EXAM
Technical Writing — Topic-wise Frequency Analysis & Priority List
Based on 7 old question sets (2076 had no questions available, so excluded from counting). Unit references link to Syllabus.
Tier 1 — Most Important (appear in 5–7 of 7 sets)
| Topic | Unit / Syllabus Topic | Appeared In | Count | Typical Ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brief Correspondence (letters, emails, memos) | Unit 4 – E-mails, Memos, and Letters | 2074, 2075, 2078 (×2), 2079 (×2), 2080 (×2), 2081, Model | 7/7 | Write a business letter / persuasive email / memo for a given scenario |
| Employment Communication (resumes, job applications, cover letters) | Unit 8 – Types of Resumes, Composing Resumes, Employment Letters | 2074, 2078, 2079, 2080, 2081, Model | 6/7 | Write/construct a resume; differentiate chronological vs functional resume |
| What Is Technical Writing (characteristics, TW vs other writing) | Unit 1 – Characteristics, How TW Compares to Other Writing | 2075, 2078, 2079 (×2), 2080, 2081, Model | 6/7 | Describe/define technical writing; differentiate from academic/creative writing |
| Information Reports (mechanism & process description, summaries, progress/periodic reports, news releases, report structure) | Unit 7 – Mechanism and Description, Progress Reports, News Releases | 2074, 2078 (×4), 2079 (×2), 2080, 2081 (×3), Model (×2) | 6/7 | Write instructions/press release/incident report; describe report structure |
Tier 2 — Important (moderate repetition, 3–4 of 7 sets)
| Topic | Unit / Syllabus Topic | Appeared In | Count | Typical Ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document Design & Graphics | Unit 5 – Designing Graphics, Constructing Graphics | 2074, 2075, 2080 (×2), Model | 4/7 | Explain importance/use of tables, graphs, flowcharts; design graphics |
| Writing for the Web | Unit 6 – Organizing and Designing Web Pages, Special Web Pages | 2078, 2080, 2081, Model (×2) | 4/7 | Discuss web-writing considerations; draft FAQs; information architecture |
| Writing Process (planning, drafting/revising, copyediting, collaborative writing, peer review) | Unit 3 – A Process for Technical Writing, Writing Collaboratively | 2079 (×2), 2080 (×2), 2081 (×4), Model (×3) | 4/7 | Discuss the TW process; advantages of collaborative writing; peer review importance |
| Presentations / Speeches | Unit 9 – Planning, Rehearsing, Presenting | 2078, 2079 (×2), 2080, 2081 (×2) | 4/7 | Write a short speech; make a Gantt chart; explain oral reporting importance |
| Proposals | Unit 11 – Composing Informal/Formal Proposals | 2079, 2080, Model (×2) | 3/7 | Write a formal proposal for a given business scenario |
| Ethics in the Workplace | Unit 12 – What Is Ethics, Ethical Dilemma | 2080 (×2), 2081 (×2), Model (×3) | 3/7 | Discuss ethical dilemmas in TW/IT industry; write short note on whistleblowing/plagiarism |
| Audience and Purpose | Unit 2 – Meeting the Audience's Needs, Purpose/Scope/Medium | 2078, 2081, Model | 3/7 | Explain audience analysis and its effect on a document |
Tier 3 — If Time Remains (appeared once or twice)
| Topic | Unit / Syllabus Topic | Appeared In | Typical Ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recommendation Reports | Unit 10 – Composing Recommendation Reports | 2079, Model | Write a recommendation report evaluating given options |
| Sentence Types / Subject-Verb Agreement (grammar basics) | Not explicitly in current Syllabus (legacy/basic grammar questions) | 2074, 2075 | Define/give examples of simple, complex, compound sentences |
| Gantt Chart (as a standalone practical skill) | Unit 3 – Planning | 2081, Model | Construct a Gantt chart for a given project timeline |
| Define Key TW Terms (Pilot Study, Stakeholder, White Paper, CMS, Plain Language, etc.) | Scattered across Syllabus units | 2081, Model | Define a list of given technical/workplace terms |
| AIDA Persuasive Message Method | Not explicitly in current Syllabus (extra/practical topic) | 2081 | Compose a persuasive message using the AIDA method |
| Cross-Cultural Communication / General Essay | Not explicitly in current Syllabus (soft-skill/general topic) | 2080 | Short reflective essay on a general communication topic |
Study Priority Summary
- Master first: Brief Correspondence — letters/emails/memos (Unit 4, asked in every single paper), Employment Communication — resumes & cover letters (Unit 8), core definitions of Technical Writing (Unit 1), and Information Reports — press releases, mechanism/process description, progress reports (Unit 7). These four alone appear in almost every year's paper.
- Then cover: Document Design & Graphics (Unit 5), Writing for the Web (Unit 6), the Writing Process incl. collaborative writing & peer review (Unit 3), Presentations/speeches (Unit 9), Proposals (Unit 11), Ethics (Unit 12), and Audience & Purpose (Unit 2).
- Last, if time remains: Recommendation Reports (Unit 10), Gantt charts as a standalone skill, defining scattered key terms, and legacy grammar-style questions (sentence types) that no longer map cleanly onto the current syllabus.
Note: Nearly every paper is scenario-based ("write a letter/email/memo/report for X situation") rather than pure theory — practicing full write-ups for different realistic IT/business scenarios is far more valuable than memorizing definitions alone.
Related: Syllabus · 2074 · 2075 · 2078 · 2079 · 2080 · 2081 · Model