Book Description
Let’s face it, a lot of technical documentation reads as if it had been translated into English from Venutian by a native speaker of gibberish. Which is annoying for you and expensive for the manufacturer who pays with alienated customers and soaring technical support costs. That’s why good technical writers are in such big demand worldwide. Now, Technical Writing For Dummies arms you with the skills you need to cash in on that demand.
Whether you’re contemplating a career as a technical writer, or you just got tapped for a technical writing project, this friendly guide is your ticket to getting your tech writing skills up to snuff. It shows you step-by-step how to:
- Research and organize information for your documents
- Plan your project in a technical brief
- Fine-tune and polish your writing
- Work collaboratively with your reviewers
- Create great user manuals, awesome abstracts, and more
- Write first-rate electronic documentation
- Write computer- and Web-based training courses
Discover how to write energized technical documents that have the impact you want on your readers. Wordsmith Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts covers all the bases, including:
- All about the red-hot market for technical writing and how to get work as a technical writer
- The ABCs of creating a strong technical document, including preparing a production schedule, brainstorming, outlining, drafting, editing, rewriting, testing, presentation, and more
- Types of technical documents, including user manuals, abstracts, spec sheets, evaluation forms and questionnaires, executive summaries, and presentations
- Writing for the Internet—covers doing research online, creating multimedia documents, developing computer-based training and Web-based training, and writing online help
Combining examples, practical advice, and priceless insider tips on how to write whiz-bang technical documents, Technical Writing For Dummies is an indispensable resource for newcomers to technical writing and pros looking for new ideas to advance their careers.
Customer Reviews:
I guess the clue is in the title.......2006-02-21
I regularly have to write short technical notes, and occasionally contribute to larger manual-writing projects. I am literate but have had no formal training in technical writing. I imagined that this book would serve as a useful tool to improve my skills in this area, and it is certainly advertised as being aimed at beginners and professionals alike.
Unfortunately, it seems to have been written for an absolute beginner; in fact, at times I thought it was written for an eight-year-old child. Near the start of the book, the author recommends that you write your name on it clearly in case the book goes missing. If this is the kind of handy hint that you find useful, then the rest of the book will not disappoint you. Throughout it is written in a condescending, overly chummy manner, as if the author is trying to get a two year old to eat a Brussels sprout. I hope I never have to wade through any technical documents written by her if this is the style she usually employs to get ideas across.
There are sections that are entirely useless and have presumably been added in to pad out the book (the useful points could certainly have been boiled down to a small pamphlet). For example, there is a lengthy chapter on 'using the internet to perform research', which roughly equates to a 'how to use google' guide. Helpful.
Ultimately, this reads like it was written to make a fast buck. I really couldn't recommend it to anyone, unless you actually are an eight-year-old child putting together a manual on building a sand castle, in which case, this book's for you. But even an eight-year-old wouldn't benefit from the bit abuot using the internet...
Well, it's just another book..........2005-01-14
Having been a technical writer for 20+ years, I once again was surprised that someone failed to convey what it's really all about. While it does have some sections that are "worth while," overall, it's just too basic and more in keeping as a college level read. What it boils down to is that 'real technical writing' is a combination of ability, skill, and experience - none of which can really be taught in a book!
Strong on content, but a bit weak in presentation........2003-01-17
As an experienced technical writer already, I bought this book as a general desk reference. It has been a helpful guide when I needed to check something in particular, but I would not use it as a "course textbook" if I was learning the trade.
Generally, the content is excellent - it covers all the basics a novice tech writer needs to know. However, I question the way the content has been organized and presented... it doesn't follow a logical order. There's a section on editing, then a section on brainstorming and figuring out how to start writing, and then later on it swings back to proofreading. Ideally, the information should be presented the same way the writing process generally works: brainstorming, writing the first draft, THEN proofing/editing, and so on.
I also found the short section on "preparing the technical brief" inadequate, considering planning and scoping out requirements is THE most important phase of any documentation project. And for some reason, this information is buried in the "understanding your reader" section, when it should be a separate section all its own (as information about your audience forms only PART of a project plan).
The author has included a few too many personal experiences in this book - understandably she wanted to inject some fun into what could be pretty dry reading material, but her style sometimes comes off as too "cute".
Overall, this book contains a lot of excellent content - the structure and presentation just need to be re-tooled for maximum effectiveness.
Dummy.......2002-11-27
The title of this book should read "The Autobiography of a Technical Writer." Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts' career, although auspicious indeed, is not what I was looking for in a manual. I became so exhausted reading her personal triumphs that I decided not to become a technical writer. The book contains nothing of substance, nor does it give any pertinent information on the realities of skills necessary (less "soft skills")for a junior writer to crack the program-specific job market.
Excellent Introductory Text.......2002-10-25
This book is the best introduction to technical writing I have seen. It utilizes all the skills it teaches, which makes it easy to read and understand. If you are taking a technical writing class at school or college, this is a great book to read before you begin. If you have a technical writing background, this may not be the best text for you, but it is always a good quick reference guide to have on your shelves. Definitely a worthwhile investment.
Book Description
Writing is an invaluable communication skill in almost every aspect of business. Yet so many of us -- though we do it day in and day out -- aren't satisfied with our writing abilities and continue to find it difficult to put words to paper. Business Writing For Dummies comes to the rescue! Equipped with Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts' sage and friendly guidelines and her Six Steps of effective business writing, prepare yourself to be a great business writer!
Customer Reviews:
Not the answers you need.......2002-02-12
Alas, if only it were this simple really. This text purports to offer expert advice on letters, proposals, presentations, and more. It does deliver average tried and true tricks but whether this advice is "expert" is debatable. The information on writing memos and letters provides generally useful advice about white space, headings, and using simpler words.
But the advice provided on more in-depth issues, such as cutting the length of sentences, is limited. For instance, to cut the length of sentences, one is to look for compound sentences (find the conjunctions), and break the sentences into components. More useful advice about collapsing ideas into dependent clauses or eliminating redundancy is not discussed in detail or illustrated.
The advice about using a variety of fonts and boxes could cause inexperienced writers to go astray and litter documents with visual clutter that will distract from the message. Worse is the lack of any real solid advice on using graphs and charts. The examples are cluttered and offer some of the worst elements of visual design such as hard-to-follow legends, pie charts that consume paper and ink but yield little information, and a hopelessly confusing figure. A suggestion to use "a strategically placed red bar" runs counter to business etiquette of remembering that quite a few people suffer from some degree of color blindness.
One of the better parts of the book, Enlightening Letters, does provide easy to adapt examples of simple business letters intended to help solve simple problems. Likewise the chapters on proposals and reports will help the neophyte up to a point.
Still, there is enough OK advice scattered through the book to make it a useful low-level introduction to business writing. Keep in mind that all corporate cultures vary, too, and assessing what is acceptable in your workplace will still be essential. My advice is to keep this book in your desk drawer when needed or read it at home. You'll learn more by examining the work of the seasoned pros down the hall and picking their brains over lunch (and consider picking up the tab).
Of immense practical help to people in business today.......2000-12-01
In writing this dummy's guide to business writing, the author has given us readers the verbal tools with which to build our careers with confidence and competence. It provides expert advice and loads of practical tips on writing effective letters, memos, reports, proposals, presentations and more.
Of special interest are the three whole chapters devoted to writing eloquent e-mails and on using proper Netiquette, subjects not covered in most other books on business writing available in the market today.
This book is actually serves two purposes for it not only provides help on business communications that is applicable to any language, it also is a guide to the correct usage of the English language, of course, with particular reference to business usage. Of immense practical help are the four Appendices on punctuation, grammar, abbreviations and spelling. While English spelling can be quite a headache, the simple rules provided do help you make sense of the numerous variations in English spelling.
This book is highly recommended for people in business today who intend to be the leaders in business tomorrow as it is useful to a spectrum of readers from large company managers to fresh graduates just entering the business world. It has an excellent blend of practical basics, advanced concepts, and skilled insight that will make them better communicators.
Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, MA is a marketing communications specialist, training consultant and author of more than a dozen books.
Among other things, Azlan Adnan, MA is a tutor at Excel Tuition Centre where he teaches English to secondary school students and Business English to adults. He previously taught Business Communications at the School of Management, Royal Holloway College, University of London. He holds a Master's degree in International Business and Management from the Westminster Business School in London. He may be contacted at Tel: +6088-383 526 E-mail: azlan@azlan.org
Very practical, very helpful & easy to use..........2000-10-19
True to its title & carrying name, the book is really made easy - user friendly - for those people who find instructional materials too tedious & boring. The book's layout easily catches the readers' attention by using those brief catch-up tips. It does not only cover the standard letter writing but also electronic etiquettes rather e-tiquette, which most of us often overlook in this modern stage of technology.
I am not saying you quit reading the 'real' instructional brochures/books/materials but this book supports them all -- made easy --- very complementary.
Very Helpful.......2000-09-15
This book has a little bit of everything...business letters, envelopes, thank you letters, press releases, ads, newsletters and more. It doesn't go really deep into any of them, but it gives you the fast food idea of all of them. Very very helpful. I keep it on my desk...you never know what you will have to write.
Follows in the For Dummies Style.......2000-06-26
Business Writing For Dummies is a great source of information, layed out in an easy to use way. It covers everything from business letters to email in a light easy to read manner. My only complaint is that there should be more sample letters to go with each chapter, aside from that, it is useful and never talks down to the reader.
Book Description
Do you wish that you could cut your writing time in half and double the impact? Do you worry that your business communications are fuzzy and ineffective? Do your letters get results or just get recycled?
Add
zing to your writing with Writing Business Letters For Dummies.
Get the secrets of powerful letter writing and sidestep the ten reasons that letters can fail. Communicate with savvy, cut your paper glut, and proofread like a pro. Discover easy, step-by-step methods to craft correspondence that gets results, or try our ready-to-use letters and e-mail messages for all business occasions.
From beginning (how to write an effective e-mail subject line) to end (remember to sign your name), Writing Business Letters For Dummies is your guide to clear, persuasive business letters.
Book Description
Over the past decade, resumes have undergone dramatic changes in how they are submitted to recruiters. Technology advances have redefined the recruiting industry. It started with electronic resumes that had to be “scannable” using OCR software. Then resumes began their frenzied dart across the Internet, where, to assure safe arrival, they came dressed in the pedestrian garb of plain text (ASCII) embodied within e-mail. But now, change is upon us once again. The handsome resume made portable has made its return, and there is an emergence of online screening quizzes that determine whether your resume is accepted by recruiters and employers or buried at the bottom of the pile.
The fourth edition of Resumes For Dummies is for anyone who needs to discover what works and what doesn’t work when representing their work history with a resume. No matter what your experience, set of circumstances, or familiarity with resume writing, this clearly written, up-to-date guide will help you to
- Create a resume that takes advantage of today’s technology
- Increase your chances of getting that dream job
- Craft a “stand out” resume that’ll get your foot in the door
- Understand all the changes in the world of resumes
- Discover the right way and right places to send your resume
This new edition has loads of advice that will make your resume stand out from the online crowd. Resumes For Dummies, 4th Edition, also covers the following topics and more:
- Getting your resume out there
- Writing a resume that fits your specific needs
- Choosing the right format for your resume
- Selecting stand out words that can bring good news
- Submitting your resume online
- Recognizing resume problems and applying solutions
In the pages of Resumes For Dummies, 4th Edition, you get a sampling of stand out resumes and special needs resumes. You also get updated technical information (gathered from a wide variety of recruiting professionals) paired with classic strategies and smooth moves from the author’s three decades of career reporting. With all of this in hand, you'll be able to develop and distribute a state-of-the-art resume that says you’re too superior to ignore.
Customer Reviews:
Great fundamental information.......2007-10-14
On a 5 scale I rate this book a 5. This is a fundamentals book on resumes. Don't expect it to blow you away. Don't expect it to really stretch the envelope with new ideas. This is not "Resumes for Rocket Scientists". If you take it as I believe it's intended you will be well satisfied.
"Resumes for Dummies" will give you the base information you need to create or revise your resume in today's environment. The book is organized in a simple and logical way. It's written extremely well. You should find it easy to read and to use. It's full of tips and techniques that you can use immediately.
Best of the Book: I really like Chapter 9 "Passages Resumes for Your Life's Changing Phases". It's really important to sort of tune your resume for any job but it's especially important when you are using your resume - based on experience in one field - to get you a new job in a different field. This chapter will help.
Tie "Resumes for Dummies" with support from a qualified career coach and you'll be in very good shape.
I hope you use "Resumes for Dummies" to help your career management.
A big help!.......2007-07-24
I wasn't sure where to really begin with writing a resume and this book was a big help! I recommend it to anyone who is a beginner with resumes.
AMAZING!.......2007-05-04
I love the book!! It's an insider's look at the ever-changing world of job hunting--Joyce Layne Kennedy really knows her stuff. She takes you step-by-step through the process you should go through to write a perfect resume. And of course it reads with a witty edge that entertains you while you learn!
I love the core resume to the spin-off concept!.......2007-01-06
Hi Joyce, In Chapter 1, you introduce a very easy Core Resume to Spin-off Resume style! This is great! So easy to focus, target and only rewrite about one-third of page ONE! And you are so right, the only way to write and post a resume in this job market is COMPLETELY TARGETED to the job.
5 Top Target Skills !! All of the samples in the book - 48 of them - written and produced by Kathryn Troutman's The Resume Place, Inc., team - are great. The targeting style with the box at the top, targeting text in the resume, are very helpful for resume writers.
Thanks Joyce for an all new, targeted resume book. Everyone needs to STAND OUT IN THEIR EXACT AREA OF EXPERTISE.
Resume for Dummies, Fourth Edition.......2006-03-15
I highly recommend that every job seeker, no matter what your status, read this book. No others will hold a candle to it. I would not be able to describe how much I would be struggling, if it were not for this book. Just take the time to relax, put your feet up and read it from cover to cover. Building my resume came next (I had never done one due to years of service at my previous employer) and I used so many tips in that book while writing it. It actually does a wonderful job of preparing you for all aspects of your job search.
Average customer rating:
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing & Technical Writing for Dummies. (Book Reviews).: An article from: Technical Communication
Pamela S. Ecker
Manufacturer: Society for Technical Communication
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Release Date: 2005-07-31 |
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This digital document is an article from Technical Communication, published by Society for Technical Communication on May 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1824 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing & Technical Writing for Dummies. (Book Reviews).
Author: Pamela S. Ecker
Publication:
Technical Communication (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 2003
Publisher: Society for Technical Communication
Volume: 50
Issue: 2
Page: 268(3)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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Creating Web Graphics for Dummies.(Book Reviews) : An article from: Technical Communication
Jackie Damrau
Manufacturer: Society for Technical Communication
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ASIN: B0009GKLOK
Release Date: 2005-08-01 |
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This digital document is an article from Technical Communication, published by Society for Technical Communication on August 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1736 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Creating Web Graphics for Dummies.(Book Reviews)
Author: Jackie Damrau
Publication:
Technical Communication (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 2004
Publisher: Society for Technical Communication
Volume: 51
Issue: 3
Page: 422(3)
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Distance learning online for dummies. (Book Reviews).: An article from: Technical Communication
Lynnette R. Porter
Manufacturer: Society for Technical Communication
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ASIN: B0008FC2GW
Release Date: 2005-07-30 |
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This digital document is an article from Technical Communication, published by Society for Technical Communication on May 1, 2002. The length of the article is 907 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Distance learning online for dummies. (Book Reviews).
Author: Lynnette R. Porter
Publication:
Technical Communication (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 2002
Publisher: Society for Technical Communication
Volume: 49
Issue: 2
Page: 243(2)
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ePublishing for Dummies. (Book Reviews).: An article from: Technical Communication
Doug Florzak
Manufacturer: Society for Technical Communication
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ASIN: B0008FPF02
Release Date: 2005-07-30 |
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This digital document is an article from Technical Communication, published by Society for Technical Communication on November 1, 2002. The length of the article is 1387 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: ePublishing for Dummies. (Book Reviews).
Author: Doug Florzak
Publication:
Technical Communication (Refereed)
Date: November 1, 2002
Publisher: Society for Technical Communication
Volume: 49
Issue: 4
Page: 467(3)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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RESEARCHING ONLINE FOR DUMMIES.(Review) (book reviews): An article from: Technical Communication
Patricia A. Susin
Manufacturer: Society for Technical Communication
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This digital document is an article from Technical Communication, published by Society for Technical Communication on August 1, 1999. The length of the article is 668 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: RESEARCHING ONLINE FOR DUMMIES.(Review) (book reviews)
Author: Patricia A. Susin
Publication:
Technical Communication (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 1999
Publisher: Society for Technical Communication
Volume: 46
Issue: 3
Page: 404
Article Type: Book Review
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Tech Writing For Dummies.(Society for Technical Communication): An article from: San Diego Business Journal
Lee Zion
Manufacturer: CBJ, L.P.
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Release Date: 2005-07-28 |
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This digital document is an article from San Diego Business Journal, published by CBJ, L.P. on September 3, 2001. The length of the article is 1697 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Tech Writing For Dummies.(Society for Technical Communication)
Author: Lee Zion
Publication:
San Diego Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 3, 2001
Publisher: CBJ, L.P.
Volume: 22
Issue: 36
Page: 31
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Books:
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- The Art of Speed Reading People: How to Size People Up and Speak Their Language
- The Big Picture: A Systems Thinking Story for Managers, Leaders, and other Visionaries
- The Case for Virtual Business Processes: Reduce Costs, Improve Efficiencies, and Focus on Your Core Business (Network Business)
- The Caspian Pipeline Dilemma: Political Games and Economic Losses
- The Clinical Documentation Sourcebook: The Complete Paperwork Resource for Your Mental Health Practice
- The Complete Book of Business Plans: Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan (Small Business Sourcebooks)
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, Second Edition
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing
