Full Description
ALERTcourse syllabus to ensure that you select the correct ISBN. Several versions of Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products exist for each title, including customized versions for individual schools, and registrations are not transferable. In addition, you may need a CourseID, provided by your instructor, to register for and use Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products.PackagesAccess codes for Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products may not be included when purchasing or renting from companies other than Pearson; check with the seller before completing your purchase.Used or rental booksIf you rent or purchase a used book with an access code, the access code may have been redeemed previously and you may have to purchase a new access code.Access codesAccess codes that are purchased from sellers other than Pearson carry a higher risk of being either the wrong ISBN or a previously redeemed code. Check with the seller prior to purchase.Technical Communication Today was written for introduction to technical communication or technical writing courses taught most often in English Departments. Technical Communication Today remains the only text to fully centralize the computer in the technical workplace, presenting how writers use computers throughout their communication process. Writers use their computers to help them think, research, compose, design, and edit. Not only is Technical Communication Today firmly rooted in core rhetorical principles, but the text also presents computers as thinking tools that powerfully influence how we develop, produce, design, and deliver technical documents and presentations. Technical Communication Today speaks to today's students and how they expect to learn information. Instructional narrative is "chunked," so that readable portions of text are combined with graphics. This presentation facilitate learning, and models the way today's technical documents should be designed. Additionally, the chunked presentation integrates an awareness of how documents are read-often "raided" by readers seeking the information they need. By mirroring these processes in its content and structure, Technical Communication Today offers readers a higher level of accessibility.
Contents
Preface1 Communicating in the Technical WorkplaceDeveloping a Workplace Writing ProcessGenres and the Technical Writing ProcessStage 1: Plan Out Your Project and Do Start-up ResearchStage 2: Organizing and DraftingStage 3: Improving the StyleStage 4: DesigningStage 5: Revising and EditingWhat is Technical Communication?Technical Communication is Interactive and AdaptableTechnical Communication is Reader CenteredTechnical Communication Relies on TeamworkTechnical Communication is VisualTechnical Communication Has Ethical, Legal, and Political DimensionsTechnical Communication is International and Cross-CulturalHow Important is Technical Communication?2 Readers and Contexts of UseCreating a Reader ProfileStep 1: Identify Your ReadersStep 2: Identify Your Readers' Needs, Values, and AttitudesStep 3: Identify the Contexts in Which Readers Will Experience Your DocumentUsing Profiles to Your Own AdvantageGlobal and Transcultural CommunicationDifferences in ContentDifferences in OrganizationDifferences in StyleDifferences in DesignListen and Learn: The Key to Global and Transcultural Communication3 Working in TeamsThe Stages of TeamingForming: Strategic PlanningStep 1: Define the Project Mission and ObjectivesStep 2: Identify Project OutcomesStep 3: Define Team Member ResponsibilitiesStep 4: Create a Project CalendarStep 5: Write Out a Work PlanStep 6: Agree on How Conflicts Will Be ResolvedStorming: Managing ConflictRunning Effective MeetingsMediating Conflicts Firing a Team MemberNorming: Determining Team RolesRevising Objectives and OutcomesHelp: Virtual TeamingRedefining Team RolesUsing Groupware to Facilitate WorkPerforming: Improving QualityThe Keys to Teaming4 Ethics in the Technical WorkplaceWhat Are Ethics?Where Do Ethics Come From?Personal EthicsSocial EthicsConservation EthicsResolving Ethical DilemmasStep 1: Analyze the Ethical DilemmaStep 2: Make a DecisionStep : React Appropriately When You Disagree with Your EmployerHelp: Stopping Cyberbullying and Computer HarassmentEthics in the Technical WorkplaceCopyright LawTrademarksPatentsPrivacyInformation SharingProprietary InformationLibel and SlanderFraudCopyright Law in Technical CommunicationAsking PermissionCopyrighting Your WorkPlagiarism5 Letters, Memos, and E-MailFeatures of Letters, Memos, and E-MailQuick Start: Letters, Memos, and E-MailStep 1: Make a Plan and Do ResearchStep 2: Decide What Kind of Letter, Memo, or E-Mail is NeededStep 3: Organize and Draft Your MessageStep 4: Choose the Style, Design, and MediumMicrogenre: Workplace Texting and TweetingUsing E-Mail InternationallyCase Study: The Nastygram6 Technical Descriptions and SpecificationsTypes of Technical DescriptionsQuick Start: Technical Descriptions and SpecificationsStep 1: Make a Plan and Do ResearchStep 2: Partition Your SubjectStep 3: Organize and Draft Your Technical DescriptionHelp: Using Digital Photography in DescriptionsStep 4: Choose the Style, Design, and MediumMicrogenre: Technical DefinitionsCase Study: In the Vapor7 Instructions and DocumentationTypes of Technical DocumentationQuick Start: Instructions and DocumentationStep 1: Make a Plan and Do ResearchStep 2: Organize and Draft Your DocumentationStep 3: Choose the Style, Design, and MediumHelp: On-Screen DocumentationMicrogenre: Emergency InstructionsCase Study: Purified Junk8 ProposalsTypes of ProposalsQuick Start: ProposalsStep 1: Make a Plan and Do ResearchStep 2: Organize and Draft Your ProposalStep 3: Choose the Style, Design, and MediumMicrogenre: The Elevator PitchCase Study: The Mole9 Activity ReportsTypes of Activity ReportsQuick Start: Activity ReportsStep 1: Make a Plan and Do ResearchStep 2: Organize and Draft Your Activity ReportStep 3: Choose the Style, Design, and MediumMicrogenre: The Status ReportCase Study: Bad Chemistry10 Analytical ReportsTypes of Analytical ReportsQuick Start: Analytical ReportsStep 1: Make a Plan and Do ResearchStep 2: Organize and Draft Your ReportHelp: Using Google Docs to Collaborate with International TeamsStep 3: Draft the Front Matter and Back MatterStep 4: Choose Your Design and StyleMicrogenre: The Poster PresentationCase Study: The X-File11 Starting Your CareerSetting Goals, Making a PlanQuick Start: Career MaterialsSetting GoalsMaking Your PlanPreparing a ResumeTypes of ResumesChronological ResumeFunctional ResumeDesigning the ResumeHelp: Designing a Searchable ResumeWriting Effective Application LettersContent and OrganizationStyleRevising and Proofreading the Resume and LetterCreating a Professional PortfolioCollecting MaterialsOrganizing Your PortfolioAssembling the Portfolio in a BinderCreating an Electronic PortfolioInterviewing Strategies Preparing for the InterviewAt the InterviewWriting Thank You Letters and/or E-Mails Microgenre: The BioCase Study: The LiePART THREE PLANNING AND DOING RESEARCH12 Strategic Planning, Being CreativeUsing Strategic PlanningStep 1: Set Your ObjectivesStep 2: Create a List of Tasks (or Task List)Step 3: Set a TimelineHelp: Planning with Online CalendarsGenerating New IdeasTips for Being More CreativeInventing IdeasCase Study: Getting Back to Crazy13 Persuading OthersPersuading with ReasoningReasoning with LogicReasoning with Examples and EvidencePersuading with ValuesHelp: Persuading Readers OnlineAppealing to Common Goals and IdealsFraming Issues from the Readers' PerspectivePersuasion in High-Context CulturesCase Study: Trying to Stay Neutral14 Researching in Technical WorkplacesBeginning Your Research Step 1: Define Your Research SubjectStep 2: Formulate a Research Question or HypothesisStep 3: Develop a Research MethodologyStep 4: Collect Evidence Through SourcesStep 5: Triangulate Your SourcesStep 6: Take Careful NotesHelp: Using a Citation ManagerStep 7: Appraise Your EvidenceStep 8: Revise, Accept, or Abandon Your HypothesisCase Study: The Life of a DilemmaPART FOUR DRAFTING, DESIGNING, AND REVISING15 Organizing and DraftingBasic Organization for Any DocumentUsing Genres for OutliningOrganizing and Drafting the IntroductionSix Opening Moves in an IntroductionDrafting with the Six MovesOrganizing and Drafting the BodyCarving the Body into SectionsPatterns of ArrangementOrganizing and Drafting the ConclusionFive Closing Moves in a ConclusionOrganizing Transcultural Documents Indirect Approach IntroductionsIndirect Approach ConclusionsCase Study: The Bad News16 Using Plain and Persuasive LanguageWhat is Style?Writing Plain SentencesBasic Parts of a SentenceEight Guidelines for Plain SentencesCreating Plain SentencesHelp: Translating and Translation ProgramsWriting Plain ParagraphsThe Elements of a ParagraphUsing the Four Types of Sentences in a ParagraphAligning Sentence Subjects in a ParagraphThe Given/New MethodWhen Is It Appropriate to Use Passive Voice?Persuasive StyleElevate the ToneUse Similes and AnalogiesUse MetaphorsChange the PaceBalancing Plain and Persuasive StyleCase Study: Going Over the Top17 Designing Documents and InterfacesFive Principles of DesignDesign Principle 1: BalanceWeighting a Page or ScreenUsing Grids to Balance a Page LayoutDesign Principle 2: AlignmentDesign Principle 3: GroupingUsing HeadingsUsing Borders and RulesDesign Principle 4: ConsistencyChoosing TypefacesLabeling GraphicsCreating Sequential and Nonsequential ListsInserting Headers and FootersDesign Principle 5: ContrastCross-Cultural DesignCase Study: Bugs on the Bus18 Creating and Using GraphicsGuidelines for Using GraphicsGuideline 1: A Graphic Should Tell a Simple StoryGuideline 2: A Graphic Should Reinforce the Written Text, Not Replace ItGuideline 3: A Graphic Should Be EthicalGuideline 4: A Graphic Should Be Labeled and Placed ProperlyDisplaying Data with Graphs, Tables, and ChartsLine GraphsBar ChartsTablesPie ChartsFlowchartsUsing Pictures and DrawingsPhotographsInserting Photographs and Other ImagesIllustrationsUsing Transcultural SymbolsCase Study: Looking Guilty19 Revising and Editing for UsabilityLevels of EditLevel 1 Editing: RevisingLevel 2 Editing: Substantive EditingLevel 3 Editing: CopyeditingLevel 4 Editing: ProofreadingUsing Copyediting SymbolsLost in Translation: Transcultural EditingDocumenting Cycling and Usability TestingCase Study: A Machine By Any Other NamePART FIVE CONNECTING WITH CLIENTS20 Preparing and Giving PresentationsPlanning and Researching Your PresentationDefining the Rhetorical SituationAllotting Your TimeChoosing the Right Presentation TechnologyOrganizing the Content of Your PresentationBuilding the PresentationThe Introduction: Tell Them What You're Going to Tell ThemHelp: Giving Presentations with your Mobile Phone or TabletThe Body: Tell ThemThe Conclusion: Tell Them What You Told ThemPreparing to Answer QuestionsChoosing Your Presentation StyleCreating VisualsDesigning Visual AidsUsing GraphicsSlides to AvoidDelivering the PresentationBody LanguageVoice, Rhythm, and ToneUsing Your NotesRehearsingEvaluating Your PerformanceWorking Cross-Culturally with TranslatorsCase Study: The Coward21 Writing for the WebWriting for WebsitesBasic Features of a WebsiteStep 1: Develop the ContentStep 2: Organize and Draft Your Webpage or WebsiteStep 3: Choose the Style and Design of Your Webpage or WebsiteStep 4: Add ImagesStep 5: Anticipate the Needs of Transcultural ReadersStep 6: Upload Your WebsiteUsing Social Networking in the WorkplaceStep 1: Create Your Social Networking AccountStep 2: Choose Your Friends (Wisely)Step 3: Maintain Your SiteStep 4: Collaborate with Others, but CarefullyStep 5: Communicate with Your Company's "Fans"Creating Blogs and MicroblogsStep 1: Choose Your Blog's Host SiteStep 2: Write and Maintain Your BlogStep 3: Let Others Join the ConversationMaking Internet Videos and PodcastsStep 1: Write the ScriptStep 2: Shoot the Video or Record the PodcastStep 3: Edit Your Video or PodcastStep 4: Upload Your Video or PodcastWriting Articles for WikisStep 1: Write the TextStep 2: Post Your ArticleStep 3: Return to Edit Your ArticlesCase Study: My Boss Might Not "Like" ThisAppendix A Grammar and Punctuation GuideAppendix B Guide for English Language LearnersAppendix C Documentation GuideReferencesCreditsIndex
