Stephanie Schulz Jessica Jorgenson ENGL 358 5/13/11 Technical Writing: Creation and Interpretation In our technology based

world, we are introduced to new forms of technology on a regular basis. Technology affects many aspects of our lives personal, professional, social, intellectual, etc. Because we rely so heavily on technology, it is vital for us to understand new technologies. By doing so, we can use technology to its greatest extent, making our lives more efficient and hassle-free. When we try a new form of technology for the first time, instruction is usually necessary. Sometimes, another person will explain the technologys basic functions. Often, however, we must figure things out on our own. Even if someone else introduces you to a technology, they cant cover every question that may come up. All ways of understanding technology rely upon one thing: technical discourse. Usually, technical discourse is expressed through technical writing. Technical writing is an interesting combination of scientific fields with English and communication fields. Because of my own personal background in math and engineering classes and my current status as an English major, I am very interested in how both sides view the subject. This research paper will be divided into two parts: how technical writers shape their writing to effectively convey knowledge to the reader and how the readers must adjust their

thinking to completely understand the information being offered. When both writer and reader make an effort, successful communication is accomplished. To start the discussion on technical writers, it is helpful to look at some syllabi for college courses in technical writing. As with most syllabi, several course descriptions and goals are presented. Some specific goals from Jim Colliers syllabus are [manipulating] the structure of selected technical documents, [conveying] clearly, cogently and correctly, through written media, the technical aspects of a practice to non-specialist audiences, and [recognizing] and [using] the rhetorical and stylistic elements necessary for the successful practice of scientific and technical communication (Collier). These goals offer insight into the basic goals of professional technical writers. Some more conceptual goals are provided by Frederic Giacobazzi. His syllabus stresses the importance of effective writing, document design, attentive reading, and critical reasoning (Giacobazzi). Effective writing emphasizes not only clear and concise writing, but logic and grammar as well. Document design is especially important in organizing technical writing. Attentive reading is the practice of closely reading a text. Understanding critical reasoning allows writers to predict how a reader will interpret their work, enhancing communication skills (Giacobazzi). The goals given to students learning the practice of technical writing provide a good introduction to what a reader should look for when interpreting a text. Moving on to the professional world of technical writing, I found a detailed job description of technical writing provided by the United States Department of Labor. Technical writers are described as people who put technical information into easily understandable language (Technical Writers). According to the site, a college degree is usually required to be a technical writer. Employers look for English or communications majors with experience in a technical field (math, science, engineering). Required skills include logic, communication, and

technological skills. Technical writers must be detail oriented, curious, persistent in solving problems, self-motivated, and able to understand complex material (Technical Writers). Basically, in order to succeed at technical writing, a person must understand both ends of the spectrum. They understand technology, but have the ability to explain it to people with no technological background. Now that I have described what goes into good technical writing, it is time to use this information to interpret the writing. From what we know about technical writers, their writing will be concise and logical. It will use specific rhetorical and stylistic elements and follow a generally consistent design. So how do we apply this knowledge? The Evergreen Writing Center at the Evergreen State College in Washington published a guide to critically reading technical writing. They suggest first pre-reading the text, skimming the text to note headings, subheadings, and graphics. The next step is re-reading, because you should always read the text twice. In this step, they recommend underlining words you dont know and possibly even taking notes. Once this is done, you should look up any terms you are unclear on. Finally, you evaluate the text. Make sure your questions have all been answered. If youre stuck on something, you can ask for someone elses opinion. By following these steps, you should be able to gain a decent understanding of the text. (Strategies) There are other ways to interpret technical writing. An online technical writing textbook written by David A. McMurrey teaches certain design elements and guidelines. McMurrey describes how a technical manual is organized. He writes that a table of contents should provide a second level of detail so that readers can find what they need more precisely (McMurrey). It follows that the table of contents will provide you with a good starting point or point of

reference. The glossary and index are also mentioned. They can quickly provide a concise definition or the location of expanded information, respectively. In a discussion about page layout, McMurrey states that headings should be concise, descriptive introductions to a topic. Lists, tables, graphics and highlighting are options for summarizing and emphasizing important information (McMurrey). Therefore, looking for headings, lists, tables, graphics, and highlighting are also easy ways of locate the information you want. Technical writing isnt nearly as intimidating as it may appear at first glance. If the writer is good at their job, it only takes a bit of effort to understand the concepts of a text. Since we rely on technology so much, the effort is well worth it. Once you understand the ways technical writers learn to write, it is easier to understand the organization of a technical text. You can follow the steps offered by the Evergreen Writing Center: take the time to pre-read and re-read the text, look up definitions, and get a second opinion. Or you can use the layout of the text to locate information. The table of content, the index, and the glossary are all good references. Headings, lists, tables, graphics, and highlighting summarize key concepts. Regardless of which method works best for you, the next time you encounter technical writing, you can be confident in your ability to interpret the text.