Strategies for Technical Communication in the Workplace

Laura Gurak is Professor and Chair of the Department of Writing Studies at the University of Minnesota, where she teaches courses in technical and professional communication, digital literacies, and communication research. She received an M.S. in Technical Communication and Ph.D. in Communication and Rhetoric from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a recipient of the Society for Technical Communication’s Outstanding Article award. Prior to graduate school, Gurak worked as a technical writer for a number of companies; she continues to collaborate with workplace professionals through her department’s Industrial Affiliates Program. In addition to four textbooks, Gurak is author of two books from Yale University Press, co-editor of three edited collections, and author of many articles and commentaries.

John Lannon is Professor Emeritus and former Director of Writing at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he developed the undergraduate major in professional writing and co-developed the M.A. program in professional writing. He holds a B.S., M.A. & Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and received an NDEA Fellowship and a Fulbright Lectureship. He worked four years in biomedical science and technology with the U.S. Air Force, and an additional three years in medical laboratories. In addition to five textbooks in business communication, rhetoric, and technical communication, he is author or coauthor of book reviews, environmental publications, scripted training, and instructional software. He has served as a communications and training consultant in business, government, and education.

PART I: FOUNDATIONS  

Chapter 1 — Introduction to Technical Communication

What Is Technical Communication?       

Who Creates Technical Communication?           

Characteristics of Effective Technical Communication    

Three Primary Purposes of Effective Technical Communication  

Typical Documents That Are Considered Technical Communication                    

The Importance of Proofreading

    Strategies for Proofreading      

Checklist for Effective Technical Communication          

Teamwork in Technical Communication             

    Strategies for Organizing and Managing a Team Meeting           

    Strategies for Running a Meeting          

    Strategies for Managing Team Conflicts           

    Strategies for Peer Review and Editing 

Ethics in Technical Communication        

    Strategies for Avoiding Ethical Abuses             

Persuasion in Technical Communication             

    Strategies for Persuading Others          

Global Issues in Technical Communication         

    Strategies for Global Technical Communication 

Checklist for Teamwork, Ethics, Persuasion, and Global Issues  

Thinking Critically about Research         

    Strategies for Thinking Critically about Research           

Exploring Secondary Sources    

    Strategies for Researching on the Internet         

Exploring Primary Sources        

    Strategies for Informational Interviews 

    Strategies for Surveys  

Concluding thoughts on the Doing Research       

Checklist for Doing Research   

Analyze the Document's Audience        

    Strategies for Analyzing Your Audience

Create a Task Analysis for the Document          

Consider Setting, Potential Problems, Length, Format, Timing, and Budget           

Develop an Information Plan for the Document  

Write, Test, and Revise the Document               

Checklist for Usability

The Importance of an Understandable Structure 

Outlining          

    Strategies for Outlining

Chunking         

Sequencing      

Paragraphing    

Providing an Overview             

Checklistfor Structuring Information                

The Importance of a Readable Style      

Writing Clearly 

Writing Concisely         

Writing Fluently

Writing Personably       

    Strategies for Deciding about Tone       

    Strategies for Nonsexist Language       

    Strategies for Unbiased Language        

Checklist for Readable Style    

The Importance of Using Audience-Centered Visuals                 

When to Use Visuals    

Types of Visuals          

    Strategies for Creating Tables              

    Strategies for Creating Graphs             

    Strategies for Creating Charts              

Special Considerations when Using Visuals        

Checklist for Using Visuals      

Chapter 8 — Designing User-Friendly Documents

The Importance of a User-friendly Document Design

What Readers Expect from a Document's Design          

The Elements of Effectively Designed Documents         

    Strategies for Designing: Consistency and Cohesiveness

    Strategies for Designing: Navigation and Emphasis        

Checklist for Document Design

Let's Get Started: Résumés and Application Letters

Assessing Your Skills and Aptitudes      

Narrowing Your Search and Researching the Job Market           

Résumés                     

    Strategies for Résumés            

Electronic Résumés                  

    Strategies for Scannable and Emailed Résumés

    Strategies for Online Résumés             

Application Letters       

    Strategies for Application Letters         

Dossiers, Portfolios, and Webfolios        

    Strategies for Dossiers, Portfolios, and Webfolios                      

Interviews and Follow-up Letters          

    Strategies for Interviews and Follow-up Letters 

Checklist for Employment Materials     

Let's Get Started: Memos         

Let's Get Started: Letters         

Memo Basics               

Memo Parts and Format           

Memo   Tone    

Types of Memos          

    Strategies for Writing Memos               

Letter Basics   

Letter Parts and Formats          

Letter Tone      

    Strategies for Writing Letters               

Types of Letters           

    Strategies for Inquiry Letters                

    Strategies for Claim Letters     

    Strategies for Sales Letters      

    Strategies for Adjustment Letters         

Checklist for Memos and Letters          

Let's Get Started: Definitions

Audience and Purpose of Definitions                 

Legal, Ethical, and Societal Implications of Definitions    

Strategies for Expanding Definitions      

Using Multiple Expansion Strategies      

    Strategies for Definitions          

Checklist for Definitions           

Chapter 12: Descriptions

Let's Get Started         

Objectivity in Descriptions

Elements of Descriptions

Product and Process Descriptions         

Long Descriptions

    Strategies for Descriptions

Specifications   

    Strategies for Specifications     

Checklist for Descriptions Applications

Applications

Let's Get Started         

Audience and Purpose of Instructions                

Types of Instructions

Ethical and Legal Implications of Instructions     

Organization and Elements of Instructions

Detail/Technicality, Style, and Design Considerations in Instructions                    

    Strategies for Readable Instructions       

    Strategies for Designing Instructions      

Procedures      

Usability of Instructions and Procedures            

    Strategies for Instructions and Procedures         

Checklist  for Instructions and Procedures        

Applications    

Chapter 14: Summaries

Let's Get Started         

Purpose and Audience   of Summaries              

Characteristics of Effective Summaries 

Writing Summaries Step-by-Step                       

Special Types of Summaries                 

Ethical Considerations in Summarizing Information                     

    Strategies for Summaries          

Checklist for Summaries                      

Applications                

Chapter 15: Informal Reports

Let's Get Started           

Two Categories of Reports: Informational and Analytical              

Progress Reports                        

    Strategies for Progress Reports  

Periodic Activity Reports            

    Strategies for Periodic Activity Reports              

Trip Reports       

    Strategies for Trip Reports         

Meeting Minutes            

    Strategies for Meeting Minutes               

Feasibility Reports          

    Strategies for Feasibility Reports            

Recommendation Reports           

    Strategies for Recommendation Reports             

Per Review Reports       

    Strategies for Peer Review Reports        

Checklist for Informal Reports               

Applications       

Chapter 16: Formal Reports

Let's Get Started           

Audience and Purpose of Formal Reports            

Characteristics of Effective Formal Reports                     

    Strategies for Formal Reports                 

A Sample Formal Report            

Checklist for Formal Reports      

Applications      

Chapter 17: Proposals

Let's Get Started           

Audience and Purpose   of Proposals       

Types of Proposals         

Organization of Informal and Formal Proposals    

    Strategies for Proposals                         

A Sample Formal Proposal          

Checklist for Proposals              

Applications      

Chapter 18: Digital Communication: Email, Instant Messages, Blogs, Wikis, and RSS Feeds

Let's Get Started           

    Strategies for Email       

    Strategies for Instant Messages  

Corporate Blogs and Wikis          

RSS Feeds         

Copyright, Privacy, and Technology Failure Issues in Digital Communication          

Checklist for Email and Instant Messages                       

Applications      

Let's Get Started           

Audience and Purpose of Online Videos and Podcasts                  

Types of Online Videos and Podcasts                  

Online Videos                

    Strategies for Online Videos       

Podcasts            

    Strategies for Podcasts              

Checklist for Online Video and Podcasts              

Applications      

Let's Get Started           

Audience and Purpose of Web Pages      

Characteristics of Effective Web Pages   

Ethical and Legal Considerations of Web Pages   

PDF Files          

    Strategies for Web Pages          

Checklist for Web Pages           

Applications      

Let's Get Started           

Audience and Purpose of Oral Presentations                    

Types of Oral Presentations        

Parts of Oral Presentations         

Preparing Oral Presentations                   

    Strategies for Preparing Oral Presentations         

Using Presentation Software       

    Strategies for Using Presentation Software         

Delivering Oral Presentations                  

    Strategies for Delivering Oral Presentations        

Checklist for Oral Presentations                         

Applications      

* Appendix A: Avoiding plagiarism, Documenting sources and Avoiding Violations of Copyright

Identifying Sources and Information to be Documented      

Taking Effective and Accurate Notes                   

    Strategies for Taking Notes

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing Properly

    Strategies for Quoting the Work of Others           

    Strategies for Paraphrasing the Work of Others               

    Strategies for Summarizing the Work of Others                

MLA Documentation Style          

APA Documentation Style           

CSE Documentation Style           

Avoiding Violations of Copyright              

* Appendix B: A Brief Handbook

Grammar           

Mechanics         

Usage                

Lists                  

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.