Technical Report Writing Today-8th Ed.: Daniel G. Riordan and Steven E. Pauley

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, VOL. 46, NO.
1, MARCH 2003 75
Daniel G. Riordan and Steven E. Pauley

Technical Report Writing Today—8th Ed.
Book Review Index Terms—Electronic documentation, electronic research,

presentations, technical reports.
—Reviewed by
RAYMOND FLOYD,
T he book Technical Report
Writing Today is in its eighth
access the website, so one must
assume that only “authorized”
SENIOR MEMBER, IEEE students and instructors may
edition and, thus, has had obvious
check it out. It would have been
success. In “To The Instructor”
nice to be able to view the site
(pp. xix–xxv), the authors note
and see how the new chapter on
a number of changes. The most
Manuscript received September 2, 2002; website development had been
revised September 12, 2002. noteworthy include a chapter on
used in practice.
The reviewer is Vice President, developing websites (Chapter 13)
Innovative Insights, Inc., and a number of “Focus” boxes
Cody, WY 82414 USA Section I establishes foundation
concerning electronic resumes, for the remainder of the text.
(email: icubed@tritel.net).
electronic documentation, and It also presents the authors’
IEEE DOI 10.1109/TPC.2002.808341
working in groups. Having had position on effective technical
Book Publisher: the opportunity to review the writing in their statement, “the
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2002, 7th edition [1], I welcomed the
588 pages, plus index.
ideas in the book stem from these
opportunity to review the new three concepts: technical writing
edition. is audience centered, technical
writing is presentational and
The text, a softcover book, technical writing is responsible” (p.
is divided into four topical 3). Two items worthy of mention in
sections, two appendices and Chapter 4 are two Focus sections:
the index. Section I: Technical “Bias In Language” (p. 93) and
Writing Basics consists of four “International Communication”
chapters. Section II: Technical (p. 95). Each provides insight into
Writing Techniques has seven problems that may occur with
chapters. Section III: Technical word interpretation not intended
Writing Applications has seven by the author. One area of
chapters. Section IV: Professional disappointment was the coverage
Communications contains two of ethics, specifically in recognizing
chapters. As in the 7th edition, the work of others. It appeared that
I again had some difficulty in the authors were going to cover
rationalizing the placement of the topic in a section titled “Credit
some chapters in a particular Others” (p. 15). Unfortunately,
section and will address my other than a brief statement, “Your
thoughts and recommendations obligation is to present the facts
later in this review. so that your manager understands
who conceived the idea—and
An interesting addition to the who gets the credit” (p. 15), the
8th edition was noted in the authors fail to discuss ethical
front matter (p. xxiii) with the writing, plagiarism, or copyright
introduction of a website to be infringement. Even the “Codes
used in conjunction with the of Ethical Conduct” (p. 15) fails
text. It would appear that the to include the technical writer’s
site should benefit both student responsibilities in this regard.
users of the text and instructors.
Unfortunately, there were no links It is always difficult to determine
or other information on how to where chapters fit within the
0361-1434/03$17.00 © 2003 IEEE

76 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, VOL. 46, NO. 1, MARCH 2003
overall structure of a text. In this Second, information in Chapter information, informational

case, it appears to me that the 13, “Developing Websites,” should searches, technical support, and
first two chapters in Section II, have been in the last section so forth. Each type of webpage
“Researching” and “Summarizing,” (more about that section shortly). requires specific approaches that
belong in Section I, as they In the position it holds, the have to be understood and used
deal with basic concepts for the special emphasis on good website for the page to be successful. One
technical writer. The remaining development needs is lost. item of interest is the authors’
chapters provide excellent material statement that “the browser opens
for the technical writer or student, The title of Section IV, “Professional the screen indicated” (p. 324).
with special emphasis on the use Communications,” suggests that What is a browser? The word is
of color (“Focus on Color” [p. 169]) all the other discussions of not listed in the index and only
and the material on visual aids technical communication must a passing definition is offered on
given in Chapter 8. It was also good be nonprofessional. I do not page 341, when the authors note,
to see that a number of problems believe that to be the intent of the “The two major browsers are …”
pointed out in the prior edition authors; it is simply confusing. The fact that the authors know
have been corrected in Chapter 8 More importantly, I would like what a browser is does not mean
for this edition. to see Chapter 13, “Developing that every reader will.
Websites,” moved into this section,
Having provided fundamentals along with the current Chapter 20, Both appendices provide reference
to this point, in Section III the “Job Application Materials.” In the material for the technical writer
authors begin to look at specific latter case, Chapter 20 could have or student. The only thing I found
types of technical writing, i.e., been divided into two chapters, the missing was something mentioned
memorandums, informal reports, first dealing with résumés and the earlier—the link to writing
formal reports, proposals, and second dealing with cover letters, ethics, copyright, and plagiarism.
user manuals. In each case, the application letters, and follow-up Appendix B on “Documentary
authors provide insight into the letters. Sources” would have been a good
makeup of the particular report spot to include some discussion of
and, as in previous chapters, Chapter 13 is a good starting the importance of writing ethics.
provide many examples, student point for discussions on website
assignments, and worksheets to development. The impact of The 8th edition is a good upgrade
assist in the learning process. the web has been recognized from the 7th edition. Either will
From my perspective, there were around the world to the point that make a reasonable addition to the
two problems with this section. individuals are placing personal technical writer’s reference library.
First, Chapter 19, “Letters,” information on the web for friends However, if I had the 7th edition
should have been included in and family. I believe the authors already, rather than adding the 8th
this section rather than the have provided basic information edition, I would suggest investing
following one. Writing letters, both but have not addressed the in a technical text on webpage
formal and informal, is another differing needs in webpages, development as a supplement to
technical writing application. i.e., personal, sales, technical the information in Chapter 13.
REFERENCES
[1] R. E Floyd, “Review of Technical Report Writing Today, 7th Edition,”

IEEE Trans. Prof. Commun., vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 339–340, 2000.

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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, VOL. 46, NO.

Daniel G. Riordan and Steven E. Pauley

Book Review Index Terms—Electronic documentation, electronic research,

0361-1434/03$17.00 © 2003 IEEE

overall structure of a text. In this Second, information in Chapter information, informational

[1] R. E Floyd, “Review of Technical Report Writing Today, 7th Edition,”

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