Business and Technical Communication: An Annotated Guide to Sources, Skills, and Samples

334 Pages·2005·1.78 MB·English

by  Sandra E. Belanger

BUSINESS AND
TECHNICAL
COMUNICATION:
An Annotated Guide to
Sources, Skills,
and Samples
Sandra E. Belanger, et al
PRAEGER
BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL
COMUNICATION
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BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL
COMUNICATION
An Annotated Guide to
Sources, Skills, and Samples
Compiled by Sandra E. Belanger, Susan Lee Kendall,
Toby Leigh Matoush, and Yuhfen Diana Wu
Bibliographies and Indexes in Mass Media and Communications, Number 13
Westport, Connecticut
London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Business and technical comunication : an annotated guide to sources, skills, and
samples / compiled by Sandra E. Belanger…[et al.].
p. cm. — (Bibliographies and indexes in mass media and communications ; ISSN
1041–8350 ; no. 13)
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 0–313–30872–1 (alk. paper)
1. Business communication—Referencebooks—Bibliography. 2. Business
communication—Bibliography. 3. Communication of technical
information—Bibliography. 4. Communication of technical information—Information
resources. I. Belanger, Sandra E. II. Series.
Z7164.C81B9275 2005
[HF5718]
016.6584'5—dc22 2004028181
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Copyright © 2005 by Sandra E. Belanger, Susan Lee Kendall, Toby Leigh Matoush, and
Yuhfen Diana Wu
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced, by any process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004028181
ISBN: 0–313–30872–1
ISSN: 1041–8350
First published in 2005
Praeger Publishers, 88 Post Road West,Westport, CT 06881
An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
www.praeger.com
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this book complies with the
Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National
Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface vii
Introduction ix
Chapter 1: Research Guides 1
BIBLIOGRAPHIES 2
BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES 4
DICTIONARIES AND ENCYCLOPEDIAS 5
DIRECTORIES 8
HANDBOOKS 11
QUOTATIONS 20
Chapter 2: Research Resources 25
ABSTRACTS AND INDEXES 26
ELECTRONIC DATABASES 35
Database Vendors 35
Databases 38
LIBRARY SUBJECT HEADINGS 44
PERIODICALS AND NEWSLETTERS 59
WEBSITES 79
Chapter 3: Information Resources 85
ASSOCIATIONS 86
GOVERNMENT AGENCY INTERNET ADDRESSES AND
TELEPHONE NUMBERS 91
GRAMMAR HOTLINES 94
PUBLISHERS OF BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL
COMMUNICATION BOOKS 94
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS 104
Chapter 4: Communication Skills 107
EDITING AND REVISING 108
GENERAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS 111
GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND USAGE 125
ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS 131
STYLE 132
WRITING SKILLS 134
WRITING SYSTEMS 153
vi Contents
Chapter 5: Written Communication 159
ANNUAL REPORTS 160
BUSINESS PLANS 160
BROCHURES AND CATALOGS 168
COVER LETTERS 169
ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS 172
EMAIL 173
EMPLOYEE PUBLICATIONS 174
ESSAYS 174
LETTERS 175
MAGAZINE ARTICLES 183
MANUALS 183
MARKETING PLANS 185
MEMORANDUMS 187
MISSION STATEMENTS 189
NEWS RELEASES 189
NEWSLETTERS 189
PAPERS AND DISSERTATIONS 191
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 195
PROPOSALS 196
REPORTS 199
RESUMES 203
SALES SCRIPTS 218
SURVEYS 218
Chapter 6: Oral Communication 219
ETIQUETTE 220
INTERVIEWING 223
LISTENING 228
MEETINGS 230
PRESENTATIONS 234
PUBLIC SPEAKING 243
REFERENCE CHECKING 247
SPEAKING 248
TELEPHONE SKILLS 250
NAME INDEX 251
TITLE INDEX 265
SUBJECT INDEX 283
Preface
The simple request for a revision of Better Said and Clearly Written,
published in 1989, precipitated the quest for the material for this practical guide.
With a goal of offering solutions to business and technical communications
problems, the research guide and annotated bibliography is aimed primarily at
business and engineering students, faculty, librarians, and other working
professionals. It is designed to facilitate research and the location of such helpful
items as outlines, guidelines, and sample documents. Accordingly, it serves
those who need to communicate more effectively in school and the workplace,
as well as teachers and librarians who will assist them in this process.
The process of developing this guide is a cooperative venture. Susan
Lee Kendall, Yuhfen Diana Wu, and Toby Leigh Matoush created chapters 1
through 3, respectively. Every effort was made to ensure that bibliographic
editions, Internet address, and contact information was the most recent available.
Unless otherwise noted, all materials have been examined by one of the authors.
Sandra E. Belanger created chapters 4 through 6. Bibliographic items
included were published primarily between 1990 and 2004. Unless otherwise
noted, the author examined all materials. Wu and Belanger did the final editing
and formatting of the whole book.
This book, like many others, has benefited from the assistance of
colleagues and friends. We are deeply grateful to our families for their support.
We are indebted to Elizabeth A. Mason for her support and efforts on our behalf,
and to Dr. Steve Wu for his technical advice. Many of the materials included
would not have been scrutinized without the assistance of Cathy Perez and the
Interlibrary Services staff, and the Link+ Book Request Services at San Jose
State University Library.

Introduction
Effective communication skills are essential in the new millennium.
Today’s fast-moving, competitive business world requires employees with
excellent verbal and written skills. In order to meet this need, business schools
strive to produce students with both skills; communication courses stress
techniques through term papers, writing assignments, and oral presentations; and
managers require employees to participate in appropriate training exercises. The
published literature on workplace communication skills echoes this concern as
textbooks and works offering advice and sure cures for communication
problems continue to proliferate. While the business and technical worlds
bemoan the absence of competent writing and speaking skills, the rapid pace of
the work environment leaves little time for learning and improving these skills.
In order to effectively facilitate communication skills for students and
practitioners, clear guidelines, well-structured outlines, and pertinent examples
are needed. This book serves as a guide to the locations of these essential
materials and the research tools needed to acquire them.
There are two components to this book. The first three chapters serve as
a handbook for conducting research in business and technical communication. It
answers basic questions on correct grammar and offers research tools (e.g.,
dictionaries), research resources (e.g., indexes, computer databases, and
periodicals), and information sources (e.g., associations, research institutions).
Chapter 1, Research Guides, lists standard reference sources such as
bibliographies, dictionaries, directories, handbooks, and sources of quotations. It
identifies sources for correct definitions, biographies of important persons in the
field, and quotations to use in a report or a speech. The bibliographies record
previously published material in business communication and technical writing.
Chapter 2, Research Resources, expands research techniques in business
and technical communication through the use of printed indexes and abstracts,