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What is the difference between technical writing and academic writing?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Since there is a discussion of the differences between academic writing and technical writing, let me give you the perspective of someone who has done both. There are very important differences between academic and technical writing. One must also realize that there are also different types of academic writing and different types of technical writing.
First of all, the purposes and audiences are different between academic and technical writing. The purposes of academic writing can be: 1) to present the results of one's knowledge, 2) to present the results gained from one's personal research, and 3) to present one's point of view. Of course, both technical and academic writing is laden with jargon, but the jargon is used
for different purposes. As far as technical writing is concerned, the purposes of technical writing can be: 1) to teach someone how to use a specific product or service; and 2) to describe the procedures that are employed by companies for carrying out various tasks.
The audiences are completely different. The academic is writing to fellow scholars, and often, depending on the journal or publication, to the general public. The technical writer is writing to the user of the product or the service, or to government inspectors who need to see how the company carries out certain tasks. Users, of course, differ from product to product. In addition, technical writing differs from area to area. For
example, writing documentation for software is different from writing documentation for hardware.
When I took a technical writing course as part of my professional retraining, I had to unlearn a lot of what I had been doing as an academic writer. We are dealing with different styles of writing altogether. Also, there is good and bad academic and technical writing, and a good academic
writer may not become a good technical writer and vice versa. I have seen downright awful academic writing, where the author wrote extremely unclear and obscure prose, and I have seen extremely garbled technical writing, where it was difficult to follow the instructions.
The important variable here is teachability. If an academic writer who wants to become a technical writer is not teachable, especially coming from the academic and liberal arts world, he/she will not be a good technical writer. Good academic writing is not enough - teachability is the most important factor. One of the most important tasks of interviewers of candidates for technical writing jobs, especially candidates who have not
had professional experience, is not just simply to look at the writing samples of the candidates, but to assess how teachable they are. If the candidate has both academic and technical writing samples, the interviewer should be able to assess whether the candidate has grasped the differences between the two types of writing. This is one way to measure teachability.
A bit of advice for academics who want to go into technical writing is to peruse all the various types of manuals and documentation written by technical writers to get a sense of what is involved in technical writing.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Technical writing is focused on providing information or instructions related to a specific task, product, or process, often for a specialized audience. Academic writing, on the other hand, involves the exploration and analysis of theories, concepts, or research findings within a particular field, typically for an academic audience. The tone, style, and purpose of the two types of writing can vary based on their intended audience and objectives.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoCreative writing can be about any subject; technical writing is about technologies.
Creative writing should engage a reader, so that a reader's imagination can soar; technical writing should inform a reader, so that the reader can complete a task.
Rayan Clob
The differences between creative writing and technical writing are that creative writing is written mainly to entertain with the creativity of the mind and technical writing is written mainly to inform in a formal manner or to incite the reader to make an action such as purchase the writer's product
Rayan Clob
Technical does mean something which needs technics to be implemented in the process. Non Technical does deal with things does not actually talk concepts or technics. Something like physical work.
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Difference between technical writing and composition writing?
The difference between technical writing and composition writing is that the technical writing deals with writing off on the basis of rules that must be thoroughly proofread, while composition writing deals with writing from your imagination, with no guidelines or rules.
How is technical and scientific writing differs to academic writing?
It has an objectivity.
What is the difference between language and technical writing?
Language refers to the system of communication using words and grammar, encompassing various forms such as spoken, written, or signed. Technical writing, on the other hand, refers to a specific style of writing that communicates complex technical information clearly and effectively, often found in manuals, reports, and documentation. Technical writing requires specialized knowledge and skills to present information in a precise and easily understandable manner.
What is Difference between technical writing and academic writing?
Subject: Academic vs. technical writingFrom: Chaim Chatan Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 16:29:29 +0200Since there is a discussion of the differences between academic writing andtechnical writing, let me give you the perspective of someone who has doneboth. There are very important differences between academic and technicalwriting. One must also realize that there are also different types ofacademic writing and different types of technical writing.First of all, the purposes and audiences are different between academic andtechnical writing. The purposes of academic writing can be: 1) to presentthe results of one's knowledge, 2) to present the results gained from one'spersonal research, and 3) to present one's point of view. Of course, bothtechnical and academic writing is laden with jargon, but the jargon is usedfor different purposes. As far as technical writing is concerned, thepurposes of technical writing can be: 1) to teach someone how to use aspecific product or service; and 2) to describe the procedures that areemployed by companies for carrying out various tasks.The audiences are completely different. The academic is writing to fellowscholars, and often, depending on the journal or publication, to thegeneral public. The technical writer is writing to the user of the productor the service, or to government inspectors who need to see how the companycarries out certain tasks. Users, of course, differ from product toproduct. In addition, technical writing differs from area to area. Forexample, writing documentation for software is different from writingdocumentation for hardware.When I took a technical writing course as part of my professionalretraining, I had to unlearn a lot of what I had been doing as an academicwriter. We are dealing with different styles of writing altogether. Also,there is good and bad academic and technical writing, and a good academicwriter may not become a good technical writer and vice versa. I have seendownright awful academic writing, where the author wrote extremely unclearand obscure prose, and I have seen extremely garbled technical writing,where it was difficult to follow the instructions.The important variable here is teachability. If an academic writer whowants to become a technical writer is not teachable, especially coming fromthe academic and liberal arts world, he/she will not be a good technicalwriter. Good academic writing is not enough--teachability is the mostimportant factor. One of the most important tasks of interviewers ofcandidates for technical writing jobs, especially candidates who have nothad professional experience, is not just simply to look at the writingsamples of the candidates, but to assess how teachable they are. If thecandidate has both academic and technical writing samples, the interviewershould be able to assess whether the candidate has grasped the differencesbetween the two types of writing. This is one way to measure teachability.A bit of advice for academics who want to go into technical writing is toperuse all the various types of manuals and documentation written bytechnical writers to get a sense of what is involved in technical writing.
Could you combine academic writing and technical writing in a research paper?
yes
What is the difference between creative writing and technical writing?
Dr. Shoaib ashraf jatt apni kitab "MAIN OR MERY SHARARTI TAJURBY" men likhty hen k Mere khyal k mutabiq "The difference between creative writing and technical writing is that creative writing deals with writing from your imagination, with no guidlines or rules, while technical writing deals with writing off a basis of rules that must be thoroughly proofread.
What are the similarities between technical writing and non technical writing?
non technical writing are not techincaly real writing
What is difference between technical writing and documentation?
If both cover the same subject, there is no difference. In the software industry, the terms are interchangeable.
What is the difference between business writing and technical writing?
I'll readily discover some overlap between technical writing and business writing, the two have many distinct differences, both in terms of subject matter and document format, whereas commerce and the business community govern the subject matter of business writing, technical writing deals primarily with the hard sciences and industial community. the primary documents of business writing are letters, memorandas and business reports, the primary documents of technical writing are technical reports, manuals and instructions. By.Yassein Hassan.
What is the difference between writing in academic and professional voice?
Writing in an academic voice typically involves more formal language, specialized terminology, and a focus on research-based evidence to support arguments. On the other hand, writing in a professional voice may be more straightforward, concise, and tailored to a specific audience or purpose. Academic writing often aims to contribute new knowledge to a field, while professional writing is often intended for real-world applications or communicating within a particular industry.
What is the difference between Technical and Nontechnical writing?
In Technical Writing, we eliminate technical jargons and write in such a way that it is understandable by laymen. We need to make sure the meaning of the original technical word doesnt change. Non-technical Writing doesnt include or relate to technical stuff. This covers a vast range like - essay writing, blogging etc
What do you feel is the connection between academic and professional writing?
Academic and professional writers use many of the same rules. With the proper technical knowledge, many professional writers can write academic research papers. At the same time, because of the relaxed requirements most academic writers make good professional writers.
