Rent 9780321270764 | Technical Communication | Lannon, John M. @knetbooks.com

Summary Table of Contents

This is a comprehensive, flexible, and accessible introduction to technical and professional communication. To help readers develop awareness of audiences and accountability, collaborative projects simulate the writing demands that are typical on the job. Full coverage of electronic communication, including email and the Internet, is featured.

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Preface

xix

Acknowledgments

xxiii

Introduction to Technical Communication

(13)

Technical Communication Is User Centered

(1)

Technical Communication Is Efficient

(3)

Technical Communication Comes in All Sizes and Shapes

(2)

Technical Communicators Employ a Broad Array of Skills

(1)

Technical Communication Is Part of Most Careers

(1)

Communication Has Both an Electronic and a Human Side

(1)

Communication Reaches a Diverse Audience

(3)

Consider This: Twenty-First Century Jobs Require Portable Skills

(1)

Exercises

(1)

Collaborative Project

(1)

Service-Learning Project

(1)

PART I Communicating in the Workplace

(102)

Preparing an Effective Technical Document

(11)

Complete the Key Tasks

(5)

Rely on Creative and Critical Thinking

(2)

Guidelines for Writing with a Computer

(1)

Make Proofreading Your Final Step

(3)

Guidelines: for Proofreading

(1)

Consider This: Workplace Settings Are Increasingly ``Virtual''

(1)

Exercises

(1)

Collaborative Project

(1)

Service-Learning Project

(1)

Delivering the Essential Information

(16)

Assess the Audience's Information Needs

(1)

Identify Levels of Technicality

(4)

The Highly Technical Document

(1)

The Semitechnical Document

(1)

The Nontechnical Document

(1)

Primary and Secondary Audiences

(1)

Web-Based Documents for Multiple Audiences

(1)

Develop an Audience and Use Profile

(9)

Audience Characteristics

(2)

Purpose of the Document

(1)

Audience's Technical Background

(1)

Audience's Cultural Background

(1)

Audience's Knowledge of the Subject

(1)

Appropriate Details, Format, and Design

(1)

Due Date and Timing

(1)

Consider This: Communication Failure Can Have Drastic Consequences

(1)

Exercises

(1)

Collaborative Projects

(1)

Service-Learning Project

(1)

Making a Persuasive Case

(30)

Identify Your Specific Goal

(1)

Arguing to Influence People's Opinions

(1)

Arguing to Enlist People's Support

(1)

Presenting a Proposal

(1)

Arguing to Change People's Behavior

(1)

Try to Predict Audience Reaction

(1)

Expect Audience Resistance

(1)

Know How to Connect with the Audience

(3)

Allow for Give-and-Take

(1)

Ask for a Specific Response

(1)

Never Ask for Too Much

(1)

Recognize All Communication Constraints

(4)

Organizational Constraints

(1)

Legal Constraints

(1)

Ethical Constraints

(1)

Time Constraints

(1)

Social and Psychological Constraints

(1)

Consider This: People Often React Emotionally to Persuasive Appeals

(1)

Support Your Claims

(3)

Offer Convincing Evidence

(2)

Appeal to Common Goals and Values

(1)

Consider the Cultural Context

(2)

Shape Your Argument

(12)

Guidelines for Making Your Case

(2)

Checklist for Cross-Cultural Documents

(1)

Exercises

(1)

Collaborative Projects

(2)

Service-Learning Project

(1)

Weighing the Ethical Issues

(23)

Recognize Unethical Communication in the Workplace

(1)

Know the Major Causes of Unethical Communication

(2)

Yielding to Social Pressure

(1)

Mistaking Groupthink for Teamwork

(1)

Understand the Potential for Communication Abuse

(4)

Suppressing Knowledge the Public Needs

(1)

Hiding Conflicts of Interest

(1)

Exaggerating Claims about Technology

(1)

Falsifying or Fabricating Data

(1)

Using Visual Images That Conceal the Truth

(1)

Stealing or Divulging Proprietary Information

(1)

Misusing Electronic Information

(1)

Withholding Information People Need for Their Jobs

(1)

Exploiting Cultural Differences

(1)

Rely on Critical thinking for Ethical Decisions

(2)

Reasonable Criteria for Ethical Judgment

(1)

Ethical Dilemmas

(1)

Anticipate Some Hard Choices

(2)

Never Depend Only on Legal Guidelines

(2)

Learn to Recognize Plagiarism

(2)

Consider This: Ethical Standards Are Good for Business

(1)

Decide Where and How to Draw the Line

(7)

Checklist for Ethical Communication

(2)

Guidelines for Ethical Communication

(1)

Exercises

(1)

Collaborative Project

(1)

Service-Learning Project

(2)

Working in Teams

(20)

Examples of Successful Collaboration

(1)

The Role of Project Management in Successful Collaboration

(2)

Guidelines for Managing a Collaborative Project

(1)

Sources of Conflict in Collaborative Groups

(6)

Interpersonal Differences

100

(1)

Gender and Cultural Differences

101

(4)

Managing Group Conflict

105

(1)

Overcoming Differences by Active Listening

106

(1)

Guidelines for Active Listening

107

Thinking Creatively

106

(3)

Brainstorming

107

(1)

Brainwriting

108

(1)

Mind-Mapping

109

(1)

Storyboarding

109

(1)

Reviewing and Editing Others' Work

109

(2)

Guidelines for Peer Reviewing and Editing

110

(1)

Face-to-Face versus Electronically Mediated Collaboration

111

(1)

Ethical Abuses in Workplace Collaboration

112

(4)

Intimidating One's Peers

112

(1)

Claiming Credit for Other's Work

112

(1)

Hoarding Information

113

(1)

Consider This: How You Speak Shows Where You Rank

113

(1)

Exercises

114

(1)

Collaborative Projects

114

(1)

Service-Learning Project

115

(1)

PART II The Research Process

116

(100)

Thinking Critically about the Research Process

118

(10)

Asking the Right Questions

120

(1)

Exploring a Balance of Views

121

(1)

Achieving Adequate Depth in Your Search

122

(2)

Evaluating Your Findings

124

(1)

Interpreting Your Findings

124

(4)

Consider This: Expert Opinion Is Not Always Reliable

125

(1)

Guidelines for Evaluating Expert Information

126

(1)

Exercises

126

(2)

Exploring Electronic and Hard Copy Sources

128

(21)

Hard Copy versus Electronic Sources

129

(2)

Consider This: Information Can be ``Pushed'' or ``Pulled''

130

(1)

Internet Sources

131

(4)

Usenet

131

(1)

Listservs

131

(1)

Library Chatrooms

131

(1)

Electronic Magazines (E-zines)

131

(1)

Email Inquiries

131

(1)

World Wide Web

131

(3)

Intranets and Extranets

134

(1)

Keyword Searches Using Boolean Operators

135

(2)

Guidelines for Researching on the Internet

136

(1)

Other Electronic Sources

137

(2)

Compact Discs

137

(1)

Online Retrieval Services

137

(1)

Consider This: Information in Electronic Form Is Copyright Protected

138

(1)

Hard Copy Sources

139

(10)

Reference Works

140

(1)

Card Catalog

141

(1)

Guides to Literature

141

(1)

Indexes

141

(1)

Abstracts

142

(1)

Access Tools for U.S. Government Publications

143

(1)

Microforms

144

(1)

Consider This: Frequently Asked Questions about Copyright of Hard Copy Information

144

(2)

Exercises

146

(1)

Collaborative Projects

147

(1)

Service-Learning Project

148

(1)

Exploring Primary Sources

149

(15)

Informative Interviews

150

(4)

Selecting the Best Interview Medium

150

(1)

Guidelines for Informative Interviews

151

(3)

A Sample Interview

154

(1)

Surveys and Questionnaires

154

(5)

Defining the Survey's Purpose and Target Population

156

(1)

Identifying the Sample Group

156

(1)

Defining the Survey Method

156

(1)

Guidelines for Developing a Questionnaire

157

(2)

A Sample Questionnaire

159

(1)

Inquiry Letters, Phone Calls, and Email Inquiries

159

(1)

Public Records and Organizational Publications

159

(3)

Personal Observation and Experiment

162

(1)

Analysis of Samples

162

(2)

Exercises

163

(1)

Collaborative Project

163

(1)

Service-Learning Project

163

(1)

Evaluating and Interpreting Information

164

(33)

Evaluate the Sources

165

(4)

Is the Source Up-to-Date?

165

(1)

Is the Printed Source Dependable?

166

(1)

Is the Electronic Source Trustworthy?

166

(1)

Is the Information Relatively Unbiased?

166

(3)

How Does This Source Measure Up to Others?

169

(1)

Guidelines for Evaluating Sources on the Web

170

Evaluate the Evidence

169

(5)

Is the Evidence Sufficient?

169

(3)

Is the Presentation of Evidence Balanced and Reasonable?

172

(1)

Can the Evidence Be Verified?

173

(1)

Interpret Your Findings

174

(3)

What Level of Certainty Is Warranted?

174

(2)

Are the Underlying Assumptions Sound?

176

(1)

To What Extent Has Personal Bias Influenced the Interpretation?

176

(1)

Are Other Interpretations Possible?

177

(1)

Consider This: Standards of Proof Vary for Different Audiences and Cultural Settings

178

Avoid Errors in Reasoning

177

(4)

Faulty Generalization

178

(1)

Faulty Causal Reasoning

179

(2)

Avoid Statistical Fallacies

181

(6)

Consider This: Correlation Does Not Equal Causation

182

(1)

Common Statistical Fallacies

183

(2)

The Limitations of Number Crunching

185

(2)

Misleading Terminology

187

(1)

Interpret the Reality Behind the Numbers

187

(1)

Acknowledge the Limits of Research

188

(9)

Obstacles to Validity and Reliability

188

(1)

Flaws in Study Design

189

(1)

Sources of Measurement Error

190

(1)

Sources of Deception

191

(1)

Guidelines for Evaluating and Interpreting Information

192

(2)

Checklist for the Research Process

194

(1)

Exercises

194

(2)

Collaborative Projects

196

(1)

Service-Learning Project

196

(1)

Summarizing and Abstracting Information

197

(19)

Purpose of Summaries

198

(2)

Guidelines for Summarizing Information

199

(1)

What Users Expect from a Summary

200

(1)

A Situation Requiring a Summary

200

(6)

Forms of Summarized Information

206

(4)

The Closing Summary

207

(1)

The Informative Abstract

207

(1)

The Descriptive Abstract

208

(1)

The Executive Abstract

208

(2)

Ethical Considerations in Summarizing Information

210

(6)

Checklist for Usability of Summaries

211

(1)

Exercises

212

(1)

Collaborative Projects

212

(1)

Service-Learning Project

213

(3)

PART III Structural and Style Elements

216

(70)

Organizing for Users

218

(25)

Partitioning and Classifying

219

(3)

Outlining

222

(5)

A Document's Basic Shape

222

(1)

The Formal Outline

223

(2)

Outlining and Reorganizing on a Computer

225

(2)

Organizing for Cross-Cultural Audiences

227

(1)

The Report Design Worksheet

227

(1)

Storyboarding

227

(3)

Paragraphing

230

(5)

The Support Paragraph

230

(2)

The Topic Sentence

232

(1)

Paragraph Unity

233

(1)

Paragraph Coherence

233

(2)

Paragraph Length

235

(1)

Sequencing

235

(4)

Spatial Sequence

235

(1)

Chronological Sequence

236

(1)

Effect-to-Cause Sequence

236

(1)

Cause-to-Effect Sequence

237

(1)

Emphatic Sequence

237

(1)

Problem-Causes-Solution Sequence

237

(1)

Comparison-Contrast Sequence

238

(1)

Chunking

239

(2)

Creating an Overview

241

(2)

Exercises

241

(1)

Collaborative Projects

241

(2)

Editing for Readable Style

243

(43)

Editing for Clarity

245

(8)

Avoid Ambiguous Phrasing

245

(1)

Avoid Ambiguous Pronoun References

245

(1)

Avoid Ambiguous Punctuation

246

(1)

Avoid Telegraphic Writing

246

(1)

Avoid Ambiguous Modifiers

246

(2)

Unstack Modifying Nouns

248

(1)

Arrange Word Order for Coherence and Emphasis

248

(2)

Use Active Voice Often

250

(2)

Use Passive Voice Selectively

252

(1)

Avoid Overstuffed Sentences

253

(1)

Editing for Conciseness

253

(7)

Avoid Wordy Phrases

254

(1)

Eliminate Redundancy

254

(1)

Avoid Needless Repetition

254

(1)

Avoid There Sentence Openers

255

(1)

Avoid Some It Sentence Openers

255

(1)

Delete Needless Prefaces

256

(1)

Avoid Weak Verbs

256

(1)

Delete Needless To Be Constructions

257

(1)

Avoid Excessive Prepositions

257

(1)

Fight Noun Addiction

258

(1)

Make Negatives Positive

259

(1)

Clean Out Clutter Words

259

(1)

Delete Needless Qualifiers

260

(1)

Editing for Fluency

260

(4)

Combine Related Ideas

261

(1)

Vary Sentence Construction and Length

262

(1)

Use Short Sentences for Special Emphasis

263

(1)

Finding the Exact Words

264

(10)

Use Simple and Familiar Wording

264

(2)

Avoid Useless Jargon

266

(1)

Use Acronyms Selectively

267

(1)

Avoid Triteness

268

(1)

Avoid Misleading Euphemisms

268

(1)

Avoid Overstatement

269

(1)

Avoid Imprecise Wording

269

(2)

Be Specific and Concrete

271

(2)

Use Analogies to Sharpen the Image

273

(1)

Adjusting Your Tone

274

(8)

Guidelines for Deciding about Tone

276

(1)

Use an Occasional Contraction

276

(1)

Address Readers Directly

276

(1)

Use I and We When Appropriate

277

(1)

Prefer the Active Voice

277

(1)

Emphasize the Positive

278

(1)

Avoid an Overly Informal Tone

278

(1)

Avoid Personal Bias

278

(2)

Avoid Sexist Usage

280

(1)

Avoid Offensive Usage of All Types

280

(1)

Guidelines for Nonsexist Usage

281

(1)

Guidelines for Inoffensive Usage

282

(1)

Considering the Cultural Context

282

(1)

Legal and Ethical Implications of Word Choice

283

(1)

Using Automated Editing Tools Effectively

284

(2)

PART IV Visual, Design, and Usability Elements

286

(96)

Designing Visual Information

288

(51)

Why Visuals Are Important

289

(2)

How Visuals Work

291

(1)

When to Use a Visual

292

(1)

What Types of Visuals to Consider

293

(2)

How to Select Visuals for Your Purpose and Audience

295

(2)

Tables

297

(3)

Graphs

300

(10)

Bar Graphs

300

(6)

Line Graphs

306

(3)

Graphs with Three Variables

309

(1)

Charts

310

(5)

Pie Charts

310

(2)

Organization Charts

312

(1)

Flowcharts

312

(1)

Tree Charts

312

(1)

Gantt and Pert Charts

312

(1)

Pictograms

313

(2)

Graphic Illustrations

315

(8)

Diagrams

316

(3)

Maps

319

(1)

Photographs

320

(3)

Computer Graphics

323

(6)

Selecting Design Options

323

(1)

Using Clip Art

323

(1)

Using Color

324

(5)

Using Web Sites for Graphics Support

329

(1)

How to Avoid Visual Distortion

330

(9)

Present the Real Picture

330

(1)

Present the Complete Picture

330

(1)

Don't Mistake Distortion for Emphasis

331

(1)

Checklist for Usability of Visuals

332

(2)

Guidelines for Fitting Visuals with Printed Text

334

(1)

Exercises

335

(2)

Collaborative Projects

337

(2)

Designing Pages and Documents

339

(26)

Page Design in Workplace Documents

340

(1)

How Page Design Transforms a Document

340

(1)

Design Skills Needed in Today's Workplace

341

(3)

Desktop Publishing

343

(1)

Electronic Publishing

343

(1)

Using Style Sheets and Company Style Guides

344

(1)

Creating a Usable Design

344

(21)

Shaping the Page

344

(8)

Styling the Words and Letters

352

(2)

Highlighting for Emphasis

354

(2)

Using Headings for Access and Orientation

356

(4)

Audience Considerations in Page Design

360

(1)

Designing On-Screen Documents

360

(1)

Web Pages

360

(1)

Online Help

361

(1)

CD-ROMs

361

(2)

Checklist for Usability of Page Design

363

(1)

Exercises

363

(1)

Collaborative Project

364

(1)

Designing and Testing the Document for Usability

365

(17)

Why a Usable Design Is Essential

366

(1)

How to Achieve a Usable Design

366

(5)

Outline the Main Tasks Involved

367

(1)

Analyze the Audience and the Setting

368

(1)

Do the Research

368

(1)

Develop a Design Plan

368

(3)

How to Test Your Document for Usability

371

(2)

Qualitative Testing

371

(2)

Quantitative Testing

373

(1)

When to Use Which Test

373

(1)

Usability Issues in Online or Multimedia Documents

373

(1)

Usability Testing in the Classroom

374

(8)

Guidelines for Testing a Document's Usability

376

(3)

Checklist for Usability

379

(1)

Exercises

379

(1)

Collaborative Project

380

(2)

PART V Specific Documents and Applications

382

(296)

Memo Reports and Electronic Mail

384

(25)

Informational versus Analytical Reports

385

(1)

Formal versus Informal Reports

385

(1)

Purpose of Memo Reports

385

(1)

Elements of a Usable Memo

386

(1)

Interpersonal Considerations in Writing a Memo

386

(2)

Direct versus Indirect Organizing Patterns

388

(1)

Informational Reports in Memo Form

388

(6)

Progress Reports

388

(4)

Periodic Activity Reports

392

(1)

Meeting Minutes

393

(1)

Analytical Reports in Memo Form

394

(6)

Feasibility Reports

395

(2)

Recommendation Reports

397

(2)

Justification Reports

399

(1)

Electronic Mail

400

(5)

Email benefits

400

(2)

Email Copyright Issues

402

(1)

Email Privacy Issues

402

(1)

Guidelines for Using Electronic Mail

403

(2)

Instant Messaging

405

(4)

Guidelines for Choosing Email versus Paper or the Telephone

405

(1)

Checklist for Usability of Memo Reports

406

(1)

Exercises

406

(2)

Collaborative Projects

408

(1)

Letters and Employment Correspondence

409

(50)

Elements of Usable Letters

410

(8)

Basic Parts of Letters

410

(6)

Specialized Parts of Letters

416

(1)

Design Factors

417

(1)

Interpersonal Considerations in Workplace Letters

418

(3)

Inquiry Letters

421

(2)

Sample Situation

421

(2)

Telephone and Email Inquiries

423

(1)

Claim Letters

423

(2)

Routine Claims

423

(1)

Arguable Claims

424

(1)

Resumes and Job Applications

425

(1)

Employment Outlook in the Twenty-First Century

425

(1)

Prospecting for Jobs

426

(15)

Preparing Your Resume

428

(4)

Organizing Your Resume

432

(2)

A Sample Situation

434

(1)

Preparing Your Job Application Letter

434

(6)

Consider This: How Applicants Are Screened for Personal Qualities

440

(1)

Electronic Job Hunting

441

(7)

Online Employment Resources

441

(2)

Electronic Scanning of Resumes

443

(1)

How to Prepare Content for a Scannable Resume

443

(1)

How to Design a Scannable Resume

444

(1)

Electronic Resumes

444

(1)

Protecting Privacy and Security When You Post a Resume Online

445

(3)

Support for the Application

448

(11)

Your Dossier

448

(1)

Your Professional Portfolio

448

(1)

Employment Interviews

449

(2)

Guidelines for Surviving a Job Interview

451

(2)

The Follow-Up Letter

453

(1)

Letters of Acceptance or Refusal

453

(1)

Consider This: How to Evaluate a Job Offer

454

(3)

Checklist for Usability of Letters

457

(1)

Exercises

457

(1)

Collaborative Projects

458

(1)

Web Pages and Other Electronic Documents

459

(21)

Online Documentation

460

(1)

Hypertext

461

(1)

Markup

462

(2)

Beyond HTML

464

(1)

Text versus Images: Current Preferences

464

(2)

The Web

466

(1)

Consider This: How Web Sites Enhance Workplace Transactions

467

Elements of a Usable Web Site

466

(9)

Accessibility

466

(2)

Worthwhile Content

468

(1)

Sensible Arrangement

468

(1)

Good Writing and Page Design

468

(1)

Good Graphics and Special Effects

468

(4)

Consider This: Web Site Needs and Expectations Differ Across Cultures

472

(1)

Guidelines for Creating a Web Site

473

(2)

Privacy Issues in Online Communication

475

(5)

Checklist for Usability of Web Sites

478

(1)

Individual or Collaborative Projects

479

(1)

Service-Learning Project

479

(1)

Technical Definitions

480

(22)

Purpose of Technical Definitions

481

(1)

Levels of Detail in a Definition

482

(2)

Parenthetical Definition

482

(1)

Sentence Definition

482

(1)

Expanded Definition

483

(1)

Expansion Methods

484

(6)

Etymology

485

(1)

History and Background

485

(1)

Negation

486

(1)

Operating Principle

486

(1)

Analysis of Parts

487

(1)

Visuals

488

(1)

Comparison and Contrast

488

(1)

Required Materials or Conditions

489

(1)

Example

489

(1)

Situations Requiring Definitions

490

(3)

Placement of Definitions

493

(9)

Guidelines for Defining Clearly and Precisely

496

(1)

Checklist for Usability of Definitions

497

(1)

Exercises

497

(1)

Collaborative Projects

498

(1)

Service-Learning Project

498

(4)

Technical Descriptions and Specifications

502

(30)

Purposes and Types of Technical Description

503

(1)

Elements of a Usable Description

503

(7)

Clear and Limiting Title

503

(1)

Appropriate Level of Detail and Technicality

503

(3)

Objectivity

506

(1)

Visuals

507

(1)

Clearest Descriptive Sequence

507

(3)

An Outline and Model for Product Description

510

(3)

Introduction: General Description

510

(1)

Description and Function of Parts

511

(1)

Summary and Operating Description

512

(1)

A Situation Requiring Product Description

513

(3)

An Outline for Process Description

516

(1)

A Situation Requiring Process Description

517

(3)

Specifications

520

(4)

Technical Marketing Literature

524

(8)

Checklist for Usability of Technical Descriptions

527

(1)

Exercises

527

(1)

Collaborative Projects

528

(4)

Instructions and Procedures

532

(35)

Purpose of Instructional Documents

533

(1)

Formats for Instructional Documents

533

(2)

Faulty Instructions and Legal Liability

535

(3)

Elements of Usable Instruction

538

(14)

Clear and Limiting Title

538

(1)

Informed Content

539

(1)

Visuals

539

(1)

Appropriate Level of Detail and Technicality

539

(7)

Logically Ordered Steps

546

(1)

Notes and Hazard Notices

546

(1)

Readability

547

(2)

Effective Design

549

(3)

An Outline and Model for Instructions

552

(2)

Introduction

552

(1)

Body: Required Steps

553

(1)

Conclusion

554

(1)

A Situation Requiring Instructions

554

(6)

Procedures

560

(7)

Checklist for Usability of Instructions

561

(2)

Exercises

563

(2)

Collaborative Projects

565

(1)

Service-Learning Project

565

(2)

Proposals

567

(38)

How Proposals and Reports Differ in Purpose

568

(1)

The Proposal Audience

568

(1)

The Proposal Process

569

(3)

Proposal Types

572

(6)

Planning Proposal

573

(2)

Research Proposal

575

(2)

Sales Proposal

577

(1)

Elements of a Persuasive Proposal

578

(6)

A Forecasting Title

579

(1)

Clear Understanding of the Audience's Needs

579

(1)

A Clear Focus on Benefits

579

(1)

Honest and Supportable Claims

580

(1)

Appropriate Detail

581

(1)

Readability

581

(1)

Convincing Language

582

(1)

Visuals

582

(1)

Accessible Page Design

583

(1)

Supplements Tailored for a Diverse Audience

583

(1)

Proper Citation of Sources and Contributors

583

(1)

An Outline and Model for Proposals

584

(5)

Introduction

584

(2)

Body

586

(3)

Conclusion

589

(1)

A Situation Requiring a Proposal

589

(16)

Checklist for Usability of Proposals

601

(1)

Exercises

602

(1)

Service-Learning Project

602

(3)

Formal Analytical Reports

605

(37)

Purpose of Analysis

606

(1)

Typical Analytical Problems

607

(2)

Causal Analysis: ``Why Does X Happen?''

607

(1)

Comparative Analysis: ``Is X or Y Better for Our Purpose?''

607

(1)

Feasibility Analysis: ``Is This a Good Idea?''

608

(1)

Combining Types of Analysis

609

(1)

Elements of a Usable Analysis

609

(7)

Clearly Identified Problems or Goal

609

(1)

Adequate but Not Excessive Data

609

(1)

Accurate and Balanced Data

610

(2)

Fully Interpreted Data

612

(1)

Subordination of Personal Bias

612

(1)

Appropriate Visuals

612

(1)

Valid Conclusions and Recommendations

612

(4)

Self-Assessment

616

(1)

An Outline and Model for Analytical Reports

616

(12)

Introduction

617

(1)

Body

618

(9)

Conclusion

627

(1)

Supplements

628

(1)

A Situation Requiring an Analytical Report

628

(14)

Checklist for Usability of Analytical Reports

630

(1)

Guidelines for Reasoning through an Analytical Problem

630

(10)

Exercise

640

(1)

Collaborative Projects

641

(1)

Front Matter and End Matter in Long Documents

642

(11)

Cover

643

(1)

Title Page

643

(1)

Letter of Transmittal

643

(3)

Table of Contents

646

(2)

List of Tables and Figures

648

(1)

Abstract or Executive Summary

648

(1)

Glossary

649

(1)

Appendices

650

(1)

Documentation

651

(2)

Exercises

652

(1)

Oral Presentations

653

(25)

Advantages and Disadvantages of Oral Reports

654

(1)

Avoiding Presentation Pitfalls

654

(1)

Planning Your Presentation

655

(3)

Analyze Your Listeners

655

(1)

Work from an Explicit Purpose Statement

655

(1)

Analyze Your Speaking Situation

656

(1)

Select an Appropriate Delivery Method

656

(2)

Preparing Your Presentation

658

(12)

Research Your Topic

658

(1)

Aim for Simplicity and Conciseness

658

(1)

Anticipate Audience Questions

659

(1)

Outline Your Presentation

659

(1)

Plan Your Visuals

660

(2)

Prepare Your Visuals

662

(1)

Guidelines for Readable Visuals

663

(1)

Guidelines for Understandable Visuals

663

(1)

Consider the Available Technology

663

(3)

Use PowerPoint or other Software Wisely

666

(3)

Guidelines for Using Presentation Software

669

(1)

Rehearse Your Delivery

669

(1)

Delivering Your Presentation

670

(8)

Cultivate the Human Landscape

670

(1)

Keep Your Listeners Oriented

670

(1)

Manage Your Visuals

671

(1)

Guidelines for Presenting Visuals

672

(1)

Manage Your Presentation Style

672

(1)

Manage Your Speaking Situation

673

(1)

Guidelines for Managing Listener Questions

674

(1)

Consider This: Cross-Cultural Audiences May Have Specific Expectations

674

(1)

Exercises

675

(3)

PART VI A Brief Handbook with Additional Sample Documents

678

(2)

APPENDIX A Recording and Documenting Research Findings

680

(38)

Taking Notes

681

(1)

Guidelines for Recording Research Findings

681

(1)

Quoting the Work of Others

682

(2)

Guidelines for Quoting the Work of Others

682

(2)

Paraphrasing the Work of Others

684

(1)

Guidelines for Paraphrasing

684

(1)

What You Should Document

685

(1)

How You Should Document

685

(1)

MLA Documentation Style

686

(16)

MLA Parenthetical References

686

(1)

MLA Works Cited Entries

687

(11)

MLA Sample Works Cited page

698

(4)

APA Documentation Style

702

(12)

APA Parenthetical References

702

(1)

APA Reference List Entries

703

(9)

APA Sample Reference List

712

(2)

CBE and Other Numerical Documentation Styles

714

(4)

CBE Numbered Citations

714

(1)

CBE Reference List Entries

715

(3)

APPENDIX B A Casebook of Sample Documents Illustrating the Writing Process

718

(33)

Critical Thinking in the Writing Process

719

(1)

Case 1---An Everyday Writing Situation: The Evolution of a Short Report

720

(9)

Working with the Information

721

(1)

Planning the Document

722

(1)

Drafting the Document

723

(2)

Revising the Document

725

(4)

Case 2---Preparing a Personal Statement in an Internship or Fellowship Application

729

(4)

Case 3---Documents for the Course Project: A Sequence Culminating in the Final Report

733

(18)

The Project Documents

734

(1)

The Proposal Stage

734

(1)

The Progress Report Stage

734

(3)

The Final Report Stage

737

(14)

APPENDIX C Editing for Grammar, Usage and Mechanics

751

(28)

Common Sentence Errors

752

(10)

Sentence Fragment

752

(1)

Acceptable Fragments

753

(1)

Comma Splice

754

(1)

Run-On Sentence

754

(1)

Faulty Agreement---Subject and Verb

755

(1)

Faulty Agreement---Pronoun and Referent

756

(1)

Faulty Coordination

756

(1)

Faulty Subordination

757

(1)

Faulty Pronoun Case

758

(1)

Faulty Modification

759

(2)

Faulty Parallelism

761

(1)

Sentence Shifts

761

(1)

Effective Punctuation

762

(10)

End Punctuation

762

(1)

Semicolon

763

(1)

Colon

764

(1)

Comma

764

(4)

Apostrophe

768

(2)

Quotation Marks

770

(1)

Ellipses

771

(1)

Italics

771

(1)

Parentheses

771

(1)

Brackets

771

(1)

Dashes

772

(1)

Transitions

772

(1)

Effective Mechanics

773

(6)

Abbreviations

774

(2)

Hyphen

776

(1)

Capitalization

776

(1)

Use of Numbers

777

(1)

Spelling

778

(1)

Works Cited

779

(16)

Index

795

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