Modern Technical Writing

by Theodore Allison Sherman and Simon S. Johnson

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0135975840
• ISBN13: 9780135975848
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.49 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Technical Writing Textbook

This book, by Theodore A. Sherman & Simon S. Johnson is a masterpiece! I studied Technical Writing this summer and checked about 6 books out of the Library. This was by far the best one I used. Reasons I recommend this book: * This book is very easy to understand. * It follows all its own advice when it comes to being clear, logically organized, and succinct. * The book makes effective use of headings, numbered lists, graphs, and tables to make it easy to read.* The authors really knew the subject, and they have a very effective style of teaching. * There are Exercises and Assignments at the end of each chapter, which would be useful in applying what you've learned (though I did not take advantage of them). * The text is interspersed with many excellent examples of good Technical Writing, so you don't just read about it in theory, you see it in practice* You learn the reasons WHY something is done, so that you understand it and can apply it to othersituations, instead of learning that "that's just the way they do it." Example: Footnotes and references always seemed to me to be the most arbitrary, complicated things. I thought it was impossible to ever be able to remember the correct form, even after studying lists over and over again. However, now, after reading the following portion from this book, it has suddenly become easy! "A footnote usually answers the following four questions, so far as possible, in the order indicated: (1) Who said it? (2) What was the title of the piece of writing in which it was said? (3) Where or by whom was this writing made available? (4) On what page or pages may the material cited be found?" The whole book is like this. It makes Technical Writing understandable.Topics this book teaches: TECHNICAL WRITING IN GENERAL Introduction The Writing Process Effective Style Organization Mechanics (Manuscript form, Technical Style, etc.) Special Areas (Definitions, Technical Descriptions, Explanation of a process, Instructions, etc.) Tables and Figures REPORTS, PROPOSALS, AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS Reports--Their Importance and Qualities Procedure in Writing a Report Reports--Their Variation in Form and Purpose Special Elements in Reports Formal and Semiformal Reports Proposals Oral Presentation of Technical Information BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE General Principles of Business Correspondence Special Types of Letters Letters Concerning Employment and Resumes HANDBOOK OF FUNDAMENTALS Paragraphs Standard Usage Unity and Coherence in the Sentence Punctuation Capitalization Italics Abbreviations Spelling Glossary of Standard Usage Explanation of Technical Terms.