TECHNICAL WRITING

Week One: Introduction to Technical Writing

Ivy Jones-Mensah
UPSA Communication Department
 Introduction
Welcome to Week One in the Technical Writing Classroom
This lesson provides information on the key inputs required to develop unique
writing for the cooperate world.
The study gives a general objective that guides writing process.
Both process and product approaches to writing are theories that guide this
course .
At the end of this section, participants should be able to distinguish between the
following themes on the next slide:
 Distinctions between the Writing Themes
• Themes are the key subjects that deal with Technical Writing.

• Some of the themes are;

• the nature of Technical Writing and other forms of writing

• Technical Writing and communication

• Technical Communication Skills and principles of Technical Writing

• Technical Writing is interpreting and Technical Writing Composition

 General Course Outline

A Technical Writing course outline is structure as follows:

•The lesson examines the followings

This course is to equip students with special writing • Nature of technical writing
skills as communication/public relation/ business
students.
• Technical Writing and communication?
The writing exposes students to writing in the cooperate • Technical Communication skills
world. • Principles of Technical Writing
It reveals other techniques other than academic writing • Technical Writing as interpretative writing
skills.
It helps the student to distinguish between cooperate
writing skills and academic writing skills.
It engages students to practice writing in groups and as
individuals.
 The Specific course outline
for Week One includes:

1. Weekly topic: Introduction to Technical Writing

2. Class duration: 1 hour tutorial 2 hour practice writing

3. Class activities: Discussion with lecturer offline on WhatsApp group

• Reading materials or references:

• Andrews D. C. (1998). Technical Communication in the Global Community
• Prentice Hall, USA
• Lannon M. J. (2003). Technical Communication 9th edition
• Longman, N. Y
• Smith-Worthington D. & S. Jefferson (2011) Technical Writing for Success
• South Western Cengage Learning, USA

1. Teaching approach and methods: Lecture method, discussion

2. Course evaluation: Short written quiz, and free writing

 You will remember that in level
100, we discussed the various
PROCESS
writing process: drafting, writing
Drafting
and post writing
Writing
We also looked at the process Post Writing
approach and the product
approach to writing.

Instructional Technical Writing is different from other writings styles such as

Design for creative writing or academic writing in that it is more

informative.

Product and The purpose of this type of writing is to explain a variety of

topics to other people (your audience).
Aesthetics of Technical Writing is essential if you want to
Process Writing… build a successful writing career..

What it means to be a technical writer includes the following:

To be brief
To be meticulous
To be detail
Avoid holding information
To be clear, etc.
 • Technical writing is a type of writing where the author
writes about a particular subject that requires …
• direction,
• instruction, or
• explanation.
• It is different from other writings styles such as creative
Technical Writing Types writing or academic writing in that it is more informative.
• The purpose of this type of writing is to explain a variety
of topics to other people (your audience).
• Technical writing is commonly seen in how manuals and
other pieces provide direction for the client/customer.
• Learning the characteristics of Technical Writing is
essential if you want to build a successful writing career.
Technical Writing and Technical Communication

• Technical writing and Technical Communication are similar

• These are straightforward, and easy to understand.
• These are explanatory and/or instructional, dealing with a particular subject.
• Both require efficient and clear way of explaining something and how it works or it is done.
• These subjects are as follows;
• Tangible - Something that can be seen or touched,
• such as a computer or software program,
• or information on how to assemble a piece of furniture.
• Abstract - Something that involves a series of steps that aren't related to a tangible object.
• Both require steps required to complete a business process.
• Both involve Summary Writing.
Assessment for Week One

Discuss the Themes in Technical

Writing with your friends offline and
compare and contrast one theme with
the other.
1. direction,
2. Instruction, or
3. explanation
 Conclusion

• The term technical writing describes

documents produced in areas such as
business, science, social science and
medicine among others.
Thanks for joining me on this session.
Bye for now