Contents
Chapter 1 Technical Writing:A Brief Introduction-¡¡¡¡¡¡1
1.1 Rhetorical Aspects of Technical Writing¡2
1.2 The Author and Audience of Technical Writing¡9
1.2.1 The Author of Technical Writing¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡9
1.2.2 The Audience of Technical Writing--¡¡¡¡¡¡¡14
1.3 The lmportance of Technical Writing in theWorkplace15
Chapter 2 Constructing Effective Documents:Design Principles and Visualization¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡19
2.1 The C.R.A.P Principles¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡20
2.1.1 Contrast ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡20
2.1.2 Repetition¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡22
2.1.3 Alignment¡23
2.1.4 Proximity ¡25
2.2 Typefaces and Line Length ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡27
2.2.1 Typefaces¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡27
2.2.2 Line Length¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡29
2.3 Visualization in Technical Writing¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡30
2.3.1 Tables¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡30
2.3.2 Graphs ¡¡33
2.3.3 Charts¡35
2.3.4 Infographics¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡38
2.3.5 Mind Maps¡47
Chapter3 Writing Business Correspondence+¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡53
3.1 Principles of Effective Correspondence¡54
3.1.1 Creating Goodwill¡¡¡54
3.1.2 Communicating Honestly¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡5
3.1.3 Using a Suitable Tone and the "You"Attitude5
3.1.4 Providing Need-to-Know Information Accurately
and Logically¡55
3.1.5 Using Concise,Standard Language and
Avoiding Cliches¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡56
3.2 Basic Pattern of Business Correspondence¡56
3.2.1 Letters: Features, the Rhetorical Situation,and Elements ¡¡57
3.2.2 E-mails: Features, the Rhetorical Situation, Elements,and Netiquettes¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡60
3.2.3 Memos: Features, the Rhetorical Situation, Elements,and Format¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡63
3.3 Language Styles of Daily Correspondence ¡¡¡69
3.3.1 Language for Informative and Good Messages --69
3.3.2 Language for Bad News Messages¡¡69
3.3.3 Language for Persuasive Messages¡70
3.4 Chapter Examples¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡72
Chapter 4 Writing for Employment ¡77
4.1 Resum¨¦--78
4.2 Letter ofApplication---80
4.3 Follow-up Message82
4.4 Portfolio¡¡82
4.5 Chapter Example ¡84
Chapter 5 Writing Proposals 89
5.1 Definition¡¡90
5.2 Rhetorical Situations-91
5.2.1 Author---91
5.2.2 Audience¡91
5.2.3 Purpose¡91
5.2.4 Format¡¡¡¡91
5.2.5 Structure¡¡¡92
5.2.6 Strategy¡¡¡92
5.3 Types of Proposals -93
5.3.1 Internal vs External Proposals-¡93
5.3.2 Solicited vs Unsolicited Proposals¡¡93
5.3.3 Proposals for Specific Purposes¡¡93
5.4 How to Write a Persuasive Proposal-106
5.5 Chapter Example ¡107
Chapter 6 Writing Reports¡115
6.1 Definition--¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡116
6.2 Rhetorical Situations¡116
6.2.1 Considering the Audience¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡116
6.2.2 Understanding the Purpose¡¡116
6.3 Types of Reports¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡117
6.4 Effective Strategies for Writing Persuasive Report¡¡135
6.5 Chapter Example ¡¡137
Chapter 7 Writing Instructions ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡-147
7.1 Rhetorical Situations¡148
7.1.1 Understanding the Audience and the Purpose ¡¡¡148
7.1.2 Gaining Insights into Products and Procedures ¡¡149
7.2 Formats and Key Components¡149
7.2.1 Formats of Instructions¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡150
7.2.2 Key Components of Instructions¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡-154
7.3 Effective Strategies for Writing Effective Instructions ¡158
7.3.1 Defining Key Concepts¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡-158
7.3.2 Writing Step-by-Step Instructions¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡161
7.3.3 Designing Clear,Attractive Pages ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡163
7.3.4 Writing Safety Information¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡166
7.4 Chapter Examples ¡168
Chapter 8 Researching to Write¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡175
8.1 User Research-¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡176
8.1.1 How to Conduct User Research¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡176
8.1.2 Suggested Steps in Conducting User Research ¡¡¡179
8.2 Task Analysis¡¡185
8.3 Interviews¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡186
8.4 Research Reports ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡187
8.5 User Personas¡¡¡188
8.5.1 Understanding User Personas¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡188
8.5.2 Constructing and Utilizing User Personas¡¡¡¡¡¡190
8.6 Chapter Example ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡191
References ¡199
