Part 1
Technical Writing
The link
for good
workplace/professional
communication

“Technical”
or
“Business” writing is
very different from
“Academic” writing.
Each has its unique
purpose and format to
follow.
Technical writing is
done in the workplace
and centers around
technical topics.
Technical writing has
unique characteristics
and has specific
audiences.
Why the Differences?
Time management
 Variety of Readers
 Reading for different
reasons

“Differences”
Business leaders don’t have the
time in their day to sift through
many pages, searching for the
information they need to know
and
“Differences”
Technical writing will have many
different readers, reading different parts
of the work.
- a project manager, financial officer, CEO, and
supervisor might all read parts that pertain to their
jobs, then discuss as a team the merits of the proposal.

This PowerPoint will:
•Explore the differences
between academic and
technical writing
•Explain the components and
style of technical writing
Technical
vs.
Academic
Writing
Technical versus Academic

Knowledge
•You are
the expert

Knowledge
•You are
still a
learner
Technical versus Academic

Audience
•Technical
background,
professional
s in the field

Audience
•Wide range
of academics
and general
audiences
Technical versus Academic

Criteria for
Evaluation
•Clear and
simple
organizatio
n,
•Visually
appealing
and easy to
follow.

Criteria for
Evaluation
•Depth,
logic,
clarity,
unity and
grammar
Technical versus Academic

Graphics,
charts, and
numbers
are used
very
frequently
to support
conclusions
Graphics,
charts, and
numbers are
sometimes
used to help
explain and
demonstrate
knowledge
Characteristics of Technical
Writing



Clear, Concise and simply
organized.
Repetitive in nature.
Highly defined
structure/format.
•Examples: Lab reports,
memos, business letters,
technical reports, and
proposals
Compare These Statements:
Looking into
the azure blue sky
one could see the
golden orb of sun
slip gently beneath
the western sky.


The sun set
in the west.
The left-side description of
the sun setting is an example
of academic writing and the
right-side description is an
example of technical writing.
Notice that the technical
description is clear,
concise, and coherent.
These three C’s are
trademarks of technical
writing.
Assignment:

Find an article out of a Popular
Mechanics magazine. Compare the
first two or three paragraphs of that
article with a passage from one of
your favorite novels using the
following categories:
• Content, Organization, Layout, Intended
Audience, Purpose, Tone.
• You should notice a distinct difference in
each of the categories, leading to how
each is distinct in its clarity, coherence,
and conciseness.
Style in Technical Writing

Writers have unique characteristics.
• Sentence structure, word length word
choice, and word order; these are choices
we make without being conscious of it.
These decisions shape the way we
express ourselves

Style is personal choice, there is no
right or wrong here
ToneExpression of an underlying
attitude that can be:
• Casual
• Objective
• Persuasive
• Enthusiastic
• Serious
• Authoritative
• Friendly
**Always present your material in a positive
light. Never let the negative be presented.
The following tips lend themselves
to better clarity and cohesion in
technical writing.
Sentence Tips

Place the main point at
the beginning of the
sentence
**Don’t make the
reader work to
find it.
Sentence Tips

Use one main clause
in each sentence
**more becomes
Confusing.
Sentence Tips

Examine your copy to
make sure you vary the
sentence length –but aim
for 15-20 words per
sentence. If you use the
same length sentences, the
text becomes tedious to
read
Conciseness Tips
 Avoid the repeated use of
pronouns, this confuses the
reader. Only use a pronoun
immediately following the noun
it represents. Try to use specific
nouns such as the person’s
name, or the specific piece of
equipment, etc. In place of
abstract nouns
Abstract Nouns

Assessment of-

Classification of-

Computation of-

Development of-

Elimination of-

Requirement of-
Conciseness Tips
Focus on
strong verbs!
Assess
 Classify
 Compute

Develop
 Eliminate
 Require

Conciseness Tips
Shorten wordy phrases
 Replace long words with
short ones
 Leave out clichés
 Cut out extra words that
are redundant

Language Use Tips




Distinguish facts from opinions
Include supportive statements
when necessary
Choose your words carefully
Avoid using words like “always”
and “never”—these box the
writer in and create finality
Active Voice

Active voice—emphasizes the
doer or the subject
“Joe delivered the pizza within the
specified time frame.”
Active voice uses one verb “delivered”
compared to passive voice which uses a
form of the verb “to be” + the verb--”was delivered”
Almost all technical writing should be
done in the active voice, except lab
reports.
Active Voice helps:
•Create less wordy
sentences
•Places emphasis on the
subject—e.g. company or
person’s name
Passive Voice

Passive voice—emphasizes the
recipient of the action
•Verbs with the “to be” form
•Emphasize the receiver of
the action
•Avoid repetitious use of “I”
and names
Is it the roses or the receiver of the
roses that is important to the giver?
Examples of editing
for
conciseness
• “the passage of the levy was
accomplished through long
and hard negotiations, and
door to door canvassing.”
Revised:
• “The levy pass through long
and hard work.”

“Confirmation of the voting
results occurred yesterday.”
Revised
 “The voting results were
confirmed yesterday.”
Technical Writing



Provides clear
communication in the
workplace
Has unique formats and a
specific style of writing
Creates clarity, conciseness
and coherency in writing
Closure
Welcome to a new style of
writing. Hopefully the handouts
that accompany these
Presentations will help you take
your first steps to become a
Technical Writer.