Describes a teaching method designed to interest students in a technical writing course during the first two weeks. (RB)

Describes how to have students in technical writing courses turn term papers into brochures suitable for publication. (MKM)

Six brief essays discuss English/French translation with regard to alcohol breath tests, magnetic tapes, nautical terminology, electrical terminology, and titles of hotel staff. (AM)

Suggests that science writers have a responsibility to examine the social, political, and economic contexts of science. (DD)

Considers: (1) objectives of different readers; (2) structuring headings, summaries, etc., to achieve objectives; (3) alternatives to prose, e.g., flow charts, graphs; (4) advantages of specific formats in particular instances. (DAG)

Cites bibliographies, books, and reviews of books on communication and works on technical communication theory and instruction (HTH)

Presents three premises that, despite the variety of tasks and responsibilities laid on technical writers, are central to the technical writing profession and which should be at the foundation of any technical writing curriculum. (HTH)

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.…

Intended primarily for use by authors, these guidelines are designed to serve as a model for the preparation of manuals and workbooks applicable to databases. They may also be used in reviewing and/or evaluating databases. A definition of a database search guide and a glossary are also provided. (CLB)

Includes Thomas Dukes' rebuttal to Elizabeth Tebeaux's "The Trouble with Employees' Writing May Be Freshman Composition" (v15 n1) and Tebeaux's response. Dukes argues that inept freshman composition experiences are not the fault of the course itself. Tebeaux contends that freshman composition courses overemphasize expressive discourse.…

Outlines a college senior and graduate level business and technical writing course, focusing on a book review assignment unpopular with some students. Suggests a rhetorical case requiring students to justify the assignment, instead of justification being imposed by the instructor. (JAD)

Defends the data from the author's previously published study (v2 n1) against the criticisms offered by Renee T. Betz (this issue). Further defends the hybrid study of both literature and composition. (JAD)

Examines the academic leave of absence as a way for technical writing teachers to gain significant industry experience. Provides suggestions for selecting an appropriate leave opportunity, choosing tasks to complete, negotiating contracts with the company and college, and using the leave experience to improve teaching and to advance one's career.…

Describes how technical writing teachers can adapt existing operations management cases for the writing classroom by recognizing communication gaps and filling them with appropriate writing scenarios. (ARH)