Technical communication today

Part One. Elements Of Technical Communication --
1. Communicating in the Technical Workplace --
Developing a Workplace Writing Process --
Genres and the Technical Writing Process --
Stage 1: Plan Out Your Project and Do Start-up Research --
Stage 2: Organizing and Drafting --
Stage 3: Improving the Style --
Stage 4: Designing --
Stage 5: Revising and Editing --
What is Technical Communication? --
Technical Communication is Interactive and Adaptable --
Technical Communication is Reader Centered --
Technical Communication Relies on Teamwork --
Technical Communication is Visual --
Technical Communication Has Ethical, Legal, and Political Dimensions --
Technical Communication is International and Cross-Cultural --
How Important is Technical Communication? --
2. Readers and Contexts of Use --
Creating a Reader Profile --
Step 1: Identify Your Readers --
Step 2: Identify Your Readers\' Needs, Values, and Attitudes --
Step 3: Identify the Contexts in Which Readers Will Experience Your Document --
Using Profiles to Your Own Advantage --
Global and Transcultural Communication --
Differences in Content --
Differences in Organization --
Differences in Style --
Differences in Design --
Listen and Learn: The Key to Global and Transcultural Communication --
3. Working in Teams --
The Stages of Teaming --
Forming: Strategic Planning --
Step 1: Define the Project Mission and Objectives --
Step 2: Identify Project Outcomes --
Step 3: Define Team Member Responsibilities --
Step 4: Create a Project Calendar --
Step 5: Write Out a Work Plan --
Step 6: Agree on How Conflicts Will Be Resolved --
Storming: Managing Conflict --
Running Effective Meetings --
Mediating Conflicts --
Firing a Team Member --
Norming: Determining Team Roles --
Revising Objectives and Outcomes --
Help: Virtual Teaming --
Redefining Team Roles --
Using Groupware to Facilitate Work --
Performing: Improving Quality --
The Keys to Teaming --
4. Ethics in the Technical Workplace --
What Are Ethics? --
Where Do Ethics Come From? --
Personal Ethics --
Social Ethics --
Conservation Ethics --
Resolving Ethical Dilemmas --
Step 1: Analyze the Ethical Dilemma --
Step 2: Make a Decision --
Step : React Appropriately When You Disagree with Your Employer --
Help: Stopping Cyberbullying and Computer Harassment --
Ethics in the Technical Workplace --
Copyright Law --
Trademarks --
Patents --
Privacy --
Information Sharing --
Proprietary Information --
Libel and Slander --
Fraud --
Copyright Law in Technical Communication --
Asking Permission --
Copyrighting Your Work --
Plagiarism --
Part Two. Genres Of Technical Communication --
5. Letters, Memos, and E-Mail --
Features of Letters, Memos, and E-Mail --
Quick Start: Letters, Memos, and E-Mail --
Step 1: Make a Plan and Do Research --
Step 2: Decide What Kind of Letter, Memo, or E-Mail is Needed --
Step 3: Organize and Draft Your Message --
Step 4: Choose the Style, Design, and Medium --
Microgenre: Workplace Texting and Tweeting --
Using E-Mail Internationally --
Case Study: The Nastygram --
6. Technical Descriptions and Specifications --
Types of Technical Descriptions --
Quick Start: Technical Descriptions and Specifications --
Step 1: Make a Plan and Do Research --
Step 2: Partition Your Subject --
Step 3: Organize and Draft Your Technical Description --
Help: Using Digital Photography in Descriptions --
Step 4: Choose the Style, Design, and Medium --
Microgenre: Technical Definitions --
Case Study: In the Vapor --
7. Instructions and Documentation --
Types of Technical Documentation --
Quick Start: Instructions and Documentation --
Step 1: Make a Plan and Do Research --
Step 2: Organize and Draft Your Documentation --
Step 3: Choose the Style, Design, and Medium --
Help: On-Screen Documentation --
Microgenre: Emergency Instructions --
Case Study: Purified Junk --
8. Proposals --
Types of Proposals --
Quick Start: Proposals --
Step 1: Make a Plan and Do Research --
Step 2: Organize and Draft Your Proposal --
Step 3: Choose the Style, Design, and Medium --
Microgenre: The Elevator Pitch --
Case Study: The Mole --
9. Activity Reports --
Types of Activity Reports --
Quick Start: Activity Reports --
Step 1: Make a Plan and Do Research --
Step 2: Organize and Draft Your Activity Report --
Step 3: Choose the Style, Design, and Medium --
Microgenre: The Status Report --
Case Study: Bad Chemistry --
10. Analytical Reports --
Types of Analytical Reports --
Quick Start: Analytical Reports --
Step 1: Make a Plan and Do Research --
Step 2: Organize and Draft Your Report --
Help: Using Google Docs to Collaborate with International Teams --
Step 3: Draft the Front Matter and Back Matter --
Step 4: Choose Your Design and Style --
Microgenre: The Poster Presentation --
Case Study: The X-File --
11. Starting Your Career --
Setting Goals, Making a Plan --
Quick Start: Career Materials --
Setting Goals --
Making Your Plan --
Preparing a Résumé --
Types of Résumés --
Chronological Résumé --
Functional Résumé --
Designing the Résumé --
Help: Designing a Searchable Résumé --
Writing Effective Application Letters --
Content and Organization --
Style --
Revising and Proofreading the Résumé and Letter --
Creating a Professional Portfolio --
Collecting Materials --
Organizing Your Portfolio --
Assembling the Portfolio in a Binder --
Creating an Electronic Portfolio --
Interviewing Strategies --
Preparing for the Interview --
At the Interview --
Writing Thank You Letters and/or E-Mails --
Microgenre: The Bio --
Case Study: The Lie --
Part Three. Planning And Doing Research --
12. Strategic Planning, Being Creative --
Using Strategic Planning --
Step 1: Set Your Objectives --
Step 2: Create a List of Tasks (or Task List) --
Step 3: Set a Timeline --
Help: Planning with Online Calendars --
Generating New Ideas --
Tips for Being More Creative --
Inventing Ideas --
Case Study: Getting Back to Crazy --
13. Persuading Others --
Persuading with Reasoning --
Reasoning with Logic --
Reasoning with Examples and Evidence --
Persuading with Values --
Help: Persuading Readers Online --
Appealing to Common Goals and Ideals --
Framing Issues from the Readers\' Perspective --
Persuasion in High-Context Cultures --
Case Study: Trying to Stay Neutral --
14. Researching in Technical Workplaces --
Beginning Your Research --
Step 1: Define Your Research Subject --
Step 2: Formulate a Research Question or Hypothesis --
Step 3: Develop a Research Methodology --
Step 4: Collect Evidence Through Sources --
Step 5: Triangulate Your Sources --
Step 6: Take Careful Notes --
Help: Using a Citation Manager --
Step 7: Appraise Your Evidence --
Step 8: Revise, Accept, or Abandon Your Hypothesis --
Case Study: The Life of a Dilemma --
Part Four. Drafting, Designing,and Revising --
15. Organizing and Drafting --
Basic Organization for Any Document --
Using Genres for Outlining --
Organizing and Drafting the Introduction --
Six Opening Moves in an Introduction --
Drafting with the Six Moves --
Organizing and Drafting the Body --
Carving the Body into Sections --
Patterns of Arrangement --
Organizing and Drafting the Conclusion --
Five Closing Moves in a Conclusion --
Organizing Transcultural Documents --
Indirect Approach Introductions --
Indirect Approach Conclusions --
Case Study: The Bad News --
16. Using Plain and Persuasive Language --
What is Style? --
Writing Plain Sentences --
Basic Parts of a Sentence --
Eight Guidelines for Plain Sentences --
Creating Plain Sentences --
Help: Translating and Translation Programs --
Writing Plain Paragraphs --
The Elements of a Paragraph --
Using the Four Types of Sentences in a Paragraph --
Aligning Sentence Subjects in a Paragraph --
The Given/New Method --
When Is It Appropriate to Use Passive Voice? --
Persuasive Style --
Elevate the Tone --
Use Similes and Analogies --
Use Metaphors --
Change the Pace --
Balancing Plain and Persuasive Style --
Case Study: Going Over the Top --
17. Designing Documents and Interfaces --
Five Principles of Design --
Design Principle 1: Balance --
Weighting a Page or Screen --
Using Grids to Balance a Page Layout --
Design Principle 2: Alignment --
Design Principle 3: Grouping --
Using Headings --
Using Borders and Rules --
Design Principle 4: Consistency --
Choosing Typefaces --
Labeling Graphics --
Creating Sequential and Nonsequential Lists --
Inserting Headers and Footers --
Design Principle 5: Contrast --
Cross-Cultural Design --
Case Study: Bugs on the Bus --
18. Creating and Using Graphics --
Guidelines for Using Graphics --
Guideline 1: A Graphic Should Tell a Simple Story --
Guideline 2: A Graphic Should Reinforce the Written Text, Not Replace It --
Guideline 3: A Graphic Should Be Ethical --
Guideline 4: A Graphic Should Be Labeled and Placed Properly --
Displaying Data with Graphs, Tables, and Charts --
Line Graphs --
Bar Charts --
Tables --
Pie Charts --
Flowcharts --
Using Pictures and Drawings --
Photographs --
Inserting Photographs and Other Images --
Illustrations --
Using Transcultural Symbols --
Case Study: Looking Guilty --
19. Revising and Editing for Usability --
Levels of Edit --
Level 1 Editing: Revising --
Level 2 Editing: Substantive Editing --
Level 3 Editing: Copyediting --
Level 4 Editing: Proofreading --
Using Copyediting Symbols --
Lost in Translation: Transcultural Editing --
Documenting Cycling and Usability Testing --
Case Study: A Machine By Any Other Name --
Part Five. Connecting With Clients --
20. Preparing and Giving Presentations --
Planning and Researching Your Presentation --
Defining the Rhetorical Situation --
Allotting Your Time --
Choosing the Right Presentation Technology --
Organizing the Content of Your Presentation --
Building the Presentation --
The Introduction: Tell Them What You\'re Going to Tell Them --
Help: Giving Presentations with your Mobile Phone or Tablet --
The Body: Tell Them --
The Conclusion: Tell Them What You Told Them --
Preparing to Answer Questions --
Choosing Your Presentation Style --
Creating Visuals --
Designing Visual Aids --
Using Graphics --
Slides to Avoid --
Delivering the Presentation --
Body Language --
Voice, Rhythm, and Tone --
Using Your Notes --
Rehearsing --
Evaluating Your Performance --
Working Cross-Culturally with Translators --
Case Study: The Coward --
21. Writing for the Web --
Writing for Websites --
Basic Features of a Website --
Step 1: Develop the Content --
Step 2: Organize and Draft Your Webpage or Website --
Step 3: Choose the Style and Design of Your Webpage or Website --
Step 4: Add Images --
Step 5: Anticipate the Needs of Transcultural Readers --
Step 6: Upload Your Website --
Using Social Networking in the Workplace --
Step 1: Create Your Social Networking Account --
Step 2: Choose Your Friends (Wisely) --
Step 3: Maintain Your Site --
Step 4: Collaborate with Others, but Carefully --
Step 5: Communicate with Your Company\'s \"Fans\" --
Creating Blogs and Microblogs --
Step 1: Choose Your Blog\'s Host Site --
Step 2: Write and Maintain Your Blog --
Step 3: Let Others Join the Conversation --
Making Internet Videos and Podcasts --
Step 1: Write the Script --
Step 2: Shoot the Video or Record the Podcast --
Step 3: Edit Your Video or Podcast --
Step 4: Upload Your Video or Podcast --
Writing Articles for Wikis --
Step 1: Write the Text --
Step 2: Post Your Article --
Step 3: Return to Edit Your Articles --
Case Study: My Boss Might Not \"Like\" This --
Appendix A Grammar and Punctuation Guide --
Appendix B Guide for English Language Learners --
Appendix C Documentation Guide.