Rent 9780205298617 | Technical Writing : Principles, Strategies, and Readings

Summary Table of Contents

Technical Writing: Principles, Strategies, and Readings continues to offer a flexible combination of instructional chapters and readings that reflect the variety of emphases in today's technical writing classroom. The instructional chapters offer a comprehensive presentation of technical communication, while articles from professional journals which constitute about one-third of the text offer insight and advice on specific communication topics. These readings also introduce students to important subjects related to technical writing not usually addressed in introductory texts. Each concise and self-contained instructional unit includes extended models and exercises which can be used in class or for collaborative or homework assignments. Students who study technical writing as part of their career preparation in science, business, engineering, social services, and technical fields will find this text particularly useful. The text's easy to read format makes it especially popular in classes with students who are non-native speakers of English.

Thematic Contents for Part 2 Readings

xiii

(4)

Preface

xvii

PART 1 Technical Writing: Ways of Writing

(420)

1 Technical Writing on the Job

... MORE

Writing in Organizations

(2)

Reader/Purpose/Situation

(1)

Diversity in Technical Writing

(1)

Writing as a Process

(10)

One Writer's Process

(3)

Stages of Writing

(7)

Chapter Summary

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

(1)

Endnotes

(1)

Models

(8)

Exercises

(1)

2 Collaboration and Ethics

(14)

Writing with Others

(6)

Writing with a Partner

(1)

Writing on a Team

(2)

Writing for Management Review

(2)

Writing with a Technical Editor

(1)

Writing Ethically

(1)

Chapter Summary

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

(1)

Endnotes

(1)

Models

(3)

Exercises

(1)

3 Audience

(26)

Analyzing Readers

(7)

Subject Knowledge

(1)

Position in the Organization

(1)

Personal Attitudes

(1)

Reading Style

(1)

Multiple Readers

(1)

International Readers

(2)

Finding Out about Readers

(3)

Informal Checking

(1)

Interviewing

(2)

Testing Reader-oriented Documents

(2)

Readers Answering Questions

(1)

Readers Performing a Task

(1)

Readers Thinking Aloud

(1)

Chapter Summary

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

(1)

Endnotes

(1)

Models

(9)

Exercises

(2)

4 Organization

(27)

Sorting Information

(1)

Select Major Topics

(1)

Identify Subtopics

(1)

Constructing Outlines

(5)

Informal Outlines

(1)

Formal Outlines

(1)

Topic Outlines

(1)

Sentence Outlines

(2)

Developing Effective Paragraphs

(10)

Unity

(1)

Coherence

(2)

Development

(1)

Patterns for Presenting Information

(6)

Chapter Summary

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

(1)

Endnotes

(1)

Models

(6)

Exercises

(2)

5 Document Design

(37)

Understanding Design Features

(2)

Purpose of Design Features

(1)

Design Principles

(1)

Creating Graphic Aids

(17)

Purpose of Graphic Aids

(1)

Tables

(1)

Figures

100

(14)

Using Format Elements

114

(7)

Written Cues

114

(3)

White Space

117

(1)

Typographic Devices

118

(3)

Chapter Summary

121

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

121

(1)

Models

122

(7)

Exercises

129

(2)

6 Revision

131

(23)

Creating a Final Draft

132

(1)

Global Revision

132

(1)

Fine-tuning Revision

132

(1)

Making Global Revision

133

(2)

Content

134

(1)

Organization

134

(1)

Making Fine-tuning Revisions

135

(11)

Overloaded Sentences

136

(1)

Clipped Sentences

137

(1)

Lengthy Sentences

138

(1)

Passive Voice

138

(2)

Jargon

140

(1)

Sexist Language

141

(1)

Concrete versus Abstract Words

142

(2)

Gobbledygook

144

(1)

Wordiness

145

(1)

Chapter Summary

146

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

147

(1)

Models

148

(4)

Exercises

152

(2)

7 Definition

154

(21)

Understanding Definitions

155

(1)

Writing Informal Definitions

156

(1)

Writing Formal Sentence Definitions

156

(3)

Writing Expanded Definitions

159

(5)

Cause and Effect

160

(1)

Classification

160

(1)

Comparison or Contrast

161

(1)

Description

161

(1)

Development or History

162

(1)

Etymology

162

(1)

Examples

162

(1)

Method of Operation or Process

163

(1)

Negation

163

(1)

Partition

163

(1)

Stipulation

164

(1)

Placing Definitions in Documents

164

(1)

Within the Text

164

(1)

In an Appendix

165

(1)

In Footnotes

165

(1)

In a Glossary

165

(1)

Chapter Summary

165

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

166

(1)

Endnotes

166

(1)

Models

167

(6)

Exercises

173

(2)

8 Description

175

(28)

Understanding Description

176

(1)

Planning Descriptions

177

(6)

Subjects

177

(1)

Kinds of Information

178

(2)

Detail and Language

180

(2)

Graphic Aids

182

(1)

Writing Descriptions

183

(7)

Organization

183

(1)

Sections of a Technical Description

184

(2)

Sample Technical Descriptions

186

(4)

Chapter Summary

190

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

190

(1)

Endnotes

190

(1)

Models

191

(10)

Exercises

201

(2)

9 Instructions, Procedures, and Process Explanations

203

(35)

Understanding Instructions, Procedures, and Process Explanations

204

(1)

Instructions

204

(1)

Procedures

204

(1)

Process Explanations

204

(1)

Graphic Aids

205

(1)

Writing Instructions

205

(9)

Readers

205

(1)

Organization

206

(5)

Details and Language

211

(2)

Troubleshooting Instructions

213

(1)

Writing Procedures

214

(3)

Procedures for One Employee

214

(1)

Procedures for Several Employees

215

(1)

Procedures for Handling Equipment and Systems

216

(1)

Writing Process Explanations

217

(5)

Readers

218

(1)

Organization

218

(4)

Details and Language

222

(1)

Chapter Summary

222

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

223

(1)

Models

224

(12)

Exercises

236

(2)

10 Formal Report Elements

238

(31)

Selecting Formal Report Elements

239

(1)

Writing Front Matter

239

(5)

Title Page

239

(1)

Transmittal Letter or Memo

240

(1)

Table of Contents

240

(1)

List of Figures

241

(1)

List of Tables

241

(1)

Abstract and Executive Summary

241

(3)

Writing Back Matter

244

(2)

Reference

244

(1)

Glossary/List of Symbols

245

(1)

Appendixes

245

(1)

Documenting Sources

246

(11)

APA System: Citations in the Text

247

(2)

APA System: List of References

249

(7)

Number-Reference System

256

(1)

Chapter Summary

257

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

257

(1)

Endnote

257

(1)

Models

258

(10)

Exercises

268

(1)

11 Short and Long Reports

269

(36)

Understanding Reports

270

(1)

Developing Short Reports

271

(5)

Opening-summary Organization

271

(2)

Delayed-summary Organization

273

(3)

Developing Long Reports

276

(11)

Planning Long Reports

279

(1)

Gathering Information

279

(4)

Taking Notes

283

(1)

Interpreting Data

284

(1)

Drafting Long Reports

285

(2)

Chapter Summary

287

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

287

(1)

Models

288

(15)

Exercises

303

(2)

12 Types of Reports

305

(51)

Understanding Conventional Report Types

306

(1)

Writing a Feasibility Study

306

(3)

Purpose

306

(1)

Organization

306

(3)

Writing an Incident Report

309

(2)

Purpose

309

(1)

Organization

309

(2)

Writing an Investigative Report

311

(4)

Purpose

311

(1)

Organization

311

(4)

Writing a Progress Report

315

(3)

Purpose

315

(1)

Organization

315

(3)

Writing a Trip Report

318

(2)

Purpose

318

(1)

Organization

318

(2)

Writing a Proposal

320

(5)

Purpose

320

(1)

Organization

321

(4)

Chapter Summary

325

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

326

(1)

Models

327

(26)

Exercises

353

(3)

13 Correspondence

356

(51)

Understanding Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

357

(1)

Letters

357

(1)

Memos

357

(1)

E-mail

357

(1)

Developing Effective Tone

358

(3)

Natural Language

359

(1)

Positive Language

359

(1)

You-Attitude

360

(1)

Organizing Letters and Memos

361

(8)

Direct Organization

362

(2)

Indirect Organization

364

(2)

Persuasive Organization

366

(3)

Writing Memos as a Manager

369

(2)

Selecting Letter Format

371

(6)

Date Line

371

(1)

Inside Address

371

(1)

Salutation

371

(4)

Body

375

(1)

375

(1)

Signature Block

375

(1)

Notations

376

(1)

Second Page

376

(1)

Envelope

376

(1)

Selecting Memo Format

377

(1)

Selecting E-mail Format

377

(2)

Using the Fax

379

(1)

Writing Job-application Letters

379

(1)

Writing Resumes

380

(3)

Preparing Scannable Resumes

383

(1)

Writing Other Job-search Letters

384

(2)

Chapter Summary

386

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

387

(1)

Endnotes

387

(1)

Models

388

(16)

Exercises

404

(3)

14 Oral Presentations

407

(14)

Understanding Oral Presentations

408

(2)

Purpose

408

(1)

Advantages

408

(1)

Disadvantages

409

(1)

Types of Oral Presentations

409

(1)

Organizing Oral Presentations

410

(2)

Preparing for Oral Presentations

412

(2)

Delivering Oral Presentations

414

(3)

Rehearsal

415

(1)

Notes and Outlines

415

(1)

Visual Equipment

415

(1)

Voice

415

(1)

Professional Image

416

(1)

Gestures

416

(1)

Eye Contact

416

(1)

Questions

416

(1)

Joining a Team Presentation

417

(1)

Facing International Audiences

417

(1)

Chapter Summary

418

(1)

Supplemental Readings in Part 2

419

(1)

Endnotes

419

(1)

Exercises

420

(1)

Appendix A: Guidelines for Grammar, Punctuation, and Mechanics

421

(18)

Grammar

421

(6)

Dangling Modifiers

421

(1)

Misplaced Modifiers

422

(1)

Squinting Modifiers

422

(1)

Parallel Construction

423

(1)

Pronoun Agreement

423

(1)

Pronoun Reference

424

(1)

Reflexive Pronoun

424

(1)

Sentence Faults

425

(1)

Subject/Verb Agreement

426

(1)

Punctuation

427

(4)

Apostrophe

427

(1)

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