Professional and Technical Writing Flashcards
Grade 12 · English · Flashcards
Core concepts, genres, principles, and strategies for professional and technical communication.
Flashcards
- Audience Analysis
- Identifying readers' knowledge level, role, needs, and expectations before drafting—the foundational step of all effective professional writing.
- Plain Language
- Writing standard: common words, active voice, short sentences, clear headings, no unnecessary jargon; mandated by the Plain Writing Act (2010) for U.S. federal communications.
- BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)
- Communication principle: state your main conclusion or request in the opening sentence so busy readers get the key point immediately.
- Inverted Pyramid
- Document structure placing most important information first; used in memos, news writing, and executive summaries to serve readers who may stop reading at any point.
- Executive Summary
- A one-page condensed overview of a longer document for decision-makers; includes key findings, conclusions, and recommendations—not just a description of the document.
- Technical Report Structure
- Title page → executive summary → table of contents → introduction → methodology → findings/results → discussion → recommendations → appendices/references.
- Proposal Components
- Problem statement → proposed solution → methodology → timeline → budget → qualifications → conclusion/call to action.
- Nominalization
- Converting verbs to noun phrases ('make a decision' instead of 'decide'); a common source of bureaucratic bloat that weakens professional writing.
- Imperative Mood in Instructions
- Instructions should use imperative mood ('Click the button,' 'Enter your password') to give direct, unambiguous commands to the user.
- Tone Appropriateness
- Formal documents (reports, proposals, legal memos) require formal tone; professional emails can be conversational; always match tone to relationship, purpose, and organizational culture.
- Progress Report
- A periodic professional document updating stakeholders on the status of an ongoing project: work completed, work in progress, problems encountered, next steps.
- White Space
- Strategic use of margins, line spacing, and blank lines around headings and lists; improves readability and signals document organization visually.
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