Customer Reviews:
Little, but essential.......2007-10-01
I have assigned an earlier edition of this book for an upper-division historical geography course that featured lots of writing. The Essential Handbook is compact, easy-to-use, and inclusive of the essential information needed by college-level writers. While there are larger, more detailed works that the continuing writer will want, this little book provides a fine initiation into the world of careful and correct writing.
Expensive.......2004-09-06
The book was expensive at my school's bookstore and I regret not buying it from here. It may be called the little BROWN book but mine is purple and I have an older version which is gray...go figure!!!
useful writers handbook.......2004-01-09
My school requires all students to buy copies of this book before entering high school and I do not think they could have chosen a better book to use as a basis for grammar excercises and teaching proper citing protocol. While I have only used sections of this book, it seems to be easy to use and contrary to what an earlier reviewer said, both section names and page numbers are listed in the table of contents. The book is tiny, perfect for carrying in my backback and holds a ton of information. The only problem I have with this handbook is that there is an updated MLA pamphlet that is included with the book and it is harder to understand. Also, the book really should be brown just so the books shows some sense of humor (just kidding). I would highly recommend this book to high school students as a quick reference guide for writing research papers and projects.
Hard to Navigate.......2002-04-24
The layout of this book is very strange, rendering it hard to use. Only a summary Table of Contents appears at the beginning of the book. Worse, it is split over two facing pages--that is, the Table of Contents is presented as one page with the book binding splitting the page in the middle. And, though the book is organized by numbered sections, the section numbers (incredibly) do not appear in the summary Table of Contents. There is a detailed Table of Contents, but it doesn't appear until the literal end of the book. It spans the last page and the inside back cover and is mostly hidden by a fold-in book flap (now that's handy). Of course, this also means that the index is not actually at the end of the book, as you foolishly might have expected; it preceeds that detailed Table of Contents.
It is a lot of work to use this book. The content may be good, but if you're looking for guidance on something specific, you're going to have to dig to find it. A guide should be easy to use, not a chore, in and of itself.
Handy Guide.......2000-04-03
The Little, Brown Essential Handbook for Writers is a useful guide for grammar, style, punctuation, and other writers' needs. The plastic binding makes the book easy to manage when referencing and editing your work.
It isn't always as detailed as a writer might like on usage, but if you have a strong handle on usage, then this shouldn't be a problem.
The book is small and compact, so it doesn't take up a lot of shelf space, but it is full of useful information. It's also great as a writer's traveling companion. Information is quick and easy to find. I recommend keeping this one nearby when proofreading and editing one's work.
Book Description
Control of engineering documentation, sometimes called Configuration Management (CM) especially in the defense industries, is critical to world-class manufacturing survival. This new Second Edition of a highly successful engineering documentation handbook is one of the best blueprints for constructive, efficient EDC/CM ever published.
Use the ENGINEERING DOCUMENTATION CONTROL HANDBOOK to get on track right away and make the release of new products and their documentation flow smoothly and easily. The book is packed with specific methods that can be applied quickly and accurately to almost any industry and any product to control documentation, request changes to the product, make those changes and develop bills of material. The result is a powerful communications bridge between engineering and "the rest of the world" that makes rapid changes in products and documentation possible. With the help of the simple techniques in the HANDBOOK, companies can gain and hold their competitive advantages in a world that demands flexibility and quick reflexes -- and has no sympathy for delays.
The new edition contains substantial additions worked into the book and several new chapters. However, the thrust of the book retains the same focus on basics, rules and reasons. The author emphasizes that EDC or CM must be recognized as a key business strategy, and the days of "throwing it over the wall" are gone forever.
Key Features:
- Expanded case studies and actual experiences with consulting clients have been added
- New chapter on Benchmarking/Surveys contains real-life results of several surveys conducted and analyzed by the author that allow you to compare your enterprise with those surveyed
- Interchangeability and change cost sections have been substantially expanded and given separate chapters in recognition of their critical importance in the EDC strategy
Customer Reviews:
Engineering Documentation.......2005-09-28
I am a British Chartered Engineer working mainly in Blue Chip energy-related companies. I have just started using this book in my work and find it strongly re-enforces my passion for excellent documentation and design management. It is clearly the current 'bible' for Engineering Documentation Control and is extremely valuable in showing how to climb the 'Configuration Management Ladder' (page 8). It cuts away the dross and complexity that is plentiful nearly everywhere else. So many of us technologists and managers are struggling with hugely powerful new computer packages that integrate most processes in our companies. This is one of the very few books to chart our course and give us a chance of a reliable way through to simplicity, speed and profitability that are so often promissed but so rarely fully attained.
Thorough Industry Configuration Management Resource..........2001-12-27
...but not for Software CM.
As the title says, this is an Industry CM book. If your need is for Software CM, this book can be used for general CM concepts and background (and to develop a strong understanding of CM principles), but no more (get a software-specific CM/release management book instead). Only a few brief mentions of application of these concepts to software CM. If your need is for doc. control/industry CM, then this is probably an ideal book.
Great Inroduction to CM.......2001-06-08
Unlike the vast majority of books available on configuration management, this book, as the title suggests, focuses entirely on configuration management in industry. Throughout the book, the author focuses on a simplified, fast configuration management system that exceeds DoD standards. This book, in the chapters titled Change Control and Fast Change, has an exceptional explanation of how to handle configuration modifications. In these chapters the author gives a detailed description of how to set up a system that allows the fastest possible changes to take place. Also, many case studies are given in these sections which provide further insight as to how to implement the correct system for a given situation. Overall, the book is very easy to understand, and serves as an excellent introduction and handbook to a configuration management system for industry.
Crisp and practical guide to setting up a CM system........1999-02-26
This book explains the theory but includes plenty of examples of how to set up an Engineering Document Control, or Configuration Management (CM) system. The examples in the text focus on an imaginary manufacturing company. The text does include some mention of tailoring a CM system for software developers.
The text is crisp and the books organization clear and logical. One of the last chapters includes what is essentially a checklist of how to put together a CM system.
This is not a one size fits all system. The user must use the material in the book as a guide to tailor a CM system to their company's requirements.
Overall an indispensable book for someone trying to set up or overhaul a CM system. I highly recommend it.
Book Description
To succeed in technical writing, you need a lot more than just writing ability. Technical Writing 101 details the skills you need as a technical writer, and it explains how to handle the pressures of tight deadlines and ever-changing product specifications. This valuable reference also describes the entire documentation processplanning, writing, editing, indexing, and production.
This updated second edition features the latest information on single sourcing and a new chapter on how trends in structured authoring and Extensible Markup Language (XML) affect technical writers.
Customer Reviews:
Straightforward and clear.......2007-06-08
I thought this book was exactly what it said it was: a 101-level focus on technical writing. From the skills required by a good writer, to a technical writing process, to the task-oriented focus of user guides, this book covered all the basics, and was even written with a sense of humor. I am purchasing this for my technical publications department, because I think it's good to review the basics as a team, and there are specific topics that are newer to the team, such as how to write for globalization.
A one-time read for beginners.......2007-04-20
This book provides a good overview for those considering a technical writing career. It may also be helpful for engineers and others who work with technical writers or who want basic ideas for preparing documentation. The chatty, breezy writing style makes the book an easy read. But the lack of in-depth information and its focus only on documentation and online help projects limits the book's usefulness as a daily work reference.
Technical Writing 101: A Real-World Guide to Planning and Writing Technical Documentation, Second Edition.......2007-01-29
We received the Manual to help in Associate training. Shipment came in very quickly. We will definitely be ordering from Amazon more in the future, your service has been impeccable!!
Thank you.
Technical Writing.......2006-07-09
This book is very easy to read and understand. I ordered this book as a supplement to my current book used at my school. I would highly recommend this book to other new technical writers.
Practical and Educational.......2004-09-18
As the title mentions, Technical Writing 101, provides real-world planning tips. I found it to be very engaging, informative and very easy to read (finished within 24 hours of receiving it). It also sparked ideas on how I could look at a lot of projects I'm personally working on. The way the book is organized doesn't overload you with "too" much information. It also is very generous in providing other resources for further research and knowledge.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to get a good understanding of the technical writing process.
Amazon.com
The Copywriter's Handbook is somewhat out of date. There are no references to Web sites or the Internet, and author Robert W. Bly advises that a freelance copywriter have a good typewriter. No matter. Bly has compiled an incredibly useful resource for budding, and even experienced, copywriters. Bly calls his book "a step-by-step guide to writing copy that sells." And that it is: Bly covers the writing of print ads, direct mail, brochures, catalogues, public-relations material, trade-journal articles, speeches, newsletters, commercials, and more. But equally informative is the substantial amount of space that he devotes to the copywriting business, in which he offers guidance in setting up a freelance copywriting business, getting hired by an ad agency, and hiring and working with copywriters (this section also includes a chapter on graphic design for copywriters). This is a terrific book. If you don't take my word for it, take David Ogilvy's: "I don't know a single copywriter whose work would not be improved by reading this book," he says. "And that includes me." --Jane Steinberg
Book Description
This is a book for everyone who writes or approves copy: copywriters, account executives, creative directors, freelance writers, advertising managers . . . even entrepreneurs and brand managers. It reveals dozens of copywriting techniques that can help you write ads, commercials, and direct mail that are clear, persuasive, and get more attentionand sell more products. Among the tips revealed are eight headlines that workand how to use them eleven ways to make your copy more readable fifteen ways to open a sales letter the nine characteristics of successful print ads how to build a successful freelance copywriting practice fifteen techniques to ensure your e-mail marketing message is opened This thoroughly revised third edition includes all new essential information for mastering copywriting in the Internet era, including advice on Web- and e-mail-based copywriting, multimedia presentations, and Internet research and source documentation, as well as updated resources. Now more indispensable than ever, The Copywriters Handbook remains the ultimate guide for people who write or work with copy.
Customer Reviews:
Want to Write For a Living? Bly Shows What It Takes.......2007-10-21
Highest recommendation!
I'm a copy writer for a small company serving businesses across the country. I learned the ad writing business "on the fly via Bly" after miraculously landing a copywriting job when a very brave Pacific Northwest employer decided to take a chance and hire me -- even though I didn't have a single day's worth of "in the trenches" experience beforehand!
My resume documented that I had written four books and dozens of articles for magazines and newspapers, but writing advertising copy is a whole 'nuther animal!
Because of Bly's excellent books (he has several -- none of them will steer you wrong) and a few others by Joe Vitale, I was able to jump into the new job and truly wow diverse clients from the get-go. The information and insights in The Copywriter's Handbook saved my bacon!
Kristine M Smith, Author
DeForest Kelley: A Harvest of Memories : My Life and Times With a Remarkable Gentleman Actor
Every copywriter's best friend - a must-read keeper.......2007-10-03
Bob Bly is the master of showing beginning copywriters how to write compelling copy. He also knows all there is to know about the copywriting business.
If you're just starting out in this business, you must buy this book and any time Bob updates it, buy the new one.
He helps you know what to charge. He guides you in the rules of the road in a way you'll understand. Reading this book could be the ticket to a great career for you. So pick up your ticket and enter the world of copywriting.
Highly recommended --- especially for beginning copywriters or those who need a handy everyday reference to refer to when they have a question.
The Copywriter's Handbook.......2007-08-29
Excellent service.
Arrived really quick and in excellent packaging.
Love the book, Thank you!
Breaks down the basics of writing killer copy.......2007-07-28
Before I started my own copywriting business years ago, this one was my first books on the subject. And I still refer back to it periodically. Bob Bly is a copywriting legend who is well-known for making the fundamentals of writing great copy easy to understand. Whether you're thinking about a writing career, or just need to make your marketing materials more effective, this is the perfect primer for anyone who wants to learn how to write to sell!
Good for direct response copywriting, but not so great for ad agency writing.......2007-05-18
Since this review is largely negative, I should admit that "The Copywriter's Handbook" can be found near my desk and I reference it often.
With that confession, I'll take my first punch: the author of this book has never won an advertising award. Not one that matters, anyway. But in Bob Bly's world, awards really don't matter.
Since 1985, "The Copywriter's Handbook," has been a guide to the ugly but lucrative subculture of advertising called direct response. In this world, Bob Bly is a self-anointed diety. Since the book was first published, mobs of enterprising disciples have drunk his Cool-Aid, hoping not for a promised land, but a six-figure salary.
It's true that copywriters can earn $10,000 for writing one letter. Of course, it's a direct response letter. The kind beleaguered with double underlined sentences. Features explained through benefits. Promises punctuated with exclamation points. And, of course, the grand finale is highlighted in yellow: an offer that must be acted upon immediately.
For industrious writers who want to come up with this stuff, "The Copywriter's Handbook," is considered a bible. But for anyone who aspires to create concept-driven advertising, there's not much in this book.
Bly starts this work by taking sides against concept-driven advertising. He explains, "A copywriter is a salesperson behind a typewriter." He warns against becoming "an artist or entertainer." For if you go down this dangerous path, Bly warns, "Your copy will be wasting your client's time and money."
Although I don't do direct response, as a freelancer, I write a lot of stuff that's not artistic, entertaining, concept-driven advertising. I often write stuff that works hard at doing more than building a brand. For those jobs, this book contains a lot of practical advice.
Of its nearly 400 pages, I found Bly's lists most helpful. "Copy motivators" offer 22 reasons why someone might buy a product, a good thing to ask your client before writing. Bly offers interview questions too, many of which I have incorporated into my own. He also outlines different types of ads, which can be useful in finding direction for an ad. Will we do a question ad? A testimonial? An offer of free information?
But for all of his juicy nuggets, so many of Bly's examples read like spam. They sound too good to be true, killing the credibility of his work. So much so that I think his audiences must be incredibly stupid to read - let alone respond - to what he writes.
"Would you pay $1,000 to save $5,500?"
"One of a kind. Is that phrase a little trite? I used to think so until I tried to find you. ..."
"Three years ago this month, a man I know - he was then a vice president of a big corporation in Illinois - walked into his boss's office and handed in his resignation. Two weeks later, he started his own company. ..."
Aren't we past this kind of stuff? Judging by the number of people who make serious cash writing Bly-style advertising, apparently not. I know that I don't allow any of it into my life, not even from nonprofits and politicians I believe in.
Despite the money to be made, you won't find me crossing to the schlock-y side of hard-sell direct response advertising. Even knowing about the profit potential of this work, I still want to create cool, concept-driven creative work. Because unlike Mr. Bly, I know that my kind of advertising can work for clients.
I recommend: How to Write Great Copy: Learn the Unwritten Rules of Copywriting
Product Description
Get the reference that defines standards and best practices for technical writers, editors, and content managers who work with Microsoft technologies. Developed by the Microsoft Editorial Standards Group, the newest edition of the computer industry's lead
Amazon.com
With so many software products to its credit, Microsoft can't help but have an opinion on computer terms and usage. Many topnotch technical companies, writers, and editors consider the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications to be a standard in the industry. Technical writers and editors often refer to it when they can't find an answer in The Chicago Manual of Style or when researching appropriate style issues to include in their company's in-house style manual.
While this manual of style can't possibly list everything that is created by Microsoft, it does advise how to use and spell both general and computer-related terms and takes a stand on sticky style, technical writing, and design and interface issues. This second edition has been updated to include significant changes in Internet terminology and usage. Alphabetically tabbed pages make it easy to locate topics of interest. A useful appendix defines acronyms and abbreviations and shares any special style rules associated with them. Another appendix lists keyboard characters and the correct names that should be used to describe each one. The enclosed CD-ROM contains an electronic version of the book along with a copy of the Microsoft Press Computer Dictionary. --Cristina Vaamonde
Customer Reviews:
MS Manual of style JFO Review.......2007-06-02
Book is excellent, delivery was ok, even if a little bit longer than expected.
Typical Microsoft.......2007-05-08
Like most of Microsoft products, it's not great, but it's ok. Some of their standards are pretty out of date.
If you are a software tech writer, check out the Sun Technical Publications, Read me First, A Style Guide for the Computer Industry. Also there's a free Apple style guide you can download in PDF.
Excellent document standards resource.......2007-02-19
We're using this one at work to help us write doc standards. It's invaluable! Thanks to Microsoft for recognizing that the term is "Web site" and that there is no such word as "website." Hooray!!
Serves a Specific Purpose.......2006-12-17
Honestly...I have been a technical writer for over 20 years and only recently even looked at this book. Granted, I found that how I learned to write was right on target. However, I think following this book to the letter is not a good idea. This book should be nothing more than a high-level reference for any "wannabe" tech writer. Technical writing is far more than proper capitalization (internet vs. Internet) or how you refer to something (dialog vs. dialog box). It's about your target audience, the message you're trying to convey, and the benefit to the end user. This book does not cover that: that comes from real world experience, training, and mentoring. I've seen too many people use this as their "bible" for technical writing when it shouldn't be.
As long as you keep in mind that this book will not teach you to be technical writer - only help bring continuity to your work allowing it to fall in line with others - then buy it.
Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications.......2006-07-16
I was pleasantly surprised and pleased at how soon I received my book. I received it in 2 days from the time I placed my order. I have never received an item so fast from any other place that I have purchased anything from. Thank you so much for being so prompt as this is used in my place of business.
Book Description
The eight-step strategy presented in this book takes the mystery out of writing effective training courses. Practical templates, checklists, assessments, and examples streamline your effort and eliminate writer's block. You'll discover how to make the most of limited time, money, and human resources to:
Develop training lessons that make a difference.
Customize off-the-shelf training to meet the needs of your target audience.
Repurpose existing documentation.
Globalize your training for culturally diverse learners or tailor lessons to meet specific needs of a limited audience.
Recognize dead-end paths that can undermine the success of your project.
Incorporate ready-to-use CGI, Java, and HTML scripts into lessons. Learn when to use them, where to find download sites, and how to tailor them to your training objectives and learners.
This systematic approach has helped thousands of writers like you create training programs that deliver what they promise. In just hours, you can learn techniques and time-savers that others have learned only through hard-won experience and costly mistakes.
Keep this book handy. You'll reach for it often for real-world advice about every phase of your project from initial planning to troubleshooting. Better than a mentor, it's a must-have for every successful training or user-education professional.
Customer Reviews:
Good for content planning, not for content writing.......2006-11-21
This is one of the best books of those that help you determine what should be included in your training course - to plan objectives and then break it down into the detail. It also covers how to test the effectiveness of the course. However, it does not give any information at all about what a course module should contain or how to write it.
My goal was to write a training course for a software program. So, for the most part I knew what the outline of the course should be. I needed to know how to introduce the subject, how much to include in the single module, what exactly to do and say. For this, the book would get a zero.
Very good for it's purpose but I felt a review was needed to point out what that was.
Terrific for Planning from the Ground Up!.......2004-04-22
I just can't say enough about this book. I am developing a training program for the first time and it has added outstanding depth to my process. It is simple to use. If you go step by step everything just seems to fall in to place.
It is a life saver!
Very applicable.......2002-04-04
I read this book in 5 hours. After that, I had all the tools I needed to start developing a training course for a subject matter I still knew little about. Great book for someone who has a short time to develop a training course. Great reference for anyone who needs new approaches to their training development.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent text.......2007-05-19
I purchased this text because I am trying to redirect my career. I have a lot of marketing and public relations in my background, but technical writing is a new area. I found the text easy to read, very informative, and exceptionally helpful. The only reason I gave it four instead of five stars is that it is weighted for web writers. Writing for the web is not a function of the job I am interviewing for, so that information, while interesting, was not particularly helpful for me.
Enshrines mechanics of mediocre technical writing.......2007-04-28
This book is a mixed bag at best, advocating practices that help keep today's technical writing mired in mediocrity. For example: always use the 2nd person; and for heaven's sake don't try to explain anything to people, just tell them what to do! Much of this reads like tips for helping non-writers get by as technical writers, and for making technical writing into a kind of non-writing.
For devotees of the Jackson Pollock school of tech writing (throw lots of vetted statements at the page till they stick) or of the everything-is-a-numbered-list technique, there's probably much that's heartening in this glossy example of bad desktop publishing. (Jeesh, who decreed that tech writers can't learn typography and basic functional layout, or maybe hire someone that does?)
This book is probably ok for anyone writing product assembly manuals, or documenting GUI interfaces (press this, select that... yup second person actually works pretty well there). But for software? Or for anyone struggling to articulate complex ideas or just write a reasonably compact and self-contained conceptual overview (MIA from most tech writing today), there isn't much help here. Maybe it's time we technical writers focused more on good writing per se, on the things that good technical writing shares with effective prose (clarity, precision, range of useful styles, fiction (point of view) or even poetry (compression, effective use of embedded metaphor).
So, yeah, it turns out there're so many other rich directions and ideas for tech writers to pursue. For starters, there're the old standbys: Strunk and White or Wm Zinsser's Writing Well. And any of the wonderful books on prose style by Richard Lanham or perhaps Mark Turner's Clear and Simple as the Truth (which, suprisingly enough, addresses technical writing directly, albeit briefly, offering a number of classical examples). Also just about any of Edward Tufte's books, and by the way, did you catch his 2004 interview in Technical Communications Quarterly? Posted (free) on ET's website. I think it even mentions a time when he consulted with IBM about their tech writing and tried to get them to stop using the second person, and, well...
To master technical writing.......2007-02-12
I have been a technical writer for years. This book has made me re-think how I write technical articles. It is excellent. It has clear, concise instruction and examples. If you are planning to learn more about how to create technical writing this is the book.
Best Book I've Found on the Subject!.......2005-11-01
I've been developing retail software professionally for over 15 years and have been waiting for a book like this one. When I finally discovered the book, I was a little skeptic -- that is until I received the book.
If you are writing help, or any other technical documentation, this *is* the book for you. Coverage of the subject is just right. It's not too overloaded and it's not to light on the subject either.
The only thing missing that I wish they had was recommended templates for different types of documentation. If this book had a CD with samples, it would be worth 2 or 3 times the amount I paid for it.
I highly recommend this book.
One of the most complete writing style guides available.......2004-09-01
When I first started reading this book, I was quite impressed at the amount of detail provided in it. Although any style guide will provide a technical writer with most of the information needed to write effective manuals, this book goes into more detail about the "art" of technical writing than any other book I've read.
There is truly a wealth of excellent information in this book. The authors have covered virtually every aspect of writing technical manuals and also for online material, making this an excellent guide to refer to anytime a writing question comes up. From the beginning chapter (Quality technical information), through chapters on Accuracy, Completeness, Clarity, Style, Organization, and Retrievability (to name a few), you can clearly see this book's attention to detail. The book's last chapter (Reviewing, testing, and evaluating technical information) offers tips on doing review cycles, who to involve in them, usability tests, and evaluating the information contained in the manual.
I especially liked the chapter on Retrievability. As the book points out, information doesn't do the reader any good if there isn't a logical way to find it. This chapter points out ways to "facilitate" navigation, by providing a complete index, the proper level of detail in the Table of Contents, even helpful links (for online material).
Another excellent chapter was the one on Style, although clearly each chapter in this book stands out on its own for providing detailed information about the chapter topic.
Another nice feature of this book is that the beginning of each chapter lists the main points (or topics) to be covered, and then summarizes them at the chapter's end. It serves as an excellent reminder of these points and one that can be referred back to.
I found this book to be an excellent reference and recommend it to any technical writer, regardless of their experience level.
Book Description
Scientific Style and Format: the CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, Sixth Edition, is a detailed and authoritative manual recommending both general and scientific publication styles and formats for journals, books, and other forms of publication. It covers all sciences, not just biology and the medical sciences, and both American and British preferences are recognised. Every author of a scientific paper or book will profit from this essential resource. Editors and publishers engaged in the sciences, students in the sciences, and translators of scientific papers destined for English-language publication will also find this manual an invaluable resource. It is far more up-to-date, more specific, more authoritative, and easier to use than any other reference to scientific style and format.
Customer Reviews:
Old edition.......2007-05-12
The 7th edition (2006) is named The CSE Manual (note the new acronym).
Book Description
The Fourth Edition of this classic resource shifts from an exclusive university emphasis to include all businesses and industries, reflecting the changing demands of this dynamic field. Revised and updated material includes procedural reviews of internal controls, tests of conformance to acceptable accounting principles, and reviews of the application of rules and procedures to ensure consistency and reliability. You can turn to this revised standard for a step-by-step plan to prepare pertinent and accurate accounting manuals, determine which formats to use, as well as maintain and update information. Other contents include details on the general accounting manual, a policy/procedure statement, forms manual, data processing manual, user manual, and information release system. Packed with over 150 examples of actual documents, this Fourth Edition offers comprehensive guidance on repairing and maintaining effective accounting manuals.
Book Description
Combining guidance for writing over forty types of professional documents with thorough coverage of grammar, usage, and style, Handbook of Technical Writing functions as both a writers handbook and a complete guide to technical communication. New features include: Redesigned sample documents Stronger focus on rhetorical concerns Discipline-specific coverage of research and documentation, including guidelines for IEEE documentation style.
Customer Reviews:
good reference book.......2007-10-19
I ordered this book for one of my technical writing classes and was/am very satisfied with it. Great reference book for all English majors, or anyone wanting to better their use of the English language. Highly recommended.
Nice general guide but little else.......2007-09-27
I purchased this book online while doing a massive repair job on a series of Engineering Manuals that were filled with writing errors and confusing information. This book is more like a handy dandy thesaurus but for real technical writing, it is virtually uselesss. The Microsoft Word Help Index has better examples. I found it to be confusing and actually a bit disorganized with tons of info that most people past English 101 should know, especially Technical Writers or those who describe themselves as being so. I don't recommend it.
The Handbook of Technical Writing, Seventh Edition.......2007-08-03
This is a great book. It is very useful as a reference for technical writing.
Great Book for technical Writing.......2007-06-08
A must for all those aspiring Technical Writers.
The layout is alphabetical, which makes finding items faster.
Clear instructions with plenty of samples.
A good reference, but needs more contemporary examples.......2007-04-20
Part style guide, word usage book, and techniques tutorial, this is a useful daily reference. It is clearly written, with lots of illustrations, cross-references, and examples that made it easy to understand each topic. However, the document types discussed need to be updated. The book focuses too much on correspondence related to job hunting and general business activity, materials that are better covered in other books. It contains too little discussion of the projects produced by technical writers today; especially lacking is discussion of online help and web content.
Books:
- Mastering the ISDA Master Agreements (1992 and 2002): a practical guide for negotiation (2nd Edition) (Market Editions)
- Mastering Windows Server 2003
- Microcontroller Based Applied Digital Control
- MP Essentials of Marketing w/ Student CD-ROM & Apps 2005
- Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
- Perfect Pitch: The Art of Selling Ideas and Winning New Business (Adweek Books)
- Perfect Pitch: The Art of Selling Ideas and Winning New Business (Adweek Books)
- Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind
- Powerful Conversations: How High Impact Leaders Communicate
- Powerful Conversations: How High Impact Leaders Communicate
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