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Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
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Searching... | 30000000088843 | T11 B87 1994 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
This text emphasizes the problem solving process of technical communication and stresses the integrated, recursive nature of producing effective documents, encouraging writers to think of invention and revision as ongoing processes, to think of visuals as ways to present information, to think of language as having the power to shaped and influence reader's perceptions. The traditional concerns of technical communication, techniques such as definitions, descriptions, processes; forms such as correspondence, reports, and proposals , are always related to the rhetorical elements of purpose, audience, and design.
Author Notes
Rebecca E. Burnett is Professor of Rhetoric and Professional Communication as well as Director of Advanced Writing at Iowa State University
Table of Contents
Part I Understanding the Communicator's Work | p. 1 |
1 Considering Communication | p. 3 |
Importance of Effective Communication | p. 5 |
Defining Technical Communication | p. 6 |
Contexts for Constructing Meaning | p. 8 |
Texts That Communicate | p. 11 |
Communicators | p. 13 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 21 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 23 |
Intertext: Technical Writers Are in Demand: Do You Have the Right Stuff? | p. 27 |
2 Writing: Processes and Production | p. 31 |
Inventing and Exploring | p. 34 |
Planning and Organizing | p. 36 |
Drafting | p. 40 |
Revising | p. 42 |
Editing | p. 47 |
Differences Between Writing Processes | p. 48 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 50 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 52 |
Intertext: Care and Feeding of the Organizational Grapevine | p. 54 |
3 Writing for Readers | p. 61 |
Identifying Purposes | p. 63 |
Identifying Readers | p. 64 |
Analyzing Readers | p. 66 |
Adjusting to Readers | p. 76 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 83 |
Practicum: Iowa Public Television (IPTV) | p. 84 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 91 |
Intertext: Baby Blues | p. 97 |
4 Reading Technical Documents | p. 99 |
Identifying Purposes | p. 101 |
Reading-Writing Relationships | p. 102 |
Strategies for Effective Reading | p. 103 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 124 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 125 |
Intertext: Sold on the Simplicity of Web Sites: Companies Are Getting Back to Basics with Web Designs That Enable Users to Find What They Need | p. 128 |
5 Collaboration in Workplace Communication | p. 131 |
Reasons for Collaboration | p. 133 |
Types of Collaboration | p. 135 |
Being a Good Collaborator | p. 138 |
Negotiating Conflicts | p. 144 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 151 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 153 |
Intertext: The Rage for Global Teams | p. 158 |
Part II Developing the Communicator's Tools | p. 161 |
6 Locating and Recording Information | p. 163 |
Locating Primary and Secondary Sources | p. 166 |
Personal Observations and Close Reading | p. 168 |
Calculations | p. 170 |
Samples and Specimens | p. 171 |
Empirical Investigations | p. 171 |
Internal Records | p. 172 |
Interviews and Letters of Inquiry | p. 172 |
Surveys and Polls | p. 176 |
Library Resources | p. 180 |
Electronic Resources | p. 186 |
Government Documents and Offices | p. 190 |
Recording Data | p. 191 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 194 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 196 |
Intertext: Internet Power Searching: Finding Pearls in a Zillion Grains of Sand | p. 198 |
7 Organization of Information | p. 207 |
Outlining | p. 209 |
Organizing Information | p. 213 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 227 |
Practicum: Engineering Associates at Work | p. 228 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 234 |
Intertext: How an Author Can Avoid the Pitfalls of Practical Ethics | p. 237 |
8 Information Design | p. 245 |
Chunking and Labeling Information | p. 248 |
Arranging Related Chunks of Verbal and Visual Information | p. 253 |
Emphasizing Information | p. 257 |
Designing for the Web | p. 263 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 265 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 267 |
Intertext: Collaboration Revolutionizes Design Process | p. 270 |
9 Using Visual Forms | p. 273 |
Incorporating Visuals | p. 276 |
Conventions in Use of Color | p. 282 |
Visual Functions | p. 291 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 314 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 316 |
Intertext: Avoiding Distortion and Misuse of Visuals | p. 319 |
Part III Understanding the Communicator's Strategies | p. 325 |
10 Creating Definitions | p. 327 |
The Need for Definitions | p. 330 |
Construction of Definitions | p. 334 |
Placement of Definitions | p. 343 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 347 |
Practicum: Big Creek Forestry: Challenges in Becoming a SmartWood Certified Resource Manager | p. 349 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 354 |
Intertext: Sexual Harassment Training: Trust and Consequences | p. 359 |
11 Creating Technical Descriptions | p. 365 |
Defining Technical Description | p. 368 |
Using Technical Description | p. 369 |
Preparing a Technical Description | p. 373 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 382 |
Practicum: The Boeing Company | p. 383 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 388 |
Intertext: Cross-Cultural Communication: Is It Greek to You? | p. 392 |
12 Creating Process Explanations | p. 397 |
Defining Processes | p. 399 |
Using Process Explanations | p. 400 |
Preparing Processes | p. 405 |
Examining a Sample Process Explanation: Developing Low-Cost Roofing Materials | p. 409 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 412 |
Practicum: Lockheed Martin | p. 413 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 418 |
Intertext: The Changing Face of Sexual Harassment | p. 421 |
13 Ensuring Usability: Testing, Revising, and Editing | p. 425 |
Document Testing | p. 427 |
Revising | p. 431 |
Editing | p. 443 |
Examining Revision and Editing Decisions | p. 451 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 469 |
Practicum: Using Style Guides to Ensure Usability | p. 470 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 475 |
Intertext: Readability | p. 479 |
Part IV Completing Documents | p. 485 |
14 Correspondence | p. 487 |
Characteristics of Correspondence | p. 489 |
Domino Effect of Correspondence | p. 493 |
Composing Letters, Memos, and Electronic Mail Messages | p. 507 |
Format | p. 512 |
Visual Displays | p. 514 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 516 |
Practicum: Weisner Associates Inc. | p. 518 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 522 |
Intertext: Handling Customer Service on the Web: The Robots Are Here | p. 525 |
15 Instructions | p. 527 |
Defining and Designing Instructional Texts | p. 529 |
Constructing Instructional Texts | p. 539 |
Document Testing | p. 554 |
Examining Sample Instructions | p. 555 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 556 |
Practicum: Vidiom: The Case of the Multiple Versions | p. 558 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 564 |
Intertext: Design Learner-Friendly Training Manuals | p. 567 |
16 Proposals | p. 571 |
Characterizing Proposals | p. 574 |
Using Persuasion in Proposals | p. 577 |
Preparing Proposals | p. 580 |
Organizing Proposals | p. 584 |
Examining a Sample Proposal | p. 589 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 589 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 596 |
INTERTEXT: Goof-Proofing Your RFPs | p. 597 |
17 Reports | p. 603 |
Differentiating Informal and Formal Reports | p. 605 |
Purposes and Characteristics of Reports | p. 606 |
Planning a Report | p. 607 |
Organizing Informal Reports | p. 609 |
Formats of Reports | p. 620 |
Organizing Formal Reports | p. 621 |
Examining a Sample Report | p. 629 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 644 |
PRACTICUM: Responding to Change | p. 645 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 648 |
INTERTEXT: Clearing the Air: Some Thoughts on Gender-Neutral Writing | p. 651 |
Part V Creating a Professional Image | p. 657 |
18 Oral Presentations | p. 659 |
Types of Presentations | p. 661 |
Preparing a Professional Presentation | p. 663 |
Organizing a Professional Presentation | p. 666 |
Preparing Materials for a Professional Presentation | p. 670 |
Presenting Yourself | p. 679 |
Evaluating Presentations | p. 684 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 685 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 688 |
INTERTEXT: Using Copyrighted Works for Meetings, Seminars, and Conferences | p. 690 |
19 Addressing Career Concerns | p. 693 |
Learning About Jobs | p. 695 |
Preparing Application Letters | p. 698 |
Designing a Resume | p. 701 |
Preparing a Portfolio | p. 716 |
Interviewing | p. 720 |
End-of-Chapter Recommendations for Technical Communicators | p. 726 |
Individual and Collaborative Assignments | p. 728 |
INTERTEXT: How Technology Is Changing Privacy Issues in the Workplace | p. 732 |
Usage Handbook | p. UH1 |
Words | p. UH2 |
Sentences | p. UH6 |
Punctuation | p. UH34 |
Capitalization | p. UH42 |
Numbers--Figures or Words? | p. UH47 |
Documenting Sources | p. UH49 |
Endnotes and Credits | p. C1 |
Index | p. I1 |