COMM SKILLS 4

• Technical writing style


  • The writer's adherence to the conventions of grammar and punctuation
  • Use of clear written and visual style
  • Use of simple language elements (words and phrases) and short language structures (clauses, sentences and paragraphs)
  • Logical organisation of ideas presented
  • Completeness, accuracy and concreteness
• Rules for effective technical writing style

  • Choosing the right words
  • Effective sentence construction
  • Effective paragraphs
• Choosing the right words

  • Word selection is a factor that determines effective technical writing style
  • Words must be correctly spelled
  • Words used must be as simple as possible
  • Words must be used in the appropriate context
  • Minimal use of words (word economy or word efficiency)
• Use correct spellings


  • Misspelled words show lacking professionalism
  • Readers can more easily concentrate on your ideas and the flow of your arguments with good spellings
• Use simple words


  Use simple words, only using more complex ones to avoid repetition and to sound a bit more professional
• Word length


  Preference is given to the shorter of two simple words
• Bombast


  Avoid bombastic words and language
• Technical jargon


  • Know your audience
  • Define technical terms for a mixed audience or audience from a different field
• Effective sentence construction


  • Sentences are a grammatical collection of about five to 15 words ideally
  • Short sentences are more precise as to their intended meanings, while longer ones are sometimes ambiguous or totally unclear
  • Simple technical English should be used
  • Sentences must be grammatical, following the rules of English grammar
• Types of sentences


  • Simple sentences
  • Compound sentences
  • Complex sentences
• Sentence variation


  • Use as many simple sentences as possible
  • Vary the sentence construction while keeping them short for good technical writing style
• One idea per sentence

  A sentence should contain only one idea
• Word economy in sentences


  • Technical documents should be clear and concise, never wordy and flowery
  • Always choose words and phrases that are simple and straightforward
• Word efficiency


  • Using the fewest number of words to clearly express an idea
  • Phrases can be shortened or replaced by a single word
  • Redundant words must be removed
  • Excessive verbiage must be avoided
• Wordy phrases vs concise expressions


  • a large number of - many
  • in the majority of instances - usually
  • the reason why is that - because
  • alternate choices - alternatives
  • completely eliminate - eliminate
  • connected together - connected
  • an analysis of the data will be made - data will be analyzed
  • made a selection - selected
• Redundant words to remove

  • because or why
  • the reason for, for the reason that, due to the fact that, owing to the fact that, in light of the fact, on the grounds that, this is why
  • when
  • on the occasion of, in a situation in which, under circumstances in which
  • about
  • as regards, in reference to, with regard to, concerning the matter of
  • must or should
  • it is crucial that, it is necessary that, there is a need/necessity for, it is important that
  • can
  • is able to, is in a position to, has the capacity for, has the ability to
  • may, might, can, or could
  • it is possible that, there is a chance that, it could happen that, the possibility exists for
  • now
  • at this time, after further consideration
  • by
  • by using, through the use of
  • of
  • derived from, related to, associated with
  • to
  • in order to
  • use
  • Utilize, employ, make use of
• Wordy phrases vs concise expressions


  • completely devoted - devoted
  • utterly rejected - rejected
  • perfectly clear - clear
  • completely accurate - accurate
  • completely compatible - compatible
  • quite innovative - innovative
  • precise - precise
  • the actual number - the number
  • not actually true - untrue / false
  • almost unique - unique
  • categorical denial - a denial
  • completely surrounded - surrounded
  • cylindrical in shape - cylindrical
  • few in number - few
  • streamlined in appearance - streamlined
  • quite impossible - impossible
  • very relevant - relevant
  • very true - true
  • very necessary - necessary
  • hard evidence - evidence
  • wholly new - new
  • real problems - problems
  • really dangerous - dangerous
  • the absolute minimum amount - the minimum amount
  • past memories - memories
  • various differences - differences
  • each individual - individual
  • basic fundamentals - fundamentals
  • true facts - facts
  • important essentials - essentials
  • future plans - plans
  • sudden crisis - crisis
  • terrible tragedy - tragedy
  • end result - result
  • final outcome - outcome
  • free gift - gift
  • past history - history
  • refer back - refer
  • midway between - between
  • a total of 20 - 20
  • entirely complete - complete
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