Whats your experience in these genres?

Mark the following genres (all of them typical of academic and workplace settings) as S (for
speech) or W (for writing). Remember were dealing with technical communication.

telephone call
video conference
email message
lecture
technical manual
technical presentation
abstract
research paper
meeting
thesis / project defense

What is technical
communication?
i.e. how do you tell apart a technical
text (from a non-technical one)?
WHAT IS TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION?

Technical settings, technical contents

Academic and/or professional

Practical: user-oriented and efficient
WHAT IS TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION?
Bombard et al. (2007: 19)
Main features of technical communication:
Functional ( it strives for efficiency)
Concerned with the audience
It involves a choice in format
Organisation is apparent to the audience
Visuals are very important
Accurate and specialised terminology is used
Certain conventions are used ( grammar, usage, etc.)
It lends itself to a problem-solving approach
TECHNICAL
COMMUNICATOR
STEPS: DECISION-MAKING
Devising an appropriate rhetorical strategy for
communication (what should you say to whom?
How?)
Technical communication: problem-solving
Pre-writing
A PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH
Academic speaking
is similar in many ways to academic writing: it is
linear, it is explicit, it has one central point and it is
presented in standard-formal language. Academic
spoken style is also similar in many ways in that it
is formal, explicit, hedged, and responsible.
However, it is less complex and objective than
written language.

To know more about Academic English and Features Of Academic Spoken English, visit:
http://www.uefap.com/speaking/feature/featfram.htm

DEVELOPING A RHETORICAL STRATEGY
WHO is the text addressed to?

WHY is the text needed?

WHAT information do I need to convey?

HOW should I organize it in order to communicate
effectively? How should I communicate it?
A PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH
THE PLAN SHEET
What types of audiences do engineers usually have?





And what important things about them can be worth
knowing?
ANALYZING AUDIENCE

Who is going to listen to the speech?
(educational and cultural background, position within Co., English
competence; single reader or mixed / secondary audiences)
Why do they need to listen to the text? (objectives and needs of the
audience; short-term or long-term; actions to be taken)
How much do they know about the topic?
(level of expertise Are introductory conceptual frameworks necessary? Are
examples, definitions and non-defined technical acronyms necessary?
Technical jargon?
. What is their attitude towards the topic? (positive or negative attitude;
receptivity; conditions under which theyll read the document, etc.)
1.-Technical experts
read to know about latest discoveries (update)
understand jargon, acronyms, abbreviations
interested in theory and want details
resort to graphical info
read critically and expect well-supported claims
interested in method and conclusion
2.-Technicians
read for how to info( how to perform technical tasks)
interested in practical aspects rather than theoretical
may have a limited knowledge of theory
may seek background info to increase understanding
need and want visual information
read thoroughly and follow explanations to the letter
3.-Executives and administrators
read to make decisions
pressed for time interested in the gist of the document
(conclusions & recommendations)
want to find essential information easily
may have certain familiarity with technical terms
look for graphics and other visuals
want generalizations, not details
want info to be explained in plain terms

4.- Laypeople
. interested in furthering their knowledge of topics that have an
impact on their lives
. cannot understand acronyms, technical jargon, etc
. need background information
. require simple explanations (definitions, descriptions)
. want graphics to understand info better
. are more interested in practice than in theory



5.- Students
read to learn
need and want theory
understand some technical jargon
expect numerical & graphical info
require clear explanations, with definitions & exemplifications
interested in both generalizations and detail
appreciate a friendly and didactic presentation of information

6.-Mixed (different levels of expertise, different
purposes)
writers should include background info
writers should include definitions of technical terms
writers should use a matter-of-fact, business-like tone
Writers should be clear and to-the-point to cater for diversity

Primary and Secondary readers

Analyzing purpose
What is the purpose of the speech?
What do I want to achieve with this
message or speech?
What action do I want the audience to
take?
What use may the audience make of
the oral message?
"There's a comfortable glow in the shop, and cool,
satisfying smoke is billowing out of the windows."




HOW? Style and tone
STYLE
Style refers to the way the message is expressed and
is determined by the choice of grammar, syntax,
vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.
Different gradients of style:
Very formal > formal > neutral > informal > very
informal
Formal style creates a distance between writer-readers,
usually used when a large audience or superior is
addressed. Features: careful choice of words, careful use
of grammar & punctuation, formal vocabulary
Informal style aimed at peers or when there is a closer
relationship between writer-reader. Features: associated
with everyday conversational speech, vague & imprecise
expressions, lax use of grammar, syntax & punctuation,
widespread use of idioms, contractions,

Examples
Very formal
Pursuant to your orders, it is with great regret that we
hereby inform you that your companys shares have
been observed to show a significant decline in the stock
exchange.
Formal
We regret to inform you that the value of your shares has
significantly decreased in the last few days.
Neutral
Wed like to tell you that your shares have gone down in
the last few days.
Informal
Were sorry to tell you that your shares have only just
collapsed.
Very informal
I dunno how to break the news to you, Ive kept my eyes
peeled on the shares for a while and the investment has
been a complete disaster, sorry bout that.
Formal and academic verbs: examples (1)
Accelerate
Accommodate
Accompany
Achieve
Acquire
Address
Adjust
Alter
Analyse
Apply
Arrange
Assemble
Detect
Determine
Develop
Devise
Discover
Discuss
Display
Distribute
Divide
Effect
Elicit
Employ
Assess
Assist
Associate
Attach
Corroborate
Decline
Decrease
Delay
Demonstrate
Describe
Design
Enable
Enhance
Establish
Imply
Improve
Include
Incorporate
Increase
Indicate
Influence
Initiate
Insert

Interpret
Install
Introduce
Investigate
Isolate
Limit
Locate
Maintain
Manage to
Maximise
Measure
duce
Refine
Refute
Regulate
Reinforce
Relate
Remain
Remove
Repeat
Report
Represent
Resolve
Restrict
Minimise
Propose
Prove
Provide
Purchase
Put forward
Quantify
Realise
Recommend
Record
Reduce
Retain
Reveal
Review
Revise
Rise
Sample
Select
Separate
Simulate
Solve
Stabilise
Formal, academic verbs: examples (2)
Alter
Avoid
Bring about
Broaden
Calculate
Carry out
Categorise
Cause
Challenge
Claim
Classify
Consider
Consolidate
Construct
Contribute
Control
Convert
Correspond
Eliminate
Encounter
Ensure
Estimate
Evaluate
Collect
Compare
Compensate
Compute
Concentrate
Conclude
Concur
Conduct
Confirm
Connect
Examine
Exist
Expand
Expect
Explain
Explore
Expose
Extend
Extract
Facilitate
Filter
Focus on
Formulate
Generate
Give rise to
Guarantee
Identify
Illustrate
Immerse
Implement
Occur
Operate
Optimise
Originate
Outline
Outperform
Overcome
Overlook
Perform
Permit
Point out
Position
Miscalculate
Misjudge
Misunderstand
Model
Modify
Monitor
Neglect
Note
Observe
Obtain
Precede
Predict
Prevent
Produce
State
Succeed
Summarise
Support
Test
Track

Formal and academic verbs: examples (3)
Transfer
Treat
Trigger
Undertake
Utilise
Validate
Vary
Verify
Yield
.
Task on formal-informal equivalents: match them
To acquire
To reduce
To access
To appreciate
To capture
To deteriorate
To implement
To rationalize
To remunerate
To withdraw
To put into action
To pull out
To get worse
To buy
To pay
To cut down
To get into
To take
To understand
To make simpler
Informal Formal
Stick out ..
Put in
Run out
Get back ..
Break down .
Belong ..
Danger .
Be many ..

Task on formal-informal equivalents
TONE
Types of tone a writer may adopt:

personal-impersonal (subjective-objective)
distant
ironic
sarcastic
business-like
polite
casual
tentative-assertive
insulting
insistent
condescending


Common types of tone in TC
Personal tone (the you approach): not keeping a
distance with readers, writers adopt a more personal
stance, trying to get the audience involved. Texts are +
dynamic and persuasive. (Active Voice) -> didactic
tone
Impersonal tone: writers remain in the background,
remaining aloof or detached from the audience. The
focus is on the object of study rather than on the doer.
Texts are more lengthy and bulky. (Passive Voice)

Tentative tone: reflects writers need to be cautious, and
show a lack of certainty, expressed by means of
expressions of probability, modal verbs, approximate
expressions, impersonal statements,

Analysis of a company annual report: the CEOs letter to
shareholders
Assertive tone to project a competent,
trustworthy and authoritative image,
to accentuate the positive, stamp
credibility, decisiveness and
conviction:

-We firmly believe we are well
positioned to become a multimedia
technology leader
- Commercial activities in China will
definitely create unprecedented
opportunities...
- Im sure that our company will
continue to grow in 2008
Tentative tone to mitigate directness,
withhold commitment, show political
delicacy, integrity and honesty
(willingness to address hard realities):

- it would appear that local
infrastructure projects should take
up most of..
-it is possible to envisage a future..
- Some improvement may be possible
in 2008 as a result of the expansion
- At this stage, the 2008 results are
unlikely to show significant growth
over 2007
Example of formal style & impersonal tone
One of the first design tasks is determining appropriate movements of the
wipers. The movements must be sufficient to ensure that critical portions of the
windshield are cleared. Exhaustive statistical studies reveal the view ranges of
different drivers. This information sets guidelines for the required movements of
the wipers. Fundamental decisions must be made on whether a tandem or opposed
wipe pattern better fits the vehicle. Other decisions include the amount of driver
and passenger side wipe angles and the location of pivots. Figure 1.1. illustrates
a design concept, incorporating an opposed wiper movement pattern.
Once the desired movement has been established, an assembly of components
must be configured to produce the wipe pattern. Subsequent tasks include
analyzing other motion issues such as timing of the wipers and whipping
tendencies. For this wiper system, like most machines, understanding and
analyzing the motion is necessary for proper operation.

Reflections on style and tone in TC
A formal style tends to be accompanied by an
impersonal tone.
Informal style is usually used in combination with a
more personal, friendly tone.

Writers should avoid making an excessive use of
extremely formal words and expressions texts
sound pretentious.

Different types of tone and style appear in different
parts of the same document.

General piece of advice: adopt a polite & considerate
tone all through the document and avoid being ironic or
sarcastic.