Describes a course in which technical writing students write letters to themselves stating goals they want to accomplish within the next 10 years, which the teacher promises not to read and to mail to them in exactly 10 years. Discusses purposes and actual results of assignment. (EL)

Cites reasons why resume writing is a legitimate subject in a business or technical writing course. Discusses advantages and components of the functional resume, the skills identification workshop, and last minute tips for writing effective resumes. (EL)

Proposes the concept of criteria formulation as an integral part of the report writing process. Suggests using the skills of analysis, synthesis, and valuing to produce readable, comprehensive, and accurate recommendation reports. (EL)

Describes a course that gives students the kinds of writing and oral communication experiences they will need on the job. The course gives students information about effective speaking and teaches them how to write business letters, prepare simple visuals for written and oral reports, and write formal proposals. (EL)

Because of the emphasis on special forms of writing, such as letters and reports, business communications classes do little to introduce students to practical, career-oriented writing situations. Management administration offers an excellent vehicle for the development of an advanced course in rhetoric combined with a survey of the administrative…

Explains why instructors need to make report writing an integral part of courses in business and technical writing. Discusses the advantage of group projects on campus-related issues. (EL)

Technical writing programs housed in geographically isolated universities face great challenges in regard to getting students career-related work experience. A course in desktop publishing can provide students at rural schools with experience equivalent to internships. In a desktop publishing course taught at Murray State University in Kentucky,…

In order to provide technical communication students with individual projects that reflect real "world of work" conditions and that permit all students, regardless of their level of technical sophistication, to obtain the necessary report data, computer software has been developed offering three alternative projects for a report writing…

The process of designing a program teaching technical and professional communication skills should begin with a definition of the problem. An analysis of community needs and student backgrounds and interests should be made to effectively tailor the course to students and their career fields. Such consideration was given to two technical…

Describes a simulated business approach in which students write about the kinds of correspondence that members of company departments might write. Discusses determining a schedule, forming departments and choosing a company, making assignments, and using student managers. (EL)

Notes studies defining important communication skills for a wide range of job categories, but which many courses in business, technical, and science writing are not providing. Suggests changes for the basic business communication course, including modes of writing and rhetorical principles. (HTH)

Describes a class project designed to introduce students to the actual environment in which professional-level communication takes place, put them in close contact with an expert who must exercise communication skills, and finally require them to put these skills into actual practice. (EL)

A course in technical writing has justification for appearing in a college English department curriculum if course content as it is currently taught is somewhat modified. In general, business or technical writing has been primarily a study of a wide variety of letter and report writing forms. To be taught as a liberal arts course, a technical…

A communication course dealing specifically with interviewing theory was designed to meet the needs of technically oriented university students. Several communication theory, interviewing, and interpersonal communication texts were chosen. Additional library searches on interviewing in the areas of vocational rehabilitation, home economics…

Both teaching technical editing skills in a logical sequence from introductory through intermediate and advanced levels, and helping students learn how to offer creative help to authors call for a structured approach to the editing course. Editing students should already have a firm knowledge of spelling, punctuation, and grammar, as well as…