Table Of Content

The Five-Way Access System The five-way access system of the Handbook of Technical Writing provides readers with multiple ways of retrieving information: 1. Alphabetically Organized Entries The alphabetically organized entries with color tabs enable readers to find information quickly. Within the entries, terms shown as links refer to other entries that contain definitions of key concepts or further information on related topics. 2. Contents by Topic The complete “Contents by Topic,” on the inside front cover, groups the entries into categories and serves as a quick reference for finding all topics covered in the book. The “Contents by Topic” allows a writer focusing on a specific task or prob- lem to locate helpful entries; it is also useful for instructors who want to correlate the Handbook with standard textbooks or their own course materials. The list of “Commonly Misused Words and Phrases” (see page 642) extends this topical key by listing all the usage entries in the book. 3. Checklist of the Writing Process The “Checklist of the Writing Process” helps readers to reference all writing-process–related entries. 4. Comprehensive Index The new user-friendly Index lists all the topics covered in the book — including subtopics and model documents — within the main entries in the alphabetical arrangement. 5. Model Documents and Figures by Topic The list of “Model Documents and Figures by Topic” (see page 644) makes it easier to find the abundant real-world ex- amples and sample documents throughout the text that provide models for effective technical communication. Contents by Topic Use this list as a quick reference for finding entries by topic. To search this book in more detail, see the Index. Technical Writing Documents Global Graphics 229 Graphs 238 and Elements Infographics 260 Brochures 55 Maps 334 Description 124 Mathematical Equations 336 Environmental Impact Statements 175 Organizational Charts 377 Photographs 392 Faqs (Frequently asked Tables 536 questions) 184 Forms 219 Correspondence Indexing 255 Instructions 266 acknowledgment Letters 10 Job Descriptions 295 adjustment Letters 17 Manuals 330 Complaint Letters 88 Mathematical Equations 336 Correspondence 105 Newsletter articles 356 Cover Letters (or Transmittals) 114 Newsletters 358 E-mail 164 Process Explanation 417 Inquiries and Responses 261 Proposals 428 Instant Messaging 264 Grant Proposals 233 International Correspondence 272 Requests for Proposals 471 Letters 316 questionnaires 452 Memos 343 Report Components Reference Letters 462 abstracts 6 Refusal Letters 464 appendixes 36 Text Messaging 544 Conclusions 94 Executive Summaries 182 Glossaries 231 Job Search and Application Introductions 285 acceptance / Refusal Letters (for Tables of Contents 538 Titles 546 Employment) 8 Reports 469 application Cover Letters 36 Feasibility Reports 186 Interviewing for a Job 280 Formal Reports 196 Job Search 297 Incident Reports 255 Resignation Letters 480 Investigative Reports 290 Résumés 484 Laboratory Reports 308 Progress and activity Reports 417 Test Reports 544 Presentations and Meetings Trip Reports 556 Listening 322 Specifications 528 Meetings 338 Trade Journal articles 550 Minutes of Meetings 347 Literature Reviews 325 Presentations 408 Usability Testing 558 White Papers 577 Writing for the Web 582 Research and Documentation adapting to New Technologies 12 Design and Visuals Bibliographies 50 Brainstorming 53 Layout and Design 310 Copyrights, Patents, and Trademarks 102 Forms 219 Headers and Footers 246 Documenting Sources 135 Headings 247 Interviewing for Information 277 Lists 324 Literature Reviews 325 Visuals 568 Note-Taking 362 Drawings 157 Paraphrasing 387 Flowcharts 192 Plagiarism 398 00_ALR_TEC_7552_IFC.indd c Achorn International 12/06/2014 03:55AM questionnaires 452 Storing Search Results 475 quotations 459 Using Collaborative Software 75 Research 473 Using PDF Files 585 Organization, Writing, ESl Trouble Spots and Revision adjectives 13 Blogs and Forums 50 agreement 24 Collaborative Writing 73 articles 41 Content Management 98 Biased Language 48 Description 124 Clauses 71 Document Management 132 Comma Splice 77 Ethics in Writing 178 Commas 78 Exposition 183 Double Negatives 156 Global Communication 228 English as a Second Language 170 Logic Errors 327 Gender 226 Methods of Development 345 Idioms 253 Cause-and-Effect 66 Mood 351 Chronological 68 Nouns 364 Comparison 86 Number (Grammar) 366 Definition 121 Numbers 367 Division-and-Classification 130 Periods 390 General and Specific 227 Order-of-Importance 373 Phrases 395 Sequential 521 Plagiarism 398 Spatial 527 Point of View 401 Narration 354 Possessive Case 403 Organization 376 Prepositions 406 Outlining 377 Pronouns 422 Persuasion 392 quotation Marks 457 Preparation 405 Run-on Sentences 504 audience 44 Sentence Construction 512 Brainstorming 53 Sentence Fragments 518 Context 99 Spelling 529 Purpose 449 Style 530 Readers 462 Syntax 535 Scope 506 Selecting the Medium 506 Tense 541 Proofreading 426 Transition 554 Repurposing 469 Verbals 561 Revision 502 Verbs 564 Social Media 523 Voice 572 Writing a Draft 581 ESl Tips Digital Tips assigning Gender 226 assessing Hardware and Software 13 avoiding Shifts in Voice, Mood, or Conducting Online Meetings 339 Tense 566 Creating an Index 258 Choosing Voice 575 Creating an Index (for a formal Determining Mood 352 report) 201 Punctuating Numbers 369 Creating an Outline 380 Stating an Opinion 402 Creating Styles and Templates 201 Understanding the Requirements of a Digitally Enhancing Formal Sentence 516 Reports 197 Understanding the Subject of a Incorporating Tracked Changes 504 Sentence 513 Proofreading for Format Using adjectives 16 Consistency 427 Using articles 42 Scheduling Meetings Online 339 Using Possessive Pronouns 425 Sharing Electronic Files 165 Using the Progressive Form 543 00_ALR_TEC_7552_IFC.indd b Achorn International 12/06/2014 03:55AM Style and Language Garbled Sentences 225 Mixed Constructions 349 Style 530 Run-on Sentences 504 Affectation 23 Sentence Fragments 532 Allusions 31 Paragraphs 382 Ambiguity 33 Coherence 72 Awkwardness 46 Transition 554 Biased Language 48 Unity 558 Clarity 70 Clichés 72 Comparison 85 Parts of Speech and Grammar Conciseness 91 Grammar 233 Contractions 101 Defining Terms 120 Agreement 24 Direct Address 129 Case 63 Double Negatives 156 English as a Second Language 170 Emphasis 168 Gender 226 English, Varieties of 174 Mood 351 Euphemisms 180 Number (Grammar) 366 Expletives 182 Person 391 Figures of Speech 190 Possessive Case 403 Gobbledygook 232 Pronoun Reference 421 Idioms 253 Tense 541 Intensifiers 271 Voice 572 Jargon 295 Parts of Speech 388 Nominalizations 361 Adjectives 13 Pace 382 Adverbs 20 Parallel Structure 385 Articles 41 Plain Language 399 Conjunctions 96 Point of View 401 Functional Shift 223 Positive Writing 402 Interjections 272 Repetition 468 Nouns 364 Rhetorical Questions 504 Prepositions 406 Sentence Variety 519 Pronouns 422 Subordination 532 Verbals 561 Technical Writing Style 538 Verbs 564 Telegraphic Style 540 Tone 549 Punctuation and Mechanics “You” Viewpoint 586 Word Choice 580 Mechanics Abstract / Concrete Words 6 Abbreviations 2 Antonyms 34 Acronyms and Initialisms 11 Buzzwords 58 Ampersands 34 Connotation / Denotation 97 Capitalization 60 Dictionaries 127 Compound Words 91 Foreign Words in English 195 Contractions 101 Functional Shift 223 Dates 119 Malapropisms 330 Italics 292 Synonyms 534 Numbers 367 Thesaurus 546 Prefixes 405 Vague Words 561 Proofreaders’ Marks 428 Spelling 529 Sentences and Paragraphs Suffixes 534 Punctuation 448 Sentence Construction 512 Apostrophes 35 Appositives 41 Brackets 53 Clauses 71 Colons 75 Complements 90 Commas 78 Expletives 182 Dashes 118 Modifiers 349 Ellipses 163 Objects 371 Exclamation Marks 181 Phrases 395 Hyphens 250 Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Parentheses 387 Elements 483 Periods 390 Syntax 535 Question Marks 451 Sentence Faults 516 Quotation Marks 457 Comma Splice 77 Semicolons 510 Dangling Modifiers 117 Slashes 522 this page left intentionally blank 01_ALR_TEC_7552_FM_i_xxiv.indd iii Achorn International 12/23/2014 02:29AM Handbook of Technical Writing 01_ALR_TEC_7552_FM_i_xxiv.indd ii Achorn International 12/23/2014 02:29AM About the Authors Gerald J. Alred is Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he is a teaching-award recipient and an adviser to the Professional Writing Program. He is the author of numer- ous scholarly articles and several standard bibliographies on business and technical communication, and he is a founding member of the editorial board of the Journal of Business and Technical Communication. He is a recipient of the prestigious Jay R. Gould Award for “profound scholarly and textbook contributions to the teaching of business and technical writing.” Charles T. Brusaw served as a faculty member at NCR Corporation’s Management College, where he developed and taught courses in professional writing, editing, and presentation skills for the corporation worldwide. Previously, he worked in advertising, technical writing, public relations, and curriculum development. He has been a commu- nications consultant, an invited speaker at academic conferences, and a teacher of business writing at Sinclair Community College. Walter E. Oliu served as Chief of the Publishing Services Branch at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where he managed the agency’s printing, graphics, editing, and publishing programs as well as daily op- erations of the agency’s public Web site. He has taught at Miami Uni- versity of Ohio, Slippery Rock State University, Montgomery College, and George Mason University. Workplace Technology Adviser Richard C. Hay is owner and manager of Twenty Six Design, LLC, a company that provides computer hosting, programming, and design so- lutions for organizations, including thousands of college writing, advis- ing, and academic support centers across the United States. He is publisher of the peer-reviewed Writing Lab Newsletter, has taught business and technical writing at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, sits on the boards of two nonproﬁt organizations, and is president of Quest Theatre Ensemble in Chicago. 01_ALR_TEC_7552_FM_i_xxiv.indd v Achorn International 12/23/2014 02:29AM Eleventh Edition Handbook of Technical Writing Gerald J. Alred Charles T. Brusaw Walter E. Oliu Bedford/St. Martin’s Boston ◆ New York 01_ALR_TEC_7552_FM_i_xxiv.indd iv Achorn International 12/23/2014 02:29AM For Bedford/St. Martin’s Vice President, Editorial, Macmillan Higher Education Humanities: Edwin Hill Editorial Director for English and Music: Karen S. Henry Publisher for Business and Technical Writing: Leasa Burton Executive Editor for Business and Technical Writing: Molly Parke Developmental Editor: Kate Mayhew Publishing Services Manager: Andrea Cava Production Manager: Joe Ford Senior Marketing Manager: Christina Shea Associate Editor: Amanda Legee Project Management: Books By Design, Inc. Director of Rights and Permissions: Hilary Newman Senior Art Director: Anna Palchik Text Design: Books By Design, Inc.; Glenna Collett Cover Design: Donna Lee Dennison Cover Photo: Aerial photograph of the High Five interchange in Dallas, Texas © Cameron Davidson/Corbis Composition: Achorn International, Inc. Printing and Binding: RR Donnelley and Sons Copyright © 2015, 2012, 2009, 2006 by Bedford/St. Martin’s All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a re- trieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, me- chanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except as may be expressly permitted by the applicable copyright statutes or in writing by the Publisher. 0 9 8 7 6 5 f e d c b a For information, write: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116 (617-399-4000) ISBN 978-1-4576-7552-2 Acknowledgments Text and illustration acknowledgments and copyrights appear at the back of the book on page 589, which constitutes an extension of the copyright page. Photo acknowledgments and copyrights appear on the same page as the art selections they cover. It is a violation of the law to reproduce these selections by any means whatsoever without the written permission of the copyright holder. 01_ALR_TEC_7552_FM_i_xxiv.indd vii Achorn International 12/23/2014 02:29AM

Description:

From formal reports and manuals to everyday e-mails, The Handbook of Technical Writing uses smart, accessible language to spotlight and clarify technical writing today. Hundreds of topic entries, 90+ sample documents, at-a-glance checklists, and dynamic videos break down the best-practices, models,