Note: This text is used by students in online technical-communication courses worldwide as well as the online version of TCM1603, Introduction to Technical Communication, taught by David A. McMurrey, at Austin Community College (ACC) in Austin, Texas USA. Please see Independent Noncredit Courses in Technical Communications for courses you can take based on this online textbook.You can download the web pages and associated graphics for the textbook at http://www.io.com/~hcexres/tcm1603/tcmdown.html. Hardcopy of this book is also available. Contact University Co-Op Custom Publishing or call (512) 476-7211 extension 8138 for more information.
Introduction: Technical Writing and This Course
Examples, Cases & Models: Index
Applications of Technical Writing
- Business correspondence and resumes
- Technical reports: structure and process
- Types of technical reports: an overview
- Business plans
- Proposals
- Progress reports
- Instructions
- User guides
- Organizational policies and procedures
- Recommendation and feasibility reports
- Abstracts, introductions, and conclusions
- Oral presentations
Document Design
- Book design overview
- Page design overview
- Headings
- Lists
- Special notices
- Graphics and tables
- Report format and final packaging
- Highlighting and emphasis
- Indexing
Processes and Guidelines in Technical Writing
- Writing process: from audience to rough draft
- Audience analysis
- Power-revision techniques
- Libraries, documentation, cross-referencing
- Basic patterns and elements of the sentence
- Common grammar, usage, punctuation problems
- Common spelling problems
- Strategies for peer-reviewing and team-writing
- Information structures