Introduction

INTRODUCTION

This section of the manual explains some important topics in technical communication. It also includes the specifications for all your written assignments. You are required to follow the format specified for your lab reports, software documentation, and proposals. Your instructors will tell you what they expect for your presentations. This is very common in technical writing. You will often be told how to prepare your documents, frequently right down to the header and footer you should use. Being able to follow these guidelines is critical for technical professionals. Frequently, organizations you write for will have style guides. These guides spell out the rules for preparing and documenting your work. You are probably familiar with the MLA Style Guide. This guide, published by the Modern Language Association, is the most popular reference book for preparing bibliographies.

Technical writers have their own publications, like the ACS Style Guide or The CBE Manual for Authors, that deal with how to write numbers and equations and other things specific to the field of technical communication. While you will not need these guides for EG, you should be familiar with them. For this course, this manual will serve as the style guide. What is printed here is the last word in formatting your assignments for EG. If any of these specifications are changed, you will receive written notification of the new specs.

The other information in this section explains some common issues that face technical writers. Turn here for answers to questions you may have about punctuation, the correct way to write numbers, or strategies for editing your work.

Remember, your writing consultants are experts in these matters. If you are still confused after reading this manual, turn to them for help.

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