Technical Comminication Instructor Manual

Instructor’s Resource Manual
to accompany

Technical Communication

A Practical Approach

Eighth Edition

William Sanborn Pfeiffer

Warren Wilson College

Kaye E. Adkins

Missouri Western State College

Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River
Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto

Delhi Mexico City São Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo

Instructor’s Resource Manual to accompany Pfeiffer/Adkins, Technical Communication: A Practical Approach,
Eighth Edition

Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2006, Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Instructors may reproduce portions of this book for
classroom use only. All other reproductions are strictly prohibited without prior permission of the publisher, except
in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1–ONLINE–15 14 13 12

www.pearsonhighered.com

ISBN 10: 0-132-84333-1
ISBN 13: 978-0-132-84333-1

Table of Contents iv
v
English Instructor Exchange 1
MyTechCommLab 4
Introduction 7
Part 1: Syllabi 12
16
Fifteen-Week Syllabus 17
Ten-Week Syllabus 19
Part 2: Chapter Summaries 21
Chapter 1: Technical Communication in the Workplace 22
Chapter 2: Process in Technical Communication 23
Chapter 3: Collaboration and Writing 24
Chapter 4: Organizing Information 25
Chapter 5: Document Design 26
Chapter 6: Correspondence 27
Chapter 7: Definitions and Descriptions 29
Chapter 8: Process Explanations and Instructions 31
Chapter 9: Technical Research 32
Chapter 10: Formatting Reports and Proposals 34
Chapter 11: Reports for Information and Analysis 36
Chapter 12: Proposals and White Papers 37
Chapter 13: Graphics 39
Chapter 14: Web Pages and Writing for the Web 40
Chapter 15: Presentations 58
Chapter 16: The Job Search 63
Chapter 17: Style in Technical Writing and Handbook 65
Part 3: Planning Forms and Templates
Part 4: Internet Resources
Part 5: Resources for New Teachers of Technical Communication

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Pearson has long been a partner to the English disciplinary community, shaping the way English
has been taught and used for well over 200 years, pretty much ever since we published Samuel
Johnson’s Dictionary in 1755 and Roget’s Thesaurus in 1851. Our most recent efforts to support
the profession are focused on providing top-quality instructional support materials and ongoing
support for faculty professional development.
English Instructor Exchange, an open-access community site, was created to provide a space for
college English instructors at all stages of their careers to share ideas and resources. Through
English Instructor Exchange you can: read articles on our multi-authored blog; discuss trends
and topics in higher education with your colleagues around the country; or download podcasts, e-
lectures and videos from our Resource Library. You’re always welcome, so stop by anytime!

www.englishinstructorexchange.com

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What Is MyTechCommLab?

What Is MyTechCommLab?

MyTechCommLab offers the best multimedia resources for technical communication in one, easy-to-use place.
Students will find more than 100 interactive model documents and 48 case studies. There are also extensive
guidelines, tutorials, and exercises for Document Design, Writing, and Research, and a large bank of diagnostics and
practice for Grammar review.

Model Documents in MyTechCommLab
 Interactive model documents (100+) cover the most commonly used formats, including memos, reports,
proposals, definitions and descriptions, and letters. Each document includes rollover annotations
highlighting purpose, audience, design, and other critical topics.
 Quizzes for model documents let students practice what they have learned.

Case Studies in MyTechCommLab
 Case Studies (35+) cover the entire range of technical communication documents, including emails, formal
reports, and presentations. Each provides the case background, questions for consideration, and activities
that students can complete and submit to their instructors.
 Four case studies cover document design and graphics.
 Three case studies cover usability.
 Seven case studies provide realistic scenarios in which the stages of the writing process are put into real-
world focus.

Document Design resources in MyTechCommLab
 A Visual Rhetoric Tutorial leads students step-by-step through the process of designing an effective
document—developing basic document architecture, choosing colors and typefaces, using images, and
putting it all together to create a usable document.
 A Web Design Tutorial provides basic instruction for novices on building a Web page and creating
hyperlinks.

Writing resources in MyTechCommLab
 Writing Process Tutorials lead students through each stage of the writing process—from prewriting to final
formatting.
 A Writing Formal Reports Tutorial offersstep-by-step guidance for creating one of the most common
document types in technical communication and for working with sources.
 Writing Activities provide hundreds of exercises for students to apply what they have learned.

Grammar resources in MyTechCommLab
 Diagnostic tests allow instructors and students to identify individual weaknesses and create study plans.
 Practice exercises and activities (3,000+) cover common sentence grammar errors as well as other issues
related to style, usage, punctuation, and mechanics. Activities include sentence and paragraph editing
exercises, and grammar exercises provide remedial feedback to help students learn as they practice.

Research process resources in MyTechCommLab
 Unlimited use of EBSCOgives students instant access to thousands of academic journals and periodicals
from any computer with an Internet connection.
 Citation style guides outline rules and examples to follow for APA, CMS, and MLA styles.
 Avoiding Plagiarism Tutorials are self-paced and provide self-scoring tests, exercises, and tutorials on how
to recognize and avoid plagiarism.

Composing Space / ePortfolios
MyTechCommLab empowers student writers and facilitates writing instruction by uniquely integrating a composing

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space and ePortfolio with proven resources and tools.

In the easy-to-use composing space, which looks and functions like the most popular word processing programs,
resources are available at students’ fingertips as they research, draft, and revise. They can also upload documents
that are in other file types. All work in the course can be saved in MyTechCommLab, so instructors are able to
access and manage their students’ writing in one place.

With only a few clicks, the Portfolio feature allows students to create e-portfolios of their work that they can easily
share with their instructor, other evaluators, and peers.

The Assignments section of MyTechCommLab enables instructors to easily create and deliver assignments online
and helps keep students on track by listing due dates and assignment details in one place. Another feature to keep
everyone on track is the flexible Gradebook. Capturing student grades from self-grading aspects of the site and
grades given to writing assignments by the instructor, the Gradebook allows instructors to easily assess student and
class progress.

What’s New In MyTechCommLab?

This new design MyTechCommLab replaces the previous version. Here are some additional features you will find
only in the new MyTechCommLab:

• More intuitive, familiar navigation. The top navigation bar has been replaced by a left-hand navigation
tree.

• Composing Space. In the easy-to-use composing space, which looks and functions like the most popular
word processing programs, resources are available at a student’s fingertips as they research, draft, and
revise; students can get the help they need when they need it, without ever leaving their writing
environment. Students can also upload documents that are in other file types. All student work in the course
can be saved in MyTechCommLab so instructors are able to access and manage their students’ writing in
one place.

• Adaptive To Do list and Study Plan. Each student’s Study Plan will adapt based on her diagnostic results,
assets required by the instructor, or comments made by the instructor on her writing submissions. The
student can track the status of all assignments and required activities on their To Do list.

• Portfolio. Students can create e-portfolios of their work that they can easily share with their instructor,
other evaluators, and peers. Students can include multimodal compositions in their portfolios, export them
as .html or PDF files, or continue adding to them throughout their college career and beyond.

• Assignments. Instructors can easily create and deliver assignments online and keep students on track by
listing due dates and assignment details in one place.

• Gradebook. The flexible Gradebook captures student grades from self-grading aspects of the site and
grades given to writing assignments by the instructor. The Gradebook allows instructors to easily assess
student and class progress.

• Support for section instructors (teaching assistants). Instructors can now assign “section instructors”
(a.k.a., TA status) to course members.

• Interactive chat and whiteboard. Chat & Class Live tools enable instructors and students to engage in
synchronous chat and whiteboard sessions.

• Enhanced announcements manager. Announcements now have date and time display settings as well as
expirations.

• Enhanced email manager. A native email manager allows users to more efficiently control course email.
• Enhanced document and file sharing. The document sharing tool allows instructors and students to post

documents to be shared with the class. Instructors can use document sharing to post their syllabus and other
course documents.
• Improved accessibility. Pearson is committed to making our content and technology accessible to all
users. We’ve made changes throughout the application so the user interaction is consistent with Section 508
recommendations.
• Improved mobility. In the ongoing effort to make our content and technology mobile-ready, we’ve
redeveloped media resources, including the Writing in Action, Common Grammar Errors, and Avoiding
Plagiarism videos, to work across more platforms and devices.

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• Model Documents Player. An updated, enhanced player makes it easier to navigate and view helpful
annotations and writing samples, including emails, letters, presentations, and essays. It also works across
more platforms and mobile devices, and is Section 508-compliant/accessible. Additional sample documents
will be added to the Lab this year.

• Office Hours Plus. Completely updated videos address 10 topics useful for college writers, including
writing process, avoiding plagiarism, and peer review.

• Grammar Podcasts. Additional podcasts have been added to the Resources and the Writer’s Toolkit areas.
• Writing Strategies Topics. This new section offers instruction and practice for 9 of the traditional modes

or patterns, including Argument, Cause and Effect, Comparison and Contrast, Definition, Description,
Division and Classification, Illustration, Narration, and Process writing.
• Writing in Action Videos. New instructional videos cover such writing purposes as Writing to Inform and
Writing to Reflect.
• New eText Options. A new eText is available in both MyTechCommLab and the Pearson eText app.
• Introducing WriteClick! WriteClick is a powerful application that encourages writers to think critically
about their writing, then review, edit, and revise effectively--anywhere they write. WriteClick instantly
analyzes writing for grammar and spelling errors, provides suggestions on writing skills, and puts useful
tools at the writer’s fingertips. WriteClick is available at no additional cost with the MyTechCommLab.

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INTRODUCTION

Included in this introduction are (1) an overview of the Instructor’s Resource Manual, (2)
a brief description of the features of Technical Communication: A Practical Approach, and (3)
suggestions for supplementing the manual with materials from businesses and other
organizations.

Overview of Instructor’s Resource Manual

This manual is directed mainly to teachers who are new to the field of technical
communication. They will benefit most from suggestions about how to use Technical
Communication: A Practical Approach. Yet there are parts of this manual that will assist new
and experienced instructors alike. Here is a brief description of the sections that follow:

Part 1: Syllabi: Outlines brief sample syllabi for both fifteen-week and ten-week
technical writing courses.

Part 2: Chapter Summaries: Covers each chapter individually, giving one-paragraph
overviews as well as teaching tips, and offers suggestions for using the “Communication
Challenge” section of each chapter. Also provides rewritten versions for editing passages
included in Chapter 17 and in the Handbook.

Part 3: Planning Forms and Templates: Includes a copy of the Planning Forms, as well
as other forms or templates for students to use in assignments.

Part 4: Internet Resources: Lists Internet resources that students can use to practice
technical communication skills and create effective technical documents.

Part 5: Resources for New Teachers of Technical Communication: Lists journals,
books, and professional associations of use to those who are new to the field of teaching
technical communication.

In all, the five sections give you immediate help in designing, teaching, and revising your
technical writing course.

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Main Features of the Text

Like previous editions of the book, the eighth edition of Technical Communication
approaches the subject from a practical perspective. It assumes that a textbook is most useful
when it provides the instructor with the following features, among others:

• A concise rhetorical foundation that focuses on the writing process, explains the
importance of audience analysis, and provides students with a Planning Form to use for
all assignments;

• Numbered guidelines that give students a quick reference while they write assignments,
so that they don’t have to wade through long explanations;

• Clear models for every format discussed in the text, along with marginal annotations that
aid class discussion and make the models a useful reference;

• Two chapter features called “Communication Challenge” and “Collaboration at Work,”
which present brief case studies to promote class discussion on information in the
chapters; and

• A company context—specifically, the firm called M-Global, Inc.—that gives students a
“real-world” context in which to complete assignments in the book.

The feature that most distinguishes this text is M-Global, Inc., an invented company
that brings students closer to writing done in the working world. Chapter 1 of Technical
Communication describes the firm in detail; then there are document models and
assignments throughout the book that relate to M-Global. The presence of this company also
gives you another alternative for developing assignments beyond those provided in the
book. Using M-Global information to “build your own cases,” you can either (1) borrow the
same people, offices, and departments provided in the first chapter or (2) invent other
writers and M-Global departments to fit within the general framework of the company.

As a practical matter, note that the Planning Form mentioned throughout the text is
included in the textbook, as well as in this manual and on the Companion Website. You or your
students will need to duplicate the form for repeated use in the course. As already noted, you
may also want to duplicate the M-Global letterhead in this manual for student use in
assignments. (Also see the material on disk.) Company stationery will lend more realism to
projects, helping students feel as if they are a part of M-Global, Inc.

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Other Sources of Information

The eighth edition of Technical Communication: A Practical Approach, along with this
manual and other instructor materials, is meant to provide all that you need to teach your class.
With the M-Global context, you can give students a variety of examples and assignments that
parallel those of the working world. However, there are sources beyond the classroom that you
may wish to use in developing your course.

In particular, you might want to solicit examples from businesses and other organizations
in your community. All around you are companies, government agencies, and community
groups--each of which regularly generates many documents. Here are some pointers for
soliciting examples from organizations in your area:

• Contact organizations that already have an association with your school, such as
companies that hire graduates, do business with the school, or have representatives on
any board of advisers your school may have.

• Explain exactly how you plan to use documents. For example, you may want to use them
as (a) examples to display on a document camera (b) material for case studies, or (c)
assignments to be evaluated or rewritten.

• Make it clear that you are willing to eliminate all personal and company names, if
confidentiality is an issue.

In addition to using documents from local organizations, you may want to encourage
students to get to know employees at individual firms. Some assignments in the book ask
students to solicit information from business and technical firms, so it would be useful if your
students developed such contacts. They can pursue these relationships on their own, perhaps with
the help of family or friends, or they can follow up on leads you provide. In either case, such
contacts reinforce the practical approach stressed throughout the textbook.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Jeff Belder of Devry Institute in Columbus, Ohio, for suggesting
the addition of chapter tests and answer keys to previous editions of this manual.

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PART 1: SYLLABI

An instructor should give students a clear idea of how the course will proceed from the
first day until the final exam. Indeed, students expect the course itself to reflect the same degree
of planning that you, the instructor, demand of students during the term.

This section includes two items to help you plan and teach your course in technical
communication:

1. A brief course overview that covers assignments, grading, and other essential information
for your students

2. Weekly assignments for a fifteen-week course and for a ten-week course

This information is intended only as a starting point, especially for new teachers of technical
communication. Ultimately, you will arrive at your own plan for your technical communication
course.

One-Page Course Overview

The page that follows reflects a contract-like approach to a syllabus. It is the authors’
experience that students prefer an informative, no-nonsense syllabus—one that gives them
precise information they need to navigate through your course. Besides guiding the student, this
type of syllabus also protects you. That is, it is specific about the course guidelines, grading
system, and attendance policy, while also indicating that requirements and dates may change as
announced during the term.

The description that follows mentions the number of assignments that are appropriate for
a fifteen-week course--that is, a semester. This number would need to be reduced for a ten-week
course.

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English xxx: Technical Communication Instructor: Professor xxx
Office: Room xxx Office Hours: xxx
Textbook: Technical Communication: A Practical Approach, 8th edition, by
William Sanborn Pfeiffer and Kaye Adkins, Prentice Hall, 2013

Brief Course Description: This course will prepare you to complete the kinds of practical
communication projects often required in professions such as those you will enter. Emphasis will
be placed on (1) the process of completing any on-the-job writing assignment, (2) the specific
formats most often used, and (3) related communication tasks such as oral presentations and
graphics.

Assignments: The main assignments include six short papers (reports, memos, and letters), one
long report, one oral presentation, and a final exam (that includes an editing exercise and short
report). Also, there may be homework exercises and short in-class quizzes.

Grading: Your final grade will be determined by averaging the following twelve grades: (1) the
long report (counted three times), (2) individual grades on the six short papers, (3) your grade on
the single oral presentation, and (4) the final exam (counted two times).

Also considered will be your performance on homework, quizzes, or tests. If work on
these assignments is considered inadequate, your final average may be lowered by up to five
points. Homework and in-class quizzes can be handed in late or made up only if you miss class
for what the instructor considers a good reason.

Attendance: Class work is an important part of this course, so attendance will be taken. If you
do not attend class, make sure to find out what you missed. If you miss more than three classes—
whether these absences are excused or not—your final average may be lowered by up to ten
points. If you are late for class, inform the instructor at the end of that class, so that you will not
be counted absent. (Three “tardies” equal one absence.)

Unless you have made special arrangements with the instructor, papers handed in after
the class at which they are due may be graded down ten points for each day they are late.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of parading someone else’s work as your own, either
intentionally or unintentionally. In this course, plagiarism will result in a zero on the assignment
and, possibly, a failing grade in the course.

Daily Work: You will be given a list of daily assignments for the term. Changes may be
announced in class; it is your responsibility to be aware of all these changes.

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Weekly Assignments

This section includes text readings and possible assignments for each week, giving you a
place to start in planning your course. The order of chapters suggested here makes three
assumptions.

1. First, it assumes you want students to begin working in teams quickly. Thus Chapter 3
(Collaboration and Writing) is covered early in the semester.

2. Second, it assumes you will require a formal report and that research is part of the report-
writing process. Thus Chapter 9 (Technical Research), Chapter 10 (Formatting Reports
and Proposals) and Chapter 11 (Reports for Information and Analysis) are assigned.

3. Third, it assumes you will require an oral presentation connected with the formal report.
Thus the last few classes are devoted to the students’ oral presentations, based on the
formal reports.

One further assumption concerns coverage of textbook chapters. Using all seventeen, as
shown in the two sample syllabi, produces a packed course—especially for a ten-week term. You
may want to delete several chapters from the course or assign them as outside readings not
covered in class. For example, you could bypass Chapter 12 (Proposals and White Papers) if you
choose not to cover these types of technical writing. Or you could skip Chapter 9 (Technical
Research, if you think a research project is not an essential part of the technical writing course
you are teaching. Such trade-offs and compromises may be necessary.

Because the actual number of meetings held each week varies from school to school, this
section lists assignments by the week. See the chapter summaries in the next section of the
manual for more details on class activities and teaching tips. Also, note that each text reading is
listed for the same week in which the assignment for that reading is due. In practice, however,
you may wish to discuss a chapter the week before the written assignment for that chapter is due.
If this is the case, modify the schedule that follows accordingly.

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Fifteen-Week Syllabus

Week 1 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 1 (Technical Communication and the Workplace) and
Chapter 17 (Style in Technical Writing)
Possible Assignments: The first week aims to introduce students to the field of technical
communication. You can accomplish this purpose by assigning the first and last chapters
of the book. The first introduces students to technical communication as a field and
emphasizes that technical communication is context-bound. It does this by raising the
issue of ethics in technical communication and by introducing students to the M-Global
case that provides the context for many of the sample documents and assignments
throughout the book. Chapter 1 includes an employee-orientation booklet that welcomes
students to M-Global and introduced them to the company. Chapter 17 gives students
concrete examples of technical communication style and prepares them to edit the term’s
assignments.
During the first week, students usually do not produce an actual report, proposal,
memo, or letter. After all, they will not have read the chapters dealing with matters of
organizing information. Instead, the assignments at the end of Chapters 1 and 17 give
students the chance to discuss or write about the chapter’s main topics—workplace
writing, features of academic and technical communication, and stylistic editing. Other
assignment options include a group writing project and an exercise dealing with e-mail.

Week 2 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 2 (Process in Technical Communication) and Chapter 3
(Collaboration and Writing)
Possible Assignments: With the first chapter under their belts, students are now ready to
practice workplace writing. Collaboration is an important part of the writing process in
the workplace. Combining the discussion of the writing process in Chapter 2 with
Chapter 3 (Collaboration and Writing) provides an opportunity to emphasize how
workplace writing differs from the writing most students are familiar with and how
important teamwork is in the workplace. Assignments at the end of the chapters provide
case studies that require students to apply what they have learned thus far about purpose,
audience, and organization. These assignments can be used to generate either class
discussion or actual papers. In the latter instance, you may choose to count them as
ungraded homework or as one of the graded short papers in the course. In either case, this
week’s assignment will establish M-Global as the corporate context for the course.

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Week 3 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 4 (Organizing Information) and Chapter 5 (Document
Design)
Possible Assignments: Chapter 4 introduces students to the ABC format that serves as a
scaffold for documents throughout the book. The chapter assignments require students to
apply the chapter’s suggestions on organization writing abstracts, design pages, or write
in groups. Chapter 5 assignments require students to analyze and evaluate the design in
technical documents and then to apply these design principles to their own documents.
Organization and document design are closely related, as good document design can help
readers understand the organization of a document and can help readers find the
information that they need.

Week 4 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 6 (Correspondence)
Possible Assignments: . Because most correspondence is short, you can use
Chapter 6 to practice the foundations of effective workplace writing—audience analysis,
organization, and clear style. You may choose to make one of these assignments the first
graded paper in the course, or you may want to use it only as a homework exercise. (Note
that job correspondence is covered in a separate chapter later in the term.)

Week 5 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 13 (Graphics)
Possible Assignments: This chapter is assigned at this point in the term so students can
incorporate graphics into many papers required in the course. For the week’s assignment,
you can have students complete homework exercises in response to the exercises at the
end of the chapter.

Week 6 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 7 (Definitions and Descriptions)
Possible Assignments: This chapter introduces two important, related forms of technical
communication. Definitions and descriptions may appear as shorter, stand-alone
documents, or they may be sections in longer documents. Exercises at the end of this
chapter give students the opportunity to practice brief definitions and descriptions and
extended examples of these basic genres.

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Week 7 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 8 (Process Explanations and Instructions)
Possible Assignments: Like Chapter 7, this chapter covers important forms of technical
communication--in this case, process descriptions and instructions. Exercises at the end
of the chapter give you the option to assign papers that either (1) incorporate process
explanations or instructions into a technical report or (2) include a process explanation or
set of instructions that exist on their own, outside the context of a report. Two exercises
especially useful for class discussion require students to evaluate the effectiveness of
process explanations or instructions that they locate.

Week 8 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 9 (Technical Research)
Possible Assignments: This section of the textbook assumes that workplace research is
presented in reports, proposals, and white papers. If your students will be creating these
documents, you should assign this chapter first. If your students will not be writing longer
documents based on research, consider assigning this chapter anyway, so that they at
least know the basic ethical considerations of performing research in their profession.
One useful assignment would ask students to complete some research that will be
presented in one of the genres covered in Chapter 11 (Reports for Information and
Analysis) or Chapter 12 (Proposals and White Papers).

Week 9 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 10 (Formatting Reports and Proposals)
Possible Assignments: This chapter lays the foundation for Chapter 11 (Reports for
Information and Analysis) and Chapter 12 (Proposals and White Papers). In the
workplace, it is rare to receive an assignment like “Write a memo report that . . .” Instead,
writers must decide how to match the format of longer documents to the audience and the
context. The assignments give students practice in the most common formats for
documents, as informal correspondence reports or formal reports with front and back
matter. As you assign these, discuss why writers might choose one format over the other.

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Week 10 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 11 (Reports for Information and Analysis)
Possible Assignments: This chapter introduces the most common types of reports.
Projects like activity reports or progress reports may be assigned as part of a larger
project, or a longer report may use research introduced in Chapter 9.

Week 11 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 12 (Proposals and White Papers)
Possible Assignments: This chapter introduces workplace documents with a more
persuasive aim. Students in the sciences should learn how important grant writing is to
their field. You may choose to assign smaller parts of a long document, or you may ask
students to write up the research conducted for Chapter 9 as a proposal or white paper.

Week 12 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 14 (Web Pages and Writing for the Web)
Possible Assignments: The location of this chapter in your course plan depends on the
degree to which you expect students to use the Web as a research tool, as the subject of a
major assignment, or both. Here it’s placed following the chapters on print documents,
although the results of research may also be presented in digital form. In this regard, you
may want students to complete one of the many Web analysis assignments included at the
end of the chapter. For courses that emphasize Web writing, students might actually
design a site and write about the process of doing so.

Week 13 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 15 (Presentations)
Possible Assignments: This week, while students are working on their long report,
proposal, or white paper, you can cover the basics of oral presentations and perhaps even
give students some practice. For example, you could ask them to give the class a one-
minute progress report on their project, as if they were presenting it to the intended
audience. The major assignment, however, should be preparation for the presentations to
be delivered during the last classes of the term.

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Week 14 of 15
Textbook Reading: Chapter 16 (The Job Search)
Possible Assignments: You should expect that students will be scrambling to complete
their formal reports this week, for they are due the next week. A good topic for this
period is the chapter on job letters and resumes. You can focus on any or all of the skills
covered in the chapter: job letters, resumes, interviews, follow-up letters, and
negotiations. All are included in the assignment section. Coming as it does at the end of
the course, this topic brings together diverse communication skills emphasized
throughout the course.

Week 15 of 15
Textbook Reading: None
Possible Assignments: Brief oral presentations will be given in class this week. Lasting
about five minutes, these speeches cover highlights of the formal reports and should be
delivered as if the audience members were the same as for the written report. At the end
of the week, you will hand back the graded formal reports. Another option is to return the
formal reports during the final exam.

Final Exam
Your final exam might include (1) a short form such as those introduced in chapters 6, 7,
and 8 and (2) an editing exercise such as those in Chapter 17 or the Handbook. For the
short form, assign a case study from M-Global--either one of the textbook assignments
not yet covered in your course or a case you have developed while working with the
textbook. Consider handing out the case ahead of time and allowing students to come to
class with an outline for writing the draft. In this way, you give them the chance to use
the entire writing process, while still testing their ability to write under time constraints
and without help.

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Ten-Week Syllabus

Week 1 of 10
Textbook Reading: Chapter 1 (Technical Communication and the Workplace) and
Chapter 17 (Style in Technical Writing)
Possible Assignments: Rather than assigning a graded paper this first week, you might
want to spend all your time giving students a thorough grounding in the workplace
writing. For this purpose, you can use the exercises at the end of Chapter 1. If, instead,
you want to assign writing samples this first week, have students write you a
memorandum on their own background. Possible topics include (1) academic major, (2)
career goals, (3) current or recent jobs, and (4) on-the-job writing experience. In the first
chapter, students are introduced to the M-Global case that provides the context for many
of the sample documents and assignments throughout the book.
By also assigning Chapter 17, you give students concrete examples of technical
communication style. Discussing clear-cut issues like conciseness and accuracy will
show them the flavor of workplace communication. A discussion of style also builds their
confidence as you prepare to move into more difficult topics, such as principles of
organization.

Week 2 of 10
Textbook Reading: (Process in Technical Communication) and Chapter 3 (Collaboration
and Writing)
Possible Assignments:
This week has two objectives. First, students are asked to discuss or write about elements
of the writing process. Second, students learn how to work in project teams, a common
practice in organizations like M-Global. Assignments in Chapter 2 emphasize workplace
writing. Assignments in Chapter 3 encourage students to examine their previous
experiences with team projects.

Week 3 of 10
Textbook Reading Chapter 4 (Organizing Information) and Chapter 5 (Document
Design)
Possible Assignments: Students learn the basics of organizing information. Assignments
in Chapter 4 ask them to analyze examples from M-Global and write some document
sections, such as summaries. Students can also practice document design in short
documents.

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Week 4 of 10
Textbook Reading: : Chapter 6 (Correspondence) and Chapter 10 (Formatting Reports
and Proposals)
Possible Assignments: These chapters introduce the most common forms of workplace
documents. Students can practice essential elemens of workplace writing, such as
audience analysis and organization in the correspondence discussed in Chapter 6. They
can then begin to apply those principles to the more complex documents introduced in
Chapter 10.

Week 5 of 10
Textbook Reading: Chapter 9 (Technical Research) and Chapter 11 (Reports for
Information and Analysis)
Possible Assignments: These two chapters should be covered in either the same or
adjacent weeks, so that students can begin the process of writing a report of research. (Of
course, at the beginning of the quarter you will have mentioned the project and perhaps
started students thinking about their report topics. You even may have approved their
topics by this point.)
The week’s main written assignment can be an ungraded short memo to you in
which the student (1) suggests several topics for the formal report, possibly taken from
the suggestions at the end of Chapter 11, and (2) offers a research strategy for finding
information, especially if the report is library based. If time allows, this week can include
a guided visit to the library in which students focus on resources for technical
communication.

Week 6 of 10
Textbook Reading: Chapter 13 (Graphics) and Chapter 11 (Web Pages and Writing for
the Web)
Possible Assignments: Introducing Web basics as well as graphics at this point in the
quarter means that students will have some essential tools to use in the remainder of the
course. If you choose to require a separate graphics or Web project, consider the
assignments at the ends of the chapters. Also, graphics can be incorporated into virtually
every communication assignment, and Web research can be used for many projects.

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Week 7 of 10
Textbook Reading: Chapter 7 (Definitions and Descriptions) and Chapter 8 (Process
Explanations and Instructions)
Possible Assignments: Chapters 7 and 8 cover common genres that make up technical
documents. For a main assignment, you can require a short report that emphasizes one or
more of these patterns. Because students have already studied Chapters 10 and 11, they
will be prepared to place assignments at the ends of Chapter 7 and 8 into the reports.
These assignments can also serve as case studies to be analyzed outside of class and then
discussed in class sessions. As with other case studies—especially those with M-
Global—consider asking students to split into groups for collaborative analysis of the
case, followed by a brief oral report from each group to the rest of the class.

Week 8 of 10
Textbook Reading: Chapter 12 (Proposals and White Papers)
Possible Assignments: Chapter 12 includes material for another short paper or two, or
you may choose to assign a proposal or white paper instead of a major report. In that
case, assignments at the end of the chapter provide an excellent context for such informal
papers. Also, you could make a proposal or white paper an alternative assignment for the
formal report; in this case, consider assigning the chapter earlier in the term and then
using one of the options listed for projects at the end of the chapter.

Week 9 of 10
Textbook Reading: Chapter 14 (Presentations) and the Handbook
Possible Assignments: This chapter prepares students for the oral presentation they will
give in class during the last week of the course. The oral presentation is most successful
when it is (1) based on a formal report or formal proposal assigned in the course, (2)
delivered after the written project is submitted, and (3) placed in the context of a real or
simulated organization, such as M-Global, Inc.
The ninth week is also a good time to work on final editing of the long report.
After assigning readings in the Handbook, you could have students edit their last drafts in
class or complete a peer editing exercise. Another option is to assign the Handbook
exercises on grammar, mechanics, and usage.

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Week 10 of 10
Textbook Reading: Chapter 16 (The Job Search)
Possible Assignments: This last week can be devoted to delivering the short oral
presentations, which are based on the formal report or proposal. Also, the formal report
or proposal should be submitted at the beginning of the week or the end of the previous
week.
If time allows, this final week can be used to cover steps in the job search--
especially writing the letter and resume. This material serves as an appropriate
culmination to a quarter that has focused on the working world symbolized by M-Global.

Final Exam
The final exam in a ten-week term can follow the same pattern as that described earlier
for a fifteen-week term. Include (1) a short form such as those introduced in chapters 5, 6,
and 7 and (2) an editing exercise such as those in Chapter 17 or the Handbook. For the
short form, assign a case study from M-Global—either one of the textbook assignments
not yet covered in your course or a case you have developed while using the textbook.
Consider handing out the case ahead of time and allowing students to come to class with
an outline for writing the draft. In this way, you give them the chance to engage the entire
writing process, while still testing their ability to write under time constraints.

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PART 2: CHAPTER SUMMARIES

This section gives you a brief overview and teaching suggestions for each chapter. The
overviews offer enough information to use as you are planning a syllabus. The teaching
suggestions can be best used as you are preparing to cover a particular chapter during the term.
For more specific recommendations on exercises, see the fifteen-week and ten-week syllabi in
the previous section.

Note that each chapter of the book includes two features that aim to increase
opportunities for collaborative work in class:
1. “Collaboration at Work,” which gets students involved in a simple collaborative exercise

related to chapter topics even before they read the chapter text.
2. “Communication Challenge,” which provides an engaging case at the end of the chapter

that’s more complex than the Collaboration at Work at the outset. Each “Challenge” presents
a situation directly related to chapter content-- involving ethical issues, communication
dilemmas, or both.

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Chapter 1: Technical Communication in the Workplace

Overview
This textbook focuses on both the process of technical communication and the final

product. Chapter 1 assumes that students have little or no knowledge of technical
communication. It highlights differences between the kind of academic writing they do in many
college courses, on the one hand, and the career-oriented writing they will do in your course and
in their careers, on the other. This chapter also introduces the most distinctive feature of this
textbook: the fictional firm of M-Global, Inc. Students are given reasons for the company being
used--that is, to provide a unified context to the text’s models and assignments and to show that
most career positions depend on good communication skills. The chapter also (1) discusses parts
of the M-Global corporate culture and features of the current interest in quality improvement; (2)
introduces issues related to international communication and ethics in communication, (3) gives
details about the company’s history, range of projects, and corporate office; and (4) lists specific
examples of the kinds of writing sent to readers both inside and outside the firm.

Chapter 1, therefore, gives students (1) rhetorical background for their work in your
course and (2) a context to which their documents can respond.
Teaching Suggestions

Students in introductory technical communication courses often are unfamiliar with the
field. Although they are familiar with the kinds of writing assigned in their courses, they may be
unfamiliar with the kinds of writing they will be expected to create in the workplace. Technical
Communication addresses this dilemma by condensing the basics of technical communication
into the first chapter, while making reference to other chapters that contain more detail. Thus
Chapter 1 is compact enough to be covered in the first full week of classes. If you wish to extend
the discussion of topics such as editing and technical research, you can assign Chapter 17 (Style
in Technical Writing), Chapter 9 (Technical Research), or the Handbook on grammar and
mechanics.

This chapter gives students a brief introduction to the company that they will encounter
throughout the text. As suggested in the sample syllabi in the previous section, the chapter
should be assigned early in the term. In discussing the company in class, you might want to ask
students questions like these: How does M-Global compare to their vision of a wide-ranging
technical organization? Given their career interests, how might they fit into a company like M-
Global? What communication problems do they think would exist at the company? The
“Communication Challenge” section provides a case study for class discussion of ethical and
linguistic problems at a global company.

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Besides giving students an introduction to M-Global, Chapter 1 can serve as a reference
when they are writing assignments later in the term. Information in the chapter gives them the
opportunity to build cases of their own, using details about company projects and employees.
Indeed, you might want to ask each student to create an M-Global case problem that he or she
then must respond to with an appropriate document. You’ll find that cases are much easier to
introduce when students use one company consistently throughout the course.

As with other chapters, Chapter 1 is designed to give students variety in their homework
readings and in class work. Class sessions could focus on these activities:

• Comparing the examples of academic and technical communication provided in the text
• Discussing the sample documents in the chapter
• Using the lists of types of technical communication as a springboard for discussing

examples that students may have from their own experience
• Using the “Collaboration at Work” and “Communication Challenge” sections to generate

class discussion.
As with later chapters, assignments at the end of the chapter can be used for discussion or for
writing.

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Chapter 2: Process in Technical Communication

Overview
Chapter 2 reviews the rhetorical elements of writing—audience, purpose, and subject

matter and it places the elements in the context of workplace writing. Chapter 2 moves step by
step through the following stages of the writing process: discovering purpose, analyzing the
audience, collecting information, writing an outline, writing drafts, and revising prose. It
introduces the mechanics of planning assignments for the technical communication course, with
special reference to the Planning Form students can use on assignments throughout the course.

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Teaching Suggestions
Chapter 2 may serve as a review of the writing process for students who have already

taken a composition course, but it also identifies important differences in the process in a
workplace setting. Students should understand the purposes for writing—to help others complete
tasks or make decisions. Compare what they have learned about audience in other writing classes
with the specific audience analysis in this chapter.

The Communication Challenge gives students a specific problem to address in writing to
a specific audience. Assign the Planning Form and a Reflective Memo with all major
assignments in the class.

Using the Planning Form
You can give students copies of the Planning Form that is included in Part 3 of this

Instructor’s Manual, or students may download the Planning Form from the Companion Website
for Technical Communication: A Practical Approach at www.pearsonhighered.com/pfeiffer.

You can introduce students to the Planning Form by using it in class to analyze the
context in which sample documents were written. It can also be used to guide discussions of the
Communication Challenges at the end of each chapter and of the cases on the Companion
Website. To encourage students to write reflectively, you can ask them to turn in a Planning
Form and a reflective cover memo with each of their major assignments.

Reflective Cover Memos
Because the context for workplace writing is new to most students, they benefit from

activities that encourage them to reflect on the context for workplace writing. When you assign
major writing assignments, consider asking students to include a cover memo, addressed to you,
that discusses the choice they have made in planning, writing, and revising their documents. Ask
for headings that match the sections of the Planning Form: Purpose, Audience, and Document.
You may also ask for other sections, such as Problems or Ethical Considerations. In each section
of the memo, students should address the issues that are raised, such as defining purpose and
identifying decision makers. Students should explain how they used the information in their
Planning Form to make choices for the form, content, style, and rhetorical strategies in their
document.

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Chapter 3: Collaboration and Writing

Overview
The ability to work on a team is widely recognized as an important skill in the

professional world. Chapter 3 includes a variety of approaches to working collaboratively and
guidelines for working effectively with others. These guidelines can apply to most team projects,
whether the final product is a document, a service, or a product. The chapter also includes
specific advice for running effective meetings and for cooperation between technical
communicators and subject-matter experts.
Teaching Suggestions

Students and teachers alike have probably experienced unsuccessful group projects. It is
useful to begin this chapter by discussing group project experiences that students have had in the
past. Ask students to consider how the guidelines in the chapter could have made those projects
more successful.

The Communication Challenge presents a fairly well-run meeting, but students can still
identify the issues that are most important to each member of the team. They can examine how
the team members work together to reach a decision, and they can identify the possible pitfalls
the project team might face. Other assignments ask students to share their own group experiences
and to see the importance of clear communication to the success of team projects.

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Chapter 4: Organizing Information

Overview
Chapter 4 expands upon the foundation of the first three chapters by covering ways to

organize information. First, it establishes three main principles of organization: write different
parts of a document for different readers, emphasize beginnings and endings, and repeat key
points when necessary. Then it describes the ABC format by which all technical documents are
organized into three parts: Abstract, Body, and Conclusion. The chapter also covers tips for
organizing document sections and paragraphs.
Teaching Suggestions

This chapter can be taught as a response to the audience analysis information presented in
Chapter 2. That is, students best understand the three principles of organization and the ABC
format when seen in the context of what readers need from a document. In particular, you should
stress the deductive pattern of organization whereby important information is placed at the
beginnings of paragraphs, report sections, and entire documents. This “top-down” strategy
responds directly to the needs of busy, distracted, and impatient readers. Use class time to (1)
review the manner in which the example in the chapter follows this deductive pattern and (2)
discuss the “Collaboration at Work” and “Communication Challenge” cases. Chapter
assignments give students the opportunity to evaluate the degree to which examples follow the
chapter’s guidelines.

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Chapter 5: Document Design

Overview
Chapter 5 gives students the tools to design documents that are attractive to the eye and

present their message with clarity and emphasis. First, it describes ways computers can help
students plan, draft, and revise writing. Emphasis is placed on techniques to avoid computer-
related problems and to produce high-quality documents. Then the chapter shows how white
space, headings, listings, and other means of textual emphasis can help readers locate
information quickly. The last part of the chapter introduces the use of font types and sizes in
designing effective pages.
Teaching Suggestions

Assign this chapter early in the course so students can apply it to all course assignments.
In particular, they will benefit from an early discussion of the importance of headings and
listings in technical writing. Several assignments at the end of the chapter ask students to analyze
the page design of a document or to rewrite a poorly designed document. This work with the
writing of others will help prepare students to apply principles of page design to their own work.

The “Communication Challenge” provides a case study for class discussion, concerning
problems with page design and a format guide at M-Global.

If your campus has a word-processing lab, consider reserving it for a class or two so that
students can get hands-on experience using a computer to design pages.

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Chapter 6: Correspondence

Overview
Chapter 6 covers much ground and can be used in diverse ways in your course. It begins

with a set of ten guidelines that apply both to letters and to memoranda. Then the chapter breaks
into separate sections on the four main purposes of correspondence (positive, negative, neutral,
and sales) as well as memos. Guidelines and models are included for each, along with a separate
set of models for the mechanics of letter format. A discussion of electronic communication gives
students guidelines for using email and other related tools.

Teaching Suggestions
Students like learning that all correspondence flows from one main pattern of

organization. For this reason, make sure to cover the chapter’s first set of general guidelines
before you assign segments on specific types of letters, memos, or e-mail. The models at the end
of the chapter complement these introductory guidelines, and they can be the basis for your first
class discussion on the chapter.

In choosing parts of this chapter to emphasize, have students practice writing both
positive and negative messages. Two models in the chapter give examples of both types that flow
from the same case study. Consider having your students complete this same sort of exercise, as
practice in adjusting tone and structure to the message being delivered. The Communication
Challenge makes students aware of the importance of managing e-mail in a workplace setting,
and it poses an ethical challenge. Students must decide not only how a company should deal
appropriately with internal e-mail, but how to communicate (possibly a negative message) to a
supervisor.

You may want students to use the letterhead in this manual and on the Companion
Website for their assignments. Using the M-Global logo makes the M-Global context even more
realistic to your students.

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Chapter 7: Definitions and Descriptions

Overview
This chapter describes two important elements of technical communication. Definitions

and descriptions usually appear as parts of longer documents, but they may also exist as stand-
alone documents. Students are introduced to several definitions and descriptions as they might be
used in M-Global documents. Some students may find the overlap between definitions and
descriptions confusing. Let them know that the distinction between the two isn’t always clear—
most good descriptions include short definitions.

Teaching Suggestions
Many student writers have difficulty with including specific details in their writing. As

you discuss this chapter, consider pointing out how these techniques can improve academic
writing, as well as workplace writing. The examples and assignments in this chapter encourage
students to understand how important it is to define terms. Consider discussing how issues such
as climate change, biotechnology, and education reform depend on how specific concepts are
being defined. The guidelines for descriptive writing can help students create clearer, more
concrete and detailed texts.

The “Communication Challenge” provides an M-Global case study related to the M-
Global case assignments on the Companion Website. There are questions for class discussion
that emphasize how audience can influence the form and content of definitions. Another option
for class discussion is to have students complete one assignment at the end of the chapter as a
homework exercise, rather than as a graded paper.

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Chapter 8: Process Explanations and Instructions

Overview
Chapter 8 gives special attention to two patterns that appear in many technical

documents. Students are shown both a process explanation and then a set of instructions that
flow from the same case study at M-Global. Then the chapter provides a series of shorter cases
that show both patterns being used in the M-Global project areas of accounting, maintenance,
laboratory work, welding inspections, and marketing. These introductory cases are followed by
the main elements of the chapter: numbered guidelines and annotated models. The chapter also
introduces students to point-of-use instructions, instructions that they may not even be aware of
as they see them every day.

Teaching Suggestions
Because poor instructions are a problem in all fields, the material in this chapter may help

students survive in their jobs. You can either teach the chapter on its own or combine it with a
study of reports in Chapter 11. In either case, students should have the chance to practice
evaluating and writing sets of process descriptions or instructions or both.

Chapter 8 includes numbered guidelines, brief models in the text, and opportunities to
practice the patterns. For class discussion, the models may be particularly helpful. Have students
take a good look at the model that shows conversion of travel instructions narrative to a set of
easy-to-follow steps. Once students see a “before-and-after” example, they will be better able to
produce good models themselves. Also, the “Communication Challenge” case study asks
students to produce process descriptions or instructions related to an M-Global charity project--
building a homeless shelter.

The exercises at the end of the chapter can be used for in-class discussion or for graded
papers. For both process descriptions and instructions, these assignments ask students to (1)
evaluate examples that they themselves gather outside of class, (2) write models in the context of
M-Global or their own school activities, and (3) test a set of instructions. More information about
usability testing is included in Chapter 9.. Both the user test and a team assignment at the end of
the chapter give students the chance to work collaboratively with another member or members of
the class. Indeed, Chapter 8 provides one of the best opportunities in the text for incorporating
team writing into your course.

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Chapter 9: Technical Research

Overview
Chapter 15 gives students tools to conduct technical research in their careers and in your

course. It discusses the entire research process, with emphasis on steps such as getting started on
a research project, examining online resources, using interviews and questionnaires, working in a
library, using borrowed information correctly, selecting and using a documentation system, and
writing research abstracts. The chapter also explains research concepts such as primary and
secondary sources, quantitative and qualitative research, and validity, reliability, credibility,
transferability, and dependability. Much of the research that technical communicators conduct in
their work is qualitative research, so this chapter includes an extended discussion of qualitative
research. The chapter introduces some of the important issues surrounding research with human
subjects, and it explains usability testing, a common project for technical communicators.
Helping to relate the chapter to the rest of the text is a running “case history” in which an M-
Global employee completes the various stages of research covered in the chapter.

Teaching Suggestions
Chapter 9 provides the foundation for Part 4 of Technical Communication: A Practical

Approach. Much workplace research is communicated through reports, proposals, and white
papers. In other words, you may want to assign this chapter concurrent with assigning the formal
report, formal proposal, or white paper. Students will be able to put the chapter’s guidelines to
work right away, rather than seeing them as an abstract process that does not relate to their
immediate needs.

The chapter approaches research from a hands-on perspective, with increased attention
given in the eighth edition to workplace, rather than academic, research. Students are “walked
through” the research process and provided annotated examples from the sources that are cited.
Such instruction is especially useful if students have the opportunity to conduct workplace
research. Students should at least read some examples of workplace research published in
journals like Technical Communication or IEEE Transactions on Communications. If students
have already selected their projects for the formal report, proposal, or white paper, they can
begin work. A productive use of class time is a conversation about the chapter’s
“Communication Challenge,” which suggests discussion topics on the formats and ethical
guidelines that apply to research.

Clearly one of the most important parts of the chapter concerns the process of conducting
research properly. Students are shown how to avoid plagiarism and how to use sources correctly.

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Take them through this process step by step. Show students that if they take pains to complete
this part of the process thoroughly, they will be less likely to commit errors at the drafting stage.

Condensed guidelines for using three common bibliographical systems: MLA, CBE, and
APA are provided in under “Documentation Styles” in the Handbook in Appendix A. These
guidelines provide enough examples to cover the common reference questions that students
encounter in assembling and citing sources. If you want to use another system, supplement the
chapter with a handout of guidelines and bibliographical examples or refer students to Web
resources.

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Chapter 10: Formatting Reports and Proposals

Overview
In the eighth edition, Technical Communication: A Practical Approach presents

guidelines for formatting complex documents in Chapter 10 and for developing complex
information for specific purposes in Chapter 11.Although this separation of form and content
may seem arbitrary, it reflects the reality of workplace writing. Proposals and many kinds of
reports can be written as short, informal documents or as longer, formal documents. While the
choice of informal or formal document format may be based on the type of report—on its content
or purpose, that choice is often determined by the larger context for which the document is
written. Formal reports might be written for internal audiences; informal reports may be written
for external audiences. This chapter provides guidelines to help students decide when to format
documents as letters or memos and when to format them as longer documents with tables of
contents, executive summaries, and so on.

After providing brief descriptions of the informal and formal document format, the
chapter illustrates each format with M-Global case studies. Then it shows how various sections
of complex documents fit within the ABC (Abstract/ Body/ Conclusion) format used throughout
the book. General guidelines are offered for informal reports, and specific guidelines are given
for each of the following nine parts of formal reports: cover/title page, letter/memo of
transmittal, table of contents, list of illustrations, executive summary, introduction, discussion
sections, and conclusions and recommendations, and end material. The chapter includes a model
informal report and a model informal proposal. The chapter ends with a complete, annotated
environmental report.
Teaching Suggestions

This chapter gives the tools you need to incorporate informal and formal into your
course. This chapter offers general ABC formats for informal and formal documents. Guidelines
for the ABC formats that organize information in specific types of reports and in proposals are
discussed in Chapter 11 and Chapter 12.

You may decide that you don’t have time in the semester to assign a lengthy formal
report or proposal. If that is the case, this chapter offers clear guidelines and examples for shorter
documents formatted as letters or memos.

If you assign a long project, be sure to spend time explaining its importance to your
students’ careers. Point out that, like M-Global, many firms rely on formal reports and proposals
for their livelihood, communicating with clients about a variety of projects. Besides showing
students how to manage a long format, this project teaches students to respond to a complex,

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mixed audience. A long project requires solid planning and organizational ability (as well as
research skills if the paper flows from information collected from libraries and other sources).
Take a few minutes to stress the relevance of the assignment to your students’ careers.

In discussing the rules for formal reports, work back and forth between the guidelines
for each main section of the formal report and the annotated examples. Students need to see
guidelines in action before they can apply them to their own reports. You would do well not to
make too many exceptions to guidelines in the text. Just as working professionals like to have
in-house style guides for reference, most students like to know that they can turn to their
textbook for the right answers while they are writing.

The hardest part of assigning formal reports is the process of selecting assignments that
will sustain students throughout the term. Chapter 11 introduces specific types of reports, with
many examples and assignments. Students should use the information in Chapter 10 and Chapter
11 to help them choose a subject for their report. Whichever one they use, plan to meet with
students individually to help them through the process of selecting an appropriate topic. Also,
require them to submit the Planning Form before they proceed with the project. Finally, consider
using the chapter’s “Communication Challenge,” which will generate discussion on some ethical
and procedural issues regarding on-the-job reports.

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Chapter 11: Reports for Information and Analysis

Overview
For most technical writing courses, this chapter will be pivotal. It introduces students to

four types of informative reports that are common in many workplaces—activity reports,
progress reports, regulatory reports, and lab reports. Employees in technical and medical fields
are often surprised by how many regulatory reports they write, so it is worth spending some time
in class discussing this kind of writing. The chapter then introduces students to four common
analytical reports—problem analyses, recommendation reports, feasibility studies, and
equipment evaluations. Such short reports are the backbone of technical writing in many
organizations. The discussion of each type of report includes a description of the report, an ABC
format for organizing the information in each report, and an M-Global case study.

Teaching Suggestions
The syllabi in this manual suggest you assign Chapter 8 about halfway through the term,

so that students have learned the smaller elements that make up complex documents like reports
and proposals. By doing this, students have a foundation of audience analysis, document design,
and writing short documents before they tackle more complex reports and proposals.

Another alternative is to assign Chapter 10 and Chapter 11 piecemeal throughout the
term. Chapter sections on the informative and analytical report types are distinct enough to be
assigned separately. In this case, start students with an activity report or lab report, since both
types are “objective” and sometimes required in technical courses your students may be taking.
Then shift to more difficult formats such as recommendation reports and equipment evaluations,
which may require persuasive strategies. You might want to pair assignments in this chapter with
a discussion of material in Chapters 7 and 8 on important genres of technical communication that
often appear in reports and proposals.

To promote class discussion, consider assigning the “Communication Challenge” at the
end of the chapter. It examines ethical considerations of a particular engineering study and
accompanying report, which were done for a “discount.”

One format covered in this chapter—the progress report—can be assigned in the context
of a formal report or formal proposal (see Chapters 10 and 12). Students can submit a progress
report concerning their work on a major writing project. In this way, you will get a short report
from them as well as information about their progress on a major project.

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Chapter 12: Proposals and White Papers

Overview
Once they enter their professions, most graduates have to write persuasively. Chapter 12

responds to this need by devoting a complete chapter to two persuasive documents, proposals
and white papers. The discussion of proposals is divided into unsolicited proposals and solicited
proposals. These kinds of proposals are an important vehicle for change in organizations, as well
as a major source of business in many industries. The chapter also discusses grant proposals.
Grants proposals are written to seek support for research, as well as support for nonprofit
organizations. Finally, the chapter introduces students to white papers. Although the term “white
paper” originally indicated an unbiased document (and in the context of government agencies, it
may still have that connotation), in business and industry, white papers now generally refer to a
very specific kind of marketing document. Each section of the chapter describes the type of
document, provides guidelines and an ABC format for the document, and then offers a case
study. Annotated models at the end of the chapter show how the writing guidelines work in
practice.

Teaching Suggestions
Chapter 12 can be used in several ways. First, you can simply discuss the model

documents and assignments in the chapter. Second, you can focus more heavily on persuasive
writing by assigning a formal proposal (perhaps instead of a formal report). Both the formal
report and formal proposal (1) teach students to organize the long form, (2) allow opportunities
for research, and (3) provide you with a long-term project that can be the subject for several
assignments throughout the term (for example, sales letters, progress reports, oral presentations,
and the final project are all possibilities).

If you want to include a service learning component in your class, this chapter provides a
good foundation for that kind of work. Students can work with nonprofit organizations to
research and develop materials for grant proposals or reports to granting agencies. While
students may not have the expertise to research and write grant proposals themselves, they can
learn from observing and participating in the grant writing process in organizations. Consider
looking around your campus for speakers who can talk to your students about their own grant
writing experiences. Science, art, and education faculty often have experience with grant writing,
and many schools have someone who helps faculty and staff write grant proposals.

Although white papers may be new to your students, they are the document most like
academic research papers. Organizations often use white papers to publish research that has led

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to new procedures or product. If you do not want to spend a great deal of time with the
formatting issues discussed in Chapter 10, consider assigning a white paper, since white papers
are generally formatted like papers or articles.

Your work with Chapter 12 might also include class discussion of the “Communication
Challenge.” It examines ethical, rhetorical, and procedural implications of an M-Global proposal
to an international client.

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Chapter 13: Graphics

Overview
Chapter 13 begins the fourth section of the text. Designed to be read by itself or in

conjunction with other chapters, it gives students basic information for producing good graphics.
The first two sections define common terms and describe main reasons and techniques for using
graphics. Following this section are guidelines that apply to all graphics—such as rules for
placement of graphics with respect to text. Then the bulk of the chapter gives guidelines and
models for the following specific graphics: tables, pie charts, bar charts, line graphs, flowcharts,
organization charts, technical drawings, photographs, and screen captures. The final section
shows how graphics can be misused.

Teaching Suggestions
Graphics rarely exist in isolation from text. Therefore, this chapter is best taught in

association with one or more of the writing chapters. Students should begin thinking about tables
and figures while they are developing a writing project, rather than after the text has been
written. One technique that encourages this kind of learning is the use of storyboards. Each
member of a writing team develops both key sentences and an illustration for each part of a
writing project. Graphics will become part and parcel of the final document because, from the
start of the writing process, students will have seen them as immediate support for text.

While not exclusively intended as a “how-to” for graphics, much of this chapter is written
to prepare students to make illustrations. In class, you might want to focus on (1) general
guidelines for writing that begin the chapter, (2) specific guidelines for creating the graphics you
choose to emphasize in your course, (3) the manner in which the models in the chapter help
reveal data, and (4) ways in which graphics can confuse or mislead readers.

On this last point, the end of the chapter includes a section on the misuse of graphics. Ask
students to bring in examples of graphics that either succeed or do not succeed in conveying the
writer’s intent. Have them give specific reasons for the success or failure of the graphics. You
also might use peer critiques by having each student prepare a graphic that is evaluated by one or
more classmates during a workshop session. In this way, the student gets additional feedback on
graphics before they are graded by you. Finally, the chapter’s “Communication Challenge” gives
students data to evaluate ethical and design issues related to graphics for an M-Global annual
report. It can prompt some engaging class discussion.

In the ideal world, we could simply explain the importance of graphics and then expect
students to use them. In the real world of teaching, many students will not use graphics unless

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told to do so. You may need to “force” the issue by requiring a certain number of graphics on
specific assignments. For example, short reports may require one or two, whereas long reports
and proposals could require three to five. Then in the process of helping students prepare drafts
of assignments, you might ask to see preliminary graphics before final copy is actually produced.

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Chapter 14: Web Pages and Writing for the Web

Overview
Chapter 14 provides a comprehensive overview of the Web development process and can

be used for both analysis and basic development of a Web project. It addresses the variety of
roles, skills, resources, and technical aspects required in developing Web project. This chapter
discusses some of the complexities of how Web pages are read by users and how the writing
tasks differ. The five-phase process of Web development is described, along with a set of useful
tools and tasks for each phase of work. Screenshots are used to illustrate concepts visually for
students, and a series of worksheets is provided as a practical tool for analysis and development.

Teaching Suggestions
This chapter provides a wide variety of useful tools and examples to understand the

complexities of Web sites and methods used to develop basic Web projects. It provides a broad,
yet basic, level of technical knowledge required to analyze sites and develop projects. Examples,
worksheets, and exercises are provided to illustrate concepts and to guide students through the
work of analysis and development step-by-step.

One complexity in teaching Web design deals with the uneven level of technical
knowledge of any class and instructor. When teaching this chapter, use a divide-and-conquer
approach to walk students through each step in the process, which should help alleviate some
concerns about its complexity. Use the tables and worksheets to break analysis and development
tasks into a series of exercises. Most students are experienced Web browsers, so enlist them in
providing examples they’ve found on the Web to encourage learning and application of key
concepts and methods.

As with any single source on Web development, it usually leads to others, depending on
the skill set a student wants to develop, such as graphic design, scripting languages, user testing,
and so on, as well as the scope of the project. Larger and more complex projects will require the
use of supplementary resources and materials, since those projects require more complex
features and have higher budgets. There’s usually some aspect or skill of Web development that
interests every student, so encourage them to seek more knowledge. For example, have students
select one aspect or skill of the process and research a list of useful books, Web sites, and
materials on the subject. Then they can share information with the rest of the class by developing
an informal presentation, demonstration, or informative handout.

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Chapter 15: Presentations

Overview
Students may be unaware of the importance of presentations in technical communication.

The chapter starts by listing major ways that presentations contribute to the career goals of your
students. The second and third sections give guidelines each for delivering presentations and
using speech graphics. The fourth section introduces students to poster presentations. Research
poster sessions started in science and engineering, but they are rapidly being adopted in a wide
range of fields. The Council on Undergraduate Research offers opportunities for students to
present posters at a national conference. Following these suggestions is a discussion of practical
ways to reduce nervousness before making a presentation. Completing the chapter is the text of a
presentation, along with graphics.

Teaching Suggestions
Few instructors question the importance of oral presentations; yet many have trouble

fitting the topic into a writing course. The approach suggested in course syllabi in the previous
section is that you assign one formal presentation. For maximum benefit, this speech should (1)
relate to a major writing assignment in the course, (2) require the use of presentation graphics,
and (3) be directed to the simulated audience to whom the written report is addressed. That is,
the speech should flow naturally from other requirements of the course, just as on-the-job
presentations often are closely linked with writing tasks.

You may need to make compromises to fit a major presentation into your class. Consider
assigning a four- to six-minute speech so that five or six students can give their presentations in
one class session. Each speech should be preceded by a half-minute “set-up” in which the
speaker explains what role the class will play and what role the speaker is assuming. (For
example, the class may be officials at the Environmental Protection Agency, who are listening to
the proposal presentation of an M-Global environmental scientist.) If time permits, add a brief
question-and-answer session at the end of each presentation.

There is another way to make the best use of class time for presentations--and to ensure
that the entire class takes this part of the term seriously. Have each person in the class complete a
written evaluation of every other person’s presentation. The mechanics of this process are really
rather simple. Either develop a form you distribute to the class, or have them write one-
paragraph evaluations based on the criteria in the text. The summary or form can be completed
and then submitted to you a minute or two after the presentation. It is best to give these peer

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evaluations to the presenter immediately after the class, along with your own written evaluation.
Immediate feedback produces the best chance of change.

You may decide to ask students to participate in a poster session instead of, or in addition
to, a classroom presentation. Students in engineering and science will especially benefit from this
experience. Some universities host poster sessions on campus, or you may find poster sessions at
local or regional conferences. Another option is to contact your local chapter of the Society for
Technical Communication, or a similar organization, and offer to bring a poster session to one of
their meetings. Professional chapters often welcome these events, and students get the benefit of
talking to practitioners about their research.

Another class activity can involve the chapter’s “Communication Challenge.” This
section, which presents an M-Global case study, offers for discussion several ethical issues
related to presentations made to professional conferences and associations

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Chapter 16: The Job Search

Overview
This chapter covers all stages of the job-search process. First, it shows students how to

locate information on fields of interest and on particular organizations where they may want to
work. Then it provides guidelines and many models of letters and resumes. Finally, the chapter
offers pointers for preparing for, and performing in, a personal interview for a job.

Teaching Suggestions
As indicated on the sample syllabi, this chapter is best taught at the end of the course

when students are putting finishing touches on their final projects. At this point in the term, they
are well acquainted with the real world of M-Global and, by extension, with other firms that
operate like M-Global. Also, they will have been introduced to general principles of letter
writing stressed in Chapter 6 (Letters, Memos, and Electronic Communication). You may ask
them to design a job search around a possible opening that would be available at M-Global. They
could even use a role that they have assumed in other projects during the quarter.

Another approach is to have students respond to an actual job ad listed on a site such as
Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com. If time permits, have them complete the next step of the job
search by practicing interviewing. An assignment at the end of the chapter presents a role-
playing exercise in which each student can pair up with a classmate and practice the actual
interview.

If instead you want students to analyze a case study rather than write a job package, use
the chapter’s “Communication Challenge” as a starting point. It presents details about a
particular job applicant at M-Global and asks students to recommend strategies for a job letter,
resume, and interview.

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Chapter 17: Style in Technical Writing and Handbook

Overview
Chapter 17 addresses matters of style in technical communication, while the Handbook

provides guidelines for grammar, mechanics, and usage. Chapter 17 covers issues such as tone,
conciseness, accuracy in wording, active and passive voices, and avoiding discriminatory
language. It also offers suggestions for the structure of individual sentences. Furthermore, it
introduces students to two “official” styles that they may encounter in the workplace: Plain
English and Simplified (or Internationalized) English. The Handbook deals with specific
problems in grammar, mechanics, and usage that frequently occur. Arranged alphabetically, it
intends to provide students with a quick reference guide for editing their papers.

Teaching Suggestions
The sample syllabi in this manual suggest that Chapter 17 can be assigned early in the

quarter. This approach provides students with a smooth transition between basic composition
courses and their current technical communication course. They will see that many of the same
stylistic guidelines apply to both types of writing. The many exercises at the end of the chapter
can be used as homework or in-class practice in editing.

The Handbook is most useful as a reference tool throughout the course. Students should
use it regularly as they complete final drafts of their papers or correct errors that you may have
marked on papers that were already graded. Like Chapter 17, the Handbook includes several
exercises that can be discussed when you have opportunities throughout the term.

The “Communication Challenge” in Chapter 17 presents a case study about a technical
editor at M-Global. Class discussion can focus on issues such as the rationale for certain editorial
changes, the effect of audience on editing decisions, and strategies for conveying editorial
suggestions to writers.

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Chapter 17 Editing Revisions
Exercise 1: Conciseness (Abstract Words)

a. Members of the M-Global corporate staff verified the agreement by signing the contract.
b. The inspectors said they observed the site on July 16, 2005.
c. They would negotiate the contract on the day after they arrived.
d. After three hours of discussion, the branch managers agreed to write a new mission

statement in the next fiscal year.
e. The firm’s progress will be assessed during the annual meeting of the M-Global Board of

Directors.
f. The entire company agreed it was inappropriate to classify employees by level of

education.
g. The final report documented the results of the lab test.
h. Unlike last year, this year the stock dividends will be disbursed after the annual meeting.
i. In analyzing the manager’s style, outside evaluators determined that she had problems

delegating authority.
j. The financial statement showed that annual revenues had been computed properly.

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Chapter 17 Editing Revisions
Exercise 2: Conciseness (Wordy Phrases and Long Words)

a. Finally, we decided to place the new pumping station near the old one.
b. Before starting the project, they met to rank their goals.
c. Trying to complete the study on time, Sheila immediately moved the supplies from the

field to the M-Global lab.
d. During his career, he planned to use the experience he had gained in the ambulance

business.
e. His work with the firm ended because he took a job with a competing firm.
f. If two clients need a crew in Austin next week, we can consider using the same crew for

both clients and thus lowering travel costs for both.
g. Jim McDuff did not know that younger and older employees felt differently about

expanding their office building.
h. To carry out the Phoenix asbestos project, we adjusted the workload of two engineers so

they could work on the job.
i. After his announcement, he held a news conference for about an hour.
j. At this point, she hoped her annual bonus would give her family the chance to take

another vacation.

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Chapter 17 Editing Revisions
Exercise 3: Conciseness (Clichés and “There are/It is”)

a. Because the issue had been discussed repeatedly for ten years, they did not want to
include it in the current study.

b. Many examples of high equipment costs affect the final budget for a project.
c. Most M-Global employees believe the company acted wisely by adding international

offices.
d. Clearly, Karen is looking forward to the three-week vacation.
e. She explained to her staff that they must decrease their labor costs.
f. The prospective client asked for a cost estimate for the project.
g. Lastly, he wanted to emphasize quality control in his speech.
h. Today, college graduates should take new approaches to the job search.
i. In concluding the meeting, Susan noted that many solutions could be explored to help

new departments coexist.
j. Our boss ended the meeting about a profit loss by noting we all have the same problem.

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