Reporting Technical Information [Paperback]

the late Kenneth W. Houp (Author), Thomas E. Pearsall (Author), Elizabeth Tebeaux (Author), Sam Dragga (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 28, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0195178793 | ISBN-13: 978-0195178791 | Edition: 11

BETTER WRITING AND SUCCESS AT WORK BEGIN IN YOUR CLASSROOM WITH REPORTING TECHNICAL INFORMATION, ELEVENTH EDITION, A CLASSIC TEXT WITH THOROUGHLY CONTEMPORARY CONTENT.

One of the leading texts in technical writing, Reporting Technical Information introduces students to all aspects of effective professional communication, including letters, proposals, progress reports, recommendation reports, research reports, instructions, and oral reports.

FEATURES OF THE ELEVENTH EDITION:

* A fully integrated companion website--www.oup.com/us/houp--that offers:
Additional practical resources for students: chapter overviews, sample writings, self-tests, "current topic" annotated links and additional resources, interactive tutorials, key terms and concepts, downloadable versions of important question checklists from the book, and a collaborative network
Resources for instructors: an Instructor's Manual and downloadable PowerPoint files for use as lecture aids (also available on CD), links to online resources, and writing assignments instructors have shared for "Better Writing--Success at Work"
Three different types of icons throughout the book that direct students to the website for additional resources: sample documents, exercises, and further reading
* New, broader approach that prepares students in a variety of science, health, business, engineering, and technical majors to develop the types of documents they will need to write in their prospective work environments
* Strong focus on the rhetorical nature of writing, helping writers to understand their readers and the contexts in which their documents will be read and used, define their purpose in writing, and design documents using these issues as critical guidelines
* Updated and additional coverage of current technology, including thoroughly revised chapters on document design and usability that take into account web-based documents and platforms
* New opening scenarios for each chapter that demonstrate the impact of technical communication in the real world
* New chapters on content management, versatility and creativity for reports, and using design and format to achieve clarity in documents
* Increased coverage of ethics and international and global workplace issues
* Many new example documents--more than half of the sample documents in the text are new--and more illustrative figures
* More end-of-chapter exercises, including projects that encourage student interaction and collaboration, several of which are linked to an online component on the companion website

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Well laid out text that takes note of rapidly changing technology as well as changes in the business community, especially globalization and the need for business communications that respect cultural differences. Thoroughly up-to-date and also useful to students outside and beyond the classroom."--Margery L. Brown, State University of New York, Farmingdale --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Key Benefit: Any living language is a growing, flexible instrument. Its rules are constantly changing by virtue of the way it is used by its live, independent speakers and writers. Nevertheless, at any point in a language's development, certain conventions of usage are in force, and violating them can brand writers as uneducated and make their communications difficult to interpret. With a clear, readable style, this book discusses every major aspect of technical writing. Additionally, as electronic technology becomes more widely available and continues to dominate the workplace, people have a growing need to understand and work with electronic communication. Key Topics: From report writing to document design, from job hunting to giving oral reports, this book sets the standards for writing and reporting technical information in the workplace. This handy guide explores the world of electronic communication, from e-mail and electronic discussion groups to file transfer protocol (ftp) and World Wide Web sites in the workplace. Market: This is the ideal resource for anyone who has to write any kind of report in their profession, especial those in technical fields. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 11 edition (July 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195178793
• ISBN-13: 978-0195178791
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,787 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Does Not Cover The Full Scope of Technical Writing, November 29, 2007

By 

PNW Reader (Bellevue, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reporting Technical Information (Paperback)

This book was a required text for an introductory Technical Writing course. I would not have purchased it otherwise. The emphasis of the book is on writing standard business reports and does not cover the full scope of modern Technical Writing. (no white papers, no procedural manuals, no scientific articles, etc.)

The book is wordy and poorly organized. Several editing errors were spotted.

I personally feel there are far better references than this for technical writing.

Try:

The Non-Designer's Design Book

Untechnical Writing - How to Write About Technical Subjects and Products So Anyone Can Understand (Untechnical Press Books for Writers Series)

Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications Third Edition

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good guide, if a bit pedantic, October 7, 2008

By 

C. Grimm "Mountain Goddess" (Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reporting Technical Information (Paperback)

This text is being used for my Advanced Business Communications course at a college that has an equal number of traditional and non-traditional students. The information provided in the book is good, but the tone is not appropriate for anyone who has work experience. There are many statements about how "life is different after college". The majority of people taking this course are non-traditionals who are very aware that there is a difference between school and work. Also, considering that the subject matter is communications, there are an inordinate number of grammatical and typographical errors. I would recommend this book to for a course targeted at introductory level business students in a traditional college setting, but not for experienced non-traditional students. I would recommend that the authors place more emphasis on editing their own work in the next edition. Some of the errors make it very difficult to interpret what they are trying to say and slow down the reading process.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful as a textbook & as a daily reference, April 15, 2007

By 

Janice King "Author, "Copywriting That Se... (www.writinghightech.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reporting Technical Information (Paperback)

Although intended as a college-level textbook for technical writing students, many working professionals, both writers and engineers, will find this book useful as well. It provides a sound discussion of fundamental techniques and processes with extensive examples. The chapters on writing, collaboration, writing ethically, and writing for international readers cover topics that are important in business, yet not often covered in textbooks. My only wish is that part 3 included more document types to make this book an even more useful daily reference.