The Elements of Technical Writing

by Pearsall, Thomas E.; Cargile Cook, Kelli

• ISBN13: 9780205583812
• ISBN10: 0205583814
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-06-19
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

One-quarter the length and price of conventional textbooks, this popular introduction to technical writing teaches the essentials with remarkable economy, clarity, and authority.The Elements of Technical Writingprovides students with precisely the information needed to produce effective technical documents and no more.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
The Seven Principles of Technical Writing	p. 1
Know Your Purpose and Your Writing Situation	p. 2
Your Purpose	p. 2
Your Situation	p. 4
Activities	p. 7
Chapter Assignments	p. 7
Know Your Audience and Their Situation	p. 10
Concerns and Characteristics	p. 10
Education, Experience, and Location	p. 12
Attitudes Toward Purpose and Information	p. 14
Activities	p. 19
Chapter Assignments	p. 19
Choose and Organize Your Content Around Your Purpose and Audience	p. 20
Researching Content	p. 21
Choosing Content	p. 22
Organizing Your Content	p. 24
Chronological	p. 26
Classification and Division	p. 27
Mechanism Descriptions	p. 28
Outlines	p. 29
Activities	p. 32
Chapter Assignments	p. 32
Write Clearly and Precisely	p. 34
Paragraph for Readers	p. 34
Revise Sentences and Words for Readers	p. 36
Use Language Appropriate for Your Readers	p. 37
Prefer the Active Voice	p. 38
Use Personal Pronouns	p. 39
Use Action Verbs	p. 40
Don't Introduce Unnecessary Complication	p. 41
Writing and Revising with Others	p. 44
Activities	p. 46
Chapter Assignments	p. 46
Use Good Page Design	p. 48
Use Default Layout Templates Cautiously	p. 49
Provide Headings	p. 49
Phrasing Headings	p. 52
Making Headings Noticeable and Distinctive	p. 53
Use Headers and Footers	p. 54
Choose an Appropriate Type Size and Typeface	p. 56
Type Size	p. 56
Typeface	p. 58
Use Lists and Informal Tables	p. 58
Use Emphasis Carefully	p. 59
Leave Ample White Space	p. 60
Margins	p. 60
Medium-Length Lines	p. 60
Proper Spacing	p. 60
Activities	p. 62
Chapter Assignments	p. 62
Think Visually	p. 63
Getting and Showing Objects	p. 63
Photographs	p. 65
Drawings	p. 68
Showing Processes	p. 70
Showing Data	p. 72
Tables	p. 73
Graphs	p. 75
Principles of Tables and Graphs	p. 78
Considering Cultural Differences	p. 80
Activities	p. 81
Chapter Assignments	p. 81
Write Ethically	p. 83
Don't Hide or Suppress Unfavorable Data	p. 83
Don't Exaggerate Favorable Data	p. 84
Don't Make False Implications	p. 85
Don't Plagiarize	p. 85
Credit Your Sources	p. 86
Internet Documentation	p. 91
Construct Ethical Graphs	p. 93
Don't Lie	p. 97
Activities	p. 98
Chapter Assignments	p. 98
The Formats of Technical Writing	p. 101
Elements of Reports	p. 102
Title Page	p. 103
Letter of Transmittal	p. 103
Preface	p. 106
Table of Contents	p. 107
List of Illustrations	p. 108
Glossary	p. 108
List of Symbols	p. 110
Abstracts and Summaries	p. 111
Introduction	p. 115
Discussion	p. 116
Conclusions and Recommendations	p. 117
Appendixes	p. 120
Documentation	p. 120
Copyright	p. 120
Activities	p. 121
Chapter Assignments	p. 121
Formats of Reports	p. 123
Instructions	p. 123
Introduction	p. 124
List of Equipment and Materials	p. 124
How-To Instructions	p. 125
Warnings	p. 128
Theory	p. 129
Glossary	p. 129
Analytical Reports	p. 130
Format	p. 130
Discussion Sections	p. 131
Proposals	p. 136
Unsolicited Proposals	p. 136
Student Proposals	p. 139
Progress Reports	p. 139
Empirical Research Reports	p. 141
Abstract	p. 141
Introduction	p. 141
Literature Review	p. 142
Materials and Methods	p. 142
Results	p. 142
Discussion	p. 143
Conclusions	p. 143
Activities	p. 143
Chapter Assignments	p. 144
Formats of Correspondence	p. 145
Formal Elements of Letters	p. 146
Letterhead	p. 146
Date Line	p. 146
Inside Address	p. 146
Re Line	p. 150
Subject Line	p. 150
Salutation	p. 150
Body	p. 150
Complimentary Close	p. 150
Signature Block	p. 152
End Notations	p. 152
Continuation Page	p. 152
Simplified Letters	p. 153
Memorandums	p. 153
E-mail	p. 155
Correspondence of the Job Search	p. 155
Résumés	p. 156
Letters of Application	p. 161
Other Correspondence	p. 163
Further Information	p. 164
Activities	p. 164
Chapter Assignments	p. 164
Chapter Notes	p. 165
Index	p. 167
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