Designed as a core text for writing and communication courses geared specifically to engineers, Engineering
Communication aims to help writers and speakers develop the skills to become superior technical communicators.
By showing how theory can illuminate practice-how an understanding of basic rhetorical concepts can help with everyday
communication tasks-the text offers a practical approach for engineers who want to improve the way they plan, develop,
revise, illustrate, and present technical information. The result is an innovative guide that will help both engineering
students and professionals become superior writers and presenters by showing how successful communication really
works.
Features
The book's unique approach is organized around 19 principles-strategies that can be adapted and applied practically
to a variety of communication tasks.
Numerous examples drawn from actual engineering documents-including the full text of an eight-page project report-are
used to illustrate effective and ineffective communication.
The fundamentals of sentence structure, clauses, adjectives and adverbs, conjunctions, verbs and verbals, punctuation,
and fallacies are covered in a series of appendices.
Table of Contents
IntroductionPart 1: Getting Started1. Purpose, Genre, and AudiencePrinciple 1: Finding PurposePrinciple 2: Improvising GenrePrinciple 3: Constructing Audience2. Strategies for InventionPrinciple 4: Developing a Credible ArgumentPrinciple 5: Using Rhetorical Tools ConsciouslyPrinciple 6: Building Effective IntroductionsPart 2: Modes of Control3. Directing the AdvancePrinciple 7: Framing KnowledgePrinciple 8: Building Visible StructurePrinciple 9: Directing the Reader RhetoricallyPrinciple 10: Making Transitions4. Creating Clarity and CohesionPrinciple 11: Designing ParagraphsPrinciple 12: Moving from Known to NewPrinciple 13: Modifying MattersPart 3: Elements of Refined Design5. Generating FlowPrinciple 14: Elevating VerbsPrinciple 15: Positioning the VerbPrinciple 16: Finding the Real SubjectPrinciple 17: Capitalizing on the Power Position6. Engineering ElegancePrinciple 18: Determining Sentence LengthPrinciple 19: Mastering Sentence RhythmPart 4: Applications7. Applying the Principles to Visual Communication8. Applying the Principles to Written Communication9. Applying the Principles to Oral CommunicationPutting the Principles into PracticeAppendix A: Sentence StructureAppendix B: ClausesAppendix C: Adjectives and AdverbsAppendix D: ConjunctionsAppendix E: Verbs and VerbalsAppendix F: FallaciesReferencesIndex
