What does "active voice" refer to in technical writing?

In technical writing, "active voice" refers to a sentence structure in which the subject of the sentence performs the action rather than receiving it. This approach is favored because it tends to make sentences clearer and more direct, which is crucial in technical communication where precision and straightforwardness are key.

For example, in an active voice sentence like "The engineer designed the new software," the subject ("the engineer") is doing the action (designing), which creates a more engaging and easy-to-understand sentence. This contrasts with passive constructions, where the subject may be acted upon, leading to more complex and sometimes confusing sentence structures. Utilizing active voice enhances clarity, making it especially effective for conveying instructions, procedures, or technical information in writing.