Response to 4 Technical Writing Articles

After reading the four articles on technical writing, I found that each article gives a similar definition of technical writing and technical communicators. However, each article develops the idea of technical writing through different approaches, varying from the history of communication to the use of technical communication in the workplace and ways to be efficient while communicating in a technical style.

I was able to relate my future profession to each of these articles as far as the use to technical writing in the medical field is concerned. The first article "What is Communication?" says that some technical communicators work with medical researchers in order to help them convey clear material to the public. Without a doubt, it is important that a variety of people can understand clearly how to properly take prescriptions and follow medical procedures in order to prevent injury. I am interested in promotion and education in the health field, so this particular aspect of this article pertains to me.

The second article on the labor statistics of writers and editors describes the work of science and medical writers. They are said to "prepare a range of formal documents presenting detailed information on the physical or medical sciences. They convey research findings for scientific or medical professions and organize information for advertising or public-relations needs. Many writers work with researchers on technical subjects to prepare written interpretations of data and other information for a general readership." The field of education in health without a doubt deals with the needs of the public, both general and other professions, of accurate and specific medical information. This article also says that information must be easily understandable, which is true in order for people to be able to continue to take care of themselves once out of the direct care of medical professionals.

The article "What is Technical Communication?" describes a variety of aspects of the types of technical communicators and the many types of writing they can do. Related to the medical field, technical communicators write for medical journals in order to release important medical information to the public in ways that are accurate and easy to understand. Also, medical information can be translated into a variety of languages so that a variety of people will be able to receive proper medical aide.

The powerpoint provides a thorough description of technical writing and the procedure that technical writers take before writing documents. As related to the medical field, technical writing must filter through data in order to create a "usable context" before writing for the general public. If a technical writer were writing the correct way to use a piece of medical equipment, it would be unnecessary to go into detail about how the piece of equipment was made or what material the equipment is made of.

Each of the four articles provides a similar definition of technical writing, describing it as writing that conveys instructions and procedures in an accurate manner to a variety of people. Each of these articles can be related to the medical field in the ways that can be seen above.