Technical writing facts for kids
Technical writing is a special way of writing that helps people understand complicated information. It's all about explaining things clearly, especially topics that are technical or specialized, like how a computer program works, how to do a medical procedure, or what rules there are for protecting the environment.
It also means giving instructions on how to do something, no matter if the task is super technical or just a simple everyday job. The main goal is to make sure the reader can easily understand and use the information.
Who Reads Technical Writing?
When a technical writer creates something, they always think about who will read it. This is called the audience. Imagine you're explaining a game to a friend who already knows a lot about video games, compared to explaining it to someone who has never played before. You'd use different words and give different details, right?
It's the same with technical writing. For example, if you're writing instructions about health, you would write very differently for:
- Doctors and nurses, who already know a lot about medicine.
- Everyday people who are well-educated but not medical experts.
- People who might not have much education.
The way you write needs to match the people who will read it. This means using words they understand and giving them just the right amount of detail. It's important to use clear and simple language, especially for readers who might not speak English as their first language.
Technical writing isn't just about words; it also uses pictures, diagrams, and charts to help explain things. Think of an instruction manual for building a toy – it has both words and pictures!
Every piece of technical writing follows a logical plan. Sometimes, it describes something, like explaining all the parts of a car engine. Other times, it helps solve a problem, like a guide on "How to change a flat tire."
Many encyclopedias, like those about health, are good examples of technical writing. They give you information and often include sections that show you "how to do it."
A Brief Look at History
People have always needed guides and instructions. Even before printing presses were invented, people wrote "how-to" guides by hand in manuscripts. These old guides helped people learn skills or understand complex ideas, just like modern technical writing does today.
