Technical writing Genre Analysis
Introduction
A technical report is a written document that explains more about the procedure and impacts of scientific or technological research. Technical writing incorporates science, technology, and mathematics. Some examples of technical reports include lab reports and driving manuals. Raus (2019) also states that technical reports are very crucial because they are the principal genre of relaying and transmitting data in engineering. Selwyn (2020) says that poor understanding of report writing is due to the lack of knowledge and not lack of vocabulary, and due to this, students should learn how to design and organize their reports. Selwyn (2020) further states that genre analysis is critical in studying written material, e.g., technical reports in engineering. A genre-based approach trains students on writing technical reports to assist them in understanding the standard structure of various categories of a Technical report. Genre analysis in technical writing is also crucial in helping students master the art of reporting on individual engineering, items, and procedures, e.g., the move structure, how’s to some rules incorporated while writing in this genre. Technical reports are written for external or internal sharing, and one of the primary skills required to write a technical report is critical thinking. Shelton (1994) defines technical reports as “consisting of factual and technical information in nature where the documents are written for a defined audience and a defined purpose.” Shelton means that technical writing is done by a particular audience, which may be composed of managers, customers, and even other engineers. Krishnan et al. (2003) further define a technical report stating that it is “ structured presentation of data or information collected from research, experiment or an investigation and prepared for a group of audience at the request of the selected supervisory authority to fulfill specific information needs for the audience.”Technical reports are usually made for particular reading as they are organized in categories with numbered headings. Technical reports also relay data quickly as they also comprise of data written in bullet points and also comprise of tables, lists and figures to further expound of relevant information. Selwyn(2020) states that teaching technical writing is very important as the students learn the needed skills to write and design, e.g., memos, proposals, manuals, resumes, and letters, which they may be required to write at their work stations. Technical writing can be taught through the use of portfolios as reported under The Effects of Portfolio Use in Teaching Report Writing by Assaggaf & Bamahra (2016), where students first learn to draft and carefully consider their audience. Assaggaf and Bamahra(2016) also state that when teaching report writing, the students need to learn the need to focus on the genre of the report, because a specific style exists within a particular context. Through the study of the effects of portfolio use in teaching report writingAssaggaf&Bamahra(2016) found that there was a need for improbable in the areas of report writing elements and receiving good feedback. Teaching report writing can also be done through the use of lab report writing templates, as stated by Cornelius (2015). In his study, he found out that the use of lab report writing templates assisted the students in mastering the procedure of applying technical writing instructions quickly.
There are a couple of purposes as to why engineers write technical reports, including at a macro strategic level, technical reports explain in simple terms some complex information and come up with alternatives to the problems. In contrast, at a micro tactical level, they are written to provide guidelines for writing technical documents such as consumer guides, datasheets, and installation manuals. Other purposes of technical writing include trying to make it easier for a client to understand certain information regarding a particular item such as a computer or phone. Technical reports also describe how certain products function to make it easier for our purchasers of the product to have an easy time using the product. Technical writing can also provide instructions on the way to go about individual projects related to engineering and science.
Engineers mostly do technical writing, and it is one of the significant types of communication in engineering. The technical report is viewed as an actual working paper, therefore, bearing more information far off the easy dispensing of data. Technical reports are written to provide both technical and scientific knowledge and can also be used for extensive and interior dispensation.
Technical writing is read by specific categories of people who may comprise of either administratives who may be financing a project. These specialists may be coining ideas concerning the product, artisans who are constructing the product, and the user of the product at the final stage. Technical writing may also be read by managers and clients. All these categories of people usually read technical writing to understand in simple terms a complicated procedure, gain more information on a specific product such as a laptop or new medicine. They may also read technical writing to understand how certain item functions or how to undergoes a particular project.
The features of technical writing include: Technical writing is transparent and brief as it sticks to the topic under discussion. Technical writing also makes use of direct language to make it easier for readers to comprehend information easily. Technical writing is very detailed and informative i.e., and it provides all the relevant details and data related to the topic under discussion. Another characteristic is that technical writing is well structured. This structure allows the reader to obtain the information they need fast as information presented quickly is organized under specific subtopics; therefore, the reader or client will go straight to the topic of their interest. Consequently, an excellent technical report should be clear, accurate, comprehensive, readily available, brief, and consist of the original information.
Technical writing contributes to the larger purpose of the discipline itself by communicating complex ideas using direct and straightforward language to help a customer easily comprehend complex processes and procedures. It also contributes to the larger purpose of the discipline by presenting writing that is brief and directed to a particular audience, e.g., managers, customers, and executives. This audience usually is overly examined by the technical writer to find out how much information the viewer has based on a particular product or project, which then determines the paper’s focus. Technical writing contributes to the larger purpose of the discipline as it also presents writing that is accurate and moral as failure to this could result in corporal and monetary repercussions. Lastly, technical writing contributes to the larger purpose of the discipline through its well-organized layout. Useful structure framework is a very crucial element in technical writing to enable easy comprehension of the information presented by readers. To structure the document well, professional writers may incorporate bullets,bolding, and pictures to make their work presentable.
References
Assaggaf, H. T., & Bamahra, Y. S. (2016). The Effects of Portfolio Use in Teaching Report Writing: EFL Students’ Perspective. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 5(3), 26-34.
Cornelius-Reece, T. (2015). A Guided Approach to Technical Report Writing for Undergraduate Engineering Students.
Raus, T. Z. M., Yusoff, M., & Subatira, B. (2019). Technical Report Writing in Engineering Studies. LSP International Journal, 6(2).
Selwyn, R., & Renaud-Assemat, I. (2020). Developing technical report writing skills in first and second-year engineering students: a case study using self-reflection. Higher Education Pedagogies, 5(1), 19-29.