For
Technical Communication n
Sixteenth Edition n
John M. Lannon, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
n n n n n n
Laura J. Gurak, University of Minnesota
n n n n n
Prepared by n
Alan Swinkels, St. Edward’s University
n n n n
,
,CONTENTS
PARTn 1 COMMUNICATINGn INn THEn WORKPLACE
Chaptern 1n Introductionn ton Technicaln Communication 1
Chaptern 2n Meetingn then Needsn ofn Specificn Audiences 4
Chaptern 3n Persuadingn Yourn Audience 7
Chaptern 4n Weighingn then Ethicaln Issues 10
Chaptern 5n Teamworkn andn Globaln Considerations 13
Chaptern 6n Ann Overviewn ofn then Technicaln Writingn Process 16
PARTn 2 THEn RESEARCHn PROCESS
Chaptern 7n Thinkingn Criticallyn aboutn then Researchn Process 19
Chaptern 8n Evaluatingn andn Interpretingn Information 22
Chaptern 9n Summarizingn Researchn Findingsn andn Othern Information 25
PARTn 3 ORGANIZATION,n STYLE,n ANDn VISUALn DESIGN
Chaptern 10n Organizingn forn Readers 28
Chaptern 11n Editingn forn an Professionaln Stylen andn Tone 31
Chaptern 12n Designingn Visualn Information 34
Chaptern 13n Designingn Pagesn andn Documents 37
PARTn 4 SPECIFICn DOCUMENTSn ANDn APPLICATIONS
Chaptern 14n Email,nTexts,nandnInstantnMessaging 40
Chaptern 15n Workplacen Memosn andn Letters 43
Chaptern 16n Résumésn andn Othern Job-Searchn Materials 46
Chaptern 17n Technicaln Definitions 49
Chaptern 18n Technicaln Descriptions,n Specifications,n andn Marketingn Materials 52
Chaptern 19n Instructionsn andn Procedures 55
Chaptern 20n Informaln Reports 58
Chaptern 21n Formaln Analyticaln Reports 61
Chaptern 22n Proposals 64
Chaptern 23n Presentationsn andn Videon Conferencing 67
Chaptern 24n Webn Pagesn andnSocialnMedia 70
, PART 1—COMMUNICATING IN THE WORKPLACE
n n n n
CHAPTER 1 – Introduction to Technical Communication
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TruenornFalsenQuestions
1. nTechnicalncommunicationnrarelynfocusesnonnthenauthor’snpersonalnthoughtsnornfeelings.
2. Fewntechnicalndocumentsnhavenanpersuasivenpurpose.
3. Phonencalls,nconversations,nandnmeetingsnhavenlargelynreplacednthenneednfornwritten
ndocuments.
4. Mostntechnicalnwritingnisndoneninnteams.
5. Allndocumentsnhavensomenpersuasivenaspect,nevennifnthenpersuasionnisnimplicit.
6. Technicalnwritersncannotnbenheldnresponsiblenfornfaultyninformation,nbutnthencompanies
nthey
worknforncan.
7. Antechnicalncommunicatornmightnbencallednanninformationnarchitect,ntechnicalneditor,nor
ncontentndeveloper.
8. Digitalncommunicationnisnthenuniversalnglobalnstandardnforntechnicalncommunication.
Fill-In-The-BlanknQuestions
9. -ncenteredndocumentsnfocusnonnwhatnpeoplenneedntonlearn,ndo,norndecide.
10. Communicationnandncriticalnthinkingnarenexamplesnofn skills.
11. Mostntechnicalndocumentsnarenintendedntonpersuade,ninform,norn .
MultiplenChoicenQuestions
12. Whichndocumentnprovidesnannexamplenofntechnicalnwritingnprimarilynintendedntonpersuade?
(a) angrantnproposalntonobtainnfundingnfromnancommunitynagency
(b) antrainingnmanualnforncoffeenshopnemployeesnfornmakingndifferentndrinks
(c) instructionsnfornassemblingnandesk