A course in advanced technical communication was developed at West Virginia University for upper-division students in engineering and the sciences and those planning careers in technical communication. The first four weeks of the semester are spent copy editing, with the students learning to use standard editing marks and keeping an editor's style…

The case method seems particularly useful in helping college students to overcome anxiety about writing and even in persuading them that writing is a "real-world" skill that they can master just as they would any other skill. It has the further advantages of integrating reading and writing and of allowing students to develop and use…

Researchers in many disciplines dislike writing and view it as an additional and unnecessary irritant. Teaching researchers to write for administrators who must make decisions about highly specialized topics, but who lack the specialist's knowledge, means inducing a change in the researchers' perspective. They have to learn that they are writing…

Eight documents of representative types and three journal articles are included in this self-instructional training workbook for abstractor/indexers. Introductory materials provide an overview of informative and indicative abstracting styles and the principles of indexing utilized by the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). Detailed…

This manual provides the procedures and instrumentation through which vocational education program personnel may critically assess the value and effectiveness of their program. The first section addresses preparing for the self-evaluation, including commitment, committees, and timetable. Conducting the self-evaluation is the focus of the next…

This book is the first of two comprising the Guide to Proposal Writing and Project Management in Vocational Education that outlines processes involved in the writing and fundings of proposals. The second book is available separately (see note). Two of the four parts into which the guide is divided are found in each of the books. Part I, Planning a…

This document outlines the procedures to be followed in writing a field or research report. It describes the rationale behind a good report and explains the proper format and use of title, introduction, methods, data, discussion, conclusion, references, and abstract or summary elements. This guide gives aids to writing a good report. Finally, it…

The issues and problems confronted by a professor of literature when asked to teach a technical writing course for engineers are related in this paper. The first section of the paper explains how the professor was "recycled" from a teacher of literature to a professor of technical writing at his college. The second section describes some of the…

To determine the teaching philosophy, the academic and professional background, and the teaching methods most valued by experienced teachers of business writing and technical writing, a study was conducted that involved a search of relevant professional literature and an analysis of questionnaire responses from 24 experienced professionals. Those…

Noting that technical writing is becoming an increasingly important element in the college curriculum, this journal issue presents eight articles that provide information for use by technical writing instructors. The first article surveys resources and strategies currently available, while the second article reflects upon some of the adjustments…

A study was conducted to test whether quantitative feedback would help students write with the stylistic simplicity appropriate to their audience and purpose without sacrificing other elements of good writing. Two business and technical writing classes received identical reading assignments, classroom activities, and writing assignments; but one…

Several alternative methods of presenting written material within a graphic were evaluated to provide empirical data on how technical writers and artists might improve the comprehensibility of graphics. The number, location, and sequence of "callouts"--the pictorial part references using arrows--were systematically varied in a series of…

Designed for self study, this publication contains information to aid Naval personnel in meeting the occupational standards for advancement to Journalist First Class and Chief Journalist. The first section, a "Rate Training Manual," is divided into 11 chapters: The Path to Advancement, Public Affairs Policy and Procedures, Public Affairs…

This paper discusses some of the problems and issues related to technical communications programs in the community college. It is divided into six major sections, focusing on such topics as what kind of courses in technical communication are taught and who teaches them, resources for technical writing staffs, the preparation of technical and…

This language arts minicourse guide for Lampeter-Strasburg (Pennsylvania) High School contains a topical outline for a course on technical and business writing. The guide includes a list of five course objectives; an outline of the sequence of instruction in the course; a description of the content, concepts, and writing exercises covered by the…