Machine generated contents note: pt. 1 Working in the Technical Communication Environment
1.Introduction to Technical Communication
What Is Technical Communication?
The Challenges Of Producing Technical Communication
Skills And Qualities Shared By Successful Workplace Communicators
Thinking Visually: Characteristics Of A Technical Document
Thinking Visually: Measures Of Excellence In Technical Documents
How Communication Skills And Qualities Affect Your Career
A Process For Writing Technical Documents N Focus On Process: Writing Technical Documents
A Look At Three Technical Documents
Exercises
Case 1 Using The Measures Of Excellence In Evaluating A Resume
2.Understanding Ethical And Legal Obligations
A Brief Introduction To Ethics W Your Ethical And Legal Obligations
Obligations To Your Employer
Obligations To The Public
Obligations To The Environment
Obligations To Copyright Holders
Guidelines: Determining Fair Use
Contents note continued: Guidelines: Dealing With Copyright Questions
Ethics Note: Distinguishing Plagiarism From Acceptable Reuse Of Information
The Role Of Corporate Culture In Ethical And Legal Conduct
Understanding Ethical And Legal Issues Related To Social Media
Guidelines: Using Social Media Ethically And Legally
Document Analysis Activity: Presenting Guidelines For Using Social Media
Communicating Ethically Across Cultures
Communicating With Cultures With Different Ethical Beliefs
Communicating In Countries With Different Laws
Thinking Visually: Principles For Ethical Communication
Writer's Checklist
Case 2 The Ethics Of Requiring Students To Subsidize A Plagiarism-Detection Service
3.Writing Collaboratively
Thinking Visually: Advantages And Disadvantages Of Collaboration
Managing Projects
Guidelines: Managing Your Project
Conducting Meetings
Listening Effectively
Guidelines: Listening Effectively
Contents note continued: Setting Your Team's Agenda
Guidelines: Setting Your Team's Agenda
Ethics Note: Pulling Your Weight On Collaborative Projects
Conducting Efficient Meetings
Communicating Diplomatically
Critiquing A Team Member's Work
Guidelines: Communicating Diplomatically
Guidelines: Critiquing A Colleague's Work
Using Social Media And Other Electronic Tools In Collaboration
Word-Processing Tools
Messaging Technologies
Document Analysis Activity: Critiquing A Draft Clearly And Diplomatically
Videoconferencing
Guidelines: Participating In A Videoconference
Wikis And Shared Document Workspaces
Ethics Note: Maintaining A Professional Presence Online
Gender And Collaboration
Culture And Collaboration
Case 3 Accommodating A Team Member's Scheduling Problems
pt. 2 Planning and Drafting the Document
4.Analyzing Your Audience And Purpose
Understanding Audience And Purpose
Contents note continued: Using An Audience Profile Sheet
Choices And Strategies: Responding To Readers' Attitudes
Techniques For Learning About Your Audience
Determining What You Already Know About Your Audience
Interviewing People
Reading About Your Audience Online
Thinking Visually: Determining The Important Characteristics Of Your Audience
Searching Social Media For Documents Your Audience Has Written
Analyzing Social-Media Data
Communicating Across Cultures
Understanding The Cultural Variables "On The Surface"
Understanding The Cultural Variables "Beneath The Surface"
Considering Cultural Variables As You Write
Guidelines: Writing For Readers From Other Cultures
Using Graphics And Design For Multicultural Readers
Applying What You Have Learned About Your Audience
Document Analysis Activity: Examining Cultural Variables In A Business Letter
Ethics Note: Meeting Your Readers' Needs Responsibly
Contents note continued: Writing For Multiple Audiences
Determining Your Purpose
Case 4 Focusing On An Audience's Needs And Interests
5.Researching Your Subject
Understanding The Differences Between Academic And Workplace Research
Understanding The Research Process
Focus On Process: Researching A Topic
Choosing Appropriate Research Methods
Choices And Strategies: Choosing Appropriate Research Techniques
Guidelines: Researching A Topic
Conducting Secondary Research
Using Traditional Research Tools
Online Catalogs
Reference Works
Periodical Indexes
Newspaper Indexes
Abstract Services
Government Information
Using Social Media And Other Interactive Resources
Discussion Boards
Wikis
Blogs
Tagged Content
Rss Feeds
Evaluating The Information
Guidelines: Evaluating Print And Online Sources
Conducting Primary Research
Analysis Of Social-Media Data
Contents note continued: Document Analysis Activity: Evaluating Information From Internet Sources
Observations And Demonstrations
Inspections
Experiments
Field Research
Interviews
Guidelines: Conducting An Interview
Inquiries
Questionnaires
Asking Effective Questions
Testing The Questionnaire
Administering The Questionnaire
Presenting Questionnaire Data In Your Document
Choices And Strategies: Choosing Types Of Questions For Questionnaires
Ethics Note: Reporting And Analyzing Data Honestly
Case 5 Revising A Questionnaire
6.Writing For Your Readers
Presenting Yourself Effectively
Guidelines: Creating A Professional Persona
Using Basic Organizational Patterns
Choices And Strategies: Choosing Effective Organizational Patterns
Writing Clear, Informative Titles And Headings
Guidelines: Revising Headings
Writing Clear, Informative Paragraphs
Structure Paragraphs Clearly
Contents note continued: The Topic Sentence
The Supporting Information
Paragraph Length
Ethics Note: Avoiding Burying Bad News In Paragraphs
Guidelines: Dividing Long Paragraphs
Use Coherence Devices Within And Between Paragraphs
Adding Transitional Words And Phrases
Repeating Key Words
Using Demonstrative Pronouns Followed By Nouns
Writing Grammatically Correct Sentences
Avoid Sentence Fragments
Avoid Comma Splices
Avoid Run-On Sentences
Avoid Ambiguous Pronoun References
Compare Items Clearly
Use Adjectives Clearly
Maintain Subject-Verb Agreement
Maintain Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Use Tenses Correctly
Structuring Effective Sentences
Use Lists
Guidelines: Creating Effective Lists
Emphasize New And Important Information
Choose An Appropriate Sentence Length
Avoid Overly Long Sentences
Avoid Overly Short Sentences
Focus On The "Real" Subject
Focus On The "Real" Verb
Use Parallel Structure
Contents note continued: Use Modifiers Effectively
Distinguish Between Restrictive And Nonrestrictive Modifiers
Avoid Misplaced Modifiers
Avoid Dangling Modifiers
Choosing The Right Words And Phrases
Select An Appropriate Level Of Formality
Be Clear And Specific
Use Active And Passive Voice Appropriately
Bes Specific
Avoid Unnecessary Jargon
Use Positive Constructions
Avoid Long Noun Strings
Avoid Cliches
Avoid Euphemisms
Ethics Note: Euphemisms And Truth Telling
Be Concise
Avoid Obvious Statements
Avoid Filler
Avoid Unnecessary Prepositional Phrases
Avoid Wordy Phrases
Avoid Fancy Words
Document Analysis Activity: Revising For Conciseness And Simplicity
Use Inoffensive Language
Nonsexist Language
People-First Language For Referring To People With Disabilities
Guidelines: Avoiding Sexist Language
Guidelines: Using The People-First Approach
Contents note continued: Case 6 Emphasizing Important Information In A Technical Description
pt. 3 Designing User-Friendly Documents and Website
7.Designing Print and Online Documents
Goals of Document Design
Planning the Design of Print and Online Documents
Guidelines: Planning Your Design
Understanding Design Principles
Proximity
Alignment
Repetition
Contrast
Designing Print Documents
Accessing Aids
Choices And Strategies: Creating Accessing Aids
Page Layout
Page Grids
White Space
Guidelines: Understanding Learning Theory and Page Design
Tech Tip: How To Set Up Pages
Columns
Typography
Typefaces
Type Families
Case
Type Size
Line Length
Line Spacing
Justification
Ethics Note: Using Type Sizes Responsibly
Titles And Headings
Titles
Headings
Other Design Features
Tech Tip: How To Create Borders and Screens
Tech Tip: How To Create Text Boxes
Contents note continued: Analyzing Several Print-Document Designs
Document Analysis Activity: Analyzing a Page Design
Designing Online Documents
Use Design To Emphasize Important Information
Create Informative Headers And Footers
Help Readers Navigate The Document
Guidelines: Making Your Document Easy To Navigate
Include Extra Features Your Readers Might Need
Help Readers Connect With Others
Design For Readers With Disabilities
Design For Multicultural Audiences
Ethics Note: Designing Legal and Honest Online Documents
Aim For Simplicity
Guidelines: Designing Simple, Clear Web Pages
Analyzing Several Online-Document Designs
Case 7 Designing A Flyer
8.Creating Graphics
The Functions of Graphics
Thinking Visually: Characteristics of an Effective Graphic
Understanding the Process of Creating Graphics
Planning Graphics
Ethics Note: Creating Honest Graphics
Producing Graphics
Contents note continued: Tech Tip: How To Insert and Modify Graphics
Guidelines: Integrating Graphics and Text
Revising Graphics
Citing Sources Of Graphics
Using Color Effectively
Choosing the Appropriate Kind of Graphic
Illustrating Numerical Information
Tables
Bar Graphs
Infographics
Line Graphs
Pie Charts
Choices And Strategies: Choosing the Appropriate Kind of Graphic
Guidelines: Creating Effective Tables
Guidelines: Creating Effective Bar Graphs
Guidelines: Creating Effective Infographics
Tech Tip: How To Use Drawing Tools
Guidelines: Creating Effective Line Graphs
Guidelines: Creating Effective Pie Charts
Illustrating Logical Relationships
Diagrams
Organization Charts
Illustrating Process Descriptions And Instructions
Checklists
Flowcharts
Logic Trees
Techniques For Showing Action Or Motion
Document Analysis Activity: Analyzing a Graphic
Illustrating Visual And Spatial Characteristics
Contents note continued: Photographs
Screen Shots
Line Drawings
Maps
Guidelines: Presenting Photographs Effectively
Tech Tip: How To Create and Insert Screen Shots
Creating Effective Graphics for Multicultural Readers
Case 8 Creating Appropriate Graphics To Accompany A Report
pt. 4 Learning Important Applications
9.Writing Correspondence
Understanding the Process of Writing Correspondence
Focus On Process: Writing Correspondence
Choices And Strategies: Choosing a Type of Correspondence
Presenting Yourself Effectively in Correspondence
Use The Appropriate Level Of Formality
Communicate Correctly
Project the "you attitude"
Avoid Correspondence Cliches
Communicate Honestly
Ethics Note: Writing Honest Business Correspondence
Writing Letters
Elements Of A Letter
Common Types Of Letters
Inquiry Letter
Response To An Inquiry
Claim Letter
Adjustment Letter
Writing Memos
Contents note continued: Guidelines: Organizing a Memo
Writing Emails
Guidelines: Following Netiquette
Document Analysis Activity: Following Netiquette in an Email Message
Writing Microblogs
Guidelines: Representing Your Organization on a Microblog
Writing Correspondence to Multicultural Readers
Case 9 Setting Up And Maintaining A Professional Microblog Account
10.Writing Job-Application Materials
Establishing Your Professional Brand
Guidelines: Building the Foundation of Your Professional Brand
Guidelines: Presenting Your Professional Brand
Ethics Note: Writing Honest Job-Application Materials
Understanding Four Major Ways To Look for a Position
Guidelines: Using Linkedln's Employment Features
Writing Resumes
Elements Of The Chronological Resume
Identifying Information
Summary Statement
Education
Employment History
Interests And Activities
References
Other Elements
Contents note continued: Guidelines: Elaborating on Your Education
Elements Of The Skills Resume
Preparing A Plain-Text Resume
Guidelines: Formatting a Plain-Text Resume
Document Analysis Activity: Preparing a Resume
Writing Job-Application Letters
Writing Follow-up Letters or Emails After an Interview
Case 10 Identifying The Best Of-The-Best Job-Search Sites
11.Writing Proposals
Focus On Process: Writing Proposals
The Logistics of Proposals
Internal And External Proposals
Internal Proposals
External Proposals
Solicited And Unsolicited Proposals
Solicited Proposals
Unsolicited Proposals
The "Deliverables" of Proposals
Research Proposals
Goods And Services Proposals
Persuasion and Proposals
Understanding Readers' Needs
Readers' Needs In An Internal Proposal
Readers' Needs In An External Proposal
Describing What You Plan To Do
Demonstrating Your Professionalism
Contents note continued: Guidelines: Demonstrating Your Professionalism in a Proposal
Ethics Note: Writing Honest Proposals
The Structure of the Proposal
Summary
Introduction
Guidelines: Introducing a Proposal
Proposed Program
Document Analysis Activity: Writing the Proposed Program
Qualifications And Experience
Budget
Appendixes
Task Schedule
Description Of Evaluation Techniques
Tech Tip: How To Create a Gantt Chart
Sample Internal Proposal
Case 11 Revising A Brief Proposal
12.Writing Informational Reports
Focus On Process: Writing Informational Reports
Writing Directives
Document Analysis Activity: Writing a Persuasive Directive
Writing Field Reports
Guidelines: Responding to Readers' Questions in a Field Report
Writing Progress and Status Reports
Ethics Note: Reporting Your Progress Honestly
Organizing Progress And Status Reports
Contents note continued: Concluding Progress And Status Reports
Guidelines: Projecting an Appropriate Tone in a Progress or Status Report
Sample Progress Report
Writing Incident Reports
Writing Meeting Minutes
Case 12 Writing A Directive About Using Agendas For Meetings
13.Writing Recommendation Reports
Understanding the Role of Recommendation Reports
Using a Problem-Solving Model for Preparing Recommendation Reports
Identify The Problem Or Opportunity
Establish Criteria For Responding To The Problem Or Opportunity
Determine The Options
Study Each Option According To The Criteria
Draw Conclusions About Each Option
Formulate Recommendations Based On The Conclusions
Ethics Note: Presenting Honest Recommendations
Writing Recommendation Reports
Writing The Body Of The Report
Methods
Results
Conclusions
Recommendations
Guidelines: Writing Recommendations
Contents note continued: Writing The Front Matter
Letter Of Transmittal
Cover
Title Page
Abstract
Table Of Contents
List Of Illustrations
Executive Summary
Tech Tip: How To Format Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers
Tech Tip: How To Create a Table of Contents
Guidelines: Writing an Executive Summary
Document Analysis Activity: Analyzing an Executive Summary
Writing The Back Matter
Glossary And List Of Symbols
Sample Recommendation Report
Case 18 Analyzing Decision Matrices
14.Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions
Focus On Process: Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions
Writing Definitions
Analyzing The Writing Situation For Definitions
Choices And Strategies: Choosing the Appropriate Type of Definition
Writing Sentence Definitions
Guidelines: Writing Effective Sentence Definitions
Writing Extended Definitions
Graphics
Contents note continued: Examples
Partition
Principle Of Operation
Comparison And Contrast
Analogy
Negation
Etymology
A Sample Extended Definition
Writing Descriptions
Analyzing The Writing Situation For Descriptions
Drafting Effective Descriptions
Indicate Clearly The Nature And Scope Of The Description
Introduce The Description Clearly
Provide Appropriate Detail
Conclude The Description
Guidelines: Providing Appropriate Detail in Descriptions
A Look At Several Sample Descriptions
Writing Instructions
Understanding The Role Of Instructional Videos
Designing A Set Of Instructions
Guidelines: Designing Clear, Attractive Pages
Planning For Safety
Ethics Note: Ensuring Your Readers' Safety
Drafting Effective Instructions
Drafting Titles
Drafting General Introductions
Drafting Step-By-Step Instructions
Drafting Conclusions
Guidelines: Drafting Introductions for Instructions
Contents note continued: Guidelines: Drafting Steps in Instructions
Revising, Editing, And Proofreading Instructions
A Look At Several Sample Sets Of Instructions
Document Analysis Activity: Presenting Clear Instructions
Writing Manuals
Case 14 Choosing A Medium For Presenting Instructions
15.Making Oral Presentations
Focus On Process: Preparing an Oral Presentation
Preparing the Presentation
Analyzing The Speaking Situation
Analyzing Your Audience And Purpose
Budgeting Your Time
Organizing And Developing The Presentation
Guidelines: Introducing and Concluding the Presentation
Preparing Presentation Graphics
Characteristics Of An Effective Slide
Graphics And The Speaking Situation
Using Graphics To Signal The Organization Of A Presentation
Tech Tip: How To Create a Master Page Design in Presentation Slides
Tech Tip: How To Set List Items To Appear and Dim During a Presentation
Contents note continued: Document Analysis Activity: Integrating Graphics and Text on a Presentation Slide
Choosing Effective Language
Guidelines: Using Memorable Language in Oral Presentations
Rehearsing The Presentation
Thinking Visually: Delivering the Presentation
Answering Questions After a Presentation
Ethics Note: Answering Questions Honestly
Speaker's Checklist
Case 15 Understanding The Claim-And-Support Structure For Presentation Graphics
APPENDIX Reference Handbook
A.Documenting Your Sources
Note Taking
APA Style
IEEE Style
MLA Style
B.Editing and Proofreading Your Documents
Punctuation
Mechanics
Proofreading Symbols and Their Meanings.