Notes that, although unillustrated text has changed from a string of unseparated words to the paragraph system, text-image relations present a continuous pattern of different degrees of interpretation and structuring for visual understanding. Suggests that human cognitive needs caused an adaptation in unillustrated text and that text illustrations…

Examines research favoring the use of active voice over passive voice verbs and the influence of active voice on sentence length and position and emphasis. Discusses the implications of this rule on technical writing. (HTH)

Distinguishes between the kind of reading practiced in schools--reading to learn--and the kind of reading practiced in the workplace--reading to do. Places computer tutorials in a third category--reading to learn to do. Suggests guidelines for designing tutorials and for designing assignments. (JAD)

Argues that technical writing should be limited to the study and teaching of pragmatic conventions relevant to actual technical communication situations. Specifically examines whether proposal writing should be included in technical writing instruction, and the place of empirical research as criteria for determining relevant conventions. (HTH)

Compares paragraph topic sentence use in technical writing with four other kinds of writing. Shows topic sentences used less often in technical texts. Investigates two textual factors influencing topic sentence variation. Shows topic sentence use constrained jointly by rhetorical genre and paragraph length. Offers pedagogical applications. (SR)

Provides information on current and anticipated course offerings, programs, and workshops or seminars in technical communication at 30 colleges. (FL)

Contains citations for reviews, and articles on the technical writing profession, pedagogy, research, technical writing and the computer, and editing. (HTH)

Describes the four general categories of advanced technical writing courses: genre courses, general communication courses, rhetorical theory or history courses, and courses that use special pedagogical techniques or focus on a certain aspect of technical communication. Discusses implications for planning advanced courses. (HTH)

Summarizes responses of upper- and middle-management executives about hiring procedures and the writing requirements of management and entry level employees. Includes recommendations for college students preparing to enter the business/industrial world. (HTH)

Explores the writing model developed by Linda Flower and John Hayes, examining its usefulness in studying workplace writing from the social perspective. Finds that the model is a valuable tool from the cognitive perspective of composition research but notes its limitations in describing the group processes of collaborative writing. (MG)

Notes that recent work in argumentation has emphasized social and disciplinary influences on argumentative discourse, that rhetoricians have also been debating the role of good reasons in argument, and that the informal logic movement has shown increasing awareness of the rhetorical dimensions of argument. (SKC)

Outlines two rhetorical principles for producing iconic-mosaic texts--the principle of complementarity and the principle of compensation. Shows how these principles can be applied to practical problems in coordinating the writing and design processes in student projects. (RS)

Examines the collegiate version of "Writer's Workbench" (a computer program that analyzes the surface elements of students' writing and provides feedback to assist in revision) on the writing of sophomore technical writing students. Concludes that "Writer's Workbench" can be an effective but limited tool for technical writing…

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)

Discusses theoretical exigencies for observing writer-reader interactions in the workplace. Describes measures to study how corporate engineers adapt discourse to a multiple audience. Discusses research that challenges assumptions about technical writing, and translates findings into heuristics for teaching multiple audience analysis and…