Product Description
Insightful tips to master white paper writing and marketingThe white paper is a crossbreed of a magazine article and a brochure.White paper guru Michael Stelzner reveals his secrets for creating compelling white papers that attract readers in droves.The first of its kind, Writing White Papers provides critical how-to details for every step of any white paper project—from performing the needs assessment to attracting prospects with creative marketing tactics.With this book, you will learn to:•Create outlines that work•Master interviewing techniques •Focus content on your readers•Inject persuasion into your paper•Quickly find research data •Write the core parts for any white paper •Craft compelling titles•Apply proven marketing techniquesWhether you have been tasked to write a white paper for your company, are a freelance writer wanting to grow your practice or a student seeking to master the art of writing white papers, this book will be your priceless guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Excellent book!
I had to write a white paper on short notice for my boss. The problem was I didn't know what a white paper was until I got a hold of this easy to read book. It has great ideas and is easy to follow. I definitely impressed my boss with this report.

useful and specific, but dry reading
This book is the only one of it's kind, apparently.The author
is no doubt a good authority on the subject.

For a book that is all about how to write stuff that keeps
readers engaged it's pretty dry reading though.Sort of
a "just the facts ma'am" approach.

While I respect the author's approach to keeping the
information straightforward, the style of writing tends
to under-dimensionalyze the importance of key elements
in a successful white paper effort.

"Facts tell, stories sell..." they say.Well, here you
get the facts, without any fluffy stories whatsoever.

Great Book for Whitepaper Writers and Marketers
Numerous research studies have shown time and again that white papers are very powerful marketing tools to show thought leadership and generate leads while also providing critical information to both technical and business decision makers. White papers are meant as a "soft sell". They typically discuss solutions for the problems facing a customer rather than just doing a "hard sell" for a product or service. White papers also offer insight and serves as how-to guides for a particular target audience.

Common white paper types include solution overviews, technology briefings, buyer's guides, planning and implementation guides, application guides, ROI guides, case studies, business implication discussions, strategy discussions, industry trend overviews, issues analyses etc

Mike's book deals exclusively with white papers and provide answers to these questions
* How do you get started on writing and marketing a white paper?
* What are the various components of a white paper?
* How do you ensure the white papers land in the hand of the right decision makers?

Mike says:
"There are really only two ways to write white papers: (1) by focusing on your self-interests or (2) by concentrating on the interests of your readers. The self-interest or "chest-beating" approach focuses exclusively on a product, service or solution by expounding on its benefits, features and implications. While effective in some circumstances, this approach is best left for something other than a white paper, such as a data sheet or product brief."

In "Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged", Michael Stelzner reveals his insights and tips about creating compelling whitepapers. Michael Stelzner highlights that whitepapers are used for three main reasons: to show thought leadership, for lead generation and to close sales. He has terrific advice on every step to writing a white paper - from start to finish; picking the right topic, identifying readers, deciding on clear objectives, developing an outline, doing research, writing and marketing a white paper. He also shares valuable and practical tips on getting started with the first page, choosing a compelling title, writing the core, formatting the whitepaper and marketing the white paper to get it in the hands of the right decision maker.

Take a look at the book excerpt and its table of contents at:
[...]

5 key take aways from Michael Stelzner's book

* Give value to your reader: The whitepaper's underlying strength rests on this premise: If you give readers something of value, they will give you their loyalty, and ultimately their business.
* Identify your reader: Asking many questions to clearly define the ideal reader will not only help you bring clarity to your white paper project, it will also enhance your credibility.
* Adopt problem-solution approach: By leading with some challenges faced by your readers and suggesting how to solve their problems, you can develop a compelling white paper that engages readers.
* Include a "call to action": Provide an actionable step that guides readers once they reach the end of your whitepaper. This will help keep prospects engaged with your solution.
* Interview experts: To obtain "content-rich" whitepapers interview experts to speed up the research process and get access to information that you will never find on your own.

Given all the buzz about content marketing, I highly recommend reading "Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged" .This book is not just for whitepaper writers and marketers. The lessons learnt can be applied to writing and marketing any other form of content as well.

Buy the book, read it and keep it handy for reference.

Comprehensive and dull to read
This book (recommended to me by a top copywriter) certainly covers the topic well and comprehensively. It is also a great cure for insomnia. The author's writing style is incredibly dull, which given the fact that he is an expert in white papers, surprised me.

It also gave me hope, because if a guy who writes this boringly can get work writing these papers I suppose the rest of us stand a chance.

An Easy and Excellent Read
I found reading this book to be an easy read, a great pleasure and very informative. I love books like these which provide concrete information that is full of practical and readily usable examples. As you can tell, I loved the book.Example outlines for the different objectives was particularly helpful.I'm already using the tips and guidelines to accelerate the entire effort by being more effective and more efficient. ... Read more

Product Description

Write an effective research paper--no sweat!

The words “research paper” may send a chill down your spine. You're thinking about the hours of research and the days of writing ahead-and that's after wringing your hands about the topic! Never fear, this concise resource will guide you through the process step-by-step and make the experience painless. With veteran composition instructor Carol Ellison's advice, you'll be able to create a thought-provoking research paper that will get you the best possible grade!

McGraw-Hill's Concise Guide to Writing Research Papers gives you the tools to:

• Organize a helpful outline before you write
• Find solid evidence at the library and on the Internet to back up your thesis
• Write effective sentences to support your topic
• Replace common phrases with attention-drawing wording to properly articulate your ideas
• Use smooth transitions between paragraphs to keep your paper flowing
• Craft eloquent summaries and conclusions
• Avoid accidental incidences of plagiarism
• Run a thorough check over your research paper before you hand it in

Product Description

A Concise Guide to Technical Communication takes a situational approach, emphasizing issues of audience and purpose for any technical communication task. The first text of its kind to acknowledge that most technical communication today takes place electronically, this Concise Guide offers a seamless connection between the new and old worlds of technical communication.

Customer Reviews (4)

English class book
This was required reading for my English class.A very concise book that is a great refresher for someone who has been out of school for 16 years!

Good Reference Book
Our professor chose this book not only because of its content, but also for its relatively inexpensive price.It was a great textbook: concise, easy to read and comprehend, and gave some excellent examples. If you are a technical writing student or even a practicing technical writer, I would recommend this book. I will not sell my copy. It's a keeper, and I believe I'll be referring to it for years to come.

Updated Edition Needed!
I've used this textbook in my technical communication classes since it was first published. The text is concisely written with plenty of examples and exercises to help students understand practical online and hardcopy applications used in technical writing. However, the text edition needs to be updated. Since September 2004 I've had to heavily supplement my classes with writing applications that apply to current industry standards. My students do not know the difference, but I do. A new edition is in order! I'm planning to switch to another textbook if a newer edition is not available for September 2006.

Concise Guide 2nd Ed.
Book was nice and it came in the mail quick like a bunny. ... Read more

Product Description
How well do you write? Written and oralcommunication play a vital role in advancing the careers of design professionals (and students),yet few design schools offer training, and fewresources exist to help designers improve theirwriting skills.Now in its second edition—updated and expanded to address such issuesas email etiquette and Web-based marketing, communication, and jobsearches—the best-selling Writing for Design Professionals is the standard guide for mastering the complexities of effective writing in professionalpractice.

Stephen A. Kliment explains theprinciples of clear writing, from the formal“Dear Ms. Jones: I recently visited Polk StreetElementary School, and I agree the facilityurgently needs to be modernized to make way forthe progressive teaching techniques you haveplanned for your school district.... Ibelieve that my firm, Izumi Associates, can make this happen” to the punchy remarks of the lateWilliam Caudill, “Say ‘frog,’ we’ll jump.”Dozens of sample letters, proposals, brochures,reports, book reviews, oral presentations, staff communications, and more—all drawn from the world of practice, and in both print and electronicformats—guide readers through the ins and outsof composing the end-products ofwriting. Writing for Design Professionals isorganized for easy reference, and includes thefollowing topics:• marketing: Web sites,correspondence, brochures and portfolios,proposals, newsletters, and other promotionaltools• project writing• writing in school• job applications and Web-based job boards•writing in academe• writing for the media•writing as a career• public speaking plus:how to avoid jargon and gender-specificlanguage, tailor your writing to your audience,enhance your writing with appropriate graphics,write to international clients, write as aproduct manufacturer, and measure the impact ofwhat you write. Resources include lists ofdesign media.Like a trustworthy desk-sideconsultant, Writing for Design Professionals,Second Edition, should be next to the computerof every architect, planner, interior designer,engineer, and student who wishes to present apolished, professional image through effectivewritten communication. 27 color; 10 b&w ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Helpful Resource
The content of this book is useful and should come in handy to any design professional at any point of their career.

I've docked this book 2 stars due to redundancy and the fact that it is very difficult to read due to poor typesetting (margins are only about 1/4" from the spine).

Writing for Design Professionals is one of the most comprehensive, specific guides you could want.
Whether you're a student or a design professional, good writing is the key to advancing your career: a key too often missed in design schools which don't inform students how to improve writing skills. Enter the second, updated edition of Writing for Design Professionals, a survey expanded to consider internet marketing, communication and job hunting and which fills the gap in blending a focus on design professionals with instructionals and methods of clarifying and improving writing. From producing brochures and marketing through proposals and portfolio development to writing for school or media and producing appropriate public speeches, Writing for Design Professionals is one of the most comprehensive, specific guides you could want.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Inspiring for students and professionals
This is a much needed and appreciated book on clear and consice communication for students writing on their design projects, design statements for themselves about their portfolios, cover letters for employment purposes, not to mention all the aspects of proposals, business communication, applications, brochures, etc. As an educator in the design arts for over 25 years, I am especially happy to have this resource to share with design students and also find much useful information included for myself. Thanks for a great addition to my design library! ... Read more

Product Description

Taking a research-based, integrated problem solving approach to technical and professional writing, this volume provides a model that illustrates real working-world solutions to problems that readers are likely to encounter in the workplace. Designed to show that problem solving is a multidimensional process, each chapter begins with a short scenario case study that deals with theoretical or applied issues of technical and professional communication, thereby preparing users to excel in the professional world. The volume addresses a variety of forms of professionalism and problem solving including technical and rhetorical problem solving, solving problems through research, reports and completion reports, proposals, letters and memoranda's, solving problems through trip reports, feasibility studies, and lab reports, policy statements, manuals, and procedures, as well as solving problems in the professional job search, through document design, and through oral presentations. For business professionals and others who would benefit from enhanced problem-solving skills.

Product Description
An engaging writing style that appeals to today's students is combined with a strong practical approach to technical writing - what it is, who reads it, and how to achieve success in this highly relevant field. Coverage includes both technical writing and technical reading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ok for a younger crowd
I bought this book for a class I am taking in my seinor year at college and after reading a couple chapters from the beginning and the end of the book I felt like this book would be better off for a younger crowd.Mabey freshmen in highschool, or younger but book came off as a poor attempt to make a techical writing book for the adult.All the information that the book held was things that i had been tought through middle school through highschool. Over all if you are looking for a book for your younger readers to take something away from this is it but if you have adults you wouldent want to wast your time or money. ... Read more

Product Description
To succeed in technical writing, you need a lot more than just writing ability. Technical Writing 101 details the skills you need as a technical writer, and it explains how to handle the pressures of tight deadlines and ever-changing product specifications. This valuable reference also describes the entire documentation process—planning, writing, editing, indexing, and production. You'll appreciate the tips on getting a job as a technical writer, whether you’re considering technical writing as your first job or as a career change. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Excellent
If you are new to technical writing or need a refresher, this book is practical and provides JIT. A must have resource on the technical writer's shelf. Especially great for instructional designers and other writers who may dabble in technical writing.

Good, real-world advice
So many books on "technical writing" discuss project management that just doesn't happen in the real world. Often throughout my 15-year career as a technical communicator, I've encountered individuals with English or Journalism degrees who hadn't the first idea about what technical writing (really) involves. This book provides an excellent, realistic overview of the profession and its (very important) components -- aside from a degree -- and being a writer of sorts (fiction, for example) -- and the kind of aptitude and skill set it takes to do the job right (and love it).

Good for beginners
The book is targeted at new technical writers and engineers (SMEs) who want to understand what technical writing is all about. It could also be used for preparing training courses on technical communication.

Neat presentation, large font size and simple language make the book very easy to read. But a few spelling and grammatical errors tend to put you off. More so when it is supposed to be a book on writing! Try spotting these errors when you read the book. It could be good editorial practice. Not that you don't have enough of that already.

True to its title, the book doesn't dwell too much on any of the wide range of topics it covers. But, a few sections stand out. Chapter 3, "Doc plans and outlines," and Chapter 13, "Single sourcing" are well researched and presented. The book also has a long list of references-web sites and mailing lists relevant to our profession.

Even if you don't have time to read the entire book, don't miss the cartoons and illustrations-especially the one on the back cover.

Who are these people called Technical Writers?
I had never even heard the term "Technical Writer" until I was hired as one in 1998. Previously I had been working as a software trainer and had become very dissatisfied with off the shelf training materials. Consequently I ended up writing all of my own material, as well as take-home job aids and reference books. These books were very well received and hence a love of writing began.

After leaving the Government and moving to the USA, I no longer wanted to train but I wanted to continue writing since I had enjoyed it so much. I was later hired as a technical writer for a fortune 500 company in Oklahoma. A friend of mine back in Canada wanted to know what I was doing but I didn't know how to explain it in 20,000 words or less. Sarah rescued me by writing this book and I immediately ordered it.

Not only is the material accurate; the book is funny, immensely readable and short enough to be absorbed by a non-techie within a few hours. I sent the book to my friend and she finally understands what I do (or rather USED to do!)

Never, when I wrote "The WordPerfect 5.1 Reference Series" for the Canadian Government did I think I would be launching a satisfying lifetime career. Thank you Sarah and Alex for putting into words the details of what technical communication is all about, and how to go about much of it!

Not what I expected
I found this book to be very well written and easy to read. It provided a lot of insight into what you should consider when writing an instructional manual or book.

However, the reason I purchased the book was to study up on technical writing in order to take the Technical Writing Dante test. After I finished reading the book, I looked at the sample questions and found that not one of them had been addressed. ... Read more

Product Description
Are you a post-graduate student in Engineering, Science or Technology who needs to know how to:

Prepare abstracts, theses and journal papers
Present your work orally
Present a progress report to your funding body

Would you like some guidance aimed specifically at your subject area? ... This is the book for you; a practical guide to all aspects of post-graduate documentation for Engineering, Science and Technology students, which will prove indispensable to readers.

Writing for Science and Engineering will prove invaluable in all areas of research and writing due its clear, concise style. The practical advice contained within the pages alongside numerous examples to aid learning will make the preparation of documentation much easier for all students.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great for those who need help, need a refresher, or just a checklist
I have published a number of scientific papers in the area of pharmaceutical sciences, and find this book very useful just as a refresher on grammatical conventions, and also as a checklist to keep beside me while I review my manuscript.The book is well-organised and simple to read; it also tackles the topics of conference presentations, posters, thesis writing (which is a bit too brief to be of real help to someone writing a thesis), professional emails, literature reviews, and more.

Even though I consider myself adequate in my scientific writing, I found myself making corrections to my papers after reading Chapters 15 (Editorial Conventions) and 17 (Problems of Style).In particular, the correct use of verbs is something I've always struggled to achieve (distorted passive verbs, subject/verb agreement, and verb tense are my biggest failings).This book really helped me do that, and scientific writing is now slightly less of a daunting task than it used to be.Now if only there was a book that can write my discussions for me...

Excellent source of information
An excellent book that teaches the proper way to write technical engineering documents.I recommend it to anybody who is serious about publishing or generating technical engineering papers. ... Read more

Product Description
Get the reference that defines standards and best practices for technical writers, editors, and content managers who work with Microsoft technologies. Developed by the Microsoft Editorial Standards Group, the newest edition of the computer industry’s leading manual of style has been fully updated, expanded, and optimized for usability. You get coverage on the latest developments—from accessibility and globalization issues to mobile computing, XML, and other emerging standards—as well as Microsoft-specific products, technologies, and initiatives. You’ll find expertly articulated and organized information about general usage, grammar, punctuation, formatting and layout, front matter, and indexing and attributing, as well as focused guidelines for topics such as creating specific document types, including Readme files and case studies; writing for software developers; documenting the user interface; and developing bias-free communications. Comprehensive, easy-to-use, and thoroughly up-to-date, the MICROSOFT MANUAL OF STYLE FOR TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS, Third Edition, can help you maximize the impact and precision of your technical communications.Amazon.com Review
With so many software products to its credit, Microsoft can'thelp but have an opinion on computer terms and usage. Many topnotchtechnical companies, writers, and editors consider the MicrosoftManual of Style for Technical Publications to be a standard in theindustry. Technical writers and editors often refer to it when theycan't find an answer in The Chicago Manual ofStyle or when researching appropriate style issues to includein their company's in-house style manual.

While this manual ofstyle can't possibly list everything that is created by Microsoft, itdoes advise how to use and spell both general and computer-relatedterms and takes a stand on sticky style, technical writing, and designand interface issues. This second edition has been updated to includesignificant changes in Internet terminology and usage. Alphabeticallytabbed pages make it easy to locate topics of interest. A usefulappendix defines acronyms and abbreviations and shares any specialstyle rules associated with them. Another appendix lists keyboardcharacters and the correct names that should be used to describe eachone. The enclosed CD-ROM contains an electronic version of the bookalong with a copy of the Microsoft Press ComputerDictionary. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Wait for the next edition
This is a very good book, but please take note, it is currently out of print. Bear in mind, when you buy the 3rd Edition, you are getting a book that is slightly dated.

The book originally had a suggested price of US $29.99, CN $43.99. The same book now sells upwards of US $100, on this and other web sites.

The 3rd Edition was published in 2004, and I'm guessing from the publishing history of the previous editions that Microsoft will bring out the 4th Edition before the end of 2011. If you can get by with an alternate resource until then, save yourself some money and wait.

If you absolutely have to have this book, then by all means order your copy from one of the fine merchants here.

On the other hand, if you know with absolute certainty that Microsoft will never publish another edition, you might consider buying several copies as investments :)

Excellent Tool With Room For Improvement
JULY 2009
National writing skills are deteriorating more rapidly than ever. Worsening the problem for technical communications, new technologies are sprouting up every day and fledgling devices and techniques are referred to by countless new and existing words. Any given technical term may have a handful of accepted and completely different meanings, each dependent on often invisible layers of context. I recently sat through a conversation in which one word was repeatedly used to refer to three completely different and totally unrelated concepts (tier = a class of customer, tier = a level of technical support, tier = a layer of system architecture).

In times like this, it's important to have reference tools that can help you determine the industry standard preferences for expressing technical computing concepts, and the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications (MMSTP) is one of those tools.

BEST PRACTICES - As a technical writer who creates much of his work in support of Information Technology (IT) professionals, I consider this book a must in my reference library. Augmenting broader resources like a top notch dictionary and thesaurus, the MMSTP provides alphabetized quick reference to hundreds of "best practices" (we used to call them "do's and don'ts") for expressing IT related concepts clearly, consistently and professionally.

ALPHA LIST OF TOPICS - The core of the book is the alpha listing of topics ranging from common language usage (standard English grammar, capitalization and punctuation rules, etc.) to computing topics which advise writers on the best way to express specific technical concepts (is it best to use "hard disk" or "hard drive"). Technical topics are fairly limited to Microsoft and closely related products, but since their use is extremely widespread, many technical writers, editors and publishers will find this volume very useful.

2ND OR 3RD EDITION - MMSTP 3rd edition tends to be a bit pricy, so I picked up a 2nd edition in "used/like new" condition for less than $5. I turn to online resources for terms not included in this volume and find that the combination of the two works very well for me. The 2nd edition includes a CD-ROM copy of the MMSTP and the Microsoft Press Computer Dictionary, which makes possible electronic use (searches, clickable links, etc.) of these very handy volumes. I've heard that the CD that comes with the 3rd edition is considerably less user friendly, but I can't confirm that from personal experience.

ROOM TO IMPROVE

As with all reference materials, there's room for improvement here.

MISLEADING TITLE - Beginning with the title, "Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications" is at best misleading, as the book really only pertains to computing technology (I also write technical publications for several non-computing industries), and only a fairly narrow segment of that surrounding Microsoft products. If you're working primarily with non-computing or non-Microsoft products, the contents of this book are likely to be largely off the mark.

GRAPHICS - Graphics in general are an under-treated topic in this book, and today's IT documentation makes heavy use of diagrams, photographs, illustrations and charts, and rightly so, given the sophistication of the concepts being communicated. Learning to create effective graphics is every bit as important to today's documentation as is the effective use of language. More "graphics do's and don'ts", with examples, would be very helpful, as the use of poorly designed graphics is every bit as prolific today as the use of poorly composed text.

PRICE - Lastly, I don't think it's a service to clearer, more effective communication, the assumed goal of this book, to have allowed the price of the 3rd edition to have risen so high. This is the sort of reference that should be extremely inexpensive and easy for anyone to acquire, perhaps even free. If someone wants to buy the book, they can, but in the spirit of creating universally more effective technical communication, something that can only help the entire industry, I think Microsoft should offer this volume free online, as they do to their employees and partners.

MY RECOMMENDATION - If you're considering whether or not to purchase this book, perhaps you'll benefit from doing as I did. First, check out a copy of the 1998 and 2004 editions (or newer if they become available) from your local library and look through them for yourself to see how well they fit your needs. For me, the 2nd edition works just fine and is a lot cheaper at this point. Second, if you feel the contents would be helpful to you, pick up a used "like new" copy at a very reasonable price and enjoy. Your writing will certainly benefit from the use of this well designed tool (referring to 2nd edition).

Microsoft Manual of Style Worth the Money
I've used this for 15 years at all kinds of IT companies. It is worth getting is you want a reliable style guide for IT related issues.

Ivan

Excellent Manual...
...but not a proper textbook for undergraduate "Technical Writing" course. Definitely an excellent reference book for such course, though.

Dr. Sunil Samanta

MS Manual of styleJFO Review
Book is excellent, delivery was ok, even if a little bit longer than expected. ... Read more

Product Description
With the advent of the Internet, servicemembers are writing more than ever. But are they writing effectively and persuasively? Many are not. This revised, updated edition provides the basics of correct and effective military communication, with emphasis on substance, organization of content, and style, along with editing techniques and military and civilian formats. A concise, easy-to-use guide to efficient communication teaches every writer what he or she should know about the English language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Writing for military bound high school students
I used Guide to Effective Military Writing in a class of high school seniors who were already signed up to enter the military after graduation. They had little motivation to study English or literature since they knew they were not going on to post secondary education, so I needed something to motivate them to finish their English credits for graduation and to do well. After talking to their recruiter, this is what I came up with. We didn't use all the chapters, but I consider the time we did spend with this book well worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
From the latest breakthroughs in medical research and information technologiesto new discoveries about the diversity of life on earth, science is becoming both more specializedand more relevant. Consequently, the need for writers who can clarify these breakthroughs anddiscoveries for the general public has become acute.

In Ideas into Words, Elise Hancock, a professional writer and editor with thirty years ofexperience, provides both novice and seasoned science writers with the practical advice andcanny insights they need to take their craft to the next level. Rich with real-life examples andanecdotes, this book covers the essentials of science writing: finding story ideas, learning thescience, opening and shaping a piece, polishing drafts, overcoming blocks, and conductinginterviews with scientists and other experts who may not be accustomed to making their ideasunderstandable to lay readers.

Hancock's wisdom will prove useful to anyone pursuing nonfiction writing as a career. Shedevotes an entire chapter to habits and attitudes that writers should cultivate, another to structure,and a third to the art of revision. Some of her advice is surprising (she cautions against slavishuse of transitions, for example); all of it is hard-earned, astute, and wittily conveyed. This conciseguide is essential reading for every writer attempting to explain the world of science to the rest ofus. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Worth reading for aspiring science writers
This book is certainly worth reading for people interested in Science Writing. I am actually a Psychologist thinking about dabbling in science writing for a wider audience and this book served to fuel my interest and offered a number of condensed tips. Its written in a quick to read writing style that I find enjoyable, broken in to small sections about different points which allowas you to be rewarded and move on or pick it up later to read some more.

Todd Finnerty, Psy.D.

Joy of Writing
Elise Hancock's lucid style will seduce scientists to write with candor and renewed passion. Solid professional advice in this 151-page self-help guide. Encourage a copy to your bored lab colleague and inspire them to trade their pipette for pen!

important for science writers; easy and fun to read
The author provides many examples of great scientific writing.Such writing involves translating difficult-to-understand abstractions into concepts easy to understand and related to our current knowledge.

Her writing was a delight to read.

"As the article proceeds, it is as if the selected facts are coated in honey, so that they slide down easy, one pill at a time.No reader will go away thinking, Boy was that turgid, I had to learn a new word just about every paragraph - even though she did."

The book is organized into the following chapters:

1 A Matter of Attitude
2 Finding Stories
3 Finding Out: Research and the Interview
4 Writing: Getting Started adn theSTructure
5 Writing: The Nitty Gritty
6 Refining Your Draft
7 When You're Feeling Stuck

What I particularly liked:

+ her ability to use extended similes, metaphors
+ things that make scientific writing different
+ watch out for scientific mavericks
+ how to find scientific story ideas (excellent)
+ don't confuse a topic with a story idea
+ all of her material on interviewing (excellent, particularly the questions to ask)
+ focusing on the most likely reader, but also the other ones
+ her method of writing was unique (lack of exploratory free-writing, don't spill the beans on your story before you write)
+ her recommended use of organic shapes for your writing (excellent)
+ "build the picture before you supply the name" (how to define technical terms)
+ some great tips on putting on a fresh set of eyes before you start to revise and then edit.
+ re-organizing the paragraphs using their "gists"
+ "... in a term paper you tell.In a professional writing, you show."

I highly recommend this book for anyone who writes, but particularly for anyone who wants to write for the scientific or technical markets.

John Dunbar

Useful for aspiring science writers and scientists alike
I read "Ideas into Words" primarily for an insight into how science writers go about their business and secondarily to see if aspects of good popular science writing can be useful in communicating science between disciplines - and in writing grant applications.

Hancock does indeed provide a nice glimpse into scientific journalism.The second and third chapters focused on reporting science and interacting with scientists from a journalist's perspective.A lot of the suggestions also apply to what makes for a good science student.The final four chapters dealt with writing and some of the suggestions do cross over from journalism to other forms of writing.The first chapter was the most enjoyable; the discussions of what science is and how scientists think were gems.My favorites sections were on the mentoring process in science and the difference between scientific and legal forms of rational inquiry - truth vs. verdict.

I recommend this book mainly to people interested in becoming science writers.I believe the suggestions would help anyone reporting on my own work, for example.The suggestions and discussions in the book are also of value to scientists who wish to communicate their work. ... Read more

Product Description
A Technical Guide For Performing and Writing Phase I Environmental Site Assessments is a must for any environmental consultant or student's library.This book guides you through an ESA by giving examples on how-to write the report.

Example 3-5:

Based on reasonably ascertainable records for the subject property, which extended back to approximately 1927, data failure occurred prior to 1927. The subject property, since building development approximately in 1946 the subject property has been occupied by two one-story buildings.

Customer Reviews (3)

Good info but who the hell was the editor?
This is not a comedy but you will laugh. There are so many typos in this book it is crazy. Besides that a great book with great info. This book will help you write a professional looking Phase I Assessment. It will also guide you thru everystep leading up to and presentation of the assessment to your client.

too many typos and incorrect usage errors
I found 10 typos & usage problems in the first 4 pages.This book couldn't have been edited by a professional.This is the worst example of shoddy editing and proofreading I have ever seen.Here are just two examples from page 15:

"Checklists on what information should be gathered and can be located in Appendix B."

The next sentence reads as follows:"Remember, the custodian is limited by time to complete the report it is usually 20 days from the site-visit to the submission of the report."

It appears that it was written and edited by a non-English speaking person.

Pure Genius!!!
The man, the myth, the legend.This young chap covers the environmental world like nobody else! Good work!!This book is a must in every Americans' collection!! ... Read more

Product Description
Written specifically for engineers. Provides field-tested strategies, in practical steps, that work for writing projects of any size. Paper. DLC: Technical writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

If you're only going to buy one book on writing for engineers, buy this one!
I teach technical writing at a large state research institute, and this is one of the only books I would recommend to my students (and I have about 20 or 25 technical writing books on my bookshelf!). It is easy to read and well organized, has practical advice and examples, and best of all, it has a good sense of humor. It would be a great buy for a practicing engineer or for an engineering student (undergrad or grad).

Presents concepts well.
Key concepts are logically well presented.The book is easy to read with a lot of examples, but the text can be easily skipped to get to the points.The book helps with generating and organizing ideas, constructing more effective sentences, and troubleshooting writing problems.The book is not about grammar, but it is a practical analysis of how to write better.

Engineering your writing success
I'm a processes enginner at a power plant. I didn't know how can I improve my writing skill on the job such as writings of report, proposal, procedures, letters, memos and e-mail, which were daily assaignments. Once,I attended a business writing course, and the instructor advised me to buythis book, and I did. It's a great book not only for the professionalengineers but also for the technicians, and the students of engineeringcolleges. I highly recommend this book and I say for all engineers go forit. ... Read more

Product Description
Improve your Writing at School,at Work,and at Home.This guide helps you Produce documents that reflect quality writing standards.Access more then 110 topics,covering everything from design,graphics,and parts of speech to punctuation,sentence style and word choice.Avoid writers block.Write effective letters,memos and resumes with help from 30 model documents.Achieve the results you expect. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

A must have refrence tool for busy business writers
This product is a must have for business writers.It was an instant boost to my writing style.I do not know how I survived without this in the past.The added bonus is the included CD which allows you to have the content at your fingertips all the time.

It's in Alphabetical Order and Includes Design
I am an instructor of Grammar and Business Writing Seminars, and this is a top-selling book because it has pictures; is in alphabetical order; includes editing and design tips; and can be loaded onto your computer.

This is NOT the book you want for technical writing; let me recommend the Gregg Reference ManualThe Gregg Reference Manual 10e. The disc is also not Windows 7 compatable yet.

Use as an Office Reference Book
I bought this book for my client service team.The team took a course in business writing and the book was suggested as an ongoing supplement.My team likes it. Even though we are very Internet-centric, it's nice to have a standard place for business writing standards. We've used it a lot for technical writing help.

Don't waste your money on the 4th edition!
This review is only for the Fourth Edition, which I thought would be an updated version of this excellent style guide. I figured that if nine or so years have passed, there should be plenty of new and revised information.

But as soon as I thumbed through the book and noticed that the entry on e-mail was still titled "Electronic Mail" (who in this day and age still calls e-mail "electronic mail"??), I realized that there was pretty much nothing new about this book.

In fact, if you glance down at the page footers, you'll see that they haven't even bothered to change the copyright information - it still says "(C)1985-1999"!

The only change I could discern was an updated Preface.

This was a huge disappointment, as I was really looking forward to a new edition of this book.

I say, go buy a good used copy of the Third Edition!

Real deal
I attended a seminar and was introduced to this book.It contains the answers to any questions I have had or may have about using appropriate words and/or punctuation when composing letters.I did not want to spend $59.95 for the book, so I was very pleased to find the exact publication on Amazon for half the price I would have paid at the seminar. ... Read more

Product Description
Effective communication is vital to science, engineering and business management. This thoroughly updated second edition with an additional chapter on the use of computers and word-processors gives clear, practical advice illustrated with real-life examples on how to select, organize and present information in reports, papers and other documents. ... Read more

Product Description
Aimed at researchers who need to write clear and understandable manuscripts in English, this book begins by discussing constructs of the English language such as sentence structure and word use. It then discusses the style and convention used in scientific publications. Some of the topics covered are planning a manuscript, authorship, references, tables and figures, submission to a journal, and production schedules. The book is written at a level such that the reader should not have to resort to a dictionary. It includes many examples and exercises to clarify the rules and guidelines presented. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A good writing guide

This book is a excellent writing guide for scientific writing. In my option, it is especially useful for students whose major is biology or chemistry and the Chinese students. I guess the reason is that the author is originally from China, and his background is related with chemistry and some other areas.

A guide for beginners
A very good a guide for people who have just began to write manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals. ... Read more

Product Description
Direct from the trenches, here's the practical guidance technical editors can use to apply editing principles under absurdly tight deadlines and constantly changing product specs, tips and tricks for editing common constructs in technical writing, and when to bend the rules to avoid technical ambiguity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Textbook for TWC431-TWC531 online class at ASU
This book was used for the TECHNICAL EDITING online class for Arizona State University. I would call it an obsolete textbook. From 1992, it has no real usable technology information, only information about basic editing techniques. But that's what they chose for teaching this course, so if you're taking this class, you're stuck with it. Enjoy! :-)

Excellent Book - Highly Recommend
This book is the best book I have ever read on Technical editing. I use it frequently as a resource.I am very particular about the books I use and I give this my highest rating.

Excellent Resource on Technical Editing
For several years of my technical writing career, I had the pleasure of having Judy Tarutz edit my manuals. At that time, Judy was a supremely gifted editor, but her wonderful book did not yet exist. Her excellent book is the culmination of many years of experience and has become the standard reference on technical editing. I totally disagree with the previous reviewer in giving this book two stars (and leaving typos in the review to boot). Judy's book is a five-star book found on the bookshelves of many professional writers and editors in the computer field.

Would not recommend
Hard to reference simple grammer rules, e.g., how to use quotaion marks.Too much information on how to document computer language.Not what I expected and not what I want...can I return this book?

Now I understand editing
This book is excellent explaining every thign related to editing, proofreading and reviewing documents.

I am a technical writer by profession, and editing was not my piece of cake but now is lways in my list...;)

Good one...have a try to this book ... Read more

Product Description
Editor Philip Rubens has fully revised and updated his popular 1992 edition, with full, authoritative coverage of the techniques and technologies that have revolutionized electronic communications over the past eight years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

where credit is due
The second edition of this text makes many useful changes to the previous edition. Hopefully, readers WILL peruse the Preface. On page 36 of that section, there is a FULL explanation of the location and summarizing techniques that make this text extremely usable.
Yes, each chapter does begin with a bulleted list that catalogs the major sub-sections in that specific chapter. Second, the Table of Contents offers page numbersto major topical changes. Third, the Index (compiled by a former president of the American Society of Indexers) references each paragraph in the text.
So, there are multiple ways to find specific pieces of information by using one of three major location techniques: topical changes in the toc, paragraph references in the index, and chapter level tocs at the beginning of each chapter. The latter are NOT, as one reviewer suggests, simply bulleted lists.
I'm happy to see this book issued as a Kindle book and hope others find it useful as an addition to their professional library.

just view the excerpt
I encourage you to view the excerpt of this book; it will help you, more than any customer review, to see if this book is what you expect or imagine. In the excerpt, I found that chapter 2 starts with a bulleted list of items, without any introduction, any motivation, any explanation, nor comment, exactly like a table of contents. Next, using the same style (bulleted list or table of contents), "develops" each item of the bulleted list. I feel that this type of book would not give much help to write anything. To buy this book is like buying a power point presentation.

One of the four essential books for the technical writer
This is the best style guide for technical writing I have ever found.It gives more every day practical information than any of the other technical writing books and gives that information in a highly usable format.

My only complaint--my standard complaint about my reference books--is that the index is far less comprehensive than it ought to be.Given modern computer indexing capabilities, one would think authors and publishers could do a better job.

However, with this is one of the four essential books: 1. Strunk and White, Elements of Style, 2. Prentice Hall, Words Into Type, 3. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern American Usage (for the British tech writer, Fowler's Modern English Usage) and 4. Ruebens, Science and Technical Writing.With these four, atechnical writer can handle almost any situation that arises.There are other books covering special fields that can be added, but these four will always be the bedrock.

If you are a professional technical writer or only an occasional one, you can't go wrong having this book handy on your desktop.

Very useful
While Robert A. Day's How to Write & Publish a Scientific Paper givesa good overview of the writing and publishing process on a macro levelregarding organization and presentation of material, Science and TechnicalWriting provides great detailed advice on a micro level. Philip Rubensgives very clear instruction on paragraphing, grammar, punctuation andspelling as well as the intricacies of how to present numbers, mathematicalsymbols and scientific notation. In addition, there are illustratedguidelines on how to design a variety documents such as brochures, manualsand newsletters right down to the page-level including representinginformation in charts, tables and diagrams.The book itself iswell-designed and well-organized giving testament to its own advice. Thisis a good general reference for both writers and editors of science andtechnical documentation. ... Read more

Product Description
The eight-step strategy presented in this book takes themystery out of writing effective training courses. Practicaltemplates, checklists, assessments, and examples streamline youreffort and eliminate writer's block. You'll discover how to make themost of limited time, money, and human resources to:

—Develop training lessons that make a difference.
—Customize off-the-shelf training to meet the needs of your target audience.
—Repurpose existing documentation.
—Globalize your training for culturally diverse learners or tailor lessons to meet specific needs of a limited audience.
—Recognize dead-end paths that can undermine the success of your project.
—Incorporate ready-to-use CGI, Java, and HTML scripts into lessons. Learn when to use them, where to find download sites, and how to tailor them to your training objectives and learners.

This systematic approach has helped thousands of writers like youcreate training programs that deliver what they promise. In justhours, you can learn techniques and time-savers that others havelearned only through hard-won experience and costly mistakes.

Keep this book handy. You'll reach for it often for real-world adviceabout every phase of your project from initial planning totroubleshooting. Better than a mentor, it's a must-have for everysuccessful training or user-education professional. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good for content planning, not for content writing
This is one of the best books of those that help you determine what should be included in your training course - to plan objectives and then break it down into the detail. It also covers how to test the effectiveness of the course. However, it does not give any information at all about what a course module should contain or how to write it.

My goal was to write a training course for a software program. So, for the most part I knew what the outline of the course should be. I needed to know how to introduce the subject, how much to include in the single module, what exactly to do and say. For this, the book would get a zero.

Very good for it's purpose but I felt a review was needed to point out what that was.

Terrific for Planning from the Ground Up!
I just can't say enough about this book.I am developing a training program for the first time and it has added outstanding depth to my process.It is simple to use.If you go step by step everything just seems to fall in to place.

It is a life saver!

Very applicable
I read this book in 5 hours.After that, I had all the tools I needed to start developing a training course for a subject matter I still knew little about.Great book for someone who has a short time to develop a training course.Great reference for anyone who needs new approaches to their training development. ... Read more