Suggests linking technical writing assignments to library research in students' fields to build on students' immediate concerns and to reinforce the practical nature of technical writing. Includes two such assignments: the comparative analysis and the user's guide for a specific reference work. (HTH)

Describes a technical writing exercise used in the writing assistance program of a school of engineering. The exercise involves comparison of an original and rewritten memo to illustrate poor technical writing and how it differs from its better-organized and better-developed counterpart. (HTH)