What is Technical Writing

What is Technical Writing? What is Technical Writing and How is it Different from Academic? Your introduction should, in a sentence or two, sum up the basic similarities and differences. Examples of Technical Writing • Instructions, Directions - for operating a machine or performing as task • A description of a process - operating or manufacturing • Company Policies/Procedures • Memos, Business Letters • Monthly/Yearly Activity Reports • Proposals, Feasibility Studies • Summaries of Staff or Team Meeting • Brochures, Commercial/Advertisement, Job Descriptions Examples of Academic Writing • • • • Thesis Papers (Think 5 Paragraph) Academic Journal Articles Reports Essays Characteristics of Technical Writing • Purpose - informs and persuades • Audience - addresses specific readers or specific groups of readers • Need - Fulfills specific, identified needs; material and approach are adjusted to audience need • Graphics - convey content; aids understanding and decision making • Style - uses clear and direct language without unnecessary complexity Characteristics of Academic Writing • Purpose - To show and understanding of information. To increase knowledge - Knowledge for the sake of knowledge. • Audience - Teacher, Fellow students, Academics. • Need - fulfills the need to know - satisfies curiosity. Shows the instructor that you understand. • Style - Succession of paragraphs with a thesis. Uses imagery and symbolism are frequently employed What do Academic and Technical Writing have in Common? • • • • • Use the writing process Avoid slang Use standard grammar Both types of writing need to be coherent Both need to be organized, although the organizational structure differs • Both should be professional in tone Differences in Subject • Factual subject • Workplace/task driven • Any subject can be handled in a technical manner • Explores new ideas or old ideas in an new way • Any subject can be addressed in an academic manner. Differences in Purpose • To inform or persuade a specific audience. • Meets a specific need that the audience has. • To inform, explain or persuade a more general audience. • Increases an area of knowledge. • Shows mastery of a specified topic. • Share conclusions & learning with others Differences in Audience • A specific individual • Scholars and or group of individuals academics who have a common • Might be peers and or background and share an instructor a common need • Those who value knowledge for its own sake • Those who are curious about the ways and whys of the world. Differences in Style • Clear and concise • No ambiguity • Organization must be obvious. • Incorporates special features to increase clarity & accessibility • Different sections can target different audiences • Standard paragraph organization • Standard conventions • Thesis driven • May contain a degree of emotion • Can be opinionated • Imagery, symbolism and figurative languages are valued Differences in Syntax • Short predictable sentences • Clarity is most important • Most sentences begin with the subject • A mix of long and short sentences • A variety of sentence structures and complexities • Interest can come before clarity in some situations Differences in Tone • • • • Objective Business like Professional Avoids emotion • Professional • A range of tones is tolerated • Some emotion acceptable • Can be opinionated Visual Effects • Includes bolding, color, bullets, graphs, and pictures. • Primarily used in technical documents • Use in academic documents is an exception, not the rule. Conclusion • Your conclusion does not have to be lengthy. A few sentences stating when/where/why this topic is important. • For example: Most people will have to write in both academic and technical modes. In order to write well, it is important to know what they have in common and how they are different.