Chapter One

An Overview of Technical Writing

 Objectives
 The objectives of this chapter are to:
 Explain how technical writing differs from academic
writing.
 Explain the key elements of technical writing.
 Explain the role that communication plays within an
organization.
 Explain the importance of good communication skills.
 Identify the foundations of technical writing.
 Identify the qualities of good technical writing.

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 Scenario
 You are an Engineer for General Power
Equipment (GPE), Inc.
 Your main job is research and development

 Refer to the HANDOUT

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 Post Scenario discussion
 Warnings and manuals are just two of the
many things you may have to do in
technical communication.
 This first chapter introduces you to that
world in a general way.
 The chapters that follow show you how to
do manuals and warnings and much more.

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 Technical Writing
“A problem solving process”
 Technical writing is basically a problem-
solving process
 It involves the following elements at one or
more stages of the process:
 A technical subject matter that is peculiar
to or characteristic of a particular art,
science, trade, technology, or profession.

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 Technical Writing
“A problem solving process”
 A recognition and accurate definition of the
communication problem involved.

 The beginning of the solution through the

establishment of the role of the
communicator and the purpose and
audience (or audiences) of the
communication.

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 Technical Writing
“A problem solving process”
 Discovery of the accurate, precise information
needed for the solution of the problem through
 Thinking
 Study
 Investigation
 Observation
 Analysis,
 Experimentation and
 Measurements
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 Technical Writing
“A problem solving process”
 The arrangement and presentation of the
information thus gained so that it

 Achieves the writer’s purpose and is clear,

useful, and persuasive.

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 The Final Product
 The final product of this problem-solving
process is

“A piece of technical writing that may

range in size and complexity from a
simple memorandum to a stack of books”

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The substance of Technical Writing
Feasibility Reports

Technical Notes
Technical Writing Internal E-mails
in Organizations Memorandums

Letters

Reports
External Instruction
Manuals

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 Flow Direction
 The internal documents flow is
 From superiors to subordinates
 From subordinates to superiors
 Between colleagues
 If technical documents move in more than
on direction  more versions
 Company Policy
 tact

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 Examples of document for Internal
use
 The research department reports the
results of tests on new products
 The personnel department instructs new
employees about company policies and
procedures
 The production department shares the
feasibility reports of forthcoming products

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 Job Writing
 Survey research indicates that college-
educated employees spend about 20% of
their time on the job writing
 In fact, most college-educated workers
rank the ability to write well as very
important or critically important to their job
performance.

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 External use documents
 Externally, letters and reports of many
kinds go to
 Other companies
 The government
 Users of the company’s products.

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 Examples of documents for
External use
 A computer company prepares instructional
manuals to accompany its computers
 A university department prepares a proposal
to a state government offering to provide
research services
 An architectural firm prepares progress reports
to inform clients of the status of contracted
building programs
 An insurance company writes letters accepting
or denying claims by its policyholders

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 Research Technical Writing
 Much technical writing goes on at universities
and colleges.
 Professors after research publicize the
information in various ways
 books, journal articles, papers for professional
societies, the Internet.
 Students assigned research problems present
what they have done and learned in laboratory
reports, monographs, and theses.

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 The nature of Technical Writing
 Require the working knowledge of technical
subject matter and terminology.
 Technical Writers have to learn about the
document design
 Standards for abbreviations
 Writing of numbers RULES
 Uses of tables and graphs
 audience

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 The nature of Technical Writing
 Surveys shows that workers rank writing
skills in this order of importance:
 Clarity
 Conciseness
 Organization
 Grammar

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 Writing at Work versus Writing at
School: Eight Basic Differences
1. Writing at work achieves job goals
2. Writing at work addresses a variety of readers
3. Writing at work addresses readers with
different perspectives
4. Writing at work creates excessive paperwork
and e-mail

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 Writing at Work versus Writing at
School: Eight Basic Differences
5. Writing at work may be read by readers
unknown to the writer
6. Writing at work has an indefinite life span
7. Writing at work creates legal liability for the
writer and the organization
8. Writing at work uses a variety of written
documents

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 Writing and Communicating at Work
 Role of communication: to share information
and ideas and to show that work has been or
is being done
 Importance of communication:
 College-educated workers spend 20 percent of their
time at work writing
 The ability to communicate well is critical to job
performance
 Strong communication skills are required for most
positions requiring a college degree

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 Writing and Communicating at Work
 Manufacture of communication: an industry in
its own right
 Writing skills of importance to workers:
 Clarity
 Conciseness
 Organization
 Correctness—use of standard English
 Audience awareness: a necessity

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 The Foundations of Effective
Technical Writing
1. Know your reader
2. Know your objective
3. Be simple, direct, and concise
4. Know the context in which your communication
will be received and used
5. Design your communication with imperatives
1–4 as guideposts

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 The Qualities of Good Technical
Writing
 Exemplifies effective design; makes a
good impression

 Is designed so that it can be read

selectively

 Has a rational and discernible plan

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 The Qualities of Good Technical
Writing
 Reads coherently and cumulatively throughout

 Answers readers’ questions as they arise in the

readers’ minds

 Has the necessary front matter to characterize

the report and disclose its purpose and scope

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 The Qualities of Good Technical
Writing
 Editing: when your software highlights a
problem with a sentence, check the sentence
carefully.
 Start and stop process: often a workplace
necessity.
 Use by choice for long documents so as to
avoid errors.

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 The Qualities of Good Technical
Writing
 Has a body that provides essential information
and that is written clearly without jargon or
padding

 When appropriate, uses tables and graphs to

present and clarify its content

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 The Qualities of Good Technical
Writing
 Has, when needed, a summary or set of
conclusions to reveal the results obtained
 Conveys an impression of authority,
thoroughness, soundness, and honest work
 Can stand alone and be understood by
readers who are not part of the initial
audience

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 The Qualities of Good Technical
Writing
 Makes a positive statement about the writer
and the organization

 Is free from typographical errors,

grammatical slips, and misspelled words

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