ENGINEERING WRITING – TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

- purposeful transaction between sender and receiver.

- provides specific information for practical and specific purposes.
- Geared towards the needs of a specific audience
PURPOSES OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION
AND FACTORS THAT DEFINE AUDIENCE
• to inform • level of expertise or familiarity with
the subject (e.g., a fellow engineer
• to recommend
or a person in a non-technical
• to request position in the company or a
• to propose layperson),
• role or goals (what they will do with
• to persuade
the information),
• to record • position relative to the organization
• to instruct (internal or external), and
• position relative to you (peer,
superior, or subordinate).
 Differences between technical
communication and academic writing
Technical communication Academic writing
1. Aims to help people make decisions and 1. Aims only to display your
perform tasks.. knowledge.
2. Usually responds to the needs of the
workplace. 2. Responds to an assignment
3. Created by an informed writer conveying
created by a teacher
needed information both verbally and 3. Created by a student as the
visually to an uninformed reader. learner for a teacher as the source of
4. Often read by many readers. knowledge.
e.g. Memos, letters, emails, progress reports, project 4. Usually aims to satisfy only one
reports, proposals, abstracts etc.
person, the teacher.
 MEMO OR MEMORANDUM - REMINDER
• normally used for communicating policies, procedures, or
related official business within an organization.
• often written from a one-to-all perspective (like mass
communication), broadcasting a message to an audience,
rather than a one-on-one, interpersonal communication.
• also used to update a team on activities for a given project
or to inform a specific group within a company of an event,
action, or observance.
 FORMAT OF A MEMO
• DATE: List the date on which the memo is distributed.
• TO: List the names of the recipients of the memo. If there are
several recipients, it’s acceptable to use a group name, such
as “All Employees” or “Personnel Committee Members.”
• FROM: List the name and job title of the writer(s).
• SUBJECT: Think of the SUBJECT line as the title for the
memo. Make it specific so that readers can immediately
identify the topic.
 STRATEGIES OF ORGANISING A MEMO
DIRECT ORGANIZATION STRATEGY INDIRECT ORGANIZATION STRATEGY

1.Presents the purpose of the 1. Opens with relevant, attention-

document in the first paragraph getting details that do not directly
(sometimes the first sentence) state the purpose of the
and provides supporting details in document. The purpose is
the body. revealed in the body of the
2.Used for good news or routine message, usually sandwiched
communication between supporting details.
2. Used for persuasive, sales, or
bad news messages
 SAMPLE DIRECT MEMO
Memorandum
DATE: March 18, 2019
TO: Department Managers
FROM: Tshuma S, Store Manager
SUBJECT: Customer Service Excellence Nominations
Please submit your nominations for the quarterly Customer Service Excellence
Award by April 8. Help us identify great employees!
Do you have an employee who you feel fortunate to have in your department? Does
this employee show a positive and professional attitude when helping customers?
Do you get frequent comments about this person’s friendliness and helpfulness?
Now, you have an opportunity to give this employee the recognition they deserve.
The winner of the award will receive a framed certificate and US$1000 cash.
A nominating form is attached. Please complete and return it to me by Monday,
April 8. Thank you for your help in identifying and rewarding excellent customer
service representatives.
 SAMPLE INDIRECT MEMO
Memorandum
DATE: Feb. 25, 2019
TO: All Employees
FROM: Sister in Charge
SUBJECT: Change in Operating Hours
Our call centre has been experimenting with a half-day Friday work schedule over the last year, and
we’ve recently conducted an evaluation to determine how well the program is working.
When a client calls to order their diabetic supplies on Friday afternoon, our messaging system
directs them to complete their order on our company website. While many customers are willing
and able to do this, many do not have Internet access (hence the reason for their call in the first
place). Their only other option is to wait until Monday to place the order, and if a customer is
already low on supplies, this may be untenable. Customers who are calling with questions or to
resolve issues with an order must also wait for Monday.
However, that does not mean that we cannot continue to offer employees some scheduling perks.
In fact, the addition of later hours Monday through Thursday provides us with more leeway in
scheduling employees.
We will have a staff meeting on Monday, March 4 at 8:00 a.m. to discuss new scheduling
procedures. To the extend possible, we wish to accommodate employees’ preferences in
scheduling, so it is important to attend this meeting to have your voice heard.
 MEMO WRITING SITUATIONS
• Policies (changes and new)
• Instructions
• Procedures
• Announcements
• Trip reports
Writing Formal, Professional Emails
Components of Formal Emails
 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE EMAIL………
Subject line

This is the crucial part of your email which defines if a person actually opens it. A good subject
line informs a recipient what the email is about and why they should read it. Try to make your
subject line clear, specific, and to the point. For example:

 Marketing Budget Q4: Please review till August, 31

 Meet the new VP of Engineering
 Spark for Android: First impressions from our users
 Requesting a vacation for Aug, 10-20
 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE EMAIL………
Email greeting

At the beginning of your email, greet a person by name. Depending on the level of formality, your
salutations may vary from a simple “Hi” to an official “Dear Mr./Ms./Dr./Professor…” For the
most formal occasions, use a colon instead of a comma after the salutation. For example, “Dear
Ms. Smith:”

Here are some email greeting examples:

 Hi [Name],
 Hello [Name],
 Dear [Name],
 Dear Mr./Ms./Dr./Professor [Last name],
 Greetings,
 Hi there,
 Hi everyone,
 To Whom It May Concern”-­ ‐ if you are contacting a company, not an individual
Always do your best to find out the recipient’s name to address them in your email. If your research
wasn’t successful, use a generic salutation like “Greetings.”
COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE
EMAIL………
. Email body

 Always devote one email to one topic.

 Explain what you’re writing about. If you’re emailing a stranger go straight to the point.
State the purpose of your email clearly so a person can understand why you’re emailing
them and how they can help. For example:

 I would like to invite you to speak at our annual developer conference.

 I’m running a YouTube blog about cats, and we’d love to feature your brand in our next
video.
 I’ve been using your service for a while, and I would like to report an issue I’ve recently
encountered.
 I am writing in reference to……………...
 I am looking for help with……………
 Do you have any information regarding……………...
 I am writing to enquire about………………...
COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE EMAIL………
. Formal email closing

The formal ending tells a recipient what’s next. If you want them to do something, include a clear
and specific call to action. If you’re just wrapping up the discussion you’ve previously had, end
your email on a friendly note to show a reader you’re willing to keep in touch with them. You
should always give the reader some recognition, appreciation, or thanks for the work they will do
to answer your question, refer you to the right person, or information they will give you. Here’s
how to end a formal email:

 Please let me know by Friday, August 15th if you’d like to speak at the conference.
 It would be great to jump into a quick call tomorrow to discuss our collaboration.
 Thank you for help and feedback. Let’s keep in touch!
 Thank you for your help
 I look forward to hearing from you
 Thank you for your time
 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE EMAIL………
Signature
Here are the polite phrases you can use to sign off your email:
• Sincerely
• Best regards,
• Yours truly,
• Respectfully,
• Kind regards,
• Thanks again,
Next, put in your name and contact details. If you’re writing on behalf
of a company or organization, include this information in your signature
as well.
 The CC and BCC fields

CC stands for “carbon copy,” while BCC stands for

“blind carbon copy.” CC and BCC are both ways of
sending copies of an email to additional people.
However, you can also send copies of an email to
additional people by specifying multiple addresses in
the To field.
 Your email checklist before sending
• Make sure your email address is appropriate.
• Double-check the recipient's name and email.
• Check grammar and spelling.
• Stick to a professional font.
• Don’t forget to attach files.
 A Sample of Informal Email Writing Format
• An email written for any friends, family members or relatives.
• Use of polite, friendly and casual words along with proper greetings and closings
Sample
Suppose you have to write an email to your friend inviting him or her to your birthday party.
To: XYZ
CC/BCC:
Subject: Invitation to a birthday party
Hi XYZ!
Hope this mail finds you in the best of your time. I am very happy to invite you to my birthday
party on Nov 03 at ABC Hotel from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The theme of the birthday party is
‘Pirate of the Caribbean”.
It would be great if you come and join us at the party. We will have a great time and fun
together.
See You Soon
LMN
 A Sample of Formal Email Writing Format

• written for business communication or professional use.

• government department, school authority, company or any officers. Use of polite and formal words, the reason
for writing mail, clarity, proper greeting and closing are some of the rules of the formal email.
Sample
A mail for resignation.
To: XYZ
CC/BCC:
Subject: Resignation Letter
Dear Sir,
Please accept this mail as a notice that I am leaving my position with this organization. As per the norm of the
company I’ve to give a month notice before resigning. I hope you will get a good replacement for me within this
time period.
I really appreciate the opportunities that I have been given to me to help me grow. Wish you and the company the
best in the future.
Please let me know what to expect as far as my final work schedule and the employee benefits. Please let me know
in case of any assistance for the above.
Kindly look into the matter.
Thanks and Regards
LMN
(Project Head)