Name: Erenio D. Valerozo Jr.

Year & Section: BSED English II

Subject: EL 7 – Technical Writing

1. What is Technical Writing?

a. Technical writing is the practice of documenting processes, such as
software manuals or instructional materials. Traditionally, it was
limited to user manuals of some sort.
- Kara Latz
b. Technical writing is documentation that deals with a particular
subject matter within a specialized field. It is used to instruct
or guide people on how to do something, often related to work
procedures and tasks. Technical writing focuses on simplifying
complex information.
- Technical Writer HQ
c. Technical writing is simplifying the complex.
- Techwhirl.com
d. Technical writing is a 2 communication in any field where the
primary aim of which is to convey a particular piece of
information, for a particular purpose, to a particular group or
group of readers.

- Alcantara and Espina (2003)

e. Technical writing is a specialized form of exposition: that is,

written communication done on the job, especially in fields with
specialized vocabularies, such as science, engineering, technology,
and the health sciences.

- Richard Nordquist

2. Principles of Technical Writing

a. Purpose and Audience - Remember your purpose (to inform or

persuade) and your audience (their concerns, background, attitude
toward your purpose). Make your content specific to its purpose and
audience.
 b. Style Guide - Technical writers often use a company style guide, if
available, to ensure their documentation has a structured pattern. A
style guide provides guidelines for how a document looks, the language
it uses, and how ideas are arranged. This organization gives
continuity to a document or series of documents, so the audience can
easily comprehend the information.

c. Writing Style - Technical writers change their writing style

depending on the audience and the situation they are writing about. If
they are writing technical documentation, then the style should be
formal, devoid of the emotion you get with creative writing. If they
are writing an email to one of the senior managers involved in the
project, then their style would be more conversational.

d. Accessing the Information - How easily the information in a

document can be obtained by its intended audience. Technical documents
can include elements such as a table of contents, headers, footers,
and page numbers to help readers navigate the document and find the
information they need.

3. Purposes of Technical Writing

a. Clear and Appropriate Communication - Technical Writing makes

communication smoother possible because it simplifies all the points.
For example, we both are arguing over politics. You tell me that you
like the new candidate because he is a liberal and promises support to
all the left's agendas. However, I know nothing about politics. Many
people are unaware of the systems of Knowledge. They cannot understand
any jargon about a system because they never had the desire to get
into anything. Hence, the uses of technical Writing in this area are
immense. The primary use of technical writing is to communicate
complicated information precisely and straightforwardly.

b. Persuading Audiences - Technical writing persuades audiences to

take action or support a particular idea or project. Proposals, for
example, are used to secure funding or support for a new project or
initiative. Written reports often include data and other evidence to
provide a convincing argument. Additionally, user manuals and other
 instructional documents can provide guidance on how to use a system or
product.

c. Ensuring Consistency - Technical writing is also used to secure

consistency in operations. Policies and procedures documents, for
example, are used to ensure that everyone in an organization follows
the same guidelines. It helps to create a uniform and safe working
environment for all staff, and minimizes the risk of errors or
accidents. Technical writing also provides a reference point for staff
to refer to in case of any questions or confusion.

d. Promoting Products and Services - Technical writing is often used

in marketing materials like brochures and flyers to promote products
and services. Technical writers are responsible for creating marketing
materials that are informative and engaging while also being accurate
and clear. Technical writers use their knowledge of the product or
service to create engaging and informative content that also clearly
communicates the benefits, features, and specifications of the service
or product.

4. Properties of Technical Writing

a. Accuracy - in technical writing means the use of precise words, coherent

sentences, well-developed paragraphs and a balanced report.

b. Emphasis - main point; separates major from minor issues.

c. Dignity - It refers to terms used in technical writing conveying

formality. Ideas are well-thought and translated into writing using
succinct words. There is an air of authority, of credibility in the
word. Contracting words is sacrilege because it takes away the dignity
in words.

d. Brevity - means a concise, straight-to-the-point type of writing.

Information is delivered without mincing words and zeroes in on the
subject.

e. Coherence - Refers to the logical agreement of sentences,

paragraphs, and groups of paragraphs. The transition from one
 thought to the next is done smoothly and consistently throughout the
written work.

f. Facility - makes report easy to read and understand. It depends on

pacing, sequence, arrangement, and continuity.

5. Differences between Technical Writing and Creative Writing.

a. Technical writing is not done to amuse its reader. It is used to

inform someone. Creative writing, on the other hand, is a piece of
writing for entertainment and education. It focuses on imaginative and
symbolic content, and creative papers are published to entertain,
provoke, and inspire the user.

b. The differences between creative writing and technical writing are

that creative writing is written mainly to entertain with the
creativity of the mind, while technical writing is written mainly to
inform in a formal manner or to incite the reader to make an action
such as purchase the writer's product.