So recently, I took a class on technical writing and communication. When it was time for the class to begin, I wondered why did I sign up for a technical writing class. I am not a good writer and when someone tells me to write anything, I begin to panic. My anxiety skyrocketed when I saw the syllabus. I didn’t think I would be able to meet the instructor’s expectations of this class.  I decided to take one writing assignment, one discussion, and one report at a time. This approach seemed to work good for me. I normally feel overwhelmed when I see everything that has to be done for the semester.

As I clicked submit on my first writing assignment I thought to myself, “Is it good enough.” I kept looking at my grades to see how I did. Then my grades came in. I had actually done pretty good. So then I thought, “Ok I can do this.” I strongly believe this class has changed my opinion about writing. This class has been a great way to touch on different writing skills and more importantly the technical written communication skills. In technical communication audience, purpose and genre are important, but communication skills are just as important as technical writing. So as I would begin to write I would just remind myself of these skills to focus on for each writing assignment.

There are times I pick up a document and begin to read and say to myself, “What?” I don’t even have a clue what it is talking about. Not all readers can understand writing in a technical format. Let’s remember when writing a memo, document, or report think about your intended audience. For those who are specialists in a specific area, write using language which is sometimes hard for some people to comprehend. Those who are writing using technical communication skills should remember to present the information in a way that most people can understand what the writer is trying to convey. Another thing about technical writers is when they write they use vocabulary which most readers do not understand. Then readers get frustrated with the material which they do not understand and usually stop reading. It’s great the technical writers can write using a large vocabulary and explain the information in a formal way but the writers need to remember to focus on who will be reading the material. If the people who are reading the technical piece of writing understand the information, it is fine to write using the technical jargon. However, the format of the document for all readers of the material is an important reason for understanding the document.

If I pick up a document and begin to read, I want to know what the piece is about within the first couple of lines. I do not want to read most of the document before I find the purpose of the document. In the first paragraph, the writer ought to state the purpose of the document. The purpose is usually to tell the reader of the main idea behind the writing. Usually in technical writing a reader comes to learn or be informed about something they did not know. The written communication is in a specific context and involves the writer, the reader, and the message. The subject usually has some type of specific knowledge and provides a bridge for the non-specialised reader. Skimming and use bullet points aids in technical documents which makes information easier to find and read.

How do I know whether I am looking at a résumé, report, or manual? By the genre of the document. The genres classify documents into group based on the type of document it is. Genres convey one specific type of information that will help the reader understand the idea behind the document. Some businesses have their own genres and variations. In the area of education, a professor might place an assignment that gives the specific criteria which they except for an essay in a specific genre. Each professor and employer has different expectations of an essay and genres might be set up differently than in a normal situation. In the workplace, there are variations based on genres.

Since taking this class, I now consider myself a writer. I am going to continue to grow as a writer and in doing so I will focus on what I have learned in this course. In any formal written communication it is important to focus the document on the audience, state the purpose, and use a primary genre for a professional document. Remember there are technical writers who can express written communication which is hard for the non-technical readers to understand. Attention to details are a crucial part of any document because it can affect how a reader interrupts a document. Unfortunately, poor technical writing can end up in lost business, lost of time, and lost of productivity.  

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton