In fact, plagiarism is an important IP (intellectual property) concern globally, so reference to international publication and copyright standards would be far more useful to students, who are students for 4 years or so, but professionals for up to 40 years. The activity and try this in these chapters would be helpful in other chapters, too. Stacey Corbitt. Defining Technical Communication. Many of the chapters will do well on their own. When data about customers, products, people, and operations flows beyond application boundaries, all departments in an organization are empowered. WebIntroduction to Technical Writing (ETWR 1302) Instructor: James Langston. I would have preferred to have more info about the modes typical to technical writing, but what the book has is useful. The content is accurate. It covers current topics and concerns, but also includes all the traditional topics expected for Technical Writing courses. As far as I can tell, this textbook does not include an index or glossary. This linked resource is not formatted as professionally as the main text. In section 4.1 there is inconsistency in terminology where academic and scholarly are used interchangeably. This text is well organized with topics appropriate to technical writing, and I will consider using it in technical writing and workplace writing courses for first- and second-year students. At Chemeketa Community College students enter technical writing after completing two-three levels of prerequisite writing courses. Exploring Technical Writing Fundamentals. The text remains neutral and uses voice or cartoon like figures in some of the videos. Some of the information does seem to not work (some links, for example), which may hurt longevity, but the authors do note this might be a possibility when using the book. PathWise is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Chapters are skipped, brought back, and revisited. read more. This may reflect an issue with the field we tend to classify international communication differently from general technical communication but a section on writing in the global community and for cross-cultural audiences might be useful. If a student were to print the PDF, much paper would be completely wasted and blank. The text is overall clean but there are a handful of grammatical errors. It is less helpful, I think, to students going into health care fields and This is especially problematic given the texts emphasis on longer documents, such as the progress reports, which require consistent formatting throughout. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. The expandable table is tricky to get used to because the hyperlink from the Chapter title goes to the chapter to Technical Writing As mentioned in my first comment, the textbook could benefit from separating technical writing and professional writing as they are separate disciplines. Technical Writing for Beginners An A-Z Guide to Tech Blogging The worst thing we can do in much scientific and technical discourse is build suspense and save the point, answer, or recommendations to the end. Good technical writing is hard because writers must get straight to the point without losing or confusing readers. The book sticks to the basic writing principles which dont change much over time. The chapters can easily be rearranged according to an instructors preference since the table of contents is linked to each section. Gray forward and backward arrows, on the right and left, respectively, make it easy to flip pages. Which Australian are we voting for? An introductory text should seek to better follow consistency while explaining the issues that exist in the field. Every analytics project has multiple subsystems. I noticed only one or two minor typos. The following table provides general specifications for many types of technical writing documents: The way a text looks matters to a reader, so it should matter to a writer. Some of the images are blurry and hard to see. Pages 15-16, on netiquette, uses headings, along with simply, un-bolded bullet points. Introduction to Technical Writing In this context, questions of comprehensiveness arose almost immediately. [Home] and [Table of Contents] buttons are fixed on the right-hand side, allowing students to easily jump among sections. Given that modules or sections can be reordered on demand, this is not a significant drawback. However, I disagree and do not think this needs to be the case. Chapter 13, "Communicating Across Cultures," introduces the reader to the importance of considering the variety of cultures and culture uniqueness (and peculiarity) in technical communication, which I believe does the job. For example, the texting section may need to be updated within the next year to account for newer texting apps and conventions. I The text begins with the most common kinds of professional communication, including texts and e-mails, which demonstrates an understanding of current workplace needs. Did the textbook assume students already understood writing as a process? https://www.stc.org/about-stc/definicommunication/. Reviewed by Sylvia Hayes, English Instructor, Midlands Technical College on 7/26/21, This book is concise and covers an array of Technical Communication topics and genres. The organization of chapters in the web-native version defies logic. Technical writing isn't about 'dumbing down'; it's about writing to the correct level. Crucial terms are adequately explained. The principles of professional communication are accurately presented. The book was extremely easy to navigate and to use. The terminology is basic without down-writing. "Introduction to Technical Writing" is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by Tamara Girardi and Mary Richards. This text offers a good amount of instruction (though at times limited) underlying effective workplace and technical writing/communication. The authors cover related and integral elements that help writers produce better documents, including using outlines and graphics as well as information literacy skills that writers should have. Lacking an essential discussion of theory and concept, the textbook covers a limited range of genres, another writerly term that is not mentioned. After completing this class, you will know how to do the following: Use terminologyincluding A class geared toward a specific aspect of the field - engineering or a medical field, for example - would need to add material. If you want to learn the art of persuasive written business communication, this course is perfect. For example, chapter 12 discusses the idea of the cover letter being potentially outdated but then proceeds to offer guidance on writing one. For example, a section on language inclusivity would be useful. The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive. This course will teach you the fundamental techniques that all successful technical writers use. Despite an opening comment in the Introduction that claims students will learn to write "in such a way that even Grandad can understand," a which is a bit insulting to grandpas everywhere (it's ageist), the book seems to be culturally respectful and appropriate. The recommendation here would be to create a separate chapter or chapters dedicated to technology platforms with the idea that it would be easier to update in the future. Selecting an Appropriate Genre. The book is accurate and unbiased. Some of the sections are particularly long, and can be tiresome to scroll through. The information is accurate, the citation guide up-to-date, and most material is relevant to any aspect of the field. Modularity - The text is laid out in chapters with clear and simple sub-headings underneath each one. I also appreciate the chapter on information literacy, which includes information on scholarly, professional and general publications. The online version of the book is hosted on the Pressbooks platform, which is intuitive to use, but long sections require significant scrolling. The text is well organized and clearly divided into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course. There weren't any noticeable grammatical errors. Organization Structure Flow - The flow of the text is easy to follow. Good technical writing keeps this in mind. In general, sections are relatively short and are organized under useful headings. Interface - The images could be more ascetically pleasing to the eye. It also seems that "Outlines" might be addressed sooner since those could apply to writing proposals as well as progress reports. There is a detailed Table of Contents that lays out the subjects that are covered. While some technical writing is composed for experts within the field, most technical writing is composed for the ordinary user - the consumer. It shifts quite a bit between universal advice about writing for a professional audience and specific advice about writing for an instructor. But when the writing is poor, the reader may have trouble moving forward which can lead to frustration. Because the text can function in ways that benefit the class, this is not an issue. Freshman students will benefit from this introductory-level text and will appreciate the authors' emphasis on conventional technical documents including emails, letters, memos, reports, and proposals. There is a useful section on information literacy and conducting research beyond the first items in a Google search. Experimenting with working models of the product. Examples could be given in sections on proposals, progress reports, and other sections to offer further clarity. The content is accurate and straight forward. If I had to point to one area where it might need updating, it might be in allowing more space for instructions, presentations and video content, as these are emerging as valuable tools and I am not seeing a lot in the text. Whatever your major is, you are developing an expertiseyou are becoming a specialist in a particular technical area. The book's format changes occasionally, probably owing to the various authors involved, but it is not especially noticable and does not affect the book in a negative way. A class geared toward a specific aspect of the field - engineering or a medical field, for example - would need to add material. Audience analysis comes much earlier (chapter 2) but not before texts, emails, and netiquette. Sentences over 30 words are to be mistrusted. Again, I wondered, Says who? Had the authors cited evidence a study finding that sentences over 25 words are ignored by readers, for instance the claim might be more compelling. Having personally examined a number of technical writing materials, this is by far one of the very few texts that incorporate a section about texting. Study of books, articles, reports, websites related to the product. It costs only $49.9. Some concepts in this course, such as audience, purpose, tone, precision--these will forever be touchstones of any professional writing course, technical writing is no exception. Secondary readers are those readers who will read only the sections of the report that relate to them, their jobs, their departments, responsibilities, etc. WebHere is a list of some essential concepts and branches related to technical writing: Explaining the system or design. These are appropriately and adequately covered. The book does break some of its own advice in these sections with references to authors with no attribution. However, I found the pacing and the organization of the section to be a little sporadic, especially if the book were to be read linearly by students. I was not able to find any significant errors in grammar. The reader of technical documents does not read to engage in a discussion or be entertained. E.g., "Examples are one of the most powerful ways to connect with audiences, particularly in instructions" (2.3). Therefore, writers keep these items in mind while constructing technical documents. Where can you learn more about technical writing? Fabric is an end-to-end analytics product that addresses every aspect of an organizations analytics needs. There are topics that can be included that were not. I look forward to seeing subsequent editions. The way this book is designed and written does not seem to engage the exigencies of technical writing as I'm familiar with them. Website links opened easily. Other key genres are missing entirely. The text includes few images; most are linked to accessible PDF versions, which are full-screen and easy to read. The missing link is vital here since there are definitely different accounts of the underlying causes beyond the O rings. Chapter 10 includes a link to a wide variety of examples of technical writing. write Explore various areas of a technical writers day including professional communication, document design and organization, and audience and purpose in this online course. There are a few minor typos and notes from a previous editor in the document, including a question about permission to use a chart. I did not see any grammatical errors during my review. The authors use simple, clear, and easy-to-understand prose. visual. I appreciate the way the sections aren't overly extended or complicated - the individual components make up the larger whole and could easily be reconfigured to suit the needs of instructors. The field of technical and professional communication tends to use terms somewhat synonymously, so the conflation of certain terms in the text is not unusual in the field. 1: Introduction to Technical Writing is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. Technical writing impacts every developer. According to Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall, In Understanding Cultural Differences, each culture operates according to its own rules (1990, pp. Introduction to Technical Writing for Industry | Continuing international and transcultural. Later chapters describe proposals and progress reports. This text is consistent in its approach, terminology, and framework. The book's prose is not tightly edited, but the prose is accessible. I think this is just fine and, in many ways, provides a more fruitful reading experience. For example, there is a recommendation that emails are limited to three paragraphs, which is a very narrow view of that genre (shouldn't it depend on the rhetorical context, audience, etc.?). Some of the images / videos are pixelated. While some references to the writer are logical, it inconsistently directly addresses readers or talks about writers in general. Technical writing is the highest level of writing students receive before they enter their professional fields or transfer to four-year universities. Even if the textbook was designed to be modular, it is still prepared and presented in a specific order (with linked toc in the PDF version). At times the images presented conflict with the text and spacing on pages, but is otherwise easy to attribute to the content pertaining to the image. There was, however, one off-putting clich: the notion that older people are slow to grasp technical concepts. The headings and sub-headings minimize potential distractions or other inconsistencies in modular presentation of chapter content. The chapters appear randomly, with an early chapter often referring to material that has not been introduced yet. A Brief Introduction to Technical Writing - Stephanie Morillo 9.3 . It is noteworthy that it does not have questions in the back of each section, so its not designed for, say, test development or study for exams. I might assign certain sections for reading but would more than likely use information from the book to add to already existing lectures and discussions, of course, giving credit to the authors. Reviewed by Jennifer Barton, Advanced Instructor, Virginia Tech on 2/8/17, The book appears to be written for a course designed around a specific major project that asks students to write a proposal for a technical report and then to research and write the report itself. The text covers all areas that are part of the technical writing curriculum. Webfield. In general, segments are only a few paragraphs in length, with modules easily excerpted for re-use or revised usage. Reviewed by Lars Soderlund, Associate Professor of English, Western Oregon University on 3/7/19, The book has a strong balance of topics. 1 hour: 2 to 2.5 hours: Tech Writing for Accessibility Further clarification is offered through examples/samples in the sections on emails, memos, outlines, cover letters, technical reports, and others. Content within this text is accurate and mostly error-free. When technical writing is effective, a reader can do more quickly. Examples are frequently included, although even more examples would be a welcome addition. The chapters lead students through the steps of producing a formal report including research, proposals, citation, and progress reports. This course teaches you the fundamentals of technical writing. If so, that indicates a need to discuss the conventions of genre. Technical communication is distinct from the academic forms of writing you may be more familiar with. The organization is clear, user-friendly, and easily navigable using all-cap chapter headings and numbers and lower case section headings and numbers. Like its prose, the grammar appears to be clean and normalized to American standard English. They make statements about the priority of information in the engineers' report which imply that they are in a position to make that judgment. As I mentioned above, the book starts by covering genres with relative swiftness, then it digs into essential writing topics, and then it covers larger genres in more detail. There is an ageist comment about "so easy that Grandpa could understand it" in the early pages defining technical vs academic writing. Each larger unit is broken into smaller, easily understood and relevant sub units. Using Writing Processes. It was edited well. The first chapter reviews types of correspondence, starting with, oddly enough, texting. After all, sentence structure in technical writing is expected to be short, concise, and to the point. There are some areas with a "Try This" section, but not very many of them, and the assignments lack an assessment component. It should be noted that different formats might have issues relating to page presentation, as I have noticed that in other primarily online references I have seen. Thats just the tip of the iceberg. I do not find any errors of content. Hall, E.T. Looking for more practical guidance around content creation? There was no mention of the writing process, a confusing oversight on two fronts. Stacey Corbitt. The chapters in this book are all formatted relatively the same. Technical writers try to convey information in a similar fashion. I did not notice any grammar and mechanical errors in the text. The information is presented effectively in clear, concise language. The index is helpful; there is no glossary, but this does not seem to be an omission as there is little jargon used throughout the book. The book covers a broad range of technical communication genres, and it covers everything I would hope to cover in my upcoming course. Introduction to technical writing The sentence describing crop yields in Sisters, Oregon was a staggering four lines long, strung together with and between three independent clauses (121). The content is based off of multiple authors rather than one single-viewpoint, which provides additional insights into topics versus only one limited view. Collaborative - technical documents must consider multiple perspectives; therefore, they are frequently composed by a team of writers. The content of this text is written so students can use the information in many different technical communication settings. read more. However, one challenge with that is attempting to keep it current -- culture, like everything else in science and technology, changes very rapidly. Still, again, this is a very strong book and I plan to redesign my future Technical Writing class with it. I agree that this book will remain relevant over time. This text fits under this category of direct and unambiguous language. Understanding Cultural Differences. . What is though doing in this sentence? Point of view While its cover and design are unassuming which, for a text on technical writing, might be a drawback its content is erudite and targeted to its primary audience and purpose. Given that technical communicators may be asked to write about things they dont care about or may disagree with (e.g., an environmentalist writing a press release on new oil exploration), a discussion of stance and tone is important. Technology companies are constantly struggling to find effective ways to help customers or potential customers understand the advantages or the operation of their new products. There is nothing to identify a particular culture, race or ethnicity. Introduction to Technical Writing These inconsistencies model poor document design for students. For instance, visual rhetoric and page layout were lumped together with audience. Topics are not grouped according to theory (should there be any) and practice, strategies and genres, or from easiest material to more challenging. The web PDF format functions as expected in Acrobat reader Modularity is well done. Technical writers need to be aware of the differences between the behavior and the norms, beliefs and values of specific cultural. It would be more effective to educate students on the relationship between clarity, conciseness, and accuracy, and teach them to use the shortest, clearest, most direct language needed to effectively address the audience and accomplish the purpose of the text. They consume content written by technical writers in the form of documentation, and they also produce technical content. Not all sections are set up the same, which makes it harder to navigate and find information. When there is time, the editors and/or authors should review the book to check for errors and broken links. They are in a time crunch and they need to be able to skim the document quickly to find a solution. read more. There is abundant use of the colon to introduce lists, and the authors use bullet points frequently. However, while the order of chapters follows the process of writing a workplace document (proposal, research, progress report, technical report), it doesnt necessarily follow the order of writing skills. Charts, where used, easily help students find the key differences in concepts, which is something that more detailed, less approachable textbooks tend to overlook. For example, starting with Audience Analysis rather than with a variety of workplace communication genres (text, email, memos, etc.) The chapters of the book could be easily reorganized to fit user needs and/or preferences. Relevance Longevity - Information appears to fit the relevant longevity category with the exception of the Professional Communication chapter; however, that would be an easy update. Take this course before taking any of the other courses. Also, technical writers must use accurate numbers to report data, avoiding charts and tables that skew data. This format does not have a much-needed index or glossary. Technical Reports: Components and Design, 11. The recipe lists the exact ingredients you need and the precise measurements for each ingredient. The text gives full explanation of the content. But, without a scale, the value for potatoes could be 30 percent, or 3 percent, compared to carrots at 10 percent or 1 percent. Text is mostly free of grammatical errors, although a few minor grammar mistakes were present. Readers will also learn about other professional communication, designing documents, and creating and integrating graphics. It will work best as an introduction to technical communication and business writing. Also missing from the text are generous examples of document types generated by technical writers, like websites, brochures and flyers, and other types of written communication.
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