Writing a Technical Paper

Technical Presentations: to Enlighten or Obscure

“…First, the journals plead for comprehension and brevity, and second, custom requires the authors to write impersonally. 1 For example: The APCA Guide for Authors 2 specifies that an author "Assume the reader is not a novice in the field. Give essential information in a concise fashion.…”

“…The unnatural contortions he must undergo in the attempt can scarcely produce a relaxed style. 1 Technical requirements also dictate that the author refrain from using the word "I" to sustain the fiction of impersonality. This, in effect, encourages the use of a passive voice and almost, every statement is qualified.…”