Technical writing is a discipline with clear limitations in both language and ideology. These limits pose a special problem for the teacher, since he must keep his audience interested in a subject which does not permit a normal range of self-expression on either scientific or humanistic topics. A consequence of this classroom dilemma is that technical writing instructors tend to dwell at length upon the value of simple generalizations and also capitalize heavily upon the comic effects of bad writing. The vices of “easy generalities” and “easy comedy” must first be understood in order to be avoided.