The MIT Guide to Science and Engineering Communication, second edition / Edition 2

by James Paradis, Muriel Zimmerman

Overview

A second edition of a popular guide to scientific and technical communication, updated to reflect recent changes in computer technology.

This guide covers the basics of scientific and engineering communication, including defining an audience, working with collaborators, searching the literature, organizing and drafting documents, developing graphics, and documenting sources. The documents covered include memos, letters, proposals, progress reports, other types of reports, journal articles, oral presentations, instructions, and CVs and resumes. Throughout, the authors provide realistic examples from actual documents and situations. The materials, drawn from the authors' experience teaching scientific and technical communication, bridge the gap between the university novice and the seasoned professional. In the five years since the first edition was published, communication practices have been transformed by computer technology. Today, most correspondence is transmitted electronically, proposals are submitted online, reports are distributed to clients through intranets, journal articles are written for electronic transmission, and conference presentations are posted on the Web. Every chapter of the book reflects these changes. The second edition also includes a compact Handbook of Style and Usage that provides guidelines for sentence and paragraph structure, punctuation, and usage and presents many examples of strategies for improved style.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780262661270
Publisher:	MIT Press
Publication date:	06/21/2002
Series:	The MIT Press
Edition description:	second edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.06(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.68(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

James Paradis is Professor and Head of the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Muriel L. Zimmerman is Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the Programs in Technical Communication in the Writing Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

What People are Saying About This

David F. Beer, PhD.

The MIT Guide contains an abundance of useful information on practically every facet of contemporary technical communication. I enjoyed reading it immensely. The information is succinct and to the point, and the supporting graphics are not only relevant but often admirable in the amount of information they convey.
--Director of Technical Communication, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

Marian G. Barchilon

An essential guide for college students and scientists and engineers who desire to become accomplished technical communicators.

From the Publisher

"An essential guide for college students and scientists and engineers who desire to become accomplished technical communicators." Marian G. Barchilon , IEEETransactions on Professional Communication

Carolyn Plumb, PhD.

The glue that holds this text together is the contextual or situational nature of technical and scientific writing -- that each document or presentation must address the needs of a particular audience at a particular time. Paradis and Zimmerman do an excellent job of couching all of their discussions within the framework of situational commmunication. The text is appropriate for an advanced technical writing class and, as such, fills a void. It would also be an excellent addition to the student's permanent library.
--College of Engineering and Communication Course Coordinator, University of Washington

Editorial Reviews

An essential guide for college students and scientists and engineers who desire to become accomplished technical communicators.—Marian G. Barchilon , IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication—

[T]he MIT Guide to Science and Engineering Communication fulfills its goal admirably...

—Paolo G. Cordone , First Monday—

From the Publisher

[T]he MIT Guide to Science and Engineering Communication fulfills its goal admirably...

First Monday - Paolo G. Cordone

An essential guide for college students and scientists and engineers who desire to become accomplished technical communicators.

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication - Marian G. Barchilon

[T]he MIT Guide to Science and Engineering Communication fulfills its goal admirably...

—Paolo G. Cordone , First Monday

Reviews