Introduction to technical writing

1. Technical Writing Process
Prepared by Willow F. Pangket
Saint Louis University
Department of English
Summer 2014-2015

2. Audience and Purpose
• Audience
–Technical
–Non-technical
–Mixed

3. Audience Analysis
• What is their technical background?
• What is their function in the
organization?
• What are their interests?
• What level of detail do they need
from your report for it to be useful to
them?

4. • The primary audiences
• Secondary audiences

5. Guide Questions for Analysis
• What information do they have?
• What will they do with your report?
• What are their prejudices?
• What are their functions and concerns?
• How will your report affect them?

6. Report Purpose
• Technical Problem Statements
• Rhetorical Problem Statements
– Why write these business reports?
• To persuade or cause change
• To inform or report results
• To support a decision to be reached
• To obtain funding or support for future work or
research

7. Complete the sentences below by filling in the
correct word from among the three options enclosed
in parentheses.
• Once the _____(subject, purpose, audience) of a
technical business report is determined, the
writer may proceed to establish the _____(subject,
purpose, audience) by which the business
problem to be solved is defined. From there,
the writer identifies the _____(subject, purpose,
audience) and writes from their vantage point
so that they are enabled to act favorably
on the findings and recommendations of
the report.

8. Collecting Data and Organizing
Elements
• Data Collection
A. Previous Reports/ Literature Searches
B. Sources of Data
• Original Data
• Borrowed data
• Data provided by the client
– Watch words are:
» Completeness
» Accuracy
» Reliability, i.e., reproducibility
» Reasonableness (reality check)

9. C. Inconsistent and Incomplete Data
D. Levels of Details
E. Organizing the Elements

10. • C. Organizing the Elements
• Textual Elements
– Main elements:
• Descriptive
• Analytical
• Comparative
• Conclusive
• Persuasive
• Summaries

11. Editing and Packaging Report
• Writing and Editing a Report
– Audience Analysis Review
– Sentence Length
– Word Choice
– Active and Action words
– Technical Terms and Jargons

12. Packaging a Report
• A matter of taste
• Simpler is usually better
• Format standardization
• Covers, bindings, color, and logos
• Tabs and dividers
• Editing for structure
• Editing for content
• Checking references

13. References:
Casinto, CD C.(2009). Interactive in Writing
Business Correspondence and Technical
Reports: A Communication Process
Approach. C&E Publishing, Inc.
Portillo, R. et. al. (2003). Research and
Technical Writing. Trinitas Publishing, Inc.