Welcome to Written Communication!
You are an engineer so that means you never have to write a paper again right? Wrong! Engineers use writing everyday. Emails are used to communicate daily and reports are used to communicate big, complicated ideas and research. There are so many reasons to have good writing skills and this section will teach you why and, even better, how to have them.
A Historical Perspective: Written language is relatively modern but that does not mean it is not important. When you are writing down ideas there is no voice emphasis or body language so you have to be very precise in your wording. For example, when you are texting someone you could mean something in a casual way but the recipient could take it as hostility. When you are writing e-mails or reports the same thing could happen. You must make sure that your wording and ideas are very clear and you do not leave room for interpretation. You must also not make it too wordy.
A Historical Perspective: Written language is relatively modern but that does not mean it is not important. When you are writing down ideas there is no voice emphasis or body language so you have to be very precise in your wording. For example, when you are texting someone you could mean something in a casual way but the recipient could take it as hostility. When you are writing e-mails or reports the same thing could happen. You must make sure that your wording and ideas are very clear and you do not leave room for interpretation. You must also not make it too wordy.
Learning Objectives
- List different types of written communication and explain why it is important
- List qualities of good writing
- Explain how to improve technical writing
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Written Communication |
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Summary Report
No matter what career path someone chooses they will have to have good writing skills. Every employee will have to communicate with people in and out of the office, it is just how the modern world works. Luckily, there are an enormous amount of resources that will help people of all skill levels write a good paper. How to write a good paper is becoming more of a science than an art, there are many structures and formats to follow and with those guidelines it is hard to not be successful. What is often overlooked is why writing is an important skill.
Whether it is an e-mail, report, or presentation there are some very important “rules” to follow. Writing should be clear and concise. The modern business man/woman is extremely busy, you do not want to waste his/her time reading a long e-mail for something that could have been said in one or two sentences. The choice of language is a very important item to consider. Understanding the language of the topic is crucial to getting the exact message across that you want. Do not use slang or unnecessary complicated words. Always keep it simple and clear.
There are an incredible amount of references and videos on how to properly write a paper. It is always a good idea to learn from these references but do not rely on them. It is important to practice your writing skills; it is the only way to truly improve. Ultimately, consult your employer or your professor about the proper format for your workplace. Learn the do’s and don’ts on technical papers so that you are able to impress the company.
Whether it is an e-mail, report, or presentation there are some very important “rules” to follow. Writing should be clear and concise. The modern business man/woman is extremely busy, you do not want to waste his/her time reading a long e-mail for something that could have been said in one or two sentences. The choice of language is a very important item to consider. Understanding the language of the topic is crucial to getting the exact message across that you want. Do not use slang or unnecessary complicated words. Always keep it simple and clear.
There are an incredible amount of references and videos on how to properly write a paper. It is always a good idea to learn from these references but do not rely on them. It is important to practice your writing skills; it is the only way to truly improve. Ultimately, consult your employer or your professor about the proper format for your workplace. Learn the do’s and don’ts on technical papers so that you are able to impress the company.