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TECHNICAL WRITING

REVIEWER

MODULE 1

Technical writing is an audience-centered means of communication that

provides a reader with clear and easy access to information. In the business

world, time equates to profit, and profit is the force behind all business

interaction. The technical writer and reader have a vis-à-vis relationship. The

writer recognizes, respects, and addresses the importance of time in effective

and efficient communication by providing documents written in specific formats,

using unambiguous language to send clearly assessable information. The reader

in turn thoroughly understands the information in order to give a thoughtful

response (Riordan, 2005).

Technical Writing: A Definition (Gerson, n.d.)

Technical writing is communication written for and about business and

industry, focusing on products and services: how to manufacture them,

market them, manage them, deliver them, and use them.

Technical writing is written in the work environment for supervisors,

colleagues, subordinates, vendors, and customers

Technical writing, which must be understood easily and quickly,

includes: • memos and e-mail

• letters

• reports

• instructions

• brochures and newsletters

• the job search

• web pages

• fliers

• PowerPoint presentations

• Graphics

Technical writing is not literature; it’s neither prose which recounts the

fictional tales of characters nor poetry which expresses deeply felt, universal

emotions through similes and metaphors.

Technical writing is neither an expressive essay narrating an occurrence

nor an expository essay analyzing a topic.

Technical writing is not journalism, written to report the news.

Technical writing does not focus on poetic images, describe personal

experiences, or report who won the basketball game.

Instead, technical writing is:

—an instructional manual for repairing machinery

—a memo listing meeting agendas

—a letter from a vendor to a client