Technical writing can be similar to persuasive writing, in that its goal is to effect a change in the reader's opinions or actions. It can also function as or incorporate sequential writing. This form of writing is usually found within internal company communications, and journals/websites focused on a particular industry. The exercises found on these worksheets will include detailed definitions, examples, tip sheets, checklists, and writing prompts with different topics, so instructors must be sure to print all of them. Writing in this form is often mechanical and focus on one sole purpose. When students enter the real world, this will be one of the most important forms of writing for them. This series of technical writing exercises will help improve your ability to use this skill in many different settings.
Printable Technical Writing Worksheets
Scroll down to view and print the Technical Writing.
Brief Overview of This Form of Writing
Technical writing comes in numerous forms, including memos, routine letters, e-mails proposals, progress reports, websites, and manual. Technical writing differs from other academic writing in that it has a more practical role with a main goal of accomplishing something, generally within an organization, and it sometimes requires some sort of response from the reader.
Business Letters
The subjects of business letters vary greatly; however, most of them can be grouped into two categories: topics concerning our professional lives and topics concerning business issues that affect our personal lives.
Example of a Business Letter
The following example of a business letter was taken from Purdue OWL and shows block format while giving instructions on writing a business letter.
Tips and Checklist for a Business Letter
Before writing your letter, clarify your purpose in one sentence. This can help you focus and organize the rest of your letter. You may want to use this statement as the first sentence of your letter.
Prompt #1 for a Business Letter
You probably have some classes besides this one in which you are required to write papers. You may also have some classes requiring other uses for a computer. Although you have access to your school's computers to do this work, the access is limited, and you realize it would be easier if you had your own computer.
Prompt #2 for a Business Letter
You are in charge of a social event at your place of work. Write a letter asking surrounding businesses to participate.
Prompt #3 for a Business Letter
You have had to reschedule a social event at your place of work for some reason. Write a letter to the participants explaining the situation.
Letter of Application
Letters of application, also called cover letters, generally accompany a resume and rely heavily on persuasive writing skills because the main goal is to convince the employer that the writer of the letter is good enough to be called for an interview.
Example of a Letter of Application
The following example of a letter of application was taken from David McMurrey's online textbook, Online Technical Writing
Tips and Checklist for a Letter of Application
Give specific examples to help show strong points? Emphasize experience? Emphasize how education helped prepare you for the job?
Prompt and Practice Exercise for a Letter of Application
Find a job listing for a career that interests you. Research what the job entails and find out more about the company-its mission statement, number of employees, etc.
Complaint Letter
Complaint letters typically do not just voice discontent; they request some sort of compensation such as a refund, a replacement, or a discount. Like other technical writing, it is important to remember the main purpose of the letter and to present the situation tactfully and objectively, while still stressing the problem and its effects.
Example of a Complaint Letter
The following example of a complaint letter was taken from David McMurrey's online textbook, Online Technical Writing
Tips and Checklist for a Complaint Letter
Your main goal is NOT just to voice your dissatisfaction. Keep that in mind when writing your letter. You want a change, an adjustment-a refund or partial refund, a new product, a new part, an explanation or an apology, a new policy, etc.
Prompts and Practice Exercise #1 for a Complaint Letter
Choose one or more topics from the list below as a topic for your complaint letter.
Prompts and Practice Exercise #2 for a Complaint Letter
Explain a problem with a product from front to back.
How to Improve Technical Writing
Technical writing is one of the most demanded forms of content creation today. Whether you need to write product manuals, research notes, or instruction manuals, you may need to fine tune these skills. Technical content creation requires thorough research and preparation. Any mistakes in the process can lead to wasted efforts. If you want to improve your ability to write in this manner, we have a few tips to get started.
Identifying Target Audience
Before you start your research, you may need to identify your target audience. You may have to use a different tone and terms if you are writing for technical readers. On the other hand, preparing content for a non-technical audience may require a simple choice of words. Similarly, you can also classify your target audience based on their demographics.
To ensure you communicate effectively with your target audience, you need to step into their shoes to analyze their needs.
Following Style Guides
Style guides play an essential role when preparing these types of compositions and pieces. It is the factor that also distinguishes between formal and informal writing. Apart from using a formal tone, you may need to follow specific standards in creating technical content. Some typical style guides include the Chicago manual of style, oxford manual of style, and APA style.
If you create content for a company, you may seek guidelines beforehand to avoid going back and forth with a series of required revisions. Learning to write in different styles may enhance your worth as a technical writer.
Conducting Thorough Research
Research is the essential step in any form of writing. The quality of your content depends primarily on the depth of your research. You may not receive positive feedback on writing a simple piece. You may need to dive deep into the terms and figures when creating technical content. For example, if you write a how-to guide about bank vault installation, you may need to research the dimensions of the vault door, the size of the shims, the number of wedges, etc.
As a technical writer, you may not have in-depth knowledge of the subject. However, researching through helpful databases can improve your skills.
Outlining Your Draft
While researching the subject, you may need to create a rough outline of your draft. Technical writers use different ways to outline drafts. One of the easiest methods is to create a sequence. Break your article down into small segments while maintaining its chronology. Some writers start with the drafting process once done with the research. However, the unplanned structure may miss out on valuable information.
You may need to use outlining as your core practice to improve your technical writing. You can always rearrange different segments as per your need.
Correct Use of Terminologies
Using the correct terminology specific to audience is critical. If you are unfamiliar with technical terms, you may need to learn them. Finding an easy way out may not be helpful. Product manuals, how-to guides, and other instructional briefs contain many technical terms. Most of the words are industry-specific. You may not want to use supply chain terminologies in software manuals.
You can use some terms for multiple industries. However, it would help if you stuck to precise terminologies as a professional technical writer.
Ensure Simplicity and Clarity
It is essential to understand the difference between technical terms and simple language of communication. You may need to opt for straightforward language to improve your skills. Although correct technical terms are necessary, you may avoid using complex vocabulary.
Moreover, staying to the point can help you improve the overall structure of your technically written piece.
Summing Up
If you want to improve your technical writing skills, the tips mentioned above can help you enhance your ability to write effectively. To find well-written technical documents, you can search for industry-specific topics online.