Chapter 1 PP

• What is the subject?
• For whom was the document written?

• How is the document organized?
• How would you describe the writer’s style?
• What is the tone of the document?
• Does the document include any special
features (ex. Boldfacing, numbering,
bulleted lists, visual aids, headings or
subheadings)?
• Technical Communication – is
communication done in the workplace. The
message usually involves a technical subject
with a specific purpose and audience.
• Technical Writing – is writing done in the

workplace, although the workplace may be an
office, a construction site, or a kitchen table.
The subject is usually technical, written
carefully for a specific audience.
Technical Writing is Essential in the Workplace for
some reasons:
• It allows readers to read and study at their
convenience
• Easily pass along information to others
• Keep a permanent record for future reference
• NOTE: conservative estimate suggest that you will spend at least

20% of your time writing in a technical or business occupation.
Professionals in engineering and technology careers spend as
much as 40% of their time writing (Anderson, Paul. Technical
Communication: A Reader Centered Approach).
Careers that generate different kinds of
reports:
• Nurses chart a patient’s medical condition
• Police accident reports record facts for later use
in court
• Chemists and engineers document procedures to
comply with government regulations
• Accountants prepare annual client reports
• Park rangers write safety precautions
• Insurance claims adjusters write incident reports
• Travel agencies design brochures
• Public relations officers write new releases,
letters, and speeches.
• All careers rely on technical
communication to get the job done.
• Technical writing is the great connector--

the written link--connecting technology to
user, professional to client, colleague to
colleague, supervisor to employee, and
individual to community.
Characteristics of Technical Writing
• Subject – this is the area of knowledge being dealt
with, or being discussed or described
Expressive Writing – convey personal observations or
feelings; relies on personal experience
Expository Writing – explain and inform facts gained
from research
Technical Research – written to fulfill the need, it is
technical and factual, may require library research,
scientific observation.
NOTE: In technical writing, often the need is to share

information or to have someone perform an action.
• Audience
➢the technical writer expects more from a very
specific reader
➢ the technical writer not only expects the reader
to understand the writing, but also wants the
reader to do something after reading.
NOTE: In technical writing, the needs of the reader

dictate every decision the writer makes.
• Organization – the personal essay or research
paper make standard use of a topic sentence
and transitional expressions, but you still need
to read far into each document before the
main point and the organization become
apparent.
➢headings help readers perceive the
organization at a single glance
➢headings give you opportunity to read only
what you want or need to read
• Style - gives the audience an idea of the type
of document they are reading
➢Personal Essays – casual, almost
conversational, and predictable; the writer
uses examples and description.
➢Research Paper - formal and more distant
than the personal essay, with a thesis to clarify
the purpose of the paper and documentation
to enhance credibility.
NOTE: technical document uses a simple, concise,

straightforward style that is easily understood.
JARGON – the highly specialized language of a
particular discipline or technical field.
• Tone – refers to emotional overtones—the
way the words make a person feel. It describes
the emotional character of a document.
➢Personal Essay – casual, dejected, and
agonized.
➢Research Paper – generally objective or
businesslike
NOTE: Readers in technical documents read for

information, not for entertainment. They read to
learn something or to take action.
• Technical writing differs from
academic writing in its presentation,
approach to subject matter, and
audience and from imaginative
writing in its “one-meaning-and-one-
meaning-only” presentation.
ASSIGNMENT
• TO DO:
Examine the information found on a box or can
of your favorite packaged food or beverage. In
particular, notice the nutrition information.
Write an explanation of why the information
on the package is considered technical
communication

Chapter 1 PP

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 1 PP

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 1 PP

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

• What is the subject?

• For whom was the document written?

• Technical Writing – is writing done in the

• NOTE: conservative estimate suggest that you will spend at least

• Technical writing is the great connector--

NOTE: In technical writing, often the need is to share

NOTE: In technical writing, the needs of the reader

NOTE: technical document uses a simple, concise,

NOTE: Readers in technical documents read for

You might also like