Topic: Technical Writing

10-Second Review: Steps to take in a technical writing assignment.

Title: “Searching: A Better Way to Teach Technical Writing.” NJ Veglahn. College Composition and Communication (February 1988), 85-87. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: The purpose of technical writing: “…learn to put technical information into clear, concise prose.” Show students how to find the information that they are going to put into “clear, concise prose.”

1. Choose a topic: something the student wants to know.

2. Each student presents a topic in class, and the others suggest possible sources of information.

3. Check the Internet for information on the topic. You should find tons of it.

4. Writing letters of inquiry. Students attempt to get some of the desired information by e-mail.

5. Interviewing: Each student conducts and hands in a written summary of at least one interview with an expert in the area of the search topic. Experts are asked to suggest further sources of information.

Comment: Could apply to any research paper. RayS.

The purpose of this blog is to summarize articles on teaching English/language arts, from kindergarten through college, published in English education journals from the past.