Reporting Technical Information

Preface A New Direction Our Approach and Organization What's New in the Eleventh Edition Ancillaries A Final Note Acknowledgments 1. An Overview of Technical Writing The Matter of Definition Writing at Work versus Writing at School Eight Basic Differences: Writing and Communicating at Work The Foundations of Effective Technical Writings The Qualities of Good Technical Writing Exercises: PART ONE. FOUNDATIONS 2. Composing The Basic Parts of the Composing Process Analyzing the Writing Situation: Audience and Purpose: Choosing/Discovering Content: Arranging Content: Drafting and Revising: Revision: Document Design: Editing: Using the Composing Process in a Workplace Environment Understanding the Composing Process: Why Bother? Exercises: 3. Writing for Your Readers Goals of Communication The Planning Process Determining Your Readers: Asking Questions to Analyze Your Readers: Determining Your Purpose: Understanding Your Role as a Writer: Planning the Content: Anticipating the Context in Which Your Writing Will Be Received: Thinking about Your Readers: A Summary of Considerations Exercises: 4. Achieving a Readable Style The Paragraph Basic Principles of Effective Style Determine Readers' Knowledge of the Subject: Determine Whether a Particular Style Will Be Expected: Anticipate Readers' Comprehension Level in a Given Context: Know Your Relationship to the Readers and How You Want to Sound: Adjust the Style to the Reader, the Purpose, and the Context: Select Your Level of Language; Adjust the Density of Information: The Sentence Watch Sentence Length: Keep Subjects and Verbs Close Together: Omit Verbiage; Use Concrete Verbs: Write "Clean" Prose: Avoid Ponderous Language: Avoid Excessive Use of Is/Are Verb Forms: Use Active Voice for Clarity: Define When Necessary: Avoid Impersonal Language: Exercises: 5. Writing Ethically Ethical Perspectives Your Professional Obligations Codes of Conduct Recognizing Unethical Communication Plagiarism and Theft of Intellectual Property: Deliberately Imprecise or Ambiguous Language: Manipulation of Numerical Information: Use of Misleading Illustrations: Promotion of Prejudice: Anticipating Consequences Applying Principles Handling Unethical Situations Exercises: PART TWO. TECHNIQUES 6. Writing for International Readers Establishing a Perspective on International Communication Understanding Readers from Various Cultures Individualism versus Collectivism: Valuing Either Individuals or Groups: Separation of Business and Private Relationships: Power Distance between Social Ranks: Universal or Relative View of Truth: Whether the Entire Message Is Contained in the Text: Whether Uncertainty Is to Be Avoided or Accepted: The Power and Value of Time: Masculine versus Feminine: Considering Culture in the Planning Process Example International Documents Writing Business Communications to Readers in Other Cultures Culture and Graphics Format Strategies in Other Cultures A Final Word Guides to Doing Business in Cultures around the World Exercises: 7. Gathering, Evaluating, and Documenting Information Asking Productive Questions Looking for Answers Interviews: Newsgroups: World Wide Web: Libraries: Evaluating Answers Interviews: Newsgroups: Web Sites: Books and Articles: Citing Sources Exercises: 8. Designing and Formatting Documents Understanding the Basics of Document Design Know What Decisions Are Yours to Make: Choose a Design That Fits Your Situation: Plan the Design from the Beginning: Reveal the Design to the Readers: Keep the Design Consistent: Designing Effective Pages and Screens Use Blank Space to Frame and Group Information: Space the Lines of Text for Easy Reading: Set the Line Length for Easy Reading: Use a Ragged Right Margin: Choosing Readable Type Choose a Legible Type Size: Choose a Font That Suits Your Document: Use Special Typefaces Sparingly: Use Highlighting Effectively: Use a Mixture of Cases, Not All Capitals: Use Color Cautiously and Consistently: Helping Readers Locate Information Write Descriptive Headings: Design Distinctive Headings: Use Page Numbers and Headers or Footers: Designing Web Sites Creating the Site: Designing the Pages of the Site: Maintaining the Site: Testing Your Design Planning the Usability Test: Conducting the Test: Interpreting and Revising: Exercises: 9. Creating and Managing Text Collecting and Grouping Information Planning Content Development Reports with Standard Arrangement Patterns: Reports Designed for Specific Reader Needs: Persuasive Arrangement and Development: Strategies for Developing Content Organization and Content Development Other Types of Development Exercises: 10. Developing the Main Elements of Reports Prefatory Elements Letter of Transmittal: Title Page: Submission Page: Table of Contents: List of Illustrations: Glossary and List of Symbols: Abstracts and Summaries Informative Abstract: Descriptive Abstract: Summary Discussion or Body of the Report Parts of the Discussion: Strategy for Presenting the Discussion: Conclusion: Recommendations: Appendixes: Online Reports Exercises: 11. Creating Tables and Figures Choosing Illustrations Consider Your Purpose: Consider Your Audience: Consider Your Audience Again: Consider Your Purpose Again: Creating Illustrations Designing Tables: Designing Bar and Column Graphs: Designing Circle Graphs (Pie Charts): Designing Line Graphs: Designing Flowcharts: Designing Diagrams: Editing Photographs: Designing Illustrations Ethically Exercises: PART THREE. APPLICATIONS 12. Planning Correspondence and E-mail Determining Your Purpose Analyzing the Audience Composing Letters, Memos, and E-mail Finding the Appropriate Style Direct versus Indirect Style: Conversational Style: Special Considerations for E-mail Special Considerations for International Correspondence Keeping Copies of Correspondence Exercises: 13. Creating Reports for Any Occasion The Variable Nature of Reports Liability and Report Writing General Report Requirements Determining Report Structure Determining Internal Report Development Importance of the Introduction and Summary The Online Report The Slide/Visual Presentation Report Exercises: 14. Developing Analytical Reports: Recommendation Reports and Feasibility Studies Analytical Reports Recommendation Reports Feasibility Studies Purpose: Environmental Impact Systems Exercises: 15. Developing Empirical Research Reports Major Sections of Empirical Research Reports Abstract: Introduction and Literature Review: Summary: Materials and Methods: Results: Conclusion: Acknowledgments and References: Other Examples for Analysis and Comparison Example 1: Example 2: Example 3: Exercises: 16. Writing Proposals and Progress Reports The Relationship between Proposals and Progress Reports Proposals The Context of Proposal Development: Effective Argument in Proposal Development: Standard Sections of Proposals: Progress Reports Structure by Work Performed: Structure by Chronological Order: Structure by Main Project Goals: Physical Appearance of Proposals and Progress Reports Style and Tone of Proposals and Progress Reports Other Forms of Proposals and Progress Reports Exercises: 17. Formulating Instructions, Procedures, and Policies Planning Instructions and Procedures Structure and Organization Introduction: Theory Governing the Procedure or Instruction Warnings, Cautions, Hazards, and Notes Regarding Safety or Quality: Conditions under which the Task Is to Be Performed Steps in Performing the Task Name of Each Step: Procedures Format Considerations for Instructions and Procedures: Policies Procedures and Policy Manuals: Exercises: 18. Writing Collaboratively Issues in Collaboration Value of Collaboration Techniques for Developing Collaborative Documents The On-site Collaborative Group: The Distributed Collaborative Work Group: The Lead Author Work Group: Making Collaborative Projects Work Collaborative Projects in Action Exercises: 19. Preparing Oral Reports: The Basics Understanding the Speaking/Writing Relationship Analyzing the Audience Analyzing the Context Determining the Goal of Your Presentation Choosing and Shaping Content Deciding How to Arrange and Organize Content Designing Each Segment: Guidelines Choose an Interesting Title: Develop Your Presentation about Three Main Divisions: Plan the Introduction Carefully: Design the Body to Help People Comprehend Your Ideas: Design the Conclusion to Reinforce Your Main Ideas: Choosing an Appropriate Speaking Style Speaking to Multicultural Audiences Using Techniques to Enhance Audience Comprehension Planning Visuals to Enhance Your Purpose and Your Meaning Designing and Presenting the Written Paper Structuring the Written Speech: Writing the Speech: Practicing the Presentation: Speaking Effectively: Practice, Practice, Practice Exercises: 20. Understanding the Strategies and Communications of the Job Search Preparation Self-Assessment: Information Gathering: Networking: The Correspondence of the Job Search Letter of Application: The Resume: Follow-up Letters: Interviewing The Interview: Negotiation: Before and after the Interview: Exercises: Appendix A. Handbook Index