TECHNICAL WRITING Flashcards
(27 cards)
What is technical writing?
writing conveys specific information about a technical subject to a specific audience for a specific purpose.
The words and graphics of technical writing are meant to be
practical
Essays and literary, Words and structure responds to a peculiar personal prescription, Rich and well articulated expression of thought, Ranges from simple to complex organization, Presents writer’s opinion
academic writing
Emphasis on artistic point of view, Marked with colorful words, Style can be easy, light and familiar, Arouses emotion
creative writing
the one who requested the document or the one to use your letter to decide on something
Primary Reader
may not be the one the document is for but he/she will be affected by your correspondence in some way
secondary reader
understands the theory, practical applications, and specialized terms related to the subject. Thus, they need fewer explanations and definitions.
Expert
may be interested in the subject but does not know much about the theory. They need more explanations and definitions. They need more schematic diagrams, parts lists, and step-by-step instructions
Semi-expert
has no specialized training or experience in a subject. They read out of curiosity or interest. For them, a book must include glossaries of terms, checklist, simple graphics, summary, simple vocabulary, and shorter sentences.
General Reader
Details of action, decision, plan or agreement (minutes of the meeting, file reports, laboratory report)
To record
aims to convince the reader, the report must be relevant and adequate for effective decision making (bids, grant applications, technical advertisements)
To persuade
Supplies information and analyzes data for the reader’s decision (progress report, performance evaluation, investigative report)
To inform (for decision-making)
how to do a task and why (manuals, policy and procedure, instructions for use)
To instruct-
Provides information for those who need to understand the topic (information bulletin, literature review, product description, process explanation)
To inform
(simple proposal, feasibility studies, recommendation reports)
To recommend-
satisfies a reader’s intellectual curiosity (science articles in popular magazines, brochure, pamphlets)
To interest-
What is Style in Writing
Style is the product of the words you choose, the way in which you put your sentences together, the length of your sentences, and the tone you convey.
In technical writing, the style must be
direct and objective, straightforward, easy to follow and understand.
What are the different sentence types
- simple
- compound
- complex
Sentence type: (one independent clause)
Simple
Sentence type: (two or more independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions, semicolons, or conjunctive adverbs)
Compound
Sentence type: (one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses)
Complex
