Technical Writing:

Real-World Writing
in the 21st Century
Essential Questions:
• How does technical writing in school
prepare students for adult living,
learning, and work settings?
• How does technical writing compare to
academic writing?
• How does technical writing reflect 21st
century learning and engage 21st
century learners?
 Participants will KNOW

• what technical writing is

• what technical writing looks like in the
content areas
• how to integrate technical writing into
your content area
• how to assess technical writing
 Participants will DO

• identify writing in their CSOs

• identify technical writing to use with
specific content
• develop a technical writing prompt
using the FAT-P format
What do YOU write?
• At home?
• At work?
• For learning?
What opportunities do you
give your students to write?
What is Technical
Writing?
Technical Writing AKA …

• Business Writing
• Workplace Writing
• Professional Writing
• Informational Writing
What is Technical Writing?
It is the type of everyday writing that
surrounds us from the time we wake until we
climb in bed at night.
• Directions on the toothpaste tube
• Nutrition benefits on the cereal box
• Business letters and catalogs that come in the mail
• Written instructions for assembling a new product
• Tax receipts and notices
• Product safety information
How is Technical Writing Different?
• The information is organized, presented and
communicated in a specific format.
• The writing is concise, clear and accurate.
• The writing takes into account the audience’s needs,
biases and prior understanding.
• The writing presents information to help readers
solve a problem or gain a better understanding of a
situation.
• The writing conveys technical, complex, or
specialized information in a way that is easy for a
non-technical reader to understand.
 What employers say…
• 1/3 of the employees in America’s top
companies are poorly trained in writing and
cannot compose a coherent business
response (National Commission on
Writing)

• Conscientious employers are retraining

employees to write in the workplace
 SCANS Report
• Three-Part Foundation needed on the job
• Basic Skills (reads, writes, performs
mathematical operations, listens and speaks)

• Thinking Skills (Thinks creatively, makes

decisions, solves problems, visualizes, knows
how to learn, and reasons)

• Personal Qualities (Displays responsibility,

self-esteem, sociability, self-management, and
integrity and honesty)
 SCANS Report
• Five Workplace Competencies
• Resources: Identifies, organizes, plans and allocates resources

• Interpersonal: Works with others

• Information: Acquires and uses information

• Systems: Understands complex interrelationships

• Technology: Works with a variety of technologies

 SCANS Report
Possessing basic writing skills means
that students need “to communicate
thoughts, ideas, information, and
messages in writing; and create
documents such as letters, directions,
manuals, reports, graphs, and flow
charts.”
American Diploma Project (ADP)

Schools need to train students to

“communicate essential information
effectively via email, write proposals
to obtain new business,
communicate key instructions to
colleagues or convey policies to
customers.”
2005 Skills Gap Report-NAM
2005 Skills Gap Report-NAM
2005 Skills Gap Report-NAM
What does all this mean?

ALL teachers must help

students become better
technical writers so that
they will be prepared for
the writing they will have
to do as successful adults
in the workplace.
Activity:

Look at the CSOs for your grade

level and content area and
identify types of writing that are
already embedded.
Technical writing is a natural
partner to academic writing. It is
descriptive, creative, and
expository, but the format is
different and the standards are
higher.

Technical writing requires 100%

accuracy.
Academic Writing Technical Writing

Descriptive Writing Job Description, Incident Report,

Résumé, Process Explanation

Narrative Writing Observation Report, Progress

Report
Analysis Performance Evaluation,
Feasibility Report
Cause and Effect Analytical Report, Product Field
Test Report
Compare-Contrast Product Comparison, Feasibility
Report
Persuasive Writing Proposal, Action Plan
Examples of Technical Writing:
• Action Plans • Description
• Advertisement • Diagram, Chart, or Graph
• Agenda • Editorial
• Audit Report • Email
• Book Review • Feasibility Report
• Brochure • Field Test Report
• Budget • Incident Report
• Business Letter • Informational Form
• Business Plan • Informational Poster
• Catalog • Informative Summary
• Contract • Instructions
• Critique • Interview Questions
• Data Book or Display • Itinerary
Examples of Technical Writing:
• Job Application • Product Comparison
• Job Description • Proposal
• Lesson Plan • Questionnaire
• Letter of Inquiry • Research Report
• Letter of Recommendation • Résumé/Portfolio
• Magazine/Newspaper Article • Scientific Paper/Report
• Marketing Plan • Survey
• Memo • Test
• Meeting Minutes • Transcription
• Newsletter • Training Manual
• Observation Report • Travel Guide
• Performance Evaluations • Web Page
• Persuasive Proposal • Work Order
• Position Paper
Activity:

Look at the CSOs for your grade

and content and see which of the
Examples of Technical Writing
might be used.
Activity:

Be able to identify at least one example

of technical writing and be able to briefly
explain how it could be used in a lesson
you have planned.
Inside-Outside Circle
Results??
How Do I Use Technical Writing in
My Content Area?
Mathematics
Course Technical Writing
Consumer Math Action Plan, Budget

General Math Statistics Project: Survey, Action Plan,

Progress Report

Algebra II Process Explanation, Observation Report,

Field Test Report, Letter of Request, Action
Plan, Oral Presentation
How Do I Use Technical Writing in
My Content Area?
Science
Course Technical Writing
Biology I Observation Report, Field Test Report, Letter of
Inquiry, Brochure, Action Plan, Progress Report,
Process Explanation, Incident Report, Safety
Guidelines
Physical Science Process Explanation, Technical Instructions,
Product Description, Incident Report,
Observation Report

Inquiry Brochure on Ecosystem, Action Plan

Greenhouse Manual, Brochure

How Do I Use Technical Writing in
My Content Area?
Social Studies
Course Technical Writing
American History Itinerary, Progress Report, Cost Analysis, Letter
of Inquiry, Brochure, Oral Presentation, Business
Plan, Financial Statement, News Release

U. S. Government Letter of Inquiry regarding Legislation, Feasibility

Report, Persuasive Letter
Criminology Incident Report
How Do I Use Technical Writing in
My Content Area?
English Language Arts
Course Technical Writing
English, College Analysis of Technical Writing, Oral Presentation,
Prep Brochure, News Release

English Chart, Graph, Table, Letter of Request, Action

Plan, Progress Report, Persuasive Letter,
Process Explanation
Creative Writing Incident Report, Progress Report
How Do I Use Technical Writing in
My Content Area?
Health/Physical Education
Course Technical Writing
Aerobics Action Plan, Graph, Chart, Observation Report,
Letter of Request, Product Description, Product
Comparison, Process Explanation

Health Observation Report, Survey, Letter of Inquiry,

Interview, Brochure, Action Plan, Progress
Report, Persuasive Letter
How Do I Use Technical Writing in
My Content Area?
Visual and Performing Arts
Course Technical Writing
Music Observation Report, Letter of Request, Letter of
Inquiry, Brochure, Agenda, Program, Website,
Flyer, Marketing Plan

Art Action Plan, Process Explanation, Observation

Report, Technical Instructions, Evaluation,
Interview, Website, Marketing Plan, Progress
Report
How Do I Use Technical Writing in
My Content Area?
Career & Technical Education
Cluster Technical Writing

Health Services Observation Report, Survey, Letter of Inquiry,

Interview, Brochure, Action Plan, Progress
Report, Persuasive Letter, Patient Charting,
Journal, Research, Transcription
Human Services Action Plan, Process Explanation, Observation
Report, Instructions, Evaluation, Interview,
Website, Progress Report, Advertisement,
Proposal, Critique, Review, Business Letter,
Proposal, Job Application
Science/Natural Observation Report, Brochure, Proposal, Training
Resources Manual, Newsletter, Progress Report, Budget
Plan, Data Report, Research, Website
How Do I Use Technical Writing in
My Content Area?
Career & Technical Education
Cluster Technical Writing
Engineering/ Observation Report, Proposal, Letter of Inquiry,
Interview, Brochure, Action Plan, Progress Report,
Technical Training Manual, Instructions, Estimate, Audit
Report, Work Order
Arts and Action Plan, Process Explanation, Advertisement,
Review, Instructions, Evaluation, Interview,
Humanities Website, Progress Report, Budget Plan, Proposal,
Newspaper or Magazine Article, Publication

Business/ Observation Report, Brochure, Proposal, Training

Manual, Newsletter, Progress Report, Business
Marketing Plan, Marketing Plan, Publication, Contract, Review
What assignments
are appropriate
at what grade
levels?
Technical Writing K-2

• Advertisement for a product

• Simple Book Review
• Description of a person or thing
• Email message
• Instructions
• Job Description
• Memo
• Web page
Technical Writing 3-5
• Action Plan for a project
• Brochure
• Letters (Business, Inquiry, Recommendation)
• Editorial
• Incident Report
• Interview Questions
• Newsletter
• Performance Evaluation
• Questionnaire
•Travel Guide
Technical Writing 6-7th Grade

• Incident Report
• Travel Guide
• Field Test Report
• Newsletter
• Letter of Inquiry
• Catalog Product Description
• Oral Presentation
Technical Writing 8th Grade

• Safety Guidelines
• Informational Poster
• Magazine Article
• Survey Questionnaire
• Itinerary
• Informative Summary
• Oral Presentation
Technical Writing 9th Grade

• Letter of Request
• Process Explanation
• Product Description
• Flyer
• Pamphlet
• Progress Report
• Instructions
• Oral Presentation
Technical Writing 10th Grade
• Letters: Inquiry, Adjustment, Request
• Technical Instructions
• Technical Definition
• Flyer
• Pamphlet
• Observation Report
• Analysis: Cause and Effect
• Process Description
• Oral Presentation
 Technical Writing 11th Grade
• Letters: Application, Follow-up, Complaint
• Résumé and Cover Letter
• Job Description
• Proposal
• Description of a Mechanism
• Action Plan
• Memo to Co-workers
• Flyer/Pamphlet
• Oral Presentation
Technical Writing 12th Grade
• Letters: Recommendation, Resignation
• Performance Evaluation
• Observation Report
• Analysis; Compare and Contrast
• Informative Summary
• Feasibility Report
• Market Research Report
• Process Description
• Oral Presentation
What does a Technical
Writing Assignment
look like?
Many professional athletes and celebrities,
like movie stars and musical recording
artists, receive multi-million dollar salaries.
Many people think these salaries are
excessive; others believe they are
justifiable. As a reporter for your local
newspaper you are going to write an
editorial in which you defend or oppose the
salaries of these people.

Persuasive Proposal
Marketing Advertisement
Many new technological advances have been
made in the way Americans listen to music. CD
players replaced record players because they
were more portable. In the past few years MP3
players have become very popular. You are a
consumer advocate investigating which of these
devices is the best value. You will write an article
for your magazine, Consumer Guide, in which you
express your findings and recommend one of
these products to your readers.
Product Description
Product Comparison
Magazine Article
Many new technological advances have been
made in the way Americans listen to music.
CD players replaced record players because
they were more portable. In the past few years
MP3 players have become very popular. You
are a consumer advocate investigating which
of these devices is the best value. You will
write an article for your magazine, Consumer
Guide, in which you express your findings and
recommend one of these products to your
readers.
Format
Audience
Topic
Purpose
 Your Turn
• Decide on a type of Technical Writing you could
use in your classroom.

• Create a prompt for the assignment using the FAT-P

format.
Format
Audience
Topic
Purpose

• Make sure the prompt has a real-world context.

• Write the prompt on chart paper and post it on the wall.

Gallery Walk
How DO I Assess
Technical Writing?
100% Accuracy
is Expected.
Disengaged Learners

Technical writing widens the sphere of

students who use higher-order thinking
and writing skills to include students
who might not have learned these skills
through literary response
writing.
Infusing workplace skills and
standards into traditional
courses raises expectations
and gives students an
opportunity to excel.
Questions
and
Comments
 Reflection
Things I learned

Things I confirmed

Question I still have

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