Technical Writing Flashcards
- direct and simple
- easy to understand
- variety of readers
- use to educate
TECHNICAL WRITING
Characteristics of Technical Writing
a. Technical writing treats of subject matter related to science and technology and, lately has involved other disciplines such as economics, medicine, psychology, agriculture, radiology, business administration, and others.
b. Technical writing is characterized by certain elements such as its scientific and technical vocabulary, its use of graphic or visual aids and its use of conventional report forms.
c. Technical writing observes impartiality and objectivity, shows extreme care to convey information accurately and concisely and avoids any attempt to
arouse emotion.
d. Technical writing uses certain complex writing techniques such as definition, classification, description of mechanisms, description of processes, exemplification, causal analysis and others.
e. Technical writing has practicality and power.
f. Technical writing used to involve only engineers and architects as its primary audience. Today, however, technical writing begins to attract students from many disciplines.
g. Technical writing courses are worthwhile because they have a high carry- over value beyond the college days.
Purposes of Technical Writing
a. It gives information that leads to the accomplishment of specific tasks and in the making of needed decisions.
b. Technical writing analyses events and their implications like the failure or certain educational, socio-economic, or political systems; or needed social changes, like how to save the dying bodies of water in the country, particularly the Pasig River, Laguna Lake, and the Lingayen Gulf.
c. Technical writing persuades and influences decisions.
THE ALPHABET OF TECHNICAL WRITING
- ACCURACY.
- BREVITY
- CONFIDENCE.
- DIGNITY.
- EMPHASIS.
- FACILITY.
- GRAMMATICAL CORRECTNESS.
- HONESTY.
- ILLUSTRATIONS.
- JUDGEMENT.
- KNOWLEDGE.
- LOGIC.
- MECHANICAL NEATNESS.
- NORMAL PROCEDURE.
- OBJECTIVITY.
- PLANNING.
- QUALIFICATION.
- REVISION.
- STRAIGHT SENTENCES.
- THOROUGHNESS.
- UNITY.
- VIEWPOINT.
- WORD CHOICE.
- X-EXTRA
- YOU-POINT.
- ZEST.
This can be attained by guarding against careless thinking, expressions and calculations
gathering important details that are really needed in writing
- ACCURACY.
is conciseness of expression, checking the development of your own ideas and accuracy of expression.
Make sentences shorter that are concise and the info are complete because Sometimes the reader has little time to read.
- BREVITY
If you believe in what you are saying is right and wise, write it. Have trust in yourself.
- CONFIDENCE.
Particular attention should be given to diction. Avoid using contractions like won’t, shouldn’t, can’t, don’t. Use straightforward expression with summarized, simplified and well- organized information.
Trying to avoid common mistakes like using contractions. Be Formal
- DIGNITY.
Make your report forceful. Stressing the major points and subordinating them.
Put consideration of Focus on the things that make your report reliable.
- EMPHASIS.
Report Writing depends more on pacing, sequence, arrangement and connections to achieve smooth flowing, easy to read continuity.
- FACILITY.
Acceptable grammatical practice is important for sensible as well as social reasons.
Properly making your sentence correct
- GRAMMATICAL CORRECTNESS.
Proper documentation must be used. A technical writer must acknowledge his sources.
Writing is free from plagiarism
- HONESTY.
The use of graphic materials is very useful in technical writing.
- ILLUSTRATIONS.
Judicious weighing of evidence is important in a report. The best evidence: is that which is (1) most ample (2) most pertinent (3) most simple (4) most in harmony with the rest of available evidence.
- JUDGEMENT.
is one of the chief functions of the report. It is more than a collection of data for it involves interpretations and formulation of conclusions. Without intelligent interpretation, data will remain useless
- KNOWLEDGE.
