Lesson 3 Technical Writing
Lesson 3 Technical Writing
ACTIVATE
Instructions: Below is a map that shows a visual representation of a place. Your friend
arrived in this place and he is not familiar with it. Your friend’s current location is the
Central Bus Station. He called you and asked about directions. Your friend wants to go to the
Provincial Bank. The only way to drive towards the bank is through the direction provided
below. Help out your friend by giving him the correct direction. Write the direction/answer
on the space provided.
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Visuals/graphics can be classified into six groups: graphs, tables, diagrams, sharks,
visual images, and maps.
GRAPHICS/VISUALS
Visual
Graphs Tables Diagrams Charts Maps
Images
A. An Organizational Chart
1. Use varied shapes/color/sizes carefully. Rectangles are usually used for all
positions.
2. Connect the boxes with solid lines to show direct reporting relationships and
dotted lines to show indirect or staff relationships.
3. Be creative but avoid gimmicky.
TABLES
A table is useful in displaying numbers in columns. It condenses and classifies
information to make comparison s between and among data and helps the readers
grasp relationships that might be invisible in prose. It contains at least two
columns with headings on the top sides of the columns to indicate what the table
represents. The heading on the top are called boxheads while the headings on far
left columns are called stubs.
1. Do not put table numbers and titles in informal table since they function as an
extension of the text. They should not be included in the list of illustrations.
However, they require column heading.
2. Place titles, table numbers, and detailed headings on formal tables because these
contain complex data. They are separated from text and I included in the list of
illustrations.
3. Use plenty of white space and within and around the text.
4. Use concise and clear headings for all the columns and rows.
5. Assign a title and a number to each formal table.
6. Use abbreviations and symbols when necessary. However, special symbols and
abbreviations must be clarified in a legend or footnote.
7. Write the source of the table when necessary.
8. Use uppercase and lowercase instead of full caps.
GRAPHS
A graph is a graphical representation of data using bars for bar graphs, line for
line graphs, circles for pie graphs, and pictures for pictographs. Each type has a
specific function and purposes.
A. Bar Graph
A bar graph uses vertical and horizontal bars that compare amounts and
quantities. Longer bars usually denote larger quantities.
1. Limit the number of bars. Too many bars may create confusion and complicate
the data.
2. Show the comparisons clearly.
3. Keep the bar widths consistent.
4. Use spaces between bars. However, if comparisons are too close or too many,
spaces between bars may be deleted.
5. Arrange the bars based on sequence (by year to show trends) or by ascending/
descending order (to show direct comparison).
6. Use legends as much as possible.
B. LINE GRAPH
A line graph shows trends and changes in data. It does not need to appear in a
straight line. The bottom grid scale usually represents time.
C. CIRCLE GRAPH
A circle graph (or pie graph) use pie-shaped sections and shows the relationship of
parts to the whole in percentages and proportions.
Part I
I. Instructions: Identify the visual aid most appropriate for each of the given topics.
________ 1. Drop-out rates among teens with peer counseling and teens without peer
counseling.
________ 2. Number of Refugees resettled and persons granted asylum in Canada, the
U.S., Australia, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
________ 3. Annual family expenditure in the Philippines for the year 2000.
________ 4. Yearly profits of Jollibee Foods Corporation.
________ 5. Enrollment procedure at BukSU.
________ 6. HP Printer.
________ 7. Location of Nuclear explosion in Japan.
________ 8. Identifying the similarities and differences between iPad and netbook.
________ 9. Depreciation of the Philippine peso.
________ 10. List of schools topping the 2010 bar exams and their passing rates.
II. Instructions: Analyze each of the following graphics. Make your own improved version of
them. Write the interpretation below each of your revised graphics. Use separate sheets of
paper for your answer.
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Instructions: Prepare a graphic representation appropriate for each of the given information. Be sure to
include all the essential parts of your chosen graphics. Generate a possibly accurate conclusion for
each of the prepared graphic use separate sheet of paper provided in the next page..
1. Data 1
In 1980, 9% of Miranda Motors' vehicle sales came from its innovative Jumper line of sport utility
vehicles. The Rigore line of sports sedans accounted for 19% of sales while the remaining 72%
comprised of the Robu line of passenger vehicles. In 1985, the Jumper line accounted for 14%, the
Rigore line for 23%, and the Robu line for 63%. In 1990, the figures were 20% for the Jumper, 21%
for the Rigore and 59% for Robu. In 1995, the figures were 27% (Jumper), 25% (Rigore), and 48%
(Robu). In 2000, 42% were Jumpers, 39% were Rigore, and only 19% were Robus. The motor
company predicts that by 2005, 55% of its sales will be attributed to Jumpers models, 30% to Rigore
vehicles, and 15% to the Robu line.
Miranda Motors sold 10,000 vehicles in 1980, 14,200 in 1985, and 24,800 in 1990. In 1995, vehicle
sales totalled 38,800, rising to 50,000 in 2000. A total of 60,000 vehicle sales is predicted for 2005.
2. Data 2
Consent from selected schools for the actual data elicitation was sought. Selected schools were St.
Paul College in Pasig City for the accredited school (Level 3) and Our Lady of Peace School in
Antipolo City for the non-accredited school. There were 10 pupils, selected at random, who
comprised each of the grade levels 2, 4, and 6 for every school, for a total of 30 pupils for each school
60 pupils for the two schools. The 30 pupils for each school were convened to perform the general
tasks. Considering the classroom structure, the Grade 2 pupils were seated in the first two rows, the
Grade 4 pupils at the second up to fourth rows, and the Grade 6 pupils at the fourth and fifth rows.
The first task was film viewing, without audio and subtitles, and subsequently retelling of the movie in
writing. Film viewing was done twice for retention and comprehension purposes. The first viewing
took the subjects 7 minutes and 15 seconds; thus, watching the film twice over took them 14 minutes
and 30 seconds. After viewing the film, the pupils were asked to write about the story according to
how they understood it. Pupils were not given limits as to time and number of words, for them to be
relaxed in their narrative production. The second task, which followed after film viewing and writing
of the narrative, was the reading task. The same groups of pupils were asked to read each of the four
different reading text. After reading each text, they answered the comprehension questions and
underlined the words that were not familiar to them. The subjects were given an hour to finish the
reading test, but the pupils finished the task in 10 minutes before the target time.
The film viewing and reading test administration script provided explicit guidelines for task
instructions to ensure uniformity given to the subjects of both accredited and non accredited schools.
Adherence to the scripted instructions was strictly followed for all participants. No prompts were
allowed, with the exception of the encouraging pupils to add more details in their narratives when
pupils appeared to have completed their work (e.e., "Would you like to add some more?'). This
ensures more linguistic inputs to be analyzed.
The elicited data served as the corpora. On the other hand, the reading text that is most
comprehensible to a specific grade level was chosen by plotting the results in normal curve. The text
which has reading test result closest to the normal curve was considered as the text most
comprehensible to a particular level. After the process, text analysis of the lexical and syntactic
features followed.