Product Description

Product Description
The ability to write clearly is essential for career advancement in any technical field. This book provides easy-to-follow guidelines, methods and rules that will make you a more efficient technical writer. Whether you're an experienced writer or a reluctant one, you will benefit from the many insights and tips presented in this book. Describeshow to write clearly and concisely by presenting the essential attributes, methods, and objectives of good technical writing. Provides an easy-to-follow writing strategy that willhelp you arrange and prioritize your thinking before you actually start to write. Includes techniques that make good writing less of a challenge. Features checklists and step-by-step procedures that will help even the most reluctant writer. The author is a practicing engineer who understands the need for writing in a practical, no-nonsense style. Through numerous examples, tips, and rules, you will learn how to write effective memos, documents, and technical reports that will get results and help you advance your career. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best technical writing book ever.
Great for non-engineers also.Good references, examples and direct to the point.Many examples of how talented scientists often have poor writing skills needed to effectively communicate the significance of their work with executive levels within the company.

Teacher & Engineer
Although I give it 3 stars for this book because of its high price, this book is a very useful writing reference for all engineering students.I would give it 5 stars if the price is only one forth of its original price.This book also explain how to do the technical writing.

Typical type of technical studies: Solve a Problem, Research a Mechanissm, Develop Something New, Feasibility Study, and Failure Analysis.
... Read more

Product Description
Just because you're not a born writer doesn't mean you should settle for less than perfect business documents. After all, every piece you write reflects directly on the quality of the product or service your business offers. Now, this helpful guide takes the guesswork out of more than 50 commonly used business documents, including: Reports Proposals; Business plans; Presentations; Press releases; Memos; Email Newsletters; Collection letters; and, Sales materials. Arranged alphabetically and cross-referenced for easier use, the book presents clear examples of how to (and how not to) create winning materials every time. The authors' step-by-step instructions begin with an overview of the writing process, from preparation and research right through to final review and publication. Sample documents show you how your pieces should look and read, and close to 300 individual entries cover key points of grammar, style and spelling, and present strategies for writing more clearly, avoiding bias, eliminating cliches, and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent book for everyone
This is a great book for everyone.Lots of information and good writing techniques.I originally bought this for a student in business school but after looking through it - ended up buying one for myself.

Wow! Wish I'd had this by my side since I started in business!
Mr. Wilson has accomplished quite something here. My problem with using "usage" books is that it's always so hard to find the information I need. Sometimes my search takes so long, I just scrap the sentence or paragraph and start over with something else I can find. Not so here. All of the grammar, punctuation, and usage rules are alphabetized and cross referenced, and there are over 50 different document models. I'm an author myself and all I can say is, "Good job!" ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
This slender volume for the beginning technical writer doesn't delve very deeply into its subject, but The Fine Art of Technical Writing does make some nice points. Most appealing and useful is the book's premise: though its subject matter can be dry, "technical writing is a creative act." Author Carol Rosenblum Perry likens the technical writer to a ceramist, recommending that he or she get as much down on paper (or computer) as possible for the first draft, then think of that "rough text as a big, shapeless lump of clay" to be sculpted. Next is a more oblique analogy to figurative drawing. Perry urges the technical writer to consider the writing's "skeleton" (order), "body mass" (conciseness), and "muscle tone" (vigor). Finally, technical writing is compared to making music: "Writing, like music, depends on its dynamics ... varying degrees of 'loudness' and 'softness.'" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Better and less dry than one might expect
THE FINE ART OF TECHNICAL WRITING was recommended reading in a class I recently took on how to become a better technical writer and I must agree that the book earns its high recommendation.Carol Rosenblum Perry squeezes a lot into this thin volume, but wastes very little space.The author writes in a direct and to the point manner, so anyone afraid of reading pages and pages of dry material would do well to try this handy little book.

Many of the major discussion topics occupy less than a couple of pages, and this quick style really works to the benefit of the reader.The author will typically mention a topic in clear, easy-to-understand language, maybe give an example, and then swiftly move on to the next topic.The subject matter manages to cover virtually everything that the to-be technical writer would need to have a firm understanding of, including: how to construct a good framework, how to be concise, how to use language effectively, how to write an effective ending, and how to avoid the inevitable bout with writer's block (something familiar to everyone who does technical writing work).

I found this to be a very uncomplicated book that can be finished in a single sitting if desired.As a resource, it's a fairly handy volume to keep around as the shortness of the individual topics makes for fast referencing.In only one hundred pages the book manages to cover a wide range of topics, from the nitty-grittiness of grammar to making your writing flow smoothly to enhancing your prose style.Recommended for anyone learning how to write technical papers, or even for those who are already experienced but seeking to improve their writings.

A gem, not just for college students
This book is targetted at, and helpful for, anyone who needs to write non-fiction prose of any kind. I think that not only college students, but many kinds of professionals and academics, will find it useful. It addresses the general process of and strategies for writing -- the kind of information that is often actually glossed over in books on writing.

Perry's metaphor of a document as a vertebrate body provides an interesting new perspective for familiar pieces of advice, such as "use active voice."

This book will go on my shelf next to Strunk and White, and Joseph Williams' _Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace_.

Quick and concise guide for college students
Perry, following her own advice and techniques, condenses the 'fine' art of terse and succinct technical writing to 100 pages of blunt tips for student writers and excellent examples.Very accessible by students, andfocuses on the entire process of writing...not just editing a final draft. ... Read more

Product Description

Write your way to success!

Get started in a career that has a promising future and is financially rewarding. Opportunities in Technical Writing Careers provides you with a complete overview of the job possibilities, salary figures, and experience required to enter the field of technical writing.

This career-boosting book will help you:

• Determine the specialty that's right for you, from proposal writing to research to manufacturing
• Acquire in-depth knowledge of technical writing
• Find out what kind of salary you can expect
• Understand the daily routine of your chosen field
• Focus your job search using industry resources

ENJOY A GREAT CAREER AS A:
Copyeditor • Documentation specialist • Software technical writer • Knowledge analyst • Trainer • Technical editor

Product Description

Using a reader-friendly approach that is incremental and cumulative, this short, uncluttered guide to technical writing shows how to take the structures, patterns, and strategies of writing learned in a Basic Composition course (summary, process, analysis, and persuasion) and apply them in different kinds of technical documents. Direct practical explanations, copious real-world examples, and a variety of “role-playing”exercises lead readers through the process of document production and assessment—or what the author calls "transactional" writing: getting another person to read one's material, presenting such material clearly and accurately, and adhering to standards of format acceptable in the field. Unlike most other books (which focus on the writing needs in the executive domain of the major corporation only), this guide covers a variety of non-corporate working environments that also require skill in technical communications (e.g., social service agencies, institutions, and small businesses). An excellent reference for anyone needing to write technical documents.

Customer Reviews (2)

Useful for Tips on Technical Writing
Useful for the intended purpose.As you might guess it is not a "beach read".

A must read for the business writer!!!
Great examples of day to day documents. Easy to read and put to use. Thisis now a required reference book for all of our clerical staff. ... Read more

Product Description
Exhaustively illustrated and broad in scope, Editing Technical Writing is a comprehensive textbook and reference for students of technical editing and communication, as well as a training manual for working professionals in business and government who must revise documents to communicate technical information clearly and effectively. It examines the editor's broad role in the collaborative writing of a document, from scheduling, staffing, and budgeting publication work through editing text and graphics to coordinating proofreading and production work. Chapters on editing text and graphics are supplemented by others on degrees of edit, style guides, editing specific types of documents such as proposals, proofreading, schedules and budgets, grammar, and punctuation. Extensive examples, materials to edit and exercises with answer keys and explanations clarify editorial goals and procedures and provide students with realistic editing experience. Discussions of concepts such as legibility, readability and effective design contribute to the students' base in communication theory.Also, editing guidelines and graphics from a variety of professional documents introduce students to the range of materials and techniques available to the technical editor and make Editing Technical Writing a valuable reference as well as text. A bibliography identifies valuable resources for editing students and editors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Editing for tech editors
Unfortunately I could have written this book. It did not present any new thoughts for this technical editor.

Sound fundamentals but somewhat dated details
Editing well is an art that, ironically enough, is hard to demystify in print. Adding insight on editing technical material requires a solid foundation in technical disciplines as well as respect for the written word and its consumers.

Samson's book provides a well-organized overview of the technical editing profession, inside and out. The "inside" portion of this book is generally excellent, as he reviews things as specific as proofreading marks and as nuanced as English grammar. Personally, I found his chapter on editing technical graphics extremely useful.

However, the "outside" portion of the book -- the part that deals with how editors fit into the workflow in industry and publishing -- is sadly out of date, which is not surprising given that the book was published nearly 15 years ago. Samson describes lengthy schedules, time for extensive re-edits, and large teams replete with semi-legendary staffers like dedicated typists. Perhaps my own software industry experience colors my perspective, which is that today's technical documentation is more likely to be written in a fast-paced, iterative environment and produced and published entirely online. In such a setting, editing, ANY editing, is a luxury.

This book contains useful exercises, and its general rigor and lucidity would make it a good supplemental text for a technical editing course. Just don't go into your first technical editing or writing job expecting anything like the work environment Samson outlines.

Best for Technical Writing
I took a course with Donald Samson at Radford University, and this bookwas out textbook for the course.Every aspect of technical writing, fromgrammar to style.This book, however, is not merely a list of gramaticaland stylistic rules; it describes in detail the duties and responsibilitiesof technical writers.In short, there is not a better guide for aspiringtechnical writers out there.Great for a textbook or for someone learningon his or her own. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing" not only can help you break into the field of technical writing, it can help you learn what to do once you're there. It's not enough to discuss documentation in conceptual terms -- today's technical writer wants to know "What do I do first?""How do I get the information?" and "What do I do with anempty computer screen, a product that's still being developed, and an engineer who's too busy to talk to me?" This book provides step-by-step instructions by people who have "been there, done that," and know some ways to help.

Both new and experienced tech writers can benefit from tips on how to learn about technical topics, gather information, plan documentation sets, schedule milestones, and write clearly. For those of you who want to be technical writers but can't get your foot in the door, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing" also gives help on what you need to do to give you an edge while you write your resume, hunt for a job, and interview. Once you're happily working, you can use the book for help on managing your career. An appendix contains a list of more than 50 Web sites devoted to technical writing and associated subjects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Good introduction to the technical writing profession
This book is a good, easy-to-read introduction to the technical writing profession. It summarizes well what the job is all about, and gives useful tips on establishing a writing portfolio and building a professional network.

The book was written in happier times when the market was in much better shape, and jobs were much easier to come by. Nevertheless, aspiring technical writers should find this book helpful, as long as they are aware of the current difficulty of breaking into technical writing.

Very good introduction to a bizarre field
I avoided this book because of the title. It was only after someone I respect recommended it to me that I picked it up.

I've been involved in the Technical Writing field for the past eight years -- through the dot-com burst and the shakeouts that followed. (Interesting how in the '90s, tech writing was often seen as a means to "easy money." The climate has quickly changed in the 2000s.) I have to say, from my perspective this book is one of the best all around books about the job. Krista Van Laan and Catherine Julian obviously speak from experience and they tell you much that you need to know (and prepare for) in order to be successful (or even just to survive).

If you are interested in tech writing, then I highly recommend this book as well as Jonathan Price's _How to Communicate Technical Information_. (Side note: I believe that Krista Van Laan has since moved out of tech writing to usability work, which is a natural career progression).

Guide to technical writers, not just technical writing
There's a lot of excellent information in here on finding, learning, understanding, and keeping a job as a technical writer. There's information on typical tasks associated with tech writer jobs, attributes common to good tech writers, breaking into the field (samples, writing tests, portfolios, degrees, recruiters, interview tips, networking), and the characteristics of a good technical document. The book goes into usability issues, completeness, consistency, and more. It guides you through five steps to creating a technical document, and introduces you to the idea that a lot of your time won't be spent writing at all--it'll be spent talking to people, using the products you're writing about, collecting information, revising, and so on.

This book puts a great emphasis on communicating with others--much more so than I was expecting. The authors point out that it's often the tech writer who ends up acting as a go-between for the engineers and other departments. It's the tech writer who has to get information out of everyone about deadlines, program features, and more. It's the tech writer who has to know how to gracefully encourage and handle feedback on her drafts and shepherd people into giving her that feedback on schedule. The tech writer's job can require a surprising amount of tact and people skill.

This book includes information on elements of English language usage that will make your documents clearer and easier to understand. A user's manual must convey different information in different ways than, say, an academic treatise, a novel, or a pamphlet does. You'll find information on indexing, active vs. passive voice, punctuation, humor, paragraph length, tense, person, figures and tables, and "simplified English." Much of the information here would be helpful to nonfiction writers of all kinds, not just tech writers.

My only negatives regarding this book stem from a semi-blind optimism on the part of the authors; they seem to think the positive state of things like the market for tech writers will last for the foreseeable future. I think a few too many of their assumptions were overly hopeful, and because of this an unwary reader could get a skewed perspective of the job. However, I think the advice in areas such as document design, discipline, job skills, people-management and so on more than makes up for these flaws. This is a valuable resource for someone interested in entering the field as a technical writer. Consider my "real" rating to be 4.5.

Here we go again...
Technical Writing for Dummies was bad enough...yet here's another one that has the same problems: no basis in reality.Without natural ability, technical writing is not something that can be taught in a book.In addition, how you use this ability in "the real world" is a whole other story!

A very thorough introduction to the field
I've always had a love for writing (fiction and nonfiction alike) but have always struggled a bit while creating technical documentation.I've been interested in technical writing and feel it would be a good addition to my repertoire of skills, which is why I wanted to find and read a good book on technical writing.

Based on many positive reviews here and on recommendations from others, I decided to start with this book and one other reference manual.I quickly read this book cover-to-cover and was very satisfied by its content.It was very thorough on covering every aspect of technical writing, even giving a glimpse of what a technical writer's daily life.

And the results?I've written two technical documents since which have both won high praise by co-workers.Even **I** am shocked at how well they look and how fluidly they read.

If you are interested in technical writing at all, don't hesitate to pick this book up.It is a great read and a fantastic reference manual for those who are just starting to get their feet wet.This book is highly recommended towards any technical writing beginner. ... Read more

Product Description
Now reorganized into an easy-to-follow, six step approach to effective writing for every business communication format. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Kept referring back to chapters - invaluable source of information.
This is such a great book, I've read it and kept referring back for more info. Material covered here would help you no matter discipline you are from: Weather you've just completed your degree and want to get your point across to a hiring manager; or a business person who'd want to be more concise and to the point. Look no further.

proven over the long run
I first encountered this book in the late '80s.Since then, I've use the techniques from the book to write technical papers and documentation, employee reviews, published articles and winning proposals for million-dollar government contracts.I even used it to write testimony for a Congressional hearing.

The process outlined in this book is NOT a fad, and not "buzzword compliant", it's a proven, well-defined process that allows almost anyone to write like the best writers. These techniques will have you writing naturally, with clarity and focus.

These same techniques will also provide a big help in organizing your thoughts, and creating careful and insightful analysis.

For those who have trouble or anxiety about writing, having a well-defined process solves most of the problems with procrastination or "not knowing what to write, or how".This book provides that process.It simplifies the mechanics of "how" to write, so that you can focus on "what" to write, and getting your message across to the audience.

I'm glad this book is out in a new edition.I'll be buying copies for most of my technical staff, and suggesting it to my graduate students.

The best business writing reference ever
This book really cuts to the chase.It includes what you need to know for all types of business documents, and doesn't bother with things you really don't need to know to get the job done.This is perfect for those of us who are already too busy.It's helped me make my business correspondence clear, succinct, and to the point.If your work requires any writing at all, you should have this book.

Outstanding Business Writing Book
This book provided me with all the useful business-writing tips and examples needed to prepare effective and succinct business documents.I constantly refer back to it when preparing various writing projects.

I would recommend this to anyone who has to write in the business world and needs examples on how to write documents that are concise with appropriate details.

An essential and succinct reference for business writers!
I'm buying a second copy of this book - the first one was borrowed and not returned. I often re-read parts of this book.

"Write to the Top" has made a real difference in the amount of positive feedback Ihave received at performance review time! ... Read more

Product Description
This concise, practical book is written for you if your professional success is linked to the quality of the reports you produce. You will learn how to...*Manage data, minimize discomfort, and master the report-writing process *Assure that your reports get read, understood, and acted on--rather than contributing to information overload *Develop a communication strategy that enables you to design reports to meet the needs of diverse readers and decision-makers *Write reports that are clear, high in skim-value, and rich in content-value *Follow a sound approach to report-writing so you will avoid procrastination and use your time productively *Allow your readers to find it a pleasure--rather than a struggle--to read your reports *Convey your ideas so clearly and persuasively that you gain recognition and influence within your organization Like all the books in the Prentice Hall Guides to Advanced Business Communications series, this book is ...*Brief: summarizes key ideas only *Practical: offers clear, straightforward tools you can use *Reader-friendly: provides easy-to-skim format ... Read more

Product Description
The Pocket Guide to Technical Communication is a handy reference for on-the-job business, technical and scientific writing. Its brief format provides quick, easy-to-read answers to common writing problems. Filled with examples, it features samples of every major document type and emphasizes quality and planning throughout. This edition offers new editing exercises, expanded coverage of email, and an entirely new section on PowerPoint.  Its condensed approach is ideal for instructors who want their students to spend more time writing and less time reading about writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Boring, but needed for school
Shipped fast! Boring old textbook, but I suppose it could be worse. Very small and light, good for carrying to class.

What happened to the chapter on graphics?
This is a good concise reference both for business writers and to use as a textbook for business writing classes. All the examples of different types of business documents are especially helpful, as is the writing handbook appendix. This edition contains few changes from the previous 4th edition. The main thing I noted is some information on how to create effective PowerPoint slides.

Pocket guide indeed
This book is small and great. I learned a great deal from this book, about grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, among other things. This book, if studied and mastered, greatly improves one's techical writing technique.
The section on English as a second language leaves a bit to be desired, but I suppose it is understandable, since this book was written for native English speakers. Good book.

A handy little book
William Pfeiffer's book serves as a solid introduction to the technical writing process, and then retains value as a practical reference tool. The book showcases plenty of writing samples, and touches on some of the more common grammar problems encountered in the writing process. While not the definitive guide on writing (is there such a thing?), the "Pocket Guide to Technical Writing" is a worthy addition to the technical writer's library. ... Read more

Product Description
To succeed in technical writing, you need a lot more thanjust writing ability. Technical Writing 101 details the skillsyou need as a technical writer, and it explains how to handle thepressures of tight deadlines and ever-changing productspecifications. This valuable reference also describes the entiredocumentation process—planning, writing, editing, indexing, andproduction.

This updated second edition features the latest information on singlesourcing and a new chapter on how trends in structured authoring andExtensible Markup Language (XML) affect technical writers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

101 for exposure to Professional Writing and baseline concepts
If you have not read it, I suggest "Technical Writing 101". This is a 101 book and is not a complete writer's guide (Strunk n White, Gregg, etc handle style and similar books cover advanced templates and structure).

It is a great tool for professional writing exposure and basic understanding of the process. Such as how Tech Writing differs from normal writing, how to work with subject matter experts (SME) in a political manner, and even a bit on resumes and getting into the field or freelancing. It wraps up with a reference section of online resources and societies to continue your learning.

I keep spare copies to give as gifts both for those interested in the career of Tech Writing and to ease interaction with difficult SMEs. I also have had a few friends that borrowed it for guidance with term papers. Again it is an introduction to professional writing and process to which most college students have not yet had exposure. This is also a great tool to initially train new hires when you would rather have a common reference point.

A good 101 book
This is a good introduction on what to expect when you enter the world of technical writing.It is a very quick read with minor value as a reference.It says 101 and that is what it delivers and very succinctly.

Great!
The book was great! Easy read and helpful tips. It came in excellent condition, as promised. Thanks!

Great resource item
A good book for anyone looking to establish protocols and consistency in a published documentation.

Straightforward and clear
I thought this book was exactly what it said it was:a 101-level focus on technical writing.From the skills required by a good writer, to a technical writing process, to the task-oriented focus of user guides, this book covered all the basics, and was even written with a sense of humor.I am purchasing this for my technical publications department, because I think it's good to review the basics as a team, and there are specific topics that are newer to the team, such as how to write for globalization. ... Read more

Product Description
Technical Report Writing Today provides thorough coverage of technical writing basics, techniques, and applications. Through a practical focus with varied examples and exercises, students internalize the skills necessary to produce clear and effective documents and reports. Project worksheets help students organize their thoughts and prepare for assignments, and Focus boxes highlight key information and recent developments in technical communication. Extensive individual and collaborative exercises expose students to different kinds of technical writing problems and solutions. Annotated student examples--more than 100 in all--illustrate different writing styles and approaches to problems. Numerous short and long examples throughout the text demonstrate solutions for handling writing assignments in current career situations. The four-color artwork in the chapter on creating visuals keeps pace with contemporary workplace capabilities. The Ninth Edition offers the latest information on using electronic resumes and documenting electronic sources and Ethics and Globalization sidebars that highlight these two important topics in the technical communication field. ... Read more

Product Description

Technical Communication offers complete coverage of technical communication, business communication, and professional writing in a user-friendly writing style. The topics move from basic foundational concepts, to chapters on research, visuals, style, document design, usability, and finally to specific documents (basic workplace correspondence to more complex documents, technologies, and oral presentations).  The appendix includes thorough coverage of MLA, APA, and CSE (Council of Science Editors) documentation styles, and a handbook of grammar, mechanics, and usage. All descriptions of and instructions for creating technical documents are accompanied by clear, annotated model documents.  In addition, graphic illustrations appear throughout the book to make abstract concepts easy to understand. Checklists and Projects provide plentiful opportunities to learn and reinforce chapter topics.

Customer Reviews (21)

Just what I ordered
The item was what I ordered and delivered in a timeley fashion.'Nough said.

Never Sent the Book
After ordering this book I had to wait to no avail for this person to at least put the book in the mail. It never happened. The book never arrived, incredibly disappointing.

Overall Review - More than Technical Writing
This is a response I sent to the Publisher about one portion of the book, but it will give you an idea of my overall review.

I have written many technical documents in the military and for companies in technical information and have found that some of the information in your book can be misleading; for instance, making a technical document personal. Giving the pretense of the tone as 'conversational' is in of itself a bit hard to swallow. Technical writings are to convey technical directions, how to operate something, how to prepare for something, what to do in case of, things along this line.

Turn to page 240, Guidelines, 3rd bullet, "Use, and informal tone - writing to be conversational?" Technical documents are not about personalities, or tones of conversation. Technical documents convey information in a scientific factual way. They are unilateral, not bilateral. Tones tend to lead toward a persona. Technicality has no persona, it is an inanimate non-tangible, though as written, it gains substantiality on the script, but in and of itself, it is information.

Now go to page 216, "Ways in which style goes wrong." Near the bottom of the page, "Sounds stuffy and impersonal." Your thoughts at the beginning of the page state that the document needs to be readable. This is very important, I agree, but why must you state this here, when if the book should be predictable in teaching `technical writing' only, you would never have to approach this subject matter.

I think this book is more than a technical writing instruction; it is a writing course of all types of styles complete with grammar emphasis. This is a book for the masses, instead of a teaching source for "Technical Writing."

In my opinion, your book brings many other types of writings such as creative and personal forms such as documentary to the readers mind and unloading the cart of many other features and tones that are not conducive to the learning of technicality, but could cause disruption in the minds of the student and the teacher.

I believe also that you all have introduced pluralism and diversity of writing techniques that cause deception to subject matter.
Perhaps there is too much personalization introduced in this text. What if the technicality wassimple and to the point by concentrating on the old foundations and introducing some new techniques with the age of computers, internet and electronics without personalizing it, wouldn't that serve the purpose?

Technical Communication (11th Edition)
This book arrived promptly and was in the condition that was specified.Technical Communication (11th Edition)

Technical writing
I had to get this book for a college required class, but have found it to be very useful in everyday life as well. This is a book I will keep. ... Read more

Product Description

One-quarter the length and price of conventional textbooks, this popular introduction to technical writing teaches the essentials with remarkable economy, clarity, and authority. The Elements of Technical Writing provides students with precisely the information needed to produce effective technical documents and no more.

Customer Reviews (3)

Short and to the point
As a teacher of professional writing and a former technical writer, I find this book is just enough for my students. It supplements the materials I create for my students with clear, concise discussions of the main formats used in professional settings. My students are not going to be hard-core technical writers, but most will have to be familiar with the day to day writing in offices, schools, and businesses. This book is just the ticket. Ralph Wahlstrom The Tao Of Writing: Imagine. Create. Flow.

should be compulsory reading to all
Review by Mark Jaworski (Vancouver InDesign User Group)

Being a technical writer and translator of technical and legal documents into (and from) the Polish language, I read this book with great interest. I also gave it to my son who is graduating with Honors in English at the private High School St.George's in Vancouver. His teacher also found it interesting and useful. We were all trying to figure out who could benefit from this book and decided that anybody from High School and College students to professional writers working on computer manuals or any other subject. I was specially impressed with Chapter 7 WRITE ETHICALLY. This could apply to people writing school assignments, preachers as well as writers of a State of the Union Address.
That should be a compulsory reading to all writing more than signatures. Considering cultural differences is mentioned, but I would add that if a technical manual is going to be localized into various languages, an original may have to be modified to match not only contents but also a syntax. In English questioner often makes a statement and asks "Isn't that true?"
In Polish every question must start from a proper word like What? Where? How much? And so on.

I know from personal experience that many computer programmers lack social skills and for this very reason they went into working with things, rather than dealing with people. They feel much more comfortable thinking and speaking in binary C+ rather than in any human language. I would like to see in a future editions of this book, some advice to the technical writers on a subject of art of extracting information from not very talkative programmers or designers. I use questions like: Could it do (blank)? If the answer is YES! I say why didn't you say so in a your product specifications? It sometimes takes days or even weeks to write good manual for the new or improved product, which is worth reading, according to the old adage: When everything else fails -- read the manual!

I am sure that this book will make many manuals to be more useful. 4 pages of CONTENTS, 4 pages of PREFACE and 6 pages of INDEX (in a fine print), for about 150 pages booklet, are excellent examples of work done well, to the benefit of the reader, who is saving time. It's the Authors -- Thomas E. Pearsall and Kelli Cargile Cook, who took lots of time to make it easy to read and remember.

NOT THE 2nd EDITION AS PICTURED ON LINK
If you are looking for the second edition of this book, as pictured when you follow the link (linked to the picture), you will be dissapointed.I ordered this, thinking I'd get the second edition, but I did not.

... Read more

Product Description

Addressing the explosive growth in qualitative research in recent years, this volume represents the first anthology to bring together a representative sample from this growing body of work, and comments on the reasons for the extraordinary interest in qualitative research. Contributors to the volume bring forward reports of significant, structured qualitative research into various aspects of technical communication practice, addressing the questions of what new insights researchers are generating about the working reality of today’s technical communicators, and how technical communicators are perceived and treated by managers and by colleagues from other disciplines.

Including examples of qualitative methodologies—including ethnography, case study, focus groups, action research, grounded theory, and interview research— used by technical communicators to strengthen their practice, the result is a rich harmony of perspectives, as diverse as the field of technical communication itself.

This book will be of interest to to students and academics seeking up-to-date information on current industry practices in technical communication, as well as to practitioners in technical and professional communication. The book will also serve as a text in undergraduate seminars and courses at the master’s level.

Product Description
From System Designers to Top Management, Everyone loves a good story

Once upon a time, it was well understood that stories teach better than plain facts. Why then are most software requirements documents a baffling hodge-podge of diagrams, data dictionaries, and bullet points, held together by little more than a name and a staple? Telling Stories teaches you to combine proven standards of requirements analysis with the most ancient and effective tool for sharing information, the narrative. Telling Stories simplifies and refines the classic methods of Structured Analysis, providing organization, design, and old-fashioned writing advice. Whether you?re just getting started or an experienced requirements writer, Telling Stories can help you turn dull, detailed material into an engaging, logical, and readable story, a story that can make the difference for your project and your career.

• Learn why readers believe and remember what they learn from stories
• Work with team members to gather content, tell their stories, and win their support
• Use stories to find every requirement
• Create diagrams that almost tell the story on their own (while looking clear and professional)
• Explain everything important about a process
• Use precise language to remove the ambiguity from requirements
• Write a forceful executive summary that stands on its own and sells a project to senior management
• Summarize often to keep the reader focused on key issues
• Structure the document so every part has a clear place and purpose

Customer Reviews (4)

Great addition to your reference library
I found this book appeals to both the expert user and the novice. It helped refresh my knowledge of gathering and writing business requirements I have not used in a while. The novice user is given clear and concise examples on how to document business processes. I would recommend it particularly for new technical writers or those looking to expand their technical writing reference library, or anyone who want to gain an understanding of the business requirements process.

This book saved my life!
A month into a new job, I was given two weeks to gather and write business requirements for software, something I'd never done before. Thank God for Telling Stories, which was clear, witty, and above all instructive. I followed Ben Rinzler's step-by-step instructions and produced a document that made the clients happy. If you are new to requirements or need a refresher, this book is a lifesaver!

Like a great college class, with a cool professor
"Telling Stories" offers the simple truth that people learn best through storytelling and that the best software requirements are plotted with this in mind. Having spent a good many years as a student, teacher, and technology writer myself, I appreciate a book that gets to the heart of communication and in the process makes me smile.

Ben Rinzler is a great storyteller and his funny insights into the workings of the workplace, with all its communication challenges, ring true. There is a lot of material here, including a surprisingly broad survey of different informing disciplines (the work of Joe Williams is referenced, for example). Despite the quantity of material covered, it never feels like a plod and has lots of good visuals and examples all the way through.

"Telling Stories" continues to be a good "go to" reference and it now lives on my desk at work, right between the computer and Strunk and White.

a bit too thin for forty dollars
You don't see everyday a brand new book on requirements, so this one caught my eye.First thing I noticed is the price:$40.In my hands, judging from the thickness of the paperback, it felt I was holding a short handbook of style.There are some good thoughts in this book:examples of ambiguous and weak writing, and how to changed them to make them more active and measurable.There is a chapter on charts and how to improve them, by showing some chart nodes that seem to be mixing a state (static) with a process (action) and suggestions on how to improve what the chart maker is trying to communicate to the reader. One small item that i found a bit disappointing is that the words used in the language of defining requirements, such as SHALL, WILL, MAY was in a small paragraph towards the end.It's a good book to improve how to convey information in a more forceful and communicative way, but if you can get someone else to buy it, since those 140 pages are worth their weight in gold. ... Read more

Product Description
This full color 6^th edition of Technical Communication: Process and Product  guides readers through the entire writing process—prewriting, writing, and rewriting—developing an easy-to-use, step-by-step technique for writing the types of documents they will encounter on the job. The authors' reader-friendly style engages readers in the writing process and encourages hands-on application. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Technical Communicatoin
Book was as described: in GOOD condition. Delevery was shipped sooner than expected. Over all I am very satisfied. :)

Perfect
It was exactly what I asked for in great condition. The shipping was fast I would buy from them again

Technical Communication, Gersons
Excellent technical writing textbook with good graphics and clear explanations.Arrived in very good shape, and ahead of time.I am pleased.

Technical book purchase
I was very impressed with the speed in which I received the book my son needs for his college course. Thank you!

Enjoyable
I really enjoyed this book and it was much cheaper than the University of South Alabama book store (those thieves). ... Read more

Product Description
MS Word is the most popular word processing program in the world. Yet, because of its perceived shortcomings when working on technical documents and papers, many researchers must learn the intricacies of a completely different format, LaTeX, to publish their research. This book helps authors overcome the programs common problems, including formatting and citation issues. The book is aimed at those who write for scientific and technical journals, conference proceedings, white papers, theses, and dissertations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Puts Bill Gates to Work for You
Okay, so I won't vent here about how MicroSoft products have ALWAYS from the beginning been kinda clunky and non-intuitive.

From WAY back in the beginning when everyone said to have any actual, you know, fun on a computer, instead of having Big Bill controlling your every move and concealing his tools, get an Apple ][

To get any actual work of course, you'd have to go Mac as soon as they came out.

Then Bill caught on and started to loosen up.

Not his nature. Really. Tight . . . even grumpy.

And so MSWord remains a mystery to us all. Now practically the monopoly upon every machine, we still cannot figure out how to reach all those great features we really need to get at to get our work darn done, dude.

And now it is really just about the only game in town, and it knows it, too.

Thank God for this book. Everyone who has any kind of academic writing to do, anyone who has some serious scientific reports to make, whether alone or in a team, needs this book.

At under 250 pages, it opens the mysterious world of MSWord for you, and much more, and gives you the strength for further investigation. It puts Bill Gates to work for you, and not the grumpy, fickle, tight wad Bill Gates, but a Bill who is eager to serve, at your pleasure.

Everything but go get coffee.

And yet so very much more:

As one who has taught the inscrutable English language for decades to Speakers of Other Languages, as one who has tried to write understandably in English, I found the penultimate chapter particularly interesting.

Chapter Seven of the Eight Chapters (plus six very, immediately, useful appendices, and the useful preface) discusses "Assuring Quality Writing" which EVERYONE who touches a keyboard for any reason whatsoever MUST READ, or must back away from that keyboard. This one extensive chapter truly provides the writing tools we all need in this post-literate era, in which precise writing is no longer prized. Yet this one chapter indicates, and stresses, that good writing and good spelling increase credibility, as does good formatting, with the recommendation of knowing your audience and writing for that audience, not too informally, not too sloppily. It is the chapter all of us who write must read, for many reasons.

It is impossible to present in this one review all of the very valuable information provided by this one slim volume, with continual reference to other resources. For one thing, this book is beautifully laid out; one peek at the Table of Contents pages produces proof of the formatting power this book provides, and that is only one small thing. Also mentioned briefly in passing is a brilliant and immediately useful presentation of the Wiki, what is a WIki and how to build one with a team. I never understood Wiki has meaning in itself, and always associated it with that amateur while excellent on-line encyclopedia. THen we got Wikileaks, and what was that all about anyway. Now we know. Read the subsections on WIki and how to set one up with your teams, and you will never leave the keyboard.
Not even for the coffee.

But, really, this book, while slender, provides the framework necessary for any report writing, whether alone or with trusted friends, your team. Brief, yet comprehensive, we have herein the infrastructure necessary for solid reports, the skeleton key, the scaffolding we need to write well.

Certainly we could also have at hand the universal Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition when writing academic reports, but this present work envisions as well scientific and industry reports. We might also find useful coaching tools for forming writing teams such as Team Writing: A Guide to Working in Groups or Anthology for Writing Together: A Project for Team Research, but this is basically the book which opens the doors to so much more, and to getting that grant.

Meanwhile, and lest I write more, let me go back and read this essential seventh chapter once more . . .

Provides a Solid Grounding in Team Writing
I think Technical Writing for Teams: The STREAM Tools Handbook would be especially useful as a textbook in classroom settings for students who plan to collaborate on technical writing projects (in academia and the workforce), or as a quick primer for someone who wants to train themselves for this type of work.

EXPERIENCED WRITERS
------------------------
If you already have experience working in teams, you may want to take a look at it, but probably won't find much new information in here that warrants a purchase. I was hoping to find more innovative techniques and ideas. Unfortunately, because I have been involved in teams doing translations of technical materials, through reading lots of other works on technical writing, and gaining actual experience (often painful), I have already become familiar with solutions to most of the issues raised by the authors.

I would say that this book is something of a cross between Handbook of Technical Writing, Ninth Edition, Word 2010 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)), and The Elements of Style: 50th Anniversary Edition, with an admixture of miscellaneous technical writing tips targeting those in academia. I think it would be great if the authors could find a way in future editions to offer advice that might aid more experienced team writers; perhaps an extended explanation of a project in which they had been involved, with examples (false starts, mistakes, solutions, etc.) included for the whole process from the start of a project to its completion.

INEXPERIENCED WRITERS
------------------------
If you have little or no experience in working as part of a team, then you will want to purchase this, for all of the reasons that I did not recommend it for experienced collaborative writers. It gives you the basics, and clearly explains how to use them in a group context. Although I won't say that it will replace works like the ones I linked to above (you can never have too many reference works!), it will quickly get you up to speed with what you need to know, and most importantly, you can avoid some of the more painful lessons that can make team work such a nightmare. There is pretty much something in every chapter that I wish I would have known when I was first getting started. One suggestion I have for future editions of this book, though, is to include the tables and charts in the appendices so that readers won't have to stick annoying yellow post-it notes on pages 45-46 (keyboard shortcuts), page 130 (copyediting and proofreading markup), etc.

SUMMARY
------------------------
The book is an up-to-date and concise introduction to technical writing in teams. Ideally, everyone you are working with will have read the book, or at least be familiar with its main points. The authors also have a website available at "streamtoolsonline" with some supplementary information and materials.

Discloser: I received a free copy of the book for reviewing purposes. I am in no way associated with the authors or the institutions at which they teach.

Makes Technical Writing Easier
Technical Writing for Teams
Stream Tools Handbook by Mamishev and Williams
IEEE PressWiley Publishers

Reviewed by: Dr. Joseph S. Maresca

A theme of this book is to establish uniform protocols for
producing complex research documents with single authors
or multiple contributors and reference citations.
Streamtools is a collection ofbest practices for scientific
and technical writers.The file management allows re-use
of the legacy content, network file sharing and applications.
i.e. Sharepoint

Examples of major software are Microsoft Word, Math Type and
Visio. The authors provide an excellent contrast of Microsoft
Word to LaTeX. The writing process has 4 stages.
i.e. Definition, Preparation, Writing and Completion.
Table 2.1 provides an excellent editing markup table with
sample comments like c:\model for model document.

Version control is critical so that everyone understands who worked on
a document and when the work was completed. The authors provide
a good graphing protocol including (1) right sized fonts
2) label x-y axes(3) description of the label
(4) center the graphic(5) graph lines should be thick.
The book should contrast non-standardized formats with the
standardized ones produced by the popular database packages.

Popular database packages for collaborative works are EndNote,
Reference Manager and Pro Cite. End Note is the most popular
according to the authors.[...]

Table 5.9 provides common proofreading marks like "cap" and "ital".
Another section describes methods for decision making.
i.e. majority vote, consensus, leader decides, the expert decides,
a tool decides by pre-input algorithmic criteria. Ultimately,
a team leader must deal with "analysis paralysis" by ending
the project at a logical vantagepoint .

Overall, this work would be helpful for establishing uniform rules
pertinent to research documents, full length books, patents and
similar art. Patent art is complicated because the inventor
must track the concept from inception, explain the novelty
of the invention, its design, the operation in the
preferred mode and claims formulation. Detailed descriptions
may be written to distinguish the invention from all others.
Unobviousness must be explained fully to the patent examination
team prior to allowance and publication of the new patent art
in the Official Gazette.

The aforementioned projects require a considerable amount of
standardization designed into the formulation process at the
commencement of the undertaking until a successful conclusion.
This work provides a good explanation of many of the
complexities involved in setting forth and
completing the project documentation. As such, the acquisition
of this work is encouraged for a wide constituency of researchers,
small inventors and the general public.

Not Just for Team Writing
While reading the STREAM Tools handbook, I learned how to use the functionalities of Microsoft Word that I knew existed (I had seen them on the ribbon), but I never wanted to risk messing up my documents to test them out. Before this book, I felt I was proficient in Microsoft Word. Now I would consider myself an expert.

The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, and in no time, I was able to create a template for a college research paper.It had headings auto-numbered, pre-formatted so that all I had to do was write the content. I couldn't believe that all of my headings, tables, figures, the table of contents, and even my captions, would automatically reorder themselves with a simple press of a button. Surprisingly, this was only one small section of the STREAM Tools handbook. The book also contains many other resources for document design and management.

By using STREAM Tools in the beginning of the writing process, you never have to worry about formatting again! I can create another document using the same template! I don't have to waste any time setting up new formatting the next time I sit down to write.

Like the title suggests, this book has great tips and insight into how to manage large complex documents and team-oriented writing, but the knowledge I have gained allows me to use STREAM Tools in even the most basic of documents!

An earth-shaking book for the world of technical writing!
If I read this book 10 years ago, I would have completed my doctoral dissertation and journal publications in a few months... ... Read more