Chapter 1 discusses the evolution and significance of technical writing in the context of rapid technological advancement. It defines technical writing as formal writing about scientific subjects characterized by clarity, objectivity, and the use of graphic aids, aimed at informing a specific audience for a defined purpose. The chapter also outlines the key principles, purposes, and properties of technical writing, emphasizing the differences between it and other writing forms like creative and expressive writing.

1. Understanding the Nature of
Technical Writing
Chapter 1

2.  When the world ushered in the 21st
century, many things changed
and advanced in various fields and disciplines. These changes and
advancement were prompted by the rapid pace of technology.
 Possessing the skills in technical report writing is an advantage for
men and women who are tasked to work on writing technical
reports, manuals, brochures and handbooks to represent their
company, institution, or place or work.

3. What is Technical
Writing?
Lesson 1

4. - Anne Lamott
“All good writing begins with terrible
first efforts. You need to start
somewhere.”

5. Technical writing is writing about scientific subjects and about various technical subjects associated with
the sciences.
Technical writing is characterized by certain formal elements, such its scientific and technical vocabulary,
its use of graphic aids, and its use of conventional report forms.
Technical writing is ideally characterized by the maintenance of an attitude of impartiality and objectivity,
by extreme care to convey information accurately and concisely, and by the absence of any attempt to
arouse emotion.
• Technical writing is writing in which there is relatively high concentration of certain complex and
important writing techniques, in particular description of mechanisms, description of process,
definition, classification, and interpretation.
Acclaimed proponents of technical writing Mills and Walter (1981) gave several definitions to aid us in
understanding the nature of technical writing. According to them:

6. Business Letter
- Is a type of written communication. It is
written using formal language and follows formal
elements of letter writing. People usually write
business letters to communicate with companies,
organization or individuals with the purpose of
applying for a job, making requests, seeking
opportunities, etc.
To students, perhaps, Technical Writing may just be a
requirement to pass an assignment, but to professional, it may
be any of the following which is required to fulfill a task. These
are the products of technical writing:

7. Contract
- Is a written agreement between two
people under mutually agreed terms.

8. Monograph
- Is a detailed essay or book on a very
specific topic. It is usually written by professionals
or academicians on topics of interest concerning
their specific fields.

9. Printed Action Memo
- Is a ready-format memorandum that
only requires a checkmark on the appropriate box
that contains the message. This is especially useful
for busy people who need to make quick decisions
and act on the circumstance or situation.

10. Graphic Aids
- Drawings, sketches and illustrations
that aid the readers in understanding the presented
data.

11. Instructional Manuals
- Are written to guide the readers on how
to assemble, maintain, and operate an apparatus,
machine or gadget.

12. Brochures
- Are pamphlets or flyers that endorse a
product in such a way that the potential customer
will be convinced that the product is effective and
eventually avail of the product.

13. Proposals
- Are written suggestions on how to
make the company or organization more productive
and successful. Most companies and organizations
require this before an agreement is reached.

14. Memoranda
- Are inter-office written communication
used to disseminate information.

15. 01
In today’s world, the demand for accomplishing more written outputs makes a professional who is
skilled in this area all the more needed. In whatever field, a skilled technical writer is needed, thus, taking
note of the FIVE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES in GOOD TECHNICAL WRITING separates a talented
technical writer from an ordinary writer. Bear in mind the following:
02
03
Always have in mind a specific reader, real or imaginary. when you are writing a report.
Always assume that he is intelligent, but uninformed.
Before you start to write, always decide what the exact purpose of your report is, and
make sure that every paragraph, every sentence, every word makes a clear contribution
to that purpose.
Use language that is simple, concrete, and familiar.
04
At the beginning and end of every section of your report, check your writing according to
this principle: “First you tell the reader what you’re going to tell him, then you tell him what
you’ve told him.”
05 Make your report attractive.

16. 01
On the other hand, while bearing in mind the important principles of technical writing, it would also
help to distinguish the purposes of technical writing so that we do not confuse technical writing with
other writing forms. So, what are the purposes of technical writing?
02
03
It serves as basis for management decision.
It furnishes needed information.
It gives instructions.
04 It records business transactions through proposals.
05 It procures business proposals.
06
07
It serves as basis for public relations.
It provides report to stockholders of companies.

17. PROPERTIES OF TECHNICAL WRITING

18. The following properties of technical writing are also known as
“considerations” when writing technical reports.
1. Subject matter. In writing technical papers, you must ask the question,
“What will I write about?”
The subject matter Is an essential element in technical. Report writing. Some
examples of this are description of a process, writing about a theory, or
submitting a policy.
2. Audience. When thinking about the audience, ask “Whom am I writing
for? Or who are my intended readers?” This is a property whichh pertains to
a particular reader of a technical literature.

19. 3. Expression. This property refers to two basic modes in which a technical
report has to be delivered-writing it or reading it. Your expression of the
content will depend on your awareness of your audience’s/ reader’s
psychology and your style in writing to be able to reach your audience's/
reader’s understanding.
4. Style. This refers to how the material is written. A technical writer uses
clear, specific point of view, objective, impartial, and unemotional style in
writing.
5. Arrangement of materials. This pertains to how ideas should be
organized in chronological, spatial or logical order, from general to specific or
specific to general, and use illustrations to present the information.

20. Earlier, technical writing is treated as a unique form of written
communication because of its important qualities, purposes, and properties.
Let us elucidate it further by enumerating striking differences between this
form of writing which is more formal and academic compared to other writing
forms. For instance, writing can be grouped into five basic types:
• Technical writing conveys specific information about a technical subject
to a specific audience for a specific purpose.
• Creative writing is fiction poetry, short stories, plays, and novels and far
different from technical writing.
• Expressive writing is a subjective response to a personal experience-
journals and diaries whereas technical writing might be objective
observations of a work-related experience or research.

21. • Expository writing “exposes” a topic analytically and objectively, such as
news reports. Like technical writing. The goal of expository writing is to
explain or reveal knowledge, but expository writing does not necessarily
expect a response or action from the reader.
• Persuasive writing depends on emotional appeal. Its goal is to change
one’s attitudes or motivate him/her to action.

22. Differences between Technical Writing and
Creative Writing
Writers have different writing styles. There are writers
who are more inclined to the straightforward or direct form of
writing while others are on the creative or literary. Below are
differences between technical writing and creative writing
based on content. Audience, purpose, style, tone,
vocabulary, and organization.