Technical Communication

List of contents

Part 1 Understanding the Technical Communication Environment

1. Introduction to Technical Communication

• What Is Technical Communication?


• Why Technical Communication Skills Are Important in Your Career


• The Challenges of Producing Technical Communication


• Characteristics of a Technical Document


• Skills and Qualities Shared by Successful Workplace Communicators


• Exercises

2. Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations

• A Brief Introduction to Ethics


• Your Ethical Obligations


• Obligations to Your Employer


• Obligations to the Public


• Obligations to the Environment


• 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


• Communicating with Cultures with Different Ethical Beliefs


• Communicating in Countries with Different Laws


• Principles for Ethical Communication




• Abide by Relevant Laws


• Abide by the Appropriate Professional Code of Conduct


• Abide by Your Organization's Policy on Social Media


• Take Advantage of Your Employer's Ethics Resources


• Tell the Truth


• Don't Mislead Your Readers


• Use Design to Highlight Important Ethical and Legal Information


• Be Clear


• Avoid Discriminatory Language


• Acknowledge Assistance from Others




• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




3. Writing Technical Documents





• Planning




• Generating Ideas About Your Subject


• Researching Additional Information


• Devising a Schedule and a Budget




• Drafting




• Using Templates




• Revising




• Studying the Draft by Yourself


• Seeking Help from Technology




• Editing


• Proofreading


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




4. Writing Collaboratively





• Advantages and Disadvantages of Collaboration




• Advantages of Collaboration


• Disadvantages of Collaboration




• Managing Projects


• Conducting Meetings


• Listening Effectively


• Setting Your Team's Agenda


• Conducting Efficient Meetings


• Communicating Diplomatically


• Critiquing a Team Member's Work


• Using Electronic Tools in Collaboration




• Word-Processing Tools


• Messaging Tools


• Videoconferencing Tools


• Wikis and Shared Document Workspaces


• Crowdsourcing Platforms




• Gender and Collaboration


• Culture and Collaboration


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises



Part 2 Planning the Document


5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose





• Understanding Audience and Purpose


• Using an Audience Profile Sheet


• Determining the Important Characteristics of Your Audience




• Who Are Your Readers?


• Why Is Your Audience Reading Your Document?


• What Are Your Readers' Attitudes and Expectations?


• How Will Your Readers Use Your Document?




• Techniques for Learning About Your Audience




• Determining What You Already Know About Your Audience


• Interviewing People


• Reading About Your Audience Online


• Searching Social Media


• Analyzing Social-Media Data


• Using Artificial Intelligence Tools




• Communicating Across Cultures




• Understanding Cultural Variables "on the Surface"


• Understanding Cultural Variables "Beneath the Surface"


• Considering Cultural Variables as You Write




• Using Graphics and Design for Multicultural Readers


• Applying What You Have Learned About Your Audience


• Writing for Multiple Audiences


• Determining Your Purpose


• Gaining Management's Approval


• Revising Information for a New Audience and Purpose


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




6. Researching Your Subject





• Understanding the Research Process


• Choosing Appropriate Research Methods




• Conducting Secondary Research


• Understanding Research Tools


• Types of Secondary Research Sources


• Using Social Media and Other Interactive Resources


• Using AI Chatbots




• Evaluating the Information


• Conducting Primary Research




• Analysis of Social-Media Data


• Observations and Demonstrations


• Inspections


• Experiments


• Field Research


• Interviews


• Inquiries


• Questionnaires




• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




7. Organizing Your Information





• Understanding Three Principles for Organizing Technical Information


• Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose


• Using Conventional Patterns of Organization


• Displaying Your Organizational Pattern Prominently


• Understanding Conventional Organizational Patterns




• Chronological


• Spatial


• More Important to Less Important


• Comparison and Contrast


• Problem-Methods-Solution


• Cause and Effect




• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises


Part 3 Developing and Testing the Verbal and Visual Information


8. Communicating Persuasively





• Considering the Context of Your Argument


• Understanding Your Audience's Broader Goals


• Working Within Constraints


• Crafting a Persuasive Argument




• Identifying the Elements of Your Argument


• Considering Opposing Viewpoints


• Using the Right Kinds of Evidence


• Using visuals as persuasive elements


• Appealing to Emotions Responsibly


• Deciding Where to Present the Claim


• Understanding the Role of Culture in Persuasion


• Avoiding Logical Fallacies


• Presenting Yourself Effectively




• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




9. Emphasizing Important Information





• Writing Clear, Informative Titles


• Writing Clear, Informative Headings


• Writing Clear, Informative Lists




• Write Effective Paragraph Lists


• Write Effective Sentence Lists




• Writing Clear, Informative Paragraphs




• Structure Paragraphs Clearly


• Use Coherence Devices Within and Between Paragraphs




• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




10. Writing Correct and Effective Sentences





• 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




• Emphasize New and Important Information


• Choose an Appropriate Sentence Length


• Focus on the "Real" Subject


• Focus on the "Real" Verb


• Use Parallel Structure


• Use Modifiers Effectively




• Choosing the Right Words and Phrases




• Select an Appropriate Level of Formality


• Be Clear


• Understanding Simplified English for Nonnative Speakers


• Preparing Text for Translation




• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




11. Designing Print and Digital Documents





• Goals of Document Design


• Understanding Design Principles


• Planning Your Design




• Analyze Your Audience and Purpose


• Determine Your Resources




• Designing Print Documents




• Size


• Paper


• Bindings


• NAVIGATIONAL AIDS


• Designing Print Pages


• Page Layout


• Other Design Features




• Designing Digital Documents




• Use Design To Emphasize Important Information


• Create Informative Headers and Footers


• Help Readers Navigate the Document


• Include Extra Features Your Readers Might Need


• Help Readers Connect with Others




• Designing Digital Pages




• Aim for Simplicity




• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




12. Creating Graphics





• The Functions of Graphics


• The Characteristics of an Effective Graphic


• Understanding the Process of Creating Graphics




• Planning Graphics


• Producing Graphics


• Revising Graphics




• Citing Sources of Graphics


• Using Color Effectively


• 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




13. Evaluating and Testing Technical Documents





• Understanding Usability Studies


• Assessing the need for a Usability Study


• Determining the Goals of the Study


• Studying Existing Documents Versus Prototypes


• Considering Study Settings


• Conducting Guided Evaluations of Technical Documents




• Choosing Document Evaluators


• Establishing Evaluation Guidelines


• Preparing Materials for the Evaluation




• Testing Documents in a Controlled Setting




• Preparing for the Test


• Conducting the Test




• Testing Documents in Context




• Preparing for a Site Visit


• Conducting a Test in Context


• Monitoring Documents Remotely




• Interpreting and Reporting Your Findings


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises


Part 4 Learning Important Applications


14. Corresponding in Print and Online





• Understanding the Process of Writing Correspondence


• Selecting 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




• Writing Letters




• Elements of a Letter


• Common Types of Letters




• Writing Memos


• Writing Emails


• Writing Social-Media Posts


• Writing Correspondence to Multicultural Readers


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




15. Applying for a Job





• Understanding the Job-Application Process


• Establishing Your Professional Brand


• Finding the Right Position


• Planning The Job Search


• Understanding Job-Search Strategies


• Writing Résumés




• Considering Nontraditional Résumés




• Writing Job-Application Letters


• Preparing for a Job Interview


• Following Up After an Interview


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




16. Writing Proposals





• Understanding the Process of Writing Proposals


• The Logistics of Proposals




• The "Deliverables" of Proposals




• Persuasion and Proposals




• Writing a Proposal




• The Structure of the Proposal


• Sample Internal Proposal


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




17. Writing Informational Reports





• Understanding the Process of Writing Informational Reports


• Sample Progress Report




• Writing Incident Reports


• Writing Meeting Minutes




• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises




18. Writing Recommendation Reports





• Understanding the Role of Recommendation Reports


• Using a Problem-Solving Model for Preparing Recommendation Reports


• Writing Recommendation Reports


• Sample Recommendation Report


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises





19. Writing Lab Reports





• Persuasion and Lab Reports


• Understanding the Process of Writing Lab Reports


• Understanding the Structure of the Lab Report


• Understanding the Role of Science and Engineering Articles


• Sample Lab Report


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises






20 Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions





• Writing Definitions


• Analyzing the Writing Situation for Definitions


• Determining the Kind of Definition To Write


• Deciding Where To Place the Definition


• 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


• Understanding the Role of Instructional Videos


• Designing a Set of Written Instructions


• Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Instructions


• A Look at Several Sample Sets of Instructions


• Writing Manuals


• Writer's Checklist


• Exercises






21 Making Oral Presentations





• Understanding the Role of Oral Presentations


• Understanding the Process of Preparing and Delivering an Oral Presentation


• Preparing the Presentation


• Analyzing the Speaking Situation


• Organizing and Developing the Presentation


• Preparing Presentation Graphics


• Choosing Effective Language


• Rehearsing the Presentation


• Delivering the Presentation


• Calming Your Nerves


• Using Your Voice Effectively


• Using Your Body Effectively


• Answering Questions After a Presentation


• Sample Evaluation Form


• Speaker's Checklist


• Exercises






APPENDIX Reference Handbook





• A Skimming Your Sources and Taking Notes
  
  
  
  • Paraphrasing
  
  
  
  
  
• B Documenting Your Sources
  
  
  
  • APA Style
  
  
  • IEEE Style
  
  
  • MLA Style
  
  
  
  
  
• C Editing and Proofreading Your Documents
  
  
  
  • Punctuation
  
  
  
  
  
• D Guidelines for Multilingual Writers (ESL)
  
  
  
  • Cultural and Stylistic Communication Issues
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Product details

• Authors: Mike Markel, Markel Mike, Stuart Selber, Stuart A. Selber, Selber Stuart
• Publisher: Macmillan Learning
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.02.2025
• EAN: 9781319589721
• ISBN: 978-1-319-58972-1
• No. of pages: 768
• Subjects: Education and learning > Teaching preparation > Vocational needs; Humanities, art, music > Education > Education system; BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Business Writing, Business communication & presentation, Writing & editing guides, Writing and editing guides, Business communication, etiquette and presentation