Technical Writing

• Nowadays, due to revolution of technological advancements in business, academe, and industry sectors, people are being highly engaged in various daily communications through email, texting, chatting, formal presentation, or even face to face conversation
• This phenomenon leads to unending quest on how to communicate effectively to survive the digital era
• Although, no matter how technological the workplace may become according to Roberts (1999), there will always be real power in the written word
• Technology hasn't eliminated the need for people to write clearly, it's merely simplified the writing process
• Writing


  The most difficult macro skill because it covers a great deal of knowledge as well as principles of organization to produce a good composition
• Writing business correspondence never goes out of style especially in the corporate world
• Employers keep on looking for professionals who can communicate messages well both in written and oral, inside and outside an organization
• Effective communication


  The key to success in business
• Business depends so much on communication
• Things people must communicate to do in business

  • Plan products
  • Hire, train, and motivate workers
  • Coordinate manufacturing and delivery
  • Persuade customers to buy
  • Bill them for sale
• Many entrepreneurs become more estranged from their teams, turn off partners, and lose deals all because they lack basic communication skills
• This lack of skill gets passed down to teams and the problems are perpetuated through the organization
• Business communication


  How people communicate
• Organizational communication


  Whom to communicate
• Business communication


  A two-way process that follows the common communication process of sending and receiving messages
• Business communication


  Uses paper, pen, typewriter, or computer to make the message tangible to the receiver
• Organization


  Comprised of people who are committed to a common goal and are ready to share information and resources in pursuit of a desired goal
• Communication in organization


  Relaying messages or information between or among people inside and outside an organization
• Basic functions of organizational writing

  • To inform
  • To promote goodwill
  • To persuade
• Internal and external documents needed in an organization

  • Not provided in the source material
• Personal letter


  A written type of communication of an individual to another concerning personal or family affairs rather than business matters
• Personal letter


  Does not follow certain rules or structures and uses a less formal wording or colloquial language
• Personal letter


  Maintains and develops personal relationships with people whom you consider a friend or a family
• Personal letter


  Can be typewritten or handwritten depending on the length of the content
• Business letter


  A formal type of written letter concerning business transactions and other business related issues and information
• Business letter


  Must adhere to certain rules, restrictions, and formats and must use a formal language
• Business letter


  Should sound like a person talking to another person
• Business letter


  Is commonly written on an 8 1/2 x 11 inch-size clean bond paper, follows certain margin and free from dirt and scratches in order to build a good impression to the reader
• Differences between personal and business letters

  • Nature: Business letter is impersonal and universal in nature, personal letter is fully personal in nature
  • Purpose: Business letter is exchanging various business-related issues and information, personal letter is exchanging personal or family-related affairs and information
  • Scope: Business letter scope is wide and contains various types of business information, personal letter scope is limited and contains only personal information
  • Structure: Business letter follows officially recognized structure, personal letter does not follow any recognized structure
  • Formality: Business letter maintains formal rules and procedure, personal letter is informal
  • Size: Business letter generally is concise in size and avoids irrelevant matter, personal letter may be concise or large in size
  • Types: Business letter can be categorized differently, personal letter generally cannot be categorized
  • Salutation: Business letter salutation can be Sir, Dear Sir, Dear Mr. X, etc., personal letter salutations are Dear friends, my dear x, dear x, etc.
  • Language: Business letter language should be easy and simple, personal letter language may be easy, poetic, emotional, etc.
  • Copy: Business letter copy of business letter should always be preserved, personal letter copy of personal letter may or may not be preserved
  • Method: Business letter uses direct and persuasive method, personal letter uses only direct method
• Writing from the "you" attitude


  Every person is interested primarily in himself and thus responds to a letter written from his point of view
• Accentuating the positive


  Even a letter that has to say "No" can be written from a positive point of view
• Making your letters smile

  A business letter should leave a pleasant impression, get a smile into your letter, a bit of personality, an atmosphere of good will
• Making your copy live


  The reader should feel what you say, if possible, create a visual experience
• The "Ten (10) Cs" to consider for an effective business letter

  • Completeness
  • Correctness
  • Conciseness
  • Coherence
  • Clarity
  • Concreteness
  • Courteousness
  • Consideration
  • Consistency
  • Credibility
• Completeness


  Refers to the inclusion of complete information, the business letter should answer the question WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and HOW
• Correctness


  Refers to the correct grammar, punctuation, spacing, information, and structure, as well as the correct format of a business letter
• Conciseness


  Refers to being direct and brief without compromising the complete idea, avoiding unnecessary information that might confuse the reader
• Coherence


  Refers to the smooth flow of ideas in a business letter, the content should be in order and easy to follow
• Clarity


  Refers to readability of information which is easy to understand, using simple words instead of complex ones
• Concreteness


  Refers to the use of specific words not general words