The Handbook of Technical Writing, Sixth Edition (Handbook of Technical Writing Practices) (Hardcover)

by Gerald J. Alred (Author), Charles T. Brusaw (Author), Walter E. Oliu (Author) "A and an are indefinite articles; "indefinite" implies that the noun designated by the article is not a specific person, place, or thing, but is..." (more)
Key Phrases: Writer's Checklist, New York, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I love the accessibility, brevity of entries, and layout of this book. Many of my students keep the text long after the course is over to have a handy and accurate reference on the shelf at work.”
--Nancy Schneider, University of Maine – Augusta

“I have found this book to be an excellent resource for finding answers to a variety of technical writing questions both simply and quickly. The wide range of topics covered also makes the handbook useful as a general reference across many disciplines.”
--Cynthia Raisor, Texas A&M University

“This handbook has kept up with the increasing focus on technology and electronic research and with the typical components of a variety of professional documents. Once students discover this book’s usefulness, they consult it in conjunction with every writing assignment, saving me time and encouraging them to participate more fully in their own learning.”
--Karen Welch, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire

“I choose the Handbook of Technical Writing because I want students to have a single, reliable, versatile and broad-ranging text that will serve them well in a variety of circumstances.”
--Ralph Batie, Oregon Institute of Technology

“The Handbook of Technical Writing is written clearly and the information in it is accessible. It’s a valuable companion in any technical writing classroom.”
--Natalie D. Segal, University of Hartford

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description
The definitive technical writing reference in an updated sixth edition. This comprehensive resource-alphabetically arranged for quick reference-provides guidance on the writing process, in-depth treatment of grammar and usage, abundant real-world examples of technical writing, and up-to-date coverage of technology.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 720 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; Revised edition (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312254962
• ISBN-13: 978-0312254964
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,174,934 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable, May 12, 2003

By	Todd Hawley (San Francisco CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Handbook of Technical Writing, Seventh Edition (Hardcover)

As a technical writer, I've found this book to be just that. While it definitely is not a "how to write technical manuals" type of book, the topics and material covered make it well worth having on any writer's bookshelf. And in this latest edition, not only have the editors done another great job, the book's page layout is wonderful. In previous editions, all text and type was in black. In this edition, headings, paragraph titles and diagrams are framed in blue. This seemingly minor change makes the book's material easier to read and refer to.

The book continues to have extensive information about writing-related topics. Everything from proper grammar, to writing reports, to interviewing subject matter experts, how to do Internet research for a writing project, writing newsletters and/or abstracts, interviewing for a job and interviewing a subject matter expert for more information about a subject, writing proposals, and so forth is covered in this book. There's even a companion web site to the book that provides links to online resources for further information.

The book's preface contains what the editors consider their "Five Steps to Successful Writing," and also a "Checklist of the Writing Process," complete with subsections containing listings for (in order) Preparation, Research, Organization, Writing a Draft, and Revision. In fact, a few of the book's numerous entries contain their own "writer's checklist" of things to do. Some subjects have not only a heading, but cross-references to other pages of related topics. For example, if I was interested in learning how to write a proposal, I could go to that listing, and also find reference information on internal and external proposals. There seems to be at times an endless wealth of information about whatever writing topic you are looking for. This book's main strength obviously is how all the book's material is organized.

This is one book every writer should have. Even though it isn't a "how-to-write" book, it's still a "tools for writing" book. I find myself referring to it often when I'm
working on any kind of writing project.

As with past editions, the book's editors have done a wonderful job with this handbook.

121 of 132 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars There must be better technical writing resources, March 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Handbook of Technical Writing (Handbook of Technical Writing Practices) (Hardcover)

Summary: If you already have an adequate writer's handbook, look elsewhere for advice about technical writing. If you are new both to writing in general and technical writing in particular, you could do worse.

The publisher claims that the handbook "is specifically geared to the art of technical communication". Not so. The majority of information here pertains to all writers--for instance, the explanation of the proper use of italics and discussion of the voice, mood, and tense of verbs. Even the examples are general rather than technically-related: the entry for like/as has the example "She took to architecture as a bird takes to nest building", which it is difficult to imagine finding in a computer manual, progress report, proposal, or even correspondence.

Some readers may find value in the longer entries, such as those about feasibility reports, instructions, process explanation, proposals, and various types of letters. These provide an interesting combination of introduction/recap for these topics. However, some of the longer entries are bewildering--for example, there is an entry about interviewing for a job, the presence of which is difficult to justify, particularly as the discussion is not specific to jobs in technical writing.

Several entries are marked with a symbol that resembles a cross between the European recycling logo and the yin/yang symbol. There is no explanation of the meaning of this symbol... unless the reader happens across the entry for English as a second language (ESL). Ouch.

Although this fifth hardcover edition has a 1997 copyright date, some examples betray the book's earlier origin. The examples of typeface quality (under the entry for word processing) shows a very early laser printer. The text discusses dot matrix, letter-quality, and laser printers-inkjet printers are not mentioned. Similarly, there is no discussion of the writing of software documentation. I was left with the feeling that revision was limited to insertion of new entries (such as the Internet item).

This book is an uneasy compromise between a grammar style guide and a series of short articles on technical writing. I yield to educators to judge whether or not it is suitable for first-year university and college students. My subjective impression is that it does not represent value for money, even for that audience.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Good Handbook for Technical Writing, December 2, 1999

By	W. Hendrick "Biblestudent" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Handbook of Technical Writing (Paperback)

I have the 5th edition of this handbook. It is a very good reference book to keep at your desk. Although I would not recommend this as a text book for technical communication, it is a great reference book for anyone that has to write or create documents at work. It is arranged alphabetically by topic, and has a detailed index. This book makes a good supplement to a text book for a college level technical communication class.