Technical Writing Rhetoric Basics

1. Technical Writing Rhetoric Basics Dr. Brian Gastle Western Carolina University

2. The Goals • Clear • No Ambiguity • Accurate • Precise and Correct Detail • Professional • Correct – Grammatically and Syntactically • Balance – Graphics, Text, Layout • Honest • Concise

3. Writing Issues • Verb Choice / Use • Modifier / Phrase / Clause Use • Sentence Length

4. Verb Choice / Use • Active vs Passive • Professional Verb Choice and “Vague” Verbs

5. Active vs Passive Voice • In Active Voice the subject is “doing” the verb • In Passive Voice, the subject of the sentence is “being done” by the verb; acted upon • Form of “to be” plus the past participle • I blew up the office • The office was blown up

6. Active/Passive and tenses • Active • Teri embezzled money • Teri embezzles money • Teri will embezzle money • Passive • Money was embezzled • Money is embezzled • Money will be embezzled

7. Replace Verb to Change Voice • Sometimes you may want to replace the verb to switch voices, or rewrite the sentence for clarity • State lotteries are used to fund education. • States use lotteries to fund education. • State lotteries support education. • She was called into the teacher’s office. • The teacher called her into her office . • (notice problematic pronoun ref) • The teacher summoned the student into the teacher’s office.

8. Passive vs Active Voice • Most of the information you need will be gathered as you document the assembly process. • You will gather most of the information you need as you document the assembly process. • Documenting the assembly process will provide most of the necessary information. • When choosing multiple programs to record, be sure that the proper tape speed has been chosen to accommodate the length of all programs. • When recording multiple programs, choose a tape speed that will accommodate the length of all programs.

9. To Be Verbs • Try to use specific action verbs rather than forms of to be (similar to ditching passive voice) • You can often use the noun following the “to be” as a verb • He is the editor of two magazines. • He edits two magazines. • Major League Baseball was the first sports organization to institute the concept of free agency for its players. • Major League Baseball became the first organization to institute free agency for its players. • MLB instituted free agency before any other organization.

10. “Real” Subjects • There has been a decrease in the number of students enrolled in our training sessions • The number of students enrolled in our training sessions has decreased. • The use of in-store demonstrations has resulted in a dramatic increase in business. • In-store demonstrations have increased business dramatically.

11. Expletives and Nominalizations • Avoid Expletive Construction • “There are . . .” “There is . . .” • There are many service locations across the country. • Many service locations are located throughout the country. • Avoid Nominalizations • Turning a verb into a noun • He made a change to the schedule • He changed the schedule

12. Nominalization – the “real” verb • Pollution constitutes a threat to the Wilson Wildlife Preserve. • Pollution threatens the Wilson Wildlife Preserve. • Evaluation of the gumming tendency of the four tire types will be accomplished by comparing the amount of rubber that can be scraped from the tires. • We will evaluate the gumming tendency of the four tire types by comparing the amount of rubber that can be scraped from the tires.

13. Use of vague verbs • Examples • To be (is, was, be, etc.) • To do (did, done, etc.) • To make (made, will make, etc.) • To have (had, has, etc.)

14. Each of these materials has a unique property. • Each of these materials possesses a unique property. • Attendance policies are helpful to the company in many ways. • Attendance policies help the company in many ways

15. The product’s main focus is on reducing material waste. • The product focuses on reducing material waste. • It is not the responsibility of this document to predict all possible service problems • This document can not predict all possible service events.

16. When someone gets a job, they have to know how to maintain a schedule. • When someone acquires a job, he or she must know how to maintain a schedule. • Proper lubrication is effective in preventing the product from breaking. • Proper lubrication can prevent product malfunction.

17. Formal vs. Informal Language • The learning modules were put together by a couple of professors in the department. • The learning modules were developed by two professors in the department. • Two professors in the department developed the learning modules. • The biggest problem faced by multimedia designers is that users freak if they don't see a button - or, heaven forbid, if they have to make up their own buttons! • The greatest problems faced by multimedia designers is that users become anxious if they fail to see a button or if they are required to make their own buttons. • Two of the greatest problems faced by multimedia designers are that users become anxious if: • users fail to see a button • users are required to make their own buttons

18. Sexist Language • Each doctor is asked to make sure he follows the standard procedure for handling Medicare forms. • Each doctor is asked to make sure he or she follows the standard procedure for handling Medicare forms. • All doctors are asked to make sure they follow the standard procedure for handling Medicare forms. • All doctors should follow the standard procedure for handling Medicare forms. • Policemen are required to live in the city in which they work. • Police officers are required to live in the city in which they work. • Police officers must live in the city in which they work.