The Essentials of Technical Communication

Second Edition
ISBN: 978-0-19-989078-1
Verlag: Oxford University Press

Buch, Englisch, 400 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 227 mm

Practical, concise, and reasonably priced, The Essentials of Technical Communication, Second Edition, gives students the tools they need to get their message across in today's workplace.

NEW TO THIS EDITION
* An increased focus on writing with dynamic, digital technologies
* A greater emphasis on writing within a global workplace
* Expanded exercises throughout
* New case documents
* A free Companion Website (www.oup.com/us/tebeaux) with a variety of resources
> For Students: New annotated documents, examples, exercises, and quizzes
> For Instructors: A revised Instructor's Manual containing: new sections on Multimodal and Multilingual Writing for each chapter; new links, writing projects, and teaching strategies; and an expanded Test Bank

Autoren/Hrsg.

Tebeaux, Elizabeth

Dragga, Sam

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Schreiben und Publizieren, Kreatives Schreiben
• Sozialwissenschaften Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften Kommunikationswissenschaften

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Checklists
Preface

PART ONE: PRINCIPLES
1. Characteristics of Writing at Work
Writing at Work versus Writing at School
> Requires Acute Awareness of the Need for Strict Security Procedures; Poses Legal Liability for the Writer and the Organization; May Be Read by Readers Unknown to the Writer, Inside or Outside the Organization, for an Infinite Time
> Achieves Job Goals
> Addresses a Variety of Readers Who Have Different Perspectives
> Creates Excessive Paperwork and E-Mails
> Uses a Variety of Documents
The Foundations of Effective Writing at Work
The Qualities of Good Technical Writing
Exercises

2. Writing for Your Readers
Understand Your Readers--The Heart of the Planning Process
> Business Readers Want Answers Now
> Determine Your Readers and Their Perspectives
> Determine Your Purpose
> Understand Your Role as a Writer
> Plan the Content
> Anticipate the Context in Which Your Writing Will Be Received
> Case 2-1
> Case 2-2
The Basic Parts of the Composing Process
> Analyzing the Writing Situation--Purpose, Readers, and Context
> Choosing/Discovering Content
> Arranging Content
> Drafting
> Revising
> Editing
> Case 2-3
Planning and Revision Checklist
Exercises

3. Writing Ethically
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
> Uncritical Use of Information
Managing Unethical Situations
Ethics Decision Checklist
Exercises

4. Achieving a Readable Style
The Paragraph
> Examples for Study
Basic Principles of Effective Style
> Determine Your Readers' Knowledge of the Subject
> Determine Whether a Particular Style Will Be Expected
> Adjust the Style to the Readers, the Purpose, and the Context
Keys to Building Effective Sentences
> Select Your Level of Language; Adjust the Density of Information
> Watch Sentence Length
> Keep Subjects and Verbs Close Together
> Write Squeaky-Clean Prose
> Avoid Pompous Language; Write to Express, Not to Impress
> Avoid Excessive Use of Is/Are Verb Forms
> Use Active Voice for Clarity
Word Choice
Style Checklist
Exercises

5. Designing Documents
Understanding the Basics of Document Design
> Know What Decisions Are Yours to Make
> Choose a Design That Fits Your Situation
> Plan Your Design from the Beginning
> Reveal Your Design to Your Readers
> Keep Your 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
Helping Readers Locate Information
> Use Frequent Headings
> Write Descriptive Headings
> Design Distinctive Headings
> Use Page Numbers and Headers or Footers
Document Design Checklist
Exercises

6. Designing Illustrations
Creating Illustrations
> Tables
> Bar and Column Graphs
> Circle Graphs
> Line Graphs
> Organization Charts
> Flow Charts
> Diagrams
> Photographs
> Animation Clips
> Film Clips
Designing Illustrations Ethically
Illustration Checklist
Exercises

PART TWO: APPLICATIONS
7. E-Mails, Texts, Memos, and Letters
E-Mail and Text Messages
Memos and Letters
Guidelines for Ensuring Quality
Appropriate Tone in E-Mails, Texts, Memos, and Letters
Guidelines for Dealing with Tone
Planning and Writing Correspondence
> Case 7-1: Informational E-Mail Message
> Case 7-2: Instructional Memo
> Case 7-3: Letter Requesting Information
> Case 7-4: Unfavorable News Letter
> Case 7-5: Letter of Reply
Correspondence Checklist
Exercises

8. Technical Reports
Kinds of Reports
Report Categories--Inf