ALERT: Before you purchase, check with your instructor or review your course syllabus to ensure that you select the correct ISBN. Several versions of Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products exist for each title, including customized versions for individual schools, and registrations are not transferable. In addition, you may need a CourseID, provided by your instructor, to register for and use Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products.   Packages Access codes for Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products may not be included when purchasing or renting from companies other than Pearson; check with the seller before completing your purchase.   Used or rental books If you rent or purchase a used book with an access code, the access code may have been redeemed previously and you may have to purchase a new access code.   Access codes Access codes that are purchased from sellers other than Pearson carry a higher risk of being either the wrong ISBN or a previously redeemed code. Check with the seller prior to purchase.   Technical Communication Today was written for introduction to technical communication or technical writing courses taught most often in English Departments.    Technical Communication Today remains the only text to fully centralize the computer in the technical workplace, presenting how writers use computers throughout their communication process.     Writers use their computers to help them think, research, compose, design, and edit. Not only is Technical Communication Today firmly rooted in core rhetorical principles, but the text also presents computers as thinking tools that powerfully influence how we develop, produce, design, and deliver technical documents and presentations.    Technical Communication Today  speaks to today's students and how they expect to learn information. Instructional narrative is “chunked,” so that readable portions of text are combined with graphics. This presentation facilitate learning, and models the way today’s technical documents should be designed. Additionally, the chunked presentation integrates an awareness of how documents are read—often “raided” by readers seeking the information they need.  By mirroring these processes in its content and structure, Technical Communication Today offers readers a higher level of accessibility.  

Table of Contents:
Preface   PART ONE   ELEMENTS OF TECHNICAL COMMUNCATION   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   References   Credits   Index