Practical Strategies for Technical Communication

Make the leap from writing in college to writing in a variety of workplace settings and contexts with Practical Strategies for Technical Communication. Practical advice and real-world examples let you practice with the kinds of writing processes and products you’ll encounter on the job. This edition covers generative AI and other emerging digital tools and practices.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Working in the Technical-Communication Environment1 Introduction to Technical Communication What Is Technical Communication? Why Technical Communication Skills Are Important in Your Career The Challenges of Producing Technical Communication Thinking Visually: Characteristics of a Technical Document Thinking Visually: Measures of Excellence in Technical Documents Skills and Qualities Shared by Successful Workplace Communicators A Look at Three Technical Documents Exercises 2 Understanding Ethical and Legal Obligations A Brief Introduction to Ethics Your Legal Obligations The Role of Corporate Culture in Ethical and Legal Conduct Understanding Ethical and Legal Issues Related to Social Media Communicating Ethically Across Cultures Thinking Visually: Principles for Ethical Communication Writer’s Checklist Exercises 3 Writing Collaboratively Thinking Visually: Advantages and Disadvantages of Collaboration Managing Projects Conducting Meetings Using Electronic Tools in Collaboration Strategies for Online Communication: Jenny Gilbert on Crowdsourcing Data and Information Gender and Collaboration Culture and Collaboration Writer’s Checklist Exercises Part 2 Planning and Drafting the Document4 Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose Understanding Audience and Purpose Using an Audience Profile Sheet Techniques for Learning About Your Audience Thinking Visually: Determining the Important Characteristics of Your Audience Communicating Across Cultures Applying What You Have Learned About Your Audience Writing for Multiple Audiences Determining Your Purpose Writer’s Checklist Exercises 5 Researching Your Subject Understanding the Research Process Choosing Appropriate Research Methods Choices and Strategies: Research Questions and Methods Conducting Secondary Research Using AI Chatbots Conducting Primary Research Choices and Strategies: Choosing Types of Questions for Questionnaires Writer’s Checklist Exercises 6 Writing for Your Readers Presenting Yourself Effectively Using Conventional Patterns of Organization Choices and Strategies: Choosing Effective Organizational Patterns Writing Clear, Informative Titles Writing Clear, Informative Headings Writing Clear, Informative Paragraphs Writing Grammatically Correct Sentences Structuring Effective Sentences Choosing the Right Words and Phrases Use Inoffensive Language Writer’s Checklist Exercises Part 3 Designing User-Friendly Documents and Websites7 Designing Print and Online Documents Goals of Document Design Planning the Design of Print and Online Documents Understanding Design Principles Designing Print Documents Designing Digital Documents Consider Matters of Accessibility Design for Multicultural Audiences Combining Print and Digital Documents Strategies for Online Communication: Calvin Jones on Using Multiple Modalities Writer’s Checklist Exercises 8 Creating Graphics The Functions of Graphics Thinking Visually: Characteristics of an Effective Graphic Understanding the Process of Creating Graphics Using Color Effectively Choosing the Appropriate Kind of Graphic Choices and Strategies: Choosing the Appropriate Kind of Graphic Illustrating Numerical Information Illustrating Logical Relationships Illustrating Process Descriptions and Instructions Illustrating Visual and Spatial Characteristics Creating Effective Graphics for Multicultural Readers Writer’s Checklist Exercises Part 4 Learning Important Applications9 Corresponding in Print and Online Understanding the Process of 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 Clichés Communicate Honestly Elements of a Letter Common Types of Letters Writing Memos Writer’s Checklist Exercises 10 Applying for a Job Establishing Your Professional Brand Understanding Job Search Strategies Elements of the Chronological Résumé Elements of the Skills Résumé Preparing a Plain-Text Résumé Writing Job-Application Letters Preparing for a Job Interview Writing Follow-up Letters or Emails After an Interview Writer’s Checklist Exercises 11 Writing Proposals The Logistics of Proposals Internal and External Proposals Solicited and Unsolicited Proposals The “Deliverables” of Proposals Research Proposals Goods and Services Proposals Persuasion and Proposals Understanding Contexts Describing What You Plan To Do Demonstrating Your Professionalism The Structure of the Proposal Summary Introduction Proposed Program Qualifications and Experience Budget Appendixes Task Schedule Description of Evaluation Techniques Sample Internal Proposal Writer’s Checklist Exercises 12 Writing Informational Reports Organizing Progress and Status Reports Concluding Progress and Status Reports Sample Progress Report Writing Incident Reports Writing Meeting Minutes Writer’s Checklist Exercises 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 Writing Recommendation Reports Writing the Body of the Report Writing the Front Matter Writing the Back Matter Sample Recommendation Report Writer’s Checklist Exercises 14 Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions Writing Definitions Analyzing the Writing Situation for Definitions Writing Sentence Definitions Writing Extended Definitions Writing Descriptions Analyzing the Writing Situation for Descriptions Indicating Clearly the Nature and Scope of the Description Introducing the Description Clearly Providing Appropriate Detail Ending the Description with a Brief Conclusion A Look at Several Sample Descriptions Writing Instructions Strategies for Online Communication: Suzanne Barnhill on Moderating User Forums Understanding the Role of Instructional Videos Designing a Set of Instructions Drafting Effective Instructions Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Instructions A Look at Several Sample Sets of Instructions Writing Manuals Writer’s Checklist Exercises 15 Making Oral Presentations Understanding the Role of Oral Presentations Preparing the Presentation Analyzing the Speaking Situation Organizing and Developing the Presentation Preparing Presentation Graphics During a Presentation Choosing Effective Language Rehearsing the Presentation Thinking Visually: Delivering the Presentation Presenting to All Audiences Answering Questions After a Presentation Speaker’s Checklist Exercises Appendix: Reference HandbookA Documenting Your Sources APA Style IEEE Style MLA Style B Editing and Proofreading Your Documents

About the Author :
Mike Markel was director of technical communication at Boise State University. The former editor of IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, he is the author of numerous articles and six books about technical communication, including Ethics and Technical Communication: A Critique and Synthesis.Stuart A. Selber is Professor of English at Penn State University where he directs The Penn State Digital English Studio and the Program in Writing and Rhetoric. He is a past president and Fellow of the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing and a past president of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication. Selber has received several national awards for outstanding research, including the Ken Rainey Award for Distinguished Research (Society for Technical Communication), which is a lifetime achievement award. Selber has also been honored with the Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching Technical Communication (Society of Technical Communication) and the Ronald S. Blicq Award for Distinction in Technical Communication Education (IEEE Professional Communication Society).