March/April 2004 ISSN 1539-3593
Tough Talk from Herb Cohen: Negotiate This! By Ron Nelson While the line attributed to Leo Durocher, “Nice guys finish last,” 1 may not invari- ably be true, often enough it seems so. Conversely, mean guys win, according to
Volume 48 Volume • Number 2 this way of seeing things. However, many “nice guys” (and “nice gals”) can and Inside do succeed professionally and personally as a result of various sources of strength, like an ability to observe carefully, a reflective nature, and a refusal to engage in From the Editor 2 Machiavellian activities. President’s Column 3 The physician-poet William Carlos Williams once remarked, “In my world there are What’s in a Phrase? 5 no classes but the good guys and the bastards.” 2 In that comment he is guilty of the Highlights of January logical fallacy known as “false dichotomy” (“Live free or die” on New Hampshire AdCom Meeting 8 license plates—there are other alternatives). At the same time he identifies a funda- New Regional mentally important duality that manifests itself in many forms, for example, in Activities Committee 9 behavioral patterns like Type A-Type B, active-passive, and perpetrator-victim. Net Notes 10 This kind of thinking is essentially Hegelian, that is, it is based on a thesis (e.g., Improve Your Acronym IQ 11 this plan is great) confronted by an antithesis (this plan is terrible), resolving itself Thinking Globally, in a synthesis (this plan is pretty good but it has some kinks to work out). That Teaching Locally 12 synthesis becomes a new thesis, confronted by a new antithesis, etc. ad infinitum. Tools of the Trade 14 Hegel’s dialectic can be regarded as one of the crucial bases of learning. Flocci...pilification 16 This admittedly philosophical introduction is important to understanding Herb Good Intent, Cohen’s new book, Negotiate This! By Caring, But Not T-H-A-T Much (New York: Poor Outcome 17 Warner Business Books, 2003). With a no-nonsense yet often humorous writing Professor Grammar 18 style, Cohen articulates an interactive approach to situations that relates well to the role of the professional communicator and to communication in general. It is Call for AdCom Nominations 20 tantamount to a philosophy of life worthy of study, since it offers valuable insights
NEWSLETTER into the important question: How best to conduct myself in any given situation, professional or otherwise? The answer to that question involves nurturing a combi- nation of gentleness and toughness, as well as caring about things but putting them into perspective. In this book—a follow-up to You Can Negotiate Anything (1980)—Cohen presents sound advice for steeling the self with strengths, in effect tempering niceness to avoid being a pushover, while fostering a sense of self-respect and cooperation. The result is effective communication. (continued on page 6)
1 For two somewhat conflicting versions of the origin of the line “from The Lip’s mouth,” so to speak, see Leo Durocher (with Ed Linn), Nice Guys Finish Last (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1975, pp. 13-14) and Gerald Eskenazi, The Lip: A Biography of Leo Durocher (New York: William Morrow, 1993, p.229).
2 Linda Wagner, ed., Interviews with William Carlos Williams (New York: New Directions, 1976, p. 83) Newsletter From the Editor March/April 2004
Rudy Joenk
This Issue meetings in the early 1990s was the messages on its Vaio computers with We welcome a new column, Thinking introduction of two-day meetings. Japanese haiku. Globally, Teaching Locally, by Kirk In January the American Dialect Soci- St.Amant. The author focuses on Potpourri ety (http://americandialect.org) posted techniques for teaching students Remember the “slithy toves”? Ed its words (or phrases) of the year: about culture and communication. McBain, author of the 87th Precinct In his first article he uses the Internet mystery novels, has reached into the Word of the year: metrosexual, a to illustrate cross-cultural differences second verse of Lewis Carroll’s poem fashion conscious heterosexual male (page 12). Jabberwocky for the title of his new book: Frumious Bandersnatch. Most useful: flexitarian, a vegetarian I’m always interested in receiving who occasionally eats meat proposals for single articles or col- Inspired by the appearance of Most creative: freegan, people who umns. See the information for authors crapulent in A.Word.A.Day, Mark eat only what they can get for free farther along in this column. Stenglein created this celebration of holiday meals: “This succulent and Most euphemistic: pre-emptive self- AdCom opulent food and poculent wine is defense, an attack made before a This year the AdCom convened by leading to crapulence, corpulence, possible attack conference call on 24-25 January and flatulence.” AWADmail issue (see the meeting summary on page 28 January 2004. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne 8), and will meet in Philadelphia, Truss has become a bestseller in Pennsylvania, 21-22 May, and Computer Haiku Britain. This humorous guide to after IPCC 2004 in Minneapolis, A crash reduces punctuation will be published here Minnesota, 2-3 October. PCS mem- Your expensive computer by Gotham Books in April. To a simple stone. bers are always welcome at AdCom If you haven’t seen enough examples meetings. Three things are certain: of misused quotation marks, visit http://www.juvalamu.com/qmarks/. History Death, taxes, and lost data. Guess which has occurred. Colorado Daily, 26-28 December In my note about AdCom meetings in 2003. the January/February issue I neglected There’s more at http://www.funny2. to mention that complementary to the com/haiku.htm; seems like Sony has Readers of the Feedback section of reduction to three from four annual replaced some of the Microsoft error New Scientist were invited to invent (continued on page 4)
IEEE Professional ¥ PCS IEEE Professional Communication Society Newsletter is published bimonthly by the Professional Communication Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 3 Park Avenue, Communication New York, NY 10016. One dollar per member per year is included in the society fee for each member of Society the Professional Communication Society. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Officers ¥ Copyright 2004 IEEE: Permission to copy without fee all or part of any material without a copyright Ed Clark, President notice is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage and the Luke Maki, Vice President title of this publication and its date appear on each copy. To copy material with a copyright notice requires Kirk St.Amant, Secretary specific permission; direct inquiries or requests to the copyright holder as indicated in the article. Steve Robinson, Treasurer ¥ Postmaster: Send address changes to IEEE Professional Communication Society Newsletter, IEEE, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08855. Staff ¥ Editorial correspondence: Rudy Joenk, 2227 Canyon Blvd. #462, Boulder, CO 80302-5680, Rudy Joenk, Editor +1 303 541 0060, rjjoenkatcomcastdotnet. Articles, letters, reviews, and proposals for columns are welcome.
2 Newsletter President’s Column Volume 48 • Number 2
Eduardo H. Clark
Taking Care of Business If you read my inaugural column in On the expenses side, we started cut- ness, including voting, using e-mail, the January/February issue of this ting back long ago, at least in those something that our predecessors did Newsletter, you may remember my areas over which we have direct con- not have just a couple of decades ago. being concerned with our many chal- trol. As for the infrastructure services lenges ahead. And, you probably provided by the IEEE, currently we In 2000 we experimented with yet asked yourself, what is the PCS lead- pay only for what we use based on another cost-saving idea: virtual ership doing about them? Well, I’m the new IEEE financial model. The meetings. We met using electronic glad you asked, because that is the AdCom used to have more members media: NetMeeting and a free tele- topic of this column. and the meetings used to be more fre- phone connection, courtesy of a cor- quent. The meetings were all in-per- porate sponsor. Since then we have Financial wizardry consists basically son and, for most AdCom members, repeated the teleconference each year of a good combination of two things: involved travel expenses that were at around the end of January. We increasing revenues and decreasing only partially subsidized by PCS with have saved not only money, but also expenditures, and that is not exactly an annual amount to be split among the canceled flights, delays, and rocket science. I believe that Bill the meetings. Some members actually inconvenience of traveling in the Gates once said that the concept of got rewarded for not attending all middle of winter. “revenues minus expenditures equals meetings by having the full subsidy profit” is so obvious that many for fewer meetings, but those were As meetings chair last year I orga- people just don’t get it. Well, rest very few. I understand that nized the virtual meeting in January assured, your PCS leadership grasped other (larger) IEEE societies using the IEEE’s service this concept long ago and, although are more generous with their Our alliance with PlaceWare. That as part of the IEEE, a 501(c)(3) orga- subsidies (e.g., full reim- publications virtual experience was much better than with NetMeeting nization, we cannot have profits, bursement). However, I produce we can use a little surplus in our because we could do online remember meetings when meaningful reserves to fund initiatives or to face I and many of my fellow polling, have recording capa- difficult times. AdCom members had to pay royalties. bility, share applications, a good portion of our travel and display PowerPoint As you may know, our revenues con- expenses ourselves, or rely on our slides to keep everybody focused sist primarily of membership dues, employers for financial assistance. on the task. You, too, can use this conference surplus, and royalties service for your meetings with other from our intellectual property, that is, Effective in 1998 the AdCom was IEEE members. From the http:// the publications and their electronic reduced from 21 to 18 members. www.ieee.org portal, select Volun- versions on Xplore. These revenues Also, the meetings were eventually teer Resources and then Internet can grow only by meeting the expec- reduced from the five or six a year Conferencing (under Electronic tations of our members and the public in the early days of PCS to the cur- Web Services). at large. If we attract (and retain) rent three, with one coinciding with members, the dues revenue increases; the annual conference. With these Our first meeting of 2004 (24-25 if our conferences are attractive to changes we saved on travel expendi- January) probably cost only USD 50 our audience (within and outside the tures but also created additional work for the PlaceWare setup fee, again IEEE), we get a surplus; and, luckily, for the smaller AdCom and ended up thanks to a free telephone connection our publications produce meaningful with less time to run PCS business. courtesy of a corporate sponsor. I royalties because of their high intel- Fortunately, technology has helped. don’t think that we can have meetings lectual value and quality. We now conduct a lot of routine busi- any cheaper than that.
3 Newsletter President’s Column March/April 2004
On the revenue side, we cannot posi- cation royalties is enough to cover exclusively by (AdCom at-large or tively impact our finances in the short the cost of the value that we provide ex-officio) volunteer members. term. Based on the feedback from the to members. As you can see, the AdCom is taking IEEE membership research project, In contrast with larger IEEE societies caring of business and using our however, we intend to continue offer- that have executive directors and paid resources frugally. Now, if we can ing value to current and prospective staff, we at PCS rely exclusively on only grow in double digits this year members. As our membership grows volunteers. It is the AdCom members by reaching the IEEE members and our conferences attract partici- who chair most of the committees who haven’t yet heard of us, we can pation, we will earn the resources and run all PCS activities. We occa- become a significant presence within to maintain a healthy financial situa- sionally get volunteers outside the the IEEE. However, I don’t think that tion. We had to raise PCS dues for AdCom to chair conferences, and we will ever hire an executive direc- 2003 and we have to revisit the issue when they do they become ex-offi- tor. They are just too expensive and again for 2005. We must find out cio members of the AdCom. So, …well, volunteers (like your AdCom if what we receive in dues and publi- in essence, PCS business is done members) work for you for free!
From the Editor (continued from page 2) and define new scientific words. Julane Marx in World Wide Words, In Language Visible David Sacks Among the winners (20 December 20 December 2003. describes the evolution of each letter 2003) are: of the alphabet through various The Washington Post asked people to alphabet systems and shapes and (1) change one letter, (2) delete one Coyotus Interruptus A momentary explains some of the associations letter, and (3) add one letter to a suspension of the law of gravity… each letter has had to people past given word and provide definitions as experienced by Wile E. Coyote…. and present. World Wide Words, 18 Jacqueline Jaeger Houtman, Madison, for the results. One of the winners for October 2003. Wisconsin. the word newspaper is (30 November 2003) Milo Sauer, Fairfax, Virginia: Language, n. The music with which Monotologue A lecture or presenta- we charm the serpents guarding tion delivered by one per- Newsparer: an editor for another’s treasure. Twice, adv., Once son on one subject with one The Express Deadlines are too often. Ambrose Bierce in The viewpoint in one tone and the 15th of the Ewspaper: The National Devil’s Dictionary. one rhythm. Jim Watt, odd-number Enquirer Birmingham, U.K. Presently, adv., doesn’t mean now months. Newspamper: A low-cost or at present. It means soon, before Terarist Presenter who diaper substitute intimidates his audience with large long, any minute (hour, day) now, numbers. David Craig, Edinburgh, Some good non-three-pack examples forthwith, shortly, keep your shirt U. K. are Redskeins, strings of consecutive on, faster than you can say Jack losses; Mountainfop, a hillwilliam; Robinson, or when I’m darn good Seen in a career e-newsletter: an arti- and Mantique, an item a guy keeps and ready. Patricia T. O’Conner in cle titled “Tell ’em Your a Writer.” from his bachelor days. Woe Is I.
4 Newsletter Volume 48 • Number 2
What’s in a Phrase? By Brad Connatser “Sixty zippers were quickly picked An idiom is “an expression of a given indicates a lack of creativity. It is true from the woven jute bag” is a pan- language that is peculiar to itself that in some cases (writing for peo- gram or holalphabetic sentence grammatically or cannot be under- ple who do not speak English very (contains all letters of the alphabet). stood from the individual meanings well, for example) idioms should be “Some men interpret nine memos” of its elements, as in ‘keep tabs on’” avoided, but in many cases a judicious is a palindrome (reads the same (http://dictionary.reference. application of idioms is backward as forward). Schott’s com/search?q=idiom). Idioms have a perfectly acceptable. For Original Miscellany; see the review The meaning of an idiom example, when the goal of way of relaxing by Michael Brady on page 16. is derived from the entire writing is to communicate phrase, which contains the formality information—and not to Information for Authors words that we may or may of language. impress the reader with cre- One thousand words makes a nice not know. For example, ative language—idioms page-and-a-half article, though longer when we say, “warm the cockles of have a way of relaxing the formality and shorter articles may be appropri- your heart,” “tit for tat,” or “vested of language. Informal language, such ate. Proposals for periodic columns interest,” we may not know the words as idioms and sayings, has a way of are also welcome. Write about what “cockles,” “tit,” “tat,” or “vested” but adding spirit to the lifeless language you know, things that you’re famil- still understand the complete phrases we commonly use to present facts. iar with. If you live outside North that contain them. America, consider writing about Some idioms are evolving into an technical communication in your Some books on technical communi- even less formal configuration. For country. You needn’t be a PCS cation issue a blanket warning to example, consider the idiom “as far member to contribute. writers to steer clear of idioms, espe- as x is concerned.” I’ve noticed that cially clichés. Why? Because, accord- the media are prone to leaving off If you use a wp program, keep your ing to the authors, relying on idioms the second part of the idiom, “is con- formatting simple; multiple fonts (continued on page 13) and sizes, customized paragraphing and line spacing, personalized styles, etc. have to be filtered out before being recoded in Newsletter style. Headers, footers, and tables lead the The Newsletter issues on our Web boilerplate at the bottom of p. 2 along casualty list. Embed only enough site (http://www.ieeepcs.org/activi with our copyright notice. formatting and highlighting (bold- ties_publications_newsletter.php) Deadlines face, italics, bullets) to show me can be used as examples. Issues are your preferences. posted about one month after distri- The 15th day of each odd-number bution of the print version and now month is the deadline for publica- If you borrow text—more than a have active e-mail, Web, and table- tion in the succeeding odd-number fair-use sentence or two—from pre- of-contents links. month. For example, the deadline is viously published material, you are 15 May for the July/August issue, 15 responsible for obtaining written I prefer to receive articles by e-mail; July for the September/October issue, permission for its use. Ditto for most WordPerfect, Word, RTF (rich etc. You won’t be far off (and never graphics. Always give credit to the text format), and ASCII files are late) if you observe the Ides of May, author or artist. acceptable. My addresses are in the July, September, and so on.
5 Newsletter Masters of Style March/April 2004
Negotiate This! (continued from page 1) The ploys that he employs to achieve the book he says, “…I believe my to transform “an adversary into an his ends include, but are not limited manner of expression is somewhat ally” (p. 44). In other words, “a softer to, (1) a comfortable diction level, (2) impressionistic, in that I tend to sug- demeanor can favorably affect the a self- effacing quality that subordi- gest rather than state. As it is, I’m negotiating climate” (p. 45). nates ego to the greater goal of under- more comfortable describing, rather His phrasing has a rich content standing a situation, (3) phrasing that than prescribing, behavior” (p. xvi). throughout but it is not expressed contains a certain gravitas yet is not His use of “I believe,” “somewhat,” ponderously. For example, overbearing, (4) a sense of humor “tend,” and the contraction that frequently emerges in the form he reminds the reader that “I’m” contribute to his Do I emerge “…human beings respond of unexpected wording, (5) a creative ease of expression. An use of language in the form of neolo- from it gratified to events as they perceive appropriate amount of them, not necessarily to gisms, (6) an ability to encapsulate hedging (not overdone) after having the essence of content—to abstract objective reality” (p. 167). offers a subtle force that read it and At another juncture he the information—in the forms of can dissipate overly wiser for chapter titles and summarizing points asserts, “And the road aggressive, threatening having done so? toward fulfillment lies in at the end of chapters, (7) apt anec- language. dotes and examples from his own questioning everything, extensive experience, (8) apposite The entire book exudes including what others tell quotations and allusions that lend Cohen’s humility, a self-effacing us, and even what we think we know” credibility to the subject, (9) metadis- quality that is not only admirable (p. xvi). And, in speaking of the need course that unobtrusively yet interac- (Gandhi, Albert Schweitzer) but to maintain some detachment in tively signals the reader as to what is also prudent. In a chapter entitled stressful situations, he says, “While to come, and (10) an inclination to “Whahdja Say?” Cohen recommends in the midst of fervent discussion training the self to attempt to clarify and emotive people, you must try to difficult or confusing points with remain aloof from the turmoil, so as such words as, “Gee, I’m sorry, you to be able to see the unfolding pat- lost me” … “Could you please repeat tern” (p. 28). He thus addresses the that?” (p. 41). And in the chapter reader directly, almost intimately, to “Lend Me a Hand” he notes that apprise him or her on why a certain “There is an inescapable truth about distance in relations is necessary. relationships: People appreciate hear- What he says here and elsewhere ing the words ‘Help me.’ No matter makes profound sense. what you may be talking about, the The book is full of humorous pas- other party has information, exper- sages that work as a result of surpris- tise, knowledge, or experience that ing wording, like “Humor, of course, you do not possess. Thus we need is no laughing matter” (p. xiv). And, them to willingly share what they when on a plane with a stressed-out challenge commonly held but mis- have, which will facilitate getting to leading beliefs. These strategies are executive concerned about the game yes” (p. 43). So it makes sense to of course not mutually exclusive, plan he and Cohen would use in admit ignorance as a practical matter, techniques often being interwoven. impending negotiations, the executive no matter how bright we are (or think blurts out, “‘We need more structure Cohen’s comfortable diction level we are). In the process of assuming a —you know, detail, specificity, meat comes out everywhere. Early in low-key stance, a person may be able —pith.’ At the time, never having
6 Newsletter Masters of Style Volume 48 • Number 2
heard the word ‘pith,’ I was some- ence (global and personal) works to cess.’ Never have I been in a situa- what alarmed” (p.5), Cohen admits. convince the reader that he knows tion where people are saying ‘no,’ In speaking of not getting overly of what he speaks. We can trust what ‘fuhgeddaboudit,’ or ‘never,’ when upset about the hand we have been he says. suddenly I appear on the scene, dealt “courtesy of life’s crap shoot,” immaculately and fashionably attired. he addresses the topic of noses: “If His quotations and allusions memo- Do you believe they look up and say, the purpose of a nose is to smell, you rably illustrate points at every turn, ‘Hey, I love the way that guy’s put together. Wow, that matching ensem- would think the bigger the better. So for example, Alexis de Tocqueville’s “Never abandon mature design to ble, the power tie, the cut and fabric the best proboscis would be a schnoz- of his garment. Gee, I was going to zle about the size of an eggplant” gratify a momentary passion” (p. 325) and Arthur Miller’s “We are say ‘no’ but based on his clothing, (p. 44). Of course, the use of humor make that ‘yes’ (p. 12). in professional communication is in the world, but the world is also limited, yet I suspect an occasional within us” (p. xiv) and the Prophet light touch would facilitate accep- Muhammad’s “Trust in Allah, but tance of content in some contexts. always tie up your camel” (p. 28). Cohen’s neologisms are clever. When Cohen’s metadiscourse smoothly explaining how he will treat pronouns signals and draws the reader into the in the book, he refers to that diffi- appropriate frame of mind to grasp culty as “administrivia” (p. xvi). In the content at hand, especially his speaking of how we tend to devalue frequent use of “The point is this:…” ourselves while overrating the accom- (p. 14), “Consider this:…” (p. 62), plishments of the other side—in “Think of it:…” (p. 46), and “A case itself, a subject worth exploring— in point:…” (p. 325). This ploy he refers to that proclivity as the amounts to an invitation to the reader “personal pimple principle” (p. 168). to become immersed in and reflect on the subject. The ultimate test of a document is: He encapsulates content in Do I emerge from it gratified after chapter titles like “Bargaining There is a forthrightness in having read it and wiser for having with a Bastard,” “Style Super- Be able to Cohen’s willingness to chal- done so? In the case of Cohen’s book, sedes Substance,” “Famil- see the lenge commonly held beliefs, the answers are “Yes” and “Yes.” iarity Breeds Children,” like dressing for success Beyond those points, the book is unfolding (Molloy). As he puts it: “Speed Kills,” and, perhaps pattern. a HOOT! most important, “The Joy of Nevertheless, when I arrive at Detached Involvement”; each the DFW Airport, as I stride Ron Nelson is a professor of Eng- abstraction draws the reader in to off the plane to be welcomed by the lish at James Madison University, reflect on the subject matter. He parties, I do not say, ‘Hi there, here I Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807; +1 also summarizes content at the end am, hotshot negotiator from the East 540 568 3755, fax +1 540 568 2983; of chapters in lists of “Prominent ready to take command.’ Indeed, to [email protected]. Points,” improving the odds of assim- be honest with you, the picture on ilation through repetition. this book’s jacket is about as good as I ever look. Check out that photo Cohen’s extensive use of anecdotes and you know right away that I’m not There’s no place like http://www. and examples from his own experi- a big believer in ‘dressing for suc- home.com.
7 Newsletter March/April 2004
Highlights of the January AdCom Meeting By Ed Clark The PCS administrative committee should be in place before the current 23-25 October; and IPCC 2007 in (AdCom) held a meeting via tele- printed Newsletter is phased out. Soft Seattle, Washington, 1-3 October. phone and Web-based conferencing launch of the electronic newsletter is on 24 and 25 January 2004. Thanks planned for September 2004; the ten- Committee Reports to the enthusiasm and dedication of tative goal is to replace the printed The Web education chair has pub- the AdCom members we were able version in January 2005. lished an RFP (due 15 March) to communicate across several time and has already received several zones around the world. We had par- PCS treasurer Steve Robinson responses. The RFP requests submit- ticipating members all over the U.S., reported disappointing financial ters to include a timetable and a list Canada, Benelux, and even Japan. results for IPCC 2003, which caused of deliverables. Tom Orr, our newly appointed our deficit for the year to increase Regional Activities chair, lives in substantially. The conference was The former volunteers and global- Japan and was online from 1 to 5 very successful in terms of atten- ization ad-hoc committees have been a.m. both days. dance and presentations as evidenced merged into regional activities, with by the responses to the survey con- Tom Orr as chair. The new committee Two new members were introduced ducted shortly after. However, the will survey regional needs and look to the AdCom: Michaël Steehouder hotel room attrition fees and the cost for in-region volunteers who can and Kirk St.Amant; both had been of the food not only negated any pos- work to serve those needs. The com- elected to at-large terms though sible surplus but contributed about mittee will try to attract more inter- 2006 during IPCC 2003. Michaël USD 27k to the PCS deficit. This national volunteers to PCS. [See the Steehouder was nominated and con- amount, added to the original budget article on the next page that calls for firmed as PCS liaison for Forum deficit of 12k, results in a total deficit regional contact persons.] 2007. The AdCom discussed the pos- of USD 39k for the current year. sibility of PCS-sponsored activities The redesigned PCS Web site (http:// for Forum 2007. Conferences www.ieeepcs.org) is up and running PCS has four conferences in various and the design is stable. Only a few The AdCom confirmed the nomina- stages of planning and the respec- updates are left to do. We need a Web tions presented by the president. The tive chairs reported progress made master to maintain the site on a regu- newly appointed and elected officers, since the last meeting. More than lar basis. If you are skilled in HTML, and chairs of PCS activities are listed 80 presentation proposals have been SQL, and PHP and are interested in at http://www.ieeepcs.org/about_ received for IPCC 2004 in Minne- volunteering, visit http://www.ieee leadership.php. apolis, Minnesota, 29 SeptemberÐ pcs.org/activities_volunteer.php. John Carroll, a computer scientist 1 October. Bill Horton will give a More than 80 members have joined with an affinity for the communica- lunch talk there on Friday, followed the PCS virtual community at https:// tion field and inventor of the mini- by a (fee) workshop. Visit the confer- www.ieeecommunities.org/ieee.pcs malist model of documentation and ence Web site at http://www.ardilla. and lively discussions are currently training, was selected by the AdCom umn.edu/ieee/ for details. in progress on several topics. as winner of the Goldsmith award for 2004. IPCC 2005 will be in Limerick, INTECOM currently has 14 member Ireland, 10-13 July (http://www.ieee societies and two other societies (one There was discussion about a new pcs.org/conference/limerick/); IPCC in South Africa and one in Brazil) are electronic newsletter. This publication 2006 in Saratoga Springs, New York, considering joining. An INTECOM lan-
8 Newsletter Volume 48 • Number 2
New Regional Activities Committee Seeking Representatives guage project was released during By Thomas Orr Forum 2003 in Milan, Italy; it is Two of our shortcomings in the Pro- tions by sending e-mail to Thomas “Guidelines for Writing English- fessional Communication Society Orr, regional activities chair, t-orr@ Language Technical Documentation have been insufficient communication ieee.org, with information about per- for an International Audience” and is among PCS members at the regional sonal qualifications. The deadline for available on the Web site at http:// level and little regional activity to applications is 1 May 2004. www.intecom.org for anyone to address unique regional needs. To download. To facilitate better communication improve this situation the AdCom among and with regional PCS mem- PCS has funding for 2004-2005 for has established a regional activities bers, regional discussion folders have a marketing and publicity initiative. committee to study these problems been set up on PECom (PCS elec- Part will be used to hire a marketing and generate effective solutions. tronic community, http://www.ieee consultant. The AdCom discussed the In its first phase of activity, this com- pcs.org) for member use. Be sure to join PECom and connect with others possibility of publishing an article on mittee is currently seeking 12 volun- in your part of the world. communication practices and adver- teers, one from each IEEE region (see tising in the IEEE Spectrum magazine. list), to serve as representatives who Further regional subdividing will be The next AdCom meeting is 21-22 would be willing and able to perform considered by the committee during May 2004, in Philadelphia, Penn- the following duties through the the initial phases of discussion in sylvania, and the final meeting of remainder of 2004: 2004 for establishment in 2005 to the year will be held during IPCC better meet national and local needs 1. Serve as the contact person for in the larger regions. 2004 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. PCS members in the region PCS members are always welcome to attend. 2. Work with others in the region to establish appropriate mechanisms IEEE Regions* PCS president Ed Clark stepped in for regional communication as secretary pro tem to prepare this report. 3. Work with others in the region to 1 Northeastern USA identify member needs 2 Eastern USA 4. Work with the regional activities 3 Southeastern USA chair and other representatives to 4 Central USA Three Managras to Solve study regional communication and 5 Southwestern USA Can you rearrange these three state- activity issues and design a suitable 6 Western USA ments to form new ones? The num- system to address those effectively 7 Canada bers of words in the rearrangements Regional representatives will be 8A Europe are shown in parentheses, and you appointed by the regional activities 8B Middle East may ignore punctuation. chair and approved by the AdCom for 8C Africa 1. Cash lost in ’em (2) an initial term ending 31 December 9 Latin America 2. Alas! No more Z’s (2) 2004, until a mechanism for selection 10 Asia/Pacific, Australia 3. Accord not in it (1) by regional members can be put in place for 2005. Interested persons * Region 8 subdivided by PCS. Answers are on page 19. can apply for one of these 12 posi-
9 Newsletter Net Notes March/April 2004
Elizabeth Weise Moeller
It All Started With a Patent Awarded 17 November 1998, United appearing. That would result in our sites to identify the affected ones; States patent number 5 838 906 has changes to millions of Web pages. speak with those clients, some of created quite a stir in the world of whom maintain their own sites, to Web site developers. The patent, held The World Wide Web Consortium determine the best way to deal with by Eolas Technologies, Inc., allows (W3C) is also watching the situation the issue; and update those sites. very closely. The W3C is the stan- a Web browser to show embedded Unfortunately, that work will have dards-defining organization for the interactive features of a Web page, to be squeezed into an already busy HyperText Markup Language and such as Flash or video. Basically schedule. We are a small business. Cascading Style Sheets this patent covers what many people Businesses with larger (CSS). They are also know as plug-ins. sites, or ones that run the authors of the Web Watch the World solely using Active X or Accessibility Initiative, Wide Web Brief History Flash, will be impacted assisting efforts to make In February 1999 Eolas Technol- Consortium and on a much larger scale. ogies, Inc., sued Microsoft stating the World Wide Web stay on top of accessible to all. that the Internet Explorer browser this ever-changing The implications reach much farther than millions infringed upon their patent. The In August 2003 the W3C situation. use of
10 Newsletter Volume 48 • Number 2
Improve Your Acronym IQ! What Should a Web Developer Do? By Dan Danbom Web developers are getting mixed The excitement was palpable when GM, P&G, MDC, ABC, CBS, and signals. Some developer software hundreds of CEOs, CFOs, COOs, NBC, and official governmental manufacturers, such as Macromedia CIOs, MBAs, CPAs, Ph.D.s, and objections from GSA, GAO, IRS, and Real Networks, have posted solu- experts from PR, IR, HR, and IT FBI, DOE, EPA, USDA, ERISA, tions on their Web sites. Those solu- convened in LA at the seventh annual RICO, OSHA, NASA, and the whole tions will prevent users from seeing meeting of SAP (Society of Abbrevi- damn NASDAQ—despite all their the warning box in the new version ation Professionals) 27-29 August objections—I was the session MC! of Internet Explorer. The W3C, on 2003 A.D. the other hand, is recommending They were SOL. Those who didn’t My invitation came by way of UPS doing nothing. go AWOL were reduced to drowning on a CD, COD. I played it on my their sorrows at the evening’s cocktail The reality is that a new version DVD. Good thing, because RSVPs party, where they were entertained by of the Internet Explorer browser is were required. the abbreviated musical stylings of a available on the Microsoft Developers western singer named ROI Rogers. I was there mostly as a CYA because Network (http://msdn.microsoft.com) I was on assignment for a maga- for testing. That version requires The party must have been fun zine devoted to “business process Windows XP with Service Pack 1 because the breakfast sessions on improvement” and the magazine’s installed. ABC/M, EVA, VBM, DSO, CRM, ME wanted me to cover the ple- SCM, and ERP were sparsely The best option would be to identify nary session on what should be the attended. I pondered the organiz- whether your site or sites are affected accepted initialism for whatever ers’ EPS. by the change to Internet Explorer “business process improvement” and then determine if the pop-up describes, and whether those initials What would we do without our warning boxes would be too distract- should be BPM, CPM, or EPM. acronyms? Acronyms (abbreviated ing to your user base. If so, you Despite the objections from IBM, HP, code rendition of name yielding need to implement changes before UBS, UAL, BP, AMDL, AOL, AMX, meaning) are an invention of the the new version of Internet Explorer APA, AEP, AT&T, CIM, CMCI, 20th century, attributed to the Bell is shipped with Windows XP in early EMC, EGL, MBNA, HCA, RCA, Laboratories, AKA Ma Bell, which (continued on page 15) 2004. If not, you should identify which parts of the site are affected and how you will address the issue, should the need arise. Microsoft and other browser makers Elizabeth Weise Moeller was presi- Conclusion will need to either license the tech- dent of PCS 2002-2003. She owns Legitimate patents need to be nology for plug-ins or adopt changes Interactive Media Consulting, LLC defended and their owners properly that enhance the user experience in (+1 518 587 5107, beth@imedia compensated. While the Eolas other ways. The World Wide Web consult.com), a World Wide Web and Technologies patent seems overly Consortium is the group to watch in Internet training firm in Saratoga broad, there is a chance that the this debate. Web developers should Springs, New York, which provides prior art is not relevant and the patent follow their advice and stay on top Web site design and Internet training will stand on appeal. In that case of this ever-changing situation. for businesses in the Northeast.
11 Newsletter Thinking Globally, Teaching Locally March/April 2004
An Online Comparison of Cultures By Kirk St.Amant I recently asked one of my under- devise Web-based activities that can ing differences. Through this activity graduate classes, “What constitutes heighten student awareness of visual participants learn that cultures associ- good Web site design?” Several design in culture and communication ate different design elements with students yelled out “Flash!” while expectations. Web sites. Such a contrast prevents others called for “JavaScripts” and the assumption that there is a U.S. streaming video. I then posed a sec- A technique I have found successful version and a generic international ond question: “What constitutes good is a comparative online analysis of version of a site. Web site design in France?” cultures (COAC). The approach works as follows: Students are divided into When the presentations are com- A hush fell over the class. Several groups, and each group represents a pleted, students perform a second students frantically scanned the room particular culture. Students then go to round of analysis involving the global in the hope that someone had the the global splash page for an interna- or world Web site for a different com- answer, but all seemed to be in tional company (e.g., the Mercedes pany and ideally a different kind of the same predicament. After a few Benz site at http://www.mercedes product, for example, Sony’s http:// moments, one student raised her hand benz.com). Those pages allow users www.world.sony.com. (Such contrast and asked, “Wouldn’t it be the exact to access sites designed for markets is important because it provides a same Web page, and you’d just in particular countries. Students next broader overview of cultural percep- change the language?” open two browsers. In one browser tions, one that is not linked solely they access the U.S. site for that com- to a particular company or product.) That response represents a key prob- pany; in the other they access the Students next access the site for the lem because technical communica- company’s site for the culture or culture they studied earlier and com- tion practices increasingly involve country they are assigned to repre- pare the new site they are examining localization and translation. For sent. Students then individually with the checklist they created previ- many students, however, those con- compare sites and draft a list ously. The objective is to have cepts remain abstractions until they of differences they notice them determine whether the encounter such activities on the job. in design. Cultural same design elements are pre- Instructors, therefore, need to prepare expectations sent on both sites. Again par- students for this aspect of their careers. Once this review is com- affect ticipants begin their analysis pleted, students assemble in individually, then meet in One way to achieve this end is to their culture groups to dis- information groups to compare and dis- have students compare communica- cuss findings. The objective design. cuss findings, and share tion pieces from their own culture is for them to collectively results with the class. with those designed for a different devise a single list of differ- cultural audience. In the past, such ences noted by all group members. While this COAC approach is rela- comparisons remained restricted to In these interactions one individual tively simply, it has important appli- whatever international print materials often draws the group’s attention to cations to different educational situa- an instructor could find. Today, how- a detail that others have overlooked. tions. First, learning is based on stu- ever, students can easily access online dent observation and analysis of cul- materials from almost every country The group next designs an informal ture. For this reason instructors do on earth. Additionally, the visual class presentation of the differences not need to be experts on culture and nature of Web sites means cross- they have noticed, complete with communication, nor must they neces- cultural comparisons can focus on examples (Web sites, PowerPoint sarily provide students with an intro- visual elements rather than linguis- slides, overheads) to illustrate some ductory lecture on the topic. Rather, tic ones. Instructors now need to of the more striking or more interest- all the instructor needs to do is men-
12 Newsletter Thinking Globally, Teaching Locally Volume 48 • Number 2
tion that cultural differences can viduals teaching in computer labs, tion expectations. By using COAC- affect communication expectations COACs can serve as ideal in-class based exercises instructors can and then allow students to explore activities. For instructors in conven- heighten student awareness of cul- those differences on their own. As a tional classrooms, they can serve as tural communication issues and help result, COACs can be easily integrated the foundation for homework assign- them realize how cultural expecta- into a variety of technical communi- ments or out-of-class projects. The tions affect information design. cation classes or professional training key factor is that the required materi- sessions. als are free and available to anyone The author is an assistant professor with Internet access. Thus students with the Institute of Technical and Second, instructors can use this COAC can perform such activities in a vari- Scientific Communication at James approach to develop more advanced ety of settings, allowing for greater Madison University in Harrisonburg, exercises. In my classes on intercul- freedom in how and when COACs are Virginia. He has a background in tural communication, students exam- integrated into the teaching process. anthropology, international govern- ine five Web sites designed for the ment, and technical communication, same cultural audience. They next Today’s technical communication and his research interests include use their observations to develop a students will graduate into an increas- intercultural communication, online localization checklist for reconfigur- ingly international workplace. For communication, and international ing a U.S. site for an audience from this reason they need to understand e-commerce. He can be reached at that particular culture. Students then how culture can affect communica- [email protected]. use their checklists to analyze a U.S. site to determine what aspects need to be changed to meet the expectations of a particular culture. In this assign- What’s in a Phrase? ment students also note additional (continued from page 5) kinds of materials (e.g., images) cerned.” For example, “As far as So what’s the bottom line? If your localizers would need to revise the snow, we expect very little accumu- intended audience is native English site for that cultural audience. lation,” which sounds strange to me. speakers, then forget the hassle of far- And we all know about the forced fetched warnings about using idioms. Through such exercises students gain movement toward shortening “In Ignore the know-it-alls who make a greater understanding of how cul- order to” to just “to.” However, I find mountains out of molehills. Keep ture can affect communication expec- that using the entire idiom is more your chin up and your nose to the tations and learn that: pleasing to my ear, so I tend to write grindstone, and you’ll make out like ¥ Cultural expectations are not linked out the entire idiom, meeting the a bandit. reader’s expectations as well. exclusively to language or verbal The author manages the publications displays On the other hand, what about docu- group of the EPRI PEAC Corpora- ¥ Localization processes can be quite ments that are going to be translated tion, an engineering firm headquar- complicated and involve several into a different language or be read tered in Knoxville, Tennessee. He aspects by a sizable population of people is a senior member of the Society whose first language is not English? for Technical Communication and One more benefit of COACs is that In those cases, avoiding idioms is an associate member of the IEEE. they allow for a great deal of versatil- a must because the meaning of an He can be reached at bconnatser@ ity in how they are applied. For indi- idiom can be lost in translation. epri-peac.com.
13 Newsletter Tools of the Trade March/April 2004
Peter Reimold and Cheryl Reimold
How to Give Technical Presentations to Non-Technical Audiences Part 1: Five Ways to Beat of stars? That’s the structure of your 4. Like the audience Stage Fright message. Begin with the most impor- Yes, there may be people in the audi- Whether you’re standing in front of tant point you want to make: your ence who have criticized you previ- a large group of frowning managers main message. That’s the big explo- ously or who regularly make life at or proposing a new idea to a group sion. Then immediately follow it up work difficult for you. They may of people you know well, it can sud- with three key points that prove or make up 85 percent of the audience. denly hit you: STAGE FRIGHT! All of explain your main point and give an Here’s the point: You don’t have to a sudden your throat dries up, your example of each. That’s the trail of dislike them. You have the power to tongue feels like a solid piece of plas- stars. This structure always works. choose how you approach them; their terboard, and your heart is tangled Knowing that will help you beat behavior does not have to control up in your vocal cords. Worse, you the fear. your attitude. If you decide that for haven’t a clue what to say. This tidal the short period of time you’re stand- 3. Remember that you’re there wave of terror has swamped the few ing there talking to them you will like for them, not for you thoughts you had planned to share. them, no matter what they have done Stage fright is simply fear that or how they are looking at you now, Take heart. You’re not alone. Studies we will not come across as you will pulverize that stage have shown that fear of public speak- totally wonderful. Put dif- fright. We may fear ene- ing is still the greatest fear in Amer- ferently, it’s fear of looking You can beat mies, but not friends. If we ica today. It may be a sad reflection stupid. People may not stage fright by decide to like the audience, of our society that we consider each think we are clever, cor- taking the focus just because we want to, other creatures to fear rather than rect, amusing, entertaining, off yourself. we stop being puppets on to love, but that is another story, for insightful, well spoken another day. (And we will tackle it!) …whatever. There are thou- their strings. And there’s Right now we want to beat that fear. sands of qualities they may not think another thing: It’s very hard not to Here are five ways to do it. we have (and they may be right). The like someone who likes you. That’s a point is that it doesn’t matter in the basic law of human interaction. Like 1. Focus on a single main message least because the presenter is not them and it will be hard for them— What do you want to tell these people there to shine. He or she is there for not to like you! —in one or two sentences? Think one single reason: to give the audi- about that message and determine ence something of value to them. 5. Prepare for tough questions to state it clearly and simply. The That’s all. Leave your ego at the door One of the biggest components of human mind can focus on only one and concentrate on telling the audi- stage fright is fear of hostile ques- thing at a time. If you’re thinking ence something they can use. Again, tions. The remedy is simple: Prepare about your message, you can’t think you can focus on only one thing at a for them. Long before you give your about the fear. time. If you’re eager to give them a presentation, imagine the most diffi- message that serves them and meets cult people who may be in your audi- 2. Structure your message their specific needs, you can’t fixate ence. Take them one by one and state Think of a firecracker bursting in the on yourself. If you’re not focusing on your main message to each. What sky. Can you see that big explosion yourself, you can’t worry about how questions or objections will that per- of light and color followed by a trail you look to them. son fling at you? Make yourself write
14 Newsletter Tools of the Trade Volume 48 • Number 2
them down. Then prepare an answer. instead of an unprepared gurgle. bookstores, and from Amazon.com. You may have to do quite a bit of Preparation makes all the difference. Their consulting firm, PERC Com- research to find an adequate answer, munications (+1 914 725 1024, perc or you may not find one at all. Even Cheryl and Peter Reimold have been [email protected]), offers businesses if you have no good answer to a teaching communication skills to consulting and writing services, as tough question, preparing for it can engineers, scientists, and business- well as customized in-house courses trounce the stage fright. You will people for 20 years. Their latest book, on writing, presentation skills, and be ready for it and you will have The Short Road to Great Presenta- on-the-job communication skills. Visit a graceful, steady reply, based on tions (IEEE Press-Wiley, 2003), is their Web site at http://www.allabout thought and effort to be useful, available at http://www.ieee.org, in communication.com.
Improve Your Acronym IQ (continued from page 11) created the word in 1943 as a way Abbreviations that can’t be spoken Internet, where people can conduct to keep workers abreast of the latest as words, such as NFL, EIS, PPM, entire conversations using little else: initialized titles for weapons systems ICBM, NCAA, TGIF, and IQ, are Person 1: GM! and agencies during WW II. You may merely second-rate initialisms resid- Person 2: GM! not have known that Ma Bell was ing in the trailer park of language. Person 1: BRB. involved in weapons, but I guess she Anyway, the first attempt to define Person 2: HB. was and could be a real SOB about it. acronyms came along in 1960 when Person 1: B. FYI, technically, an acronym is a publisher issued the first Acronyms, Person 2: WB. a series of initials that makes up Initialisms, and Abbreviations Dic- At the rate they’re multiplying, many something pronounceable, tionary, which, not surprisingly, is of us will live to see a world where like RADAR, LASER, SCUBA, known as AIAD. The AIAD everyone speaks in acronyms. The FUBAR, BOHICA, KISS, MAD, had 12 000 entries. It was What would only debate will be which acronym to POTUS, SNAFU, QUANTAS, the IPO of acronyms. Twenty we do pick for what, which brings us back SWAG, EBITDA, and UNIVAC. years later, it had 211 000 without our to the BPM (business performance Some are so perfect that we entries. Today I’d guess it has management), CPM (corporate per- would never think of them as acronyms? 4.6 trillion, but that’s a WAG. formance management), EPM (enter- acronyms but rather as mem- Acronyms and abbreviations prise performance management) bers of the Society of Just Plain have evolved to be a kind of short- debate. All describe the same thing. Words, and if you can find a better hand, the verbal equivalent of a secret As long as we all understand that, example here than the USA Patriot handshake that suggests to people I think we’ll be OK. Act (Uniting and Strengthening in the know that you, too, are in the America by Providing Appropriate know even if you, secretly, know that Copyright 2003 by Dan Danbom. Tools Required to Intercept and you know absolutely nothing. No Used with permission. Mr. Danbom Obstruct Terrorism), I wouldn’t wonder they’re so appealing. They is a Denver writer; e-mail him at want to play Scrabble with you. have reached their height on the [email protected].
15 Floccinaucinihilipilification March/April 2004
Miscellany By Michael Brady Dictionaries are fine for definitions, what writer can resist lifting one of Original, it’s a collection of 400-plus as are encyclopedias for facts. But the quotes of Churchill that illustrate entries, from absinthe to zoo fare their entries tend toward the main- the 16 tropes of classical rhetoric, or (for humans, during the 1870 siege stream. Peripheral tidbits often seem one of Dr. Johnson’s witty remarks, of Paris). And it, too, strays into to be incomplete or somewhere else. or a pithy pronouncement by a the realm of essential peripherals, Where, for instance, would you find famous philosopher? by including cures for hangovers, a Latin abbreviation or commonplace instructions on term not in your desk dictionary? Or There’s something for the Heimlich all penchants, from commonplace French, German, or maneuver (the antiquarian paper Yiddish words that frequently pepper emergency tech- sizes to pencil hard- texts in English? Or medical short- nique to aid some- ness to the Chinese hand or musical terminology? Most one choking on zodiac years. Even likely, if you’ve been at the profes- food), and a table for us of PCS, who sional communication game a while, of the Body Mass deal with scientific you will have assembled numerous Index. references and notes. With time, the and technical com- problem then is finding what is where. munication, there If you want to know are useful tidbits what’s in a Big Mac, Fortunately, rescue is at hand: that fill the gaps it’s not here but in Schott’s Original Miscellany, pub- between standard Original. On the other lished in England in November 2002 references, including atmospheric hand, there are many and in the U.S. in August last year.1 layers, radio 10-codes, the Plimsoll listings of ingredients, from the menu As the title implies, its content defies line marked on ship hulls, decibel of the Nobel Prize banquet to what classification. Arguably, its 400-plus sound levels, pi to a staggering num- the witches in Macbeth put into their entries are the best collection of ber of decimal places, planet and pot. The literary touch is strong, with essential trivia ever published. In satellite features, Euclid’s axioms, quotes from the famous throughout addition to the peripheral tidbits, it and Asimov’s laws of robotics. Even has intriguing collections of palin- history, including the redoubtable Dr. for Scrabble players there’s an Johnson. And there’s the practical dromes (words or phrases that read impressive entry: two whole pages, the same backwards as forwards), stuff, including a list of E-numbered 10 columns to a page, of obscure food additives, drawings of Italian word pairings, and holalphabetic sen- short words. tences (containing all the letters of pasta types, and an explanation of the the alphabet); yes, indeed, there are Last year author Schott followed Harris-Benedict equation for calculat- at least six other short sentences like up with Schott’s Food & Drink ing human energy expenditure. “The quick brown fox jumps over Miscellany, published in England in Measuring just 41/2 in. by 7 in. and the lazy dog,” the venerable printer’s November 2003 and to be published weighing just half a pound each, favorite for testing typesetting. And in the U.S. in August 2004.2 Like these compact collections of facts can be read cover-to-cover or used as 1 Schott’s Original Miscellany by Ben Schott, London, 2 Schott’s Food & Drink Miscellany by Ben Schott, Bloomsbury, November 2002, ISBN 0-7475-6320-9, GBP London, Bloomsbury, November 2003, ISBN 0-7475- references, as both are well indexed. 9.99; and New York, Bloomsbury USA, August 2003, 6654-2, GBP 9.99; and New York, Bloomsbury USA, For wordsmiths, they are entertain- ISBN 1-58234-349-7, USD 14.95; both editions 160 August 2004, ISBN 1-58234-420-5, USD 14.95; both pages hardcover. editions160 pages hardcover. ing, handy, and nigh addictive.
16 Newsletter Good Intent, Poor Outcome Volume 48 • Number 2
Jean-luc Doumont
Low-Tech Does It “Look what I’ve got here,” a friend The tremendous progress in hard- Many of our communication acts of mine told me the other day with ware and software over the last few need pruning of these impressive but the obvious desire to impress me. decades similarly tempts today’s pro- distracting high-tech features, just as I was expecting him to produce yet fessionals into using unnecessary much as wordy texts need pruning of another mobile phone and I was communication features just because unnecessary words. Let us strive for therefore preparing mentally to they are available. Instead of noticing technological conciseness. deliver my usual line (“Wow, even a nail sticking out and looking for a Suppressing elements from our cre- smaller and lighter than the previous suitable hammer to knock it in, we ations being emotionally harder than one”) in an appropriately admiring are given a whole set of shiny ham- adding to them, the best strategy is tone but, to my surprise, what he mers and desperately look for things probably to start sober. For page lay- brought into view was rather larger to hit with them—things that may not outs, for example, I recommend a than the last phone he had been brag- have needed hitting in the first place. first draft with a single typeface at a ging about. After he demonstrated the In other words, instead of looking for single size—no bold, italic, or other possibilities, I concluded: “So, it is a solutions we are asking for problems. phone that doubles as a PDA—a per- effect; no color. Once this plain-text sonal digital assistant.” “Of course Page layout is a typical example of layout satisfactorily conveys the doc- not,” he replied, almost offended, “it technology used “because it’s there.” ument’s structure, we might wonder is a PDA that doubles as a phone.” Texts boast unnecessary colors, mak- about the added value of other type- “Ah, but of course,” I hurried to add, ing them hard to read; unneeded setting features. Would some parts afraid to get tied up in yet another typeface variations (font, size, style); benefit from being set smaller or lar- long argument. “So then,” I pressed or impressive but illegible distortions ger? Would some words benefit from on, “do you call a lot on your PDA?” such as Microsoft Word WordArt. a change of face or of color? More “Actually,” he said, “I prefer my Graphs similarly sport unnecessary often than not, the answer is no. other phone to place calls.” “But three-dimensional effects or color Among the e-mail newsletters land- being able to call from your PDA gradients, Web sites use interfering ing in my in-box, my favorite is a is impressive, isn’t it?” he hurried background pictures, and slide shows plain-text one, admittedly with hyper- to add, probably afraid incorporate useless anima- links to longer Web articles. When I his previous comment had tions, not to mention dis- Let us strive for recently cited it as an example in a undermined his case. tracting sound effects. discussion forum on e-zines, others technological thought I advocated plain text for Impressive? It certainly is, Equally high on my list of conciseness. its faster download. Apparently yes. But is it useful? There uncalled-for technology they could not think of any other is something to be said for is the laser pointer. Bright advantage. As it happens, I like the convergence of handheld devices, beams coming out of small, pen-like newsletter because the authors’ effort of course, but is it effective? Over devices are impressive in their own went into clear writing, not dazzling the years my technology-loving right (the first laser pointer I got to technology. Low-tech does it. friend has given me ample display use almost 20 years ago was a heavy, of all he can do with his many gad- foot-long, high-voltage helium-neon Dr. Jean-luc Doumont teaches and gets, but no evidence that he is tube with a battery life of 15 min- provides advice on professional actually doing any of these things utes). Still, the tiny red dot dancing speaking, writing, and graphing. For regularly—for any purpose other than around restlessly on the screen does over 15 years, he has helped audi- trying to impress his friends, that not connect speaker and slide nearly ences of all ages, backgrounds, and is. Like too many people, he is buy- as well as an outstretched arm, pro- nationalities structure their thoughts ing and using technology largely for longed if needed by a visible pointer and construct their communication its own sake. such as a lightweight stick. (http://www.JLConsulting.be).
17 Newsletter Professor Grammar March/April 2004
Recommendation: Read This A new year is upon us and the Pro- might a translator or reader for whom in any technical information, includ- fessor wants to take this opportunity English is a second language parse ing recommendations. to reiterate a message that she has this sentence? (The Professor loves communicated in several past lessons. to remind her students that ESL read- Effective Forms of She is packaging it in a new way, ers frequently translate English into Recommendations however, in hopes that her students their primary languages one word at To choose the best form of a recom- will receive it like a welcome gift a time. Therefore pronouns that are mendation, the professor’s students in the mail and begin following the ambiguous and empty cause particu- need to consider the context. Most of advice right away. lar problems for those users.) the situations in the preceding exam- ples would be more effective if they The message is this: Use the most Ineffective form 2: First-person form included a label and an imperative effective form of recommendations verb. Examples: Although the Professor is the first for users. to enjoy novels, personal letters, and Recommendation: Use the mouse, First, the Professor would e-mail notes that are written rather than the keyboard, to effi- like to share with her stu- in first-person form, she ciently navigate through the informa- Provide is not one to advocate use tion center. dents some ineffective context or forms of recommendations of first person in technical Recommendation: Set the value of and demonstrate just why rationale with a writing. And in IBM infor- MAXVAL to 10 unless you are using they are ineffective. recommendation. mation, using first person LIMIT =5. can sometimes create legal Ineffective form 1: Ambig- difficulties. In the informa- Generally, this label-imperative form uous, empty pronoun form tion that she edits the Professor finds of recommendation works well. How- too many first-person recommenda- ever, the Professor acknowledges that The Professor never enjoys ambigu- tions. Examples: using labels and direct imperatives ous pronouns. The pronoun it, for isn’t always possible. Perhaps the example, is often used in ambiguous Our recommendation is to set the recommendation is included in infor- contexts. Sometimes this word is even value of MAXVAL to 10. mation that has many other types of needed labels and using another label used in its expletive form, which is We recommend a MAXVAL value of 10. totally meaningless. Examples: would dilute the clarity and visual The Professor’s problem with this effectiveness of the information. Or It is best to use the mouse, rather form of recommendation is that users perhaps the writer knows that the rec- than the keyboard, to navigate are bound to wonder whom our and ommendation isn’t a strong one and through the information. we represent. Do these first-person that it applies to only a small subset It is recommended that you use the pronouns represent the writer of the of users in rare situations. Using a mouse, rather than the keyboard, to information and his or her family? label in this case might exaggerate navigate through the information. The writer and writing colleagues? the importance of the recommendation. The complete set of people who work In such cases the Professor accepts To the Professor, that type of recom- on the product to which the recom- recommendations that do not have mendation is like scraping finger- mendation relates? The company that labels. Examples: nails on a chalkboard. To what does produces the product? The industry? the ambiguous pronoun it refer? Everyone else in the world but the On a window that has seven other Shouldn’t the subject of any sentence reader? The Professor stands firm in labels of five types (Example, be a clear, understandable noun? How altogether avoiding use of first person Syntax, Prerequisites, Authorization,
18 Newsletter Professor Grammar Volume 48 • Number 2
and Procedure), the writer can write ommendation. State the recommen- Copyright 2003 by IBM Corporation. the recommendation in an imperative dation using an imperative verb. Used with permission. Professor sentence like this: Grammar is an advisor to the IBM All the examples of effective recom- Santa Teresa Laboratory Editing For better performance, run the mendations in this lesson do just that. Council. Each month she sends a xyz.exe file from the drop-down list Providing context or rationale with a lesson to the technical writers at the rather than from the command line. recommendation helps users decide Laboratory. Many of the Professor’s whether to follow the recommendation. For a recommendation that applies to lessons are based on tenets described only a subset of users, the writer can in the Prentice-Hall book Developing clearly state the context (conditions The Professor hopes that her students Quality Technical Information: A or circumstances) for the recommen- start this year with a commitment to Handbook for Writers and Editors, dation. The writer can then follow the use effective recommendations in recently authored by the Council. context information with an impera- their technical information. tive recommendation like this: If the three other approaches do not fix the problem, run the program from the command line until you apply the fix to this problem. New PCS-sponsored Book The Professor is certain that her stu- Communication Patterns of Engineers dents, armed with this lesson about recommendations, will never write By Carol Tenopir and Donald W. King an ineffective recommendation again. Communication Patterns of Engineers examines how engineers communicate When, however, her students work on and explores the factors that affect their communication choices. It identifies information that someone else origi- differences in communication among engineering specialities. It explains how nally wrote, they might need to deter- their information use affects their work and how the best engineers use infor- mine the best way to turn an ineffec- tive recommendation into an effective mation resources in their work. The authors also discuss several communica- one. For these writers, the Professor tion models, including a model they conceived and have found useful in their offers some sage advice: extensive communication research over the years. A discussion of information output, including the importance of writing well, is included. Since the schol- Recommendation: When transform- arly journal literature is an important resource for engineers, trends observed ing an ineffective recommendation into an effective one, try to include over the past 25 years in authorship, information seeking, and reading patterns either context or rationale for the rec- are discussed along with what is happening with the introduction of electronic journals. A comprehensive bibliography of works on engineers’ and scientists’ communication habits and patterns is included. Answers to Three Carol Tenopir is a professor in the School of Information Sciences at the Managras to Solve University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and Donald W. King, a statistician, is a 1. Slot machines research professor in the School of Information Sciences, University of 2. Snooze alarms Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 3. Contradiction If you know of more puzzlers, send IEEE members receive a 15 percent discount on Wiley-IEEE Press titles them to [email protected] for inclu- purchased at the http://www.wiley.com Web site. sion in a future issue. Wiley-IEEE Press, ISBN: 0-471-48492-X, 312 pp., USD 79.95, January 2004
19 Newsletter March/April 2004
Call for AdCom Nominations By George Hayhoe The Professional Communication For the past two years, however, one You need not be a member of the Society is managed by an administra- of those meetings has been held via AdCom to play a role in these and tive committee (AdCom) comprising conference call. AdCom members other PCS activities. There’s plenty 18 volunteers who work to assure that also engage in e-mail discussions of rewarding work for anyone who our society serves its members, the between meetings. wants to volunteer by contacting IEEE, and the field of technical and Tom Orr, our volunteer coordinator, Each member-at-large has an oppor- professional communication. If you at [email protected]. Nevertheless, for tunity to provide leadership in the are interested in a higher level of those of you with a special desire society by, for example, chairing involvement in PCS and IEEE, I urge and exciting ideas, working with a standing or an ad hoc committee, you to consider being a candidate for the AdCom can be both significant serving as a society officer, or play- the AdCom. Elections are held each and rewarding. year to fill six at-large positions with ing a lead role in an upcoming three-year terms. AdCom members- International Professional Com- If you’re interested, or know some- at-large must be both PCS and IEEE munication Conference (IPCC). one who might be, please contact members (i.e., a higher level of mem- Although AdCom members are vol- George Hayhoe, chair of the nominat- bership than affiliate). Each year, unteers and are expected to seek ing committee, at [email protected] three members-at-large are selected travel support from their employers, by 15 June. You can learn more about by vote of the members of PCS and PCS currently provides up to USD our society by visiting http://www. three by vote of the current AdCom. 1200 yearly for attending the three ieeepcs.org/. meetings; the travel allowance is Typically, AdCom members attend USD 2000 for AdCom members The author is a member of the AdCom three business meetings each year. outside North America. and program chair for IPCC 2004.
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