Preface PART ONE ELEMENTS OF TECHNICAL COMMUNCATION 1 Communicating in the Technical Workplace Developing a Workplace Writing Process Genres and the Technical Writing Process Stage 1: Plan Out Your Project and Do Start-up Research Stage 2: Organizing and Drafting Stage 3: Improving the Style Stage 4: Designing Stage 5: Revising and Editing What is Technical Communication? Technical Communication is Interactive and Adaptable Technical Communication is Reader Centered Technical Communication Relies on Teamwork Technical Communication is Visual Technical Communication Has Ethical, Legal, and Political Dimensions Technical Communication is International and Cross-Cultural How Important is Technical Communication? 2 Readers and Contexts of Use Creating a Reader Profile Step 1: Identify Your Readers Step 2: Identify Your Readers'' Needs, Values, and Attitudes Step 3: Identify the Contexts in Which Readers Will Experience Your Document Using Profiles to Your Own Advantage Global and Transcultural Communication Differences in Content Differences in Organization Differences in Style Differences in Design Listen and Learn: The Key to Global and Transcultural Communication 3 Working in Teams The Stages of Teaming Forming: Strategic Planning Step 1: Define the Project Mission and Objectives Step 2: Identify Project Outcomes Step 3: Define Team Member Responsibilities Step 4: Create a Project Calendar Step 5: Write Out a Work Plan Step 6: Agree on How Conflicts Will Be Resolved Storming: Managing Conflict Running Effective Meetings Mediating Conflicts Firing a Team Member Norming: Determining Team Roles Revising Objectives and Outcomes Help: Virtual Teaming Redefining Team Roles Using Groupware to Facilitate Work Performing: Improving Quality The Keys to Teaming 4 Ethics in the Technical Workplace What Are Ethics? Where Do Ethics Come From? Personal Ethics Social Ethics Conservation Ethics Resolving Ethical Dilemmas Step 1: Analyze the Ethical Dilemma Step 2: Make a Decision Step : React Appropriately When You Disagree with Your Employer Help: Stopping Cyberbullying and Computer Harassment Ethics in the Technical Workplace Copyright Law Trademarks Patents Privacy Information Sharing Proprietary Information Libel and Slander Fraud Copyright Law in Technical Communication Asking Permission Copyrighting Your Work Plagiarism PART TWO GENRES OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION 5 Letters, Memos, and E-Mail Features of Letters, Memos, and E-Mail Quick Start: Letters, Memos, and E-Mail Step 1: Make a Plan and Do Research Step 2: Decide What Kind of Letter, Memo, or E-Mail is Needed Step 3: Organize and Draft Your Message Step 4: Choose the Style, Design, and Medium Microgenre: Workplace Texting and Tweeting Using E-Mail Internationally Case Study: The Nastygram 6 Technical Descriptions and Specifications Types of Technical Descriptions Quick Start: Technical Descriptions and Specifications Step 1: Make a Plan and Do Research Step 2: Partition Your Subject Step 3: Organize and Draft Your Tec.