Trades & Technology

For courses in Oral Communication.

Studies reveal that 80% or more of work-related communication in trade and industrial settings is handled in conversation. Designed to help students identify and improve in-service oral communication skills, this manual explores the complexities and realities of communication in the workplace and the often subtle difficulties that may not be apparent.

• An industry-oriented alternative—Very friendly, very practical, and very industry oriented. This text demands originality in documentation—unlike vocational English workbooks; and it encourage work-related writing tasks—unlike transfer English texts.

  • Helps students gain competency in tight exit-skills that conform to workplace expectations. Ex.___

• A strong workplace focus combined with realistic college writing practices.

  • Provides students with crossover texts that focus on both college writing skills and trade and industry practices. Ex.___

• Down-to-earth, accessible style and how-to-do-it approach—Uses a crisp corporate seminar-style presentation that gets to the point quickly and keeps students reading and doing by focusing on topics and situations that are clearly relevant.

  • Lets “hands-on”-oriented students get right to the business of writing, rather than bogging them down with a lot of academic conceptualizing. Ex.___

• Technical writing as “constructed/engineered” writing—Provides a new look at the way technical writers perceive writing. Shows how technical writing is really technical composing that combines text as well as visual (graphic) and mathematical conceptualizations. These and other strategies are often overlooked in composition books—but these tools are critical in industry. Explains that technical writing isn't just about engineering; it itself is engineered—it is engineering.

  • Helps students build a strong understanding of logical design features that they can use to construct any writing project. Ex.___

• Samples of student writing created for professional use in industry—Features a broad assortment of student-produced samples that reflect academic writing styles and industry practices. Many of the samples and models are “co-op projects” that were developed for genuine applications in company settings.

  • Provides students with reproducible models of the kinds of documents they are likely to need and use in college and the workplace. Ex.___

Introduction.


 1. The Business of Social Structure.


 2. Getting Along in In-Service Communication.


 3. Private Worlds and Public Worlds.


 4. The Mechanics of Talk.


 5. Listen Well to Speak Well.


 6. Barriers to Communication.


 7. Group Decision-Making.


 8. Group Roles and Leadership.


 9. Committee Presentations.


10. Audiences and Visual Aids.


11. The Selling Process and Client Relations.


12. Sales Strategy.


13. Mapping and Reaching Your Goals.


14. Conflict Resolution.


15. Cross-Cultural Values.

Technical Report Writing (Technical Communication for Trades & Technology)
Technical Communication (Reading, Writing, Oral) (Business Communications)

Workplace Communications for Engineering Technicians and Technologists focuses on speaking skills and oral communication in the work environment. It includes information on the mechanics of communication, group presentations, interview skills, and overcoming environmental and social barriers to communication.