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ALL tech writing is persuasive. Any set of instructions, for example, has
as its main purpose persuading readers that they can, in fact, safely and
properly DO the process. (The thicker or the more confused/confusing the
instructions, of course, the less likely this purpose will be achieved.) A
description of a mechanical device must persuade readers that they have
sufficiently understood the device. (The more reader-centered the
information and organization of the description, of course, the more likely
this purpose will be achieved.)
Proposals are probably the most _overtly_ persuasive technical documents,
but even they should persuade without hype, without emotional appeals, and
without calling attention to their writer, who should remain essentially
transparent. Tech documents at their best persuade with accurate
information arranged in the best possible order. Tech writing is (Will this
cause a big fuss?) the _most creative_ kind of writing precisely because
the writer must _avoid or hide_ the standard persuasive techniques, must
_appear_ to be providing "just the facts" while leading the reader to
conclusions like "This is a great product!" or "This looks easy!" _without
ever saying the product is great or the process is easy_.
Steve Hollander
holland -at- ipfw -dot- indiana -dot- edu
At 03:53 PM 11/23/97 -0500, Andriene Ferguson wrote:
>Please ignore my first message (from Joseph Addei) Please respond to the
>address noted in this message.
>
>I am interested in your opinions on the use of persusasion in technical
>writing. In particular,
>
>-- Should persuasive writing/prose be used in technical documents, and if
>so when?
>
>-- Are there particular industries/documents where persuasive writing is
>acceptable in the preparation of technical documents (e.g. to persuade the
>audience to use one product over the other)?
>
>--Is there a role for the technical writer to play in the preparation of
>marketing or advertising copy?
>
>Your feedback would be appreciated. Also, if you know of any references
>or papers that have touched on this subject, I would appreciate hearing
>from you.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Andriene Ferguson
