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“I’m an engineer—not a writer.”
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“I don’t have to explain my data—it explains itself.”
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“Don’t worry—only engineers will read this.”
Why does the College have its own Writing Center?
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Professional engineers tell us that at least 7O% of their
work involves writing and public speaking.
Successful careers in engineering revolve around
communicating to multiple audiences: clients, the general
public, and fellow professionals.
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Allow readers to focus on information they may need
to act upon or evaluate.
Explain to readers how to use or act upon the
information you provide.
Allow readers to comprehend your message quickly.
In 2006, The International Astronomical Union
revised its definition of planetary objects.
'‘…a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient
mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it
assumes a...nearly round shape, and has cleared the
neighborhood around its orbit.''
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Technical writers achieve clarity by eliminating ambiguous
words or phrases.
Ambiguity (defined as “doubtfulness or uncertainty as
regards interpretation”) can often lead to serious
misinterpretations…
and undermine your credibility.
Whoever writes English is involved in a struggle that never lets
up, even for a sentence.
— George Orwell
Visit the Hanson CTC
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Hours: 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Location: 2224 SC (in the Student Commons
area)
Scheduling: Appointment sign-up sheet posted on
window outside door of 2224 SC
What is written without effort
is read without pleasure.