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ot long after you graduate with your university degree or college
diploma, you will stare having to write business-oriented emails,
letters, reports, and possibly technical proposals. This book con-
tains numerous examples of informal and semiformal documents, all based
on the unique "pyramid" method for structuring information, a technique
that has helped countless technical people overcome "writer's block."
In each edition of Technically-Write!, we introduced changes that
reflect the way technical professionals currently present information in
various industries and in engineering consulting firms. This edition is no
exception; here are some of the most noticeable revisions:
о The writing style is tighter and more direct, to reflect the style that
has recently evolved in business and in the scientific and technical
industries.
о Many of the shorter documents are shown as emails rather than as
memos or faxes, because memos and faxes are used much less today,
о There are more detailed suggestions for making oral presentations.
о There are fewer project assignments at the end of most chapters.
Many of the assignments are now available online.
If you have seen previous editions, you will notice that the shape of the
book has also changed because we have reduced the number of pages by
about 15%. We have done this by placing some of the assignments and
exercises in an instructor's manual and by making them available
electronically.
We continue to use two companies—H L Winman and Associates and
Macro Engineering Inc—for many of the model letters and reports and for
end-of-chapter assignments, to provide a logical environment for the docu-
ments and exercises.
Along the way, we have appreciated the advice and helpful suggestions
from users of the book, both teachers and students, and the advice of review-
ers. In particular, we thank the following reviewers: Sue A^kerman (Nova
Scotia Community College), Kim Jones (McMaster University), Betti
Sheldrick (Mohawk College), Susan Stott-Hood (Georgian College), and
Una Wilson (New Brunswick Community College, Saint John). Their ideas
have guided us in preparing this seventh edition. We are also celebrating, for
it's 36 years since the first edition of Technically-Write! was published!
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