Technical Writing – How to Avoid Unnecessary Granularity & Details
Where do we stop describing the details of a stepped procedure? How “granular” a procedural description needs to be? EXAMPLE 1: When we tell someone “by using an Allen wrench, tighten the screws A, B, and C” do we need to start with instructions to go get the wrench first? Go to your tool box.…
Read MoreWhat's the Difference Between Copy and Technical Writing?
© Ugur Akinci There are four different goals of writing, depending on the writer and the assignment in question. Writers try to 1) sell 2) teach 3) move emotionally, or 4) administer others. And these goals give rise to the following four types of writing: 1) Copy writing (sell) 2) Technical writing (teach) 3) Fiction/Creative…
Read MoreWhat is a Retronym?
Introduction Would you believe if I told you that you use one “retronym” after another whole day long? You probably wouldn’t because, as a life-time student of English, I also didn’t know for years what a “retronym” was. The reason I’m sharing this with you is my firm belief about the power of becoming fully…
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The Proper Way to Use "Only" in Your Technical Documents
In a technical document, the meaning of a sentence shifts considerably and sometimes dramatically depending on where the technical writer places the qualifier “only”. Use “only” right next to the word that it qualifies. EXAMPLE 1: 1) “The engineers only wanted to test the engine on a Saturday,” is different in meaning than 2) “The…
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