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Technical Writing: A Practical Approach

by: Pfeiffer, William S.

Technical Writing: A Practical Approach

by: Pfeiffer, William S.

ISBN 13:
9780130213723
ISBN 10:
0130213721
Edition: 4th
Format: Paperback
Copyright: 08/01/1999
Publisher: Pearson College Div
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Summary

For undergraduate-level courses in Technical Writing, Business Communication, Professional Communication, and Freshman Composition with a company emphasis. Technical Writing: A Practical Approach offers an easy-to-use approach towards learning the fundamentals of technical writing. The author's writing style is reader-friendly, and engages the student by providing a comprehensive overview of current topics in technical writing.

PART I

(124)

1 PROCESS IN TECHNICAL WRITING

(38)

Getting from Here to There

(6)

Features of Academic Writing

(1)

Features of Technical Writing

(4)

Discovering Your Purpose

(1)

Analyzing Your Readers

(8)

Obstacles for Readers

(1)

Ways to Understand Readers

(1)

Types of Readers

(3)

Collecting Information

(2)

Writing an Outline

(4)

Writing Initial Drafts

(1)

Revising Drafts

(2)

Writing in Groups

(5)

Benefits and Drawbacks of Group Writing

(1)

Guidelines for Group Writing

(4)

Communication Challenge--"A Group Project Gone Bad"

(3)

Chapter Summary

(1)

Assignments

(5)

2 MCDUFF, INC.: ETHICS AND GLOBALISM IN THE WORKPLACE

(32)

Corporate Culture in the 90s

(3)

Elements of a Company's Culture

(1)

The Search for Quality

(2)

The Global Workplace

(5)

Strategies for Understanding Cultures

(3)

Strategies for Communicating Internationally

(2)

Background and Types of Projects

(4)

History of McDuff, Inc.

(2)

Projects

(2)

Corporate and Branch Offices

(4)

Headquarters

(2)

Branches

(2)

Writing at McDuff

(3)

Examples of Internal Writing

(1)

Examples of External Writing

(1)

Ethics on the Job

(5)

Ethical Guidelines for Work

(2)

Ethics in Writing

(2)

Communication Challenge--"McDuff's Moscow Buyout: Global Dilemmas"

(2)

Chapter Summary

(1)

Assignments

(4)

3 ORGANIZING INFORMATION

(24)

Importance of Organization

(1)

Three Principles of Organization

(4)

ABC Format for Documents

(4)

Document Abstract: The "Big Picture" for Decision-Makers

(1)

Document Body: Details for All Readers

(1)

Document Conclusion: Wrap-Up Leading to Next Step

(1)

Tips for Organizing Sections and Paragraphs

(2)

Document Sections

(1)

Paragraphs

(1)

Communication Challenge--"Telecommuting: The Last Frontier?"

(3)

Chapter Summary

(1)

Assignments

(9)

4 PAGE DESIGN

(28)

Computers in the Writing Process

(4)

Using Computers to Plan

(1)

Using Computers to Draft

Using Computers to Revise

Problems to Avoid

101

(1)

Guidelines for Page Design

102

(12)

Paper

102

(1)

White Space

103

(4)

Headings

107

(5)

Lists

112

(2)

In-Text Emphasis

114

(1)

Fonts and Color

114

(3)

Size of Type

115

(1)

Font Types

116

(1)

Color

116

(1)

Communication Challenge--"The St. Paul Format Guide: Trouble in River City"

117

(2)

Chapter Summary

119

(1)

Assignments

120

(5)

PART II

125

(270)

5 PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION

127

(42)

Argument

128

(5)

Short Cases from McDuff: Argument

128

(1)

Guidelines for Writing Argument

129

(3)

Example of Argument

132

(1)

Definition

133

(5)

Short Cases from McDuff: Definitions

133

(1)

Guidelines for Writing Definitions

134

(4)

Example of Expanded Definition

138

(1)

Description

138

(4)

Short Cases from McDuff: Descriptions

139

(1)

Guidelines for Writing Descriptions

139

(3)

Examples of Description

142

(1)

Classification/Division

142

(6)

Short Cases from McDuff: Classification/Division

143

(1)

Guidelines for Classification

144

(1)

Example of Classification

145

(1)

Guidelines for Division

146

(1)

Example of Division

147

(1)

Comparison/Contrast

148

(3)

Short Cases from McDuff: Comparison/Contrast

148

(1)

Guidelines for Comparison/Contrast

149

(1)

Example of Comparison/Contrast

150

(1)

Communication Challenge--"A Dome Gone South: Argument in Action"

151

(2)

Chapter Summary

153

(2)

Assignments

155

(14)

6 PROCESS DESCRIPTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

169

(34)

Process Descriptions Versus Instructions

170

(2)

Process Descriptions at McDuff

171

(1)

Instructions at McDuff

171

(1)

Guidelines for Process Descriptions

172

(4)

Guidelines for Instructions

176

(7)

Communication Challenge--"McDuff's Home of Hope: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?"

183

(2)

Chapter Summary

185

(1)

Assignments

186

(17)

7 LETTERS, MEMOS, AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

203

(46)

General Guidelines

204

(6)

Specific Guidelines

210

(16)

Positive Letters

210

(1)

Negative Letters

211

(2)

Neutral Letters

213

(1)

Sales Letters

214

(2)

Memoranda

216

(1)

Electronic Communication

217

(9)

Communication Challenge--"Ethics and Sales Letters"

226

(2)

Chapter Summary

228

(1)

Assignments

228

(21)

8 INFORMAL REPORTS

249

(36)

When to Use Informal Reports

250

(2)

Letter Reports at McDuff

250

(1)

Memo Reports at McDuff

251

(1)

General Guidelines for Informal Reports

252

(4)

Specific Guidelines for Five Informal Reports

256

(8)

Problem Analyses

257

(1)

Recommendation Reports

258

(2)

Equipment Evaluations

260

(1)

Progress/Periodic Reports

261

(2)

Lab Reports

263

(1)

Communication Challenge--"A Nonprofit Job: Good Deed or Questionable Ethics?"

264

(2)

Chapter Summary

266

(1)

Assignments

266

(19)

9 FORMAL REPORTS

285

(44)

When to Use Formal Reports

286

(2)

Strategy for Organizing Formal Reports

288

(1)

Guidelines for the Eight Parts of Formal Reports

289

(9)

Cover/Title Page

290

(1)

Letter/Memo of Transmittal

290

(1)

Table of Contents

291

(2)

List of Illustrations

293

(1)

Executive Summary

293

(2)

Introduction

295

(1)

Discussion Sections

296

(1)

Conclusions and Recommendations

297

(1)

Formal Report Example

298

(1)

Communication Challenge--"The Ethics of Clients Reviewing Report Drafts"

298

(2)

Chapter Summary

300

(1)

Assignments

300

(29)

10 PROPOSALS AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES

329

(66)

Proposals and Feasibility Studies at McDuff

330

(4)

McDuff Proposals

332

(1)

McDuff Feasibility Studies

333

(1)

Guidelines for Informal Proposals

334

(5)

Guidelines for Formal Proposals

339

(5)

Cover/Title Page

340

(1)

Letter/Memo of Transmittal

340

(1)

Table of Contents

341

(1)

List of Illustrations

341

(1)

Executive Summary

342

(1)

Introduction

342

(1)

Discussion Sections

343

(1)

Conclusion

343

(1)

Appendices

343

(1)

Guidelines for Feasibility Studies

344

(3)

Communication Challenge--"The Black Forest Proposal: Good Marketing or Bad Business?"

347

(2)

Chapter Summary

349

(1)

Assignments

350

(45)

PART III

395

(200)

11 GRAPHICS

397

(56)

Terms in Graphics

398

(1)

Reasons for Using Special Fonts, Color, and Graphics

398

(4)

Using Fonts

402

(3)

Font Types

402

(1)

General Guidelines

402

(3)

Using Color

405

(5)

The Cost and Time of Using Color

405

(1)

Developing a Color Style Sheet

406

(2)

Color Terms

408

(1)

Guidelines for Using Color

408

(2)

General Guidelines for Graphics

410

(3)

Specific Guidelines for Eight Graphics

413

(25)

Tables

413

(3)

Pie Charts

416

(4)

Bar Charts

420

(3)

Line Charts

423

(3)

Schedule Charts

426

Flowcharts

423

Organization Charts

431

(3)

Technical Drawings

434

(4)

Misuse of Graphics

438

(3)

Description of the Problem

439

(1)

Examples of Distorted Graphics

439

(2)

Communication Challenge--"Massaging McDuff's Annual Report"

441

(5)

Chapter Summary

446

(1)

Assignments

447

(6)

12 ORAL COMMUNICATION

453

(30)

Presentations and Your Career

454

(1)

Guidelines for Preparation and Delivery

455

(7)

Guidelines for Presentation Graphics

462

(3)

Overcoming Nervousness

465

(3)

Why Do We Fear Presentations?

465

(1)

A Strategy for Staying Calm

466

(2)

Example of McDuff Oral Presentation

468

(6)

Running Effective Meetings

474

(3)

Common Problems with Meetings

474

(1)

Guidelines for Good Meetings

475

(2)

Communication Challenge--"Ethics and the Technical Presentation"

477

(2)

Chapter Summary

479

(1)

Assignments

480

(3)

13 TECHNICAL RESEARCH

483

(52)

Getting Started

484

(2)

Searching Online Library Catalogs

486

(8)

Searching in the Library

494

(10)

Searching the Web

504

(6)

Fundamentals of Web Searching

504

(1)

Web Search Options

505

(5)

Using Questionnaires and Interviews

510

(7)

Questionnaires

510

(5)

Interviews

515

(2)

Using Borrowed Information Correctly

517

(5)

Avoiding Plagiarism

517

(1)

Following the Research Process

518

(4)

Selecting and Following a Documentation System

522

(4)

Varieties of Documentation

522

(1)

Author-Date System with Pages

523

(1)

Online Documentation

524

(2)

Writing Research Abstracts

526

(4)

Types of Abstracts

526

(2)

Guidelines for Writing Research Abstracts

528

(2)

Communication Challenge--"To Cite or Not to Cite"

530

(1)

Chapter Summary

531

(1)

Assignments

532

(3)

14 THE JOB SEARCH

535

(36)

Researching Occupations and Companies

535

(4)

Job Correspondence

539

(6)

Job Letters

539

(3)

Resumes

542

(3)

Job Interviews

545

(5)

Preparation

545

(2)

Performance

547

(2)

Follow-Up Letters

549

(1)

Negotiating

550

(4)

Communication Challenge--"20-Something: Have Degree, Won't Travel"

554

(3)

Chapter Summary

557

(1)

Assignments

557

(14)

15 STYLE IN TECHNICAL WRITING

571

(24)

Style Overview

572

(1)

Writing Clear Sentences

572

(3)

Sentence Terms

573

(1)

Guidelines for Sentence Style

573

(2)

Being Concise

575

(4)

Being Accurate in Wording

579

(2)

Using the Active Voice

581

(1)

What Do Active and Passive Mean?

581

(1)

When Should Actives and Passives Be Used?

582

(1)

Using Nonsexist Language

582

(3)

Sexism and Language

582

(1)

Techniques for Nonsexist Language

583

(2)

Communication Challenge--"An Editorial Adjustment"

585

(3)

Chapter Summary

588

(1)

Assignments

588

(7)

APPENDIX A: ONLINE TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS

595

(8)

What Is Online Documentation?

596

(3)

Types of Online Documents

597

(1)

Authoring Tools and Delivery Programs

598

(1)

How Does Reader Analysis Change?

599

(1)

How Does Document Organization Change?

599

(2)

How Does Page Layout Change?

601

(1)

Summary

601

(2)

APPENDIX B: HANDBOOK

603

(40)

INDEX

643

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Technical Writing: A Practical Approach

Technical Writing: A Practical Approach

9780130213723

0130213721

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Technical Writing: A Practical Approach

Technical Writing: A Practical Approach

9780130213723

0130213721

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

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