Many
students do not understand the actual difference between technical writing and academic
writing. The explanation is very easy. Academic writing occurs in education, printed media
and literature. Technical writing is more specific and resembles instructions or official documents.
Obviously, students have to get to know how to prepare both types of documents if they want to build
successful career. It does not worth mentioning that every student has to prepare a lot of academic
assignments which require academic style of writing. While at the workplace one will have to master
technical writing in order to inform officials about the performance of his firm.
Tip One: The Place of Application
Doubtless, academic writing can be met in every educational institution. When a student writes an
essay, a term paper or a research paper, he applies academic style of writing. Then, academic
writing is a common style of writing among scholars, journalists and writers. When a scholar wants
to share his smart ideas about the definite topic of his research, he uses academic style of
writing. This format is understandable to other scholars and men of thought. When you read
scientific periodicals, articles or movie and book reviews, you recognize academic writing.
Technical writing occurs in business, official organizations and industry. When a company
manufactures a product, it should provide this item with instructions. These instructions explain
how to use this item in a step-by-step form. Finally, every document related with accounting,
management, marketing, governance, etc. is written in a technical style.
Tip Two: The Main Purposes of Writing
Every piece of writing has its definite purpose and function. When we speak about academic writing, we should say that its main purpose is to inform readers about
something. When a scholar writes his dissertation, he wants to deliver his point of view to the wide
audience. Moreover, academic writing helps one persuade others in something. Such papers can have
other functions. For example, one can debate, argue, inform, describe, compare and criticize
different things in a common academic paper. Technical papers do not have such functions. To begin
with, a typical technical document is personal. The author of a technical paper addresses the
definite reader. Then, a technical paper should teach a client how to use the definite product.
Finally, a technical paper describes all procedures that occur in a firm or official organization.
Tip Three: The Main Features of Writing
Every written paper has its definite style of writing. Every style of writing has its own
characteristic features that help readers recognize it among other similar styles. It is quite easy
to recognize academic writing. When you read an essay or a dissertation, you will notice learned
words, a great number of terms and stylistic devices. Authors try to write in a fluent way trying to
observe their problem from all possible sides. They can suggest several approaches towards research
and analysis of their issue. Academic papers are always big-in-volume and occupy many pages of
scientific text. Such papers possess logical structure. They should have an introduction, the main
body and conclusion. Every academic paper is a composition about a specific topic. Technical papers
a more or less short. A typical technical paper is a set of brief and precise instructions or
guidelines. The language is poor and dry. You will never find any stylistic devices or learned
vocabulary. The main duty of a technical paper is to teach someone in the simplest way. No wonder,
the language is poor, neutral, unemotional and understandable to everyone.