EFFECTIVE TECHNICAL WRITING

STW EX20003
Dr. S. D. Chaudhuri
KSoH
 CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TECHNICAL WRITING

COMPLETENE CONCRETENE CORRECTNES

CONSIDERATI
COURTESY CLARITY
ON

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HOW TO EDIT AND REVISE TECHNICAL
WRITING

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 1. Use Familiar and Concrete Words
Original Revised
In all probability, we are likely to launch a phone The new phone that we are going to launch is
that is bound to have a resounding repercussion on likely to transform the existing designs.
the way phones are currently designed.

The committee will decipher the new factors The committee will investigate the causes for the
responsible for lack of synergy between the two lack of cooperation between the two departments.
departments.

The ramifications of the experiment done in the The results of the laboratory experiment should be
laboratory should be corroborated. verified.

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 2. Use Verbs Rather Than Complicated Nouns
Original Revised
After a careful revision of the suggestions made, a We are likely to implement the suggestions after
consideration for their implementations is likely to carefully considering and revising them.
follow.

Please make an approbation of the Please approve the recommendations only after
recommendations only after a meticulous meticulously observing them.
observation thereof.

All the members of the staff are requested to make All staff members are requested to follow the new
a utilization of the new procedure for obtaining procedure for obtaining short leaves during office
short leaves during office hours. hours.

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 3. Avoid Redundancy
Original Revised
The tsunami had the effect of a destructive and The tsunami destroyed the manufacturing plant.
caustic impact on the manufacturing plant.

Keeping in mind the objective of facilitating and To fulfil the rebate requests within the given time,
having smooth operation for timely processing of we need six more employees.
rebate requests, it appears that more employees are
required.

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 4. Provide Complete and Accurate Information
Original Revised

The sales team will meet at 6 pm on Wednesday. The sales team will meet at 6 pm on 30 June 2018,
Wednesday, in Meeting Room 02.

This year the firm has incurred high profits. This year the firm has incurred 4.8% more profit
as compared to last year.

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 5. Use Passive Voice to Give Prominence to Actions
Original Revised
Because Mr. X, the Accounts Officer, forgot to The correct budget was accidentally left out of the
include the correct budget projections with the bid, bid due to which we lost the client.
we lost the client.

You have not yet informed me about the latest I have not yet been intimated about the latest
marketing strategies you are likely to follow from marketing strategies you are likely to follow.
this month onwards.

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 6. Arrange in Emphatic Word Order
Original Revised
When he returned to the production unit, the On his return from the training programme, the
Production Manager tried to implement the Production Manager tried to implement the
strategies he had learnt about in the training strategies he had recently learnt.
programme attended in the previous month.

Individual preferences in the decision to allocate Before allocating the division work among
the division work among employees would be employees, individual preferences would be
considered before making a final decision. considered.

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 7. Use Parallel Grammatical Construction
Original Revised
Reading in the conference hall may be Reading in the conference hall may be
accommodated to some extent but to cook there accommodated to some extent but cooking there
seems weird and strange. seems weird and strange.

While you speak to inform, remember using slides While speaking to inform, remember using slides
for carrying conviction. for carrying conviction.

The manager asked for improving the marketing The manager asked for improving the marketing
strategy and to introduce attractive schemes for strategy and introducing attractive schemes for
enticing more customers. enticing more customers.

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 8. Avoid Cliches
Original Revised

We assure you that we will leave no stone We are committed to doing our best to help the
unturned to help the company achieve its company achieve its objectives.
objectives.

Last but not the least, let me thank the Finally, I would also like to thank the management.
management.

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 9. Avoid Circumlocution
Original Revised
In the given circumstances, our suggestion is to We do not suggest retrenchment of experienced
forestall the company’s decision of retrenchment and trusted employees for it is generally difficult to
of its trusted employees especially when suitable replace them.
replacements would not be easy to come by.
In the present moment of time, the mobile phone At present all the major mobile phone companies
industry has witnessed a mad scramble for more are trying to attract customers and secure clientele
customer orientation with all the major players in by launching attractive schemes which are difficult
the field attempting to secure their clientele with for an average customer to resist.
inducements that are far too luring for the average
customer to put a resistance to.

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 10. Avoid Discriminatory Writing
Original Revised
Each consultant has to submit his project proposal All consultants have to submit their project
before the next team meeting. proposal before the next team meeting.
The stewardess helped to calm down the The flight attendant helped to calm down the
passengers. passengers.
A ramp has been constructed for disabled people/ A ramp has been constructed for people with
wheelchair-bound people. disabilities/ wheelchair users.
Terms that indicate race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability can be discriminating and
negative-sounding. Please do your research, as these are sensitive issues, and use politically correct and
positive terms. You can politely ask people from different ethnicities or sexual orientations how they
want to be addressed.

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THAT’S ALL, FOLKS!

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