Writing and Speaking in the Technology Professions: A Practical Guide

This book delivers concrete advice from foremost experts on how to communicate more effectively in the workplace. Beer includes discussions of a variety of approaches such as: writing technical documents that are clear and effective, giving oral presentations more confidently, presenting information visually through graphics, holding productive meetings, and becoming an effective listener. Sponsored by: IEEE Professional Communications Society

Table of Contents:
INITIAL APPROACHES: WRITING YOUR FIRST DRAFTS. Can Engineers Write (J. Knapp)? Ready, Aim--Write (R. Savakinas)! Writing for "The Audience" (M. Cosgrove). Correctness vs. Communication (D. Bush). The Economics of Writing (Y. Day). An Engineer's Guide to Clear Language (R. Nailen). Put Clarity in Your Writing (D. Mueller). Add Style to Your Technical Writing (D. Plung). Create Time to Write Reports (J. Borchardt). TEXT AND GRAPHICS: PRESENTING INFORMATION VISUALLY. Writing Visually: Design Consideration in Technical Publications (P. Benson). A Guide to Choosing the Right Chart Type (K. Szoka). Table Constrution: Do's and Don'ts (E. Dukes). Lists: The Ultimate Organizer for Engineering Writing (S. Carliner). Safety Labels: What to Put in Them, How to Write Them, and Where to Place Them (C. Velotta). Rules to Acronyms (J. Mancuso). Editing Math: What to Do with the Symbols (B. Burton). CONSTRUCTION AND ORGANIZATION: PUTTING SOME DOCUMENTS TOGETHER.Why and What for (Four): The Basis for Writing a Good Introduction (E. Papadakis). Write a Good Technical Report (G. Ulrich). Writing a Trip Report (M. Petty). Clarifying Specifications (T. Whalen). Job Hunting: Sharpening Your Competitive Edge (R. Blicq(. How to Write a Recommendation (A. Wilcox). Eight Steps to Better Newsletters (J. Potvin). Writing to Persuade (J. Gilsdorf). Some Guidance on Preparing Technical Articles for Publication (R. Manley, et al.). MANUALS AND INSTRUCTIONS: GIVING DIRECTIONS THAT WORK. What Should You Write: A User's Guide, Tutorial, Reference Manual, or Standard Operating Procedure (J. Major)? Manual Writing Made Easier (D. Reddout). Designing and Writing Operating Manuals (L. Lopinto). Manual Dexterity--What Makes Instructional Manuals Usable (J. Gleason & J. Wackerman). The ABCs of New-Look Publications (B. Meyer). The User Edit: Making Manuals Easier to Use (M. Atlas). Preparing Instruction Manuals for Non-English Readers (S. Sanderlin). PROPOSALS: WRITING TO WIN THE CUSTOMER. Fifteen Questions to Help You Write Winning Proposals (T. Georges). Training Proposals That Sell Themselves (S. Sweetnam). The Short Proposal: Versatile Tool for Communicating Corporate Culture in Competitive Climates (B. Budish & L. Saudhusen). Technical Writing and Illustrating Strategies for Winning Government Contracts (R. Greenly). Storyboarding Can Help Your Proposal (R. Barakat). Clarification Questions That Work (A. Reilly). Proposals: Write to Win (C. Beck). REVISING AND EDITING: REFINING YOUR DOCUMENT. A Writing Report Card (G. Blake). Some Tips for Clear Writing (H. Lippincott). Theory and Practice of Editing Processes in Technical Communication (R. Masse). The Final Step: Perfecting a Document (H. Chytil). Collaborative Writing in the Workplace (C. Stratton). Reverse Engineering: The Outline As Document Restructuring Tool (D. Rathjens). How Writing Helps R&D Work (H. Michaelson). ORAL PRESENTATIONS: SPEAKING EFFECTIVELY TO GROUPS. Making an Effective Technical Presentation (R. Wismer). A Good Speech Is Worth a Thousand (Written) Words (B. Decker). Friends, Romans, Cost Engineers...Can We Talk (S. Pritchard)? The Engineering Presentation--Some Ideas on How to Approach and Present It (R. Rosenburg). Improving Oral Marketing Presentations in the Technology-Based Company (M. Warlum). Authenticity Beats Eloquence (S. Dressel & J. Chew). How to Speak So Facts Come Alive (M. Stettner). Handling a Hostile Audience--With Your Eyes (G. Carle). How to Overcome Errors in Public Speaking (J. Baird). MEETING, DISPUTING, LISTENING: WORKING WITH OTHERS TO GET RESULTS. What's Wrong with Your Meetings (R. Beary)? Great Meeting: How to Make Them Happen (R. Beary). Meetings: How to Make Them Better (T. Gautschi). Toward Better Meetings: A Psychologist's View (E. Raudsepp). Presenting the Successful Technical Seminar (T. Ealey). When and How You Argue (W. Delaney). Becoming and Effective Listener (M. Haynes). Effective Listening (B. Emery & K. Klamm). Author Index. Subject Index. Editor's Biography.