Technical Writing
The Basics
Student Academic Learning Services SSB 204
Technical Writing
•  Refers to writing done on the job
•  Is used in jobs or fields with specialized
vocabulary such as the applied sciences,
technology, engineering, and the skilled trades
•  Is often very practical; its purpose is to get
something done within an organization
•  Is different from academic writing which is meant
to demonstrate knowledge
•  If you develop strong technical writing skills at
college, you will be better prepared for the
workplace
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Technical Writing
•  Can take many forms: emails, memos, reports,
proposals, feasibility studies
•  In the workplace, the writer (with knowledge of
the topic) relays information to the reader, who is
often less knowledgeable about the topic
•  Can be read by many people in the workplace, all
with varying levels of technical knowledge and
decision-making powers
•  In college, the reader (your professor) knows
more about the topic but expects you (the writer)
to communicate the information clearly and
concisely
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The Writing Process
•  Good writing takes time
•  3 stages:
1. Planning
2. Drafting
3. Rewriting
•  Writing is a process, and most writers move back
and forth between the 3 stages
•  Make sure you clearly understand what you are
being asked to do when writing at college (see
the assignment rubric) or at work (ask your boss)
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Stage 1: Planning
•  Think about the purpose of your writing
Ø  Do you need to share information with others?
Ø  Are you reporting on or solving a problem?
Ø  Do you need to plan a project?
Ø  Are you expected to give recommendations?
•  Think about your audience
Ø  What are your reader’s needs?
Ø  What technical knowledge does your reader have?
Ø  Will your reader be the one who makes a decision?
Ø  Will your reader share your writing with others?
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Stage 1: Planning
•  Ask yourself the 5WH questions (Who? What? Where?
When? Why? and How?) to begin the brainstorming
process and get your ideas flowing
•  Gather some background information: discuss, read
books/journals, research online
•  Take notes and record the sources of your information
so you can reference the material in your report
•  Think about which points are the most important to
include in your report
•  Ask ‘So what?’ to make sure the information is
relevant to your purpose before including it
Student Academic Learning Services SSB 204
Stage 2: Drafting
•  Keep your writing simple, clear, and
concise from the start
•  Write for your reader, not for yourself
•  Follow a template or outline to stay on
topic
•  Organize your writing to suit the topic and
the purpose
Ø  Chronological
Ø  Cause-Effect Relationship
Ø  Problem-Solution
Student Academic Learning Services SSB 204
Stage 2: Drafting
•  When you write your first draft, move from
thinking about ideas and gathering information to
writing in an effective and logical manner
•  Use headings and sub-headings to organize your
information
•  Use tables, graphs and figures to convey
information clearly
•  Keep your purpose and audience in mind as you
write
•  Be patient; good writing takes time
Student Academic Learning Services SSB 204
Stage 3: Rewriting
•  Use the rubric to guide your rewriting
•  3 steps: Revise, Edit, Proofread
•  Revise=look at the big picture to see if your
writing is on topic, organized, and understandable
•  Edit=look at the sentence level to see if your
writing is awkward, wordy, or repetitive
•  Proofread=look for any errors in spelling,
punctuation, grammar, or formatting
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Proofreading
•  Approach your final proofread with fresh eyes
•  Print off the document
•  Use a ruler/guide to force you to read slowly
•  Read aloud so you can ‘hear’ any errors
•  If you use the spell and/or grammar checker,
choose ‘explanation’ before making a change
•  Consider the types of mistakes you generally
make, and pay attention to correcting those
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References
Hult, C., Huckin, T. N., Burgoyne, D.A., &
Gooding, R. (2005). The new century
handbook (Canadian ed.). Toronto:
Pearson.
Pfeiffer, W. S. & Boogerd, J. (2007).
Technical communication: A practical
approach (4th Canadian ed.). Toronto:
Pearson.
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Where can you go for help?
•  Your professor
•  Your technical communication textbook
•  Resources on the SALS website:
www.durhamcollege.ca/sals
•  A peer writing tutor at SALS
•  The Writing Specialist at SALS
•  The ESL Specialist at SALS, if English is not your first
language
Student Academic Learning Services SSB 204
Feedback
•  Please help us gather some feedback to
improve the service we provide in Student
Academic Learning Services
•  If you are viewing this presentation online,
please contact us with an any suggestions
you have to improve the experience
–  email: leslie.linstrum@durhamcollege.ca
–  phone: 905.721.2000 extension 2491
Student Academic Learning Services SSB 204