Chapter Understanding the Nature of Technical Writing

1 Lesson 1: What is Technical Writing

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the Chapter, you should be able to:
1. define technical writing;
2. enumerate the end products of technical writing;
3. use as guide the principles of technical writing;
4. define technical communication;
5. explain the qualities of a good English writer; and
6. apply the processes involved in technical writing.

Pretest
Direction: Write “TW” if the statement or example refers Technical Writing; “CW” if it refer to
Creative Writing.
____1. Before writing a news story, begin by asking the 5 W’s and 1 H.
____2. Education is the movement from darkness to light (Allan Bloom)
____3. Of the ten largest shopping malls in the world, three are found in the Philippines.
____4. This is to request payment for your bill amounting to Php 150.00.
____5. Social Engineering has become about 75% of an average hacker’s toolkit, and for the
most successful hackers it reaches 90% or more (John MacAfee)

Thank you for answering the pretest. Please refer to the key to
corrections for checking and pay attention to the contents of the
discussion. Please read carefully to gain valuable information.
 What is Technical Writing?

“All good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.”
- Anne Lamott

Mills and Walter (1981) gave several definitions of technical writing. According to them:
 Technical Writing is writing about scientific subjects and about various technical
subjects associated with the sciences.
 Technical Writing 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.
 Technical writing is ideally characterized by the maintenance of an attitude of
impartiality and objectivity, by extreme care to convey information accurately and
concisely, and by the absence of any attempt to arouse emotion.
 Technical writing is writing in which there is relatively high concentration og certain
complex and important writing techniques, in particular description of mechanisms,
decription of process, definition, classification, and interpretation,

Products of Technical Writing:

Business Letter
Business letter is a type of written communication. It is written using formal language
and follows formal elements of letter writing. People usually write business letters to
communicate with companies, organizations or individuals with the purpose of applying for a
job, making requests, seeking appointments, etc.

Contract
It is written agreement between two people under mutually agreed terms.

Monograph
Monograph is a detailed essay or book on a very specific topic. It is usually written by
professionals or academicians on topics of interests concerning their specific fields.

Printed Action Memo

 It is a ready-format memorandum that only requires to checkmark on the appropriate box
that contains the message. This is especially useful for bust people who need to make quick
decisions and act on the circumstances or situation.

Graphic Aids
Graphic aids are drawing, sketches, and illustrations that aid the readers in understanding
the presented data.

Instructional Manuals
These are written to guide the readers on how to assemble, maintain, and operate an
apparatus, machine or gadget.

Brochures
These are pamphlets or flyers that endorse a product in such a way that the potential
customer will be convinced that the product is effective and eventually avail of the product.

Proposals
Proposals are written suggestions on how to make the company or organization more
productive and successful. Most companies and organizations require this before an agreement is
reached.

Memoranda
Memoranda are inter-office written communication used to disseminate information.

FIVE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES IN GOOD TECHNICAL WRITING

In today’s world, the demand for accomplishing more written outputs makes a
professional who is skilled in this area all the more needed. In whatever field, a skilled technical
writer is needed, thus taking note of the Five Important Principles in Good Technical Writing
separates a talented technical writer from an ordinary writer. Bear in mind the following:
1. Always have in mind a specific reader, real or imaginary, when you are writing a report.
Always assume that he is intelligent, but uninformed.
2. Before you start to write, always decide what the exact purpose of your report is, and
make sure that every paragraph, every sentence, every word makes a clear contribution to
that purpose.
3. Use language that is simple, concrete and familiar.
4. At the beginning and end of every section of your report, check your writing according to
this principle: “First, you tell the reader what you’re going to tell him, then you tell him
what you’ve told him.”
5. Make your report attractive.
Purpose of Technical Writing
 It serves as basis for management decision.
 It furnishes needed information.
 It gives instructions.
 It records business transactions through proposals.
 It procures business proposals.
 It serves as basis for public relations.
 It provides report to stockholders of companies.

Properties of Technical Writing

The following properties of technical writing are also known as ‘considerations’ when
writing a technical reports.
 Subject matters
In writing technical reports, you must ask the question, “What will I write
about?”
The subject matter is an essential element in technical report writing. Some
examples of this are description of process, writing about a theory, or submitting a
policy.
 Audience
When thinking about the audience ask, “Whom am I writing for?/Who are my
intended readers?”
This is a property which pertains to particular reader of technical literature.
 Expression
This refer to two basic modes in which a technical report has to be delivered –
writing it or reading it. Your expression of the content will depend on your
awareness of your audience’s/reader’s psychology and your style in writing to be
able to reach your audience’s/reader’s understanding.
 Style
This refers to how the material is written. A technical writer uses clear, specific
point of view, objective, impartial, and unemotional style in writing.
 Arrangement of Materials
This pertains to how ideas should be organized in chronological, spatial or logical
order, from general to specific or specific to general, and use illustrations to
present the information.

Five Basic Types of Writing

1. Technical Writing
 Technical writing conveys specific information about a technical subject to a
specific audience for a specific purpose.
2. Creative Writing
Creative writing is a fiction—poetry, short stories, plays, and novels—and far
different from technical writing.
3. Expressive Writing
Expressive writing is a subjective response to a personal experience—journals
and diaries—whereas technical writing might be objective observations of work-
related experience or research.
4. Expository Writing
Expository writing exposes a topic analytically and objectively, such as news
report. Like technical writing, the goal of expository writing is to explain or
reveal knowledge, but expository writing does not necessarily expect a response
or actions from the readers.
5. Persuasive Writing
Persuasive writing depends on emotional appeal. Its goal is to change one’s attitudes or
motivate him/her to action.

Difference between Technical and Creative Writing

Technical Writing Creative Writing
Content factual, straight-forward imaginative, metaphoric or
symbolic
Audience specific general
Purpose inform, instruct, persuade entertain, provoke, captivate
Style formal, standard, academic informal, artistic, figurative
Tone objective subjective
Vocabulary specialized general, evocative
Organization sequential, systematic arbitrary, artistic

Learning Activities
A. Direction: Direction: Write “TW” if the statement or example refers Technical Writing;
“CW” if it refers to Creative Writing.
_____1. Manufacturing is more than just putting parts together. It’s coming up with ideas, testing
principles and perfecting the engineering, as well as final assembly (James Dyson)
_____2. Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all (John F. Kennedy)
____3. Food is everything that we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling,
your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It’s separated from
those from the get- go (Anthony Bourdain)
_____4. Anything is good if it is made of chocolate (JO Brand)
_____5. Popeye was right about spinach: dark green, leafy vegetables are the healthiest food on
the planet. As whole foods go, they offer the most nutrition per calorie (Michael Greger)

B. Discuss some ideas by answering the following questions. Explain and/or give examples.
1. What other types of writing would be considered under technical writing?
2. What other considerations can you give before writing a technical paper?
3. Are there other properties of writing that you can add to make a technical writer an
effective one?
4. Aside from the purpose s given about technical writing, can you think of other purposes
which we can add to the list?
5. Are you more inclined in technical writing or creative writing?

Reinforcement
Interview a teacher or any professionals of your choice about their experiences in writing
a technical paper. Ask what their strengths and weaknesses are in writing technical papers. Also,
ask the value of technical writing in their profession.

You did a great job in answering the activity. If you have encountered
difficulties while doing the task, please send message to me through text or phone
call on the contact number 09357777906.
You may now take the assessment. Good luck!
 Assessment
Determine whether the following statements are true or false.
___1. Subject and expression are properties of technical writing.
___2. It is important for a technical writer to take note of the attractiveness of his paper.
___3. Writers have different writing styles.
___4. Technical writers can be creative when writing technical reports.
___5. Technical writing is all about technical jobs.
___6. One purpose of technical writing is that it gives instructions.
___7. A business letter and a monograph are types of technical writing.
___8. A sales letter is an example of creative work.
___9. Graphic aids are often used in creative writing rather than in technical writing.
___10. The language of technical writing is simple, concrete, and familiar.