2023-2024 Technical English Language Chapter 4: Technical Writing

Technical
English
language
Dr. Hewayda Elghawalby
In this Course
• Chapter 1: Review of English Grammar

• Chapter 2: Some Characteristics of Technical
Language
• Chapter 3: Usage and Style of Technical
Language
• Chapter 4: Technical Writing
• Chapter 5: Applications of Technical Writing
2
In this Course
• Chapter 1: Review of English Grammar

• Chapter 2: Some Characteristics of Technical
Language
• Chapter 3: Usage and Style of Technical
Language
• Chapter 4: Technical Writing
• Chapter 5: Applications of Technical Writing
3
In this Lecture
Chapter Four
Technical Writing
1- Principles of technical writing.

2- Concluding Remarks on Good Technical Writing.
3- The good technical writing
4
1- Principles of technical writing
• Use the active voice .

• Use simple rather than elegant or complex
language .
• Delete words, sentences, and phrases that do
not add to your meaning .
• Use specific and concrete terms rather than
vague generalities .
• Use terms your reader can picture .
• Use the past tense to describe your
experimental work and results .
6
• In most other writings, use the present tense .

• Avoid needlessly technical language. Make the
technical depth of your writing compatible with
the background of your reader.
• Break up the writing into short sections .
• Keep ideas in writing parallel .
• Choose an informal than a formal style.
• Be precise in the use of words.
7
• Use the active voice .
8
• Use simple rather than elegant or complex language .
9
• Delete words, sentences, and phrases that do not add
to your meaning .
10
• Use specific and concrete terms rather than vague

generalities .
11
• Keep ideas in writing parallel .
12
• Choose an informal than a formal style.
13
2- Concluding Remarks on Good Technical
Writing
• Because technical writing usually deals with

an object, a process, or an abstract idea, the
language is utilitarian, stressing accuracy
rather than style. The tone is objective; the
technical content, not the author's voice, is
the focal point.
15
2- Concluding Remarks on Good Technical
Writing
• The difference between technical writing and

ordinary composition is more than just content,
however, the two differ in purpose as well. The
primary goal of any technical communication is to
accurately transmit technical information. Thus
differs from popular nonfiction, in which the writing
is intended to entertain, or from advertising
copywriting, which exists to persuade. Technical
writers are concerned with communication; and if
they have to, they will sacrifice style, grace, and
technique for clarity, precision, and organization.
16
3- GOOD TECHNICAL WRITING IS
• Technically accurate.
• Consistent.
• Clear.
• Correct in spelling, punctuation, and
grammar.
• Concise.
• Persuasive.
• Interesting.
18
• Technically accurate.
Since the intended goal of any technical writing is the transmittal

of technical information, even the most well-written technical
document is ineffective if the facts, theories, and observations
presented are in error. The content must be true and as
scientifically accurate as is humanly possible.
• Consistent.
20
• Clear.
21
• Concise.
22
• Correct in spelling, punctuation, and grammar
Many scientists are not overly concerned with following the standard rules of
spelling, punctuation, and grammar and matters of English usage.
After all, they reason, science and technology - not periods, parentheses, and
participles - are of interest to technical people.
Unfortunately, even the most indifferent technical writers are quick to spot
misspelled words and sloppy grammar.
These errors point to authors who are either lazy or uncaring about their work.
And that is simply not acceptable in today's highly professional business and
academic environments. 23
• Persuasive.
• The primary goal of technical communication is to transmit

information; its secondary goal is to persuade.
• All technical documents have a selling job to do.
• The most persuasive technical documents offer a clear, objective
presentation of the relevant facts that support the ideas, opinions,
and recommendations.
24
• Interesting.
Business documents must gain and keep the reader's

interest if they are to be read. The technical report
competes with many other communications, such as
memorandums, trade journals, popular magazines,
newspapers, and novels.
25
To conclude:
27
What:
• "Technical writing" is used to report information. This is
different from creative and other types of writing styles
in many ways.
Why:
• As a scientist/engineer, it is important for you to be
able to communicate your work to others in writing.
How
• Technical writing needs to be objective.
• The purpose of the document is to relay
information.
• Reporting "just the facts ".
• Adding opinions, personal observations, and other
extraneous material can cloud the communication
between the author and the reader.
• A technical document is often a "serious
document“; therefore, it needs to be concise and
specific.
Opinions
• The author uses his/her words to relay information
about facts and events that have happened.
• The author typically does not relay opinions, except
in the cases where an unexplained event or
phenomena has occurred, if this the case, the
author should make it clear that he /she is offering
an opinion and not a fact.
• In a technical paper, the author remains
independent from the subject of the article.
Technical documents usually do not contain the
words: I, you, we....
Tense
• As the writer is usually writing about events which
have already happened, the tense of the paper is
mainly past tense.
Tense
• However, in some parts of the document, it may be
appropriate to use present or future tense.
• For instance, if the author is covering facts that were,
are, and forever shall be true, the facts may be
referred to in present tense. If the author is writing
about experiments or activities yet to come, future
tense is appropriate.
Sentence Structure of
Technical Writing
To become a good Technical Writer, you must consider:
• Planning
• Clarity
• Brevity
• Simplicity
• Active Voice
Planning
• Before starting: Identify your audience and their
expectations, know your purpose , know your material,
understand the writing task at hand, organize your
thoughts and materials and finally budget adequate
time to write, review, revise and edit.
Clarity
• Use familiar terminologies to the audience, define the
unfamiliar; If you must abbreviate, define the term in
its first occurrence, and put abbreviations in
parentheses.
Brevity
• Use Words Efficiently; never use two words when one
word will do. Pare your language down to the essential
message you want to get across to your readers, and
place key information in the main clause. Remove
redundancy and combine overlapping sentences
when possible.
Simplicity
• Use Details Wisely; specific details are desirable, but
be careful to balance detail with audience needs for
clarity—significance is more important.
Language
• Avoid complexity, using too many abstract nouns,
needless Words and ambiguity. choose words whose
meanings are clear and order the words in your
sentences carefully. Do not overuse pronouns—
particularly “it” and “this”—because it is often difficult
to identify the antecedent. Finally, avoid too many “to
be” verbs,( “is” “was” “were” “has been” “have been”).
Active Voice
• Technical writers want to communicate as efficiently as
possible, and active voice is more straightforward and
is stronger than passive voice. When in doubt, read
passages out loud to determine the natural sound.
Remember that:
Writing Is a Process
• Good writing requires planning, drafting, rereading,
revising, and editing.
• Learning and improvement requires self-review,

peer-review, subject-matter expert feedback, and
practice. Good writing is a habit that takes time to
develop; practice makes perfect.

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Technical

• Chapter 1: Review of English Grammar

• Chapter 1: Review of English Grammar

1- Principles of technical writing.

• Use the active voice .

• In most other writings, use the present tense .

• Use specific and concrete terms rather than vague

• Keep ideas in writing parallel .

• Because technical writing usually deals with

• The difference between technical writing and

Since the intended goal of any technical writing is the transmittal

• Correct in spelling, punctuation, and grammar

• The primary goal of technical communication is to transmit

Business documents must gain and keep the reader's

• Learning and improvement requires self-review,

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