Professional/Technical Writing:
The Basics
DUANE THEOBALD
DTHEOBAL@WESTGA.EDU
“Professional” Writing? “Technical” Writing?
 What do you know about professional/technical
writing? What do these words mean to you?
 What makes “professional/technical” writing
different from any other writing I do for a class?
 What are some different forms of
professional/technical writing? Have you ever dealt
with them?
 3 Main Topics to cover today:
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E-mails
Letters
Résumés
Before We Dive In…
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuLcxg5VGuo
1. E-Mails: What Not To Do…
 Take a look at the following e-mail. Notice anything
problematic/wrong with it?
From: student@my.westga.edu
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2010, 11:42 a.m.
To: professor@westga.edu
Subject: hey
hey Mrs. Smith this is John doe, sorry i missed class today . . . i
had a little too much fun last nite had a rough time waking
up;) can you tell me what i missed and email me your
teaching notes ASAP? thx.
1. E-Mails
 Effective e-mails are a valuable educational tool; they
allow you to ask questions and receive instant
feedback, whether you are e-mailing a professor or
speaking to a co-worker about an upcoming project.
 Unfortunately, many people need to make sure that
their communications are professional and
appropriate.
1. E-Mails
 Aspects of e-mail etiquette to consider include:
 Formality
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Always make sure that your e-mail opens with a salutation (“Dear
Professor...”/To Whom It May Concern) and close with a proper signature
(“Sincerely…”/ “Thanks in advance”)
Write a clear subject line that is relevant to its content (otherwise, someone
might reject your message as spam).
Remember to consider ALL rules of grammar, spelling, capitalization that you
have previously learned!!
Tone
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It is important to analyze your audience—there are some things you can say to
your friend that you would NEVER say to your professor/employer.
Before you hit “Send,” review your draft with an eye for context-appropriate
content/language.
Do not make demands over an e-mail and do not be hasty when sending nasty
protests.
1. E-Mails: What to Do…
From: student@my.westga.edu
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2010, 11:42 a.m.
To: professor@westga.edu
Subject: Today’s Class (ENGL 1101)
Good Morning Professor Smith,
This is John Doe. I am in your ENGL 1101 class. I am sorry I missed class today. I
was not feeling very well this morning. I looked at the syllabus and saw that we
were given important notes in today’s class. Would it be possible to get these from
you via e-mail?
Thank you for assistance. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
John Doe
2. Letters
 Prior to beginning any letter (for our purposes,
business letters), make sure to do the following:
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Reread the description of your task (i.e.
advertisement for a job opening, assignment for a
class, etc.)
Think about your purpose and what requirements are
mentioned or implied in the description
Identify qualifications, attributes, objectives, or
answers that match the requirements you listed
Strive to be exact and avoid vagueness, ambiguity,
and platitudes
2. Letters
 Cover Letter (Application Letter)
 Is there a difference?

No, just in terminology
 A cover letter allows you to market your skills,
abilities, and knowledge to a potential employer.

What should I consider when writing this kind of letter? Make
sure that…
It catches the reader’s attention favorably.
 It explains which particular job interests you and why.
 It convinces the reader that you are qualified for the job by
drawing their attention to particular elements in your résumé.
 It request an interview.

2. Letters
 Example of a Cover Letter (OWL at Purdue):
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/723/03/
3. Résumé
 A résumé is a general and concise introduction of
your experiences and skills as they relate to a
particular position or career.
 Résumés are often altered for each position that you
are applying for so as to emphasize those skills and
experiences most relevant to the work.
3. Résumé
 A typical résumé includes the following:
 Name and Contact Information: your residential address
(especially important if you do not want your current employer
to know you are looking for a job elsewhere)
 Education: a listing of your degrees/certifications and
educational institutions/programs
 Work Experience: names of the companies or organizations
that you have worked for, the location of each company, the
dates worked, your job title, and duties performed
3. Résumé
 Some specifics to consider:
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Use common sense when formatting: there are no universal
guidelines for formatting a résumé; if you are concerned about your
résumé being to busy or misaligned, click on “Print Preview” and
evaluate the consistency of your space
Fonts and font sizes: it is typically a good idea to stick with fonts
such as Times New Roman or Arial; using other fonts can distract the
reader from the content and cause them to focus on the “prettiness”
of the document—keep the reader focused on your
accomplishments!
Seek and evaluate examples: many professors and professionals
post their résumés online via web pages and employee profile pages
on corporate websites; take the time to look at them and see what
they did and what you might want to mimic
3. Résumé
 Example of a Résumé (OWL at Purdue):
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/719/01/
To Recap…
 When writing an e-mail…
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Consider your audience and make sure your tone (how you express
yourself) is appropriate
 When writing a letter, specifically a cover/application
letter…
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Catch the reader’s attention
Explain which particular job interest you and why
Convince the reader that you are qualified for the job by drawing
their attention to particular elements in your résumé
Request an interview
 When writing a résumé…
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Include name, contact information, education, and work experience
Keep formatting consistent
Above all, make sure to seek out examples if you are in doubt
or need guidance!
Need help??
 Utilize your resources!!

Check out the following books that might be useful:
Technical Communication (10th ed.)-Mike Markel
 The Essentials of Technical Communication (2nd ed.)-Elizabeth
Tebeaux and Sam Dragga
 The Business Writer’s Handbook (10th ed.)-Gerald B. Alred, Charles T.
Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu
 The Technical Writer’s Companion (3rd ed.)-Gerald B. Alred, Charles
T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu
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 OWL at Purdue (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/)
 Visit tutoring centers on campus (EXCEL Center & the
UWC!)
Questions?
 678-839-6513
 writing@westga.edu
 TLC 1201 (First floor, past the snacks)
 www.westga.edu/writing
 Like us on Facebook:
 University Writing Center (UWG)
 Duane Theobald (Manager of the UWC)
 dtheobal@westga.edu
 678-839-5312