Examines Francis Bacon's intentionally devised style for scientific writings and the theoretical basis of that style. Discusses his emphasis on a truly objective point of view, and his use of aphorisms to adapt to his audience. (HTH)

Points out the need for audience consideration in technical writing. Discusses how memory divides information into chunks for processing, and how this affects the readability of technical text. (HTH)

Argues for including some literary style in technical writing. Examines literary devices that can be used in technical writing, such as metaphor, simile, climax, and alliteration, and provides guidelines for their effective use in professional communication. (HTH)

Laments the unnecessarily ponderous and difficult language and syntax that characterizes much technical writing. (HTH)

Argues that technical writing teachers must emphasize the concept of ethos in their classroom because students need to know not only how their ethos emerges in what they write, but how to convey a positive ethos that will influence readers to accept their investigations and arguments. (FL)

Notes that style is important in technical writing and is affected by content, audience, and the writer's purpose. (TJ)

The director of a technical writing program explains how he remolded his style from an academician to a technical communicator. (FL)

Compares what 17 early technical writing textbooks have to say about style and audience with three modern texts. Concludes that the field of technical writing has not progressed very far in these two areas and calls for an increased emphasis on rhetorical invention, audience analysis, and style selection. (FL)

Examines the implicit, possibly unintentional, meanings embodied in some technical writing assignments. Discusses the conventions of plain technical writing, which underestimate its potential for communication. (HTH)

Views professional writing forms in the context of literary genre theory to reveal important similarities and differences between literary and professional writing. (MG)

Notes the differences between poetry and technical communication. Charges English teacher/humanists with confusing students about emotional writing, style, and effective technical communication. Offers five concepts that technical writing teachers can use to place "style" on a rational basis and to make students understand the true purposes of…

Relies on a study of articles on agronomy and engineering to argue that teachers of technical style need to examine more closely the structures used by technical writers, particularly subordinate clauses that may be a means of distinguishing the "languages" of various technical disciplines. (EL)