Writing Techniques

Presented by:
RIT Academic Support Center
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Thought-provoking Questions
How many of these questions can you answer:
What types of writing have you done in the
past and do you expect to do in the future?
What are the six characteristics of good
writing?
Hint: What makes you think, This is great
writing! (instead of the opposite)?
Why do we need to know about our
audiences?
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Thought-provoking Questions
How many of these questions can you answer:
How do we incorporate structure words and
trigger words?
What do you know about technical writing?

Types of Writing
Examples of types of writing include:
Narrating
Evaluating
Analyzing
Arguing/Persuading
Responding
Summarizing
Examining/Investigating
Observing
Technical
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Strategies for Getting Started

Once you have your thesis statement:
Brainstorm (whats your process?)
Record any ideas related to your thesis
Reread and evaluate the ideas
Create an outline (whats your process?)
Consider the characteristics of good writing

Characteristics of Good Writing

Characteristics of good writing include:
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions
Presentations

Characteristics: Organization
Organization
Organization is the internal structure of
writing and how the pattern of how ideas are
organized.
When the organization is strong, the idea
flows smoothly.

What techniques do you use and what techniques do

you identify in good writing?
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Characteristics: Voice
Voice
Voice is the writer speaking to the reader in a
way that is unique to each writer.
Writers give their writing a personal flavor
and attitude.

How does this vary depending on the type of writing you

are creating?
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Characteristics: Word Choice

Word Choice
Word Choice is using rich and concise
words.
Careful word choices clarify and expand
ideas, such as strong verbs and specific
nouns.

Give example of strong verbs and specific nouns? What

are qualifiers, and do they have a place in writing?
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Characteristics: Sentence Fluency

Sentence Fluency
Sentence Fluency is the rhythm and flow of
the language.
Writing should sound smooth and be easy to
read aloud.
Sentences should vary in length and style.

What are the advantages to the reader?

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Characteristics: Conventions
Conventions
Conventions are the mechanics of writing
such as spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Writing that has been proofread and edited is
strong.

Describe your techniques for proofreading your writing.

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Characteristics: Presentation
Presentation
Presentation refers to how the writing looks
on the page.
The visual elements of font and size of print,
how the writing is arranged on the paper (or
screen), the use of graphics and charts.
Good writers are aware of the impact the
appearance of their writing has on readers.
What is the impact on the reader?
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Check Your Understanding

Using the characteristics we just discussed, how can you
improve this passage?
And so, these are my five ideas about technological
change, that we first always pay a very good price
for technology; the greater the technology, the grater
the price; second, that there are always winners
and loosers, and that the winners always try to talk
the the losers into believing that they are really
winners; third that there is embedded in every
technology an epistemological, political, or social
prejudice.
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Questions: Audience

Regarding the audience for your writing:

What is the value of knowing about them?
What should you know about them?

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Audience
Regarding your audience, ask yourself:
Who are they?
Why are they interested?
What do they already know about your
topic?
What do they need/want to know about
your topic?

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Audience (cont.)
Regarding your audience:
How can you use your audiences
background and experiences to your
advantage?
What is your call to action what do you
want your audience to do?

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Helpful Resource (Reminder)

One of many helpful resources on
the writing process is:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/r
esource/673/01/

Structure Words
Part of word choice is structure words and
trigger words.
If you are making points:
Point it out, The four reasons why . . .
First, second, third, and finally
A second proposal under consideration would add
high-tech features to the Social Security card
allowing employers to scan it with specially
equipped laptop computers.
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Structure Words (cont.)

If you are about to support with examples:
for example
to illustrate
for instance
because
For example, computer software engineers who are
employed by software vendors and consulting
firms spend much of their time away from their
offices.
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Structure Words (cont.)

If you are bringing up something important:
surely, truly, clearly
indeed, in fact, most important

In fact, the expanding growth in electronic commerce

has resulted in a rising demand for engineers
who can develop Internet, intranet, and World
Wide Web applications.
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Structure Words (cont.)

If you want to signal a conclusion:
consequently
therefore
In summary

In summary, we interpret the evidence as suggesting

that direct computer skills command a substantial
premium in the labor market, especially in
conjunction with a college degree.
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Trigger Words
If you are contradicting what was said in the
first part of the sentence:
but, on the contrary, yet
despite, rather, instead
however, although
while, in spite of, nevertheless
Neither bill specifies what the biometric would be,
but it could range from a simple digital photo to a
fingerprint or even an iris scan.
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Trigger Words (cont.)

If you are introducing a view you will
eventually decide against:
admittedly, certainly, obviously
undoubtedly, one cannot deny that
true, granted, of course
to be sure, it could be argued that
Obviously, every small business isnt going to have a
biometric card reader, but perhaps the post office
might have a reader since every community in
America has a post office.

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Check Your Understanding

These excerpts are from the Annual Edition of
Computers in Society 08/09. Select one and refer to
the next screen:

Workplace monitoring has existed for a long time in

one form or another and will undoubtedly continue to
proliferate and become increasingly sophisticated as
technology advances.

Wireless really gives you the opportunity on a

relatively low-cost basis to put technology into
neighborhoods that could never afford it before.
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Check Your Understanding (cont.)

Work in small groups to create follow-up sentences to
your selected excerpt, including:

Structure words that:

make points
support with examples
bring up something important
signal a conclusion

Trigger words that:

contradict what was said in the first part of

sentence
introduces a view you will decide against
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Discussion: What do you know about

technical writing?
What do technical writers do?
What do they produce?
What skills do they require?

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Technical Writing: Definition

A technical writer, or technical communicator,
designs, writes, edits, and produces
documents for scientific, technical,
industrial, and government organizations.

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Technical Writing: Products

A technical writer creates:

technical reports
specifications
reference manuals (e.g., installation materials)
operating instructions (e.g., user documentation)
policies and procedures
proposals
presentations
brochures
Web pages
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Technical Writing: Qualifications

A technical writer has:
ability to communicate scientific and technical
information to other people using easily
understandable language
strong language skills
a college degree in English, journalism, or
communication is preferred
familiarity with scientific or technical topics
experience using word processing and desktop
publishing software, graphics programs, and Web
publishing tools
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Technical Writing: Skills

A technical writer needs the following skills:
writing
technical (varied, depending on the project
and industry)
tools (e.g., Adobe FrameMaker, MS Word,
MadCap Flare, RoboHelp, and even
PageMaker and Quark depending on what
the organization uses to produce its
technical documentation)
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Technical Writing: Skills (cont.)

A technical writer needs the following skills:
interviewing and listening
(what do you know about subject matter
experts?)
design
usability and testing
(when is it apparent that this step has been
skipped?)

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Check Your Understanding

What types of writing have you done in the past and do
you expect to do in the future?
What are the six characteristics of good writing?
Hint: What makes you think, This is great writing!
(instead of the opposite)?
Why do we need to know about our audiences?
How do we incorporate structure words and trigger
words?
What do you know about technical writing?

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Resources
Contents adapted from the following websites (which
are excellent resources for further study):
http://fvwp.uwosh.edu/writings/2005writings/jennifer
heidl-knoblochjodydrakepro.ppt
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl
http://www.dotnet.com/~rblock2/six_traits.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/technical-writer
Annual Editions Computers in Society 08/09,
Boston: McGraw Hill.

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