Technical Writing

Technical Writing

Unpacking the standards • The studentdemonstrates competence in a variety of genres. • The studentproduces four types of technical writing • friendly letters • thank-you notes • formula poems • instructions

In your own words explain what makes good technical writing.

Friendly Letter • Purpose: • to communicate with a friend • Audience: • person the letter is written to(friend) • Context: • what you want your friend to know.

Thank-you Note • Purpose: • to say thank you for some specific reason • Audience: • Person the note is written to • Context: • Thanks the person for the specific item received

Instructions • Purpose: • To give information or directions • Audience: • person reading the instructions • Context: • Steps to complete the task • Usually numbered • Not in paragraph form

Formula Poems • Purpose: • To entertain • Audience: • The reader • Context: • Follows a specific pattern

How do I write a friendly letter? Modified Presentation by Barbara Cloninger-June, 2004 Quiz by Vanda Sue Bell-September, 2005

We write friendly letters to people we know well. We might write a friendly letter to our parents, grandparents, or our friends.

311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 Dear Phil, How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city. This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on! Your friend, Mike P.S. Where do we want to get dinner when I get back? MS

311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 heading The first part of a friendly letter is called the heading. The heading includes the writer’s address and the date. The heading is written in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 heading Dear Phil, greeting The second part of the friendly letter is the greeting. It is written under the heading at the left margin. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a comma.

What do you want to say to the person you are writing to? We put what we want to say in the body of the letter. The body of the letter is in paragraph form. The first line of each paragraph is indented. How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city.

311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 heading Dear Phil, greeting body How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city? This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on!

The closing and signature are the last parts on the friendly letter. Your closing might be: Your friend, Yours truly, Sincerely, Your son, The closing is lined up directly under heading. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a comma. The signature is your name written directly under the closing.

heading 311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 Dear Phil, body greeting How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city? This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on! closing signature Yourfriend, Mike

311 East College Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 heading greeting body Dear Phil, How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city. This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on! closing signature Your friend, Mike

Click on the correct greeting! dear Phil, Dear Phil Dear Phil, dear phil,

Sorry! Try again! Click Slide 12 here to go back!

The greeting uses two capital letters and a comma! dear Phil, Dear Phil Dear Phil, dear phil, Click for NEXT question!

Click on the correct closing! your friend Your friend, Friend, your friend,

The closing has one capital letter and a comma! your friend Your friend, Friend, your friend, Click for NEXT question!

Where are lines skipped? Only between the body and closing Only after the heading Between each line Between each letter part

Where are lines skipped? Between each letter part Click for NEXT question!

Name the highlighted letter part! ? 311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 Dear Phil, How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city. This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on! Heading Your friend, Mike Click for NEXT question!

Name the highlighted letter part! 311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 ? Dear Phil, How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city. This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on! Greeting Your friend, Mike Click for NEXT question!

Name the highlighted letter part! 311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 Dear Phil, How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city. This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on! ? Body Your friend, Mike Click for NEXT question!

Name the highlighted letter part! 311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 Dear Phil, How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city. This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on! ? Closing Your friend, Mike Click for NEXT question!

Name the highlighted letter part! 311 East Duke Street Stanley, NC 28164 August 15, 2004 Dear Phil, How has your summer been? Not too hot I hope. Did you get to visit your grandparents? Did you go on your trip to Toronto as you had hoped? They say Toronto is a beautiful city. This is my second season at Camp Bellaire. I just passed my swimming test. Now I can swim out to the raft and also use the boats. To pass I had to jump into the water with my clothes on (as if I had just fallen out of a boat). Then I had to take them off down to my trunks, even my shoes and socks, and finally swim back to shore. It was tough, but I did it! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. There is lots of news to catch up on! ? Signature Your friend, Mike Click for NEXT question!

Now you know how to write a friendly letter! Presentation by Barbara Cloninger-June, 2004 Quiz included by Vanda Sue Bell-September, 2005

Technical Writing