GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

OF WRITING
Domains Academic Writing Journalistic Writing Technical Writing

1. Purpose

2. Audience

3. Content

4. Language

5. Structure

6. Format
Academic Writing

◦Academic writing is any formal written output produced in

an academic setting
◦This type of writing develops analytical skills, strong focus
on writing techniques, and critical and objective
arguments.
Characteristics of Academic Writing
 
Characteristic Tone and Style Examples
Planned and focused Formal Research Paper

Structured Appropriate language Literary analysis

and tense

Evidenced Concise and precise Dissertation

Fully cited and   Essay

documented
Journalistic Writing
◦ Journalistic writing is a special type of writing for media
outlets.
◦ It is a style of prose used in newspaper, journals, and other
media publications.
◦ Its main purpose is to disseminate information to a target
audience or readers in a form of news item, feature writing
and human interest stories.
◦ This type of writing is well-known for its introduction.
“LEAD STYLE: which means that the “wh” information
(what, who, when, where, how) are given foremost to the
audience.
◦ Compared to academic writing, journalistic writing is a bit
more sensational written for a much broader audience, and the
writer considers less the background and knowledge of the
audience.
Characteristics of Journalistic Writing
Characteristics Tone and Style Examples
Uses LEAD Formal and Knows article
conversational
Author’s voice must Appropriate language Feature writing
be non sexist and and tense
impartial

Evidenced Concise and precise Sports article

Fully cited and   Journal entry

documented
Technical Writing
◦ Technical Writing is a type of communication that initiates
direction, instruction or explication.
◦ It uses straightforward and efficient language for the
message to come across the audience easily and fast.
◦ This is a specialized kind of exposition designed to meet
the communications needs in science, engineering,
business, and even health.
◦ Its goal is to prompt you to use technology or comprehend
a process of concept.
◦ Technical writing is a process where a professional is
writing to another professional.
Characteristics of Technical Writing
◦ The subject matter is more important that the tone of the
writer
◦ It uses objective tone.
◦ It observes clarity and brevity over elegance and verbosity.
◦ It uses figures of speech only if helps facilitate
understanding of a concept.
◦ The style is more prescriptive that creative
◦ Its purpose is to get something done precisely and
promptly
◦ It utilizes statistical and graphic support
◦ Its criteria for evaluation is designed for busy individuals
and professionals
◦ Audience or readers are classified according to their field of
specialization, education, experience level, and expectations
and needs.
◦ All details are consistent from heading, names, terms, and
symbols to abbreviations, spelling, and punctuation.
Characteristics of an Effective
Technical Writer
◦ An effective technical writer possesses outstanding facility
of the language.
◦ A good technical writer is a good translator.
◦ An effective technical writer is adaptable and flexible.
◦ A great technical writer is willing to create and innovate,
giving the organization a competitive advantage.
◦ A good technical writer is also a good product designer.
◦ An effective technical writer is an information literate
writer.
The following include the distinct
characteristics of an Information
Literature Technical Writer:
◦ A learner and reader
◦ A researcher
◦ A technical communicator
◦ A descriptive writer
◦ An expository writer
◦ An investigative Writer
◦ A technical Savvy