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 Résumé:
Follow-up Letters:
Interviewing
The Interview:
Negotiation:
Before and after the Interview:
Exercises:
Appendix A. Handbook
Index

Thomas E. Pearsall is at University of Minnesota (Emeritus).

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