ABUS 4023W: Communicating for Results

A form of communication that:

• is used across most disciplines, but especially in Engineering, Science, and Medicine;
• is written for a specific audience;
• uses discipline/profession specific language and terminology;
• is designed to provide credible, relevant, and accurate information for an audience with the purpose of reaching a specific outcome;
• may be available in a variety of formats, including electronic and analog.

Examples of technical writing include: Contracts, FAQs, Policy Documents, Product Packaging, User Manuals, Technical Reports, and White Papers.

• How to Write Technical Reports: Understandable Structure, Good Design, Convincing Presentation

  Hering, L., & Hering, H. (2019). How to write technical reports: Understandable structure, good design, convincing presentation. Heidelberg: Springer.

• The top 3 business writing mistakes you're probably making right now

  Josephson, D. (2013). The top 3 business writing mistakes you're probably making right now. Canadian Manager, 37(4), 9.

• Business Writing on the Go

  Caron, André H., et al. "Business Writing on the Go." Corporate Communications 18.1 (2013): 8-25. ProQuest. Web

• Chambers, K., & NetLibrary, Inc. (2008). The entrepreneur's guide to writing business plans and proposals (Entrepreneur's guide (Praeger)). Westport, Conn.: Praeger.
•  
• Purdue OWL: Professional, Technical Writing

  These OWL resources will help you conduct research and compose documents for the workplace, such as memoranda and business letters.

• Society for Technical Communiation

  STC is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of technical communication, content and information management via technical processes.

• TechWhirl: What is Technical Writing?

  Provides an in-depth definition of "technical writing", with examples, resources, and related information.

• I'd Rather Be Writing

  "I'd Rather Be Writing" is a reference to the fact that tech writers do little "writing" these days, and a lot more wrangling with technology. By Tom Johnson.

• Techwr-L

  Techwr-L is an Internet-based community and resource for technical communicators worldwide. The Techwr-L blog is a good general technical writing blog.

• HelpScribe

  A technical Writing Blog maintained by Craig Haiss, a technical writer in the financial software industry.

• The Technical Writer Blog: Helping others to write quality technical communication and documentation

  This is a blog maintained by a technical writer in Canada.

• ffeathers—a technical writer's blog

  This is a blog about technical writing by Sarah Maddox, a technical writer.

• justwriteclick

  This is a blog and Web site by writer Anne Gentle.

• The Agile Technical Writer: Technical writing and Agile methodology blog

  A blog maintained by Diana Ost that includes interesting stories about her experiences as an Agile technical writer.

• UAX (User Assistance Experience): Explorations of how we deliver information to users

  A blog maintained by Michael Hughes that focuses on designing user interfaces that accommodate the user as learner.

• Technical Communication Center

  Technical Writing & Communication Tips, Trends & Tutorials by Ugur Akinci, Ph.D.

• Google Reader

  Use Google Reader to aggregate your favorite blogs and RSS feeds into one place.

• I'd Rather Be Writing

  A podcast about the latest trends and practices in technical communication.

• Writing Bites

  Bite sized writing tips. 5 minutes, 5 tips, with a focus on business writing. From Confident Writing Coach Joanna Young.

• COMM-330 Texas A&M University

  A non-technical survey about how modern technologies affect human communication.

• NTRL: National Technical Reports Library

  NTIS is the more familiar name. Indexing, often with full-text, of technical reports. Many of these are reports sponsored by agencies of the U.S. federal government but coverage is broad. Indexing of about 3 million titles, with coverage back to the early 1900s.

• CiteSeer

  Searches publicly-available grey literature from governmental and academic servers throughout the world.

• National Environmental Publications

  Offers a searchable database of full text documents published online by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

• Science.gov

  Science.gov searches over 60 databases and over 2,200 scientific websites to provide users with access to more than 200 million pages of authoritative federal science information including research and development results.

• WorldWideScience

  WorldWideScience.org is a global science gateway comprised of national and international scientific databases and portals.

• TRAIL (Technical Report Archive and Image Library)

  Digitized archive of U.S. federal technical reports issued prior to 1975.

There are resources all over campus to support you as you navigate student life:

• Student Counseling Services: They promote student success by helping you with: mental health and life concerns, learning and academic skills challenges, career uncertainty, faculty/staff to student communication, and more!
• Boynton Mental Health: They support mental health through counseling services, medication management, and crisis care.  
• Learn to Live: This platform offers therapy in five targeted areas: Social Anxiety, Depression Program, our Insomnia, Substance Use, and Stress, Anxiety and Worry.
• Let's Talk: These are informal virtual and in person drop-in consultations for students throughout the academic year. No appointment is necessary and find out more about counseling options. 
• Nutritious U Food Pantry: They provides fresh and healthy food to students that struggle to get enough to eat. Any student can visit the food pantry, no proof of need is needed.
• RecWell: Campus exercise and fitness facilities, classes and more. Studies show that working out can reduce stress and improve your mental health. Physical health is very important! 
• Pet Away Worry and Stress: (PAWS): Hang out with some of our furry and feathered friends, offered weekly this semester!