As I posted last week about the use of in terms of, wordiness usually makes less effective writing. Less effective writers often also fail to distinguish between spoken English and written English. Although this failure has many manifestations, one common practice is to allow language acceptable in spoken English but not in written English.
Propriety in any form of communication always comes back to the audience. Since technical writing audiences tend to be more formal, the language used should reflect that. That’s why more effective technical writers reject from their writing many expressions commonly accepted in speech.
A good example is okay, often abbreviated OK or O.K. Typically, okay conveys approval or acceptance and appears as both a noun and a verb. In any case, more effective technical writers will replace okay with a more formal word to convey the desired meaning.
Consider the complete sentence in the cropped graphic above. Compare the feel of that sentence with the feel of this one.
Propriety in any form of communication always comes back to the audience. Since technical writing audiences tend to be more formal, the language used should reflect that. That’s why more effective technical writers reject from their writing many expressions commonly accepted in speech.
A good example is okay, often abbreviated OK or O.K. Typically, okay conveys approval or acceptance and appears as both a noun and a verb. In any case, more effective technical writers will replace okay with a more formal word to convey the desired meaning.
Consider the complete sentence in the cropped graphic above. Compare the feel of that sentence with the feel of this one.
Management has now approved the project proposal.
Can you feel the difference? The corrected sentence carries more formality, which it should for technical audiences. Here’s another acceptable (pun intended) alternative:
Management has now accepted the project proposal.
The writer may select the word used according to personal preference, so long as the audience is first served. Technical audiences are more formal audiences, and so the writers should adjust the language to match. More effective writers understand and practice this concept.
Don’t be okay with okay in technical writing. More effective technical writing not only communicates your message better but also creates a more favorable impression of you and your brands in the minds of your audience.
Don’t be okay with okay in technical writing. More effective technical writing not only communicates your message better but also creates a more favorable impression of you and your brands in the minds of your audience.
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