TECHNICAL WRITING vs. ACADEMIC WRITING

1. TECHNICAL WRITINGvs.ACADEMIC WRITING

2. TYPES of WRITING PERSONAL ACADEMIC PROFESSIONAL

3. PERSONAL WRITING • Purpose/Objective: • to entertain • to inform • Evaluation: • desired emotional response • informed

4. PERSONAL WRITING • Graphics: • emoticons • text-messaging lingo • Formats: • e-mail • letters • journals • text messages

5. PERSONAL WRITING • Audience: • equal knowledge • friends • colleagues • Informality

6. TECHNICAL WRITINGvs.ACADEMIC WRITING

7. *AUDIENCES* Specific Audiences boss supervisor team committee politicians bank officers general public General Audience generic reader teacher perhaps fellow students TW AW

8. *AUDIENCES* 1 Document = Many Readers: (Many Readers = Many Needs) “food chain” boss, supervisor team engineers workers politicians bank officers general public 1 Document = 1 Reader: (1 Reader = 1 Need) teacher TW AW

9. PURPOSES • Purpose = • Writing Situation • Objective • Why was the document written?

10. PURPOSES Situation-Oriented see a need — address a need internal motivation professional motivation outcome-oriented: to get something accomplished Assignment-Oriented passive (vs. active) given a topic, test given an assignment external motivation scholastic motivation grade-oriented grade, g.p.a., degree TW AW

11. EVALUATION CRITERIA Success satisfaction of the needs of all readers something was done informed persuaded Success correct answer right information unity, coherence support, detail grammar TW AW

12. APPLICATIONS Real-World Applications case studies illustrative scenarios operations management for a job for a raise or promotion for a bid practical College Application “academic” writing essays essay exams for academics for grade for degree “show what you know” demonstrative TW AW

13. DISCIPLINES Across Disciplines “interdisciplinary” computer sciences psychology mixture of: history math science technology Single Discipline “discipline-specific” literary data for an English paper historical information on a history paper psychological ideas on a psychology test rarely a mixture TW AW

14. *PAGE DESIGN* Paragraphs 6-10 lines vary lengths for visual White Space Columns Headings Lists Graphics Varying Fonts Use of Color Relative Spacing Relative Margins Relative Justification Paragraphs Minimum of 3-5 sentences No maximum length NO White Space Columns Headings Lists Graphics Varying Fonts Use of Color Double Spacing Equal Margins Left Justification TW AW

15. COMPONENTS Oral, Visual, Written produce documents present documents write to be read write to be seen write to be heard Written infrequent oral and visual components predominant written component write to be read by teacher write to be graded not to be seen or heard TW AW

16. GRAPHICS tables charts graphs diagrams photographs maps blue prints uncommon photographs TW AW

17. FORMATS memos e-mails letters cover letters resumes proposals manuals portfolio abstracts reports formal informal essay questions essays based on the rhetorical strategies Description Narration Illustration Process-Analysis Division-Classification Comparison-Contrast Definition Cause-Effect Pro-Con Argument TW AW

18. GRAMMAR Grammar-less visual-oriented grammar = less important fragments = permissible active voice descriptive writing concise sentences spelling! proofread! Grammar-full written-oriented grammar = key sentence errors = avoided active voice descriptive writing concise sentences spelling! proofread! TW AW

19. CONCLUSIONS • Technical Communication: • Practicality in the employment world • Real-World application • Academic Writing: • Demonstration of knowledge • Limited to academia

20. CONCLUSIONS • Technical Communication: • By an informed writer • Conveying necessary information • Both visually & verbally • To a lesser-informed reader • (writer = teacher) • Academic Writing: • By a student-learner for an expert reader

21. CONCLUSIONS • Technical Communication: • Read by many, • To satisfy the needs of many • Academic Writing: • Read by one, • To appease the criteria of one

22. CONCLUSIONS • Technical Communication: • “Information Retrieval” • organization & format = designed • to help readers quickly & easily locate information • Academic Writing: • “Information Retrieval” • little concern beyond a logical organization

23. CONCLUSIONS • Technical Communication: • Public Speaking component — • formal conference speeches • informal meeting speeches • Academic Writing: • Limited Public Speaking opportunities • conferences or rare class projects • Public Speaking courses

24. DEFINITION Technical Communication: • Encompasses a wide range • of writing and speaking responsibilities • required to communicate your ideas • on the job.

26. SIMILARITIES • Grammar: • active voice • descriptive writing • concise sentences • spelling! • proofread!

27. SIMILARITIES • Writing as a Process: • Planning • Drafting • Revising

28. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES writing: process & product HEURISTIC: process reader-focused how-to analyze-and-compose process PRESCRIPTIVE: product writer-focused models/forms of writing writing: product Prescriptive/regulatory teach from models Rhetorical/abstract strategies writer-focused TW AW

29. ACADEMIC WRITING Purpose/Objective: to demonstrate knowledge to “show what you know” Audience: superior knowledge teachers, perhaps peer editors Evaluation: correct information unity, coherence, depth, clarity, grammar Graphics: limited to explain or persuade/convince

30. ACADEMIC WRITING Formats: Description Narration Illustration Process-Analysis Division-Classification (Rhetorical Strategies or Writing Models) Comparison-Contrast Definition Cause-Effect Pro-Con Argument-Persuasion

31. TECHNICAL WRITING Purpose/Objective: to entertain to inform Audience: equal knowledge friends, colleagues Evaluation: desired emotional response informed Graphics: emoticons text-messaging lingo Formats: e-mail letters journals text messages