Practice articles are critical to scholarship in the counseling field. This article provides readers with practical guidelines for the content and organization of practice articles, with the broad objective of developing a framework for presenting such contributions that may be consistently utilized within the counseling literature. A consistent…

Asks why technical documents rarely contain satisfactory glossaries. Suggests ways to avoid common problems such as superabundance of terms defined, complex definitions, non-parallel structuring of definitions, and excessive cross-referencing. (JAD)

Offers suggestions for writing trip reports that communicate the usefulness of the trip. (JAD)

Reviews typical software testing activities and then compares those activities to technical editing activities. Shows that by providing quality assurance through content editing, technical editors add value to the information development process and help give users the quality content they deserve. Concludes that product information must go…

Discusses "little nothings"--a paragraph that pretends to give information but only alludes to or implies needed action. Presents examples of little nothings in a marketing flier for a filter. Discusses the role of the technical writer in translating the little nothings into clear, readable text. Discusses ethical issues. (RS)

Examines the academic leave of absence as a way for technical writing teachers to gain significant industry experience. Provides suggestions for selecting an appropriate leave opportunity, choosing tasks to complete, negotiating contracts with the company and college, and using the leave experience to improve teaching and to advance one's career.…

An editor of the Texas Tech Journal of Education makes recommendations on how would-be contributors to scholarly journals can: (1) get started in publishing; (2) select an appropriate journal outlet; and (3) increase chances of acceptance. Considerations about article length, appropriateness, style, and documentation are included. (PP)

Argues that today's corporation must keep informed a wide range of individuals who have a stake in environment, health, and safety issues. Describes four elements of an effective communications program for doing so: electronic media to communicate technical information, environmental and safety audits, public communications with company…

Discusses the style and structure of videos. Discusses four models particularly suitable for communicating technical subjects: lecture, demonstration, documentary, and dramatization. Discusses how to select the most appropriate style for a proposed video and offers an example of each of the four basic styles. (SR)

Draws on both workplace and academic sources to offer a flexible technical communication education model (TC model). Describes 10 attributes that meet industry's changing needs, and describes a recent National Science Foundation technical communication summer program that used the TC model. (SR)

Describes six initiatives pursued by the Orlando Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication, intended to advance education and professional development. Discusses developing procedures and avenues of communication; instituting a scholarship program; conducting a high school writing competition; providing instructional support to secondary…

Outlines the characteristics of policy and procedure manuals. Focuses on some of the difficulties in writing these: (1) maintaining legality; (2) maintaining accuracy and consistency; (3) finding an appropriate style; and (4) handling the review and approval process. (JAD)

Summarizes the most effective techniques for preparing instruction manuals for non-English readers. Reviews techniques such as human translation, machine translation, and controlled English. Argues that writers of such manuals must take into account differences in language, culture, and learning style. (JAD)

Notes that student writers gain greater insight into the importance of audience by analyzing business documents. Discusses how business writing teachers can help students understand the rhetorical refinements of writing to an audience. Presents an assignment designed to lead writers systematically through an analysis of two advertisements. (SG)

Assessing the current state of writing instruction for the business world as well as promising developments of theory and practice in this expanding field, this book contains 14 articles by nationally known leaders in this teaching specialty. The first section of the book, looking at the writing process as it applies to professional writing,…