How to Write and Present Technical Information (3rd edition)

Citation

Goodier, J. (2000), "How to Write and Present Technical Information (3rd edition)", Library Review, Vol. 49 No. 3, pp. 139-156. https://doi.org/10.1108/lr.2000.49.3.139.5

Technical information is found in reports, specifications, product descriptions, manuals, and press releases. It can be printed, put on the Internet or spoken at meetings. Charles Sides covers all this and more in How to Write and Present Technical Information. He does this by setting out the sort of decisions that have to be made about audience, purpose, content, and situation that need to be considered when producing technical information. As one would expect of a successful book on this topic, its message is clear and, the many short chapters tell you sufficient to carry out the task discussed without boring or hectoring. If you need more information there are reading lists for each chapter.

I recently reviewed Robert Day’s How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (RR, Vol. 13 No. 4). This book is its companion. They are both published by Cambridge in the UK, and Oryx in the USA. I recommend both of them. This book should be found in any organisation that needs to communicate with customers or their staff. It should also be used in higher and further education to teach tomorrow’s technicians how to write.