An approach is described that gradually transitions second-year organic chemistry students to writing full "The Journal of Organic Chemistry" ("JOC") style lab reports. The primary goal was to introduce students to and build rhetorical skills in scientific and technical writing. This was accomplished by focusing on four main…

Teaching scientific writing in biology classes is challenging for both students and instructors. This article offers and reviews several useful "toolkit" items that improve student writing. These include sentence and paper-length templates, funnelling and compartmentalisation, and preparing compendiums of corrections. In addition,…

Report writing is an important employability skill for Engineers and Technologists, and this case study describes how a Technology degree module took a novel approach to developing students' report writing skills. Students learned how to use a criterion-referenced critical evaluation framework for reports and other technological documents. They…

One of the best opportunities that undergraduates have to learn to write like a scientist is to write a thesis after participating in faculty-mentored undergraduate research. But developing writing skills doesn't happen automatically, and there are significant challenges associated with offering writing courses and with individualized mentoring.…

Recommends that teachers concentrate on explaining explicit procedures for revising style, because many novice writers interpret revision as only proofreading for typing or spelling errors. Provides a set of guidelines for stylistic revision that help students identify problems with passive verbs, nominalizations, wordiness and imprecise language.…

Defines elucidation as writing to teach and inform "all" about a complex sequence or process so that even a novice can complete the process without problems. Provides a model for writing description/instruction, using elucidation in the introduction, conclusion, and body of the essay. (HTH)

Outlines a method used for teaching brochure writing in nine one-hour class periods. Discusses grading, and notes ways that students benefit from brochure writing. (SR)

Describes techniques, based on four of the journalistic prompts (what, where, why, and how), that can help writers create contexts for their readers, thereby improving readers' comprehension and enlisting them in the creation of the discourse. (SR)

Describes a comparison of the function of audience in students' writing processes with that of experienced technical writers. Examines students' rough and final drafts for content and style as audience considerations influenced revisions. (HTH)

Describes an editing assignment in which senior engineering students use their knowledge of non-finite clauses (both restrictive and non-restrictive) to achieve concise mature writing. Explains the linguistic background provided to students before the assignment, gives details of the published "answer guide" and the exercise, and…

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)

Advocates emphasizing the reader-writer relationship and the context of editor to facilitate the objectivity and distance technical writing students need to revise effectively. Suggests providing technical writing students with an opportunity to work with others writing in an editorial capacity to help them better understand this relationship.…

Describes current indexing systems, documents the shift from manual to automated indexing methods, and offers suggestions for writers and editors on the critical importance of careful wording and controlled vocabularies to ensure effective access to technical and scientific articles. Suggests teaching strategies for helping students control…

Suggests methods which engineering faculty can use to encourage students to write often and well. Directions on how to teach writing in an engineering classroom and an annotated bibliography are given. Students are motivated when they learn that one-third of their working time as engineers will be spent writing. (DH)

In addition to citing bibliographies, books, and reviews on technical writing materials, this bibliography lists materials on the profession; theory and philosophy; courses, programs, and internships; research; teaching; consulting, training, in-house courses; writing professional documents; technical writing and computers; graphics/visual aids;…