The present article describes and evaluates collaborative interdisciplinary group projects initiated by content lecturers and an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) instructor for the purpose of teaching technical writing skills in an aeronautical engineering degree program. The proposed technical writing model is assessed against the results of a…

This article addresses previous arguments that call for increased emphasis on research in technical communication programs. Focusing on the value of scholarly-based research at the undergraduate level, we present New Mexico Tech's thesis model as an example of helping students develop familiarity with research skills and methods. This two-semester…

A common aphorism in the halls of education is that the writing skills of Americans decline over time. Compared to the "golden age of letters," so the argument goes, each subsequent generation of writers is worse than the last. Although contemporary readers and educators commiserate over encounters with bad writing, a fair comparison of 18th…

The purpose of this article is to evaluate value-add methods and activities applied to organizational communication college-level course work. Graduate organizational communication faculty are aware that their classes serve as direct preparation for students entering business and professional careers. The knowledge learned and the skills acquired…

Individual students in two different sections of an undergraduate civil engineering laboratory were tasked with preparing three professional-quality laboratory reports. The teaching assistant and/or instructor used established criteria to grade the first two reports prepared by students in one section. The first two reports prepared by students in…

Students in business communication classes are expected to write various types of documents. Research has illustrated that undergraduate student writing skills have not improved even though most states have begun writing proficiency tests at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. By the time students enroll in college, students are…

Scientific and technical jargon--specialized vocabulary, usually Latinate--plays a vital role in scientific and technical communication. But its proper use continues to be a point of discussion because of our concern with audience adaptation, rhetorical exigence, rhetorical purpose, and ethics. We've focused on teaching students--and on convincing…

Finds that communication tasks assigned in veterinary medical courses accord well with the communication tasks expected to be performed by practicing veterinarians. Concludes that the merging of research and practice in the education of veterinary medical students may offer lessons for the education of professional practitioners in technical…

Surveys recent graduates of a degree program in professional and technical communication to identify their current employment, attitudes toward their academic preparation, and professional courses they found most helpful. Describes history and curriculum of Rochester Institute of Technology's 11-year program, its liberal arts core, and its…

States that, although the passive voice may be overused in legal prose, legal writing guidebooks undervalue its uses. Introduces the passive voice and gives some possible reasons for its use. Outlines the many situations when the passive is more appropriate than the active voice. (PA)

Notes that guidelines for the curriculum in English published by the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association have been criticized by a number of publications. Proposes a new guideline--for writing to convey factual information only. (PA)

Argues that a checklist of what is required can help clarify the demands of writing and turn them into manageable items or practice units. Notes that skills involved in designing and applying checklists resemble those required for dealing with writing tasks on campus and/or at work. Focuses on using checklists to improve report writing. Discusses…

States that universities and engineering firms do not generally train engineers in business technical writing, although firms benefit from having engineers who can write clear descriptions of their work. Suggests a program to promote writing skills of engineers and engineering students with limited English skills that involves clear, logical lists…

Examines how amplification (rhetorical techniques by which discourse is extended to enhance its appeal and information value) tends to increase and improve the coverage, rationale, warnings, behavioral alternatives, examples, previews, and general emphasis of technical manuals. Shows how classical and modern rhetorical theories can be applied to…

Describes a report writing unit that is part of a three-year language/communication course for second language engineering students at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. States that the tasks motivated the students to develop their report writing and oral skills. (RS)