INTRODUCTION TO TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• Discuss the significance of technical writing
• Define technical writing
• Identify the basic principles of good technical writing
• Know the two important aspects of technical writing
• Describe the qualities of a good technical report
• Identify the characteristics of a good technical communicator
• Explain the concepts of technical communication and technical documentation

COURSE CONTENTS
1. Execute, critique, or generate reports used by the PNP, BJMP, BFP, PDEA,
NBI, BUCOR, Parole and Probation Administration, and other relevant
agencies or private security agencies. Incident Report, Blotter Report,
Initial/Spot Report, Progress report, follow-up report, After incident report,
Intelligence Report, Post Operation report, Status report, Investigation report,
Final Report, Vertical and lateral report, Directive, relieved order, Assumptions
Order and report, Designation order, Periodic or evaluation report, Vertical
Memorandum, Letter of Instruction, Mission Order.
2. Use the parts, characteristics, rules in grammar, and composition, radio
codes/phonetics, in making reports, style and format, courtesy, and etiquette,
of a report or memorandum.
Rationale:
The ability to write reports effectively is advantageous in any profession, most
especially in the police service because “EVERY POLICE ACTION TAKEN \MUST
BE FOLLOWED BY A WRITTEN REPORT”. Hence all information Important to the
police must be reduced to writing. In many cases however, there are no set patterns,
but each police prepares his written reports as he sees it fits.

REVIEW OF GRAMMAR
NOUN- names a person, place, things, quality or condition. Briefly, it is a name
words.
Eg. Persons, Books, Schools, Plants, Nations, Pencil, Suspects, Policemen
Kinds:
1. Common noun- a class or group \of persons, places or things. As shown in
the example above.
2. Proper nouns- particular or specific name of persons, places, things.
e.g. Baguio City, Ara Mina, Birth Certificate, M-16, Jesus Christ, etc.
PRONOUN- used instead of a noun. E.g. she, he, they, it, their, these, this, those,
whoever, whomsoever, etc.
➢ Personal Pronoun- Indicates the person of the sentences as in:
1st person- person speaking. E.g. I
2ND person- person spoken to e.g. You
3rd person- person spoken of. E.g. he, she, it
NOTE: Generally police reports and other reports are in the 3rd persons.
Verbs- are action words. It denotes tenses. e.g. all helping verbs; am, is, are, was &
were.
The third person of a verb is formed by simply adding s or es. e.g. dance-dances,
kill-kills, etc.
Irregular verbs- form its Past-tense by changing its form. E.g. all helping verbs, write-
wrote; buy-bought, seek-sought, etc.
Adjectives- words that modifies nouns. E.g. cop- honest cop, Image- sweet image,
documents- questioned documents, figure- tall figure, etc.
Adverbs- modifies verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Ex. Brutally committed,
sincerely said, honestly done, etc.
Antonyms- are words with opposite meanings. Ex. Leave-stay, long-short, etc.
Homonyms- words with similar sounds. Ex. Buy-by, borne-born, still-steel, dear-
deer, dye-die, dyeing-dying.
Synonyms- words with similar meanings but of different sounds and spelling.
Ex. Home-abode, similar-the same, faster-quickly, brutal-cruel, etc.
Linking words- words that bridge the idea of a previous paragraph to another.
Ex. Hence, finally, otherwise, furthermore, so, yet, etc.
Punctuation – is the customary little marks that determine whether a sentence is
clear or has a doubtful meaning.
Kinds- periods, question mark, Exclamation mark, comma, semi-colon, colon,
quotation marks, apostrophe, parenthesis and hyphen.
SIGNIFICANCE OF TECHNICAL WRITING
• The significance of technical writing relates to the concept that a writer’s skills
greatly affect the kind of technical output he produces; therefore, it is
important that he should possess good writing skills to produce good written
texts.

TECHNICAL WRITING

• Technical comes from the Greek word “techne” which means “skills”.
• Skill – the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively and readily in execution
or performance.
• Also termed as report writing. (Vicente et al. 1997)
• Is the giving of an account or description of an aspect of a particular art,
science, trade or profession learned by experience, study, observation, or
investigation.
• A communication in any field where the primary aim of which is to convey a
particular piece of information, for a particular purpose, to a particular group or
group or readers.
• In the field of criminology, technical writing involves writing of police reports
and other technical output which are results of careful investigation.
Elements of technical writing
Subject matter
Study or the investigation
Organization and presentation of the information gathered
In the field of criminology:
▪ Subject matter
▪ Study or the investigation: done through observation, analysis,
experimentation, and instrumentation in order to support and present factual
information regarding assigned cases.
▪ Organization and Presentation of the information gathered:
 Basic Principles of Good Technical Writing
1. The writer of a report must have a specific reader or group of readers in mind.
2. He must decide what the specific purpose of his report is and make sure that
every part of his report contributes to that purpose.
3. He must use specific, single, concrete word and familiar language that will not
be misinterpreted.
4. He must make his report very presentable in format. The layout must conform
with the standard forms of writing.

TECHNICAL WRITING

A form of communication in a specific field

(Criminology)

It conveys a particular piece of information:

(Criminological researches, police reports, blotter entries, mememorandum,
circulars, legal documents)

It conveys a particular purpose:

(To research on a problem, to investigate a crime, to record an occurrence, to
dessiminate information, to serve as a legal basis)

It has a particular group of specific readers:

(Criminology instructors, Director General, Chief of Police, Prosecutor)
 IMPORTANT FACTORS OF TECHNICAL WRITING
1. Subject matter
2. Purpose
SUBJECT MATTER
Refers to the objective information that the writer wants to convey.
• This is the objective information of a written material.
• This tells readers what to do, and how to do a particular reading
task.
• This gives information about recorded data in criminology, military,
business, education, and the like.
PURPOSE
Refers to the goals that the writer wants to achieve for himself and his
readers after presenting his written output.
• These are the concepts and information that point to the
completion of a specific task and decision on the part of the writer
and the reader.
• This is the analysis on the events and its implications in relation to
the written text.
• It convinces, persuades, and influences the readers.

PLATO AND THE GREEKS

• Was Plato the first technical writer?
• Writing steals memory and understanding; the written word is a
mere copy of reality, unable to ask or answer questions.
• Human beings gain wisdom through contemplation and Oral
communication with others.
• Plato was concerned that writing undermine ethics.
REPORT WRITING
Police Report Writing- a police report is a very important part in the job
of a police officer because that would help him or her with the
investigation or as pieces of evidence in court.
• Police reports must be clear, factual, and concise.
 • One part of the police report is the narrative. This is the section in
which an officer describes everything that he or she has observed
at the scene.
Preparation in Report Writing
✓ Report writers will be required to first review and organize their
notes
✓ An outline can be drawn quickly from the known facts of any case,
particularly if it follows a chronological sequence.
✓ After an outline is identified, the police report writers should inspect
it for completeness prior to engaging the actual writing of the
report.
✓ The outline of the police report should answer the following: Who?
What? When? Where? WHY? How?
Values of Report Writing
1. Values to the Organization
• The progressive police executives utilizes police reports to the
fullest extent in making decisions necessary to the management of
the police unit and/or station. Much of the information necessary to
arrive at sound decisions is gleaned from administrative reports
that give a picture of the present conditions and problems
• The efficient police executive utilizes police reports to determine
the character, extent, location, and time of occurrence of the crime
and other incidents requiring police actions. With this information,
the police executives identifies police hazards, isolates the
particular elements requiring attention , and directs his energies of
eliminating the hazards, or reducing their potency.
• Police reports aid in fixing responsibilities so that the ranks and
files may be held accountable for performance. They register
assignments, and provide a check on the accomplishments of
tasks. Adequate police reports provide one of the principal aids for
the police supervisors in the management of subordinates and
help them in their routine work by showing progress of
investigations and revealing deficient and improper handling of
cases.
• As the principal medium of communication in a police organization,
police reports tends to integrate the various branches of the
agency into one coordinated unit. They are useful in keeping the
public informed of police problems and accomplishments,
 providing property inventories and records of equipment use,
fostering the financial backing, and giving sympathetic support
necessary for the accomplishing of programs, preparing the
budget, and formulating plans necessary in meeting future needs
of the organization.

2. Values outside of the Organization

• Prosecutors and the courts use them in preparing complaints and
determining the specific violations of that will be charged. They
assist the court in determining the punishment that will fit the
offender.
• Police reports are the principal source of information in the
organization’s effort to assist government agencies. Police
Organizations is frequently called upon to assist other Pillars of the
criminal justice system.
• Police reports are useful in pertinent conditions to the attention of
other government agencies. They include such items as fire
hazards, violations of health rules and building code, damaged
pavements and sidewalks, defective street lights and a multitude of
similar matter.
• The concerned government agencies often utilize the reports of
the police organization when they are being used as alleged acts
of negligence. Other law enforcement agencies find that reports
maintained by the police organization are among their most
valuable assets in conducting their investigations, and other
government agencies and private individuals find in them the
answers to many of their questions when involved in surveys and
other types of Criminological research.
• Reports permit an interchange of information among police officers
and which can be accomplished in no other way. Reports are one
of the principal sources of information in conducting investigations.

3. Values to the Individual Officer- Reports are especially hopeful

in the passing of case from one police officer to another, providing
the necessary continuity in an investigation when an incoming
police officer must take over on another police officer’s day off;
when there is a change of beat; or when, as a detective, and
investigation has been continued after the preliminary stages are
completed. In preparing cases for the court, reliance is almost
 entirely from among the police officer. Reports are the only source
of information of the disposition of a case; they tell whether the
subject will be prosecuted, reprimanded, or subjected to some
other treatment.
• Police reports prepared by the individual officer should be of the
greatest concern to them because it is being colored by their
personal qualities. In all probability, reports reveal more about the
writer than they realize. It says something about their education,
training, experience, industry, ambition, initiative, resourcefulness,
and oftentimes fears. When reports are evaluated by superiors,
they reveal the officer’s capabilities and incapability’s and
establishes a basis for commendation or criticism.

Principles of report Writing

▪ Quality is the result of accomplishments and basic principles;
and in this regard, all police reports from a simple, brief
memo to a complex, formal, Investigation report require the
application of certain standard. Any police report should be
clear, pertinent, brief complete, current, accurate, fair
properly classified, informative, and objective.
▪ Reports should be submitted on time and in proper form
because reports are written to satisfy the reader. When a
police report is to go beyond the police organization, Special
care must be exercised to include adequate background
information and to be sure that the report is complete. The
reader is depending upon the report to make his own
decisions.
PURPOSES OF REPORT WRITING
1. To account upward and outward the activities of the police and for
justification of its program, and to report upward for purposes of
administrative and operational control.
2. To report upward and outward information concerning progress,
future needs and plans, and decisions being made or which may
be made.
3. To inform downward in the organization concerning policies,
program organization’s resources, procedures and all other
matters concerning work in the police organization.
Important Uses of Report Writing
1. Reports serve as records for police administrators in planning,
directing, and organizing the unit’s duties.
2. Reports can be used as a legal documents in the prosecution of
criminals.
3. Reports can be used by any related agencies in the police service,
like the other pillars of the criminal justice system and other
agencies of the government.
4. Reports can be useful to local media which usually have access on
public documents having accurate crime statistics and informative
crime map.
5. The author of a report should also consider that his written work is
reflective of his personality.
6. Reports can be bases for research among students in criminology,
law enforcement, police administration, and other related areas.

What is a report?
- It is a story of actions performed by men.
- It is a chronological step by step account entirely or almost entirely
a factual account of the incidents that took place in a given event,
or it is the story of actions that were actually performed by flesh
and blood human beings.
What is a police report?
- Isaias Alma Jose In his Book Technical English 2: Investigative
report writing, A Study in the Philippines Setting (1991), Police
report…..”Is ANY WRITTEN PREPARED BY THE POLICE
INVOLVING THEIR INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY.”
In other words the paragraphing process could be aptly done
like this!
1. First paragraph reveals what sort of crime is being described.
2. The middle paragraphs would be involve in arrivals and departures
or the recounting of the various steps or action done; and
3. The end paragraphs concludes the report. This includes the status
of the case, the disposition of the individuals involved hospitalized,
Jailed? , taken home?, and the disposition of the evidence
obtained . Who or What is being sought for can be a basis for
ending.
What is a fact?
- A statement which can be proven because it is based on any or all
of our five physical sense of sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing
Uses of reports:
1. Records for police administrators in planning, directing and
organizing the units duties.
2. Used as legal documents in the prosecution of criminals
3. Reference by related agencies in the service.
4. Useful to local media which usually have access on public
documents for accurate statistics.
5. Basis for research among students in criminology , Law
enforcement, Police Administration and other related areas.

NATURE OF THE REPORTS

- A report of investigation is an OBJECTIVE STATEMENT of the
investigator’s findings. It is an official record of the information
relevant to the investigation, which the investigator submits to his
superior.
Sequence of report
- The report should include negative as well as positive findings in
order to remove unwarranted and misleading suspicion. A single
report is desirable but usually this is not possible because of the
leads which are involved in a typical cases.
- In a major cases a report should be submitted within a matter of
few days. The seriousness of the matter will warrant maximum
investigative efforts.
- There should be no unjustifiable delay in investigation action.
Supplementary reports will be sent out as the information is
developed or the lead discover.
- In major cases, a status report should be made even when no new
significant information has been discovered or uncovered.
- The closing report will be submitted when all leads are developed
and the case does not warrant further investigation.
MECHANICS IN POLICE REPORT WRITING
A. Selection and use of words
1. Vocabulary- The word of language. The supply of words
which we know and which we use, whether speaking or
writing.
2. Diction- the correct choice of words; selecting the exact,
precise objective words to convey a meaning.
B. Sentence Construction – Sentences should be short, simple
and direct because the longer the sentence is, the more
difficult it is for the reader to follow it, and that lends
confusion to your report, whereas, short sentences lend
emphasis, clarity, and communication, which is what any
good report writer strives for , which is what this text is all
about, and as example, this entire paragraph is one sentence
with no periods and at this point, you should feel as though
you are smothering in words and wish there would be a
period so you could take a breath.
1. Correctness in a sentence- Crimes are investigated after it
is committed and reports should be written after the
investigation, therefore, a report should be written in the
PAST TENSE.
2. Three essential Elements of a narrative:
a. Setting= when? Where?
b. Characters= Who? Victims, suspects, witnesses
c. Action= What? Why? How?
C. PARAGRAPH CONSTRUCTION- A paragraph is a sentence or
group of properly related sentences expressing a single idea,
hence, by analysis its characteristics are:
➢ it is a sentence, or
➢ A group of properly related sentences and
➢ It expresses a complete (single) idea.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PARAGRAPH
1. Short paragraph;
2. Give the readers s rest and
3. Recapture the reader’s attention
D. Spelling
E. Division of words-hypen
F. Capitalization
G. Punctuations
 ELEMENTS OF STYLE AND MECHANICS OF TECHNICAL
REPORT WRITING / TECHNICAL WRITING PROCESS
THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE AND MECHANICS
STYLE- is the way a writer puts together sentences to come up with a
more coherent, unified, and correct paragraphs.
CONVENTIONS OF LANGUAGE
Punctuations
Capitalizations
Abbreviations
Numbers
Spellings

Punctuations
Functions:
• To separate group of words for meaning and emphasis
• To convey an idea of the variations in pitch, volume, pauses, and
intonations
• To help avoid ambiguity
Comma (,)
• is used to separate items in a series, and to set off or distinguish
grammatical elements within sentences
Ex: The suspect was described as tall, has brown complexion,
medium built, and between 20-25 years old.
Apostrophe (‘)
• Is used to form most possessives, contractions, as well as the
plurals and inflections of words.
Ex: The field operative’s report is accurate.
She wasn’t in the hearing yesterday.
Colon (:)
• Is used to mark an introduction, indicating that what follows it
generally is a clause, a phrase, or a list.
 Ex. The judge has trial experience on the three judicial level: county,
state, and federal.
The issue comes down to this: will death penalty be legalized or not?
We are required to pass the following: initial, progress, and final
reports of the case.
Hypen (-)
• Used to join the element of compound nouns and modifiers.
Ex: The officer-in charge of the case is on leave.

Parenthesis ( )
• Is used to enclose material that is inserted into a main statement,
but is not intended to be essential part of it.
Ex: The six patrol cars (all outdated models) will be replaced soon.
Period (.)
• Serves to mark the end of a sentences or an abbreviation.
Ex: There is a vehicular accident in the Marcelo Fernan Bridge.
Atty. Baltazar teaches law subjects in the College of Criminal Justice.
Quotation Marks (“ ”)
• Are used to enclosed quoted statements in a regular text.
Ex: “Not guilty, Your Honor”, said the rapist.
Capitalization
1. The first word of sentences are capitalized.
Ex: There are criminals.
2. Abbreviated forms of proper nouns and adjectives are
capitalized.
Ex: Gen. (General), NBI, SOCO, PDEA, PNP
3. Names of academic degrees are capitalized when they follow
a person’s name.
Ex: Leslie Gechelle B. Dela Cruz, RCrim.
Angelo Reyes, Ph.D, CSP
 4. Full names of legislative, deliberative, executive, and
administrative bodies are capitalized.
Ex: House of Representatives, Philippine Congress, Philippine
National Police
5. The names of some historical and cultural periods and
movement are capitalized.
Ex: Fifth Republic, The Renaissance
6. Capitalize months, Holidays, and Days of the week.
Ex: The bombing happened during the Independence Day.
7. All major words of titles and subtitles of books and articles
should be capitalized.
Ex: Copies of The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology are
now available in our library.
Capitalization in the Uniformed service
Commission Officers
PNP, BFP, BJMP MILITARY
Rank Abbreviation Rank Abbreviation
ND
2 Lieutenant 2LT
st
Police Lieutenant PLT 1 Lieutenant 1LT
Police Captain PCAPT Captain CAPT
Police Major PMAJ Major MAJ
Police Lieutenant PLTC Lieutenant Colonel LTC
Colonel
Police Colonel PCOL Colonel COL
Police Brigadier PBGEN Brigadier General BGEN
General
Police Major PMGEN Major General MGEN
General
Police Lieutenant PLTGEN Lieutenant General LTGEN
General
Police General PGEN General GEN
 Capitalization in the Uniformed service
Non- Commissioned officers
PNP BFP & BJMP MILITARY
Rank Abbreviation Rank Abbre Rank Abbr
viatio eviati
n on
Patrolman/Patrolwoman Pat Jail/Fire J/FO1 Private Pvt
Officer
Police Corporal PCpl Jail/Fire J/FO2 Private Pfc
Officer 2 First
Class
Police Staff Sergeant PSSg Jail/Fire J/FO3 Corporal Cpl
Officer 3
Police Master Sergeant PMSg Senior Jail/ SJ/SF Sergeant Sgt
Fire Officer 1 O1
Police Senior Master PSMS Senior Jail/ SJ/SF Staff SSgt
Sergeant Fire Officer 2 O2 Sergeant
Police Executive Master PCMS Senior Jail/ SJ/SF Technical TSgt
Sergeant Fire Officer 3 O3 Sergeant
PEMS Senior Jail/ SJ/SF Master MSg
Fire Officer 4 O4 Sergeant

Capitalization in the Uniformed Service

Commissioned Officers
PDG RONALD M. DELA ROSA
FINSP OMAR G. PANGAN
JSUPT EDILBERTO S UMALI
COL MICHAEL C DELA CRUZ PAF
MAJ JOSEPHINE D NABUA PA
2LT JOEL B BERAN PN
Non- Commissioned Officers
PO2 Frederick Daryl C Simeon
SFO3 Joel Z Crisologo
JO3 Dianne T Naranjo
Sgt Louise B Luzung PA
MSgt Reynaldo L Avalos PAF
Pvt Danica V Paras PN

Abbreviation
• Is a shortened form of a word or phrase; the abbreviated word is
pronounced exactly the same as the full word.
1. Use abbreviations for titles like Mister, Miss, Doctor
Ex: Mr. and Mrs. Mercedes will testify in court.
2. Abbreviate academic degrees after names and separate it with
comma.
Ex: Marcus Lucas, Ph.D.
Ma. Pauline O. David, MD
3. Do not abbreviate titles if it is not used with a proper name.
Ex: My friend Dan, who is a police inspector, specializes in
ballistics.

CRITERIA OF A GOOD POLICE REPORT AND POLICE

CORRESPONDENCE
1. CLARITY- Good English is relative. It can be right for one reader,
wrong for another. In other words, this is situational. Zeroing in
written routinary communications, the writer must consider that his
readers have no time to dilly-dally because they are always in a
hurry to get things done. They have no time to be looking into the
meaning of difficult words used by an inconsiderate writers.
a. Avoid an unwitting transfer of language.
b. Avoid illiteracy.
2. ACCURACY
a. Use the word that serves your purpose.
b. Literally, accuracy means not only exactness but also non-
commissioned or errors
c. Never confuse ONE WORD FOR ANOTHER.
3. BREVITY- Or conciseness means saying much in a fewer words.
a. AVOID PADDED PHRASES
b. IMPRESS READERS WITH IDEAS NOT WORDS
 4. SPECIFICITY- Words that remain too general keep people and
events colorless and anonymous as in tools, firearms, human
beings, animals, equipment, etc.

TECHNICAL WRITING PROCESS

The Pre- writing Stage: Planning
➢ In the pre-writing stage, writers discover the dimensions of their
topic. In this stage writers use a number of techniques to discover
everything they need to know to write clearly. They treat this stage
carefully. Experienced writers ask and clearly answer eight
important questions:
1. Who is my audience?
2. What is my goal in this writing situation?
3. What constraints affect this situation?
4. What are the basic facts?
5. What is the expected final form of the document?
6. What is an effective outline?
7. What format and visual aids should I use?
8. What tone should I use?
➢ As a writer you must ask these questions. The more you clarify the
answers, the more easily you will generate the document.
Who is my audience?
• The audience is the person or people who will read your
document. The more you clarify who they are, the better you can
write to them. You should ask these questions about your
audience.
Who will read this document?
• How much do they know about the topic?
• Why do they need the document?
• What will they do with it or because of it?
What is my goal in this situation?
• You actually have two goals: To communicate a specific message
and to achieve a specific purpose. In other words, you ask and
answer two questions:
• What is my basic message?
• What is my purpose?
 • In general, your message is your content; your purpose is how you
want to affect your audience.

What Constraints affect this situation?

- Constraints are physical and psychological factors that affect
your ability to write the document. By thinking about constraints,
such as time and money, you achieve a clear picture of how
you can produce the document. Experienced writers think
through constraints carefully in order to eliminate frustration.
• How long should it be? “Long enough to cover the topic
sufficiently”, you know that people will ignore a long, complicated
document, so it has to be relatively short.
• Will the project cost money? Probably not, If you do it at the office
or lab and use all the available facilities and paper.
• How will you produce the document? You will use a computer
program and printer that you have easy access to.
What are the Basic Facts?
• Determining the basic facts for your work is a key planning activity.
You must spend time collecting these facts by reading,
interviewing, or observing. You must decide exactly which
procedure you want to include. You also need to know the basic
facts about each procedures. You would begin to list the
procedures, determining the items in the list by considering your
audience’s needs.
What is the Expected Final form?
- Many technical writing documents require a particular final form.
If you know what form is expected, you have a place to start.
Knowing what is expected makes documents easier to write
because you know which information to include and where to
place it.
What is an effective outline?
- You should first construct a preliminary outline. The indented
outline is common, an informal list of major and minor points
you want to make. You arrange your material into an order that
will guide you as you write. Without such an order, you can
easily go off on tangents or needlessly repeat material. The
 standard form of the documents will often provide you with a
broad outline, and results of your investigations during the
planning stage will provide you with the fine points.
What format and Visual aids shall I use?
- It is important to select a format and choose visual aids that will
help and not hinder your message.
- The two basic format elements are margins and heads. You
must decide on the size of your margins and the look and
placement of your heads.
- You must also choose visual aids – Pictures, tables, graphs and
drawings that clarify the topic. Visual aids will help convey
meaning more clearly than words.
- The easiest way to explain the process to your audience is to
make a visual aids of the screen. The more visuals you can
select before you start to write, the easier your writing will be.
What tone should I use?
- You must consider the tone of your document. It means what
your writing sounds like. Should it sound funny or serious?
Should you give silly examples or “in” jokes from work?
- Technical writers usually try to sound serious, but not so serious
that they sound like robots.
DRAFTING OR WRITING STAGE
- In the writing stage, you produce drafts. You already have done
careful planning and produced an outline, and now you start the
actual writing.
- You try to put on paper the words that explain the ideas in your
outline.
- Theoretically, if you have planned thoroughly, all you need to do
is flesh out the outline and describe the visual aids. You must
select, reject, and formulate your words and sentences, and find
the organization that best conveys your meaning.
- As you write, you might suddenly see that you should delete
one visual aid and replace it with a better one; the replacement
will lead you to write completely different but clearer instructions
for the operation on question.
 - In fact, you may discover an entirely new way to organize and
approach the whole topic, one that causes you to discard much
of your tentative planning.
- Good writers give themselves enough time to incorporate the
insights that they discover in the drafting stage.
- Your planning will give you a good sense of your audience and
your content. As a result your words will flow better. But, in
addition, you must have a sense of what to do as you
manipulate words. Three areas which you should consider
when drafting are:
✓ Style
✓ Organization
✓ Reader interest
STYLE--- What is a good sentence?
- You should try to write shorter sentences (under twenty five
words), to use the active voice, to use parallelism, and to use
words the reader understands.
- You will not always achieve these in the first draft, but you will
be amazed how much you can achieve even in a first draft if
you develop an awareness of them.
ORGANIZATION – What is Clear Organization?
- The strategies that make ideas to grasp are the “obvious
organization” strategies. You need to remember to make lists
repeat key terms, use heads, use definitions and use terms the
reader can understand.
Activities that will help when you get stuck
- Brainstorming- means listing every single item you can think of
about your topic.
- Just start a list. Write down everything whether or not it seems
relevant.
- You will generate enough material to expand into a good
section. Not everything you list will be something that you can
use, but much of it will be. As you continue to list, more items
will come to mind.
- Brainstorming can help you generate ideas at any stage of the
writing process, but it is especially effective when you are stuck.
Post Writing Stage
- In post writing, the last stage in the process, you craft the
document into a product that effectively guides your reader
through the topic.
- This stage consists of two types of activities editing and
producing the document.
Editing
- Editing means to develop a consistent, accurate text.
- Change the document until it is right. You check spelling,
punctuation, basic grammar, format of the page, and accuracy
of facts. You make the text agree with various rules of
presentation. When you edit, ask yourself “Is this correct? Is this
consistent?
- Construct checklist in which you list all the possible problems
that you will check for. Then read your document for all the
instances of one problem.
- For instance, first read for apostrophes, then for heading
consistency, then for spelling errors, then for consistency in the
format, and so forth.
Producing the Document
- Producing a document has two dimension; the physical
completion of the document and the psychological completion
of it.