The World of Technical and Professional Writing

The World of Technical and Professional Writing

As technical writing grows into a more common discipline, complicated questions concerning ethical standards seem to present themselves more frequently. Much of what is written by a technical writer will need to appeal to individuals of varying situational backgrounds, and in this day of intense political correctness and moral responsibility, it is important to remember the ethical and other cultural issues associated with writing for diverse groups of people.

Perhaps the foremost ethical question that presents itself to technical writers revolves around the question “What makes a piece of writing acceptable to one’s audience?” On the surface, this is a seemingly uncomplicated thought. Unfortunately, however, it is one that few professional writers attempt to answer. This question can be approached by remembering that the ultimate goal of any form of writing is to spark an interest in the reader that will cause she or he to want to follow the writer’s thoughts to the end of the work. One way to ensure that the audience will remain attentive is to refrain from offending those who have expressed a desire to read your words. This issue is largely a matter of ethics and one that can harm or assist one’s career in technical writing. Alienation of one’s audience defeats the purpose of the work that accompanied the research and writing of the text in the first place. If technical writers simply exercise empathy and remember a few ethical and commonsensical ideas, they will find themselves far more successful in their chosen field.

When examining the ethical issues involved in the rapidly growing field of technical writing, it may be helpful to beg...

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...so factors a technical writer should consider, as he or she wants to be certain that what is written comes across to the audience in the spirit in which it was intended. As one can see, ethics are an integral aspect of this field. Their careful observation will certainly help to ensure the dignity of technical writers, as well as the profession itself, for many years to come.

Works Cited

Anderson, Paul V. “Simple Gifts: Ethical Issues in the Conduct of Person-Based Composition Research." College Composition and Communication 49.1 (1998): 63-87.

Pearsall, Thomas E., Donald H. Cunningham, and Elizabeth O. Smith. How to Write for the World of Work. 6th Ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 2000.

Pickett, Nell Ann, Ann A. Laster, and Katherine E. Staples. Teaching English: Writing, Reading and Speaking. 8th Ed. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001.