14.Ethics In Technical Communication,
2016
Kennesaw State University
14.Ethics In Technical Communication, Tamara Powell
Sexy Technical Communications
Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean, i.e. the mean relative to us, this being determined by a rational principle, and by that principle by which the man of practical wisdom would determine it. Now it is a mean between two vices, that which depends on excess and that which depends on defect; and again it is a mean because the vices respectively fall short of or exceed what is right in both passions and actions, while virtue both finds and chooses that which is intermediate. Hence in respect of its substance and …
34. Information Structures,
2016
Kennesaw State University
34. Information Structures, David Mcmurray
Sexy Technical Communications
The main parts of a technical-writing course focus on applications—ways technical writing skills are applied in the real world. However, these applications use varying combinations of information infrastructures. An information infrastructure is (1) a type of information content (such as descriptive writing), (2) a way of organizing information (such as a comparison or classification), or (3) both. The information infrastructures reviewed in this appendix are the ones commonly used in technical writing. Of course, there are other infrastructures—maybe some that scholars of technical writing have not yet pinned a label on, but these are the most common and the most …
29. Searching Libraries, Documenting Borrowed Information, And Cross-Referencing,
2016
Kennesaw State University
29. Searching Libraries, Documenting Borrowed Information, And Cross-Referencing, David Mcmurray, Cassandra Race
Sexy Technical Communications
This section in this appendix focuses on: Libraries—Finding information libraries Documentation—Indicating sources of borrowed information Cross-referencing—Pointing to other information in your own documents and those of others.
11. Handbook Basics,
2016
Kennesaw State University
11. Handbook Basics, David Mcmurray
Sexy Technical Communications
A handbook, as we are defining it here, is a combination of concept, instruction, and reference information focused on a specific topic for a specific audience's needs.
26. Task Analysis And Task-Oriented Documentation,
2016
Kennesaw State University
26. Task Analysis And Task-Oriented Documentation, David Mcmurray, Tamara Powell
Sexy Technical Communications
When you write instructions, procedures, and "guide" or user-guide information (generally called documentation), you normally must use a task approach. That means providing steps and explanations for all the major tasks that users may need to perform. Of course, some instructions involve only one task—for example, changing the oil in a car. But we are concerned here with more complex procedures. While this chapter uses computer software as an example, these techniques can apply to any multi-task procedure—for example, operating a microwave oven. Chapter Objectives At the end of this chapter, students will be able to 1. Define documentation 2. …
28. Power-Revision Techniques,
2016
Kennesaw State University
28. Power-Revision Techniques, David Mcmurray, Jonathan Arnett
Sexy Technical Communications
The linked chapters here cover some of the most important aspects of writing—what's more important than the information you put in a document, how you organize it, how you link it all up together? When you look at all these powerful ways you can review (look for potential problems) and then revise (fix those problems), you might think they're tedious and time-consuming. They do take some time, but don't worry...this stuff becomes second nature rather quickly. If you spend some time analyzing writing in the ways outlined in this chapter, the way you write and the way you review what …
10. Recommendation And Feasibility Reports,
2016
Kennesaw State University
10. Recommendation And Feasibility Reports, David Mcmurray, Jonathan Arnett
Sexy Technical Communications
This chapter addresses a loosely defined group of report types that examine a situation, evaluate the evidence, and render a judgment. Some Rather Fine Distinctions... The reports in this loosely defined category are variously called feasibility reports, recommendation reports, evaluation reports, assessment reports, and who knows what else. They all do roughly the same thing—provide carefully studied opinions and, sometimes, recommendations. There are some subtle differences among some these types.
18. Headings,
2016
Kennesaw State University
18. Headings, David Mcmurray, Cassandra Race
Sexy Technical Communications
One of the most useful characteristics of technical writing is the use of headings. Headings are the titles and subtitles you see within the actual text of much professional scientific, technical, and business writing. Headings are like the parts of an outline that have been pasted into the actual pages of the document. Headings are an important feature of professional technical writing: they alert readers to upcoming topics and subtopics, help readers find their way around in long reports and skip what they are not interested in, and break up long stretches of straight text. They make text easy to …
31. Common Grammar, Usage, And Punctuation Problems,
2016
Kennesaw State University
31. Common Grammar, Usage, And Punctuation Problems, David Mcmurray
Sexy Technical Communications
In this chapter, we will cover only those grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling problems that give people the biggest headaches. Technical writing professionals try to simplify grammar rules as much as possible without hurting the language or putting themselves in straitjackets. Typically, they work in teams and frequently move in and out of projects—so that the same document may be worked on by different writers and editors during the space of just a few years. That's why any guidelines based on interpretation or personal style or judgment must be avoided.
2. Business Correspondence And Resumes,
2016
Kennesaw State University
2. Business Correspondence And Resumes, David Mcmurray
Sexy Technical Communications
This chapter focuses on business correspondence--general format and style for business letters as well as specific types of business letters. Specifically: Overview of business correspondence: format and style Inquiry letters Complaint and adjustment letters Application letters Resumes
3. Types Of Technical Documents,
2016
Kennesaw State University
3. Types Of Technical Documents, David Mcmurray
Sexy Technical Communications
For the final report in some technical-writing courses, you can write one of (or even a combination of) several different types of reports. If there is some other type of report that you know about and want to write, get with your instructor to discuss it. This chapter briefly defines these different report types; some are covered in full detail elsewhere in this book; the rest are described here. But to get everything in one place, all the reports are briefly defined here, with cross-references to where their presentations occur.
5. Proposals,
2016
Kennesaw State University
5. Proposals, David Mcmurray, Jonathan Arnett
Sexy Technical Communications
This chapter focuses on the proposal—the kind of document that gets you or your organization approved or hired to do a project
6. Progress Reports,
2016
Kennesaw State University
6. Progress Reports, David Mcmurray
Sexy Technical Communications
You write a progress report to inform a supervisor, associate, or customer about progress you've made on a project over a certain period of time. The project can be the design, construction, or repair of something, the study or research of a problem or question, or the gathering of information on a technical subject. You write progress reports when it takes well over three or four months to complete a project.
8. User Guides,
2016
Kennesaw State University
8. User Guides, David Mcmurray, Jonathan Arnett
Sexy Technical Communications
A user guide is essentially a book-length document containing instructions on installing, using, or troubleshooting a hardware or software product. A user guide can be very brief—for example, only 10 or 20 pages or it can be a full-length book of 200 pages or more. While this definition assumes computers, a user guide can provide operating instructions on practically anything—lawnmowers, microwave ovens, dishwashers, and so on. The more complex the product, the greater the page count. When this happens, some elements of the user guide get split out into their own separate volumes—especially the installation procedures, troubleshooting procedures, and the …
13. Oral Presentations,
2016
Kennesaw State University
13. Oral Presentations, David Mcmurray, Cassandra Race
Sexy Technical Communications
A common assignment in technical writing courses—not to mention in the workplace—is to prepare and deliver an oral presentation, a task most of us would be happy to avoid. However, while employers look for coursework and experience in preparing written documents, they also look for experience in oral presentations as well. Look back at the first chapter. Remember how important interpersonal communication skills are in the workplace. The following was written for a standard face-to-face classroom setting. If you are taking the online version of Sexy Technical Writing, oral reports can be sent in as "scripts," or audio versions can …
16. Book Design Overview,
2016
Kennesaw State University
16. Book Design Overview, David Mcmurray
Sexy Technical Communications
The following provides an overview of the typical components of a printed technical book and the typical content, format, style, and sequence of those components. Certainly, no single user guide, technical reference manual, quick-reference document, or other such document would actually have all of these components designed and sequenced in precisely the way you are about to read. Instead, this review will give an overview of the possibilities—let's say the range of possibilities. Before you begin reading the following, grab a number of hardware and software books so that you can compare their content, style, format, and sequencing to what …
17. Common Page Design,
2016
Kennesaw State University
17. Common Page Design, David Mcmurray, Jonathan Arnett
Sexy Technical Communications
Page design means different things to different people, but here it will mean the use of typography and formatting such as you see in professionally-designed documents. Our focus here is technical documentation, which implies modest, functional design.
19. Bulleted And Numbered Lists,
2016
Kennesaw State University
19. Bulleted And Numbered Lists, David Mcmurray
Sexy Technical Communications
Lists are useful because they emphasize selected information in regular text. When you see a list of three or four items strung out vertically on the page rather than in normal paragraph format, you are likely to pay more attention to it. Certain types of lists also make for easier reading. For example, in instructions, it is a big help for each step to be numbered and separate from the preceding and following steps. Lists also create more white space and spread out the text so that pages don't seem like solid walls of words. Like headings, the various types …
20. Special Notices,
2016
Kennesaw State University
20. Special Notices, David Mcmurray, Tamara Powell
Sexy Technical Communications
Special notices are an important feature of professional technical writing: they highlight special information readers need to know to understand what they are reading, to accomplish what they want to do, to prevent damage to equipment, and to keep from hurting themselves or others. Your task in this section is to learn the different types of special notices, their uses, and formats.
21. Tables, Charts, Graphs,
2016
Kennesaw State University
21. Tables, Charts, Graphs, David Mcmurray, Tamara Powell
Sexy Technical Communications
One of the nice things about technical writing courses is that most of the papers have graphics in them—or at least they should. A lot of professional, technical writing contains graphics—drawings, diagrams, photographs, illustrations of all sorts, tables, pie charts, bar charts, line graphs, flow charts, and so on. Graphics are important in technical communication. We learn more from a document when graphics are included (Gatlin, 1988). In fact, people learn about 1/3 more from a document with graphics than without (Levie and Lentz, 1982). A recent study found that readers learn faster and are better able to use the …
