An unofficial study is recounted in which professional journals from various disciplines were examined to see whether writing styles were appreciably different from one another. An appendix with excerpts from some of the journals, with varying degrees of coherence is included. (HTH)

The specific communication tasks required of "middle level" or vocational-technical employees are reviewed. Guidelines for planning a technical communication course to meet those tasks are recommended. (HTH)

Indicates that the difference between university and community college technical writing courses is that the former produce professionals who create forms while the latter produce graduates who are literate in their use. Also notes that technical writing is being taught in middle and junior high school and requires special teacher education. (TJ)

Teachers should demonstrate a positive approach in the classroom to give more credibility to their statements about the importance of talking and writing positively. (RL)

Examines the consistency in classifying dictionary entries by subject, both within a dictionary and among several dictionaries. (AM)

Presents some classic titles useful to the beginning English-French technical translator. (AM)

Describes a three hour writing workshop designed to provide the technical writing teacher with information about classroom approaches to technical writing, handouts, and a sense of group identity. (MAI)

Discusses the noun-plus-adjective construction in contemporary German and problems in translating this pattern into English. (AM)

Presents 45 terms related to the plastics industry, arranged in alphabetical order in English with definitions in English and in French. (AM)

Notes three major types of problems encountered by colleges and universities attempting to establish a program in technical communications: society's increasing need for better communications; industry's reluctance to fund cooperative programs; and difficulties within the academic community involving course selection, intercollegial competition…

The technical writing exercise described here requires the student to write a technical manual. The assignment is the last project of a technical writing course and brings into focus the total course content. (BB)

Relating technical information in lay language and good interviewing techniques help the student prepare news releases from technical papers and reports. (HOD)

Describes a model organization tree for the typical report expected of students in the strategy or policy course. Argues that, by defining relationships between the various analytical tasks and the overall strategy recommendation, the model helps students not only organize the final report but also understand the process by which they arrive at a…

Analyzes three examples of research in technical communication to illustrate the distinctions among modernism, antimodernism, and postmodernism. Suggests that antimodern rejections of the scientific enterprise within composition studies and technical communication are valuable in a culture in which science seems to have unlimited authority. (RS)