units
Time Allotment : 3 hours per week
Department : College of Education
Course Pre-requisite : EL 102
Course Description:
This course provides the theories, principles and practice of technical

communication across discipline.
Course Objectives:
General Objectives
1. Develop confidence to use written communication in your work and personal

experience beyond college.
2. Acquaint the concept of a writer-reader relationship and identify the need for
active participation from both writer and reader.
3. Exhibit the skills needed to successfully communicate in a modern world
through written materials.
Specific Objectives
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:

1. Explain the nature and importance of technical writing;
2. Identify and select many types of writing frequently required in a variety of
careers;
3. Determine your purposes/objectives and develop skill in composing and
revising on the computer documents with formats and language appropriate for
those purpose;
4. Develop an awareness of both academic and technical writing genres and how
the writing situation shapes the document;
5. Follow the steps in the writing process that includes revision and editing;
6. Exhibit mastery of the use of proper punctuation, grammar, syntax, and
spelling. Write clear, intelligent technical reports;
7. Apply the principles of technical correspondence; and
8. Illustrate the output of technical writing.
Course Structure
The course English 108 (Technical Writing) consists of six (6) units divided into
twelve (12) modules as follows:
MODULE WRITERS
Unit 1 - Introduction to Technical Writing Prof. Zamora P. Medrano
 Module 1 – Nature of Technical Writing
 Module 2 – Objectives of Communication in
Technical Writing
Unit 2 - Technical Writing Process Prof. Zamora P. Medrano
Module 3 – Business Letters Prof. Verna A. Gaston
The Parts and Formats
 Module 4 – The Writer-Reader Relationship
– The Writing Process
– Writing a Business Letter
Unit 3 - Various Kinds of Business Letters Prof. Verna A. Gaston
(Selected Only) Prof. Irene O. Feliciano
 Module 5 – Writing Resume
– Application Letter
Module 6 – Interoffice Memorandum
– Sales Letters
– Letters of Ordering Goods
 Module 7 – Job Interview
– Letter of Resignation
Unit 4 – Introduction to Technical Reports Prof. Irene O. Feliciano
 Module 8 – What Makes a Good
Technical Report
– How Companies Use
Report Proposals
– Writing the Reports
Unit 5 – Special Techniques in Technical Writing Prof. Jackilou B. Elardo
and Reporting
 Module 9 – Classification and Partition
 Module 10 – Description of a Process
and Interpretation
Unit 6 – Electronic Communication Prof. Janette D. Fronda
 Module 11 – The Internet
– The Intranet
– The Extranet
 Module 12 – Online Technical Writing Application
a. Sending Fax
b. E-mail
c. Web Sites
d. Netiquette
Course Schedule
CONTENT SCHEDULE
PRELIMINARY PERIOD
Unit 1 - Introduction to Technical Writing Week 1
 Module 1 – Nature of Technical Writing
 Module 2 – Objectives of Communication in Week 2-3
Technical Writing
Unit 2 - Technical Writing Process Week 3
Module 3 – Business Letters
– The Parts and Formats
 Module 4 – The Writer-Reader Relationship Week 5-6
– Writing a Business Letters
MIDTERM PERIOD
Unit 3 - Various Kinds of Business Week 7-8
Letters (Selected Only)
 Module 5 – Writing Resume
 Module 6 – Interoffice Memorandum Week 9
– Sales Letters
 Module 7 – Job Interview Week 10-11
Unit 4 – Introduction to Technical Reports Week 12
 Module 8 – What Makes a Good
Technical Report
– How Companies Use
Report Proposals
FINAL PERIOD
Unit 5 – Special Techniques in Technical Writing Week 13
and Reporting
 Module 9 – Classification and Partition
 Module 10 – Description of a Process Week 14
and Interpretation
Unit 6 – Electronic Communication Week 15-16
 Module 11 – The Internet
– The Intranet
– The Extranet
 Module 12 – Online Technical Writing Application Week 17-18
a. Sending Fax
b. E-mail
c. Web Sites
d. Netiquette
CONTENTS
Unit 1 - Introduction to Technical Writing
Module 1 – Nature of Technical Writing
Module 2 – Objectives of Communication in Technical Writing
Unit 2 - Technical Writing Process

Module 3 – Business Letters
– The Parts and Formats
Module 4 – The Writer-Reader Relationship
– Writing a Business letters
Unit 3 - Various Kinds of Business Letters (Selected Only)

Module 5 – Writing Resume
Module 6 – Interoffice Memorandum
– Sales Letters
Module 7 – Job Interview
Unit 4 – Introduction to Technical Reports

Module 8 – What Makes a Good Technical Report
– How Companies Use Report Proposals
Unit 5 – Special Techniques in Technical Writing and Reporting

Module 9 – Classification and Partition
Module 10 – Description of a Process and Interpretation
Unit 6 – Electronic Communication

Module 11 – The Internet
– The Intranet
– The Extranet
Module 12 – Online Technical Writing Application
a. Sending Fax
b. E-mail
c. Web Sites
d. Netiquette
UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO TECHNICAL WRITING

Module 1
NATURE OF TECHNICAL WRITING
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Define technical writing.
2. Discuss the characteristics and uses of technical writing.
3. Identify the purpose and importance of technical writing.
4. Distinguish technical writing from other forms/kinds of writing.
5. Compare and contrast technical writing from other literary writing.
6. Explain the importance of technical writing in the field of business, science,
medical, engineering and legal.
Introduction
The present world has astonished us with its new developments. From the
nuclear weapons to space age, man has made enormous strides in technology. With
the ever increasing complex demands of modern society, expanded economic and
technical advancements and processes have created the indispensable need for
technical writers.
Thus, in the interest of preparing students for the careers that they will be facing
in future, it is of prime importance that they should learn the fundamental skills involved
in technical writing. As part of their education, they will be required to write research
papers, record results in laboratory experiments, summarize articles or excerpts from
technical journals and other related activities which will require the ability to write
accurately, concisely and clearly.
Skill in writing technical reports is an invaluable asset not only in college but also
in the professions. As the country’s industrialization program grows space, skill in this
type of writing will be a highly vital personal asset, not only in business and industry, but
also in science and technology as well as in the government services.
The Meaning of Technical Writing
1. Technical writing is a generic term for all written communication done on the job
– whether in industry, business, or other professional. It is associated with jobs in
engineering, architecture, computer science, medical and allied fields,
accountancy, chemistry and related fields, hotels administration, and other areas
with specialized vocabularies. (Gordon H. Mills & John A. Walter)
2. Technical writing is writing about scientific subjects and about various technical
subjects associated with science and technology.
3. Technical wring is characterized by certain formal elements, such as its
scientific and technical vocabulary, its use of graphic aids, and its use of
conventional report forms.
4. Technical writing is ideally characterized by the maintenance of impartiality and
objectivity, by extreme care to convey information accurately and concisely, and
by the absence of any attempt to arouse emotion.
5. Technical writing is writing in which there is relatively high concentration of
certain complex and important technique, in particular definition, classification,
description of mechanisms, and description of processes.
6. Technical writing involves the creation of useful documents that can be clearly
understood by readers. Good technical writing clarifies jargon, presenting useful
information that is clear and easy to understand for the unattended audience;
poor technical writing may increase confusion by creating unnecessary jargon
or failing to explain it. An important too in technical writing is style, which is
created by the decision made on grammar, spelling (for example America or
British English), choice of words, and punctuation.
7. Technical writing is performed by technical writers, who may be professionals or
amateurs. These writers usually begin such work by learning the purpose of the
document that they will create, gathering information from existing documentation
and from subject-matter experts; technical writers need to be subject-matter
experts themselves. A good technical writer needs strong language and teaching
skills and must understand how to communicate with technology.
8. Technical writing is often associated with online help and user manuals. It also
includes product release notes, product troubleshooting guides, tutorials,
installation guides, marketing documentation, e-learning modules, web content,
legal disclaimers, business proposals, and white papers.
9. Technical writing, which must be understood easily and quickly, includes: -
memos and email, letters, reports, instructions, brochures, newsletters, the job
search, web pages, fliers, PowerPoint presentations and graphics.
10. Technical writing is a ccommunication 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.
11. Technical writing is a type of writing where the author is writing about a
particular subject that requires direction, instruction, or explanation.
12. Technical writing is direct, informative, clear and concise language written
specifically for an identified audience. The content must be accurate and
complete with no exaggerations.
Difference of Technical Writing from Other Types of Writing

Technical Writing It deals with science, engineering and technology. Typical
documents include specifications, manuals, data sheets,
research papers, field reports and release notes (Bendell, 2013).
It gives account or description of an aspect of a particular
business, science, technology, trade, industry, government and
other professions learned by experience, observation, study or
investigation (Vicente, et.al., 2014).
Business Writing It is just about any other kind of writing people do at work, except
journalism and creative writing. It includes reports, emails,
proposals, minutes, letters, copywriting, bids and tenders.
(Bendell, 2013)
Business Letter It is a letter from one company to another, or between such
organizations and their customers, clients, or other external
parties. The overall style of letter depends on the relationship
between the parties concerned (English Club, n.d.).
Business Communication through exchange of letters is known as
Correspondence correspondence. Business correspondence or business letter is
a written communication between two parties (Kumar, 2020).
Outputs of Technical Writing and Business Letters

Technical Writing Business Letters
Abstract Annual Report Letter of Reference
Article Bulletins Letter of Refusal
Brochure Business Reports Letter of Reply
Business Letter Claim Letter Letter of Request
Contract E-mails and Faxes Letter of Resignation
Feasibility Report Feasibility Study Letter of Subscription
Graphics Aids Field Report Letter Report
Incident Report Informal Reports Meeting Documents
Instructional Manual Job Interview Memorandums
Journal Article Laboratory Report Minutes of Meetings
Laboratory Report Letter of Acceptance Non-Prose Forms
Memorandum Letter of Acknowledgement Periodic Report
Policy Letter of Adjustment Progress Report
Printed Action Memo Letter of Application Project Proposals
Progress Report Letter of Collection Project Study
Proposal Letter of Complaint Recommendation Report
Research Letter of Declining a Job Offer Research Project
Resume Letter of Inquiry Resume and Cover Letter
Specification Letter of Invitation Sales Letter
Survey Report Letter of Making a Reservation Social-Personal Business Letters
Technical Proposal Letter of Ordering Goods Technical Reports and Proposals
Treaty Letter of Recommendation Time-saving Messages
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Source: https://www.academia.edu/35391096/A_Teachers_Guide_to_Technical_Writing
Distinctions of Technical Writing from other Kinds of Writing
There are many types of writing, including literary writing, expressive writing,
expository writing, persuasive, and technical writing (Gerson & Gerson, 1999 p. 1& 2
cited by Abelos et al., 2005, p. 1-3).
1. Literary writing includes poetry, fiction (short stories and novel), plays, and
essay. The authors might draw on experience to create their text, but the writing
is purely imaginative. Creative writing often employs figures of speech, imagery,
dialect, symbolism, and fictitious characters to present a message.
2. Expressive writing records a subjective, emotional response to a personal

experience (a tragic incident, a joyful meeting with a person not seen for 20
years, a wonderful experience in a basketball championship, a rewarding on the
job training, etc.). Journal and diary entries are expressive. The goal of
expressive writing is to express one's feelings through description and narration.
Students in composition classes often write expressive essays, relying heavily on
narration and description to develop ideas.
3. Expository writing analyzes a topic objectively. Most essays in composition

classes are expository. The goal of expository writing is to explain, hence reveals
you the knowledge of a particular subject. In expository writing, you don't usually
expect a response from your reader even if you explained the topic.
4. Persuasive writing, in some ways, combines the emotionalism of expressive

writing with the analytical traits of expository writing. Editorials are a good
example of persuasive writing. The goal of persuasive writing is to convince your
audience's emotional attitude toward a topic.
Comparison Between Technical Writing and Literary Writing
We all know that literary writers cater man’s affective sense; technical writers
cater to man’s cognitive sense. For contrastive analysis, technical writing differs from
literary writing in some aspects:
Literary Writing Technical Writing

Purpose
1. It entertains or amuses the reader. 1. It provides useful information.
2. It suggests the writer’s message. 2. It directly informs the writer’s ideas or
3. It imparts a lesson. messages.
4. It broadens a person’s outlook in life. 3. It gives instructions or directions.
4. It serves as a basic for decision making.
Subject Matter
1. It focuses on man’s life or experience 1. It focuses on the subject related to
including the intricacies of the human heart. business, industry, science and technology.
Language
1. It makes use of figurative or imaginative 1. It employs specialized jargon which
vocabulary or language. includes technical, or scientific terminologies.
2. Words or expressions are beautifully 2. Literal
interwoven so that they are rhythmically 3. Direct
sounded.
Content
1. Subjective 1. Objective
2. Opinionated 2. Neutral
Readership
1. General 1. Specific
Format
1. Informal 1. Formal
Example of Literary and Technical Writing
Purpose of Technical Writing
The purpose of technical writing is often determined by the audience, which then
affects the tone of the correspondence (Gerson & Gerson, 1999, p.3). In fact,
understanding the interrelationship among purpose, audience, and tone is essential to
answer the question, “Why do we write technical correspondence?”
Let us say that you are an engineer writing a monthly status report. You write this
report every month. Your report always goes to the same person, your immediate
supervisor. The supervisor reads it and then puts the report in a file for future reference.
With this ongoing activity in mind, you know that the purpose of your report is to
document. Your goal is to “dump data” and nothing else. You also know that your
audience is highly technical, fluent in technical terms and abbreviations. Given your
purpose and your audience’s level of understanding, you write a report which has a dry,
objective and impersonal tone. Thus, the purpose of your report and your sense of
audience create tone.
STATUS REPORT PURPOSE (document) + AUDIENCE (technical

supervisor) = TONE (objective/impersonal) (IN A BOX)
This is a common technical writing situation, but it is not the only environment in
which technical writing is generated. In summary, your purpose in technical writing is
determined by your audience’s needs. This sense of audience then affects tone. Within
these parameters, the purpose of technical writing is wide-ranging.
1. Technical writing is used to request action. If you are writing to a supervisor or

manager (audience) about scheduling and manpower distribution, then you are
requesting a direct action.
2. Technical writing is used to propose action. When you write to your city Engineer
about the transfer of the garbage dump, then you are proposing an action.
3. Technical writing is used to recommend action. When you write to your

Production Manager to increase the volume of t-shirt production bound to Hongkong
and Macau, due to increase of orders from your market threat, then you are
recommending an action.
4. Technical writing is used to inform. It is written to make another person to

understand or do something. It is designed to fulfil a need to tell and need to know.
5. Technical writing is used to analyse events and their complications. It will explain
how certain systems failed. This may include education, socioeconomic, political
and the need to change.
6. Technical writing is used to persuade and influence decisions. It will show how a
business, or an industry succeed.
Importance of Technical Writing
Technical writing is a significant factor for your work experience for several
reasons. (Gerson & Gerson, 1999, p. 3 cited by Abelos, 2005, p. 4)
1. Technical writing conducts business. It is not an ornamental edging or an

occasional endeavor. It is a major component of the workplace. Through technical
correspondence, employees:
a. maintain a good customer client relation (follow-up letters)
b. ensure that work is accomplished on time (directive memos)
c. provide documentation that work has been completed (status report)
d. generate income (sales letters)
Technical writing also:
a. keeps machinery working (maintenance instructions)
b. ensures that the correct equipment is purchased
c. gives managers/supervisors the information they need for persuasive
briefings (summaries)
d. gets you a job (application letters)
e. informs the world about your company’s product (sites on the internet)
2. Technical writing takes time. In addition to serving a valuable purpose in a

company, technical writing is important because it is time-consuming. On average,
employees spend approximately 20 percent of their work time writing memos,
letters, or reports. Twenty percent of a work week equals one full eight-hour day.
You might as well say that every Monday, for example, you will just read the
accomplishment reports – nothing else. Of course, that is not how it work. In one
week, you spend five minutes browsing and commenting here, 30 minutes there, an
hour here, but it all adds up to a significant amount of time.
3. Technical writing costs money. Any errors will cost you additional bond paper,
effort, and energy to rewrite again the wrong correspondence. What follows is
additional waste of ink and time. Imagine how your employer would evaluate your
work if you always submit a wrong report, faulty audit report, and so on. If you write
poorly, yet you spend 20 percent of your workweek doing substandard work,
wasting 8 hours per week writing flawed correspondence, then your manager has a
right to be concerned. Your time spent writing is part of your salary and part of your
manager’s (or employer’s) work expenditures.
4. Technical writing is an expression of your interpersonal communication

skills. When you write an application letter, memorandum, financial report and the
like, you are not just conveying technical information. You are revealing something
about yourself for your readers. If you write well, you are telling your audience that
you can think logically and communicate your thoughts clearly. If, on the other hand,
you write poorly, you give your readers a completely different picture of yourself as
a worker. You reveal that you can neither think clearly nor communicate your
thoughts effectively. Technical writing is an extension of your interpersonal

communication skills at work, and co-workers will judge your competence based on
the effectiveness of your correspondence.
Good technical writing can accomplish more than just getting the job done. A
well-constructed application letter, or financial report reveals to your readers not
only that you know your technical field of expertise but also that you know how to
communicate your knowledge thoroughly, accurately, clearly, and concisely.
Through good technical writing, you reveal to your audience that you can tell people
what to do and can motivate them to do it.
Basic Principles of Effective Technical Writing
1. Understanding the Reader

A basic consideration in technical writing is to know the target audience. The
technical writer should know how to adapt his writings and terminologies of the type of
the intended audience or readers. Difficult technical terms used must be carefully
defined so that the reader will easily understand the information being presented. If the
reader fails to understand what he reads, the writer fails in his mission. The technical
writers should know how important his readers are. The target readers help the writer to
know what to write about and how to write it.
2. Knowing the Purpose of Each Technical Report

The technical paper must be organized around a central theme. The reader
should understand the main purpose after reading the paper. The purpose may be to
describe a thing to report on a specific problem or project, or to analyze and solve a
problem.
3. Knowing the Subject Matter

A technical writer must have a thorough knowledge of the subject he is to write
about. If the report is on the result of a technical experiment, the writer who writes the
report should explain what the problem is all about, what causes the problem and how
the problem is solved.
4. Writing Objectively
A good technical writer must emphasize the facts and the data. The impersonal
style is basic to an effective technical writer. He represents facts, figures and statistics
skillfully woven around the subject matter or central theme and written in an impersonal
manner.
5. Using Correct Format

The format and style of a report attract the attention of the readers first.
Companies require neatly-typed communications, reports and project proposals and
feasibility studies. The current trends require that such communication be computerized
or typed.
6. Adopting Ethical Standards

A technical writer should undertake comprehensive research work; accumulate
the required data through interviews, surveys, referrals and related publications. He
must have to present facts and figures as gathered and required, using only those that
are pertinent to the report. A good technical writer also acknowledges the help he
receives from others and cites sources of reference materials.
Characteristics of Technical Writing
Technical writing, just as any other form of writing, has certain characteristics
which distinguish it from other types of writing. It is very different from writing opinion
pieces, essays, prose, non-fiction or fiction.
1. It is clear and straight forward. If you are interested in technical writing for
professional purposes, it is very important to know that this type of writing requires that
the writer stick to the subject matter and relay information in a clear and concise
manner.
2. The language is very direct and straight to the point. The writing will avoid words that
people do not understand and will avoid an eloquent writing style.
3. It is very detailed and informative. The perfect example of technical writing is a

textbook. The written content of most textbooks is geared to providing information by
describing the subject matter as fully as possible.
4. It is very structured. This type of writing has a very obvious composition that makes it
easy for the reader to follow along. Solid structure is needed with technical writing as it
allows the audience to easily access the information as needed.
Uses of Technical Writing
With understanding the characteristics of technical writing, you can better

comprehend how this type of writing is used. Technical writing is found everywhere.
There are a variety of different types of writing which use a technical style.
For example, instructions of all sorts are a perfect example of technical writing.
When you open up an instruction manual, as the reader, the goal is to be

informed about the product so that you can use it as efficiently as possible.
Lab reports are another example of technical writing. The main purpose of a lab
report is to explain the occurrences in a lab so that others will be able to gain
information.
Driving directions can be considered a type of technical writing as the goal is to

clearly and efficiently provide instructions on how to go from point A to point B.
Overall, technical writing is a very useful form of writing that is encountered by

everyone almost every day.
Classification of Technical Writing

Technical writing is useful for any theory, software or hardware that needs an
explanation. Industries that require technical writing include science, medicine,
engineering, mechanics and law.
1. Business
Businesses often use technical writing to explain rules, regulations, and business
plans, according to David Murray at Chemnitz University of Technology.
2. Science
Scientific technical writing explains theories, hypotheses, experiments and their
significance. Thesis papers and lab reports are also considered technical writing,
according to the Columbia University Department of Computer Science.
3. Medical
Medical technical writing explains the instructions of software and hardware used
to run a hospital, according to Wayne English, Web developer and technical
writer.
4. Engineering
Engineering and mechanical technical writing involves instructions for how to
build machines or use tools. The writing may also incorporate design
calculations, memos and oral presentations.
5. Legal
Legal technical writing refers to all legal documents and the fine print in binding
contracts, such as agreements to be made before installing software,
agreements to pay for houses, cars, insurance, and higher education,
trademarks, copyrights, patents and industrial designs.
SELF-ASSESSMENT QUIZ (SAQ)
Name: _______________________________________________ Date: __________________

Year/Section: _____________________________________ Score: _________________
A. True or False. Write True if the statement is correct. False if the statement is
wrong on the blanks provided.
_________ 1. Words and expressions used in technical writing are not properly
selected.
_________ 2. Technical writing updated the readers with developments in science and
technology.
_________ 3. A technical report does not deal with factual information.
_________ 4. Technical writing and literary writing deal with the same subject matter.
_________ 5. An effective technical report arouses the emotion of the reader.
_________ 6. Technical writing highly makes use of the scientific method of conducting
research.
_________ 7. Technical writing is writing about any topic.
_________ 8. Technical writing gives instructions.
_________ 9. Technical writing serves as a basis for management decision.
_________10. Technical writing highly utilizes technical vocabulary.
B. Collect five technical writing samples from a journal, magazine in field of

specialization and in the internet. Identify the purpose of each technical writing.
Paste your samples on a short bond paper (ecopy). Send your paper on the
suggested channel by the subject instructor/professor. This is a 10 points quiz.
C. Identify the following whether technical writing or literary writing. Write TW in

the blank if it is a technical writing and LW if it is a literary writing.
_________ 1. Essay _________ 11. Skit

_________ 2. Syllabus _________ 12. Film criticism
_________ 3. Epic _________ 13. Drama
_________ 4. Dissertation _________ 14. Manuals
_________ 5. Movie _________ 15. Term papers
_________ 6. Movie contract _________ 16. Legend
_________ 7. Sonnet _________ 17. Birth certificate
_________ 8. Eulogy _________ 18. Formal theme
_________ 9. Memorandum _________ 19. Brochure
_________ 10. Deed of Sale _________20.Poetry
D. Give the difference between the technical writing and literary writing, by
applying and writing the needed information below.
Point of Contrast Technical Writing Literary Writing

1. Subject 1. ___________________ 2.___________________
2. Readership Specific 3. ___________________
3. Format Formal 4. ___________________
4. Purpose 5. ___________________ Entertainment/Amusement
5. Language 6. ___________________ Personal
6. Style 7. ___________________ Light
7. Tone 8. ___________________
8. Content 9. ___________________ 10. __________________
ACTIVITY 1
Directions: Research for the importance of technical writing in the field of
business, science, medical, engineering and legal. You may refer to
technical journals and the internet for additional details. Give one
paragraph with five (5) sentences for each field. You may do it
handwritten or computerized. Pass it to whatever platform the
professor prefers. Please be guided with the rubrics below.
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2 1
Claim and Establishes a Establishes a Establishes a Attempts to Does not
Support credible and clear and claim to answer establish a claim answer the
convincing plausible claim the question that is unclear or question or
claim to to answer the that needs more disconnected from no
answer the question development the topic evidence is
question present
Cites Cites mostly Refers to some Includes almost

sufficient and strong evidence from evidence from the
relevant evidence that the text that text; evidence is
evidence to supports the loosely or based on personal
fully support claim vaguely experience or
the claim supports the unconnected
claim resources
Development Analyzes the Clearly Explains the Attempts to explain No

relevance and explains the connection some connections developme
strength of the connections between some between evidence nt present

evidence in between the evidence and and claim in an
supporting the selected the claim; some unclear or
claim evidence and explanations disconnected way
the claim revolve around
personal
feelings rather
than analysis
Conventions Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Attempts to use Writing is
a strong a working some command some English incompreh
command of command of of English conventions, ensible
English English conventions though errors
conventions conventions with some frequently inhibit
with few, with some errors that reader’s
minor errors errors that do inhabit reader’s comprehension
not inhabit comprehension
reader’s
comprehension
Uses Uses language Uses language Uses informal

language and and tone that and tone that language and tone
tone that are are academic are
appropriate to inconsistently
audience and academic or
purpose inconsistently
appropriate for
audience and
purpose
References:
Asperas, Matilde A. et al. (2008). Developing Skills in Technical Writing, Malabon City:
Mutya Pub. House.
Bendell, J. (2013). Business Writing vs. Technical Writing. Retrieved July 23, 2020 from
http://jakkibendell.co.uk/2013/06/business-vs-technical-writing/
English Club, (n.d.). What is a Business Letter?. Retrieved July 23, 2020 from
https://www.englishclub.com/business-english/business-letters-what.htm
Gerson, Steven M. (n.d.). Writing That Works. Retrieved July 20, 2020 from
https://www.academia.edu/35391096/A_Teachers_Guide_to_Technical_Writing
Manalo, Paterna & Fermin, Virginia E. (2009) Technical and Report Writing.
Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore Inc.
Mosura, Carmel T. & Tinorio, Escolastica S. (1999) Contemporary Technical Writing

Style. Valenzuela City: Mutya Publishing House.
Quia. (n.d.). Most Common Technical Writing Outputs/End Products. Retrieved July 23,
2020 from https://www.quia.com/files/quia/users/skrichard/TechWriting/
Common_Tech_Papers_PDF
Serapio, Ma. Perpetua. (2018). Technical Communications. Intramuros Manila:
Mindshapers Co., Inc.
Sowie, A. (2015). Technical Writing Nature and Outputs. Retrieved July 23, 2020 from
https://www.slideshare.net/09008477344/technical-writing-nature-and-outputs
Your Dictionary (n.d.) Characteristics of Technical Writing. Retrieved July 5, 2020 from
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/characteristics-of-technical-
writing.html
Module 2
OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION IN TECHNICAL WRITING
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able:
1. Apply the objectives of technical writing.
2. Exhibit mastery of the use of proper punctuation, grammar, syntax, and
spelling.
Introduction
With the emergence of increasingly varied users, audiences and customers of
technical material and content, the roles of technical writers are being redefined
accordingly. Therefore, technical writers need to keep some key objectives in mind to
produce precise, compelling and succinct technical communication material.
Objectives of Communication in Technical Writing

1. Clarity. Be sure that when you write a communication such as a memo, letter, or
report it must be clear to your readers, otherwise you will be wasting their time. When
your readers do not understand your point or cannot follow your train of thought, they
must write you a follow-up inquiry to determine your needs. Again, this wastes their
time. Once you receive the inquiry, you must rewrite your correspondence, trying to
clarify your initial intentions.
a. Provide specific details.
When writing technical correspondence, you should supply specific,

quantified information. Avoid using vague, abstract adjectives or adverbs, such
as some or recently. Your readers might interpret these words in different ways.
Your goal as a technical writer is to communicate clearly. State your exact
meaning through specific, quantified word usage.
BAD: “Put enough air in your tires.” (How much air is “enough”?) Vague word
GOOD: “Fill your tires to 32 pounds per square inch.” Specific detail
b. Answer the reporter’s questions.
A second way to write clearly is to answer the reporter’s questions—who, what, when,
where, why, and how. The best way we can emphasize the importance of answering
these reporter’s questions is by sharing with you the following memo, written by a highly
placed executive, to a newly hired employee.
BAD: “We bought a new machine to solve the problem.”

• Who is “we”?
• What is the “new machine”?
• When was the purchase made?
GOOD: “The marketing department bought a new laser printer (Php. 5,595.00)
on June 10 for our production room. This printer will produce double-side, color
copies unlike our prior printer. ”
c. Use Easily Understandable Words.
Another key to clarity is using words that your readers can understand
easily. Avoid obscure words and be careful when you use acronyms,
abbreviations, and jargon.
BAD: “We are cognizant of your need for issuance of citations pursuant to code
18-B1 CPR violations.”
GOOD: “We know you need to send citations because of code 18-B1 Continuing
Property Record violations. ”
● The following is a list of difficult, out-of-date terms, and the modern
alternatives:
Obscure Words Easy Words

accede agree
ascertain find out
as per your request as you requested
Disclose Show
Forward mail
d. Using Acronyms, Abbreviations and Jargons
Acronyms are simply abbreviations formed from the initial letters of other
words and pronounced as a word.
● Consider the examples below:
Common Acronyms Details

CPA Certified Public Accountant
IBR Integrated Bar of the Philippines
LET Licensure Examination for Teachers
NBI National Bureau of Investigation
DLSU De La Salle University
e. Appropriateness
Words are appropriate when they are suited to your subject, audience,
and purpose. Choices to accommodate audience and purpose affect not only
diction, but tone and style.
Popular words include those words that are common to the whole
populace, while Learned words are those words which are more likely to be used
by educated people and in formal settings. Distinguishing when to use these
words is essential.
Popular Learned
agree concur
clear lucid
end terminate
move easily facilitate
think cogitate
Jargons are highly abstract, often technical diction that shows fondness
for learned words. These are words used by a certain set of people with common
interest or in the same profession. Persons not in this kind of group do not find
these technical words easy to understand. Words commonly used by lawyers,
physicians, engineers or businessmen are meaningful only to these sets of
professionals. Ordinary persons in our society can hardly understand these
technical terms.
legal profession habeas corpus, preliminary injunction, subpoena, corpus
delicti, status quo
business world rebate, assets and liabilities, amortization, balance sheets,
debtor, inventory
medical world stethoscope, hypertension, sodium chloride
teaching profession lesson plan, grade sheets, inductive and deductive
methods, class record, intrinsic motivation
f. Use verbs in the active voice versus the passive voice.
Technical writers want to communicate as efficiently as possible, and

active voice is more straightforward and is stronger than passive voice.

Active Voice Passive Voice

The company requires staff to watch a The staff are required by the company to
safety video every year. watch a safety video every year.
2. Conciseness. Conciseness provides detail in fewer words. Conciseness is important

for these reasons:
a. Conciseness Saves Time
Remember how time consuming technical writing is in the work
environment? Workers spend approximately 12 hours per week writing and
additional time reading and revising others’ writing. Conciseness in writing can
help save some of this time. If you write concisely, you can save yourself time
and take up less of your readers’ time.
b. Conciseness Aids Clarity
Concise writing can aid comprehension. If you dump an enormous number
of words on your readers, they might give up before finishing your
correspondence or skip and skim so much that they miss a key concept.
Wordy writing will lead your readers to think, “Oh no! I’ll never be able to
finish that. Maybe I can skim through it. I’ll probably get enough information that
way.” Conciseness, on the other hand, makes your writing more appealing to
your readers. They’ll think, “Oh, that’s not too bad; I can read it easily.” If they
can read your correspondence easily, they will read it with greater interest and
involvement. This, of course, will aid their comprehension.
Guidelines to Achieve Conciseness:
a. Limit Paragraph Length
An excessively long paragraph is ineffective. In a long paragraph, you
force your reader to wade through many words and digest large amounts of
information. This hinders comprehension. In contrast, short, manageable
paragraphs invite reading and help your reader understand your content.
As a rule of thumb, a paragraph in a technical document should consist of:
(a) No more than 4 to 6 typed lines; or (b) no more than 50 words.
b. Limit Word and Sentence Length

We can determine how foggy your paragraph is, by assessing it according
to Robert Gunning’s fog index.
The Fog Index
1. Count the number of words in successive sentences. Once you reach
approximately 100 words, divide these words by the number of sentences.
This will give you an average number of words per sentence.
2. Now count the number of long words within the sentences that you have
just reviewed. Long words are those with three or more syllables. Discount
the proper names, long words that are created by combining shorter
words, and three-syllable verbs created by -ed or -es endings.
3. Finally, to determine the fox index, add the number of words per sentence
and the number of long words. Then multiply your total; by 0.4
Ways to Lower a Potentially High Fox Index:
1. Use the Meat Cleaver Method of Revision. Way of cutting the sentences
in half or thirds to make sentences more concise and easier to understand.
Version 1.
To maintain proper stock balances of respirators and canister
elements and to ensure the identification of physical limitations which may
negate an individual’s previous fit test, a GBC-16 Respirator Request and
Issue Record will need to be submitted for each respirator requested for
use.
If we use the meat cleaver approach, we can make this sentence more
digestible:
Version 2.
Please submit a GBC-16 Respirator Request and Issue Record for
each requested respirator. We then can maintain proper respirator and
canister element stock balances. We also can identify physical limitations
which may negate an individual’s previous fit-test.
2. Avoid Shun Words. These are words ending in -tion or -sion - words
ending in a shun sound.
For example:
Shun Words Concise Version
came to the conclusion concluded or decided
with the exception of except for
make revisions revise
investigation of the investigate
consider implementation implement
3. Avoid Camouflaged words. These words are similar to Shun words. In

both instances, a keyword is buried in the middle of surrounding words
(usually helper verbs or unneeded prepositions).
Consider these examples:
Camouflaged Words Concise Version

make an amendment to amend
make an adjustment to adjust
having a meeting meet
thanking you in advance thank you
for the purpose of discussing discuss
4. Avoid Expletive Patterns. Another way to write more concisely is to

avoid the following:
- there is, are, was, were, will be
- it is, was
Expletive sentence: There are five people who will work for Philex
Mines.
Revised: Five people will work for Philex Mines.
The original sentence contains nine words; while the revision has six.
5. Omit Redundancies. Redundancies are words that say the same

thing. Conciseness is achieved by saying something once rather than
twice.
For example, in each of the following instances, the boldface words
are redundant:
During the year of 2005 (Obviously 2005 is a year; the words the
year of are redundant.)
In the month of December (As in the preceding example, the month
of is redundant; what else is December?)
Needless to say (If it’s needless to say, why say it?)
6. Avoid Wordy Phrases. Sentences may be wordy not because you
have been redundant or because you have used shun words,
camouflaged words, or expletives. Sometimes sentences are
wordy simply because you’ve used wordy phrases.
Wordy Phrases Concise Revision
in order to purchase to buy
at a rapid rate fast (or state the exact speed)
it is evident that evidently
with regard to about
in the first place first
3. Accuracy. Clarity and conciseness are primary objectives of effective technical

writing.
However, if your writing is clear and concise but incorrect—grammatically or
textually—then you have wasted your time and destroyed your credibility. To be
effective, your technical writing must be accurate.
Accuracy in technical writing requires that you proofread your text. In addition to
all the other errors, it should be “Dog and Cat Shop,” of course. The errors make the
writer look incompetent.
● To ensure accurate writing, use the following proofreading tips:
1. Let someone else read it—We miss errors in our own writing for two
reasons. First, we make the error because we don’t know any better.
Second, we read what we think we wrote, not what we actually wrote.
Another reader might help you catch errors.
2. Use the gestation approach—Let your correspondence sit for a while.

Then, when you read it, you’ll be more objective.
3. Read backwards—You can’t do this for content. You should read

backwards only to slow yourself down and to focus on one word at a time
to catch typographical errors.
4. Read one line at a time—Use a ruler or scroll down your PC screen to

isolate one line of text. Again, this slows you down for proofing.
5. Read long words syllable by syllable—How is the word responsibility

misspelled? You can catch this error if you read it one syllable at a time
(re-spon-si-bil-i-ty).
6. Use technology—Computer spell checks are useful for catching most

errors. They might miss proper names, homonyms (their, they’re, or there)
or incorrectly used words, such as device to mean device.
7. Check figures, scientific and technical equations, and

abbreviations—If you mean Php 400,000, don’t write Php 40,000.
Double-check any number or calculations. If you mean to say HCl
(hydrochloric acid), don’t write HC (a hydrocarbon).
8. Read it out loud—sometimes we can hear errors that we cannot see.
For example, we know that an outline is incorrect. It just sounds wrong.
An outline sounds better and is correct.
9. Try scattershot proofing—Let your eyes roam around the page at

random. Sometimes errors look wrong at a glance. If you wander around
the page randomly reading, you often can isolate an error just by
stumbling on it.
10. Use a dictionary—If you are uncertain, look it up. If you commit errors
in your technical writing, your readers will think one of two things about
you and your company: (a) they will conclude that you are stupid, or (b)
they will think that you are lazy. In either situation, you lose. Errors create
a negative impression at best; at worst, a typographical error relaying false
figures, calculations, amounts, equations, or scientific or medical data can
be disastrous.
● Make Your Message Convincing.
Readers will consider worthless any message that is trite, slang-

ridden, overstated, or devious. Observe the suggestions here to make
your technical writing more convincing (Abelos, 2005):
1. Avoid triteness. Here are just a few of the countless expressions worn
out by overuse:
first and foremost
it is interesting to note
needless to say
2. Avoid slang. Groups often coin expressions. Slang are informal

nonstandard vocabulary composed typically of coinages, arbitrarily
changed words and extravagant, forced or facetious figures of speech,
according to Webster’s Tenth New Collegiate Dictionary.
Examples:
grunts - soldiers speak of it as low-ranking combat troops
stonewall - when they speak of refusal to cooperate with an investigation
3. Avoid Overstatement. Writers lose credibility when they exaggerate to

make a point. Be cautious in using words such as best, biggest, most,
worst and the like.
Example:
Overstated: If you try mountain hiking, you will find it to be one of the
most memorable experiences of your life.
Revised: If you try mountain hiking, you will treasure it.
4. Avoid Unsupportable Generalization. Unsupported or sweeping

generalizations harm your credibility because they have no way of being
proved.
Example:
Sweeping: Television is rotting everyone’s brain.
Revised: Many authorities argue that television is one of the causes of

declining literacy.
5. Avoid Misleading Euphemisms. Euphemisms are expressions that

are aimed at politeness or at making unpleasant seem less offensive.
Examples:
Instead of lying to the public, the government engages in a policy of
disinformation or news black out.
Instead of wars and nuclear missiles, we have conflicts and
peacekeepers.
6. Be Concrete and Specific. General words name broad classes of

things, such as job, car or person. Such terms usually need to be clarified
by more specific ones.
Examples:
Job- Senior Accountant, Philex Mining Corporation
Car- Dark blue Mercedez Benz
The more specific your words, the sharper the meaning.

General Specific
precious metal 21 karat, 10 grams gold necklace
house 4 bedrooms bungalow
commercial airline Singapore Airline Airbus 300
professional Licensed Chemical Engineer
color Sky blue t-shirt
7. Keep the language simple. As a technical writer, say it in plain

English. Try not to use three syllables when one syllable will do. Trade for
less.
Complex Simple
utilize use
approximately about
to be cognizant to know
to endeavor to try
to secure employment to find a job
4. Organization
If you are clear, concise, and accurate, but no one can follow your train of
thought because your text rambles, you still haven’t communicated effectively.
Successful technical writing also must be well organized.
Here is an analogy to explain the importance of organization. Most artists cannot

just dip a brush in paint and then splatter that paint on canvas. People want to make
sense of what they see, and splattered images cause confusion. The same applies to
technical writing. As the writer, you cannot haphazardly throw words on the page and
expect readers to understand you clearly. In contrast, you should order that information
on the page logically, allowing your readers to follow your train of thought.
No one method of organization always works. Following are five patterns of
organization that you can use to help clarify content.
a. Spatial
If you are writing to describe the parts of a machine or a plot of

ground, you might want to organize your text spatially. You would describe
what you see as it appears in space—left to right, top to bottom, inside to
outside, or clockwise. These spatial sequences help your readers visualize
what you see and, therefore, better understand the physical qualities of the
subject matter. They can envision the layout of the land you describe or the
placement of each component within the machine. For example, let’s say you
are a contractor describing how you will refinish a basement. Your text reads
as follows:
At the basement’s north wall, I will build a window seat 7' long by 2'
wide by 2' high. To the right of this seat, on the east wall, I will build a desk 4'
high by 5' long by 3' wide. On the south wall, to the left of the door, I will build
an entertainment unit the height of the wall including four, 4' high by 4' wide
by 2' deep shelving compartments. The west wall will contain no built-ins.
You can use this space to display pictures and to place furniture.
Note how this text is written clockwise, uses points of the compass to
orient the reader, and includes the transitional phrases “to the right” and “to
the left” to help the reader visualize what you will build. That’s spatial
organization.
b. Chronological
Whereas you would use spatial organization to describe a place, you
would use chronology to document time or the steps in an instruction. For
example, an emergency medical technician (EMT) reporting services provided
during an emergency call would document those activities chronologically.
At 1:15 P.m., we arrived at the site and assessed the patient’s
condition, taking vitals (pulse, respiration, etc.). At 1:17 P.M., after stabilizing
the patient, we contacted the hospital and relayed the vitals. By 1:20 P.M., the
patient was on an IV drip and en route to the hospital. Our vehicle arrived at
the hospital at 1:35 P.M. and hospital staff took over the patient’s care.
Chronology also would be used to document steps in an instruction. No

times would be provided as in the EMT report. In contrast, the numbered
steps would denote the chronological sequence a reader must follow.
c.Importance
Your page of text is like real estate. Certain areas of the page are more
important than others—location, location, location. If you bury key data on the
bottom of a page, your reader might not see the information. In contrast,
content placed approximately one-third from the top of the page and two-
thirds from the bottom (eye level) garners more attention. The same applies
to a bulleted list of points. Readers will focus their attention on the first
several points more than on the last few.
Knowing this, you can decide which ideas you want to emphasize and
then place that information on the page accordingly. Organize your ideas by
importance. Place the more important ideas above the less important ones.
5. Ethics
As a technical writer, you have an ethical responsibility to write the truth.
Here is the scenario. You are a technical writer responsible for producing a
maintenance manual. Your boss tells you to include the following sentence:
Note: Our product has been tested for defects and safety by trained technicians.
When read literally, this sentence is true. The product has been tested, and the
technicians are trained. However, you know that the product has been tested for
only 24 hours by technicians trained on site without knowledge of international
regulations.
So where’s the problem? As a good employee, you are required to write
what your boss told you. Right? Even though the statement is not completely
true, legally you can include it in your manual. Correct?
The answer to both questions is no! Actually, you have an ethical
responsibility to write the truth. Your customers expect it, and it is in the best
interests of your company. Equally important is that including the sentence in
your manual is illegal. Although the sentence is essentially true, it implies
something that is false. Readers will assume that the product has been
thoroughly tested by technicians who have been correctly trained. Thus, the
sentence deceives the readers.
Knowing this, however, does not make writing easy. Ethical dilemmas
exist in corporations. The question is, what should you do when confronted with
such problems?
● One way to solve this dilemma is by checking your actions against these three
concerns: legal, practical, and ethical. For example, if you plan to write operating
instructions for a mechanism, will your text be :
1. Legal, focusing on liability, negligence, and consumer protection laws?
2. Practical, because dishonest technical writing backfires and can cause the
company to lose sales or to suffer legal expenses?
3. Ethical, written to promote consumer welfare and avoid deceiving the end
user? (Bremer et al. 1987, 76–77)
These are not necessarily three separate issues. Each interacts with the other.
Our laws are based on ethics and practical applications.
Name: ___________________________________________ Date: __________________

Year/Section: ____________________________________ Score: _________________
A. Redundancy in Writing
Directions: Make the following contents of a letter concise without omitting
important facts:
1. Tomorrow night 9:00 in the evening I shall meet Mr. Go at the hotel lobby.
__________________________________________________________________
2. This is to acknowledge and thank you for your order of ten boxes of Big Smile
toothpaste.
________________________________________________________________
3. First of all, please finish your letter.

________________________________________________________________
4. The Bandicam cost the sum of Php 25,000.00

________________________________________________________________
5. Our store will open in the near future.

________________________________________________________________
B. Clarity and Conciseness in Writing

Directions: Rewrite the following contents of a letter to make them clear and
complete. Pay attention to the interrogative words to guide you.
1. Please let me know how much your English book costs. (What book)
________________________________________________________________
2. Make a reservation for me at the airlines. (What kind of reservation and airlines)
________________________________________________________________
3. Meet me at 3:00 this afternoon. (Where)

________________________________________________________________
4. Please order me food at the restaurant. (What food and which restaurant)
________________________________________________________________
5. We received it. (What did you receive)

________________________________________________________________
C. Active and Passive Voice

I. Direction: Revise the following by changing the passive voice sentence
into active voice.
1. The statue is being visited by hundreds of tourists every year.

_________________________________________________________________
2. My books were stolen by someone yesterday.
_________________________________________________________________
3. The books had been left in the classroom by a careless student.

_________________________________________________________________
4. Coffee is raised in many parts of Hawaii by plantation workers.

_________________________________________________________________
5. The house had been broken into by someone while the owners were on vacation.
_________________________________________________________________
II. Directions: Revise the following by changing the active voice sentence
into passive voice.
1. Children cannot open these bottles easily.

_________________________________________________________________
2. The government built a road right outside her front door.

_________________________________________________________________
3. Mr. Ross broke the antique vase as he walked through the store.
_________________________________________________________________
4. When she arrived, the changes amazed her.

_________________________________________________________________
5. The construction workers are making street repairs all month long.
_________________________________________________________________
D. Application on Grammar and Correct Usage

a. Unity in Tense
Directions: Analyze the underlined verbs on the following sentences for
confusing shifts in tense. If a shift in tense is not appropriate, make necessary
changes.
1. Thirdy wants to publish all the photos he has taken last summer.
2. We will leave the house as soon as we saw you.
3. When I watch the news on TV, my cellphone ring.
4. Princess enjoys her trip to China and writes that the Great Wall really impressed her.
5. Three months ago, my sister read three novels, but she finishes only one of them.
b. Unity in Person and Number.

Directions: Revise the following be guided by the underlined words of
each sentences. Choose the correct answer inside the parenthesis.
1. If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, (he/she has, you have) to know the
rules of the game.
2. Each member of the committee must submit (their, her/his) proposal.
3. Because the members of the English class did poorly on the exam, (he had/they
have) to take a make-up exam.
4. If everyone picked up a single piece of litter everyday, (they, he/she) would discover
that the planet would be a much cleaner planet.
5. My friend, Casey like too many other students in our Basic Korean class, believes
that (they, she) don’t really need to learn foreign language.
c. Confusing Words
Directions: Choose the appropriate/necessary word from the choice given
in the parenthesis, underline your answer.
1. The company experience (continuous, continual) problems with computer.

2. The (continuous, continual) noise of the machine was distracting.
3. I will (adapt, adopt) your suggestion.
4. You must (adapt, adopt) to Western lifestyle if you want to live in USA.
5. I shall seek legal (advice, advise) before signing the contract.
6. His associates (advice, advise) him to sell his share in the company.
7. The eruption of the volcano has caused great (destruction, distraction)
8. The noise (destruction, distraction) has spoiled the contestant chance for a gold
medal.
9. The result of the test requires (farther, further) study.
10. The measuring tape extends (farther, further) than the plastic does.
ACTIVITY 2
Direction: In a concise and definitive manner, explain the ethical response you
are going to apply in the following situations: (5 points each)
a. As a technical correspondent, you are tasked to write a text that profits the
company but deceives the customer. Would you question where your loyalties
lie? After all, the boss pays the bills, but your customers might also be your next-
door neighbors. What will you do?
b. A man, looking decent in his fashion and grooming, came to your office to ask for
a disclosure of business information regarding your previous client. He shows
photographs of him and your client’s and expresses their relationship
beforehand. How will you handle the situation, if the man insists that he is
permitted to do so?
c. You are in a dire need to apply at the sister company of your recent workplace.
You must obtain releases that could suffice the qualifications of your desired
position. However, your portfolio and your commercial demonstration paper lacks
the said releases because of your failure to ask for permission and legal counsel
with your employer. What will you do?
d. Being a technical correspondent, you are requested by your employer to
negotiate an agreement with clients and employers on schedules, budgets, and
deliverable. How are you going to deal with the project planning itself?
e. You are asked to evaluate communication products and services, and seek
definitive assessments of your own professional performance since the
promotion of the best employee is about to be released in the following month.
How will you comply with these assessments?
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2 1
Claim and Establishes a Establishes a Establishes a Attempts to Does not
Support credible and clear and claim to answer establish a claim answer the
convincing plausible claim the question that is unclear or question or
claim to to answer the that needs more disconnected from no
answer the question development the topic evidence is
question present
Cites Cites mostly Refers to some Includes almost

sufficient and strong evidence from evidence from the
relevant evidence that the text that text; evidence is
evidence to supports the loosely or based on personal
fully support claim vaguely experience or
the claim supports the unconnected
claim resources
Development Analyzes the Clearly Explains the Attempts to explain No

relevance and explains the connection some connections developme
strength of the connections between some between evidence nt present
evidence in between the evidence and and claim in an
supporting the selected the claim; some unclear or

claim evidence and explanations disconnected way
the claim revolve around
personal
feelings rather
than analysis
Conventions Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Attempts to use Writing is
a strong a working some command some English incompreh
command of command of of English conventions, ensible
English English conventions though errors
conventions conventions with some frequently inhibit
with few, with some errors that reader’s
minor errors errors that do inhabit reader’s comprehension
not inhabit comprehension
reader’s
comprehension
Uses Uses language Uses language Uses informal

language and and tone that and tone that language and tone
tone that are are academic are
appropriate to inconsistently
audience and academic or
purpose inconsistently
appropriate for
audience and
purpose
References:
Gerson, Steven M. & Sharon J. (2009). Gerson Technical Communication: Process
and Product 6th Edition. Retrieved from
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nyFpkm5XyVR0i4wX5rcNWsp6OF
QcJSF7-MSgWABZas/edit
Kumar, V. (2020). Business Correspondence. Retrieved July 23, 2020 from
https://www.scribd.com/document/218630888/Business-Correspondence
Manalo, Paterna & Fermin. Virginia E. (2009). Technical and Report Writing.
Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore
Serapio, Ma. Perpetua. (2018). Technical Communications. Intramuros Manila:
Tiburcio, Pacencia Q. et.al. (2004). Study and Thinking Skills. Valenzuela, City: Mutya
Publishing House.
UNIT 2 TECHNICAL WRITING PROCESS

Module 3
BUSINESS LETTER
THE PARTS AND FORMATS
Objectives:
1. Define business letter.
2. Understand the principles of a business letter.
3. Identify the different parts of a business letter.
4. Determine and illustrate the different formats/style of business letter.
5. Write a business letter following the parts and format.
Introduction:
One of the necessary outputs of technical writing is the business letter. Writing
correct business letters is a skill or potential that must be possessed and developed by
a person regardless of his work, profession or specialization. It is a platform where you
can express your innermost feelings in a straightforward manner.
The Meaning of Business Letter

Business letters are formal letters used for business-to-business, business-to-
client, or client-to-business correspondence. A letter is a platform where you can
express your innermost feelings in a straightforward manner.
Business letter is a letter which is used by organizations to communicate in a
professional way with customers, other companies, clients, shareholders, investors, etc.
Business letter uses formal language and a specific format.
Principles of an Effective Business Letter

1. Simplicity
Use simple language that is easy to understand and makes an instant appeal to the
reader.
Example: a. “Kindly acknowledge receipt of same as per return”
Simple way is: Please send us a receipt for it without delay
b.” I am in receipt of your esteemed favour
Simple is: Thank you for your letter.
2. Promptness
As a rule, respond to the letter the day it is received. If you need time, acknowledge the
letter and indicate how soon you will be sending a specific reply.
3. Knowledge of the Subject
This includes the knowledge of the past correspondence, if any the requirements of the
sender/receiver of the letter and the knowledge of firm’s policies.
4. Accuracy, Completeness and Clarity
All facts, figures, statements, quotations etc. must be accurately mentioned. Verify them
before including it in the letter. If you are replying to an enquiry, make sure you have
touched all the points. The idea to be communicated must be clear
5. Courtesy
It means writing directly to the reader the reader, avoiding the outdated cold style that is
devoid of all courtesy and personal touch. Courtesy begets courtesy and smoothens the
business.
5. Tactful Approach
An effective business letter is tactfully planned. Generally good news is conveyed
directly and bad news is preceded further by a buffer statement.
6. Empathy
It means to care about someone's feelings or ideas. To write a good letter, put yourself
in the reader's shoes and try to anticipate the reader's reaction to your comments. By
doing this, you are more likely to choose more appropriate words and use the correct
tone.
7. Persuasion
- Plan according to the reader's reaction.
- Write with the "you" attitude- the state of mind where you always emphasize the
benefits to the reader and subordinate your interests.
- Adjust the language to the reader and use terms and concepts that the reader is
familiar with.
- Write positively and with confidence
8. Tone
Tone is the use of accent and inflection to express a mood or emotion in speaking or
writing.
You can avoid making mistakes with tone by using the following techniques:
- avoid the "I" attitude by having more emphasis on the reader and not yourself
- avoid extreme cases of humility, flattery, and modesty
- avoid condescension (arrogance)
- avoid preaching your ideas
9. Conciseness
Don’t load your letter with irrelevant details
10. The Positive and Pleasant Approach
Avoid negative words like failure , Refuse, sorry, damage etc. They are unwelcome
words. Even “no‟ can be written as “another time‟ and “sorry‟ can be reworded as “I’ll
try‟.
11. Coherence
Effective letters present information in logical order by careful use of linking devices, use
of pronouns and repetition of key words. Linking words like “besides‟, “therefore”,
“likewise‟, however etc. and the pronouns like “this‟, “that‟, these give a logical
progression to the thought content of the writer.
12. Care for Culture
In international correspondence we have to be especially careful in choice of words so
as not to offend the receiver who may be having a very different cultural background.
Avoid use of culturally derived words, slangs, idioms and phrases. Use simple words
that are inoffensive.
13. Ethical Standard
All effective correspondence maintains ethics. Persuasion and tact in correspondence
does not mean that we become indifferent to ethics. On the other hand our letters
should reflect the genuineness of our feeling.
Physical Appearance of Business Letter
A good business letter should have a pleasing appearance. To get an attractive

appearance, the letter writer must keep in mind the following points:
1. Paper - The paper used for writing/typing letter must be of good quality. Cheap
quality of paper creates a poor impression of the sender on the mind of the receiver.
Therefore, to create a good impression, the sender should use good quality paper.
2. Letter-head - It refers to the name and address of the sender. The letter-head must
be well designed so as to impress the reader. The type, design of letter/alphabets
and the color used for such letters must be appealing. The letter head introduces the
sender to the reader.
3. Typing - The letter must be typed neatly and without mistakes and corrections. Over
typing must be avoided. Quality ribbons must be used for typing. Nowadays,
commercial organizations use electronic typewriters, and computers with laser
printers.
4. Margin - Proper margin must be kept on the left hand side and right hand side. Also,
necessary space must be left at the bottom of the letter. If there is less content, then
small sized paper must be used.
5. Spacing - Proper spacing must be kept between the paragraphs; this is because it
facilitates easy and quick reading. There should be proper indenting. There should be
proper justification on both the sides. Nowadays, electronic typewriter provides, the
facility of justification.
6. Folding - As far as possible, letter must be folded with minimum folds. Too many
folds give a crumpled look and creates a poor impression.
7. Envelope - Proper size, color and quality envelope must be used. The address on
the envelope must be neatly typed. Right letter must be placed in the right envelope.
Nowadays, some firms use window envelopes. Window envelope saves time and
labor. It also gives an attractive appearance.
8. Layout - There must be a proper layout of the letter. All the parts of the letter, i.e.
date, letter heading, reference number, etc. must be placed properly at the right place
to give a balanced look. (Alam, M., 2013)
Parts of the Business Letter
1. Heading - this part includes the sender’s full mailing address - but not the
sender’s name because that appears at the end of the letter - and the date. If you
have letterhead stationery on which your return address appears, simply type the
date. Do not abbreviate the names of streets, avenues, boulevards, and the like.
Unit 15 Ed and Joe Commercial Building

Quirino Avenue, Baclaran
Paranaque City
October 8, 2007
The return address should always be flush left on the page, regardless of which
letter format you follow. The date should also be flush left if you are using block
or simplified style, the date should begin at the center of the page, however if
using a modified block style.
2. Date Line - consists of the month, day and year the letter is written and also the
second part of the business letter. Date line which is typed two or four spaces
below the letter head. There are two standard ways of writing the date, the
American way (May 2, 2020) and the British way (2 May 2020). More ways are
used by other business correspondents, but whatever style you choose, the
usual procedure calls for one punctuation mark, the comma after the day (July
21, 2020) and the non-abbreviation of the name of the month.
3. Inside Address - the recipient’s name, title, position and complete mailing
address appears here. if the person’s title is short, include it following a name
and a comma. If the title is long, place it on the line below the name. write the
company name as it usually appears. Again, do not abbreviate the names of the
streets, avenues or boulevards.
Dr. Leonarda Aguinalde, Dean

College of Business Administration
University of the Cordilleras
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City
0201
Begin the inside address two lines below the return address heading and always
on the left-hand side of the page.
4. Salutation - complimentary greetings that begins the letter. This part addresses
the recipient by title and last name. If you do not know the name of the person to
whom your letter should be directed, you may be able to indicate the person’s
function. For example, the salutation may be:
Dear Personnel Officer

Dear Maintenance Director
Dear Customer Service Relations Officer
If you cannot specify a function for the individual to whom you are writing, you
can use a more general salutation such as:
Dear Sir or Dear Madam (but not Dear Sir/Madam):

To Whom It May Concern:
Whatever salutation you use, it should be followed by a colon (:) and it should
appear two spaces below the inside address.
5. Subject Line - describe the content or main idea of the topic or letter. If you wish
to highlight the subject of your letter, type a subject line. A subject line briefly
names the subject of the letter. Use the word subject or the abbreviation re (Latin
for “things”), followed by a colon, to identify your letter’s content. Several styles
are acceptable.
Subject: Refund
SUBJECT: Scholarship
Re: Overload Pay
RE: Seminar/Workshop
Type the subject line below the letter’s salutation.
6. Body (Message) - If possible, keep a business letter to one page in length but
never more than two pages. Structure the business letter in three parts:
a. An introduction paragraph that states the purpose of the letter and
establishes a courteous tone.
b. One or more body paragraphs that develop major points and provide
details.
c. A brief conclusion paragraph that thanks the reader and suggests
possibilities for further action.
Begin each line of the text of the letter at the left margin. Double-space
between paragraphs to set them off from each other.
7. Complimentary close – farewell greetings. Choose a close that reflects the

tone—formal or informal—of the salutation and the rest of the letter. Typical
complimentary closes include.
Sincerely, Lovingly yours, (less formal)

Sincerely yours, Your beloved, (to be used only in informal)
Yours sincerely, Belovedly yours, e.g. love letters, friendly letter
Truly, Very truly yours,
Very respectfully yours,
Respectfully yours,
Capitalize only the first letter. Begin the close two lines below the last line of the
body. Except for the block form, align the close with the return address heading, flush
left. Follow the close with a comma.
If you know the recipient well and want to indicate greater informality, use a
complimentary close such as:
Cordially, Best wishes,

Cordially yours, Kindest regards,
Best regards,
8. Name and Signature - the full name of the sender is typed four spaces below the
complimentary close, and a handwritten signature should be inserted between
closing and typed name. The sender’s title may appear below the typed name.
9. Enclosures - If you include other material with a letter, add an enclosure notation
at the left margin, two lines below your name. You may write out or abbreviate the
notation for enclosure (encl.) or enclosures (encls.) List important closures by name
or type. Multiple items should be listed and indented below the notation, or use
parenthetic numerals to indicate their quantity.
Enclosure: Official Transcript of Records

Encl: Photocopy of Birth Certificate
Enclosures: (2)
Encls: Copy of Memorandum of Agreement
Copy of Passport and Visa
10. Carbon Copy- If copies of your letter are being sent to other persons, add a
carbon copy notation (cc) two lines below your typed name or the enclosure notation
(if there is none).
cc: Atty. Eduardo M. Aratas

CC: Dean Lilila Reyes
Copies to Professor Alex V. Abelos

290 Milbuena Subdivision
Magsaysay Sur
Cabanatuan City
When your letter contains sensitive information and you do not want the recipient to
know that copies are being sent to others, use a blind carbon copy notation on the copy
sheets only.
bcc: National Bureau of Investigation

BCC: Richard M. Carino, Attorney at Law
11. Postscripts - used when the writer has forgotten something to say/write on the
body of the letter. Since postscripts may suggest a last-minute, casual addition, it
should rarely be a part of technical correspondence.If you want to include one to
emphasize a point not covered in the body of the letter, use the abbreviated form
P.S., PS: to identify it. Type the abbreviation two lines below the last notation. In
P.S. I look forward to the three weeks of the intense workshop

TESDA Baguio offers industrial welding.

application, this is not advisable/proper to use, it shows forgetfulness.
12. Typist - or Identification Inserted in Reference Notation. If someone other than

the writer types the letter, the typist’s initials appear after the author’s with a colon
(:) - AVA- FRO
Format of the Business Letters
Appearance of the letter conveys non-verbal impression that affects a reader's

attitude. Business letters are usually arranged in different styles or formats. The style or
format is determined by certain conventions.
1. The Block Form
In the block form, the heading, the complimentary close, and the signature are
found on at the upper right of the page while the inside address, the salutation and the
paragraphs are written on the left side.
2. Full Block Form
This format is considered to be the most modern. All essential parts in this form
are started from the left-hand margin. Open punctuation should be used in this form.
This form saves time more than any other form.
3. The Indented or Traditional Form
Each line of the heading and the inside address is uniformly indented either three
or five spaces more than the line which precedes it (Farol, 1963). Beginnings of the
paragraphs are also indented while the complimentary close is in line with the dateline.
The signature is written three spaces to the lower right.
4. Hanging or Overhanging Form
Paragraph beginnings align with the left hand margin of the page. All other lines
are indented five spaces from the left hand margin. Appropriate only when the nature of
the business is sufficiently informal to justify novelty and innovation.
5. Semi - Block Form
The modified block differs from the block form where each paragraph is indented.
Full Blocked Form with Open Punctuation
The full blocked layout is now the most widely used method of display for all
business documents. This style is thought to have a businesslike appearance. This
layout reduces typing time as there are no indentations for new paragraphs or the
closing section.
Open punctuation is often used with the fully blocked layout. Again this reduces
typing time because there is no need for any unnecessary full stops and commas.
Model Presentation
Study the following formats or styles of a business letter.

Full Block Form

Block Form
Hanging Style
Indented Form or
Traditional Form
Semi-Block Form
Punctuation Styles
1. Close Punctuation
Parts of heading, date, inside address, salutation and complimentary close are
punctuated.
2. Standard Punctuation
No line of heading or inside address is punctuated. After salutation and

complimentary close a comma is placed.
3. Open Punctuation
It requires no punctuation even after the salutation and the complimentary close.
Name: _______________________________________________ Date: __________________

Year/Section: _____________________________________ Score: _________________
A. Letter Parts
Directions: On the space provided, write the word True if the statement is
correct, and if it is not, change the underlined word/s to make
the sentence right.
_________ 1. Business letter have major and optional parts.
_________ 2. Enclosed Notation reminds the recipient to book for the attachment.
_________ 3. The inside address contains the complete name and address of the
recipient.
_________ 4. It is the complementary close that convey the message of the letter.
_________ 5. To sent the message officially to an organization and direct it to specific

individual, office or department, use the attention line.
_________ 6. Carbon copy notation reminds the typist to insert the enclosure in the
envelope.
_________ 7. Students of business writing course are advised to use words that evoke
negative response.
_________ 8. To be objective in business writing is to include personal emotion.
_________ 9. If the letter is prepared for the company, the heading includes the
address of the sender and the date line.
_________ 10. The writer’s designation and signature appear in the signature block.
B. Rewrite the following headings in correct form and order.

1. Lucena City San Juan Village 230 Juan Luna St. August 17, 2020
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. July 17, 2020 Tondo Manila Dona Maria A. Building

______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Gold Street Muntinlupa Metro Manila May 21, 2020 Park Avenue
Condominium Unit 11
______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. University of Rizal System December 8, 2010 Sumulong St. Morong, Rizal

San Pedro
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5. Annex Building SM City Unit 68 San Fernando Pampanga Barrio San Jose
November
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
C. Rewrite the following inside addresses and their salutations correctly:
1. Engr. Wilson Mills ________________________________

San Juan, Metro Manila ________________________________
President ________________________________
2301 Sagittarius Bldg. ________________________________
Gold Plating Corporation ________________________________
Dear Win, ________________________________
2. The President ________________________________

2411 Juan Luna Ext. _______________________________
Manila ________________________________
Metal Processing Corporation ________________________________
My dear Sir: ________________________________
3. Dr. Zar Suarez ________________________________

Department of Energy ________________________________
Director ________________________________
Human Resources ________________________________
Management Division ________________________________
D. Rewrite the following complimentary closes and signatures in correct form

and order:
1. (Signed) Aristotle C. Onan ________________________________

(Typed) Mr. Aristotle C. Onan ________________________________
Sincerely yours, ________________________________
Manager ________________________________
Consumer Arts Philippines ________________________________
2. (Typed) Sonny O. Reyes ________________________________

Truly yours, ________________________________
(Signed) Sonny O. Reyes ________________________________
ACTIVITY 3
A. Without looking at the model formats, use lines in drawing the skeleton or
framework of each form in this space. Label each part.
B. Arrange these letter parts in the letter style you like most. See to it that the
spacing and margins are correct.
April 27, 2020 / Mr. Eric D. Dominggo / Chief Registrar / University of Rizal
System, Baras, Rizal / Dear Sir / I would like to request for a copy of my
Transcript of Record (TOR). My first copy was one of those burned when a big
fire razed our house last week. (new paragraph) I shall appreciate your granting
my request. / Respectfully your, / Fernando S. Morales /
A. Letter Parts:
References:
Mutya Pub. House.
Kumar, V. (2020). Business Correspondence. Retrieved July 23, 2020 from

https://www.scribd.com/document/218630888/Business-Correspondence
Manalo, Paterna & Fermin, Virginia E. (2009). Technical and Report Writing.
Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore.
Serapio, Ma. Perpetua. (2018). Technical Communication. Intramuros Manila:

Module 4
THE WRITER-READER RELATIONSHIP

THE WRITING PROCESS
Objectives:
1. Identify the correct structure of a business letter.
2. Explain the principles involved in the writing process.
3. Write a business letter using a life-like scenario.
Introduction
Most papers you write in college are essays. College essays usually discuss a
limited subject by relying on general knowledge, research, observations, experience,
insight, or values. Effective college essays should be based on accurate information
and embody a writer’s deep understanding of a subject.
The Writer-Reader Relationship

When writing a technical correspondence, you are participating in a relationship.
This relationship is between you and your reader. It is not enough to know a lot about a
subject; you must also maintain the writer-reader relationship by effectively arranging
what you know on the page, or you will risk confusing your reader.
Like every relationship, the writer-reader relationship has its obligations. One of
your obligations as a writer is to meet your reader’s expectation that you will use
common writing principle to guide him or her through the reading process.
Readers Expect a Technical Correspondence to Have a Clear Structure

Structure comes from a Latin word that means to arrange in piles, to pile up,
and, therefore, to build or construct. Many things look very different but have the same
underlying structure. For example, humans are easily distinguished by their physical
appearance, but beneath their skeletal structure are very similar. Two automobiles may
have the same system of frame, engine and drive train, but the shape, color and design
of their bodies are entirely different.
The structure of expressive writing tends to be more fluid than that of expository
and argument writing. Expressive writings are more exploratory, sometimes revealing
the writer’s personal experience and insight. As a result of their fluid nature, expressive
writing structures are often very loose. They capture the flow of expressive, not a
reconstructed interpretation of experience.
In sharp contrast, expository and argument writing usually follow a structure that
professors have come to expect college students to use; the thesis-support structure.
Thesis-support writing are composed of several paragraphs, are typically 500 to 1,500
words in length and have a clear structure that can be divided into three main parts; an
introduction; a discussion, and a conclusion.
Technical writing follows the same structure (introduction, body, and conclusion);
however, it varies in length and form. Depending on the correspondence such as the
subscription letter. In contrast, an investigative and recommendation reports carry a
longer structure explaining carefully the details to the reader.
The Structure
1. The introduction usually no more than one or two paragraphs, presents the
thesis statement and any background information that readers might need to
understand the discussion. An effective introduction arouses reader’s interest
and limits the discussion that follows.
2. The discussion or body usually contains several paragraphs, each organized

by a topic sentence that relates to the thesis statement. Discussion paragraphs
develop the ideas expressed in the thesis statement in a detailed, thorough
manner.
3. The conclusion usually no more than a single paragraph, gives a sense of

completion to the technical correspondence. Often, though not always, the
conclusion restates the thesis statement and touches on the correspondence’s
subpoints as expressed in the topic sentences.
Within the overall structure, an effective technical writing should embody three other
principles.
 It should be unified, that is, every part must clearly relate to the idea
expressed in the thesis statement.
 It should be coherent, that is, the thoughts expressed in sentences should be

connected by transitional techniques, such as the repetition of key words and
phrases, the rephrasing of key ideas, and the use of transitional words and
phrases.
 It should have adequate development, that is, there should be thorough

supporting explanation and detail.
Readers Expect Discussion Paragraphs to Follow Clear Development Patterns
Just as readers expect technical writing to have a clear structure, they expect
paragraphs, especially discussion paragraphs, to follow clear patterns. Since a technical
correspondence such as application letter, memorandum, complaint letters, and the like
composed of several paragraphs, it might contain a variety of paragraph development
patterns.
1. Examples include typical and specific illustrations and concrete descriptions

used to develop a point such as descriptions of a xerox machine, a personal
computer, an amplifier, etc.
2. Comparison and contrast present the similarities and differences between two
objects such as Samsung Slim Television and LG Bio Flat Television.
3. Analogy helps explain a complicated or abstract idea by comparing it to

something familiar such as the floating foundation of the SM Asia Mall building as
to the ship structure of a large commercial vessel.
4. Cause and effect explain why something happened and the results of something
that happen such as the epidemic brought by SARS and Bird’s flu to humans.
5. Classification organizes a subject into distinct categories such as the human

anatomy, branded cars, architectural designs, highway foundations, concrete
structures, computer designs, etc.
6. Definition differentiates one concept from others such as thermodynamics,

thermal effect, thermostat, thermometer and temperature.
7. Process analysis explains how to do something or how something works such

as cadastral surveying, soap making, oxidation, kidney transplant, electronic
transmission of waves, etc.
Overview of the Writing Process
The process approach to writing requires the following sequence (Gerson &
Gerson, 1999, p. 10 cited by Abelos, 2005, p. 13 & 14):
1. Prewrite. Before you can write your technical document, you must have
something to say. Prewriting allows you to spend quality time, prior to writing
correspondence, generating information. In prewriting, you (a) determine

objectives (the motivation, rationale, or purpose for writing), (b) gather data (the
content for your correspondence), and (c) consider audience (who will read your
correspondence).
2. Write. Once you have gathered your data and determined your objectives, the
next step is to state them. You need to draft your document. To do so, you
should (a) organize the draft according to some logical sequence which your
readers can follow easily and (b) format the content to allow for ease of access.
3. Rewrite. The final step, and one that is essential to successful writing, is to
rewrite your draft. This step requires that you revise the rough draft. Revision
allows you to perfect your memo, letter, or report so you can be proud of your
final product.
To write successfully, you should subdivide your writing activity into these three
steps. Doing so will lessen the anxiety caused by writing. Instead of feeling
overwhelmed by the task at hand, you will be able to approach any writing situation one
step at a time.
Prewriting
Prewriting allows you to plan your technical writing. You should know where to go
and what to write in your correspondence. Here are the steps of prewriting.
1. Determine your objectives. Before you write the document, you need to know
why you are writing and what you hope to achieve. Is your motivation external or
internal? External motivation means that someone else has requested the
correspondence. Your manager, for example, expects you to write a weekly
report, a performance appraisal of your subordinate, or a memo suggesting
solutions to a current problem. Internal motivation means that you have decided
to write on your own accord. You are greatly affected by the distortion of the
speakers you bought last week from a nearby appliance store, so you write a
letter of complaint. You need to look for a two door apartment for your family in
Cebu due to your transfer as the bank’s branch manager there, so you write an
e-mail message to the Cebu branch to help you find and locate such apartment.
Perhaps, you recognize a problem in your department, so you create a one on
one interview with all your subordinates accompanied by a questionnaire. Then
analysing your findings, you write a report documenting the problem and asking
help from your superiors.
2. Understand your objectives. If you don’t know why you are writing, what will
you expect from your readers? How will they grasp your intentions? You should
identify what you want to express to your readers. Do you want them to work
efficiently? Do you want to increase the sales? Do you want them to observe
cleanliness in the workplace?
3. Gather data. Once you know why you are writing, you can now decide what to
say. The page remains blank until you fill it with data. Your technical
correspondence will now consider personnel, dates, actions required, locations,
costs, methods for implementing suggestions, and so forth. It is your obligation
as the writer to flesh out the detail, because until you tell your readers what you
want to tell them, they don’t know. You can’t communicate your content until
you’ve gathered your data.
4. Consider your audience. You should know how many people will read your
correspondence as well as their levels of understanding. You will not
disseminating a highly intellectual memorandum to a group of factory workers
who are only elementary graduates.
Prewriting Techniques
Prewriting techniques help technical writers tackle different types of technical

correspondence. Some of these prewriting techniques include the following:
 Answering the reporter’s questions. By answering who, what, when, where,

why, and how, you create the content of your correspondence.
 Mind mapping. This allows you look at your topic from multiple perspectives.
 Brainstorming/listing. Performing either individually or with a group, you can

randomly suggest ideas (brainstorming) and then make a list of these
suggestions.
 Branching. This helps you discern the components of a topic. Your main topic is
like the trunk of a tree. Each component of the topic represents a separate
branch.
 Flowcharting. By graphically depicting the steps in a procedure, you can ensure

that a chronological organization is maintained and that no steps are omitted.
 Outlining. This traditional method of gathering and organizing information allow

you to break a topic into major and minor components.
 Storyboarding. This pictorial sketch of each page or screen lets you see what
your document will look like.
Each of these methods will not appeal to everyone and will not work for every
type of correspondence. However, by becoming familiar with them, you’ll be able to
approach any type of writing assignment with more confidence. No matter what type of
writing you must perform, no matter what professions you’re in, and no matter what your
company’s standards are, you’ll have prewriting techniques and your command will help
you overcome the blank page syndrome (Abelos et. al., 2005, p. 16 & 17).
Writing
Writing lets you package your data. You need to package it (the draft data) in
such a way that your readers can follow your train of thought readily and can easily
access your data. Writing the draft lets you organize your thoughts in some logical,
easy-to-follow sequence. Writers usually know where they are going, but readers don’t
have this same insight. When readers pick up your document, they can read only one
line at a time. They know what you are saying at the moment, but they don’t know what
your goals are. They can only hope that in your writing, you will lead them along
logically and not get them lost in back alleys of unnecessary data or dead-end
arguments.
Try to follow these steps:
1. Organize your thoughts. As with prewriting, you have many organizational

options such as use of (a) space (spatial organization), (b) chronology, (c)
importance, (d) comparison/contrast, and (e) problem/solution. These
organizational methods are not exclusive. Many of them can be used
simultaneously within a memo, letter, or report to help your reader follow your
train of thought. Of the above, the three basic order patterns that are used in
setting ideas down are the chronological, the spatial, and the logical. The first
involves order in time, the second order in space, and the third order based on
some valid principle of reasoning; e.g. from simple to complex, from personal to
impersonal, from least important to most important, etc.
2. Format your text. This is to allow your readers for ease of access. In addition to
organizing your ideas, you need to consider how the text looks on the page. If
you give your readers a massive and complex words, they will file your document
for future reading and look for another article or trash can. To invite your readers
to appreciate your correspondence, you need to highlight key points and break
up monotonous-looking text. You need to ensure that your information is
accessible.
Rewriting
Rewriting lets you perfect your writing. People who write effective documents
know that rewriting requires a second or third write. Good writers fine-tune, hone, sculpt,
and polish their drafts to make sure that their final versions are perfect. To rewrite, you
need to revise a lot. Revision requires that you look over your draft and do the following:
 Add any missing detail for clarity.

 Delete dead words and phrases for conciseness.
 Simplify unnecessarily complex words and phrases to allow for easier
understanding.
 Move information around (cut and paste) to ensure that your most important
ideas are emphasized.
 Reformat (using highlighting techniques) to ensure reader-friendly ease of
access.
 Enhance the tone and style of the text.
 Correct any errors to ensure accurate grammar and content.
Revision is possibly the most important stage in the writing process. If you
prewrite effectively and write an effective draft, you are sure of a greater start. Rewriting
is the stage in which you make sure that everything is just right. Failure to do so not only
can cause confusion for your readers but can also destroy your credibility.
How to Write a Business Letter

Suppose you are writing a business letter for the very first time. You will ask
yourself the question ‘how to write a business letter’. There is no need to scratch your
head.
All business letters follow a fixed format. The answer to the question of how to write
a business letter is broadly classified into four categories.
How to write a
Business Letter
Beginning the Composing the Closing the Finalizing the

letter Body Letter Letter
Beginning the Letter
 Know the format: There are some business standards that need to be followed. One
must use a common font to type a business letter. One must use indentation,
paragraphs, margins, etc. The text must be typed in black color only.
 Choose the Right Kind of Paper: One must print a letter in a letter-sized paper. The
standard size of the paper is A4.
 Include information about the Company: One must clearly state the name and the
address of the company. Try to use a letterhead of the company for any business
use.
 Include the date: Writing the date helps the person to have a record of the on-going
business.
 Add the Recipient’s Information: In a business letter, one must clearly type the
name, address, and job title of the recipient to remove any ambiguity.
 Choose a Salutation: It is a way of showing respect towards the recipient. One can
also use ‘To Whom It May Concern’ if he doesn’t know the person addressed.
Composing the Body
 Strike the right tone: The tone of the letter must be formal, clear and polite. Do not
use fancy, lengthy, and big words. One must be persuasive in the letter.
 Use of Personal Pronoun: One can use personal pronouns in a business letter. If
writing on behalf of the organization one must use ‘we’ instead of ‘I’.
 Write precisely and clearly: The content of the letter must be precise, clear, brief,
and easily understandable.
 Use the Active Voice: Always write your letter in an active voice.
 Be Courteous: Always write a letter in a polite and respectful way. Always use
courteous words.
 Use Additional Pages: If the matter is not fitting in one page of the letterhead, use
the second page. One must keep in mind to include the page number on the second
and subsequent pages.
Closing the Letter
 Choose a Closing: One must use a proper closing in a business letter. Use a
comma (,) after it.
 Sign the Letter: Always sign the letter in ink. If sending a printed copy, always affix
the scanned signature.
 Make Note of Enclosure: One must properly enclose a list of attached documents
with the letter. One can use the abbreviation of the enclosure, i.e., Encl. or Enc.
 Use of C.C.: For persons other than the recipient, include their name on the letter by
typing C.C.
Finalizing the Letter
 Edit and Review: Once you are finished writing the letter, try to look for errors.
Check for spellings, punctuations, grammatical errors.
 Don’t Staple the Letter: Use a paperclip on the top of the left corner if there are
many pages. The use of staple doesn’t look nice for a business letter.
 Posting of the Letter: Always use clear and correct spelling for mentioning the name
and address of the recipient.
Model Presentation of Steps in a Writing Business Letters
Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Business-Letter
Model Presentation
Memorandum
Business Letter
Letter of Inquiry
Sales Letter
Resume
Business Report

Name: ___________________________________________ Date: __________________
Year/Section: ____________________________________ Score: _________________
A. Fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase to complete the following
sentences.
1. It comes from a Latin word that means to arrange in piles, to pile up, and, therefore,
to build or construct is _________________.
2. Writings that are more exploratory, sometimes revealing the writer’s personal
experience and insight are _________________.
3. The structure that professors expect college students to use in crafting expository
and argument writing is called _________________.
4. The structure of a technical writing that usually no more than one or two paragraphs,
presents the thesis statement and any background information that readers might need
to understand the discussion refers as _________________.
5. The structure of a technical writing that usually contains several paragraphs, each
organized by a topic sentence that relates to the thesis statement denotes as
_________________.
6. The structure of a technical writing that usually no more than a single paragraph,
gives a sense of completion to the technical correspondence is called
_________________.
7. A development pattern that includes typical and specific illustrations and concrete
descriptions used to develop a point such as descriptions of a xerox machine, a
personal computer, an amplifier, etc. known as _________________.
8. A development pattern that organizes a subject into distinct categories such as the
human anatomy, branded cars, architectural designs, highway foundations, concrete
structures, computer designs, etc. is called _________________.
9. A development pattern that explains how to do something or how something works
such as cadastral surveying, soap making, oxidation, kidney transplant, electronic
transmission of waves, etc. refers as _________________.
10. A process of writing that allows you to spend quality time, prior to writing
correspondence, generating information is pertains as _________________.
11. A prewriting technique wherein you can ensure that a chronological organization is
maintained and that no steps are omitted known as _________________.
12. The final step in the process of writing that is essential to successful writing is called
_________________.
13. Ways that help technical writers tackle different types of technical correspondence
are called _________________.
14. The process of performing either individually or with a group, you can randomly
suggest ideas and then make a list of these suggestions pertains as
_________________.
15. The pictorial sketch of each page or screen lets you see what your document will
look like is called _________________.
ACTIVITY 4
Write your Business Letter for 20 points using the information below. Invent your
own details to complete the parts of the business letters missing in the given
data. Use Arial font style, size 12 and an A4 size of the paper. Be guided with the
correct structure in writing this kind of letter. Consider the rubrics below.
Information to be used:
Magnolia Ice Cream, one of the famous ice cream brands in the Philippines will
conduct an Ice Cream Exhibit focusing on the emerging Filipino flavors for the
said dessert. This will be held on April 9, 2021 at Sky Ranch Pampanga.
Suppose that you are the Manager of a developing ice cream factory that offers
home-made ice cream flavors. Write a business letter to the company saying that
you are willing to participate the said event.
CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Format Complies with all Complies with Complies with Complies with
the requirements for almost all the several of the less than 75%
a business letter requirements for requirements for a of the
a business letter business letter requirement for
a business letter
Sentences Sentences and All sentences are Most sentences Many sentence
and paragraphs are well-constructed. are complete and fragments or
Paragraphs complete, well- Paragraphing is well-constructed. run-on
constructed and of generally done Paragraphing sentences or
varied structure well needs some work paragraphing
needs lots of
work
Salutation Salutation and Salutation and Salutation and Salutation
and Closing closing have no closing have 1-2 closing have 3 or and/or closing
errors in errors in more errors in are missing
capitalization and capitalization and capitalization and
punctuations punctuation punctuation
Grammar Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes
and spelling errors in grammar errors in errors in grammar more than 4
(conventions) and spelling grammar and/or and/or spelling errors in
spelling grammar and/or
spelling
Organization The structure and The structure is The structure and Writer needs a
of thoughts content all work good but the content is not lot of
together to come up content is not coherent improvement in
with a good coherent. writing a
business letter business letter
References:
Mutya Pub. House.
Erickson. M. (2020). How to Write a Business Letter. Retrieved July 22, 2020 from
https//www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Business-Letter
Gerson, Steven M. (n.d.). Writing That Works. Retrieved July 20, 2020 from
https://www.academia.edu/35391096/A_Teachers_Guide_to_Technical_Writing
Toppr (n.d.). Parts of Business Letter. Retrieved July 21, 2020 from
https//www.toppr.com/guides/business-communication-and-ethics/business-
correspondence/parts-of-business-letter

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MODULE IN TECHNICAL WRITING 1

To the University of Rizal System Student:

Welcome to EL 108 (Technical Writing). This course provides the theories,

Verna A. Gaston, the Course Coordinator for EL 108 (Technical Writing), an

The other members of the course team are:

Zamora P. Medrano, an Associate Professor ll, is a graduate of Bachelor of

Irene O. Feliciano, an Instructor III, is a graduate of Bachelor of Elementary

Course Code : EL 108

This course provides the theories, principles and practice of technical

1. Develop confidence to use written communication in your work and personal

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:

Unit 2 - Technical Writing Process

Unit 3 - Various Kinds of Business Letters (Selected Only)

Unit 4 – Introduction to Technical Reports

Unit 5 – Special Techniques in Technical Writing and Reporting

Unit 6 – Electronic Communication

UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO TECHNICAL WRITING

NATURE OF TECHNICAL WRITING

The Meaning of Technical Writing

Difference of Technical Writing from Other Types of Writing

Outputs of Technical Writing and Business Letters

Distinctions of Technical Writing from other Kinds of Writing

2. Expressive writing records a subjective, emotional response to a personal

3. Expository writing analyzes a topic objectively. Most essays in composition

4. Persuasive writing, in some ways, combines the emotionalism of expressive

Comparison Between Technical Writing and Literary Writing

Literary Writing Technical Writing

Example of Literary and Technical Writing

Purpose of Technical Writing

STATUS REPORT PURPOSE (document) + AUDIENCE (technical

1. Technical writing is used to request action. If you are writing to a supervisor or

3. Technical writing is used to recommend action. When you write to your

4. Technical writing is used to inform. It is written to make another person to

Importance of Technical Writing

1. Technical writing conducts business. It is not an ornamental edging or an

2. Technical writing takes time. In addition to serving a valuable purpose in a

4. Technical writing is an expression of your interpersonal communication

thoughts effectively. Technical writing is an extension of your interpersonal

Basic Principles of Effective Technical Writing

1. Understanding the Reader

2. Knowing the Purpose of Each Technical Report

3. Knowing the Subject Matter

5. Using Correct Format

6. Adopting Ethical Standards

Characteristics of Technical Writing

3. It is very detailed and informative. The perfect example of technical writing is a

Uses of Technical Writing

With understanding the characteristics of technical writing, you can better

When you open up an instruction manual, as the reader, the goal is to be

Driving directions can be considered a type of technical writing as the goal is to

Overall, technical writing is a very useful form of writing that is encountered by

Classification of Technical Writing

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUIZ (SAQ)

Name: _______________________________________________ Date: __________________

B. Collect five technical writing samples from a journal, magazine in field of

C. Identify the following whether technical writing or literary writing. Write TW in

_________ 1. Essay _________ 11. Skit

Point of Contrast Technical Writing Literary Writing

6. Style 7. ___________________ Light

Cites Cites mostly Refers to some Includes almost

Development Analyzes the Clearly Explains the Attempts to explain No

strength of the connections between some between evidence nt present

Uses Uses language Uses language Uses informal

Mosura, Carmel T. & Tinorio, Escolastica S. (1999) Contemporary Technical Writing

Name: _____________________________ Date:

_ 1. Essay _ 11. Skit

Name: _________________________ Date: