Handbook of Technical Writing Provides Readers with Multiple Ways of Retrieving Information
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HTW_fm01.qxp 8/22/08 8:52 AM Page ii HWC_IFC.qxp 7/29/08 7:51 AM Page 101 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 refer- ence for finding all topics covered in the book. The Contents by Topic allows a writer focusing on a specific task or problem 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 extends this topical key by listing all the usage entries in the book. 3. Checklist of the Writing Process The Checklist helps readers to reference all writing-process- related entries. 4. Comprehensive Index The Index lists all the topics covered in the book, including subtopics within the main entries in the alphabetical arrange- ment. 5. Model Documents and Figures by Topic The list of Model Documents and Figures by Topic, on the in- side back cover, makes it easier to find the abundant “real- world” examples and sample documents throughout the text that provide models for effective technical communication. HWC_IFC.qxp 7/29/08 7:51 AM Page 102 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 Graphs 235 Maps 319 and Elements Mathematical Equations 320 Brochures 54 Organizational Charts 362 Description 120 Photographs 377 Environmental Impact Statements 174 Tables 519 FAQs (Frequently Asked Web Design 561 Questions) 183 Forms 218 Correspondence Indexing 250 Acknowledgment Letters 11 Instructions 258 Adjustment Letters 14 Job Descriptions 285 Complaint Letters 87 Manuals 315 Correspondence 102 Mathematical Equations 320 Cover Letters 111 Newsletter Articles 341 E-mail 162 Newsletters 343 Inquiries and Responses 253 Process Explanation 401 Instant Messaging 256 Proposals 412 International Correspondence 265 Requests for Proposals 456 Letters 301 Questionnaires 437 Memos 328 Report Components Reference Letters 449 Abstracts 7 Refusal Letters 449 Appendixes 34 Conclusions 93 Executive Summaries 181 Job Search and Application Glossaries 233 Acceptance/Refusal Letters Introductions 276 (for Employment) 9 Tables of Contents 519 Application Letters 35 Titles 529 Interviewing for a Job 272 Reports 454 Job Search 286 Feasibility Reports 185 Formal Reports 195 Resignation Letters 467 Investigative Reports 281 Résumés 471 Laboratory Reports 293 Salary Negotiations 491 Progress and Activity Reports 402 Test Reports 527 Presentations and Meetings Trip Reports 539 Trouble Reports 541 Listening 307 Specifications 510 Meetings 323 Trade Journal Articles 533 Minutes of Meetings 332 Literature Reviews 310 Presentations 391 Usability Testing 543 White Papers 565 Research and Documentation Writing for the Web 570 Bibliographies 48 Brainstorming 53 Design and Visuals Copyright 101 Documenting Sources 129 Layout and Design 295 Interviewing for Information 270 Forms 218 Literature Reviews 310 Headers and Footers 241 Note-Taking 347 Headings 242 Lists 309 Paraphrasing 372 Visuals 552 Plagiarism 383 Drawings 154 Questionnaires 437 Flowcharts 192 Quotations 445 Global Graphics 230 Research 449 HWC_IFC.qxp 7/29/08 7:51 AM Page 103 Organization, Writing, Articles 39 and Revision Biased Language 46 Clauses 70 Blogs 49 Comma Splice 77 Collaborative Writing 72 Commas 77 Content Management 97 Double Negatives 153 Description 120 English as a Second Language 169 Ethics in Writing 177 Gender 226 Exposition 182 Idioms 248 Global Communication 228 Mood 336 Logic Errors 312 Nouns 349 Methods of Development 329 Number (Grammar) 351 Cause-and-Effect 66 Numbers 352 Chronological 68 Periods 375 Comparison 85 Definition 117 Phrases 380 Division-and-Classification 126 Plagiarism 383 General and Specific 227 Point of View 385 Order-of-Importance 358 Possessive Case 387 Sequential 507 Prepositions 390 Spatial 510 Pronouns 405 Narration 339 Quotation Marks 443 Organization 361 Run-on Sentences 490 Outlining 362 Sentence Construction 498 Persuasion 377 Sentence Fragments 504 Preparation 389 Spelling 512 Audience 42 Style 513 Brainstorming 53 Syntax 518 Context 98 Purpose 435 Tense 523 Readers 448 Transition 537 Scope 493 Verbals 546 Selecting the Medium 494 Verbs 549 Proofreading 411 Voice 557 Repurposing 455 Revision 488 Writing a Draft 569 ESL Tips Assigning Gender 226 Digital Tips Avoiding Shifts in Voice, Mood, or Tense 551 Conducting Meetings from Remote Choosing Voice 560 Locations 324 Determining Mood 337 Creating an Index 252 Punctuating Numbers 354 Creating an Outline 365 Stating an Opinion 386 Creating Styles and Templates 200 Understanding the Requirements Incorporating Tracked Changes 489 of a Sentence 502 Leaving an Away-from-Desk Understanding the Subject Message 166 of a Sentence 499 Preparing an ASCII Résumé 487 Using Adjectives 15 Proofreading for Format Using Articles 40 Consistency 412 Using Possessive Pronouns 407 Reviewing Collaborative Using the Progressive Form 526 Documents 74 Sending an E-mail Attachment 164 Testing Your Web Site 562 Style and Language Using PDF Files 574 Style 513 Wikis for Collaborative Documents 72 Affectation 22 Allusions 30 ESL Trouble Spots Ambiguity 32 Awkwardness 44 Adjectives 12 Biased Language 46 Agreement 23 Clarity 68 HTW_fm01.qxp 8/22/08 8:52 AM Page i Style (cont.) Sentence Fragments 504 Clichés 71 Paragraphs 367 Comparison 84 Coherence 71 Conciseness 90 Transition 537 Contractions 101 Unity 543 Defining Terms 116 Direct Address 126 Double Negatives 153 Parts of Speech and Grammar Emphasis 167 Grammar 234 English, Varieties of 173 Agreement 23 Euphemisms 180 Case 62 Expletives 182 English as a Second Language 169 Figures of Speech 189 Gender 226 Gobbledygook 233 Mood 336 Idioms 248 Number (Grammar) 351 Intensifiers 264 Person 376 Jargon 285 Possessive Case 387 Nominalizations 346 Pronoun Reference 405 Pace 367 Tense 523 Parallel Structure 370 Voice 557 Point of View 385 Parts of Speech 374 Positive Writing 386 Adjectives 12 Repetition 453 Adverbs 19 Rhetorical Questions 490 Articles 39 Sentence Variety 505 Conjunctions 95 Subordination 516 Functional Shift 224 Technical Writing Style 521 Interjections 264 Telegraphic Style 522 Nouns 349 Tone 532 Prepositions 390 “You” Viewpoint 575 Pronouns 405 Word Choice 568 Verbals 546 Abstract / Concrete Words 6 Verbs 549 Antonyms 33 Buzzwords 57 Connotation / Denotation 96 Punctuation and Mechanics Dictionaries 123 Foreign Words in English 194 Mechanics Functional Shift 224 Abbreviations 2 Malapropisms 315 Acronyms and Initialisms 11 Synonyms 518 Ampersands 33 Thesaurus 529 Capitalization 59 Vague Words 546 Compound Words 90 Contractions 101 Dates 115 Usage Italics 283 See page 545. Numbers 352 Prefixes 389 Sentences and Paragraphs Proofreaders’ Marks 410 Proofreading 411 Sentence Construction 498 Spelling 512 Appositives 39 Suffixes 517 Clauses 70 Punctuation 434 Complements 88 Apostrophes 34 Expletives 182 Brackets 52 Modifiers 334 Colons 75 Objects 356 Commas 77 Phrases 380 Dashes 114 Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Ellipses 161 Elements 470 Exclamation Marks 180 Syntax 518 Hyphens 245 Sentence Faults 503 Parentheses 373 Comma Splice 77 Periods 375 Dangling Modifiers 113 Question Marks 436 Garbled Sentences 225 Quotation Marks 443 Mixed Constructions 334 Semicolons 497 Run-on Sentences 490 Slashes 508 HWC_IFC.qxp 7/29/08 7:51 AM Page 101 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 refer- ence for finding all topics covered in the book. The Contents by Topic allows a writer focusing on a specific task or problem 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 extends this topical key by listing all the usage entries in the book. 3. Checklist of the Writing Process The Checklist helps readers to reference all writing-process- related entries. 4. Comprehensive Index The Index lists all the topics covered in the book, including subtopics within the main entries in the alphabetical arrange- ment. 5. Model Documents and Figures by Topic The list of Model Documents and Figures by Topic, on the in- side back cover, makes it easier to find the abundant “real- world” examples and sample documents throughout the text that provide models for effective technical communication. HTW_fm01.qxp 8/22/08 8:52 AM Page ii HTW_fm01.qxp 8/22/08 8:52 AM Page iv About the Authors Gerald J. Alred is Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin– Milwaukee, where he teaches courses in the Graduate Professional Writing Program. He is author of numerous scholarly articles and sev- eral standard bibliographies on business and technical communication. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Communication and a recipient of the prestigious Jay R. Gould Award for “profound schol- arly and textbook contributions to the teaching of business and techni- cal writing.” Charles T. Brusaw was a faculty member at NCR Corporation’s Man- agement College, where he developed and taught courses in profes- sional writing, editing, and presentation skills for the corporation worldwide. Previously, he worked in advertising, technical writing, and public relations.