Helpful Hints for Technical Writing

[Pages:41]Helpful Hints for Technical Writing

Examples of Good and Bad TechnicalWriting

Effective technical writingdemandsthat what is writtenbe direct,accurate,clear, simple, withoutambiguity,andwithoutexcess words.All informationthatis neededto make a reportcomplete must be included, and unnecessaryinformationshould be avoided.

Althoughan unlikelyplace to find examplesof good andbad technicalwriting,the lavatoriesof commercialairlinesoffer excellent examples of how a simple message shouldandshouldnotbe written.Evidently,passengersareproneto discarda varietyof articlesin thetoiletsthat the systemis not set up to handle.Consequently,most airlinespost signs askingpassengersnot to do this.

A messagein the lavatoryof one airlinestates"Pleasedo notputobjectssuchas airsicknessbags,diapers,or towels in toilet."This sign requestspubliccooperationin a way thatis simple,direct,clear,concise, andin no way offensive or funny.It needs no modificationor improvement.

Two separatesigns are found in the lavatoryof anotherairline.One says, "Discardinganythingotherthan toilet tissue in the toilet can causeexternalleaks andcreatea safetyhazard,"andthe othersays, "Pleaseuse the trashcontainerfor anythingotherthantoilet tissue."In this situation,the inaccuratemessage is stressedand repeatedthattoilet tissue is the only thingthatshouldgo in the stool.

In two otherairplanes,the signs read,"Pleasedo not depositany articlein toilet"and"Donotputany article in toilet."These messages areclear,concise, direct,andnot ambiguous.But they areinaccurate,becausethey statethatthe facility shouldnot be used.

In anotherairline,the sign says, "Pleasedo not throwtowels, cups, sanitarynapkins,bottles, razorblades, objectsin toilet."Themessagebecomesredundanwt iththeword"object,"becauseall theitemslistedarealready "(objects."As in the previousexample,"throw"is inaccurate,becauseit impliesthatdepositingthe listed items would be all rightas long as they were placedgently.

Anotherairlinehas eliminatedambiguityby saying "Do not throwpapertowels, sanitarynapkins,diapers, cups, bottles, other items in toilet." The inaccuratesuggestion remains, however, that gentle deposition is acceptable.

Anotherairlinehadthemessage,"Pleasedo notthrowforeignobjectsin flushingtoilet."This messagecontains severalexamplesof inaccuracyA. gain,canitemsbe placedgently,aslong astheyarenotthrown?Foreignobjects areexcluded,but aredomesticarticlesall right?Are foreignarticleso.k. as long as they areputin gently?And is it only duringflushingthatdepositionis forbidden?Inthis case, "flushing"is ambiguousandsuperfluous.No doubtit was intendedto identifythetypeof facility.As such,it is superfluous,becauseno non-flushingfacilities werepresent.Itis ambiguous,becauseit canidentifyeitherthetypeof facilityorits action,andcouldbe construed to meanthatforeignarticlescan be thrownat any time, exceptwhen the toilet is flushing.

A few yearsago, I foundthe sign "Pleasedo notputhardor sharparticlesor objectssuchas airsicknessbags or diapersin toilet."This message is completelyaccurate.It is somewhatrepetitiveandnot concise. Evidently the airlineagreed,becausetheirmessagenow states"Pleasedo notputobjectssuchas airsickbags,clothdiapers or cloth towels in toilet."

Remember:

Ourwritingshouldbe accurate, Clear,simple, anddirect.

Statementsthatareambiguous Are ones we shouldreject.

JeanH. Dawson,WeedScientist,Prosser,WA99350

176

WeedTechnology.1994. Volume8:176

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