Progress in technology has only increased the need for good writing. Humans must still communicate effectively: writing demonstrates the human capacity for manipulating symbols. Indeed, it is itself technological. In the field of engineering, English is particularly important. Most engineers spend considerable time writing and editing. Since certain projects receive much attention, many engineering documents are widely read.
There are obviously many different types of writing. A style used for one purpose, may not be particularly suited for another (Day 1). Technical writing, for example, differs considerably from creative writing. Creative writing deals with feeling, emotion, and opinion; whereas, technical writing involves a dispassionate recording of fact.
The need for simplicity, clarity, and conciseness in technical writing can be traced back as far as Francis Bacon The "so-called 'father of science,'" rebuked Renaissance writers. He claimed that they "hunt more after words than matter (Goldbort 39)." In contrast, during the 1950s, sociologist Talcott Parsons postulated that class distinctions might one day be based on technical vocabularies. He predicted that technical professionals would use language to protect their own interests; the development of "specialized lexicons" would create a "technical priesthood." Parsons believed that such a class might control the nontechnological masses through verbal and written obfuscation (Smith 577).
Fortunately though, current opinion seems to favor the "technological democracy." The need for comprehensible information is widely recognized. In technical writing there are three main objectives. These are as follows: (1) to record; (2) to inform peers; and (3) to educate succeeding generations (Day 2). These ends are best achieved through simplicity, clarity, and organization (Day 4). Modern technology involves some extremely complicated problems. Engine...