How to Master Technical Writing

Technical writing is a special form of writing that takes complex scientific or technical materials and reformats them to be easier to read and understand. In order to master technical writing, you need to understand your topic, your audience and the basics of solid non-fiction writing. Read on to learn more.

Things You'll Need

• APA or MLA style guide

Instructions

1. Understand proper technical writing format. Technical writing isn't tied to a strict format style. Instead, your employer is going to determine how the report will be formatted and what sections you will need to include. However, many technical writers prefer to use standard APA or MLA report formats.

2. Get to know your audience. Before you can start your technical writing project you need to learn about who you are writing the report for. The age, education level, expertise level and expectations of your audience are going to influence the terminology that you use, the angle your writing takes and the tone of the piece.

3. Learn why you are writing the report. The purpose of your technical writing piece is also going to influence your writing style. For example if you are creating a marketing piece then you will want to focus on the positive points of the product and use a persuasive voice when composing your document. On the other hand, if the purpose of your technical writing piece is simply to inform the reader about a topic then you will want to be objective and use an authoritative voice.

4. Master your topic. Before you can write about your topic you need to understand it. To do this you need to read through technical documentations, marketing materials, research reports and other reference materials.

5. Create an outline using the section headings created by your employer. This will help to keep your writing focused on what the employer wants. Flesh out the outline with information that you found during your research.

6. Put together an annotated bibliography. An annotated bibliography is like a regular reference page, however, you will add a paragraph summarizing the information found in each reference. You can use this to help you flesh out your report.

7. Write your report. Use information from your research to draft your document. Keep in mind who you are writing the report for and why you are writing the report. Keep things simple and to the point.

8. Revise your report. To master technical writing you need to understand how to analyze your writing and tool it down to its simplest and most effective form. Make sure that you have included everything that your employer wanted, that your tone and style are appropriate for your audience and report purpose and double check your spelling and grammar.

9. Prepare your report for delivery. You will want to print your report on quality bond paper and bind it with a card stock cover. You will also want to draft a transmittal letter. This letter will explain what is in the report, what was involved in its creation and any specific directions that you need to transmit to your boss. This is a formal business letter and it should be formatted as such.