Lesson 1
Lesson 1
Lesson 1
Introduction
“The present world has astonished us with its new development. From the nuclear
weapons to space age, man has made enormous strides in technology. With the ever-
increasing complex demands of modern society, expanded economic and technical
advancements and progress have created the indispensable need for technical writers.
Skill in writing technical reports is an invaluable asset not only in college but also in the
professions. As the country’ industrialization program grows space, skill in this type of
writing will be a highly vital personal asset, not only in business and industry, but also in
science and technology as well as the in the government service.
For instance, engineers submit reports on the progress of their projects they are
undertaking to their superiors. Architects attach explanations with their design plans for
the information to their stockholders. So, to be an effective professional, one should
have enough knowledge on making technical reports, for him to communicate with his
superior.” (Manalo, 2008)
Objectives
Technical Writing, according to the book, Technical and Report Writing by Manalo
(2008), is a communication which is written for and addressed to specific entities or
individuals to attain desired objectives. It is a communication in the field of business,
industry, trade, science, technology, engineering, and government.
Technical writing presents and explains a subject matter in a clear, objective, accurate,
concise, and unemotional manner.
Technical writing uses a relatively high concentration on certain complex and important
writing techniques, particularly description of a mechanism, description of process,
classification, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, analogy, and interpretation.
Technical writing highly utilizes technical vocabulary. In order to clarify and support
textual discussion, technical writing makes use of tables, graphs, and figures.
2. To analyze events and their implications. Technical writing aims to explain how
certain systems failed. These systems may be education, socio-economic, political,
and within the technical article, the recommended change or changes.
Knowing the target audience is one of the basic things to consider in technical writing. A
technical writer must learn to adapt his way of writing and to learn specific terminologies
according to the type of the intended audience or readers. Technical terms which may
be deemed difficult by the readers must be carefully defined throughout the text, for the
reader to thoroughly and easily understand the information being conveyed by the
writer. The writer fails in his mission to inform if the reader also fails to understand what
he’s reading. The writer should be aware of the reader’s importance. The target
audience and readers would help the writer to know what to write about and how to go
about writing it.
A technical paper must focus on a central theme. The reader should be aware of the
main purpose of the text after reading it. The purpose may be to describe a thing, to
report on a specific problem or project or to analyze and solve a problem.
A technical writer must have a complete knowledge of the subject that he or she must
write about. For example, if the report is regarding the result of a technical experiment,
the technical writer must explain what the problem is all about, what causes the problem
and how the problem is solved.
Writing Objectively
A good technical writer emphasizes the facts and the important data. An effective
technical writer practices the impersonal style of writing. He presents the facts, figures,
and statistics supporting the subject matter or the central theme and writes it in an
impersonal manner.
The readers’ attention is initially on the format and style of a report. Most companies
require neatly-typed communication, reports, and project proposals and feasibility
studies. It is the common and apt trend to require a computerized or typed report.
A technical writer must undergo comprehensive research work to gather the needed
data through interviews, surveys, referrals and related publications. He must present the
required facts and figures gathered and must use only those that are relevant to the
report. An effective technical writer acknowledges the hard work and the help from
sources and cites them as references.
Style is the writer’s way of writing, a manner in which he expresses his thoughts and
feelings in a language. Below are the guidelines for clear technical writing.
Technical writing does not require a unique style. Instead, technical writing uses the
natural word order, simple sentence structure and well-written short sentences.
Although the technical subject matter requires the use of complex, technical vocabulary
and the expression of complex ideas, it would prove beneficial for the reader and his
understanding of the subject matter if the writer uses shorter words and sentences and
simple structure.
In technical writing, the topic sentence opens the paragraph or closes the report after
whatever transitional sentences. Sometimes, the writer does the opposite by giving the
details at the very beginning and concludes at the end by stating the main idea. The use
of one or more very short paragraphs helps in achieving an impact on the readers.
Scientific Attitude
The technical writer must be aware of when not to overwrite. As a writer of the
materials, he should know what to present, what to emphasize, what to rewrite and what
to amplify.
Generalization
To be certain that you have followed ground rules and not “jumping to conclusions”, test
the validity of your data and samples. Here is the suggested checklist by Nem Singh
and Calixihan (1994).
2. Can I show the direct bond between the facts and generalizations?
3. Is it fact and not opinion?
4. Do I have all the facts?
5. Are they up to date?
6. Is the generalization verifiable? Would I get the same result if I do it again?
7. Is it significant?
The principles to be observed in organizing the material as cited by Alvarez (1980) are
as follows:
1. To organize the material of a subject, first break it down into the component
aspects.
2. To organize a report paper, choose a suitable approach and make an outline that
implements it.
3. The basic unit of organization is the paragraph.
4. Use these paragraphs to present related data, graphs to show trends and visuals
to clarify description.
5. Plan a report or paper thoroughly before starting to write it.
6. Gather the necessary data through basic library research and primary services.
7. Write a first draft.
8. Revise and rewrite as often as necessary.
9. Write a final draft.
10. Place footnotes to acknowledge references and include a bibliography at the end
of a report or paper.
1. appropriateness
2. functional
3. informative
4. factual
5. efficient
6. correct
The technical writer must understand the nature of his work. He should be able to help
his principals attain the target objectives. He must not only possess the technical
writing ability and technical expertise, but he must also have the capability to grasp, to
analyze and to interpret unexpected events and situations that may occur throughout
the writing of the technical report.
The technical writer should have the ability to state facts clearly and accurately, to
organize a variety of elements into a unified structure, and to describe logical
generalizations.
R - Resourceful
E - Energetic
P - Patient
O - Observant
R - Responsible
T - Trustworthy
E - Evaluative
R - Responsive
For effective technical writing, the ABC’s of report writing was provided by Zall (1980) to
identify if the way of writing can be considered in-depth.
Accuracy
Brevity
Being brief is a courtesy to the reader. The reader should find it easy to group the main
idea of the report. In the same manner, accuracy of the statements can easily be
maintained. The reader can get the essence of your thinking in a compressed form.
Confidence
A good report writer must have the quality of self-confidence. He cannot only
communicate but he has to be also decisive or sure what he is writing about. After
finishing the last page of his report, he is an authority.
Dignity
Facility
This refers to the devices used by the writer, to make his report easy to read and
understand. In most cases, report writing depends more on pacing, sequence,
arrangement, and continuity of ideas as well as information. A grammatical correction
is important. He should make his writing straightforward, logical and clear. The
thought from one part to another should be clearly established, illustrated or stated.
Emphasis
The writer has to feel what is important to the reader and should never expect how the
reader finds it out for himself. He has to lead him from point to point, clearly making
every step, directs the reader to the right way and gives him the reason for stopping at a
particular portion.
Honesty
Honesty is expected in a report. When a writer has borrowed some statements, ideas
or quotations, he has to acknowledge them either in footnotes, endnotes or cite the
source or author of the borrowed ideas or statements within the running text.
Illustration
Illustration materials such as charts, graphs, diagrams, and photos are always helpful.
The writer should use them to clarify and support the text. They can be used to show
situations or trend or movement.
Judgment
The writer should qualify the data and information gathered by judicious weighing. This
can be done by following these criteria: (1) Most ample (2) Most pertinent or relevant (3)
The simplest in explaining the facts with the least additional evidence (4) Most
harmonious with the rest of the data and information. In every case, the evidence used
as a basis of judgment (as in conclusions and recommendations) should be included in
the report.
Knowledge
The communication of knowledge is the primary objective of the report, but knowledge
is not only a collection of data or information. It involves interpretation and formulation of
conclusions. Without sound interpretation, the data will become useless.
Logic
Mechanical Neatness
This is the general appearance of the report. It must be neatly encoded or typed,
properly margined, free from typographical errors, erasures, crossing-outs and
smudges.
Headings and subheadings and indentions are mechanical devices, which help make
the organization of the content clear.
Normal procedure
The report is easier to understand if it conforms to the standard practices. The writer
must follow the acceptable arrangement of the different parts of a report. If the writer
deviates from the normal procedure, he should inform his readers by explaining his
reasons for doing it.
Objectivity
In technical writing, the writer should consider himself as another person, uninterested
observer or an innocent bystander. In this instance, the third person point of view is
preferred. The writer should treat his subject matter the way he sees or observes it.
Technical reports avoid the use of the first person (I, me, my).
Planning
This is primary in all activities. This gives the purpose and direction to what the technical
writer has to write. This involves thinking ahead of what one has to do, when to do it and
who is to do it. This will be reflected in a well-organized report.
Qualification
The technical writer should select only those statements that have direct relationship
with the topic being discussed. The writer should evaluate the ideas or statements he
will include in the writing of the report.
Revision
This consists of more than merely correcting the spelling, punctuation, spacing, and
margin errors. The writer must also check every statement for sense and relevance
and be sure that he has said all that must be said. An effective report is all that is
required to perfection. The secret of good writing is rewriting.
Straight Sentences
Sentences carry the full weight of the meaning in a report. The sentence to be
employed must be limited to only one idea or to closely related ideas. To avoid
monotony, vary your sentence structure and employ appropriate transitional devices.
By employing such devices, there will be a smooth transition from sentence to
sentence. They will show the readers the writer’s thoughts leading him to what the
writer wants to communicate.
Thoroughness
The writer should treat well his subject matter. The writer should check the
thoroughness of his report from initial thinking to final submission. The writer is obliged
to go over the subject, analyze and investigate it, organize and interpret the results and
draw conclusions whether it is positive or negative.
Unity
A report is unified when everything is clearly relevant to the main point under
discussion. Nothing should be left hanging. No question should be left unanswered.
After all, the main objective of a unified report is to let the readers feel that they have
read everything essential to the subject undertaken.
Viewpoint
Word Choice
The writer should choose the words that are fit to the reader’s undertaking. Avoid
words that are difficult to understand.
Zest
Write only about things that are worth writing and which are invigorating. Write as
though you were performing a service that only you can perform.
Writing should not be regarded as something difficult but something that is enjoyable
and pleasurable.
3. Feasibility Report. This represents facts and information intended to make the
reader realize that the proposed project or plan is financially, economically, and
technically, significant as well as beneficial.
7. Instructional Manual. This contains directions for work procedure or policies, or for
the use of technical equipment or appliances. Instruction relies on clear, specific,
complete directions presented in sequential order. Directions of complicated step-by-
step procedures should be accompanied by graphic illustration.
11. Article for a Technical Journal. A technical paper which will be published in a
journal. It contains an abstract, an introduction, discussion and summarizing,
concluding sentence or paragraph.
12. Monograph. This is a thorough textbook treatment which requires full illustration and
documentation.
14. Graphic Aids. This refers to all pictures, graphs, diagrams and other materials used
in illustrating important details in a report.
16. Printed Action Memo. This prepared form requires only a check mark in an
appropriate square to indicate its message.
17. Survey Report. This is a thorough study of any subject. Some subjects of surveys
are potential markets for products, labor policies, market punctuation, public opinions
and community resources. Examples are poll surveys on the study of possible site
for a new plant.
18. Trip Report. An account of a business or professional trip. It records specific and
significant places, events, conversations and people met. It attempts to answer
where, when, what, why, and how. It may have a recommendation section.
20. Technical Paper. A research paper written for a professional journal or magazine.
Technical papers usually describe a theory or new development. They resemble
technical reports in most respects. The main difference lies on the fact that the
audience for a technical paper is wider and more diverse.
Direction of Communication
The type of communication that one writes must consider the direction of a
communication which can be upward (to supervisors), lateral (to peers), downward (to
subordinates), and outward (to customers, public interest groups, stockholders, and
government and others). Upward communications are usually addressed to the
managers and supervisors who are often busy. The communication should be concise
and direct. They need thorough information. The definition of technical terms and brief
summary of the whole communication are needed to save reading time.
Lateral communication is addressed to peers who may share the writer’s expertise in
the field. It may be ideas or projects that effect their own research or jobs. Since one
cannot invade a peer’s territory, the tone should only suggest, not command. If the
reader shares the writer’s professional background, then the technical may not need to
elaborate the technical vocabulary, symbols and abbreviations used.
However, not all communications go in one direction. Sometimes, the readers can be
combined. For instance, if one publishes a technical article in a research journal, the
communication goes outward, as well as upward. To analyze the readers, one must be
sure to know the direction of the communication.
Chapter Exercises:
1. Technical Report
2. Memorandum
3. Technical Paper
4. Specification
5. Feasibility Report
Activity 1.1
2. Get two short articles in your collection (from Exercise #1) and analyze them based
on the activities of good report writing. Justify your answer.
3. Clip and mount on bond paper two comparatively short samples of technical writing.
Evaluate them with regard to purpose, subject matter, significance, audience format
and ability to influence.
References:
Manalo, Paterna E., Fermin, Virginia G. (2008). Technical and Report Writing.
Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines: National Bookstore
Andrews, Deborah C. Technical Writing: Principles and Forms. New York: McMillan,
1982
Blicq, Ron S. and Nisa Moretto. Technically Write! New Jersey: Prentice-Hall., Inc.,
1999