Lecture 1-technical-writing

TECHNICAL WRITING

Technical writing is a written

communication which by nature has the

characteristics of business, science and

technology. It focuses on audience selection,

makes use of precise, economical and

unemotional language and employs technical

jargon. Likewise, it uses certain conventional

and organizational format

Technical writing is any written form of writing or drafting technical communication used in a variety of technical and occupational fields, such as computer hardware and software, engineering, chemistry, aeronautics, robotics, finance, consumer electronics, and biotechnology.

Point of Contrast Technical Writing Literary/ Creative Writing

subject Scientific/ technical Generally about life

readership specific general

format formal informal

language Literal/direct/denotative Figurative/ indirect/connotative

style Impersonal/simple Personal/elaborated

tone Serious/unemotional Light/ conversational

content Objective/neutral Subjective/opinionated

purpose Informative/instructional Informative/entertaining

Two Basic Aspects of Technical Writing

- end products- skills used to make the

end products

END PRODUCTS OF TECHNICAL WRITING

Business letter abstractTechnical report graphic aidsFeasibility report handbookBrochureContractInstructional manualProposalMemorandumSpecification

A memorandum is an important form of written communication circulated within the company and its branches which is used to disseminates a message or information. ( Manalo & Fermin)

A memorandum (abbrev.: memo) was from the Latin verbal phrase memorandum est, the gerundive form of the verb memoro, "to mention, call to mind, recount, relate",[1]

 which means "It must be remembered (that)...". It is therefore a note, document or other communication that helps the memory by recording events or observations on a topic, such as may be used in a business office.

Instructional Manual describes the procedures on how to install, operate and maintain a gadget or equipment

An abstract is a brief summary of a research article, thesis review, conference proceeding or any in-depth analysis of a particular subject or discipline, and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper's purpose. When used, an abstract always appears at the beginning of a manuscript or typescript, acting as the point-of-entry for any given academic paper or patent application. 

The hydrodynamics of dolphin draftingby Daniel Weihs, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.Abstract:Background Drafting in cetaceans is defined as the transfer of forces between individuals without actual physical contact between them. This behavior has long been surmised to explain how young dolphin calves keep up with their rapidly moving mothers. It has recently been observed that a significant number of calves become permanently separated from their mothers during chases by tuna vessels. A study of the hydrodynamics of drafting, initiated in mechanisms causing the separation of mothers and calves during fishing-related activities, is reported here.

Results Quantitative results are shown for the forces and moments around a pair of unequally sized dolphin-like slender bodies. These include two major effects. First, the so-called Bernoulli suction, which stems from the fact that the local pressure drops in areas of high speed, results in an attractive force between mother and calf. Second is the displacement effect, in which the motion of the mother causes the water in front to move forwards and radially outwards, and water behind the body to move forwards to replace the animal's mass. Thus, the calf can gain a 'free ride' in the forward-moving areas. Utilizing these effects, the neonate can gain up to 90% of the thrust needed to move alongside the mother at speeds of up to 2.4 m/s. A comparison with observations of eastern spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) is presented, showing savings of up to 60% in the thrust that calves require if they are to keep up with their mothers.

Conclusions A theoretical analysis, backed by observations of free-swimming dolphin schools, indicates that hydrodynamic interactions with mothers play an important role in enabling dolphin calves to keep up with rapidly moving adult school members

A specification (often abbreviated as spec) is an explicit set of requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, or service.

Exact statement of the particular needs to be satisfied, or essential characteristics that a customer requires (in a good, material, method, process, service, system, or work) and which a vendor must deliver. Specifications are written usually in a manner that enables both parties (and/or an independent certifier) to measure the degree of conformance. 

A brochure (also referred to as a pamphlet) is a type of leaflet. Brochures are advertising pieces mainly used to introduce a company or organization, and inform about products and/or services to a target audience. Brochures are distributed by mail, handed personally or placed in brochure racks.

Proposal is a written offer to solve a particular problem or need.

Business letter is a form of written communication used to transact business which cannot be conveniently conducted orally.

A graphic aid a text feature that helps the reader better understand the text visually. Such as tables, charts, timelines, captions, etc.

Wholistic Guide to TechnicalWriting ( Zall, 1980)

AccuracyBrevityConfidenceDignityEmphasisFacilityGrammatical CorrectnessHonestyIllustration

JudgmentKnowledgeLogicMechanical NeatnessNormal ProcedureObjectivityPlanningQualificationRevision

Straight SentencesThoroughnessUnityViewpointWord ChoiceZest

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF TECHNICAL WRITING ( MILLS AND WALTER)

1. Technical Writing is written for specific person or group of people, real or imaginary, and they assumed to be intelligent but uninformed.

2. Technical Writing is written for a purpose. All wordsshould contribute to the intended purpose.

3. Technical writing uses simple, concrete and familiar language

4. Technical writing follows the “principle of first’.5. Technical Writing must be presentable and

attractive.

Use of Language in Technical Writing

Friendly Words: Goodwill over Indifference

Indifference: In reference to your request for our electrical bid on Project A…

   Goodwill: Thank you for asking Roberts

Electric to submit a bid for the electrical work for Project A. we will be happy to…

 Indifference: As a dental care provider,

it is important that your team keeps on schedule.

Goodwill:As a provider of quality dental care, I know that it is important to you that your team keeps on schedule.

Indifference: Attach your comments soon as you can, so we can get started.

Goodwill: I look forward to receiving your comment, so we can get started

Precision in the use of Wordsability/ capacity filtrate/ filteradjacent/ contiguous indicated/

requiredadvise/ tell/ inform infer/ implyaffect/ effect liable/ likelyalternative/ choice maximum/optimumamong/ between oral/ verbal

percent/ percentage

apparent/ obvious/ evident perfect/ uniqueappreciate/understand practical/ practicableassume/ presume

assure/ insure principle/ principal

balance/ remainder proportion/ part

bimonthly/ semimonthly reaction/ opinion

conclude/ decide replace/ reinstall

deteriorate/ degenerate target/ objective theory/ idea/ view/ opinion

encounter/ experience essentially/ basically universally/ generally few/less

A large number/part Many/mostA number of SomeA variety of Many, DifferentAbsolutely essential EssentialAccede to Agree to, AllowAccentuate StressAccorded GivenAcquiesce AgreeAdditional Added, More, Other

Address DiscussAdequate enough EnoughAdjacent to Next toAdvantageous Helpful, UsefulAdversely impact on Hurt, Set

backAfford an opportunity Allow, LetAggregate Total, SumAlleviate Ease, ReduceAppraise Tell, InformAs a consequence of BecauseAs a means of To

Ascertain Find out, LearnAt present NowAt the present time NowAt this point in time Now

Special Techniques of Technical Writing

DefinitionDescription of Mechanism

Description of a ProcessClassification and Partition

Interpretation

DEFINITION

It is giving meaning or explanation to a word or thing.

Words or “terms” are just symbols for real things. The thing which the word or terms refer to is call “referent”.

Categories of Words (Mills and Walter)

1.Familiar words for familiar things2.Familiar words for unfamiliar things3.Unfamiliar words for familiar things4.Unfamiliar words for unfamiliar

things

Familiar words for familiar things

These are words both known by the reader and the writer.

Example:

chalk shirt shoesnoodles

Familiar words for unfamiliar things

Words that seem to be familiar but when technical people use , they may have different meaning.

Mouse cheaterDirty Christmas treeApron lakeballoon

Unfamiliar words for familiar things

Monosodium glutamate Offy (off-license) 

Analgesic  Mackintosh

Sodium Chloride  Aubergine 

dimethyl ketone; 2-propanone carbon crystal

 Braces

aluminum potassium sulfate torch

Unfamiliar words for unfamiliar things

EncephalopathyRecrudescencepostpartumaneurysm VaricellaA la CarteAd hoc Blatherskite  

Callipygian - Having well-shaped beautiful buttocks. This fascinating obscure term. The word came into English in the late 1700s from Greek, kallipugos, which was used to describe a statue of Venus , from kallos meaning beauty, and puge, meaning buttocks. Kallos is also a root of the word calligraphy (decorative handwriting/lettering), and callisthenics (graceful gymnastics).

Methods of Definition

InformalFormal Sentence Definition

Amplified Definition

a. further definitionb. concrete examples and instances

c. comparison and contrastd. word derivation

e. negative statementf. physical descriptiong. analysish. basic principle

I. cause and effect j. location

Description of Mechanism

- introduction- part- by- part description- conclusion

Description of MechanismI. Introduction

A. What the mechanismsB. PurposeC. General AppearanceD. Division into principal parts

II. Part-by-part DescriptionA. part number one

1. what the part is2. purpose3. appearance ( including comparison)4. division into subparts

a. subpart number one (1) what the subpart is (2) purpose (3) appearance including comparison (4) detailed description (a) shape (b) size (c) relationship to other parts (d) methods of attachment (e) material

b, c …III. Brief description of mechanism in operation

Description of a ProcessI. IntroductionII. Equipment and MaterialsIII.Step-by-step Description of the

ActionIV.Conclusion

Classification and PartitionClassification - act of locating a specimen of all of the different kinds of objects which possess a given characteristic/s.Partition - division of unit into its componentsInterpretationThis is the art of establishing meaningful pattern of relationship among group of facts.