Technical Writing

Guidelines for Sentence Style

Knowing the basic terms of sentence structure makes it easier to apply stylistic guidelines. Following are a few fundamental guidelines that form the underpinnings for good technical writing. As you review and edit your own writing or that of others, put these principles into practice.

Sentence Guideline 1: Place the Main Point Near the Beginning

One way to satisfy this criterion for good style is to avoid excessive use of the passive voice (see “Using the Active Voice” on pages  644 – 645 ); another way is to avoid lengthy phrases or clauses at the beginnings of sentences. Remember that the reader usually wants the most important information first. The following revision moves the actors (the corporate staff) to the subject position and focuses attention on their actions.

· Original: “After reviewing the growth of the Cleveland office, it was decided by the corporate staff that an additional lab should be constructed at the Cleveland location.”

· Revision: “The corporate staff decided to build a new lab in Cleveland after reviewing the growth of the office there.”

Sentence Guideline 2: Focus on One Main Clause in Each Sentence

When you string together too many clauses with and or but, you dilute the meaning of your text. However, an occasional compound or compound-complex sentence is acceptable, just for variety. The following revision puts the key information (the change in the interview date) in the main clause, with additional information in a dependent clause.

· Original: “The M-Global hiring committee planned to interview Jim Steinway today, but bad weather delayed his plane departure, and the committee had to reschedule the interview for tomorrow.”

· Revision: “The M-Global hiring committee had to change Jim Steinway’s interview from today to tomorrow because bad weather delayed his flight.”

Sentence Guideline 3: Vary Sentence Length, but Seek an Average Length of 15–20 Words

Of course, do not inhibit your writing process by counting words while you write. Instead, analyze one of your previous reports to see how you fare. If your sentences are too long, make an effort to shorten them, such as by making two sentences out of one compound sentence connected by and orbut.

You should also vary the length of sentences. Such variety keeps your reader’s attention engaged. Make an effort to place important points in short but emphatic sentences. Reserve longer sentences for supporting main points. In the passage below, information about the armadillo and raccoon populations is placed in shorter sentences, emphasizing the problems caused by these two species.

· Original: “Our field trip for the project required that we conduct research on Cumberland Island, a national wilderness area off the Georgia Coast, where we observed a number of species that we had not seen on previous field trips. Armadillos were common in the campgrounds, along with raccoons that were so aggressive that they would come out toward the campfire for a handout while we were still eating. We saw the wild horses, which are fairly common on the island and were introduced there by explorers centuries ago, as well as a few bobcats, which were introduced fairly recently in hopes of checking the expanding population of armadillos.”

· Revision: “Our field trip required that we complete research on Cumberland Island, a wilderness area off the Georgia Coast, where we observed many species we had not seen on previous field trips. Both armadillos and raccoons were common in the campgrounds. Although the armadillos were docile, the raccoons were quite aggressive. The raccoons approached the campfire for a handout while we were still eating. We also encountered Cumberland’s famous wild horses, introduced centuries ago by explorers, as well as a pair of bobcats. Bobcats were brought to the island recently to check the expanding armadillo population.”

Sentence Guidelines

· ■ Place the main point near the beginning

· ■ Focus on one main clause in each sentence

· ■ Vary sentence length, but seek an average length of 15–20 words

Being Concise

Some experts believe that careful attention to conciseness could shorten technical documents by 10 percent to 15 percent. As a result, reports and proposals would take less time to read and cost less to produce. This section on conciseness offers several techniques for reducing verbiage without changing meaning.