How to Write a Technical Article

By: Samuel Gallardo

Introduction
A Technical Article is an understandable explanation and/or instructions on how a technical
subject works. The importance of the tech article is to explain the subject in a way that your
audience understands. The way to write a good tech article is to know the proper structure of
your tech article, be clear and concise, know your audience, and recheck your work. In this
article you will learn about the different types of tech articles, the structure, and some basic
tips that you can use in almost every article you make.

Types of Tech Articles

There are many different kinds of technical articles. Different companies and groups desire
different formats and technical articles. While there are many kinds of tech articles, most are
basic and follow the same guidelines. Here are three main types of tech articles that you will
most likely encounter or have to write.
End-user documentation: A document where the writer explains a topic to someone
who has no knowledge of the topic so that they can understand the technical terms and
how the topic works. A manual is a good example of an End-user document.
Traditional technical writing: A document that is geared to an audience already
somewhat knowledgeable with the topic and that is important to that specific audience.
Technological marketing communications: A document used in promotional marketing
such as fliers, promotional brochures, and promotional plans. This documents purpose
is to entice a person to purchase a certain product or service.
In school and in college you will probably have to write a tech article, especially if you have a
writing or scientific major. Here are the most common tech assignments that you will receive.
Training manuals: This may be used for a company you work at, or for a school project.
Training manuals consist of policies that must be followed and a code of conduct.
Operations guides: Such as a manual, operations guides explain how to do a task in a way
that anyone can understand. These guides must be concise and clear because the
reader is usually someone with no experience on the subject.
Promotional brochures: Promotional brochures detail how something is going to be
promoted or promote a product. In both cases, the writers goal is not only to inform
the reader but to also attract them to the product.
Online articles: Online articles can vary in their structure and focus. Most forms of online
technical articles are guides that explain how to accomplish a task or how something

works. Just like all technical articles, these must keep their audience in mind and be
clear.

Structure
The structure of a technical article can vary depending on the topic, assignment, and the
audience. Here is a basic structure of a normal online tech article.
Title: Dont make a title too long. It needs to be short and straight to the point. A title should
explain what youre writing about and should hint if not give away the solution to your
article.
Abstract: The Abstract is what your audience will usually read first and it is the driving
force that must hook your reader. It generally should not be more than 100-150 words.
Make sure it says exactly what is in your article and doesnt go into too much detail. The
abstract is very important because this is what your reader will read first and use to
decide if they want to read your whole article.
Introduction: You must introduce your problem and outline the solution. The introduction
essentially summarizes your article in about a paragraph. The statement of the problem
should include a clear statement why the problem is important or interesting to the
reader. It must explain the solution and the basic proof that provided you with the
solution.
Body: The body should explain your problem thoroughly. It should then explain the
process of how you came to your solution. All of this must have important details that
your audience needs. The body should be organized in chronological order of your
reasoning.
Conclusion: The conclusion is used to reiterate your article. In the conclusion, you must
include the problem and the solution which is more important. The point of the
conclusion is to leave the reader with your main points that you were trying to
emphasize.
Bibliography: The bibliography of your article is for the readers who want to learn more
about your topic. This is also to show where you got your evidence and information
from. This is very important to prove that you didnt plagiarize from other sources.

Tips
There are many tips on how to write a good tech article and a good article in general. The best
way to improve your writing is to work on your writing style and your grammar. Your writing
style in a tech article should be clear, detailed, aware of your audience, and interesting. Your
grammar in a tech article should be as good as you can make it. If youre a college student, try
going to tutors and revising your work.

Writing Style
Your Message: Your article needs to show the reader three things: the problem is interesting, it
is hard, and that you solved it. If you fail to show these things, your document will not be
compelling. You need to prove to your reader that your article is the best explanation for them.
Show why your approach is unique and what separates it from the rest.
Audience: Before you write your document, you need to understand your audience. Who will
read your article? Why are they reading it? Where will they find your article? How are they
going to read this? What are the main points you want your reader to take away from your
document? Once you know your audience, you can figure out what points your document
should make. You need to explain both how and why your subject is the way it is. Do not just
show how something works but also why it works that way.
Brainstorming: It is recommended that you write the problem first, then the approach and
results sections next. Some recommend that you write your conclusion after your paper is done
and then save the introduction for last. This is done so that you can properly summarize your
whole article in the introduction. While some recommend this backwards approach, it may not
be the best option for you. A good method to also use is to write about the whole article and
then revise. Look at your introduction again; see if it summarizes the whole article.
Clear and organized: Do not hide your solution or your conclusion in your article. People read
these articles to get the information they desire as quickly as possible, and that is done by
putting all the questions they may ask in the beginning of your article. Make sure you explain
how you have organized your article and stick to that format.

Grammar
Active voice: Active voice is essential in a tech article because it makes a sentence easier to
understand. You do this by making your main point the subject instead of the object. Many
writers use passive voice in their writing without knowing. That is because it is hard to notice
passive voice if youve used it greatly and have grown comfortable with it. The best solution to
this is to reread your article or have someone else do it for you. You can also look up the
difference between passive voice and active voice online.
Simple sentences: Simple sentences are important in tech articles because when you read a
long complex sentence, you will get bored or confused. In the same manner, try not to use
complicated words especially if its unnecessary.
Consistent tense: Be careful to not mix up your tenses. For tech articles, if youre not talking
about the past, try to stay in the present tense. Present tense makes it easier for readers to
follow and if you mix up your tense it can be annoying to the reader.
Article structure: Your article should follow the simple guidelines of a research paper. Your
introduction should summarize your whole article. The first sentence of your paragraph should
summarize your whole paragraph. Each sentence should continue fluidly where the last

sentence ends. Your conclusion should summarize not only your whole article but your main
points.

School Tips
Rough drafts: A rough draft is a good idea for any project that you work on. When you make
rough draft, you can analyze it to make sure youre on target with your goal. Most students are
advised to make a rough draft in school but unless it is required, few actually make them.
Revise: Revising your article is a must. Everyone makes mistakes in their papers and when you
revise, you can change your grade or your work from good to excellent. Some good ways to
revise is to go online and have a website spellcheck your article. Its also good to read aloud
your article to see if your structure makes sense. Having others proofread your article is the
best bet.
Tutors: If you go to school, a tutor can change your grade from almost failing to an A. At
universities and most colleges, tutors are always free and are available all week to help you. Do
not be afraid of going to them because they know what your teacher is looking for and will
make sure your paper is of good quality. They can also help you to learn better grammar and
writing skills if you need the help.
Online guides: The best tip for writing a technical article is to look up internet sites such as
about.com, howstuffworks.com, and gizmo.com. These websites allow you to submit your own
article to them and if they like your article, they will publish it on their website. The best thing
about these sites is that they all explain their requirements for submitting an article. This helps
to learn what businesses require and look for in a good article and to know the structure of the
articles.

Conclusion
Tech articles are not so different from other articles and papers in that they use the same ideas,
guidelines, and structure as other articles. The only difference is that tech articles must be
simple and clear explanations on how something works. While there are many different kinds
of tech articles, learning about basic tech articles will help in any tech article you write. The
structure of a tech article is not all that different from the structure of a research paper and its
good to remember. Remember to write clearly, concisely, and detailed in your articles and you
will make great tech articles. All the advice given in this article may be for tech articles, but it
can be used in practically any kind of writing.

Works Cited
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-technical-writing-assigments.html
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/toolkit/comtools/resources/documents/tech_article.pdf
http://ecee.colorado.edu/~mcleod/pdfs/UOL/references/howtowrite%20varsamopoulos.pdf
http://homes.cs.washington.edu/~mernst/advice/write-technical-paper.html
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~hgs/etc/writing-style.html
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~hgs/etc/writing-bugs.html

Example Technical Article

Headphones: The History, Technology, and Repairs
By: Samuel Gallardo
Headphones have been around for longer than most people expect. Looking at the history, you
will see there is also much debate over who invented the first pair of headphones. The
headphones were not created by one person alone, but were slowly transformed into what they
are today. Almost every person in the world knows about headphones and has used them, but
few know how they work. Once you learn how headphones work, you will not only be more
informed but you will be able to repair them as well.

Controversy
The original creator of the headphones is quite controversial, in that there is no consensus as to
who deserves the credit for the invention. Like many great inventions, there was always some
earlier form that transformed into the new invention. There are many people who get credit with
inventing the headphones (but mainly three). This problem is due to the fact that there is no
agreement about what the proper definition of headphones is.
The New American Webster Handy College Dictionary defines headphones as headphone: n.
a radio, telephone, or high-fidelity receiver held against the ear(s) by a clamp over the
head. For the sake of this article, we will use the New American Webster Handy College
Dictionarys definition.
But some consider headphones to mean small earpieces that go on the ears instead of in them or
that they have to attach to a clamp which you wear over your head. Others consider headphones
to mean two earpieces that are easy to carry and small or small portable earpieces that only allow
the user to hear sound and not others around them. After looking at various definitions of
headphones they all seem to disagree on its meaning and this is what leads to disagreements
about who invented headphones.

History
Its sometimes hard to trace the origins of the headphones, but most would agree that it all started
when Thomas Edison created the telephone on March 10, 1876. The telephone converts and then

transmits the sound from one earpiece to another. This opened up possibilities for other great
thinkers.
In 1881, once telephones started becoming popular, the first kind of portable earpiece was one
used by telephone operators. The earpiece which weighed about 10 pounds rested on the
operators shoulder and did not rest over the head (not headphones).
As these large earpieces became more necessary and popular, they became more compact and
simpler. Many similar versions of headphones started to appear around the
world. One that is similar to current day headphones was the electrophone
(Seen right). The electrophone began in 1895 in Britain and people would
listen to it to hear the local opera house. While the electrophone was easy to
use, they were not portable as they could only be used at home. The user would
also hold the electrophone under their head (not concurrent with Websters
definition of headphones).
While all these inventions hold similarities to headphones, they dont comply
with headphone's definition by Webster. There are three people who have
claimed that they were the creators of the first headphones.
One was John C. Koss who is known for creating the first stereo headphones in 1958 called the
Koss SP-3. The problem with this claim is that it is known Koss first demonstrated his
headphones against another popular form of headphones at the time called aviators. While he can
claim he invented the stereo headphones, he cant claim he invented headphones.
The next person who some consider the inventor of headphones is Eugen Beyer. He created the
company called Beyerdynamic and in 1937 (21 years before Koss) he also made the DT-48,
known as the first dynamic headphones. While these also fill the criteria for headphones, there
was someone who did it before Beyer.
The man who is most famously credited with inventing the headphones is Nathaniel Baldwin.
Baldwin first patented his earpiece in 1908, which he created in his kitchen and sent to the US
Navy. After the navy found out that they were better than any earpieces they had before, they
requested more and asked for an easier way of handling them. Baldwin made them smaller and
made the head wrap so that they could be worn over the head. He sent the headphones back with
its new modifications and the navy loved them.
The navy advised him to patent his new device but he felt they were trivial so he didnt.
Nathaniel Baldwins headphones were the first ones that were held against the ear and that one
could wear over the head. While its possible that there were other previous headphones,
Baldwins not only surpassed the earpieces at the time but they also fit the criteria of headphones.
His invention made it possible for so many other changes and advancements that he deserves the
credit for the first inventor.
In 1959 Stax advanced the headphones by creating the first electrostatic headphones. In 1979,
Sony created the Walkman and their simple headphones became very popular. In 2000 Bose

promoted the noise reducing headphones for everyday consumers even though they didn't invent
them. Arguably the most popular form of the headphones is now the ear buds created by Steve
Jobs which fit nicely into the ear and are small enough to fit in your pocket.

Technology: how
headphones work
When we hear sound, what we are really hearing is
vibrations in the air. Whenever something vibrates
it creates sound waves which our ears pick up on
and transmits to the brain which it then decodes as
sounds. Headphones or earpieces create vibrations
with a magnet that our brain interprets as sound.
Headphones are simply smaller speakers. To the
right is a simple demonstration of how the speaker
in the headphones works. The device such as an
mp3 player or laptop has a connection where the
headphones jack plugs in to. Electricity runs from the device to the jack and through the wires of
the headphones and to the earpiece.
At the earpiece, the electricity connects to a coil which makes it temporarily magnetic. As the
electricity goes through the coil it will either have a positive or negative magnetic charge which
will make the magnet move. The magnet then repeatedly vibrates. The vibrating magnet which
connects to the cone or the diaphragm makes it vibrate.
As the cone or diaphragm vibrates it makes the air in our ears vibrate which our ear drums
interpret as sound. The faster the diaphragm moves, the higher the pitch the sound is and the
lower the diaphragm moves the lower the pitch is. Just like when you try to talk in a deep voice
or in a high voice, the vocal cords in your throat vibrate accordingly. To create volume, the cone
has to vibrate with strong force to create a louder sound and it uses less force to create a lower
volume.

Diagram

1. Wires: The wires conduct electricity and carry the signal from the device to the headphones.
2. Coil: The wires magnify the coil which is a thin strand of metal that surrounds the magnet.
3. Magnet: The magnified coil makes the magnet vibrate because of the sudden repeated charges
and discharges.
4. Plastic cone or the diaphragm: The diaphragm connects to the magnet. When the magnet
vibrates it makes the diaphragm vibrate which creates the sounds and vibrations in our ear.
5. Seal, Back and Front Case: These keep the more delicate parts of the headphones secure and
protected. The front case has holes in it to allow for sound to come through it.

Problems with Headphones

Many people go through different sets of headphones often because of how fragile they are. The
main problem with headphones, especially the cheaper brands and more inexpensive ones is that
the sound will go away or weaken in one side of the headphone. This is mainly due to wiring
problems. Two of the main wiring problems that occur are when something either pulls the wire
out of its place in the earpiece where its soldered, or when something pulls the wire out of the
jack where it connects to other devices.
Both of these problems are easily avoided if the user is more careful with their headphones.
Headphone companies make headphones easy to break, especially in cheaper brands. If you
dont have a problem with buying cheap pairs of headphones every few months, than this is not
much of a problem for you. But if you are the kind of person who likes to fix things themselves,
there are two solutions.

You first must find where the problem is coming from. Many times people will be able to see if
the wiring is coming loose. One can find loose wiring in the bottom of the headphones, coming
out of the jack or the top of the headphones coming out of the earpiece. If this cannot be easily
figured out, then you need to open the headphones and look to see if the wires are still soldered
to the earpieces. Usually if one side isnt working, then you can presume that it is in that earpiece.
Once you find the problem, you have to either solder the wires to the earpiece or to the jack.

Future of Headphones
Headphones have made huge leaps in technology. There are now noise-isolating headphones
which use counter sounds to get rid of unwanted noise. There are wireless and Bluetooth
headphones so that you dont have to pull or tug them on anything and it gets rid of annoying
wires. As more headphones enter the market they are getting to sound better and headphones are
also getting cheaper. It is good to grasp an understanding of how headphones work so that you
can make a better decision on what kind of pair you want.

Works Cited
The New American Webster Handy College Dictionary Fourth Edition
History
http://www.schubincafe.com/2011/02/11/headphones-history-hysteria/
http://coolmaterial.com/roundup/history-of-headphones/
How they work
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headphones
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4588372_pair-headphones-work.html

http://www.explainthatstuff.com/headphones.html
http://www.explainthatstuff.com/loudspeakers.html
How to fix them
http://www.life123.com/technology/home-electronics/headphones/headphone-repairs.shtml
http://www.explainthatstuff.com/howtorepairheadphones.html