Saint Louis University, Baguio City

English and Communication Dept., School of Humanities

TECHNICAL WRITING (Engl. 7)

DIRECTION: Below is a short discussion of the distinction between technical writing and literary writing. Make a
summary of it in tabular form for easy reading and understanding.

The primary purpose of literary writing is to entertain or amuse the reader, while technical writing aims to
provide useful information. The other purposes of literary writing are: to suggest the writer’s message, to impart a
lesson, and to broaden a person’s outlook. Technical writing purports to convey the writer’s ideas directly, to give
directions and to serve as a basis for decision making.

The subject matter of literary writing focuses on man’s experience and life including the intricacies of the
human heart whereas technical writing deals with subject related to business industry, science and technology.

The language of literary writing is figurative and uses the imaginary vocabulary. The words and expressions
used are beautifully and rhythmically interwoven to produce a poetic interpretation of life. Technical writing makes use
of formal and serious technical or scientific terminologies suited for its purpose and style.

In literary writing, the writer may use the first or the third person point of view or even from the point of view of
the observer known as the third omniscient but the technical writer employs the third person point of view: the
researcher, the proponent, the author or the writer.

The tone of literary writing is personal, subjective and definitely emotional; however, in technical writing, the
tone is predominantly objective, impersonal, and unbiased.

Saint Louis University, Baguio City

English and Communication Dept., School of Humanities
TECHNICAL WRITING (Engl. 7)

DIRECTION: Below is a short discussion of the distinction between technical writing and literary writing. Make a
summary of it in tabular form for easy reading and understanding.

The primary purpose of literary writing is to entertain or amuse the reader, while technical writing aims to
provide useful information. The other purposes of literary writing are: to suggest the writer’s message, to impart a
lesson, and to broaden a person’s outlook. Technical writing purports to convey the writer’s ideas directly, to give
directions and to serve as a basis for decision making.

The subject matter of literary writing focuses on man’s experience and life including the intricacies of the
human heart whereas technical writing deals with subject related to business industry, science and technology.

The language of literary writing is figurative and uses the imaginary vocabulary. The words and expressions
used are beautifully and rhythmically interwoven to produce a poetic interpretation of life. Technical writing makes use
of formal and serious technical or scientific terminologies suited for its purpose and style.

In literary writing, the writer may use the first or the third person point of view or even from the point of view of
the observer known as the third omniscient but the technical writer employs the third person point of view: the
researcher, the proponent, the author or the writer.

The tone of literary writing is personal, subjective and definitely emotional; however, in technical writing, the
tone is predominantly objective, impersonal, and unbiased.