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Preface | |
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Introduction | |
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What Are the Technical Professions? | |
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What Is Technical Communication? | |
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Who Is the Typical Technical Communicator? | |
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What Skills Do Technical Communicators Need? | |
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How Can This Book Help You? | |
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Why Choose to Do a Community Action Project? | |
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Basic Tools | |
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Planing | |
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Developing a Rhetorical Strategy | |
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Problem-Solving Strategies for Technical Communicators | |
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Steps to...: Problem Solving | |
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Analyzing Your Audience | |
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Creating an Audience Analysis Grid | |
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Finding Information About Your Audience | |
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Specific Planning Techniques | |
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Outlining | |
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Process of Outlining | |
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Storyboarding: Making Planning Concrete | |
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Writing a Document Specification | |
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Checklist: Document Specification Components | |
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Considering the Ethical Dimensions of a Project | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Creating an International User Analysis | |
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Steps to...: A User Analysis Grid | |
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When to Provide a Translation Glossary | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Researching | |
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Researching to Solve a Problem | |
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Researching to Understand a Product | |
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A Systematic Approach to Research | |
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Steps to...: Completing Research | |
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Finding and Evaluating Sources | |
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Major Sources of Technical Information | |
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Checklist: Evaluating Sources | |
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Guidelines: Evaluating Internet Resources | |
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Planning and Conducting Interviews | |
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Preparing for an Interview | |
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Designing Questionnaires | |
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Guidelines: Designing Effective Questionnaires | |
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Using Research to Support Your Document | |
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Steps to...: Creating a Well-Supported Document | |
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Avoiding Plagiarism | |
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Using Copyrighted Materials | |
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Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting | |
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When Acknowledging Sources Is Unnecessary | |
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Documenting Sources | |
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APA Documentation Style | |
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CSE Documentation Style | |
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Chicago Manual Documentation Style | |
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Columbia Documentation Style for Online Sources | |
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Researching Is a Technical Skill | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Projects | |
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Organizing for Readers | |
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Setting Reader Expectations (Frontloading) | |
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Considering Your Audience | |
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Stating the Main Idea Up Front | |
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Providing a Road Map | |
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Reader Cues | |
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Dividing Information into Units (Chunking) | |
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Checklist: Subdividing | |
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Organizing Sections | |
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Paragraphing Effectively | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Four Questions for Establishing Cultural Schemata | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Sample Document | |
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Sample of Effective Organization Techniques | |
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Designing the Document: Format and Graphics | |
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Understanding Visual Design Principles | |
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Conventions of Visual Perception | |
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Strategies in Visual Communication | |
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Guidelines: Designing Documents | |
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Designing Readable Hardcopy Pages | |
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Creating Visual Hierarchies of Information | |
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Using a Page Layout Grid | |
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Formatting Text | |
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Deciding When to Use Graphic Illustrations | |
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Purposes of Graphic Illustrations | |
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Guidelines: Balancing Graphics and Text | |
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Choosing Appropriate Graphics | |
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Figures | |
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Tables | |
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The Ethics of Graphics | |
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Placing Graphics in the Text | |
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Guidelines: Integrating Graphics | |
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Checklist: Numbering and Labeling Graphics | |
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Using Graphics on the World Wide Web | |
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Using Graphics in Fliers, Brochures, and Newsletters | |
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Using Graphics in Presentations | |
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Designing Effective Posters | |
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Presenting Your Poster | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Projects | |
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Technology Challenge | |
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Editing for Style | |
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Creating a Readable Style | |
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Emphasizing Important Points | |
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Avoiding Agentless Prose | |
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Using an Appropriate Tone | |
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Guidelines: Avoiding Inappropriate Labels | |
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Guidelines: Avoiding Sexist Language | |
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Controlling Wordiness | |
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Unnecessary Large Words | |
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Unnecessary Phrases | |
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Meaningless Qualifiers | |
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Writing Smooth Transitions | |
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Explicit Transitions | |
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Implicit Transitions | |
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The Given/New Principle | |
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Pacing | |
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Varying Sentence Lengths | |
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Varying Sentence Beginnings | |
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Considering the Ethics of Style | |
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Guidelines: Making Ethical Choices | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Simplified Languages | |
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Guidelines: Writing for International Audiences | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Technology Challenge | |
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Collaborating on Writing Projects | |
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The Collaborative Process | |
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Types of Collaborative Roles | |
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The Individual Contributor | |
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Guidelines: Collaborating Effectively | |
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The Project Manager | |
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Phases of the Project | |
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Steps to...: Planning a Project | |
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Writing, Usability Testing, and Editing Phase | |
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Production Phase | |
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Guidelines: Peer Editing | |
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Postmortem Phase | |
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Tracking the Project | |
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Scheduling | |
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Progress Reports | |
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Meetings | |
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Electronic Collaboration | |
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Using a Tracking Spreadsheet | |
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The Project Notebook (Project Central) | |
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Establishing Effective Communication | |
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Vertical and Horizontal Communication Networks | |
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Conducting Productive Meetings | |
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Steps to...: Scheduling a Successful Meeting | |
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Fostering Team Dynamics | |
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Conflict and Mediation | |
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How to Manage Conflict | |
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Steps to...: Effective Conflict Management | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Technology Challenge | |
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Communicating with Other Cultures | |
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Technical Communication Tasks in the Global Workplace | |
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Developing Content for a Global Audience | |
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Editing and Proofreading | |
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Collaborating on Global Teams | |
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Relocating to Another Country | |
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Culture as More than Stereotype | |
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Key Focus Areas of Cultural Difference | |
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Eastern and Western Thinking Patterns | |
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Collaborating on Multicultural Teams | |
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The Decision-making Process | |
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The Review Process | |
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Guidelines: Collaborating with E-mail | |
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The Evaluation Process | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Considering Ethical and Liability Issues | |
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Ethics Defined | |
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Social Responsibility | |
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Economic Responsibility | |
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Legal Responsibility | |
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Voluntary Responsibility | |
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Ethical Responsibility | |
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Types of Ethical Issues | |
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Conflict of Interest | |
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Trustworthiness | |
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Communications | |
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Organizational Relationships | |
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Guidelines for Ethical Choices | |
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Ethical Relativism Versus Absolutism | |
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Information Liability | |
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Understanding Product Liability Law | |
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Negligence | |
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Breach of Warranty | |
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Strict Liability in Tort | |
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Liability in Writing Marketing Material | |
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Marketing Goods | |
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Checklist: Communicating Ethically | |
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Marketing Services | |
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Liability in Writing Safety Information | |
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Degrees of Danger | |
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Hazard Messages | |
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Guidelines: Writing Effective Hazard Messages | |
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Liability in Writing Employee Information | |
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Employee Handbooks | |
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Employment Letters | |
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Performance Evaluations | |
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Understanding Intellectual Property Law | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Professional Applications | |
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Memos, Letters, and E-Mail Correspondence | |
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Comparing Correspondence Modes | |
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Planning and Researching | |
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Developing a Rhetorical Strategy | |
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Steps to...: Creating a Rhetorically Effective Letter | |
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Determining Your Purpose | |
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Analyzing Your Audience | |
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Organizing | |
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Informative Messages | |
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Requests for Action | |
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Inquiries | |
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Appreciation Messages | |
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Designing | |
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Memos | |
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Letters | |
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Editing | |
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Creating the Right Tone | |
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Guidelines: Creating the Right Tone | |
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Achieving Clarity | |
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Guidelines: Achieving Clarity | |
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E-Mail | |
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Advantages | |
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Disadvantages | |
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Tone in E-Mail | |
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E-mail and Conflict Management | |
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Issues of Privacy | |
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Guidelines: Writing E-Mail | |
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E-Mail Format | |
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E-Mail Attachments | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Guidelines: International Correspondence | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Sample Documents | |
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Good-News Letter: Direct Approach | |
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Bad-News Letter: Indirect Approach | |
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Bad-News Letter | |
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Appreciation Letter | |
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Inquiry Letter | |
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Request for Action Memo | |
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E-Mails | |
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Instructions, Procedures, and Policies | |
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The Difference Between Instructions, Procedures, and Policies | |
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Planning and Researching | |
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Determining Your Purpose | |
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Analyzing Your Audience | |
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Steps to...: Analyzing Your Audience | |
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Document Specifications | |
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Organizing | |
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Guidelines: Organizing Instructions and Procedures | |
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Designing | |
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Clearly Labeled Figures | |
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Consistent Formats | |
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Decision Tables | |
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Modular Design | |
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Information Mapping | |
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Editing | |
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Collaborating | |
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Achieving the Right Tone and Style | |
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Steps to...: Scheduling Your Project | |
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Guidelines: Editing Instructions and Procedures | |
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Testing for Usability | |
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Types of Usability Tests | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Considerations and Cautions | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Sample Documents | |
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User Guide Instructions, Step by Step | |
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Sample Brief Instructions | |
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Sample Policy | |
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Policy and Procedure on Same Page | |
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Describing and Summarizing Technical Information | |
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Planning and Researching | |
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Determining Your Purpose | |
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Analyzing Your Audience | |
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Organizing | |
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Organizing Technical Descriptions | |
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Guidelines: Planning Descriptions and Summaries | |
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Organizing Technical Summaries | |
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Designing | |
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Guidelines: Designing Descriptions and Summaries | |
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Editing | |
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Too Much Information | |
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The List Syndrome | |
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Inconsistent Terminology | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Sample Documents | |
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Object/Product Description | |
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Technical Object and Process Description | |
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Technical Object Description | |
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Abstracts and Executive Summaries | |
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Planning and Researching | |
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Determining Your Purpose | |
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Steps to...: Creating an Abstract and Executive Summary | |
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Analyzing Your Audience | |
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Organizing | |
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Methods of Organizing Executive Summaries | |
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Guidelines: Organizing Abstracts | |
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Designing | |
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Specific Strategies for Abstracts | |
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Specific Strategies for Executive Summaries | |
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Editing | |
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Avoiding Cut and Paste Style | |
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Avoiding Overly Technical Language | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Sample Documents | |
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Portions of a Contemporary Executive Summary | |
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Traditional Executive Summary | |
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Informative Abstract | |
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Informative Abstract for Funding Proposal | |
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Descriptive Abstract | |
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Reports | |
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Communicating Factual Information | |
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Planning and Researching | |
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Determining Your Purpose | |
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Analyzing Your Audience | |
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Defining the Central Problem | |
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Developing a Schedule and Document Specification | |
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Organizing | |
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Components of a Formal Report | |
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Guidelines: Writing an Effective Transmittal Letter | |
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Components of a Progress Report | |
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Using Direct and Indirect Approaches | |
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Creating an Argument | |
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Designing | |
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Formatting | |
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Figures and Tables | |
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Mathematical Equations | |
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Checklist: Using Graphics in Reports | |
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Presenting Statistics and Visual Information Ethically | |
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Editing | |
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Tone | |
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Consistency | |
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Completeness | |
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Passive Voice | |
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Checklist: Style Consistency | |
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Sentence Variety | |
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Acronyms and Abbreviations | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Sample Documents | |
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Letter of Transmittal | |
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Sample Brief Report | |
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Sample Progress Report | |
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Sample Medical Report | |
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Sample Final Summary Report | |
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Letter of Transmittal | |
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Sample Report | |
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Proposals | |
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An Overview of Proposal Writing | |
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Planning and Researching | |
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Determining Your Purpose | |
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Analyzing Your Audience | |
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Developing Themes | |
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Considering Ethical Issues | |
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Outlining | |
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Organizing | |
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The Executive Summary | |
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The Proposal | |
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Designing | |
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Deciding on an Effective Format | |
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Using Graphics Appropriately | |
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Guidelines: Using Graphics in Proposals | |
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Writing Interpretive Captions | |
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Editing | |
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Stating Your Themes Persuasively | |
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Establishing Equivalence Chains | |
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Writing Sidebars That Work | |
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Steps to...: Creating an Equivalence Chain | |
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Guidelines: Writing Effective Sidebars | |
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Following Up the Proposal Submission | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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| |
Community Action Project | |
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Sample Documents | |
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Request for Proposal (RFP) Sample | |
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Sample Student Proposal | |
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Sample Short Proposal | |
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Sample Grant Proposal | |
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Electronic Media: Online Help, Web Site Design, and Blogs | |
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Understanding the Differences Between Online and Print Media | |
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Planning and Researching | |
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Determining Your Purpose | |
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Analyzing Your Audience | |
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| |
Organizing | |
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Guidelines: Organizing Hypermedia | |
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Designing | |
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Designing Online Content | |
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Designing Online Graphical User Interfaces | |
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Checklist: Electronic Design Best Practices | |
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Steps to...: Developing GUI Standards | |
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Designing Online Graphics | |
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Guidelines: Using Graphics in Electronic Design | |
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Developing and Designing a Marketing Web site | |
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Guidelines: Creating a Marketing Web Site | |
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Developing and Designing a "Blog" | |
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Editing | |
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Guidelines: Editing Online Documents | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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| |
Exercises | |
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| |
Community Action Project | |
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| |
| |
Fliers, Brochures, and Newsletters | |
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| |
Understanding Marketing Writing | |
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| |
Planning and Researching | |
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| |
Determining Your Purpose and Audience | |
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| |
Organizing and Designing | |
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| |
Principles of Marketing Design | |
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Fliers | |
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Brochures | |
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Newsletters | |
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Electronic Delivery: HTML or PDF? | |
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Editing | |
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| |
Tips for International Communication | |
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Guidelines: Writing Marketing Copy | |
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Quick Review | |
| |
| |
Exercises | |
| |
| |
Community Action Projects | |
| |
| |
Technology Challenge | |
| |
| |
| |
Professional Presentations | |
| |
| |
Planning and Researching | |
| |
| |
Analyzing Your Audience | |
| |
| |
Planning Grid | |
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| |
Visual Media | |
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| |
Length | |
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| |
Organizing | |
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| |
Introduction Strategy | |
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Presenting the Body | |
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Closing Techniques | |
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Designing | |
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| |
Types of Visual Aids | |
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| |
Selecting the Right Medium | |
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| |
Guidelines: Presenting Visuals | |
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| |
Guidelines: Presenting with PowerPoint | |
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| |
Editing | |
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| |
Using Outlines | |
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| |
Using Note Cards | |
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| |
Practicing Your Delivery | |
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| |
Elements of Delivery | |
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| |
Handling the Question and Answer Period | |
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| |
Tips for International Communication | |
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| |
Quick Review | |
| |
| |
Exercises | |
| |
| |
Community Action Project | |
| |
| |
Technology Challenge | |
| |
| |
Sample Document | |
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Presentation Outline | |
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| |
Finding a Job | |
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Understanding Job Application Protocol | |
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Start Early | |
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Steps to...: Finding a Job | |
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Organizing the Search | |
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Types of Technical Jobs | |
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What Job Is Best for You? | |
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Where Do You Want to Work? | |
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Where to Find Leads | |
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Choosing References | |
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Writing Job Application Letters | |
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Steps to...: Creating an Effective Application Letter | |
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Writing Resumes | |
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Guidelines: Writing Effective Resumes | |
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Types of Resumes | |
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Electronic Resumes | |
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Guidelines: Formatting a Scannable Resume | |
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Preparing Professional Portfolios | |
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Components of the Portfolio | |
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Guidelines: Using Keywords in Your Resume | |
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Electronic Portfolios | |
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Interviewing | |
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Guidelines: Interviewing Successfully | |
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Common Interview Questions | |
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Following Up | |
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Tips for International Communication | |
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Quick Review | |
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Exercises | |
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Community Action Project | |
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Technology Challenge | |
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Sample Documents | |
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Job Application Letter | |
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Table of Contents for Technical Writing Portfolio | |
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Thank You Letter | |
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Chronological Resume | |
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Targeted Resume | |
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Function-Oriented Resume | |
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A Quick Guide to Language Issues | |
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ESL (English as a Second Language) Considerations | |
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Abbreviations and Acronyms | |
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Capitalization | |
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Commonly Misspelled Words | |
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Placement of Adverbs and Adjectives | |
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Articles | |
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Pronoun Reference | |
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Gerunds and Infinitives | |
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Idioms | |
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Prepositions | |
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Two-Word Verbs | |
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Present Perfect Verb Tense | |
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Glossary of Usage | |
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Index | |