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"This book is a guide to technical writing, presented in a systematic framework that mirrors the logic associated with the scientific process itself. Other English books merely define concepts and provide rules; this one explains the reasoning behind therules. Other writing books for scientists and engineers focus primarily on how to gather and organize materials; this one focuses primarily on how to compose a readable sentence. The approach should be satisfying not only to scientists and engineers, butalso to anyone who once took a grammar course but can't remember the rules--because there was no exposure to underlying principles"--
List of contents
A Note from the Series Editor, xiii
Acknowledgments, xv
Foreword, xvii
Preface, xxi
1 Introduction to the Approach 1
PART I Sentences 9
2 Qualifiers Used in Sentences 11
3 Subordinate Clauses Used as Qualifiers 21
4 Explanatory Phrases, Participle Phrases, and Major Prepositional Phrases 31
5 Infinitive Phrases, and the General Rule for Punctuating Qualifiers 45
6 Sentences with Two Qualifiers 55
7 Higher Orders of Punctuation 69
8 Strategies to Improve Sentences with Qualifiers 77
PART II Lists 89
9 Two-Item Lists 91
10 Multiple-Item Lists 103
11 Strategies for Writing Better Lists 111
PART III Word Choice and Placement 119
12 Adjectives and Adverbs 121
13 Precision in Word Usage 135
PART IV Beyond Sentences 149
14 Paragraphs 151
15 Arguments 163
16 Justification of Arguments 173
17 Organization and Presentation 181
References, 193
About the Author, 207
Index, 209
About the author
ROBERT E. BERGER, PHD, brings a unique set of experiences to the subject of writing. In addition to his training as a scientist, he has edited thousands of research proposals, technical topics in solicitations for such proposals, abstracts of winning proposals, and commercialization plans for converting technology to businesses.
Summary
Technical ideas may be solid or even groundbreaking, but if these ideas cannot be clearly communicated, reviewers of technical documents are likely to reject the argument for advancing these ideas. This book presents a scientific approach to writing that mirrors the sensibilities of scientists and engineers.
