CVL 622

TECHNICAL
WRITING
PGL1 - 09/09/2016

COURSE OUTLINE
Technical writing
Types
Format of the types

Formal report writing

Preliminaries
Main body
Supplementary

Use of MS WORD
Research
Research plan

Graphic aids
Guiding principles
Types and application

Visual aids
Types
Advantages and
disadvantages
How to manage

Oral presentation
Types
Steps of oral presentation

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Write a comprehensive technical report
Review literature in your area of interest; critically appraise the
literature and reference it
Effectively use MS Word to write the report

Distinguish between the various types of technical

communication and their purposes
Present the report oral presentation
Use appropriate graphic aids in your reports
Adopt suitable visual aid for your presentation
Plan your research work

TECHNICAL WRITING
The process of writing and sharing information in a professional setting
It is written for colleagues, supervisors, employees, consumers, subordinates and so
on
The significance of technical writing is communication, which enables business to be
conducted
In engineering, it is employed to present information in a structured and accessible
format
It requires time and costs money
Across professions, workers spend about a third of their time writing
Studies have shown that writing is very important to their positions
the ability to write effectively has helped them in their own advancement
The goal of the technical writer is to create text that is clear, concise, easy to
understand and navigate
The following types of correspondences can be written for the following reasons

TYPE

FUNCTIONS

Memos and e-mails

To set meeting agendas; to ask and answer questions

Letters

To sell, complain, hire, fire, ask & answer questions; explain contents of
attachments

Reports

To report on issues; to report progress of ongoing projects; to document

meeting minute

Proposals

To highlight problems; to suggest solutions; to recommend action

Brochures & Fliers

To sell and inform; using 6 -8 panels and brief single document

Newsletters

To report on corporate activities to employees & stakeholders

Resumes

To find employment

Websites

To sell & inform; using multi-screened, internet-based, hypertext linked

communication

Online help screens

To explain, inform and define using drop down menus and pop-ups

User manuals

To explain the steps in a procedure

Technical description

To explain parts of a mechanism, tool or piece of equipment or product

INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATION

A good technical writer needs strong writing and

communication skills
Technical writing conveys technical information as well as
something about the writer
If thoughts and ideas are communicated clearly, it shows
the writer can think logically and communicate clearly
and vice versa
Communicating knowledge thoroughly, accurately, clearly
and concisely shows good interpersonal communication

GOALS OF COMMUNICATION
Persuade audience to accept your point of view
Instruct an audience
Inform an audience of facts, concerns or ask questions
Build trust and rapport by managing relationships
RESEARCH WRITING requires that
The audience is recognised
An effective style is used appropriate to readers and purpose
(formal)
Effective formatting techniques are employed for ease of access

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
A technical writer must adhere to the basic technical writing principles to ensure
their documentation is both legible and easily understood by their audience
CONTENT plan the content by determining the receiver(s), goal of the technical
writing, the manner of delivery and duration of production
THE AUDIENCE - the intended audience has to be analysed (their biases and
backgrounds) and identify the purpose for the document
PURPOSE the goal or what the document will accomplish
STYLE GUIDE An organisations styleguide (if available) is often adopted to
ensure documentation has a structured and organized pattern for consistency
and easy comprehension of the information
This refers to use of specific chronological format and specific layout and structure

WRITING STYLE writing style needs to be changed by technical

writers depending on the audience and situation they are writing
about
The documentation needs to be formal and devoid of any emotion

ACCESSING THE INFORMATION - Accessibility applies to the

ease at which the intended audience can gain access to the
information they need from the technical documentation. A
technical document must at least contain a table of contents,
headers and footers, list of illustrations/tables, page numbers
Also a technical document must adhere to a specific heading and sub heading
structure to break down the information into relevant areas that the reader
can access easily

GRAMMAR - All the rules of conventional grammar must be

adhered to. The document must be proof read and edited

MEMORANDUM - MEMOS
Means by which employees communicate with each other
They are written for a wide range of audience supervisors, subordinates, coworkers
Typical maximum length is a printed page
They are flexible and written for various purposes that include
Documentation report on expenses, incidents, accidents, problems encountered,
projected costs, study findings, hiring, firing, reallocation of staff or equipment
Cover (transmittal) Tells the reader you have attached a document
Confirmation tell the reader about a meeting agenda, upcoming discussions at
upcoming teleconferences, conclusions arrived ay
Procedures explain how to;, set up accounts, operate new machinery, solve a
problem create a new company website, use company intranet
Recommendations provide reasons to; purchase new equipment, fire or hire
personnel, contract with new suppliers, revise current practices

MEMO FORMAT
DATE

Memo
TO
ID
FROM
lines
or
SUBJECT FOCUS + TOPIC
header
INTRODUCTION an overview, in a sentence or two, clearly stating why you are writing
and what you are writing about

DISCUSSION

detailed development; explaining exactly what you want to say. Adopt the
use of itemization, headings, graphics, white spaces, columns and boldface types

CONCLUSION with a complementary or directive close usually a summation stating

what is next and when it will occur
Complementary close If our organisation continues to obtain awards annually, we will be
increasing salaries every year. Congratulations
Directive close Next Tuesday, Dr Jones will provide each of you with a time table and a course
schedule
CLASS ACTIVITY 1. Produce a memo 2. identify the purpose of the memo

E-MAILS
Is a valuable communication where messages are distributed by
electronic means from one computer user to one or more recipients
via a network
E-mails are prominent because
It is quick and saves time
It is convenient because it is mobile and compact, is instant and cannot be
easily destroyed
It is cost effective because it is paper-free and has no postage costs
It can be used internally and externally
It can be used for documentation and filing and therefore allows extensive
record keeping

Its main challenges include computer limitations (compatibility

issues), use without knowledge and consent of writer and lack of
confidentiality

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Your research proposal describes
What your proposed research is about
What it is trying to achieve
How you will go about achieving it
What you find out
Why it is worth finding out

Function
It aids in thinking through each step of your research project
Try out ideas and explore alternatives without investing a lot of funds
Reference point for supervisor(s)
Aids researcher to stay on schedule and within budget

COMPONENTS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Introduction
Review of literature
Provides necessary background to the research
It demonstrates
Your knowledge and understanding of the theoretical implications of
your research
Your ability to critically evaluate relevant research
Your ability to integrate and synthesise information

Clearly state the research problem or question

The research question simply comprises of the specific purpose as a
question - the research process is geared towards confirming the research
statement

Justify research, which includes

Why this question is worth answering

The new knowledge the research will add to existing knowledge

The new perspective the research will bring to the topic

Aim and objectives

Aim is the overall purpose of the study and is to be clearly stated
Objectives are specific research aims and must also be stated clearly
Emphasizes how aims are to be achieved
Must be highly feasible and focused

Methodology
Action plan illustrating how you intend to answer the research question
(i.e. How the research will be completed)
Sound methodology and scientific rigour must be demonstrated
The methodology comprises of
Variables and measurement techniques
Sample selection
Materials A description of the type of equipment and materials to be used in the
research

 Procedure a detailed explanation of the proposed means of conducting

the research
Statistical considerations or likely data analysis technique(s)
Research schedule
Cost

Ethical considerations
Ethics - accumulation of values and principles that address questions of
what is good or bad in human affairs
Ethics of actions are considered in the course of research to ensure
individuals or groups are unharmed
Ensuring anonymity of a respondent is an ethical consideration
Ethical considerations involve researchers who undertake studies of
human behaviour, medical advances or technological devices
It takes into account how humans may feel about the potential
outcomes of the research
Conclusion

FORMAL LETTERS
Your address
PO BOX
Kaduna
2 4 spaces
Date
2-4 spaces
The Managing Director
His address
2 spaces
Dear Dr James Salutation
2 spaces

Introductory paragraph Clarify intent and reason for writing

(state subject matter) in one to three sentences
Discussion paragraphs Specify you needs
Conclusion paragraph Conclude precisely. Explain when you
need a response and why you need a response
Sincerely or sincerely yours complimentary close
Sign writers name
Type or write name
Write initials: include typists initials in lowercase if applicable
RLB:jm
Type or write title

RESUMES OR CURRICULUM
VITAE
OBJECTIVE State precise career objectives
EXPERIENCE use present tense verbs for current jobs and
past tense for prior employment
EDUCATION
EXPERTISE
REFERENCES
Note - itemize

CONCLUSION
Technical writing
Types of technical writing and their format
Memos
E-mails
Research proposal
Letters
Resumes