Technical Writing References News & Views Book Review

Technical Writing References Handbook of Technical Writing, 5th ed. by Charles T. Brusaw, Gerald J. Alred, and Walter E. Oliu. St. Martin’s Press, 1997. ISBN 0-312-166690-7 $27.95, 687 pp. Pocket Guide to Technical Writing by William S. Pfeiffer. Prentice-Hall, 1998. ISBN 0-13-242157-7 $17.95, 170 pp. by Cheryl Cherry Freelance Writer Originally published in News & Views November 1997 issue. Copyright 1997 STC-Philadelphia Metro Chapter. For permission to reprint this article, contact the Managing Editor.

Two candidates for your reference shelf were published recently: the fifth edition of the Handbook of Technical Writing and the first edition of the Pocket Guide to Technical Writing. Both books are worth buying. Each contains information useful to both new and experienced technical communicators. Aimed at a wide audience, the Handbook of Technical Writing contains over 600 pages packed with information. After a very brief introductory section, "Five Steps to Successful Writing," the bulk of the Handbook is an alphabetically arranged compendium of articles on types of technical documents, stages in the writing process, grammar, word usage, and language in general. The individual articles range in length from a single paragraph for definitions and word usage explanations to almost thirty pages for complex topics. Because the range of topics is so broad, coverage of each can not be very deep. For example, even in thirty pages, you cannot teach all the secrets of successful proposal writing. However, when faced with an unfamiliar task, the Handbook would be a good place to get the big picture. As a quick reference for checking punctuation rules or word usage, the Handbook’s brief entries tell you all you need to know. If you have been in the business for a while, you probably already own books that cover grammar and usage adequately. However, the Handbook might still be a good investment for the examples and descriptions of various types of documents. When assigned to write your first feasability report, for example, it would be comforting to find a sample on your bookshelf. The author of the Pocket Guide for Technical Writers sought to fill a different niche. As the title implies, the Pocket Guide is concise (although not actually sized for a pocket). The publisher’s ad draws a parallel between this book and Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. The comparison is appropriate. In 170 pages the Pocket Guide does not try to tell you everything about technical writing, but it does make some important points. First the author gives an overview of the writing process. The rest of the first third of the Pocket Guide presents the author’s favorite structure for a document or a section of a document, "ABC": abstract, body, conclusion. He follows his own advice in the narrative sections by providing the "big picture," then giving supporting details, followed by a wrap-up. Alphabetically arranged entries on style, grammar, and usage make up the middle third of the book. The entries in this section do have some reference value. However, as with The Elements of Style, for neophytes to get the most out of the book, they should take the time to read straight through. Both beginners and old pros may find the final section worth the price of the Pocket Guide. It contains "ABC" formats and examples for fifteen types of documents, including various types of letters and reports. Both books have the advantage and disadvantage inherent with alphabetical arrangement. If you already know the name of the entry, it is easy to find. If you don’t know, it is not. (Will anyone think to look in the Handbook under "clipped forms of words" or in the Pocket Guide for "words that aren’t"?) The authors try to overcome this disadvantage by providing classified lists, grouping the topics into broad categories. Both books also have indexes containing helpful cross-references. In addition, the Handbook includes a "Checklist of the Writing Process," providing a logical approach to some of the entry titles. If English is your second language, the Handbook authors thought of you. A special symbol marks entries that explain some of the trickier aspects of English. A list of the entries with this symbol would have added value to the book. In the unlikely event that engineers or programmers ask you to recommend a book that will help them improve their writing, the Pocket Guide would be an excellent choice. The design is clean, the "how to" sections are not intimidating, and the information in the alphabetical section would be enough to help them avoid most flagrant errors.

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Posted November 23, 1997 (rst)