Transcript Insert Book Title Here

Technical Writing Style
Write for Clarity
Write for Conciseness
1
Write for clarity….




Provide Specific Detail
Answer the Reporters’ Questions
Use Easily Understandable Words
Achieve conciseness



Limit paragraph length
Limit sentence length
Avoid style that confuses
2
Provide Specific Detail
BAD:
Vague word
“Put enough air in your tires.”
(How much air is “enough”?)
GOOD:
“Fill your tires to 32 pounds per square
inch.”
Specific detail
3
Answer Reporter’s Questions
Reporter’s Questions = who, what, when, where,
why, and how
BAD:
“We bought a new machine to solve the problem.”






Who is “we”?
What is the “new machine”?
When was the purchase made?
Where was the machine located?
Why was the purchase made—what was the problem?
How much did the machine cost?
4
Answer Reporter’s Questions (cont.)
GOOD:
“The marketing department bought a
new AABco laser printer ($595) on
June 10 for our production room.
This printer will produce double-side,
color copies unlike our prior printer. ”
5
Clarity—Use Easily
Understandable Words
NOTE:
BAD:
“We are cognizant of your
need for issuance of citations
pursuant to code 18-B1 CPR
violations.”
Write to express,
not to impress!
Use words that
are easy to
understand.
Define
abbreviations
like “CPR.”
6
Clarity—Use Easily
Understandable Words (cont.)
GOOD:
“We know you need to send
citations because of code
18-B1 Continuing Property
Record (CPB) violations. ”
7
Needlessly complex wording buries ideas
This study will consider why current solar energy
systems, such as Solar One, have not reached the
commercial stage and will find out what steps
we can take to make these systems commercial.
R.I.P.
The goal of this study is to develop a commercialization
strategy for solar energy systems by analyzing factors
impeding early commercial projects (i.e., SOLAR ONE)
and by identifying the potential actions that can facilitate
the viability of the projects.
8
To achieve conciseness ….

Limit paragraph length



4-8 lines of text
50 words per paragraph
Limit sentence length


10-15 words (average)
word length - 1-2 syllables (average)
9
Conciseness—Limit Paragraph
Length (cont.)
BAD
Please prepare to supply a readout of your findings and
recommendations to the officer of the Southwest Group
at the completion of your study period. As we discussed,
the undertaking of this project implies no currently known
incidences of impropriety in the Southwest Group, nor is
it designed to find any. Rather, it is to assure ourselves
of sufficient caution, control, and impartiality when
dealing with an area laden with such potential
vulnerability. I am confident that we will be better served
as a company as a result of this effort.
NOTE:
Long
paragraphs
are hard to
read.
10
Conciseness—Limit Paragraph
Length (cont.)
BETTER
Please prepare to supply a readout of your findings and
recommendations to the officer of the Southwest Group
at the completion of your study period.
NOTE:
Shorter paragraphs
are easier to read.
Spacing gives readers
a chance to stop,
breathe, and digest
the information.
As we discussed, the undertaking of this project implies
no currently known incidences of impropriety in the
Southwest Group, nor is it designed to find any. Rather, it is
to assure ourselves of sufficient caution, control, and impartiality These paragraphs are
when dealing with an area laden with such potential vulnerability. still hard to read, due
to the sentence and
word length.
I am confident that we will be better served
as a company as a result of this effort.
11
To Write Concisely…


Limit sentence length - 10-15 words (average)
If possible, limit word length - 1-2 syllables (average)
NOTE:
All words cannot be 1-2 syllables! You
cannot shorten words like
“telecommunications,” “engineer,” or
“accountant,”
Change the words you can; leave
other words alone.
12
Conciseness—Limiting Word and
Sentence Length (cont.)
BAD
NOTE:
This sentence is 23
words long, and it uses
five words over two
syllables (underlined).
“During the month of July, I
made a decision to positively
impact my writing inabilities
by having a meeting with an instructional
advisor.”
13
Conciseness—Limiting Word and
Sentence Length (cont.)
GOOD
“In July, I decided to improve
my writing by meeting with a
teacher.”
NOTE:
This sentence is 13
words long, and it uses
one word over two
syllables (underlined).
14