Memo Writing

For this assignment you will watch the videos and read chapter 3. You will also read pages 376-377 that explain Memo formatting and give examples of how to do that format.

After watching the video and reading chapter 3, type a 400 – 500-word Memo (size 12, Times New Roman) responding to specific information found in the Videos AND Chapter 3 (your heading is not included in the word count of your memo). Pick at least one detail that you found interesting or helpful. Feel free to mention any information you found confusing or that which you disagree.
Do not write summary of the chapter and video; I want your thoughts/response to some of the information in the chapter AND video. Use the Memo sample on page 377* as the model for your memo. Make your memo look just like this sample in regard to appearance and usage of spacing (double/single), tabs, punctuation, headings, bold, italics, underlining, categories listed, purpose etc.

For any of these response essays when you are referring to specific information from the book and video, make sure you list/cite the page number in and the book and video speaker to which you are referring. 

Inside the LaunchPad for Technical Communication
Missing something? Instructors may assign the online materials that
accompany this text. For access to them, visit launchpadworks.com.
LaunchPad materials are identified throughout the text with the icon.

CASES
Document-based cases are presented online, where you can familiarize yourself with each scenario, download
and work with related documents, and access assignment questions in a single space.

CASE 1: Using the Measures of Excellence in Evaluating a Résumé
CASE 2: The Ethics of Requiring Students To Subsidize a Plagiarism-Detection Service
CASE 3: Understanding Why Revision Software Cannot Revise and Edit Your Document
CASE 4: Accommodating a Team Member’s Scheduling Problems
CASE 5: Focusing on an Audience’s Needs and Interests
CASE 6: Revising a Questionnaire
CASE 7: Organizing a Document for Clarity — and Diplomacy
CASE 8: Analyzing the Persuasiveness of a Poster
CASE 9: Emphasizing Important Information in a Technical Description
CASE 10: Revising a Document for Nonnative Speakers and for Translation
CASE 11: Designing a Flyer
CASE 12: Creating Appropriate Graphics To Accompany a Report
CASE 13: Evaluating a Technical Document
CASE 14: Setting Up and Maintaining a Professional Microblog Account
CASE 15: Identifying the Best-of-the-Best Job-Search Sites
CASE 16: Writing an Introduction for a Proposal
CASE 17: Writing a Directive
CASE 18: Analyzing Decision Matrices
CASE 19: Introducing the Scientific Method Through a Lab Report
CASE 20: Choosing a Medium for Presenting Instructions
CASE 21: Understanding the Claim-and-Support Structure for Presentation Graphics

LEARNINGCURVE
Master the material covered in the first ten chapters of the text as well as key grammar skills with LearningCurve,
a fun adaptive quizzing program that meets you where you are and gives you the extra support you need when
you need it.

Understanding the Technical Communication Environment (Covering Chapters 1–4)
Planning the Document (Covering Chapters 5–7)
Persuasion, Emphasis, and Effective Sentences (Covering Chapters 8–10)
Additional LearningCurve activities on grammar, style, persuasion, and concerns of multilingual writers

DOWNLOADABLE FORMS
Download and work with a variety of helpful forms discussed throughout the text.

Work-Schedule Form (Chapter 4)
Team-Member Evaluation Form (Chapter 4)
Self-Evaluation Form (Chapter 4)
Audience Profile Sheet (Chapter 5)
Oral Presentation Evaluation Form (Chapter 21)

MULTIMEDIA DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES
Explore real multimedia documents that harness digital technologies in exciting new ways, and respond to

http://launchpadworks.com/

prompts that will help you analyze them.

Mechanism Description Using Interactive Graphics: Hybridcenter.org and Union of Concerned Scientists, Hybrids
Under the Hood (Part 2) (Chapter 12)

Online Portfolio: Blane C. Holden’s Online Portfolio (Chapter 15)
Proposal Delivered as a Prezi Presentation: Andrew Washuta, Marketing Proposal Presentation (Chapter 16)
Report Presented as a Website: United States Geological Survey, High Plains Water-Level Monitoring Study

(Chapter 17)
Informational Report Presented Through an Interactive Graphic: Matthew C. Hansen et al., University of

Maryland, Google, USGS, and NASA, “Global Forest Change” Interactive Map (Chapter 17)
Recommendations Presented in a Video: One & Only Campaign, Check Your Steps! Make Every Injection Safe

(Chapter 18)
Process Description Using Video Animation: North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Diverging

Diamond Interchange Visualization (Chapter 20)
Instructions Using Video Demonstration: PartSelect, Dryer Repair — Replacing the High Limit Thermostat

(Chapter 20)
Instructions Using a Combination of Video Demonstration and Screen Capture: Texas Tech University Multiple

Literacy Lab (MuLL), Recording Audio in the Field Using an iTalk (Chapter 20)
Definition Using Video Animation: ABC News, What Is the Cloud? (Chapter 20)

SUPPLEMENTAL E-BOOKS
Document-Based Cases for Technical Communication, Second Edition, by Roger Munger, features seven
realistic scenarios in which you can practice workplace writing skills.

Team Writing, by Joanna Wolfe, focuses on the role of written communication in teamwork. Built around five
short videos of real team interactions, Team Writing teaches you how to use written documentation to manage a
team and provides models for working on large collaborative documents.

TEST BANK
Test your knowledge with multiple-choice, true/false, and short-answer questions for every chapter in the
textbook.

TUTORIALS
Engaging tutorials show you helpful tools and tips for creating your projects along with guidance on how to best
use the tools, as well as the documentation process for citing the sources you use in MLA and APA style.

DIGITAL WRITING TUTORIALS

Cross-Platform Word Processing with CloudOn, Quip, and More (Chapter 3)
Tracking Sources with Evernote and Zotero (Chapter 6)
Photo Editing Basics with GIMP (Chapter 12)
Building Your Professional Brand with LinkedIn, Twitter, and More (Chapter 15)
Creating Presentations with PowerPoint and Prezi (Chapter 21)
Audio Recording and Editing with Audacity (Chapter 21)

DIGITAL TIPS TUTORIALS

Creating Outlines (Chapter 3)
Creating Styles and Templates (Chapter 3)
Scheduling Meetings Online (Chapter 4)
Reviewing Collaborative Documents (Chapter 4)
Incorporating Tracked Changes (Chapter 4)
Conducting Online Meetings (Chapter 4)
Using Wikis for Collaborative Work (Chapter 4)
Using Collaborative Software (Chapter 4)
Proofreading for Format Consistency (Chapter 11)

DOCUMENTATION TUTORIALS

How To Cite a Database in APA Style (Appendix B: Documenting Sources)
How To Cite a Website in APA Style (Appendix B: Documenting Sources)

How To Cite a Book in MLA Style (Appendix B: Documenting Sources)
How To Cite an Article in MLA Style (Appendix B: Documenting Sources)
How To Cite a Website in MLA Style (Appendix B: Documenting Sources)
How To Cite a Database in MLA Style (Appendix B: Documenting Sources)

Technical
COMMUNICATION

TWELFTH EDITION

Mike Markel
Boise State University

Stuart A. Selber
Penn State University

For Bedford/St. Martin’s
Vice President, Editorial, Macmillan Learning Humanities: Edwin Hill
Senior Program Director for English: Leasa Burton
Program Manager: Molly Parke
Marketing Manager: Sophia Latorre-Zengierski
Director of Content Development: Jane Knetzger
Senior Developmental Editor: Carrie Thompson
Developmental Editor: Michelle McSweeney
Associate Editor: Cara Kaufman
Senior Workflow Manager: Jennifer Wetzel
Production Supervisor: Brianna Lester
Media Project Manager: Melissa Skepko-Masi
Manager of Publishing Services: Andrea Cava
Project Management: Lifland et al., Bookmakers
Composition: Lumina Datamatics, Inc.
Photo Researcher: Krystyna Borgen
Permissions Editor: Elaine Kosta
Senior Art Director: Anna Palchik
Text Design: Maureen McCutcheon Design
Cover Design: William Boardman
Cover and Title Page Image: Andy Roberts/Getty Images

Copyright © 2018, 2015, 2012, 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin’s

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except as may be expressly permitted by the
applicable copyright statutes or in writing by the Publisher.

2 1 0 9 8 7
f e d c b a

For information, write: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116

ISBN-13: 978-1-319-10788-8 (EPUB)

Acknowledgments
Text acknowledgments and copyrights appear at the back of the book on page 706, which constitutes an extension of the
copyright page. Art acknowledgments and copyrights appear on the same page as the art selections they cover.
In-text excerpt, p. 94: Mike Markley. Excerpt from LinkedIn profile summary. Used with permission.
Figure 5.5, p. 102: Advancing Kyocera Philosophy Education. © 2016 by KYOCERA Corporation. Used by

permission of Kyocera Corporation.
Figure 5.8, p. 109: Solomon et al., Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Working Group I

Contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, p. ix
(Table of contents). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
Used with permission.

Figure 5.9, pp. 111–12: From “Introducing Project Loon,” Googleblog, June 14, 2013. Reprinted by
permission of Alphabet.

Figure 5.10, p. 113: From Brian Handwerk, “Google’s Loon Project Puts Balloon Technology in Spotlight,”
National Geographic Daily News, June 18, 2013. Reprinted by permission of National Geographic.

Figure 6.1, p. 124: Abstract from Maureen O’Dougherty, “Plot and Irony in Childbirth Narratives of Middle-
Class Brazilian Women,” Medical Anthropology Quarterly, Volume 27, Issue 1, pages 43–62, March
2013. © 2013 by the American Anthropological Association. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.

Document Analysis Activity, p. 132: Excerpt from “About High Fructose Corn Syrup,”
http://corn.org/products/sweeteners/high-fructose-corn-syrup/. Copyright © 2016 by The Corn Refiners
Association. Used with permission.

Figure 8.5, p. 182: Threat Research, McAfee, “Revealed: Operation Shady RAT” white paper. Copyright ©
2011 McAfee, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

Document Analysis Activity, p. 185: From Emily Bennington, “Social Media Strategy: Is It Time to Hire a

http://corn.org/products/sweeteners/high-fructose-corn-syrup/

Social Media Officer?” from Monster.com. Reprinted by permission. Copyright 2014 – Monster
Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. You may not copy, reproduce or distribute this article without the
prior written permission of Monster Worldwide. This article first appeared on Monster, the leading online
global network for careers. To see other career-related articles visit http://career-advice.monster.com.

Guidelines, p. 283: Principles of Accessible Design for Websites, adapted from WebAIM:
http://webaim.org/intro/. Used with permission.

Exercise 3, p. 289: Excerpt from Micron CSN33: Customer Service Note from Micron User Guide
Introduction. © 2011 Micron Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Figure 13.6, p. 345: Appendix B: Heuristic Evaluation Evaluator’s Form, p. 20 from Oracle’s “User
Experience Direct, FAQ: How to Conduct Heuristic Evaluation,”
http://www.oracle.com/webfolder/ux/applications/uxd/assets/faq/how-to-conduct-heuristic-evaluation.pdf.
Used with permission.

Figure 13.10, p. 351: WAI Site Usability Testing Questions. Copyright © 1994–2003 World Wide Web
Consortium (MIT, ERCIM, Keio), All Rights Reserved.
http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/UCD/questions.html

Figure 13.15, p. 357: From “Usability Testing: Election Systems and Software ExpressVote Universal
Voting System.” University of Baltimore for the Maryland State Board of Elections.
http://www.elections.state.md.us/voting_system/procurement.html.

Case 13, p. 359: The Complete How To Guide to Xeriscaping, from
http://www.ose.state.nm.us/Pub/Brochures/htx_lo_res.pdf. Used with permission.

Document Analysis Activity, p. 435: Andrew Washuta, “Marketing Proposal Presentation,” May 21, 2013.
Copyright © 2013 by Andrew Washuta. Used with permission.

Figure 17.5, p. 465: Employee’s Accident Report Form from University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.
Used with permission.

Figure 19.2, p. 528: Excerpt from IEEE, “Information for IEEE Transactions, Journals, and Letters Author,”
p. 4. Used with permission.

In-text excerpt, pp. 542–43: From High-Tech Vehicle Safety Systems. Used with permission from Canadian
Association of Road Safety Professionals.

Figure 20.5, p. 553: “How Solar Works” from Vanguard Energy Partners. Used with permission.
Figure 20.6, p. 554: “Hybrids Under the Hood (Part 2): Drivetrains” from Union of Concerned Scientists.

www.ucsusa.org. Reprinted by Permission.
Figure 20.13, p. 570: “Prepare to Install the Range” from General Electric, Installation Instructions: Free-

Standing Electric Ranges (Manual 229C4053P545-1 31-10556-1 04-03 JR). Used with permission.
Figure 20.16, p. 572: Excerpts from a thread in a customer-support forum from

http://forum.support.xerox.com/t5/Printing/TIFF-files/td-p/21986. Used with permission.

http://career-advice.monster.com/

http://webaim.org/intro/

http://www.oracle.com/webfolder/ux/applications/uxd/assets/faq/how-to-conduct-heuristic-evaluation.pdf

http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/UCD/questions.html

http://www.elections.state.md.us/voting_system/procurement.html

http://www.ose.state.nm.us/Pub/Brochures/htx_lo_res.pdf

http://www.ucsusa.org/

http://forum.support.xerox.com/t5/Printing/TIFF-files/td-p/21986

Contents
Cover
Front Cover
Inside the LaunchPad for Technical Communication
Title Page
Copyright
Preface for Instructors
Introduction for Writers

Part 1 Understanding the Technical Communication Environment

1 Introduction to Technical Communication
What Is Technical Communication?

UNDERSTANDING PURPOSE
UNDERSTANDING AUDIENCE

Why Technical Communication Skills Are Important in Your Career
The Challenges of Producing Technical Communication

AUDIENCE-RELATED FACTORS
PURPOSE-RELATED FACTORS
SETTING-RELATED FACTORS
DOCUMENT-RELATED FACTORS
PROCESS-RELATED FACTORS

Characteristics of a Technical Document
■ GUIDELINES: Measures of Excellence in Technical Documents
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Analyzing a Technical Document

Skills and Qualities Shared by Successful Workplace Communicators
■ GUIDELINES: Communicating Professionally

EXERCISES
CASE 1: USING THE MEASURES OF EXCELLENCE IN EVALUATING A RÉSUMÉ

2 Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations
A Brief Introduction to Ethics
Your Ethical Obligations

OBLIGATIONS TO YOUR EMPLOYER
OBLIGATIONS TO THE PUBLIC
OBLIGATIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENT

Your Legal Obligations
COPYRIGHT LAW

■ GUIDELINES: Determining Fair Use
■ GUIDELINES: Dealing with Copyright Questions
■ ETHICS NOTE: Distinguishing Plagiarism from Acceptable Reuse of Information

TRADEMARK LAW
■ GUIDELINES: Protecting Trademarks

CONTRACT LAW
LIABILITY LAW

■ GUIDELINES: Abiding by Liability Laws
The Role of Corporate Culture in Ethical and Legal Conduct
Understanding Ethical and Legal Issues Related to Social Media

■ GUIDELINES: Using Social Media Ethically and Legally

■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Presenting Guidelines for Using Social Media
Communicating Ethically Across Cultures

COMMUNICATING WITH CULTURES WITH DIFFERENT ETHICAL BELIEFS
COMMUNICATING IN COUNTRIES WITH DIFFERENT LAWS

Principles for Ethical Communication
ABIDE BY RELEVANT LAWS
COMPLY WITH ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS
ABIDE BY THE APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL CODE OF CONDUCT
ABIDE BY YOUR ORGANIZATION’S POLICY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR EMPLOYER’S ETHICS RESOURCES
TELL THE TRUTH
DON’T MISLEAD YOUR READERS
USE DESIGN TO HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANT ETHICAL AND LEGAL INFORMATION
BE CLEAR
AVOID DISCRIMINATORY LANGUAGE
ACKNOWLEDGE ASSISTANCE FROM OTHERS
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 2: The Ethics of Requiring Students To Subsidize a Plagiarism-Detection Service

3 Writing Technical Documents
Planning

CONSIDERING YOUR WRITING SITUATION
TUTORIAL: Cross-Platform Word Processing with CloudOn, Quip, and More
GENERATING IDEAS ABOUT YOUR SUBJECT
RESEARCHING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DEVISING A SCHEDULE AND A BUDGET

Drafting
ORGANIZING AND OUTLINING YOUR DOCUMENT
TUTORIAL: Creating Outlines
USING TEMPLATES

■ GUIDELINES: Drafting Effectively
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Modify Templates
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Identifying the Strengths and Weaknesses of a Commercial
Template

USING STYLES
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Use the Styles Group

TUTORIAL: Creating Styles and Templates
Revising

STUDYING THE DRAFT BY YOURSELF
■ GUIDELINES: Revising the Draft

SEEKING HELP FROM OTHERS
■ ETHICS NOTE: Acknowledging Reviewers Responsibly

Editing
■ GUIDELINES: Editing the Draft

Proofreading
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 3: Understanding Why Revision Software Cannot Revise and Edit Your Document

4 Writing Collaboratively
Advantages and Disadvantages of Collaboration

ADVANTAGES OF COLLABORATION
DISADVANTAGES OF COLLABORATION

Managing Projects
■ GUIDELINES: Managing Your Project

Conducting Meetings
TUTORIAL: Scheduling Meetings Online
LISTENING EFFECTIVELY

■ GUIDELINES: Listening Effectively
SETTING YOUR TEAM’S AGENDA

■ GUIDELINES: Setting Your Team’s Agenda
DOWNLOADABLE FORM: Work-Schedule Form
DOWNLOADABLE FORM: Team-Member Evaluation Form
DOWNLOADABLE FORM: Self-Evaluation Form

■ ETHICS NOTE: Pulling Your Weight on Collaborative Projects
CONDUCTING EFFICIENT MEETINGS
COMMUNICATING DIPLOMATICALLY
CRITIQUING A TEAM MEMBER’S WORK

■ GUIDELINES: Communicating Diplomatically
■ GUIDELINES: Critiquing a Colleague’s Work
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Critiquing a Draft Clearly and Diplomatically
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Use Reviewing Tools

Using Social Media and Other Electronic Tools in Collaboration
WORD-PROCESSING TOOLS
TUTORIAL: Reviewing Collaborative Documents
TUTORIAL: Incorporating Tracked Changes
MESSAGING TECHNOLOGIES
VIDEOCONFERENCING
TUTORIAL: Conducting Online Meetings

■ GUIDELINES: Participating in a Videoconference
WIKIS AND SHARED DOCUMENT WORKSPACES
TUTORIAL: Using Wikis for Collaborative Work
TUTORIAL: Using Collaborative Software
VIRTUAL WORLDS

■ ETHICS NOTE: Maintaining a Professional Presence Online
Gender and Collaboration
Culture and Collaboration

WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
LEARNINGCURVE: Understanding the Technical Communication Environment (Chs. 1–4)
CASE 4: Accommodating a Team Member’s Scheduling Problems

Part 2 Planning the Document

5 Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose
Understanding Audience and Purpose
Using an Audience Profile Sheet

DOWNLOADABLE FORM: Audience Profile Sheet
Determining the Important Characteristics of Your Audience

WHO ARE YOUR READERS?
WHY IS YOUR AUDIENCE READING YOUR DOCUMENT?
WHAT ARE YOUR READERS’ ATTITUDES AND EXPECTATIONS?
HOW WILL YOUR READERS USE YOUR DOCUMENT?

Techniques for Learning About Your Audience
DETERMINING WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE
INTERVIEWING PEOPLE
READING ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE ONLINE
SEARCHING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR DOCUMENTS YOUR AUDIENCE HAS WRITTEN
ANALYZING SOCIAL-MEDIA DATA

Communicating Across Cultures
UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURAL VARIABLES “ON THE SURFACE”
UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURAL VARIABLES “BENEATH THE SURFACE”
CONSIDERING CULTURAL VARIABLES AS YOU WRITE

■ GUIDELINES: Writing for Readers from Other Cultures
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Examining Cultural Variables in a Business Letter

USING GRAPHICS AND DESIGN FOR MULTICULTURAL READERS
Applying What You Have Learned About Your Audience

■ ETHICS NOTE: Meeting Your Readers’ Needs Responsibly

Writing for Multiple Audiences
Determining Your Purpose
Gaining Management’s Approval
Revising Information for a New Audience and Purpose

WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 5: Focusing on an Audience’s Needs and Interests

6 Researching Your Subject
Understanding the Research Process

■ GUIDELINES: Planning for the Research Process

■ GUIDELINES: Researching a Topic

Choosing Appropriate Research Methods
Conducting Secondary Research

UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH TOOLS
TYPES OF SECONDARY Research SOURCES
USING SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER INTERACTIVE RESOURCES
TUTORIAL: Tracking Sources with Evernote and Zotero

■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Use Social Media in Research
EVALUATING THE INFORMATION

■ GUIDELINES: Evaluating Print and Online Sources
Conducting Primary Research

ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL-MEDIA DATA
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Evaluating Information from Internet Sources

OBSERVATIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS
INSPECTIONS
EXPERIMENTS
FIELD RESEARCH
INTERVIEWS

■ GUIDELINES: Conducting an Interview
INQUIRIES
QUESTIONNAIRES

■ ETHICS NOTE: Reporting and Analyzing Data Honestly
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 6: Revising a Questionnaire

7 Organizing Your Information
Understanding Three Principles for Organizing Technical Information

ANALYZING YOUR AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
USING CONVENTIONAL PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION
DISPLAYING YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERN PROMINENTLY

Understanding Conventional Organizational Patterns
CHRONOLOGICAL

■ GUIDELINES: Organizing Information Chronologically
SPATIAL

■ GUIDELINES: Organizing Information Spatially
GENERAL TO SPECIFIC

■ GUIDELINES: Organizing Information from General to Specific
MORE IMPORTANT TO LESS IMPORTANT

■ GUIDELINES: Organizing Information from More Important to Less Important
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

■ GUIDELINES: Organizing Information by Comparison and Contrast
■ ETHICS NOTE: Comparing and Contrasting Fairly

CLASSIFICATION OR PARTITION
■ GUIDELINES: Organizing Information by Classification or Partition

PROBLEM-METHODS-SOLUTION
■ GUIDELINES: Organizing Information by Problem-Methods-Solution

CAUSE AND EFFECT
■ GUIDELINES: Organizing Information by Cause and Effect
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Using Multiple Organizational Patterns in an Infographic

WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
LEARNINGCURVE: Planning the Document (Chs. 5–7)
CASE 7: Organizing a Document for Clarity — and Diplomacy

Part 3 Developing and Testing the Verbal and Visual Information

8 Communicating Persuasively
Considering the Context of Your Argument

UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE’S BROADER GOALS
WORKING WITHIN CONSTRAINTS

Crafting a Persuasive Argument
IDENTIFYING THE ELEMENTS OF YOUR ARGUMENT
CONSIDERING OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS
USING THE RIGHT KINDS OF EVIDENCE
USING VISUALS AS PERSUASIVE ELEMENTS

■ ETHICS NOTE: Using Digital Enhancement Tools Responsibly
APPEALING TO EMOTIONS RESPONSIBLY
DECIDING WHERE TO PRESENT THE CLAIM

■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Analyzing Evidence in an Argument
UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN PERSUASION

Avoiding Logical Fallacies
Presenting Yourself Effectively

■ GUIDELINES: Creating a Professional Persona
■ ETHICS NOTE: Seeming Honest Versus Being Honest in Persuasive Writing

WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 8: Analyzing the Persuasiveness of a Poster

9 Emphasizing Important Information
Writing Clear, Informative Titles
Writing Clear, Informative Headings

■ GUIDELINES: Revising Headings
Writing Clear, Informative Lists

WRITE EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPH LISTS
WRITE EFFECTIVE SENTENCE LISTS

■ GUIDELINES: Creating Effective Lists
Writing Clear, Informative Paragraphs

STRUCTURE PARAGRAPHS CLEARLY
■ ETHICS NOTE: Avoiding Burying Bad News in Paragraphs
■ GUIDELINES: Dividing Long Paragraphs

USE COHERENCE DEVICES WITHIN AND BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Identifying the Elements of a Coherent Paragraph

WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 9: Emphasizing Important Information in a Technical Description

10 Writing Correct and Effective Sentences
Writing Grammatically Correct Sentences

AVOID SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
AVOID COMMA SPLICES
AVOID RUN-ON SENTENCES
AVOID AMBIGUOUS PRONOUN REFERENCES
COMPARE ITEMS CLEARLY
USE ADJECTIVES CLEARLY
MAINTAIN SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
MAINTAIN PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT
USE TENSES CORRECTLY

Structuring Effective Sentences
EMPHASIZE NEW AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION
CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE SENTENCE LENGTH
FOCUS ON THE “REAL” SUBJECT
FOCUS ON THE “REAL” VERB
USE PARALLEL STRUCTURE
USE MODIFIERS EFFECTIVELY

Choosing the Right Words and Phrases
SELECT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF FORMALITY
BE CLEAR

■ ETHICS NOTE: Euphemisms and Truth Telling
BE CONCISE

■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Revising for Conciseness and Simplicity
USE INOFFENSIVE LANGUAGE

■ GUIDELINES: Avoiding Sexist Language
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Customize Grammar-Checker Features
■ GUIDELINES: Using the People-First Approach

Understanding Simplified English for Nonnative Speakers
Preparing Text for Translation

WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
LEARNINGCURVE: Persuasion, Emphasis, and Effective Sentences (Chs. 8–10)
CASE 10: Revising a Document for Nonnative Speakers and for Translation

11 Designing Print and Online Documents
Goals of Document Design
Understanding Design Principles

TUTORIAL: Proofreading for Format Consistency
Planning Your Design

ANALYZE YOUR AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
DETERMINE YOUR RESOURCES

Designing Print Documents
SIZE
PAPER
BINDINGS
NAVIGATIONAL AIDS

■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Set Up Pages
Designing Print Pages

PAGE LAYOUT
■ GUIDELINES: Understanding Learning Theory and Page Design
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Format Columns

TYPOGRAPHY
■ ETHICS NOTE: Using Type Sizes Responsibly

TITLES AND HEADINGS
OTHER DESIGN FEATURES

■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Create Borders and Screens
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Create Text Boxes

Designing Online Documents
USE DESIGN TO EMPHASIZE IMPORTANT INFORMATION

■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Analyzing Page Designs
CREATE INFORMATIVE HEADERS AND FOOTERS
HELP READERS NAVIGATE THE DOCUMENT

■ GUIDELINES: Making Your Document Easy To Navigate
INCLUDE EXTRA FEATURES YOUR READERS MIGHT NEED
HELP READERS CONNECT WITH OTHERS
CONSIDER MATTERS OF ACCESSIBILITY

■ GUIDELINES: Designing Accessible Websites
DESIGN FOR MULTICULTURAL AUDIENCES

■ ETHICS NOTE: Designing Legal and Honest Online Documents
Designing Online Pages

AIM FOR SIMPLICITY
■ GUIDELINES: Designing a Simple Site

MAKE THE TEXT EASY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND
■ GUIDELINES: Designing Easy-To-Read Text

CREATE CLEAR, INFORMATIVE LINKS
■ GUIDELINES: Writing Clear, Informative Links

WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 11: Designing a Flyer

12 Creating Graphics
The Functions of Graphics
The Characteristics of an Effective Graphic

■ ETHICS NOTE: Creating Honest Graphics
■ GUIDELINES: Integrating Graphics and Text

Understanding the Process of Creating Graphics

PLANNING GRAPHICS
PRODUCING GRAPHICS

■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Insert and Modify Graphics
REVISING GRAPHICS
CITING SOURCES OF GRAPHICS

Using Color Effectively
Choosing the Appropriate Kind of Graphic

ILLUSTRATING NUMERICAL INFORMATION
■ GUIDELINES: Creating Effective Tables
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Create Tables, Charts, and Other Graphics
■ GUIDELINES: Creating Effective Bar Graphs
■ GUIDELINES: Creating Effective Infographics
■ GUIDELINES: Creating Effective Line Graphs
■ GUIDELINES: Creating Effective Pie Charts

ILLUSTRATING LOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Analyzing a Graphic
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Mechanism Description Using Interactive Graphics

ILLUSTRATING PROCESS DESCRIPTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS
ILLUSTRATING VISUAL AND SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS
TUTORIAL: Photo Editing Basics with GIMP

■ GUIDELINES: Presenting Photographs Effectively
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Create and Insert Screen Shots

Creating Effective Graphics for Multicultural Readers
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 12: Creating Appropriate Graphics To Accompany a Report

13 Evaluating and Testing Technical Documents
Understanding Usability Studies

ASSESSING THE NEED FOR A USABILITY STUDY
DETERMINING THE GOALS OF THE STUDY
STUDYING EXISTING DOCUMENTS VERSUS PROTOTYPES
CONSIDERING STUDY SETTINGS

Conducting Guided Evaluations of Technical Documents
CHOOSING DOCUMENT EVALUATORS
ESTABLISHING EVALUATION GUIDELINES
PREPARING MATERIALS FOR THE EVALUATION

Testing Documents in a Controlled Setting
PREPARING FOR THE TEST
CONDUCTING THE TEST

■ GUIDELINES: Preparing for a Usability Test
■ ETHICS NOTE: Understanding the Ethics of Informed Consent
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Obtaining Informed Consent

Testing Documents in Context
PREPARING FOR A SITE VISIT
CONDUCTING A TEST IN CONTEXT

Monitoring Documents Remotely
Interpreting and Reporting Your Findings

WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 13: Evaluating a Technical Document

Part 4 Learning Important Applications

14 Corresponding in Print and Online
Understanding the Process of Writing Correspondence

■ FOCUS ON PROCESS: Correspondence
Selecting a Type of Correspondence
Presenting Yourself Effectively in Correspondence

USE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF FORMALITY
COMMUNICATE CORRECTLY
PROJECT THE “YOU ATTITUDE”
AVOID CORRESPONDENCE CLICHéS
COMMUNICATE HONESTLY

■ ETHICS NOTE: Writing Honest Business Correspondence
Writing Letters

ELEMENTS OF A LETTER
COMMON TYPES OF LETTERS

Writing Memos
■ GUIDELINES: Organizing a Memo

Writing Emails
■ TECH TIP: Why and How To Use Email for Business Correspondence
■ GUIDELINES: Following Netiquette
■ DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Following Netiquette in an Email Message

Writing Microblogs
■ GUIDELINES: Representing Your Organization on a Microblog

Writing Correspondence to Multicultural Readers
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
EXERCISES
CASE 14: Setting Up and Maintaining a Professional Microblog Account

15 Applying for a Job
Understanding …