Technical Communication Today (Book Alone)

by Johnson-Sheehan, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780321117649
• ISBN10: 0321117646
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

Up-to-date treatment of actual practices in the field of technical communication, with hands-on advice for using computers in every stage of the process of creating technical documents and presentations; coverage of finding a job in the field of technical communication. Technical communication, technical writing, creating technical documents, designing technical documents; writing letters, memos, reports; searching for a job in technical communication; giving presentations. Those interested in improving technical writing skills.

Table of Contents

Preface

Elements of Technical Communcation

Communicating in the Workplace

How Important is Technical Communication

What is Technical Communication

Technical Communication: Actions, Words, Image?

Your Career and Technical Communication

Help: E-Literacy and Overcoming Cyberphobia

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

The Technical Writing Process

Technical Writing Today

Stage 1: Planning and Researching

Stage 2: Organizing and Drafting

Help: Using Your Computer to Overcome Writers Block

Stage 3: Improving the Style

Stage 4: Designing

Stage 5: Revising and Editing

Developing Your Own Writing Process

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

Case Study: The Procrastinator

Readers and Context of Use

Profiling Your Readers

Help: Profiling Readers with Search Engines

Profiling Contexts of Use

Using Profiles to Your Own Advantage

International and Cross-Cultural Communication

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

Case Study: Installing a Medical Waste Incinerator

Working in Teams

The Stages of Teaming

Forming: Strategic Planning

Storming: Managing a Conflict

Help: Virtual Teaming

Norming: Determining Team Roles

Performing: Improving Quality

The Keys to Teaming

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

Case Study: Not a Sunny Day

Ethics in the Technical Workplace

What Are Ethics?

Where Do Ethics Come From?

Help: Copyright Law in Technical Communication

Resolving Ethical Dilemmas

Ethics in the Technical Workplace

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

Case Study: The Chemical Spill

Communicating in the Technical Workplace

Persuasion and Planning

How to Persuade People

Persuading with Reason

Persuading with Values

Using Project Planning to be Persuasive

Persuasion and Planning in High-Context Cultures

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

Case Study: Solar Car

Researching and Managing Information

Beginning Your Research

Defining Your Research Subject

Formulating a Research Question or Hypothesis

Developing a Research Methodology

Triangulating Materials

Managing Information and Taking Notes

Help: Avoiding Junk Science on the Internet

Appraising Your Information

Avoiding Plagiarism

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

Case Study: Bye Bye Birdies

Organizing and Drafting

Basic Organization for Any Document

Using Genres to Organize Information

Outlining the Document

Help: Organizing with Presentation Software

Oganizing and Drafting the Introduction

Organizing and Drafting the Body

Organizing and Drafting the Conclusion

Organizing Cross-Cultural Document?

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

Case Study: The Bad News

Designing Documents and Interfaces

Five Principles of Design

Design Principle

Balance

Design Principle

Alignment

Design Principle

Grouping

Design Principle

Consistency

Help: Using Styles and Templates

Design Principle

Contrast

Cross-Cultural Design

Using the Principles of Design

A Primer on Binding and Paper

Chapter Review

Exercises and Projects

Case Stud

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