Unit 1

Fundamentals of Technical Communication

1. Unit -1 Fundamentals of Technical
Communication

2. What is Communication?
•Communication is simply the act of
transferring information from one place,
person or group to another.
•Every communication involves (at least) one
sender, a message and a recipient. This may
sound simple, but communication is actually a
very complex subject.

3. What is Technical Communication?
The Reality: Technical Writing and Communication
•How graduate engineers spend their time:
–25-50% Problem solving of some kind
–50-75% Communicating (Writing and reading reports,
letters, memos, proposals, presentations, discussions
w/colleagues, managers, clients)
•Performance evaluations and job advancement
usually depend more on communications skills
than on technical skills

4. •Technical communicationis a means to convey
scientific, engineering, or other technical information.
TheSociety for Technical Communicationdefines the
field as any form of communication that focuses on
technical or specialized topics, communicates
specifically by using technology or provides
instructions on how to do something.
•Technical Communication is "the process of defining,
creating and delivering information products for the
safe, efficient and effective use of products (technical
systems, software, services).

5. Characteristics of Technical
Communication
•Addresses particular readers
•Helps readers solve problems
•Reflects an organizations goals and culture
•Is produced collaboratively
•Uses design to increase readability
•Consists of words or graphics or both
•Is produced using high tech tools

6. Distinction between General and Technical
Communication
General Comm
•Contains General Message
•Informal
•No Set Pattern
•Mostly oral
•Not always for specific
audience.
•No use of Technical Jargons
Technical Comm
•Contains Technical Message
•Formal
•Follows a set pattern
•Both oral and written
•Always for Specific audience
•Involves Technical jargons
and graphics

7. Language as a tool of Communication
•Language as a tool to interact with others-Condition for the
communication occurred is need involvement of two or more
persons conducting talk to each other. In this case interaction
process is emphasized in order to allow interchange feedback
between the speaker to his interlocutor, and vice versa.
•Language reflects a person's level of education-An educated
would be recalled better than uneducated people. The higher a
person's education, the higher their speech wisdom. The
emergence of this opinion because the interaction is often done by
people who are well educated, influenced by the environment of
residence, as well as the school environment or the working
environment. So that educated people tend to interact with the
environment that supports the use of language quality, than those
who are less educated.

8. •Indicates authority-A leader would have to be able to
speak well rewarded subordinates. This is related to
one's mastery of the language, if a leader can speak
well, then he can express his ideas in a clear and
straightforward so that shows the authority of the
leader.
•As the force of law-With language, a person can
identify the language of selfdefenseor rival. Someone
who speaks, even to escape easily from the case
addressed to him. This suggests that language can be
implemented as an ability / skill in communicating.

9. •Attract the customer-Language of good and interesting
ads will make consumers interested in trying your product.
In communications, advertising language is included in the
scope of advertising. In an effort to convey the benefits and
efficacy of the product, the process of communication can
not be released from the distribution of a product to
consumers.
•Indicates a person's social standing-With the language,
one can reflect on his position in society. Diversity of
languages mastered one will certainly differ from one to
another, it is influenced by the language acquisition from
the environment. So people who have a high diversity of
languages, and be able to communicate well be seen as the
privileged in society

10. Dimensions of Communication
•Written and oral, which includes listening and speaking-Written communications
include such activities as writing reports and executive summaries, and writing e-
mails. Oral communications include giving oral presentations, communicating
within a group context, and communicating one-to-one. Listening and speaking
skills also are important in ensuring that project information has been distributed
properly.
•Internal and external-Internal communications are information exchanges that
take place within the organization itself. External communications involve
stakeholders and customers who are not officers or employees of the organization
–vendors, customers and the media are a typical example.
•Formal and informal-Formal communication involves formal deliverables, such as
briefings and status reports describing any key accomplishments and concerns.
Informal communications may include phone conversations, e-mail, and adhoc
conversations.
•Vertical and horizontal-Vertical communications are directed at persons who are
at different levels within the corporate hierarchy. Horizontal communications take
place with persons who have similar levels of responsibility and authority your
peers.

11. Reading & comprehension
•Readingis defined as a cognitive process that involves
decoding symbols to arrive at meaning. Reading is an active
process of constructing meanings of words. Reading with a
purpose helps the reader to direct information towards a
goal and focuses their attention. Although the reasons for
reading may vary, the primary purpose of reading is to
understand the text. Reading is a thinking process. It allows
the reader to use what he or she may already know, also
called prior knowledge. During this processing of
information, the reader uses strategies to understand what
they are reading, uses themes to organize ideas, and uses
textual clues to find the meanings of new words. Each of
the three components of reading is equally important.

12. The Reading Process
•The first is thepre-readingstage, which allows the reader to
activate background knowledge, preview the text, and develop a
purpose for reading. A strategy for students to utilize during this
stage is to look at the title of the selection and list all the
information that comes to mind about the title.
•The second stage occursduring reading, when the reader makes
predictions as they read and then confirms or revises the
predictions. For example, double-entry journal enable the reader to
write the text from the reading on one side and their personal
reaction on the other side.
•The final stage occursafter readingand allows the reader to retell
the story, discuss the elements of a story, answer questions and/or
compare it to another text. For example, students can create
summaries, where they take a huge selection and reduce it to its
main points for more concise understanding.

13. Reading Comprehension
•Reading comprehension is the level of understanding
of a text/message. This understanding comes from the
interaction between the words that are written, and
how they trigger knowledge outside the
text/message.Comprehension is a "creative,
multifaceted process" dependent upon fourlanguage
skills:phonology,syntax,semantics,
andpragmatics.There are 7 essential skills for reading
comprehension: Decoding, Fluency, Vocabulary,
Sentence Construction and Cohesion, Reasoning and
background knowledge, and Working memory and
attention.

14. Kinds of Reading
•Skimming-Skimming means to read a page or handout -
skip read -by reading the headings and first sentences of
each paragraph or section. It usually takes three forms:
Preview, Overview and Review.
•Scanning-Scanning differs from skimming in that you do not
deal with all of the content, but search through the
material for a specific purpose or a specific word (or its
synonym):
•finding the answer to a question
•seeking an appropriate quotation reference or statement
•locating names in a directory, words in a dictionary, prices
in a catalogue, etc.

15. •In-depth reading-In-depth (or detail) reading
is the most involved and essential. The
purpose of this style is to understand the
concepts and arguments that the text
contains. It should be done after skimming the
text

16. Barriers to Communication
•Physical Barriers:Acommunication is a two-way
process, distance between the sender and the receiver
of the message is an important barrier to
communication. Noise and environmental factors also
block communication.
•Personal Barriers:Personalfactors like difference in
judgment, social values, inferiority complex, bias,
attitude, pressure of time, inability to communicate,
etc. widen the psychological distance between the
communicator and the communicate. Credibility gap
i.e., inconsistency between what one says and what
one does, also, acts as a barrier to communication.

17. •Semantic or Language Barriers-Semantic is
the science of meaning. The same words and
symbols carry different meanings to different
people. Difficulties in communication arise
when the sender and the receiver of the
message use words or symbols in different
senses. The meaning intended by the sender
may be quite different from the meaning
followed by the receiver.

18. •Organizational Structure Barriers-Effective
communication largely depends upon sound
organizational structure. If the structure is complex
involving several layers of management, the
breakdown or distortion in communication wall arise.
•Barriers Due to Inadequate Attention:Inadequate
attention to the message makes communication less
effective and the message is likely to be
misunderstood. Inattention may arise because of over
business of the communicate or because of the
message being contrary to his expectations and beliefs.
The simple failure to read notices, minutes and reports
is also a common feature.

19. The flow of Communication
•In an organization, communication flows in 5
main directions-
•Downward
•Upward
•Lateral
•Diagonal
•External

20. •Downward Flow of Communication:Communication that flows
from a higher level in an organization to a lower level is a
downward communication. In other words, communication from
superiors to subordinates in a chain of command is a downward
communication. Downward communication is used by the
managers for the following purposes-
•Providing feedback on employees performance
•Giving job instructions
•Providing a complete understanding of the employees job as well as
to communicate them how their job is related to other jobs in the
organization.
•Communicating the organizations mission and vision to the
employees.
•Highlighting the areas of attention

21. •Upward Flow of Communication:Communication that flows to a
higher level in an organization is called upward communication. It
provides feedback on how well the organization is functioning. The
subordinates use upward communication to convey their problems
and performances to their superiors.
•The subordinates also use upward communication to tell how well
they have understood the downward communication. It can also be
used by the employees to share their views and ideas and to
participate in the decision-making process.
•Upward communication leads to a more committed and loyal
workforce in an organization because the employees are given a
chance to raise and speak dissatisfaction issues to the higher levels.
The managers get to know about the employees feelings towards
their jobs, peers, supervisor and organization in general. Managers
can thus accordingly take actions for improving things

22. •Lateral / Horizontal Communication:Communication that takes place at
same levels of hierarchy in an organization is called lateral communication,
i.e., communication between peers, between managers at same levels or
between any horizontally equivalent organizational member. The
advantages of horizontal communication are as follows:
•It is time saving.
•It facilitates co-ordination of the task.
•It facilitates co-operation among team members.
•It provides emotional and social assistance to the organizational members.
•It helps in solving various organizational problems.
•It is a means of information sharing
•It can also be used for resolving conflicts of a department with other
department or conflicts within a department.

23. •Diagonal Communication:Communication that takes
place between a manager and employees of other
workgroups is called diagonal communication. It
generally does not appear on organizational chart. For
instance -To design a training module a training
manager interacts with an Operations personnel to
enquire about the way they perform their task.
•External Communication:Communication that takes
place between a manager and external groups such as -
suppliers, vendors, banks, financial institutes etc. For
instance -To raise capital the Managing director would
interact with the Bank Manager.

24. Technical writing
•Technical writing is a type of writing where the author is
writing about a particular subject that requires direction,
instruction, or explanation. This style of writing has a very
different purpose and differentcharacteristicsthan other
writing styles such as creative writing, academic writing or
business writing. Technical writing encompasses all
documentation of complex technical processes. It includes
reports, executive summary statements, briefs. Any time
technical information is conveyed in writing at work, it is, by
definition, technical writing.This can include high-tech
manufacturing, engineering, biotech, energy, aerospace,
finance, IT, and global supply chain.

25. Characteristics of Technical Writing
•Technical writing, just as any other form of writing, has certain
characteristics which distinguish it from other types of
writing. It is very different from writing opinion pieces, essays,
prose, non-fiction or fiction.
•It is clear and straight forward. If you are interested in
technical writing for professional purposes, it is very
important to know that this type of writing requires that the
writer stick to the subject matter and relay information in a
clear and concise manner.
•The language is very direct and straight to the point. The
writing will avoid words that people do not understand and
will avoid an eloquent writing style.

26. •It is very detailed and informative. The perfect
example of technical writing is a textbook. The
written content of most textbooks is geared to
providing information by describing the subject
matter as fully as possible.
•It is very structured. This type of writing has a very
obvious composition that makes it easy for the
reader to follow along. Solid structure is needed with
technical writing as it allows the audience to easily
access the information as needed.

27. •For example, instructions of all sorts are a perfect
example of technical writing.
•When you open up an instruction manual, as the reader,
the goal is to be informed about the product so that you
can use it as efficiently as possible.
•Lab reports are another example of technical writing. The
main purpose of a lab report is to explain the
occurrences in a lab so that others will be able to gain
information.
•Driving directions can be considered a type of technical
writing as the goal is to clearly and efficiently provide
instructions on how to go from point A to point B.

28. Tips for Good Technical Writing
•Know your audience. An expert in the field will understand
certain abbreviations, acronyms, and lingo that directly
applies to such a field. The novice will not understand in the
same manner and, therefore, every detail must be explained
and spelled out for them.
•Use an impersonal style. Write from a third person
perspective, like a teacher instructing a student. Any opinions
should be omitted.
•The writing should be straightforward, to the point, and as
simple as possible to make sure the reader understands the
process or instruction. This at times may appear as simply a
list of steps to take to achieve the desired goal or may be a
short or lengthy explanation of a concept or abstract idea.

29. •Know how to research. Gather information from a number of
sources, understand the information gathered so that it can
be analyzed thoroughly, and then put the information into an
easy to understand format to instruct those who read it. The
more inexperienced your audience, the more information you
will need to gather and explain.
•Be thorough in description and provide enough detail to make
your points; but, you also have to consider that you need to
use an economy of words so that you do not bore your reader
with gratuitous details.

30. Kinds of Technical Writing
•Traditional Technical Writing-While traditional technical
writing sounds broad, pieces of content within this category
are specifically written for professional audiences. These
experts rely on traditional technical writing for targeted
research papers, programming guidelines, and repair
manuals.
•Science and Medical Papers-Research results can be hard to
explain, so scientists collaborate with technical writers to
interpret and organize findings. These results are published in
medical journals, so the presentation of material requires fine
detail, accuracy, and organization. These papers act as
learning resources for practitioners to understand procedures
and results. As with any form of research, technical writers
ensure that proper credibility is given in the text

31. •End-User Documentation-Almost every product you purchase
has a written explanation of operation. These “how-to” pieces
are written to help users understand and operate products
correctly. After all, what good is a product if users don’t know
how to properly use it? Since end-user documentation
requires clear and concise instruction, it’s important to create
content that breaks down technological terms to layman’s
terms. Specific examples of end-user documentation are as
follows:
•User Help Guides Assembly Guidelines
•Product Manuals Technical Books

32. •Proposals and Pitches-Many B2B (business to
business) sale relations involve proposals and
pitches written by technical writers. Once a
company presents the specs for a
collaboration or solution, tech writers join the
team to explain the technical aspects of
proposals. Once the business plan is set,
technical writers then gatherkey elementsof
the executive summary to create a pitch.

33. •Brochures-Brochures in technical
communications are more than pretty pictures
of a tropical island you’d like to plan a vacation
to. Brochures take users to a deeper level of
understanding and appeal through clear
descriptions, functions, and uses of a product.

34. Technical Writing-Sentences
•Asentenceis the largest unit ofany language.
In English, it begins with acapital letter and
ends with afull-stop, or aquestion mark, or
anexclamation mark.
•Thesentenceis generally defined as a word or
a group of words that expresses a thorough
idea by giving a statement/order, or asking a
question, or exclaiming.

35. Sentence Pattern
•Simple
•Complex
•Compound
•Compound Complex

36. •Simple-Contains only one clause.
•Compound-Contains 2 or more main clauses
•Complex-Contains one main clause and one
or more subordinate clause.
•Compound –Complex-Made up of 2 or more
complex sentences joint by coordinating
conjunction.

37. Salient points of Sentence
Construction
•Short Sentences-Sentences convey meanings better.
•Break the sentence-a long sentence must be broken in
shorter sentences to bring clarity.
•Economy with words-A briefly worded sentence saves the
time of the reader apart from being clearer.
•Right word order and proper emphasis-For the meaning of
the message to be clear, words must be in right order.
•Active Vs Passive Voice-Passive constructions often result in
Vagueness.Hencethe sentence must be written in Active voice.

38. •Avoid ambiguous sentences-Ambiguity is the hindrance to clarity. For
Example-
•Marcy got the bath ready for her daughter wearing a pink tutu.
Was Marcy wearing the tutu? Or was her daughter?
•Well, I've certainly never tasted chicken cooked that way before!
Was the chicken good or bad?
•Call me a taxi, please.
Is the speaker asking someone to hail them a taxi or to be called a taxi?
•Stop trying topush the envelope.
Is someone trying to push the boundaries in a current situation or literally
push an envelope across a desk?
•I saw someone on the hill with a telescope.
Did you use a telescope to see someone on the hill or did you see
someone on the hill holding a telescope?

39. Paragraphs
•A paragraph is a unit of writing in a larger body of work. A
paragraph expresses a particular topic or theme. The purpose
of a paragraph is to express a speaker’s thoughts on a
particular point in a clear way that is unique and specific to
that paragraph. In other words, paragraphs shouldn’t be
mixing thoughts or ideas. When a new idea is introduced,
generally, a writer will introduce a new paragraph. A good
body paragraph will have the following:
•Topic Sentence
•Supporting Sentences
•Concluding Sentence

40. •What is a topic sentence?A topic sentence is the first
sentence of the body paragraph. Simply put, the topic
sentence introduces the topic of the paragraph. A good topic
sentence will be broad enough to allow for explication but
narrow enough that it does not require a paragraph that is too
long.
•What is a supporting sentence?The supporting sentences of
a paragraph are the sentences between the topic sentence
and the concluding sentence. The supporting sentences
“support” the topic sentence. That is, they explain and
elaborate the point of the paragraph.

41. •What is a concluding sentence?The
concluding sentence is the last sentence in the
paragraph. It should succinctly end the
paragraph and transition to the next
paragraph, if appropriate.

42. Paragraph Patterns
•Inductive
•Deductive
•Spatial
•Linear
•Chronological

43. •Inductive-Induction is amethodof reasoning that
moves from specific instances to a general
conclusion. Also calledinductivereasoning. In
aninductiveargument, a rhetor (that is, a speaker
orwriter) collects a number of instances and forms a
generalization that is meant to apply to all instances.
Inductivereasoning presents facts and then wraps
them up with aconclusion.

44. •Deductive-This is just the opposite of
Inductive. Here the core idea is stated in the
first sentence, which is topic sentence of the
paragraph. From this sentence, the author
deduces or infers its implications and reasons
out of specific examples.

45. •Spatial-Spatial order is the location of things
in order of their physical being. Therefore, a
spatial order paragraph is a form of writing
that describes items as they are in their
physical location. The description need not
necessarily follow a time pattern but it can
depict the spatial movement, like outside,
inside, back, front etc.

46. •Linear Pattern-Paragraphs developed in the
linear or sequential fashion present the logical
progression of a process. The steps involved in
manufacturing of product may be depicted
using a paragraph of this kind.

47. •Chronological Pattern-A chronological pattern
organizes information according to the
sequence of time. Each section or paragraph
represents a certain moment in time and the
sub-points can explain the important events
that occurred within that moment. This
pattern is especially beneficial when writing a
historical essay or a biography.