TOOLS OF TECHNICAL WRITING
Writing Technical Reports
Collaborative writing
Tools of Technical Writing • Describes how people work together in a project
Technical Report Design • Members must establish a relationship level
• Part of creating a successful team is deciding on
Instructional Technical Reports the type of personal qualities and interpersonal
skills needed
• Collaborative writing is most useful for utilization
of the members’ combined technical knowledge
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TOOLS OF TECHNICAL WRITING TOOLS OF TECHNICAL WRITING
Other tools in technical writing Other tools in technical writing
• Research • Interviews
o Primary sources • Tests
o Secondary research
• Surveys
o Online research
• Usability studies Source: http:/ / bus ines s lounge.net.au
• Personal knowledge Source: https :/ / www.griffith.edu.au
• Observation
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TECHNICAL REPORT DESIGN TECHNICAL REPORT DESIGN
Document design Graphic aids
• Graphic aids serve the following purposes:
Source: http:/ /res earchleap.com
o Provide quick access to complicated
information
• Refers to the physical appearance of a document
o Isolate main topics in complex data
• More than simply format
o Help readers see relationships among sets of
• Increases the usefulness of the document
data
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TECHNICAL REPORT DESIGN TECHNICAL REPORT DESIGN
Guidelines in using graphic aids Other graphic aids
• Number each graphic with a specific title • Tables – Shows numerical or topical data in rows
and columns
• Number each graphic aid
o Guidelines in using tables
• Place each graphic aid in the text as near as the
first reference to it as possible Provide a heading for each column that
identifies the items in the column
Use footnotes to explain items in columns
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TECHNICAL REPORT DESIGN TECHNICAL REPORT DESIGN
Other graphic aids Other graphic aids
• Tables • Figures – All graphic aids that are not tables are
o Guidelines in using tables considered figures
Give the source of your data below the table o Information in tables can also be presented in
Use decimals and round off figures
figures
Indicate in the column heading if you are o Examples of figures include graphs, charts,
using a particular measure for units drawings, maps, photographs, and screenshots
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INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNICAL REPORTS INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNICAL REPORTS
• What is the purpose of my instructions? Format of instructional technical reports
• What is my reader’s point of view? • Introduction – Provide a motivation for reading
and following the instructions
• How and where will the reader use these
instructions? o Intended audience
• What content does my reader really need and o Purpose of instructions
want? o Preview of contents
• How should I arrange my content? Source: http:/ / www.cjmedias ource.com
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INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNICAL REPORTS INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNICAL REPORTS
Format of instructional technical reports Format of instructional technical reports
• Theory or principles of operations – Explains the • Warnings – Needed for equipment or processes
purpose of the system and outlines how it that can injure people
operates
o Caution
• Use of equipment or materials needed - Tools or
technology essential in the process o Warning
• Description of the mechanism / process – o Danger
Depiction of the mechanism to be used Source: http:/ / www.cliparthut.com
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INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNICAL REPORTS INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNICAL REPORTS
Format of instructional technical reports Format of instructional technical reports
• How-to instruction – the body of the report • Tips and troubleshooting procedures – Tips on
how to do a better job or to provide guidance
o Uses list format
when trouble occurs
o Graphics can serve to make the mechanism
• Glossary – Definitions of the terminologies or
easier to operate or execute
tools
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