Scribd
Upload
145 views5 pages

Technical Writing Lesson 1

This document provides an overview of technical writing. It defines technical writing as writing about scientific and technical subjects that is objective and uses specialized vocabulary. The document outlines learning outcomes, examples of technical writing products like manuals and proposals, and principles of good technical writing like using clear language. It compares technical writing to other types of writing and highlights differences between technical and creative writing, noting technical writing is more factual while creative writing is imaginative.

Uploaded by

Rea Jane Cempron Rodano
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
145 views5 pages

Technical Writing Lesson 1

This document provides an overview of technical writing. It defines technical writing as writing about scientific and technical subjects that is objective and uses specialized vocabulary. The document outlines learning outcomes, examples of technical writing products like manuals and proposals, and principles of good technical writing like using clear language. It compares technical writing to other types of writing and highlights differences between technical and creative writing, noting technical writing is more factual while creative writing is imaginative.

Uploaded by

Rea Jane Cempron Rodano
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

UNIT I

Overview of
Technical Writing

Introduction
In the different areas of expertise, studies, and professions, there is a need for the common
person to understand specific information regarding these said areas that may seem to be
jargon at times. As such, technical writing addresses this concern by allowing the reader to still
follow with the information presented to them regardless of their background knowledge of
any specific area.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lessons, you are expected to:

LO 1: Identify the different technical writing genre and their purposes

What is Technical Writing?


⮚ 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
impartially and objectivity, concisely, and by the absence of any attempt to arouse
emotion.
⮚ Technical writing is writing in which there is relatively high concentration of
certain complex and important writing techniques, in particular description of
mechanisms, description of process, definition, classification, and interpretation.

Products of Technical Writing


1. Business Letter – is a type of written communication. It is written using formal
language and follows formal elements of letter writing.
2. Contract – written agreement between two people under mutually agreed terms.
1 | Page
3. Printed Action Memo – ready-format memorandum that only requires a
checkmark on the appropriate box that contains the message.
4. Graphic Aids – drawings, sketches and illustrations that aid the readers in
understanding the presented data.
5. Instructional Manuals – written to guide readers on how to assemble, maintain,
and operate an apparatus, machine or gadget.
6. Brochures – are pamphlets or flyers that endorse a product in such a way that the
potential customer will be convinced to purchase.
7. Proposals – are written suggestions on how to make the company or organization
more productive and successful.
8. Memoranda – are inter-office written communication used to disseminate
information.

Principles in Good Technical Writing


1. Always assume that the reader is intelligent, but uninformed.
2. Always decide what the exact purpose of your report is, and make sure that every
paragraph, sentence, and word makes a clear contribution to that purpose.
3. Use language that is simple, concrete and familiar.
4. Check your writing principle: “First you tell the reader what you’re going to tell,
then you tell him what you’ve told him.”
5. Make your report attractive.

Purposes of Technical Writing


1. It serves as a basis for management decision.
2. It furnishes needed information.
3. It gives instructions.
4. It records business transactions through proposals.
5. It procures business proposals.
6. It serves as a basis for public relations.
7. It provides report to stockholders of companies.

Properties of Technical Writing


The following properties of technical writing are also known as “considerations” when writing technical reports.

1. Subject Matter – in writing technical papers, you must ask the question, “What will
I write about?”
2. Audience – when thinking about the audience, ask “Whom am I writing for? or
Who are my intended readers?”
3. Expression – it refers to the two basic modes in which a technical report has to be
delivered – writing it or reading it.
4. Style – it refers to how the material is written. A technical writer uses clear, specific
point of view, objective, impartial, and unemotional style in writing.

2 | Page
5. 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.

Writing can be grouped into five basic types:


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

Differences between Technical Writing and Creative Writing


Technical Writing Creative Writing

Content factual, straight- imaginative, metaphoric


forward
or symbolic

Audience specific general

Purpose inform, instruct, entertain, provoke,


persuade captivate

Style formal, standard, informal, artistic,


academic figurative

Tone objective subjective

Vocabulary specialized general, evocative

Organization sequential, arbitrary, artistic


systematic

3 | Page
Task Activity
A. Write “TW” if the statement or example refers to Technical Writing and “CW” if it
is refers to Creative Writing.
_______ 1. Before writing a news story, begin by asking the 5W’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).

B. Explain some ideas by answering the following questions by giving examples.


1. What other types of writing would be considered under technical writing?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

2. What other considerations can you give before writing technical paper?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

3. Are there other properties of writing that you can add to make a technical writer an
effective one?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

4 | Page
4. Aside from the purposes 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?


________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

C. Graphic Organizer.
Construct a graphic organizer on the differences and similarities between technical writing
and creative writing.

5 | Page

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy