ENG 214

Technical Writing - Introduction and Overview

LECTURE 1

As you are listening to the lecture fill in the missing words to complete the notes

What is Technical Writing?

Technical writing is a involving these elements:

• Technical subject matter:

a subject peculiar to or characteristic of a particular art, science, trade,

technology, or other profession.

• Communication problem:

the problem or challenge is recognized and accurately defined in the

communication context

• Accurate, precise information:

discovering information needed to solve problem through thinking, study,

investigation, observation, analysis, experimentation, and measurement

• and presentation of information:

achieving the writer’s purpose in a clear, useful, persuasive way

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The Nature of Technical Writing

• Workers rank writing skills in this order of importance: , conciseness,

, and grammar

• Purpose: spelled out in the opening paragraphs

• Vocabulary: typically

• Sentences: highly specific and fact filled

• : specialized terminology, definitions, signs, symbols, and

formulas

• Graphs and tables: and/or expands upon surrounding prose

• and ____________________: appear in text and bibliographies

Characteristics of Excellent Technical Writers

• Methodical

•

• Objective

•

• Honest

• Critical

•

Technical writers know!

• their

• their

• to write simply, directly, and

Qualities of Good Technical Writing

• Arrives on or the due date

• Is well designed

• Describes and scope “up-front”

• Provides essential information, clearly written, free of jargon or padding

• Uses tables and graphics to present and content .

• Contains a or

• Is designed to be read by readers with diverse interests or needs

• Uses a rational, visible plan, revealed by the table of contents and headings

• Reads coherently (logical) and cumulatively

• and answers readers’ questions