Styles in Technical Communication

Style is not a decoration or adornment in technical communication. Adding an exclamation point and a few adjectives will not make your style better. Style is not something that is artificially added to a document to make it more interesting.

There is more to style than these kinds of superficial cosmetic changes. It involves:

• making the right choice of words and phrases.

• writing clear, well-structured sentences and paragraphs.

• using an appropriate tone of voice.

• adding a visual element to the text.

For centuries, speakers divided style into three levels: plain style, persuasive style, and grand style.

1. Plain style - In plain style, the language is simple and straightforward. This type of style is suited for instructing, teaching, and providing information to others. Generally, plain style works best in documents like technical descriptions, instructions, and activity reports.

2. Persuasive style - It is sometimes necessary to influence people in order to convince them to act on your ideas. If you find yourself in these circumstances, use a persuasive style to give your writing and speeches more energy and vision. It is well suited for proposals, letters, articles, public presentations, and certain types of reports.

3. Grand style - The grand style emphasizes expressiveness. Leaders use it to motivate their listeners to do what is right, even if they don't feel like it. Grand style is rarely used in technical communication because it often sounds too standard or decorated in the workplace.