What is Technical Writing?

Taking complicated subject

matter and transforming it
into easy-to-understand
information for the reader.

Writing Guidelines for Students

http://writing.eng.vt.edu/
How well you communicate affects
your career

Successful engineers
spent 25% of work week
writing

Professional engineers
found writing their most
useful subject in college

Recruiters claim that

engineers need more work
on their writing
How well you communicate affects
the well-being of others

Explosion was caused by failure of O-

rings in the solid rocket boosters

Engineers knew of O-ring problems

well before fatal launch

Engineers failed to communicate

seriousness of problem
[Report, 1986]

Space Shuttle Challenger

(January 28, 1986)
Scientists and engineers are called upon
to communicate in many different situations

Reports Conferences
Articles Lectures
Proposals Meetings
Web Pages Posters

specific general
technical technical non-technical
audiences audiences audiences
This presentation discusses the importance of scientific
writing and introduces key principles

Importance of
Key Principles
Scientific Writing

audience

occasion

purpose

[Report, 1986]
 Scientific writing differs from other kinds of writing

Writing
Constraints
Subject Matter
audience occasion

purpose

Purpose of Writing Writing Style

To inform

To persuade
You should begin the writing process by
analyzing your constraints
Who they are
Audience What they know
Why they will read
How they will read

Format
Formality
Occasion
Politics and ethics
Process and deadline

To inform
Purpose
To persuade
Three aspects of writing affect the way that
readers assess your documents

Content

Style

Form
Style is the way you communicate
the content to the audience

[Peterson, 1987]
words
Illustration wordswords
wordswordswords
wordswordswordswords
wordswordswords
wordswordswords
wordswordswords
wordswordswords

Structure Language
style
Form embodies the format and mechanics
of the writing

mechanics
format
grammar
typography
usage
layout
punctuation

spelling
We can split the writing process into stages

Getting in the Mood Writing the First Draft

Revising, Revising, Revising Finishing

An excellent way to improve your writing
is to choose good models

AIP
 Getting Started
Purpose & Objectives
• What is the essential information?
• Why do people need to know?
• How is the information relevant?

Rule: Convey to the audience what you want

them to know or when they have finished
reading.
Audience
• to whom this document is directed, who
specifically needs this information?
• What terminology are they familiar with ?
• What are their skills and preferences?

Rule: Present information to the audience’s level

of knowledge.
Data
• What information logically supports the key
points in the documents?
• Does it enhance the presentation, not detract
from it?
• It is necessary for the audience’s understanding
of the topic?

Rule: only include data that supports the

information you want to present.
 THANKS FOR ALL

SEE YOU NEXT TIME

IN SHAA ALLAH