1 TECHNICAL WRITING vs ACADEMIC WRITING TYPES of

  • Slides: 31
Download presentation
1 TECHNICAL WRITING vs. ACADEMIC WRITING

1 TECHNICAL WRITING vs. ACADEMIC WRITING

TYPES of WRITING 1. PERSONAL 2. ACADEMIC 3. PROFESSIONAL

TYPES of WRITING 1. PERSONAL 2. ACADEMIC 3. PROFESSIONAL

3 PERSONAL WRITING o Purpose/Objective: n n o to entertain to inform Evaluation: n

3 PERSONAL WRITING o Purpose/Objective: n n o to entertain to inform Evaluation: n n desired emotional response informed

4 PERSONAL WRITING o Graphics: n n o emoticons text-messaging lingo Formats: n n

4 PERSONAL WRITING o Graphics: n n o emoticons text-messaging lingo Formats: n n e-mail letters journals text messages

5 PERSONAL WRITING o Audience: n n n o equal knowledge friends colleagues Informality

5 PERSONAL WRITING o Audience: n n n o equal knowledge friends colleagues Informality

6 TECHNICAL WRITING vs. ACADEMIC WRITING

6 TECHNICAL WRITING vs. ACADEMIC WRITING

7 *AUDIENCES* o o o o Specific Audiences boss supervisor team committee politicians bank

7 *AUDIENCES* o o o o Specific Audiences boss supervisor team committee politicians bank officers general public TC o o o General Audience generic reader teacher perhaps fellow students AW

8 *AUDIENCES* 1 Document = 1 Reader: 1 Document = Many Readers: (1 Reader

8 *AUDIENCES* 1 Document = 1 Reader: 1 Document = Many Readers: (1 Reader = 1 Need) (Many Readers = Many Needs) o o o o “food chain” boss, supervisor team engineers workers politicians bank officers general public o TC teacher AW

9 PURPOSES o o Purpose = Writing Situation Objective Why was the document written?

9 PURPOSES o o Purpose = Writing Situation Objective Why was the document written?

10 PURPOSES o o o Situation-Oriented see a need — address a need internal

10 PURPOSES o o o Situation-Oriented see a need — address a need internal motivation professional motivation outcome-oriented: n to get something accomplished Assignment-Oriented o passive (vs. active) o given a topic, test o given an assignment o external motivation o scholastic motivation o grade-oriented n TC grade, g. p. a. , degree AW

11 EVALUATION CRITERIA o o Success satisfaction of the needs of all readers something

11 EVALUATION CRITERIA o o Success satisfaction of the needs of all readers something was done informed persuaded TC o o o Success correct answer right information unity, coherence support, detail grammar AW

12 APPLICATIONS Real-World Applications o case studies o illustrative scenarios o operations management o

12 APPLICATIONS Real-World Applications o case studies o illustrative scenarios o operations management o for a job o for a raise or promotion o for a bid v practical TC o o o o v College Application “academic” writing essays essay exams for academics for grade for degree “show what you know” demonstrative AW

13 DISCIPLINES o o Across Disciplines “interdisciplinary” computer sciences psychology mixture of: n n

13 DISCIPLINES o o Across Disciplines “interdisciplinary” computer sciences psychology mixture of: n n history math science technology o Single Discipline “discipline-specific” n n n o TC literary data for an English paper historical information on a history paper psychological ideas on a psychology test rarely a mixture AW

14 *PAGE DESIGN* o Paragraphs n n o o o 6 -10 lines vary

14 *PAGE DESIGN* o Paragraphs n n o o o 6 -10 lines vary lengths for visual White Space Columns Headings Lists Graphics Varying Fonts Use of Color Relative Spacing Relative Margins Relative Justification Paragraphs n n o NO n n n n o o o TC Minimum of 3 -5 sentences No maximum length White Space Columns Headings Lists Graphics Varying Fonts Use of Color Double Spacing Equal Margins Left Justification AW

15 COMPONENTS o o o Oral, Visual, Written produce documents present documents write to

15 COMPONENTS o o o Oral, Visual, Written produce documents present documents write to be read write to be seen write to be heard o o o Written infrequent oral and visual components predominant written component write to be read n o o TC by teacher write to be graded not to be seen or heard AW

16 GRAPHICS o o o o tables charts graphs diagrams photographs maps blue prints

16 GRAPHICS o o o o tables charts graphs diagrams photographs maps blue prints o o TC uncommon photographs AW

17 FORMATS o o o o o memos e-mails letters cover letters resumes proposals

17 FORMATS o o o o o memos e-mails letters cover letters resumes proposals manuals portfolio abstracts reports n n o o essay questions essays based on the rhetorical strategies n n n n formal informal n TC Description Narration Illustration Process-Analysis Division-Classification Comparison-Contrast Definition Cause-Effect Pro-Con Argument AW

18 GRAMMAR o o o o Grammar-less visual-oriented grammar = less important fragments =

18 GRAMMAR o o o o Grammar-less visual-oriented grammar = less important fragments = permissible active voice descriptive writing concise sentences spelling! proofread! TC o o o o Grammar-full written-oriented grammar = key sentence errors = avoided active voice descriptive writing concise sentences spelling! proofread! AW

19 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n n o Practicality in the employment world Real-World

19 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n n o Practicality in the employment world Real-World application Academic Writing: n n Demonstration of knowledge Limited to academia

20 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n n By an informed writer Conveying necessary information

20 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n n By an informed writer Conveying necessary information Both visually & verbally To a lesser-informed reader o o (writer = teacher) Academic Writing: n By a student-learner for an expert reader

21 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n n o Read by many, To satisfy the

21 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n n o Read by many, To satisfy the needs of many Academic Writing: n n Read by one, To appease the criteria of one

22 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n “Information Retrieval” o organization & format = designed

22 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n “Information Retrieval” o organization & format = designed to help readers quickly & easily locate information Academic Writing: n “Information Retrieval” o little concern beyond a logical organization

23 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n Public Speaking component — o o o formal

23 CONCLUSIONS o Technical Communication: n Public Speaking component — o o o formal conference speeches informal meeting speeches Academic Writing: n Limited Public Speaking opportunities o o conferences or rare class projects Public Speaking courses

24 DEFINITION Technical Communication: o o Encompasses a wide range of writing and speaking

24 DEFINITION Technical Communication: o o Encompasses a wide range of writing and speaking responsibilities required to communicate your ideas on the job.

25

25

26 SIMILARITIES o Grammar: n n n active voice descriptive writing concise sentences spelling!

26 SIMILARITIES o Grammar: n n n active voice descriptive writing concise sentences spelling! proofread!

27 SIMILARITIES o Writing as a Process: n n n Planning Drafting Revising

27 SIMILARITIES o Writing as a Process: n n n Planning Drafting Revising

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES o writing: process & product HEURISTIC: n n o process reader-focused how-to

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES o writing: process & product HEURISTIC: n n o process reader-focused how-to analyze-andcompose process o o 28 writing: product prescriptive teach from models rhetorical strategies writer-focused PRESCRIPTIVE: n n n product writer-focused models/forms of TC writing AW

29 ACADEMIC WRITING o Purpose/Objective: n n o to demonstrate knowledge to “show what

29 ACADEMIC WRITING o Purpose/Objective: n n o to demonstrate knowledge to “show what you know” Audience: n n o superior knowledge teachers, perhaps peer editors Evaluation: n n n o correct information unity, coherence, depth, clarity, grammar Graphics: n n limited to explain or persuade

30 ACADEMIC WRITING o Formats: n n n Description Narration Illustration Process-Analysis Division. Classification

30 ACADEMIC WRITING o Formats: n n n Description Narration Illustration Process-Analysis Division. Classification (Rhetorical Strategies or Writing Models) n n n Comparison-Contrast Definition Cause-Effect Pro-Con Argument-Persuasion

31 TECHNICAL WRITING o Purpose/Objective: n n o to entertain to inform Audience: n

31 TECHNICAL WRITING o Purpose/Objective: n n o to entertain to inform Audience: n equal knowledge friends, colleagues Evaluation: n n o desired emotional response informed Graphics: n n o emoticons text-messaging lingo Formats: n n e-mail letters journals text messages