Throughout the length of this course the class has learned the difference between technical writing and narrative writing.  We have taken on many projects and assignments that have helped to explain and teach the art of technical writing.  One of the first questions asked in this course was, “What is professional writing?” By using the book and class discussions we were able to define professional writing and use the guidelines already established to aid us in our class writings.  There are some basic differences that arise when comparing professional or technical writing to narrative writing.  Also, we have compared the task of writing for the web with writing for print.  I will discuss the main points and differences between these types of writing in the following paragraphs.

 Professional writing is a way to communicate information by appealing to the reader’s understanding instead of imagination.  Professional writing should advance the goals of the reader or the company or organization the writer represents.  Whether writing for the web or for print there are some basic principles and practices that apply to professional writing.  One of the main goals of technical writing is to convey information.  This is done by being straight and to the point.  There is no need for extra jargon is this type of writing.  The writer must appeal to the reader’s understanding the information rather than the imagination.  Technical writing should be reader oriented and very efficient.  Only useful information should be included when writing a technical work.  The writer should consider the content and organization when writing for a technical audience and use the proper format and style that conveys the message and fulfills the purpose of the writing.  When writing a narrative work or for an imaginative audience the writer would not use some of these practices.  A technical document does not appeal to the reader’s senses, unlike a narrative work that uses all of the senses.

 Writing for the web is also different that other types of writing.  As the class experienced this semester, writing for the web is a totally different field of writing that has its own distinctive audience that must be catered to.  The web reader is different because they are visually oriented.  When writing for the web many considerations must be met or the writing will not convey the correct message.  A potentially global audience must be a consideration.  The size of the audience and the purpose of the document must go hand in hand.  The audience for the web is looking at a screen, not holding a piece of paper.  This means that the reader must capture the audience’s attention with visually stimulating pictures.  It is also necessary to have a clear and concise format so the reader can easily navigate the work.  The sentence structure should be shorter and more to the point.  When writing for a web audience it is important to remember that you are writing for a multicultural audience and the writer has no control over who reads the document once it is posted.  We also learned that writing for the web can be a collaborative project that includes writers and clients.  When writers collaborate on projects for clients they have to consider everything the client wants on the web.  As I experienced with the class projects, there are many differences that must be considered when writing for the web.

 Reading on the web is also very different than reading printed text.  The reader should be able to scan the document and get the main point of the document very quickly.  When I am reading on the web, I like to see colors and pictures that keep my attention because I am staring at a screen.  The reader also likes to have clear titles and links that allow them to navigate the site with ease.  It is also helpful for the text to be larger because smaller text can hurt the eyes and that makes the reading experience unpleasant.  In class we had other students read our work posted on the web, and one of the main issues that we focused on was, “Is it easy to read?”  We also consider the other links that the document links to.  Internal links are very helpful if the site exceeds the length of the screen.  It is also good to have an outline at the beginning of the document so the reader knows exactly what is on the page.  Reading on the web is very intangible and impersonal.  For these reasons the writer must work to keep the reader’s attention and still convey the purpose of the document.

 Throughout this class we have been dealing with appropriate principles and practices for the web.  We discussed using graphics that were not our own design, cursing or bad taste, and general legal issues.  It is appropriate to consider who your audience is and that it is potentially global.  As I learned, there are other people to consider when working on a project for a client.  Many people are involved and the rights of others must be considered.  These problems can be helped, it the writer follows checklists or guidelines that have been set up for this purpose.

 As we discussed in class the main difference between writing for the web and writing a narrative work is the absence of the beginning, middle(climax), and conclusion in a technical document. A narrative work appeals to all of the sense, unlike technical writing, which appeals to understanding.  In this class we have completed assignments that have helped us, as technical writers, to further our knowledge of the art of professional writing.  Developing an audience, evaluation of the work, and having a clear purpose are some basic principles that are used for technical writing.  The principles and practices discussed in this paper are things to consider when writing for a technical audience.