Longman / Prentice Hall

English

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Technical Communication Today, 2/E
Richard Johnson-Sheehan, University of New Mexico

ISBN-10: 0321457587
ISBN-13: 9780321457585

Publisher: Longman
Copyright: 2007
Format: Paper; 784 pp
Published: 12/28/2006

Suggested retail price: $94.67
Buy from myPearsonStore

Technical Communication Today remains the only text to fully centralize the computer in the technical workplace, presenting how it is used throughout today’s communication process. 

 

The text is based on a solid core of rhetorical principles.  Clear instruction not only describes technical documents, but it guides the user through the activity of producing them. Technical Communication Today foregrounds computers as a thinking tool–helping communicators to draft and design documents, prepare material for print and Web publication, and make oral presentations. It more accurately reflects the modern day computer-centered technical workplace.

 

Technical Communication Today epitomizes the shift in technical communication from literal-linear created to visual-spatial created documents. This evolution, which has been provoked by the ubiquity of the computer as a communication tool, is changing fundamental writing and reading processes.  The text has been designed using the idea of “chunking,” where readable portions of text are combined with graphics. Not only does this concept facilitate learning, but it models the way today’s technical documents should be designed.  Its presentation of teaching readers how to write integrates a new awareness of how documents are read–by “raiding” for the information needed.  The author wrote the text with the presumption that users are researching, organizing, drafting, designing, and revising directly on their computer screens. By mirroring these processes in its content and structure, Technical Communication Today offers a higher level of accessibility for readers. 

  • Each chapter places an emphasis on the activity of producing effective documents by following a process approach that mirrors how professionals communicate in the technical workplace and how students learn in the classroom.
  • An open design facilitates learning by presenting material graphically and in accessible chunks of information.
  • The text incorporates the newest technology-driven changes in workplace communication with in-depth discussions of email, instant messaging, working in virtual teams, making Web sites, blogging, podcasting, incorporating digital audio and visuals in documents, negotiating electronic ethics, and using PDAs among many other newly available strategies and tools.
  • “Help” boxes in every chapter describe how a specific computer application or related strategy can be used to improve the production and presentation of workplace communication.
  • “At Work” boxes in each chapter feature interviews with working professionals about how they communicate in a variety of workplace situations offering students a glimpse of the challenges faced in real world settings.

  • “At a Glance” information boxes serve as study aids and self-check reviews of major topic discussions for the “raiding” reader.

  • “Take Note” call-outs supplement the main text with tips for understanding concepts and are quick asides to readers who desire more information on a subject.

  • Annotated sample documents throughout show students worthwhile examples of workplace writing, usually on topics of intrinsic interest to a variety of student majors.
  • An abundance of exercises and projects at the end of each chapter gives students opportunities to work individually or in teams and are designed to challenge students with realistic workplace writing assignments.
  • Case studies at the end of each chapter present situations that students might encounter in the workplace and often involve an ethical dilemma. These are designed to demonstrate the personal, social, political, economic, and environmental issues that shape decisions in the technical workplace.
  • “Go to the Net” icons in the margins throughout the book provide links to the text's extensive Companion Website, which is designed to be used side-by-side with the book. Students are able to view more examples, download worksheets, and learn from other communication-related Web sites. The author of the text is an active presence on the Web site and will answer common questions and provide periodic case studies.
  • An extensive Instructor's Manual offers teaching strategies for each chapter. It will be available online and offer additional material for downloading such as slides and Power Point lectures as well as additional suggestions for assignments and projects.

  •  A new chapter on persuasion blends “reason-based” persuasion with “values-based” persuasion, and discusses how to use persuasion strategies as part of the planning process for creating the content of a document.
  • Augmented coverage of international and cross-cultural communication in the globalized workplace builds upon the success of the first edition and goes beyond “do’s and don’ts” to discuss strategies for working in international teams, designing cross-cultural documents, and translating documents into other languages and cultures.
  • More examples have been added, existing examples have been improved to make students want to read the book, with topics including: how to escape from a moving car, the Unofficial Owner’s Manual for the Cooper Mini, and iTunes/iPod help screens.
  • Coverage of wireless workplaces and employees addresses the new opportunities afforded by wireless laptops, PDAs, and mobile phones. Specifically, it talks about virtual teaming through wireless networks in a variety of places.
  • Added attention to diversity represents the reality of diverse workplaces, including international workplaces, in which students will be working.
  • More focus on biotech and medical issues and use of examples and illustrations to from these fields.     
  • New sample documents including instructions, user manuals, calendars, letters, memos, specifications, proposals, and reports, provide practical examples and models for students.  
  • Revised Appendix A (Grammar and Punctuation Guide) includes a greater number of examples and more extended explanation for why certain grammar errors are more common than others.
  • Fully updated Appendix C (Documentation Guide) includes new example citations and incorporates the most recent changes in CSE Documentation Style. 

Every chapter includes “Chapter Objectives,” “Chapter Review,” “Exercises and Projects,” and a
“Case Study” as well as an “At Work” box, “At a Glance,” “Go to the Net,” “Take Note,” and “Links” features.
Preface.

PART ONE        ELEMENTS OF TECHNICAL COMMUNCATION

Chapter 1     Communicating in the Workplace

                          How Important is Technical Communication

                          What is Technical Communication

                          Technical Communication: Actions, Words, Images

                          Your Career and Technical Communication

                          Help: E-Literacy and Overcoming Cyberphobia

                          Chapter Review

                          Exercises and Projects

Chapter 2     The Technical Writing Process

                          Technical Writing Today

                          Stage 1: Planning and Researching

                          Stage 2: Organizing and Drafting

                          Help: Using Your Computer to Overcome Writer’s Block

                          Stage 3: Improving the Style

                          Stage 4: Designing

                          Stage 5: Revising and Editing

                          Developing Your Own Writing Process

                          Chapter Review

                          Exercises and Projects

                          Case Study: The Procrastinator

Chapter 3     Readers and Context of Use

                          Profiling Your Readers

                          Help: Profiling Readers with Search Engines

                          Profiling Contexts of Use

                          Using Profiles to Your Own Advantage

                          International and Cross-Cultural Communication

                          Chapter Review

                          Exercises and Projects

                          Case Study: Installing a Medical Waste Incinerator

Chapter 4     Working in Teams

                          The Stages of Teaming

                          Forming: Strategic Planning

                          Storming: Managing a Conflict

                          Help: Virtual Teaming

                          Norming: Determining Team Roles

                          Performing: Improving Quality

                          The Keys to Teaming

                          Chapter Review

                          Exercises and Projects

                          Case Study: Not a Sunny Day

Chapter 5     Ethics in the Technical Workplace

                          What Are Ethics?

                          Where Do Ethics Come From?

                          Help: Copyright Law in Technical Communication

                          Resolving Ethical Dilemmas

                          Ethics in the Technical Workplace

                          Chapter Review

                          Exercises and Projects

                          Case Study: The Chemical Spill

PART TWO     COMMUNICATING IN THE TECHNICAL WORKPLACE

Chapter 6     Persuasion and Planning

                          How to Persuade People

                          Persuading with Reason

                          Persuading with Values

                          Using Project Planning to be Persuasive

                          Persuasion and Planning in High-Context Cultures

                          Chapter Review

                          Exercises and Projects

                          Case Study: Solar Car

Chapter 7     Researching and Managing Information

                         Beginning Your Research

                         Defining Your Research Subject

                         Formulating a Research Question or Hypothesis

                         Developing a Research Methodology

                         Triangulating Materials

                         Managing Information and Taking Notes

                         Help: Avoiding Junk Science on the Internet

                         Appraising Your Information

                         Avoiding Plagiarism

                         Chapter Review

                         Exercises and Projects

                         Case Study: Bye Bye Birdies

Chapter 8    Organizing and Drafting

                        Basic Organization for Any Document

                        Using Genres to Organize Information

                        Outlining the Document

                        Help: Organizing with Presentation Software

                        Oganizing and Drafting the Introduction

                        Organizing and Drafting the Body

                        Organizing and Drafting the Conclusion

                        Organizing Cross-Cultural Documents     

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: The Bad News

Chapter 9    Designing Documents and Interfaces

                        Five Principles of Design

                        Design Principle 1: Balance

                        Design Principle 2: Alignment

                        Design Principle 3: Grouping

                        Design Principle 4: Consistency

                        Help: Using Styles and Templates

                        Design Principle 5: Contrast

                        Cross-Cultural Design

                        Using the Principles of Design

                        A Primer on Binding and Paper

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: Scorpions Invade

Chapter 10  Ceating and Using Graphics

                        Guidelines for Using Graphics

                        Displaying Data with Graphics, Tables, and Charts

                        Help: Making Visuals with a Spreadsheet Program

                        Using Pictures, Drawings, and Video

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: The Illusion

Chapter 11  Style

                        What is Style?

                        Writing Plain Sentences

                        Help: Using On-line Writing Centers

                        Writing Plain Paragraphs

                        When Is It Appropriate to Use Passive Voice?
                        Persuasive Style

                        Balancing Plain and Persuasive Style

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: Going Over the Top

Chapter 12  Revising and Editing for Usability

                        Levels of Edit

                        Revising: Level 1 Editing

                        Substantive Editing: Level 2 Editing

                        Copyediting: Level 3 Editing

                        Proofreading: Level 4 Editing

                        Lost in Translation: Cross-Cultural Editing

                        Using Copyediting Symbols

                        Help: On-Line Copyediting

                        Documenting Cycling and Usability Testing

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: Just My (Bad) Style

PART THREE    WORKING IN THE WIRED WORKPLACE

Chapter 13  Using E-Mail and Instant Messaging

                        E-Mail Basics

                        Features of E-Mail

                        Managing E-Mail

                        E-Mail Netiquette

                        Help: Using Mailing Lists (Listservs)

                        What is Instant Messaging

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: Exposed

Chapter 14  Designing Websites

                        Basic Features of a Website

                        Planning and Researching a Website

                        Organizing and Drafting a Website

                        Help: Using Web-Authoring Software

                        Using Style in a Website

                        Designing the Website

                        Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

                        Uploading, Testing, and Maintaining Your Website

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: Invasion of Privacy

Chapter 15  Starting Your Career   

                        Setting Goals, Making a Plan

                        Preparing a Resume

                        Writing Effective Application Letters

                        Help: Designing a Scannable/Searchable Resume

                        Creating a Professional Portfolio

                        Interviewing Strategies

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: The Lie

Chapter 16   Preparing and Giving Presentations

                        Planning and Researching Your Presentation

                        Choosing the Right Presentation Technology

                        Organizing the Content of Your Presentation

                        Help: Surfing the Net for Grabbers

                        Choosing Your Presentation Style

                        Creating Visuals

                        Delivering the Presentation

                        Practice and Rehearsal

                        Working Cross-Culturally with Translators

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: The Coward

PART FOUR    GENRES OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

Chapter 17  Letters and Memos

                        Basic Features of Letters and Memos

                        Planning and Researching Letters and Memos

                        Organizing and Drafting Letters and Memos

                        Types of Letters and Memos

                        Using Style in Letters and Memos

                        Designing and Formatting Letters and Memos     

                        Help: Making Letter and Memo Templates

                        Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: The Nastygram

Chapter 18  Technical Definitions

                        Types of Technical Definitions

                        Planning and Researching Technical Definitions

                        Organizing and Drafting Technical Definitions

                        Help: Using On-line Sources for Definitions

                        Using Style and Design in Technical Definitions

                        Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: Fast-Food High School

Chapter 19  Technical Descriptions

                        Basic Features of Technical Descriptions

                        Planning and Researching Technical Descriptions

                        Partitioning the Subject

                        Organizing and Drafting Technical Descriptions

                        Using Style in Technical Descriptions

                        Designing Technical Descriptions

                        Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

                        Help: Using Digital Photography in Descriptions

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: Memories of a Crane

Chapter 20  Instructions

                        Basic Features of Instructions

                        Planning and Researching Instructions

                        Organizing and Drafting Instructions

                        Using Style in Instructions

                        Help: On-screen Documentation

                        Designing Instructions

                        Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: The Flame

Chapter 21  Proposals

                        Basic Features of Proposals

                        Planning and Researching Proposals

                        Help: Reading a Request for Proposals (RFP)

                        Organizing and Drafting Proposals

                        Using Style in Proposals

                        Designing Proposals

                        Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: The Mole

Chapter 22  Activity Reports

                        Basic Features of Activity Reports

                        Types of Activity Reports

                        Planning and Researching Activity Reports

                        Organizing and Drafting Activity Reports

                        Help: Making and Using PDFs

                        Using Style and Design in Activity Reports

                        Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: Bad Chemistry

Chapter 23  Analytical Reports

                        Basic Features of Analytical Reports

                        Types of Analytical Reports

                        Planning and Researching Analytical Reports

                        Organizing and Drafting Analytical Reports

                        Help: Virtual Teaming on Reports

                        Drafting Front Matter and Back Matter

                        Using Style in Analytical Reports

                        Designing Analytical Reports

                        Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

                        Chapter Review

                        Exercises and Projects

                        Case Study: The X-File

Appendix A      Grammar and Punctuation Guide

Appendix B      English as a Second Language Guide

Appendix C      Documentation Guide

References

Credits

Index

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION TODAY, Second Edition
Richard Johnson-Sheehan

Whether you are a college student shaping your future or a professional building your qualifications, Technical Communication Today will prepare you for today’s information-based technical workplace.

Richard Johnson-Sheehan wrote Technical Communication Today to reflect how today’s students learn and technical communicators work–on the computer. Johnson-Sheehan’s driving principle is that the computer is the center of today’s communication, and that beyond being a word processor, it’s a thinking and writing tool. An emphasis on the activity of producing effective documents mirrors the reality of the technical workplace; the processes explained in the text are those followed by technical communicators. Johnson-Sheehan consistently applies rhetorical principles to guide you to creating audience-centered, result-driven documents for today’s reader. The book’s chunked design makes it highly navigable and scannable. This format allows you to raid the book for the information needed to complete a task.

www.ablongman.com/johnson-sheehan
The Companion Website, created concurrently with the Technical Communication Today, is a portal designed to work side-by-side with the text. You can do research, find various examples, learn new communication strategies, and download worksheets. Johnson-Sheehan is a regular presence on the website, available for questions and comments.

MyTechCommLab

www.mytechcommlab.com

MyTechCommLab offers the best multimedia resources for technical writing in one easy-to-use place. Students will find model documents, guidelines, tutorials, and exercises for writing, grammar, and research. Features include:

  • Actual examples of technical documents in the Model Documents Gallery and Interactive documents collection.
  • Step-by-step guidance through the writing process with activities and exercises.
  • The online reference of library e-books, includes Visual Communication and Workplace Literacy readers.
  • Practice and assessment with grammar skills
  • Access to the Research Navigator Web site for step-by-step guidance through the research process, discipline-specific library guides, and citation guidelines including MLA and APA. Students also receive access to EBSCO’s ContentSelect and Link Library. A new Research Navigator feature is the AutoCite bibliography maker!

If your textbook did not come with a student access card, go to www.mytechcommlab.com to purchase an access code.

View a Sample Chapter PDF:

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This title is a member of the MyTechCommLab Series, which also contains the titles below . You can also visit the MyTechCommLab Series page.

  • 0135032679MYTECHCOMMLAB: Where writing and research help is just a click away!
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    © 2008 | Prentice Hall | On-line Supplement | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0135032679 | ISBN-13: 9780135032671
    URL: http://www.mytechcommlab.com


    • See Student or Instructor Resources for ordering ISBNs.

     

    MyTechCommLab offers the best multimedia resources for technical writing in one, easy-to-use place. Students will find guidelines, tutorials, and exercises for Writing, Grammar, and Research, as well as Exchange, Longman's new online peer and instructor review program.

     

    MyTechCommLab is appropriate for any technical writing course where instructors want give their students additional resources in technical writing, grammar, and research and/or want to do online peer and instructor review of papers.

  • 0321365194MYTECHCOMMLAB: Where writing and research help is just a click away!
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    © 2006 | Longman | On-line Supplement | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0321365194 | ISBN-13: 9780321365194
    URL: http://www.mytechcommlab.com
    Brief Description

    • Technical Communication is the premier resource for introductory technical communication, combining practical applications and clear writing with attention to the latest developments in the field.

     

    Ten editions ago, John Lannon’s Technical Communication changed the study of technical communication, and in a new edition, the book reinvents the study of today’s communication.  Addressing a wide range of interests for students from a variety of majors, the Eleventh Edition of Technical Communication has been updated and streamlined throughout and includes a variety of new Checklists and Guidelines, as well as a unique chapter focused on usability. 

     

    Rhetorical principles are explained, illustrated, and applied to an array of documents, from brief memos and summaries to formal reports and proposals. The emphasis on current topics like technology, global communication, working in teams, and usability underscores the realities of technical communication today. Exercises incorporated throughout the text enable students to better understand the skills necessary both in college and in the workplace.


     

  • 0205559573Technical Communication, 11/E
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    © 2008 | Longman | Paper; 800 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0205559573 | ISBN-13: 9780205559572
    Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

    • Technical Communication Today remains the only text to fully centralize the computer in the technical workplace, presenting how it is used throughout today’s communication process. 

     

    The text is based on a solid core of rhetorical principles.  Clear instruction not only describes technical documents, but it guides the user through the activity of producing them. Technical Communication Today foregrounds computers as a thinking tool–helping communicators to draft and design documents, prepare material for print and Web publication, and make oral presentations. It more accurately reflects the modern day computer-centered technical workplace.

     

    Technical Communication Today epitomizes the shift in technical communication from literal-linear created to visual-spatial created documents. This evolution, which has been provoked by the ubiquity of the computer as a communication tool, is changing fundamental writing and reading processes.  The text has been designed using the idea of “chunking,” where readable portions of text are combined with graphics. Not only does this concept facilitate learning, but it models the way today’s technical documents should be designed.  Its presentation of teaching readers how to write integrates a new awareness of how documents are read–by “raiding” for the information needed.  The author wrote the text with the presumption that users are researching, organizing, drafting, designing, and revising directly on their computer screens. By mirroring these processes in its content and structure, Technical Communication Today offers a higher level of accessibility for readers. 

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    © 2007 | Longman | Paper; 784 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0321457587 | ISBN-13: 9780321457585
    Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

    • Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century (TCTC) will prepare students to be successful writers and readers of technical communication, regardless of their career path. This text features a wealth of interesting examples, applications, and cases that engage the student and demonstrate both effective and flawed communication. An emphasis is placed on analyzing why something worked or did not work as well as on how to produce the appropriate communication.  TCTC’s problem-solving approach asks students to think rhetorically about writing situations through detailed explanations and specific examples. The Problem-Solving Approach (PSA) provides students with a useful heuristic to guide them through the process of analyzing a variety of communication situations and solving workplace communication problems.

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    © 2008 | Prentice Hall | Paper; 768 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0131172883 | ISBN-13: 9780131172883
    Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

    • Formerly, Technical Writing, 5th edition, the new 6th edition embraces the multidimensional aspects of a technical communicator.  By incorporating a process approach to writing many different technical documents (email, web pages, blogs) coupled with scenarios to bring to life real-world challenges, the text allows students to write successfully.  Updated technology tips include the most up-to-date software applications (Microsoft Word 2007 and Vista 2007).   The authors' student-friendly style engages students in the writing process and encourages hands-on application as well as discussions about ethics, audience identification, electronic communication, and the role of technical writing in the workplace.

  • 0136154751Technical Communication: Process and Product, 6/E
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    © 2009 | Prentice Hall | Paper; 672 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0136154751 | ISBN-13: 9780136154754
    URL: http://www.prenhall.com/gerson
    Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

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