Describes how writing news releases can teach technical writing students audience analysis, formatting, conciseness, clarity, objectivity, editing, and style. (MM)

Maintains that the traditional plan of development, an essential element of the introduction to a formal report, invites boredom. Argues that an ideal plan shows not only the main divisions of the report, but also its challenges (problems, areas for further research, debatable issues) and items of special interest. (SR)

Argues humorously for "constructive ambiguity." Includes amusing rules for vocabulary, punctuation, style, clarity, and bibliographies. Ends with the rule, "When one says nothing of consequence, it is difficult to contradict one's self." (EL)

Suggests emphasizing, reviewing, and applying the basic skills taught in freshman composition--thesis statement, basic expository patterns, organization, transitions--in the technical writing course to ease the transition from freshman essay to technical report. Presents a chart illustrating the parallel structures of the technical report and the…

Describes a special on-site writing course for advanced learners of English working in a research and development division that addresses students' needs (acculturation and lessening of writing anxiety) through in-class contrastive analysis of semitechnical documents produced by novice nonnative speaker writers and by experienced native and…

Suggests having students write letters of inquiry to companies as a practical way to research a specific area and then write for a specific audience. Argues the benefits of this assignment, such as increased student motivation when writing for a real audience rather than a teacher. (SRT)

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

A college technical writing class project on preparing an instruction manual for a toy race-car set not only showed that the students recognized their audience and used appropriate language, but also provided subject matter for other coursework. (RL)

Describes how creating "mythical machines" can develop students' technical writing skills. Describes how students work in groups to produce documents for various purposes related to their machine. (MM)

Notes how the guest lecture portion of a team-taught writing course for engineers produced the need to teach the students listening skills. Describes class activities that ensure student development of writing, listening, and speaking skills in conjunction with the lecture series. (RL)

Proposes a model for teaching the writing process in technical writing classes, with examples of the model's application to writing titles, introductory components, resumes, and instructions. (RL)

Surveys members of Professional Secretaries International (PSI) in Cleveland, Ohio, who rated their own and their bosses' business writing skills. Concludes that this survey indicates that technical writing students should be taught how to write criticisms and refusals. Outlines how these skills can be taught in a technical writing course. (MM)

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…

Refutes the claim that new technical writers are not trained for the "real world" of technical communication. Argues that technical writing students should be taught how to approach a variety of writing tasks. (MM)

Suggests using abstract writing to introduce students to various elements of technical writing such as organization, stylistic choice, and revision. Provides examples of students' condensations and summarizes the benefits of teaching abstract writing. (SRT)