Technical communication / 5th ed.

Understanding the Communicator's Work p. 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
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
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
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
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
Developing the Communicator's Tools p. 161
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
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
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
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
Understanding the Communicator's Strategies p. 325
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
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
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
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
Completing Documents p. 485
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
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
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
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
Creating a Professional Image p. 657
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
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