“Formulate and articulate a stance through and in your writing”

Despite the need for objectivity in technical writing, especially in fields like engineering, this does not mean that the human element of the writing goes out the window.  In fact, understanding where you are taking a stance (and where you can take a stance) and where you aren’t is essential to being able to communicate effectively and to advancing beyond simply compiling information (which is also necessary for expanding into different genres).  In each of the documents I crafted, the narrative that I put forward was characterized by a stance to some degree.  In my memo, I took a fairly strong stance in favor of immediate action on the problems I described.  My technical description was largely devoid of a stance, but in certain parts I did take the stance that slide rules have a lot to offer and that young engineers should be exposed to them even though they have electronic calculators.  In my lab report, a genre that many would expect must be completely neutral, I did have a stance (that some kind of move must be made away from black roofs on buildings), though it was supported by a completely objective report.  

In our proposal, as I note in my reflection, “We take a stance on climate change, a stance on the state of Southern Nassau County’s highway design, a stance on our own abilities and prowess, and a stance on the project and its impact on the general public” (Neuwirth, 2021).”

This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication license.