Planning and Revision Checklist inside front cover |
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How to Use Reporting Technical Information preceding front matter |
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Preface |
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xvii | |
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An Overview of Technical Writing |
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3 | (10) |
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4 | (1) |
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Writing at Work versus Writing at School |
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4 | (4) |
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5 | (3) |
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Writing and Communicating at Work |
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8 | (2) |
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The Foundations of Effective Technical Writing |
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10 | (1) |
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The Qualities of Good Technical Writing |
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10 | (1) |
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11 | (2) |
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13 | (122) |
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15 | (14) |
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The Basic Parts of the Composing Process |
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16 | (9) |
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Analyzing the Writing Situation: Audience and Purpose |
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16 | (1) |
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Choosing/Discovering Content |
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17 | (1) |
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17 | (1) |
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18 | (2) |
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20 | (1) |
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21 | (1) |
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21 | (4) |
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Using the Composing Process in a Workplace Environment |
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25 | (1) |
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Understanding the Composing Process: Why Bother? |
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26 | (1) |
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27 | (2) |
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29 | (24) |
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30 | (1) |
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30 | (19) |
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31 | (2) |
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Asking Questions to Analyze Your Readers |
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33 | (11) |
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44 | (1) |
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Understanding Your Role as a Writer |
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44 | (3) |
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47 | (1) |
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Anticipating the Context in Which Your Writing Will Be Received |
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47 | (2) |
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Thinking about Your Readers: A Summary of Considerations |
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49 | (2) |
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51 | (2) |
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Achieving a Readable Style |
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53 | (32) |
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54 | (4) |
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Basic Principles of Effective Style |
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58 | (5) |
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Determine Readers' Knowledge of the Subject |
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58 | (1) |
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Determine Whether a Particular Style Will Be Expected |
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59 | (1) |
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Anticipate Readers' Comprehension Level in a Given Context |
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60 | (1) |
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Know Your Relationship to the Readers and How You Want to Sound |
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60 | (2) |
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Adjust the Style to the Reader, the Purpose, and the Context |
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62 | (1) |
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Select Your Level of Language; Adjust the Density of Information |
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62 | (1) |
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63 | (14) |
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63 | (1) |
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Keep Subjects and Verbs Close Together |
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63 | (1) |
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Omit Verbiage; Use Concrete Verbs |
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64 | (3) |
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67 | (1) |
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67 | (1) |
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Avoid Excessive Use of Is/Are Verb Forms |
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68 | (1) |
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Use Active Voice for Clarity |
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69 | (1) |
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70 | (2) |
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Avoid Impersonal Language |
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72 | (5) |
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77 | (8) |
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85 | (18) |
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86 | (1) |
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Your Professional Obligations |
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86 | (1) |
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87 | (3) |
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Recognizing Unethical Communication |
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90 | (5) |
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Plagiarism and Theft of Intellectual Property |
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90 | (3) |
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Deliberately Imprecise or Ambiguous Language |
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93 | (1) |
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Manipulation of Numerical Information |
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93 | (1) |
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Use of Misleading Illustrations |
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93 | (1) |
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94 | (1) |
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Anticipating Consequences |
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95 | (2) |
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97 | (1) |
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Handling Unethical Situations |
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97 | (1) |
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98 | (5) |
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Writing for International Readers |
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103 | (32) |
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Establishing a Perspective on International Communication |
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104 | (1) |
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Understanding Readers from Various Cultures |
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105 | (8) |
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Individualism versus Collectivism: Valuing Either Individuals or Groups |
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105 | (3) |
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Separation of Business and Private Relationships |
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108 | (1) |
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Power Distance between Social Ranks |
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109 | (1) |
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Universal or Relative View of Truth |
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110 | (1) |
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Whether the Entire Message Is Contained in the Text |
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111 | (1) |
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Whether Uncertainty Is to Be Avoided or Accepted |
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112 | (1) |
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The Power and Value of Time |
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112 | (1) |
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Masculine versus Feminine |
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113 | (1) |
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Considering Culture in the Planning Process |
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113 | (3) |
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Example International Documents |
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116 | (4) |
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Writing Business Communications to Readers in Other Cultures |
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120 | (4) |
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124 | (2) |
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Format Strategies in Other Cultures |
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126 | (2) |
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128 | (1) |
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Guides to Doing Business in Cultures around the World |
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128 | (4) |
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132 | (3) |
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135 | (178) |
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Gathering, Evaluating, and Documenting Information |
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137 | (18) |
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Asking Productive Questions |
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138 | (1) |
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139 | (9) |
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139 | (2) |
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141 | (1) |
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142 | (1) |
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143 | (5) |
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148 | (4) |
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152 | (1) |
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153 | (2) |
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Designing and Formatting Documents |
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155 | (48) |
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Understanding the Basics of Document Design |
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156 | (9) |
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Know What Decisions Are Yours to Make |
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156 | (1) |
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Choose a Design That Fits Your Situation |
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157 | (2) |
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Plan the Design from the Beginning |
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159 | (3) |
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Reveal the Design to the Readers |
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162 | (1) |
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Keep the Design Consistent |
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162 | (3) |
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Designing Effective Pages and Screens |
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165 | (6) |
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Use Blank Space to Frame and Group Information |
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166 | (3) |
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Space the Lines of Text for Easy Reading |
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169 | (1) |
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Set the Line Length for Easy Reading |
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170 | (1) |
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Use a Ragged Right Margin |
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170 | (1) |
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171 | (8) |
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Choose a Legible Type Size |
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172 | (1) |
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Choose a Font That Suits Your Document |
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173 | (1) |
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Use Special Typefaces Sparingly |
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174 | (1) |
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Use Highlighting Effectively |
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175 | (3) |
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Use a Mixture of Cases, Not All Capitals |
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178 | (1) |
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Use Color Cautiously and Consistently |
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178 | (1) |
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Helping Readers Locate Information |
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179 | (8) |
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Write Descriptive Headings |
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179 | (3) |
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Design Distinctive Headings |
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182 | (3) |
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Use Page Numbers and Headers or Footers |
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185 | (2) |
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187 | (4) |
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188 | (1) |
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Designing the Pages of the Site |
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189 | (1) |
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190 | (1) |
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191 | (5) |
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Planning the Usability Test |
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192 | (1) |
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193 | (1) |
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Interpreting and Revising |
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193 | (3) |
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196 | (7) |
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Creating and Managing Text |
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203 | (28) |
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Collecting and Grouping Information |
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204 | (1) |
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Planning Content Development |
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205 | (5) |
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Reports with Standard Arrangement Patterns |
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205 | (4) |
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Reports Designed for Specific Reader Needs |
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209 | (1) |
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Persuasive Arrangement and Development |
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209 | (1) |
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Strategies for Developing Content |
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210 | (8) |
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Organization and Content Development |
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218 | (5) |
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Other Types of Development |
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223 | (4) |
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227 | (4) |
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Developing the Main Elements of Reports |
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231 | (36) |
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232 | (12) |
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233 | (1) |
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233 | (5) |
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238 | (1) |
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238 | (6) |
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244 | (1) |
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Glossary and List of Symbols |
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244 | (1) |
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244 | (11) |
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247 | (1) |
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248 | (1) |
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249 | (6) |
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Discussion or Body of the Report |
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255 | (3) |
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256 | (1) |
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Strategy for Presenting the Discussion |
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257 | (1) |
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258 | (1) |
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258 | (1) |
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258 | (1) |
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258 | (7) |
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265 | (2) |
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Creating Tables and Figures |
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267 | (46) |
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268 | (10) |
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268 | (1) |
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268 | (2) |
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Consider Your Audience Again |
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270 | (1) |
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Consider Your Purpose Again |
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271 | (7) |
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278 | (21) |
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283 | (1) |
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Designing Bar and Column Graphs |
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283 | (7) |
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Designing Circle Graphs (Pie Charts) |
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290 | (1) |
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291 | (1) |
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292 | (5) |
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297 | (1) |
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297 | (2) |
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Designing Illustrations Ethically |
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299 | (9) |
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308 | (5) |
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313 | (260) |
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Planning Correspondence and E-Mail |
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315 | (26) |
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316 | (6) |
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322 | (1) |
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Composing Letters, Memos, and E-Mail |
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323 | (3) |
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Finding the Appropriate Style |
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326 | (4) |
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Direct versus Indirect Style |
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326 | (3) |
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329 | (1) |
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Special Considerations for E-Mail |
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330 | (2) |
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Special Considerations for International Correspondence |
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332 | (3) |
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Keeping Copies of Correspondence |
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335 | (1) |
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336 | (5) |
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Creating Reports for Any Occasion |
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341 | (34) |
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The Variable Nature of Reports |
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342 | (1) |
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Liability and Report Writing |
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343 | (1) |
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General Report Requirements |
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344 | (6) |
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Determining Report Structure |
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350 | (5) |
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Determining Internal Report Development |
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355 | (1) |
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Importance of the Introduction and Summary |
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355 | (14) |
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369 | (2) |
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The Slide/Visual Presentation Report |
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371 | (2) |
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373 | (2) |
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Developing Analytical Reports: Recommendation Reports and Feasibility Studies |
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375 | (26) |
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377 | (7) |
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384 | (3) |
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387 | (8) |
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389 | (6) |
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Environmental Impact Statements |
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395 | (2) |
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397 | (4) |
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Developing Empirical Research Reports |
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401 | (26) |
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Major Sections of Empirical Research Reports |
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403 | (8) |
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403 | (2) |
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Introduction and Literature Review |
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405 | (1) |
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405 | (2) |
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407 | (1) |
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408 | (2) |
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410 | (1) |
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Acknowledgments and References |
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410 | (1) |
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Other Examples for Analysis and Comparison |
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411 | (14) |
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411 | (2) |
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413 | (5) |
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418 | (7) |
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425 | (2) |
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Writing Proposals and Progress Reports |
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427 | (48) |
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The Relationship between Proposals and Progress Reports |
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428 | (1) |
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429 | (18) |
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The Context of Proposal Development |
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434 | (1) |
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Effective Argument in Proposal Development |
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435 | (1) |
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Standard Sections of Proposals |
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436 | (11) |
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447 | (9) |
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Structure by Work Performed |
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447 | (7) |
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Structure by Chronological Order |
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454 | (1) |
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Structure by Main Project Goals |
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455 | (1) |
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Physical Appearance of Proposals and Progress Reports |
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456 | (1) |
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Style and Tone of Proposals and Progress Reports |
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456 | (3) |
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Other Forms of Proposals and Progress Reports |
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459 | (12) |
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471 | (4) |
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Formulating Instructions, Procedures, and Policies |
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475 | (28) |
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Planning Instructions and Procedures |
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476 | (2) |
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Structure and Organization |
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478 | (2) |
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478 | (2) |
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Theory Governing the Procedure or Instruction |
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480 | (2) |
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Warnings, Cautions, Hazards, and Notes Regarding Safety or Quality |
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480 | (2) |
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Conditions under Which the Task Is to Be Performed |
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482 | (3) |
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Steps in Performing the Task |
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485 | (3) |
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486 | (2) |
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488 | (9) |
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Format Considerations for Instructions and Procedures |
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488 | (9) |
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497 | (4) |
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Procedures and Policy Manuals |
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498 | (3) |
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501 | (2) |
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503 | (8) |
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504 | (1) |
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504 | (1) |
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Techniques for Developing Collaborative Documents |
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505 | (2) |
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The On-site Collaborative Group |
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505 | (1) |
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The Distributed Collaborative Work Group |
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506 | (1) |
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The Lead Author Work Group |
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507 | (1) |
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Making Collaborative Projects Work |
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507 | (1) |
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Collaborative Projects in Action |
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508 | (1) |
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509 | (2) |
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Preparing Oral Reports: The Basics |
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511 | (30) |
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Understanding the Speaking/Writing Relationship |
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512 | (1) |
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513 | (1) |
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514 | (1) |
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Determining the Goal of Your Presentation |
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515 | (1) |
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Choosing and Shaping Content |
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516 | (1) |
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Deciding How to Arrange and Organize the Content |
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516 | (1) |
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Designing Each Segment: Guidelines |
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517 | (2) |
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Choose an Interesting Title |
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517 | (1) |
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Develop Your Presentation about Three Main Divisions |
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517 | (1) |
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Plan the Introduction Carefully |
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518 | (1) |
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Design the Body to Help People Comprehend Your Ideas |
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518 | (1) |
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Design the Conclusion to Reinforce Your Main Ideas |
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519 | (1) |
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Choosing an Appropriate Speaking Style |
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519 | (1) |
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Speaking to Multicultural Audiences |
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520 | (1) |
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Using Techniques to Enhance Audience Comprehension |
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520 | (6) |
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Planning Visuals to Enhance Your Purpose and Your Meaning |
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526 | (2) |
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Designing and Presenting the Written Paper |
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528 | (7) |
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Structuring the Written Speech |
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532 | (1) |
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532 | (1) |
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Practicing the Presentation |
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533 | (2) |
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Speaking Effectively: Practice, Practice, Practice |
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535 | (3) |
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538 | (3) |
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Understanding the Strategies and Communications of the Job Search |
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541 | (32) |
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542 | (6) |
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542 | (3) |
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545 | (2) |
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547 | (1) |
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The Correspondence of the Job Search |
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548 | (15) |
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548 | (4) |
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552 | (9) |
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561 | (2) |
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563 | (7) |
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564 | (2) |
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566 | (1) |
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Before and after the Interview |
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567 | (3) |
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570 | (3) |
Appendix A. Handbook |
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573 | (32) |
Index |
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605 | (10) |
About the Authors |
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615 | (1) |
Marking Symbols |
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616 | |
Proofreader's Symbols inside back cover |
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