LEARNING MODULE

English 1023 (Advance Technical Communication)

AY 2023-2024

Lesson 4: The Language of Technical Writing

Topic: The Language of Technical Problems and Practical Problems Regarding

Style in Technical Communication

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Describe the style used in technical communication;

2. Identify the common problems regarding technical communication style;
3. Discuss the different ways of achieving coherent, unified and concise sentences; and
4. Revise incorrect sentence applying the different guidelines in achieving effective sentences

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:

A technical communications writing style is (almost always) concise, precise, direct, and well
organized. Writing style is something you must be aware of and continually work to refine as you develop
your communication skills. A technical communications writing style prioritizes the efficient transfer of
information—this may be a change from the types of writing you have done in the past. “High school writing”
is more typically descriptive expository essays with a length requirement. Technical communication asks
you to document information and communicate it in a concise, precise, and professional way.

Technical Writing is easily distinguished from other types of writing because of its language. Giving
a particular attention to the language of technical writing is the clearest way to differentiate this from other
types of writing.

Read not only by company members but by other people as well, any output of technical writing has
to use words that appeal to the intellect and emotions of all its readers. Having effects on both mind and
body of the reader, any technical written work easily reaches its audience. This is possible through its use
of language that is simple, direct and specific. (Rubens, 2011)

Lesson Proper:

The following techniques on using the right language for producing effective technical reports:

1. Practice Conciseness
- Conciseness which means expressing oneself in the fewest number of words at the same
time retaining completeness in meaning is possible through the following methods:

a. Shortening words/phrases

Wordy Phrases Shortened Forms

Afford and opportunity Permit

As soon as possible By 8:00 am
At the present time Now

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 By means of By
Despite the fact that Although
Due to the fact that Because
In the final analysis Finally
In the proximity Near
In the near future Soon

b. Substituting long and complex words with short simple

Long/Complex Words Short/Simple Words

Advantageous Helpful
Alleviate Lessen
Commence Begin
Discontinue Stop
Fabricate Make
Modification Change
Numerous Many
Utilization Use

c. Avoiding nominalizations or the use of “camouflaged or shun words” (words

ending in –sion or –tion), replace them with active words

Nominalizations Active words

Come to the conclusion Conclude/decide

With the exemption of Except for
Make revisions Revise
Implementation of Implement
Investigation of the Investigate
Take consideration Consider
Assessment of Assess

d. Omitting clichés, hackneyed, trite, old-fashioned, worn-out, expressions.

Cliché Fresh/Natural Language

According to our records Our record show

At all times Always
As plain as day Clear
At an early date (specify the date)
Needless to say Obviously
Thanking you in advance I shall appreciate
This is to inform you (say immediately what you wish
to tell the reader)
We take this opportunity (state your intention immediately)

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 Hoping to receive I hope to receive
With your kind permission May I

e. Avoiding redundancies or words that say the same meaning

Don’t say Say

During the year of 2012 In 2012

Like for example Like or for example
New invention New
Collaborated together Worked together
Plan in advance Plan
The reason why Why
Regular monthly status report Monthly
This the way how to This is the way or this is how
I mean to say I mean or I say
Color green green

f. Avoiding expletives or sentences with no true subjects like sentences beginning

with There is, There are, Here is, It is, It has been, and many more

Don’t say Say

There are many customers at Many customers are at…

the lobby.
There is a sharp tool on that A sharp tool is on that…
table.
There will be a meeting A meeting will be…
tomorrow.
It is requested that you stay. You are requested to…
Here is the answer of Mr. Lee The answer of Mr. Lee is…

g. Cancel or drop extra words

Do not say:
1. Allowing the agent’s request means the showing of all confidential
documents.
2. I think that the checking of all records is important.
3. It is necessary for the customers that they have to surrender the receipts
to the officer in charge of the day in order to get a refund.
Say:
1. Allowing the agent’s request means showing confidential documents.
2. I think checking of all records is important.
3. The customers have to surrender the receipts to the officer to get a
refund.

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2. Express your ideas in active voice rather than in passive voice.

Sentences in active voice stress the doer of the action; in passive voice, the receiver
of the action. At times, some prefer to use passive voice to prevent the frequent use of “I”
because the repeated use of this personal pronoun somehow indicates self-centeredness,
monotony, or repetitiveness. Between these two voices of verbs, many technical writers find
the use of active voice better this clearly recognizes the identity of the person answerable for
the act (Pearsall, 2010). According to Vanhauss (2005), technical writing should be an
“action-oriented style,” rather than be one with a great deal of “hidden words.”

In addition, acctive voice should be used when it's important to emphasize the actor,
while passive should be used when it's more important to emphasize the action. Use active
when a particular action is required of someone or when the user/writer is expected to
complete a particular action; use passive when it's less important who or what completed the
action and more important that the action was completed.

Active voice example:

Here’s a short, active voice sentence:
The cat sat on the mat.

actor: The cat

verb: sat
target: the mat

Passive voice example:

By contrast, here's that same sentence in passive voice:
The mat was sat on by the cat.

target: The mat

passive verb: was sat
actor: the cat

3. Use non-sexist instead of sexist language by expressing yourself in the following ways:

a. Use plural pronouns instead of single pronoun

Do not say:
1. The technician has to show his I.D. card to the guard.
2. Each reporter should submit his monthly report on time.
Say:
1. The technicians have to show their I.D. cards to the guards.
2. Reporters should submit their work on time.

b. Using 2nd person point of view instead of 3rd person point of view.
Do not say:
1. She presented her proposal report on time.
2. The customer showed his receipt to the guard.
Say:
1. Present your proposal report on time.
2. Show your receipt to the guard.

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 c. Using expressions like He or She – him or her. Avoid using a slash mark – He/She –
him/her. Others however find He or she – him or her wordy, hence they prefer using
the plural form – their, or the 2nd person point of view – you
Do not say:
1. The customer explained her point to the manager.
2. The X-ray technician affixed his signature to the document.
Say:
1. The customer explained his or her point to the manager.
2. The X-ray technician affixed his or her signature to the document.

4. Avoid using words that explicitly favour one gender

Do not say: Say:

Businessman Business person

Chairman Chairperson

Craftsman Artist, crafts person

Manpower Personnel

Mankind Humanity

Fireman Firefighter

Camera man Camera operator

Career girl Artist, Designer

5. Avoid using jargons, gobbledygook, horse-and-buggy, verbal dead words

These expressions are long, pretentious, and high-sounding; words that have no significant
or necessary place in the sentence. Appearing complex, they work, to hide the meaning of the term
or make the writer sound learned or professional. Eliminate these vogue expressions by substituting
them with simple and easier terms. One good rule of thumb in technical writing is: write to express,
not to impress. This means that you have to write the way you speak or use a conversational or
casual language you often use in you day-to-day interactions with people. (Guffey, 2005)

Jargons are technical terms commonly used by people belonging to the same field of
profession. Exclusively used by a specific set of persons like the lawyers, the physicians, the
engineers, or the businessmen, these terms do not sound familiar or understandable to ordinary
persons in society. Seemingly, the use of these terms works to exclude laypersons from knowing
what are happening in a company of experts or specialists or of people belonging to one field of
profession.

Examples:

Legal profession - habeas corpus, subpoena, status quo, preliminary

injunction
Business world - rebate, assets and liabilities, amortization, mortgage,
balance sheet
Medical world - stethoscope, hypertension, differential diagnosis,
formaldehyde

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 Computer world - user friendly, on-line adapter, debug, quick-assess
storage, scramble time
Teaching profession - lesson plan, intrinsic motivation, systematic functional
grammar, grade sheet

6. Give careful attention to words and phrases that are commonly misused and misspelled

Example:
a. Accept – to take something seriously
Except – to exclude a rule or statement from a list

Let him accept those tools except the one with a red mark.

b. Adapt – to adjust or to be in harmony with somebody.

Adopt – to make a person own a thing belonging to another person.

If you are familiar with their culture, you can easily adapt yourself to their cultural
practices and will eventually make you adopt every aspect of their lifestyle in your long
exposure to this cultural group.

c. Already – by this time or before a particular moment

All ready – state of being fit or balanced for an immediate action or use

The company secretary has already sent a notice of meeting to all members who
seem to be all ready in discussing salient points in the general assembly.

d. Between – a preposition for only two persons, things, or places

Among – a preposition for three or more persons, places, or things

Among all the imported products, the Japan-made item placed between two big boxes
appear qualitative.

e. Affect – a verb used to men having an influence on another person or thing

Effect – a result coming from a cause

The manager’s resignation will not affect the company’s business reputation, but may
have an effect on the economic standing of his family.

f. Differ from – not the same in observation

Differ with – not the same in opinion

As to size, the two differ from each other; as to their usefulness, the prospective
buyers of the machine differ from with one another.

*** END of LESSON 4***

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REFERENCES

Baracero, E. (2011). Technical Writing in this Era of Globalization and Modern Technology.. Manila: Rex Book
Store

Online Reference

[Link]
Voice#:~:text=Active%20voice%20should%20be%20used,using%20active%20voice%20is%20preferable.

[Link]

Learning Materials

1. Worksheets (textbook)

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