Technical Writing: A Practical Approach

Abstract

(NOTE: All chapters begin with Collaboration at Work and conclude with Chapter Summary and Assignments.) PART I. 1. Process in Technical Writing. Getting from Here to There. Discovering Your Purpose. Analyzing Your Readers. Collecting Information. Writing an Outline. Writing Initial Revising Writing in Groups. Communication Challenge-A Group Project Gone Bad. 2. McDuff, Inc.: Ethics and Globalism in the Workplace. Corporate Culture in the New Century. The Global Workplace. Background and Types of Projects. Corporate and Branch Offices. Writing at McDuff. Ethics on the Job. Communication Challenge-McDuff's Moscow Buyout: Global Dilemmas. 3. Organizing Information. Importance of Organization. Three Principles of Organization. ABC Format for Documents. Tips for Organizing Sections and Paragraphs. Communication Challenge-Telecommuting: The Last Frontier? 4. Page Design. Computers in the Writing Process. Guidelines for Page Design. Fonts and Color. Communication Challenge-The St. Paul Format Guide: Trouble in the River City. PART II. 5. Patterns of Organization. Argument. Definition. Description. Classification/Division. Comparison/Contrast. Communication Challenge-A Dome Gone South: Argument in Action. 6. Process Descriptions and Instructions. Process Description versus Instructions. Guidelines for Process Descriptions. Guidelines for Instructions. Communication Challenge-McDuff's Home of Hope: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly? 7. Letters, Memos, and Electronic Communication. General Guidelines for Letters and Memos. Specific Guidelines for Letters and Memos. Email. Communication Challenge-Ethics and Sales Letters. 8. Informal Reports. When to Use Informal Reports. General Guidelines for Informal Reports. Specific Guidelines for Five Informal Reports. Communication Challenge-A Nonprofit Job: Good Deed or Questionable Ethics? 9. Formal Reports. When to Use Formal Reports. Strategy for Organizing Formal Reports. Guidelines for the Eight Parts of Formal Reports. Formal Report Example. Communication Challenge-The Ethics of Clients Reviewing Report Drafts. 10. Proposals and Feasibility Studies. Proposals and Feasibility Studies at McDuff. Guidelines for Informal Proposals. Guidelines for Formal Proposals. Guidelines for Feasibility Studies. Communication Challenge-The Black Forest Proposal: Good Marketing or Bad Business? PART III. 11. Graphics. Terms in Graphics. Reasons for Using Special Fonts, Color, and Graphics. Using Fonts. Using Color. General Guidelines for Graphics. Specific Guidelines for Eight Graphics. Misuse of Graphics. Communication Challenge-Massaging McDuff's Annual Report. 12. Oral Communication. Presentations and Your Career. Guidelines for Preparation and Delivery. Guidelines for Presentation Graphics. Overcoming Nervousness. Example of McDuff Oral Running Effective Meetings. Communication Challenge-Ethics and the Technical Presentation. 13. Technical Research. Getting Started. Searching Online Catalogs. Searching in the Library. Searching the Web. Using Questionnaires and Interviews. Using Borrowed Information Correctly. Selecting and Following a Documentation System. Writing Research Abstracts. Communication Challenge-To Cite or Not to Cite. 14. The Job Search. Researching Occupations and Companies. Job Correspondence. Job Interviews. Negotiating. Communication Challenge-20-Something-Have Degree, Won't Travel. 15. Style in Technical Writing. Overview of Style. Writing Clear Sentences. Being Concise. Being Accurate in Wording. Using the Active Voice. Using Nonsexist Language. Communication Challenge-An Editorial Adjustment. Appendix A: Online Technical Documents. What Is Online Documentation? How Does Reader Analysis Change? How Does Document Organization Change? How Does Page Layout Change? Summary. Appendix B: Website Design. Introduction. How Documents Work on the Web. Elements of Website Design. Hypertext Links. Conversion of Documents to Web Pages. Usability and Accessibility. Summary. Appendix C: Handbook. Index.

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