Chapter 2: Technical Writing Style
Principles of Technical Writing Style
Technical writing style requires you to communicate complex information clearly and concisely, whether your audience is technical or nontechnical. The goal is to use direct and unambiguous language so readers can quickly grasp your message. As an engineer, mastering this style allows you to produce documentation that is complete, accurate, usable, and clear. In so doing, you not only present technical information effectively but also respect your reader’s time.
Read the paragraph on the issue of orbital debris. Consider whether the explanation is clear and accessible for the intended audience.
Audience: Members of an environmental advocacy group interested in space sustainability issues
Original Paragraph
Orbital debris proliferation stems from multiple anthropogenic activities in space, beginning with the earliest satellite launches and continuing with contemporary space operations. Defunct satellites that remain in orbit following their operational lifespan, expended rocket stages abandoned after payload delivery, and mission-related debris, including items such as payload fairings, adapter rings, and lens covers are among the primary contributors. Through collision events, both accidental and deliberate, thousands of fragments are generated. Noteworthy incidents include China’s 2007 anti-satellite missile test and the 2009 collision between the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 satellites. Spacecraft deterioration through material degradation, such as micrometeoroid impacts, extreme temperature fluctuations, and radiation exposure, causes paint flaking, insulation detachment, and component fragmentation. Whereas aluminum oxide particles are released with solid rocket motor firings, coolant leakage from nuclear-powered satellites has also introduced sodium-potassium (NaK) droplets into orbit. This accumulation of debris creates a cascade effect known as the Kessler Syndrome, wherein collisions between objects generate additional fragments, potentially rendering certain orbital regions unusable for satellite operations and threatening future space exploration.
This paragraph about orbital debris is not reader-friendly for the target audience because it lacks coherence and clarity. Therefore, let’s revise it step by step in the following sections to improve readability and make it easier for environmental advocates to understand.
Writing Coherently and Cohesively
Coherence refers to the logical and meaningful organization of ideas within a text. In technical communication, coherence is vital for helping readers easily follow procedures, instructions, or explanations of complex concepts. For example, a troubleshooting guide for a software application might start with an overview of common issues, move to a step-by-step diagnostic process, and end with solutions ranked by effectiveness. This logical flow allows users to identify and resolve problems efficiently, without confusion or wasted time. Coherence can be improved by using clear section headings, presenting information from general to specific, and organising ideas in a way that makes intuitive sense.
Cohesion, on the other hand, refers to the use of words and phrases to create smooth and logical connections between sentences and paragraphs. So, while coherence is about the logical and predictable flow of ideas, cohesion focuses more specifically on the surface-level connectors.
Cohesive writing makes good use of transition words such as “therefore,” “however,” and “consequently” to establish relationships within and across sentences. It also uses consistent terminology to bind the text as a meaningful thematic whole, as well as backward-glancing pronouns and synonyms to maintain connections to previously mentioned ideas. In this way, sentence grammar and words work together to ensure a tight “mesh” of links within the text. Good cohesion reduces the burden on readers. Without it, even well-detailed documents can feel fragmented, forcing users to piece together information by themselves. This can lead to frustration and misunderstandings.
Editing for Coherence and Cohesion
In the original paragraph on orbital debris, the ideas and the sentences that express them do not interconnect effectively, which makes the passage difficult to follow. The following revisions demonstrate strategies for improving coherence and cohesion. Text highlighted in green illustrates transitions that establish order and logic between the main points. Underlined text shows words—either repeated words, pronouns, or synonyms—that link back to earlier ideas, creating a chain of back-glancing reference. This strategic use of back referencing ensures that readers are not confronted with entirely new and potentially confusing information at the beginning of new sentences—a strategy known as the “known-to-new contract” in the presentation of information.
Space junk is a growing problem in Earth’s orbit for several key reasons. First, when satellites stop working, they usually remain in orbit rather than returning to Earth. These inactive satellites, along with leftover rocket parts from launches, form the initial layer of debris. Second, collisions in space create even more fragments—when satellites or other objects crash into each other, they break apart into thousands of smaller pieces. Notable examples of such incidents include China’s 2007 anti-satellite weapon test and the 2009 collision between two satellites, both of which significantly contributed to the amount of debris. Third, the harsh environment of space causes spacecraft materials to deteriorate; temperature fluctuations, radiation, and micrometeoroid impacts cause paint to flake and insulation to detach. Additionally, certain space activities worsen the problem, such as solid rocket motors releasing aluminum oxide particles and some satellites leaking coolant. Together, these debris sources drive a dangerous cycle known as the Kessler Syndrome: as debris accumulates, more collisions occur, creating even more fragments. If this cycle continues, some orbital regions could eventually become too hazardous for satellites or future space missions.
Choosing Appropriate Words
Well-designed technical documents present information in language readers can understand immediately. Therefore, choosing audience-appropriate wordings is essential for helping users correctly interpret instructions, procedures, and technical concepts without confusion. Choose words that are only as precise or technical as necessary for your purposes. If you must use technical terms with a less technical audience, define those terms clearly the first time they appear. Selecting the right level of technicality and precision reduces the risk of misinterpretation and prevents readers from having to reread passages to grasp your meaning.
Editing for Word Choice
In the original paragraph on orbital debris, the language is overly technical and too jargon-heavy for an environmental advocacy audience. Terms such as anthropogenic activities, payload fairings, adapter rings are used without explanation, assuming a level of specialized knowledge the target audience may not have. Consider the following revisions which remove unnecessarily precise details and jargon. By replacing these with more general, everyday terms, we make the text more user-friendly for this less technical group of readers.
Space debris orbiting Earth comes from four main sources. First, old satellites and discarded rocket parts remain in orbit after they stop working. Second, collisions in space—such as China’s anti-satellite weapon test in 2007 or the crash between two satellites in 2009—break objects into thousands of smaller pieces. Third, spacecraft materials gradually break down in the harsh environment of space. Extreme temperatures, radiation, and tiny meteoroid impacts cause paint to chip and insulation to detach. Fourth, certain activities add even more debris. For example, solid rocket motors release aluminum oxide particles, and some satellites leak coolant into space. This growing collection of debris leads to what scientists call the Kessler Syndrome—a dangerous cycle where more debris leads to more collisions, creating even more fragments. If this continues, some regions of space could eventually become too hazardous for satellites or future space exploration.
Improving Readability
Readability refers to how easily readers can process and understand written text. Good readability is crucial for making complex content accessible to your audience, regardless of their level of expertise. For example, in a technical report on space debris mitigation, the sentence “Satellites must deploy deorbiting mechanisms before reaching end-of-life” is more readable than “The implementation of descent-facilitating apparatuses is obligatory for orbital vehicles prior to the termination of their operational functionality period.”
The following features of writing can decrease its readability:
- Longer, more complex sentence patterns;
- Dense text, especially with larger numbers of technical words grouped into a small area;
- Longer word length, including the number of syllables in words; and
- Lower frequency or specialized vocabulary.
Readable technical writing helps prevent misunderstandings that can lead to errors, inefficiencies, or safety risks. To enhance readability, use shorter sentences, simpler words, active voice, and manageable paragraph lengths. By focusing on readability, you increase the likelihood that your readers will understand and apply the information correctly.
Editing for Readability
The original paragraph on orbital debris uses complex sentence structures, passive voice, and dense technical vocabulary that slow down comprehension. In addition, the lengthy paragraph format may overwhelm readers with too much information at once. Consider the following revisions for improved readability in the text below. Long sentences have been broken into shorter sentences. Underlining shows consistent use of concrete and active verbs. Overly technical terms have been removed.
Orbital debris, commonly known as space junk, is a growing form of pollution caused by human activity in outer space. This problem began with the launch of the first satellites and has continued through today’s expanding space missions. There are four main sources of this debris. First, non-functioning satellites and discarded rocket parts often remain in orbit long after their missions end. Second, collisions between objects in space—both accidental and deliberate—create thousands of smaller fragments. Notably, in 2007, China destroyed one of its own satellites with a missile, and in 2009, two satellites—Iridium 33 and Cosmos 225—collided. Both events added significantly to the debris cloud surrounding Earth. Third, operational spacecraft shed materials over time. Exposure to tiny meteoroids, extreme temperature changes, and radiation can cause paint to flake off and insulation or hardware to break apart. Fourth, certain rocket engines release aluminum oxide particles into space, while some older, nuclear-powered satellites have leaked coolant droplets into orbit. As the amount of debris increases, the risk of further collisions also increases. This creates a chain reaction known as the Kessler Syndrome. It is a dangerous cycle in which each collision generates more fragments, which in turn increases the chance of more collisions. If this pattern continues without intervention, this could threaten future satellite operations and long-term space exploration.
Editing with Writing Style Tools
Writing style tools check the clarity of your text. They can help match your writing style to your audience by identifying issues such as overly complex sentence structures, unnecessary use of passive voice, and jargon. These tools often provide real-time feedback on tone, readability, and sentence flow. Examples, such as the Hemingway Editor, highlight areas for improvement and suggest revisions that enhance the clarity of writing.
While writing style tools, such as Grammarly, already incorporate AI, general-purpose AI writing tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Paperpal can assist with more advanced writing tasks. These tools go beyond grammar and clarity by offering paragraph-level rewrites, simplifying complex explanations, and adapting the tone for specific audiences.
If you use writing style tools to edit your work, always include a disclosure statement. Your disclosure should specify which tool(s) you used, for what purposes, and on what date. It might also include a link to the conversation, if applicable. You can use the following sample disclosure statement to guide the wording.
Suggested Disclosure Statement
This document was reviewed and revised for clarity and cohesion using ChatGPT on July 10, 2025. The AI tool helped me [insert how it helped]. The conversation can be accessed at [insert link].
For example, if you use ChatGPT to improve the clarity and cohesion of a paragraph about Kessler Syndrome, you might choose to add a brief disclosure such as follows:
Orbital debris, commonly known as space junk, is a growing form of pollution caused by human activity in outer space. This problem began with the launch of the first satellites and has continued through today’s expanding space missions. There are four main sources of this debris. First, non-functioning satellites and discarded rocket parts often remain in orbit long after their missions end. Second, collisions between objects in space—both accidental and deliberate—create thousands of smaller fragments. Notably, in 2007, China destroyed one of its own satellites with a missile, and in 2009, two satellites—Iridium 33 and Cosmos 225—collided. Both events added significantly to the debris cloud surrounding Earth. Third, operational spacecraft shed materials over time. Exposure to tiny meteoroids, extreme temperature changes, and radiation can cause paint to flake off and insulation or hardware to break apart. Fourth, certain rocket engines release aluminum oxide particles into space, while some older, nuclear-powered satellites have leaked coolant droplets into orbit. As the amount of debris increases, the risk of further collisions also increases. This creates a chain reaction known as the Kessler Syndrome. It is a dangerous cycle in which each collision generates more fragments, which in turn increases the chance of more collisions. If this pattern continues without intervention, this could threaten future satellite operations and long-term space exploration.
This paragraph was reviewed and revised for clarity and cohesion using ChatGPT on July 10, 2025. The AI tool helped us refine sentence flow and simplify technical language.
To conclude, as you develop your technical writing skills, aim to use only as many words as necessary to convey your message clearly and efficiently. Also, always remember that you are ultimately responsible for the content you create and for any revisions and edits to your documents.
Key Takeaways
In the end, it’s your responsibility to communicate technical information effectively. The editing strategies discussed in this chapter aren’t optional. They’re essential to ensuring that your message is effective and impactful:
- Ensure coherence by organizing ideas logically for your readers;
- Build cohesion through transitional phrases and consistent terminology;
- Maintain clarity with language that is well adapted to your audience’s needs and understanding; and
- Enhance readability to ensure content connects effortlessly with your readers.
Keep these principles in mind from your first draft through final editing to create technical documents that your audience can understand, trust, and use correctly the first time.
Practice Task
Revise the following paragraph to make it clearer for an educated, non-technical audience. As you work, focus on these four areas:
- Coherence: Does the paragraph flow logically from one idea to the next?
- Cohesion: Do the sentences link smoothly to one another?
- Word Choice: Are the words clear and appropriate for the intended audience?
- Readability: Can the audience easily understand the information?
After analyzing the paragraph, provide a revised version that addresses the weaknesses you identified. If you use a writing style tool during editing, add a short disclosure statement at the end.
Autonomous vehicles integrate sophisticated sensor arrays with artificial intelligence algorithms to navigate roadways independently of human intervention. LiDAR technology generates three-dimensional environmental mapping, whereas radar systems penetrate adverse weather conditions that optical sensors cannot reliably interpret. Convolutional neural networks process these multisensory inputs to identify objects, predict movement trajectories, and execute decision pathways with low-latency processing to provide real-time decision making. The implementation challenges encompass both technical obstacles, such as edge case identification and hardware redundancy requirements, and ethical dilemmas regarding unavoidable collision scenarios. Regulatory frameworks remain fragmented across jurisdictions, impeding standardized deployment despite potential benefits, including accident reduction, enhanced mobility access, and traffic congestion mitigation through vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocols.