WELCOME TO TECHNICAL WRITING

  ON-LINE ENG 121

Dr. David B. Axelrod

(Suffolk County Poet Laureate)

All material Copyright (C) 2008  David B. Axelrod 

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YOUR TEXTBOOK

It's useful and therefore it's wonderful. It's useless and therefore it's terrible.

I have read or at least turned every page of it. Let's face it, not every page is of use to all of us. Clearly a technical writing textbook would want to be a model for "how to."

I don't need to do everything outlined in the book. Nor do I agree with all the advice in your textbook. That would have to be true. Your textbook is not "revealed word." There is no sacred duty to believe in it.

Example:

Good advice. When laying out a brochure, don't use too many type styles.

You don’t want your work to look like "motley." If you dress in too many colors you will look like a fool. If you go overboard on typefaces, clip-art, different styles all in one brochure, you will distract your audience from what they need to accomplish.

Bad advice. Bullets are not a good device.

I don't care how educated or "technical" your audience is, people want it as quickly and easily as possible. Bullets are a splendid way to shoot what's needed straight at people.

I reviewed a half dozen books before picking your textbook and decided on it because it includes the material I feel I know best and can teach best. The layout of your book, while it still is replete with long "gray" passages of just plain type, is sufficiently readable and visual as to be useful.

Clearly, you will not have to read this entire textbook. It is a useful reference. I myself am counting on it to provide you with the lessons that will fill around your required writing.

I am not inclined to re-invent the wheel. The author your textbook has done a fine job of explaining and exemplifying different aspects of technical writing. Where I provide a lesson, my advice and my "rules," will take precedent.

Do what I tell you even if the text says otherwise!  

Where you feel something has been left out of the website, please do refer to and trust your textbook. (If you can't find it in our web pages or the textbook, QUICKLY!! let me know and get extra credit for alerting us all to any deficiencies.)