Offers four reasons for using the case approach in introductory technical writing courses and a sequence of six cases that can be used. (RL)

Uses a single language system--technical description--to illustrate how language systems can now be used as the basis for instruction in technical writing. Provides sample exercises in progressive teaching from simple description to complex continuity devices, showing how they can be used at all stages of the writing process. (HTH)

Describes typical sentence, paragraph, and discourse level sentence combining exercises using material appropriate for technical writers. (HTH)

Provides a rationale for including technical writing assignments in a freshman composition course. Describes several possible writing assignments, including descriptions of mechanisms, abstracts, and research reports. Also discusses possible texts and other readings for the class and how such assignments affect student attitudes and performance.…

Describes the rhetorical markers and format characteristic of all published brochures. Discusses a rationale and specific strategy for teaching the brochure. (HTH)

Describes a writing exercise in law enforcement report writing--writing a report based on a crime photograph--and discusses 10 writing problems revealed by this exercise. (RL)

Describes a teaching technique designed to help students understand how and why technical writing works. Students study journal articles by answering lists of questions focusing on unity, coherency, definitions, illustrations, and documentation, then apply principles they learned through the exercise to preparing an informative report. (SKC)

Discusses methods to lend more realism to the technical writing classroom: (1) role playing, in which a report is written for someone other than the teacher; (2) presenting proposals orally at a party; (3) presenting a problem for students to solve through research; and (4) creating an advertising poster on a topic students know little about to…

Recounts the rationale and design of an ongoing attempt to use sentence-combining as a basic component of an effective instructional technology and to integrate that technology into a course in technical exposition. (TJ)

Discusses technical writing textbooks and assignments that can be used in advanced courses in technical writing. (RL)

Describes a game-like writing exercise that uses the principle of "divide and conquer" to teach technical description. (PD)

Presents an assignment that helps technical writing students develop skills in preparing literature reviews. (RL)