Academic Writing vs Technical Writing: Any Discerning Differences?
Do you enjoy writing and want to make a career in it? If yes, then you must know about the types of writing and the difference between them. The article below gives you an idea about the basic difference between technical writing and academic writing. Also, you can know what career options you have after doing academic and technical writing courses.
Writing can be segregated into various categories like news writing, story writing, academic writing, technical writing, etc. Though candidates can try their hand at any of the above-mentioned fields, it is very important to know the basic differences between them, the essential requirements, and our ability to understand their nuances before arriving at any conclusion. The article below discusses the differences between academic writing and technical writing. They might seem similar up to some extent but if you look at it, there are some relevant differences between the two. These are two different categories of writing. Candidates aspiring to make a career in any of these domains can learn more about them in the article below:
Also read:
Understanding Academic & Technical Writing
By definition, one could assume that academic writing is more complex and complicated, because most academic writing is linked to a specific study discipline, and thus it can contain jargon. Scholarly articles and textbooks will contain as much jargon and as many complex ideas. A reason for this is that all disciplines have both specialized knowledge and terminology. As a matter of fact, technical writing can also contain jargon about the industry that it covers.
Technical writing has the objective of conveying technical information like scientific, engineering, and so on. This information is converted into paper documents, web pages, computer-based training material, digital text, audio, video, etc.
Depending on the industry that the company fits into, technical writing varies from sector to sector. For example, writing software documentation is different from writing documentation for hardware, which is information technology (IT); it could cater to manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and Biotech Industries, or it could center around medical devices.
An organization like an FMCG or a manufacturing enterprise’s goal is to ‘delight’ customers with superior products, that come with comfort features and unmatched safety measures. In addition to bringing ‘delightful’ quality products to the market, it is essential to provide good documentation that supports the products. A technical writing team is well-equipped to address all documentation needs.
Also read:
Objectives Of Academic & Technical Writing
The objectives or aims are different between academic and technical writing. The aims of academic writing could be: to present one's point of view on a particular topic, to present one's depth of knowledge, and to present the results gained from one's research. As far as technical writing is concerned, the aims could be: to inform and explain something to the readers, to guide or teach a person how to use a specific product or service, and to outline the procedures that are used by companies, for performing tasks while getting to use a product – like a laptop or air conditioner. Noticeably, both technical and academic writing may contain a lot of jargon.
Also Read:
Target Audiences Of Academic & Technical Writing
Different types of writing address different audiences. It is fellow scholars, that academic writing addresses; and often, depending on the journal or publication, it speaks to the general public. On the other hand, the technical writer is writing to the user of the product or the service; or it could be to government inspectors, who need to see or may check out how the company carries out certain tasks. However, users differ from product to product.
What Style to Choose?
This follows from the earlier point about knowing your audiences. A relevant point to remember is the first rule of writing - know the audience. Once you identify the audience and purpose, you have to determine the style - whether to write in a technical or academic style. For example, if you are writing an article for a journal, you would choose a style that would be scholarly or academic. If you were creating a guide or a manual on some technical gadget, you would use a technical writing style to make sure that important points are understood.
Again, in the academic writing, you have the option of the writer choosing a style that fits into the academician’s personality. Just like a teacher has a certain style while teaching! In technical writing – the style is normally very straightforward, to the point, and almost staccato.
Impact of Academic & Technical Writing
Begin by thinking, about who will read the document, and then ask yourself what it is you want to accomplish. If your main goal is to inform a diverse, generalized audience, you will most likely need to use a technical style. If the desired outcome is to persuade, you will likely want an academic style, where you will have to detail the reasons and the thought pattern behind the assumption that you want to present. Of course, in the end, you will have to create an impact and convince your readers!
Also read:
Academic & Technical Writing Career Options Open?
In case you choose to take up Technical Writing, you can become a Technical Writer in the IT industry, or the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, or Biotech Industries. Or you can write for medical products. There are a lot of companies in India and abroad that look for writers for their medical products, devices, and medicines. The medical (pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and Ayurveda) industry is still discovering the role of writers. In IT, you also need to document software and hardware products. In short, your writing needs good English skills and correct grammar usage.
As an Academic writer, you will pick up skills to write in academic-style articles. Academic writing has a lot of options under which you can pursue your career - like exam paper writing, thesis, and more. If you are in the academic field, this will help you write better research reports, white papers, thesis, dissertations, etc.
Read More:
With over 7 years of experience in the digital content arena, Vikrant specializes in creating unique content specific to the Media, Journalism, Film and TV stream for Shiksha. He writes articles and news covering th... Read Full Bio