Technical Writing

Week Three

What is Technical Writing?

It is a generic term for all written communications done on the job whether industry, business, or other professions.

Types of Technical Writing

1. Literary Writing
Includes

poetry, short stories, plays, and novels. The author might draw on experience to create their text, but the writing is imaginative. writing often employs figurative word usage, imaginative imagery, dialect, symbolisms, and fictitious character to present a message.

Creative

Types of Technical Writing

2. Expressive Writing
Records

a subjective, emotional response to a personal experience. goal of Expressive Writing is to express ones feelings through description and narration.

The

Types of Technical Writing

3. Expository Writing
It

analyzes a topic objectively.

The

goal of Expository Writing is to explain and reveal your knowledge of a subject.

Types of Technical Writing

3. Persuasive Writing
Combination

of the emotionalism of expressive writing with the analytical traits of expository writing. goal of Persuasive Writing is to sway your audiences emotional attitude toward a topic.

The

Things to consider when writing a technical document:

1. 2.

Wholl be the reader? What are their level of understanding?

Types of Audiences
High-Tech Audience Low Tech Audience Lay Audience Multiple Audience

High-Tech Audiences
Experts

in the field you are writing about.

Because

their work experience and/or education are comparable to yours, they share your level of understanding. require minimal detail regarding standard procedures or scientific, mathematical or technical theories.

They

Low-Tech Audiences
Familiar

with the technology you are writing about but their job responsibilities are peripheral to the subject matter. are familiar with the subject but understands only some of the JARGONS, abbreviations and technical concepts. understand the basic concepts of the work but they have not been involved in it daily

They

They

Lay Audiences
They

are unfamiliar with your subject matter. do not understand your technology or any of your in-house jargons, abbreviations or acronyms.

They

They

will definitely need background information.

Multiple Audiences
They

are your intended readers but not necessarily your only readers.

Criteria for Effective Technical Documents

Criteria for Effective Technical Documents Clarity Conciseness Accuracy Organization

Criteria for Effective Technical Documents

Clarity
The quality of being clearly expressed.

Conciseness
The usage of few words as possible to give the necessary information, or compressed in order to be brief.

Criteria for Effective Technical Documents

Accuracy
The correctness or truthfulness of the content.

Organization
The relationships that exist between separate components in a coherent whole.