Table of Contents
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
I.ELEMENTS OF TECHNICAL WRITING.
1.Fundamentals of Effective Technical Writing.
What Is Technical Writing?Good Technical Writing Is … .
2.How to
Write Numbers, Units of Measure, Equations, and Symbols.
Numbers.
1. Write Out All Numbers below 10.2. When Two or More Numbers Are
Presented in the Same Section of Writing, Write Them as Numerals.3.
Write Large Numbers in the Form Most Familiar to Your Audience and
Easiest to Understand.4. Place a Hyphen between a Number and Unit
of Measure When They Modify a Noun.5. Use the Singular When
Fractions and Decimals of One or Less Are Used as Adjectives.6.
Write Decimals and Fractions as Numerals, Not Words.7. Treat
Decimal Representations Consistently, Especially When Presenting
Them in Columns, Rows, or Groups.8. Do Not Inflate the Degree of
Accuracy by Writing Decimals with Too Many Digits.9. If a Number Is
an Approximation, Write It Out.10. Spell Out One of Two Numbers --
Usually the Shorter — That Appear Consecutively in a Phrase.11. Do
Not Begin a Sentence with Numerals.Units of Measure.
12. Keep All Units of Measure Consistent.13. Use the Correct Units
for the System of Measurement You Have Chosen.14. Write Basic Units
of Measure in Work Form, Derived Units of Measure as Symbols.15.
Indicate Multiplication of Units with a Raised Dot ( ), Division
with a Slash (/).16. Write Secondary Units in Parentheses after the
Primary Units.Equations.
17. Use Too Few, Rather Than Too Many Equations.18. Center and
Number Equations on a Separate Line in Your Document Unless They
Are Short and Simple.19. Keep All Equal Signs, Division Lines,
Fractions Lines, Multiplication Lines, Plus Signs, and Minus Signs
on the Same Level.20. Punctuate Words Used to Introduce Equations
Just as You Would Words Forming Part of Any Sentence.Symbols.
21. Use Too Few Rather Than Too Many Symbols.22. Define the Symbols
You Use.23. Avoid Duplication of Symbols.24. Fit Symbols
Grammatically into the Structure of Your Sentence.3.A Few Useful
Rules of Punctuation, Grammar, Abbreviation, and
Capitalization.Punctuation.
25. Hyphenate Two Words Compounded to Form an Adjective
Modifier.26. Hyphenate Two Adjacent Nouns if They Are Both
Necessary to Express a Single Idea.27. In a Series of Three or More
Terms with a Single Conjunction, Use a Comma After Each except the
Last.28. Omit the Period at the End of a Parenthetical Expression
within a Sentence; Retain It if the Entire Parenthetical Expression
Stands Alone.Grammar.
29. Avoid Dangling Participles.30. Avoid Run-On Sentences.31. Avoid
Sentence Fragments.Abbreviation.
32. Spell Out Abbreviations at Their First Appearance, and Use Too
Few Rather Than Too Many.33. Omit Internal and Terminal Punctuation
in Abbreviations.34. The Abbreviation for a Specific Word or Phrase
Takes the Same Case (upper case or lower case) as the Word or
Phrase.35. Avoid Using Signs in Writing (" for inch, ' for foot),
except When Expressing Information in Tables.Capitalization.
36. Capitalize Trade Names.37. Do Not Capitalize Words to Emphasize
Their Importance.38. Capitalize the Full Names of Government
Agencies, Companies, Departments, Divisions, and Organizations.39.
Capitalize All the Proper Nouns Unless Usage Has Made Them So
Familiar That They Are No Longer Associated with the Original
Name.4.Principles of Technical Communication.40. Use the Active
Voice.41. Use Plain Rather Than Elegant or Complex Language.42.
Delete Words, Sentences, and Phrases That Do Not Add to Your
Meaning.43. Use Specific and Concrete Terms Rather Than Vague
Generalities.44. Use Terms Your Reader Can Picture.45. Use the Past
Tense to Describe Your Experimental Works and Results.46. In Most
Other Writing, Use the Present Tense.47. Make the Technical Depth
of Your Writing Compatible with the Background of Your Reader.48.
Break Up Your Writing into Short Sections.49. Keep Ideas and
Sentence Structure Parallel.50. Opt for an Informal Rather Than
Formal Style.5.Words and Phrases Commonly Misused in Technical
Writing.Technical Words and Jargon.Big Words.Wordy
Phrases.Redundancies.Cliches.Overblown Phrases.The Rise of
-Ize.Nouns as Adjectives.Misused and Troublesome Words and
Phrases.In Conclusion … .
II.TASKS OF THE TECHNICAL WRITER.
6.Proposals and Specifications.
Proposals.
What Is a Proposal?Specifications.7.Technical Articles, Papers,
Abstracts, and Reports.Technical Articles and
Papers.Abstracts.Reports.8.Letters and Memos.Letters.Memos.Tips on
Writing Letters and Memos.A Words about E-Mail.9.Manuals and
Documentation.Types of Manuals.Guidelines to Help You Write Better
Manuals.Appendix A: Writing in the Systems Environment.Appendix B:
A Brief Guide to Software for Writers.Index.