Technical and Professional Writing Genres: A Study in Theory and Practice

Reviewed by Meghan Hancock, Assistant Professor, Marshall University on 5/21/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This text not only covers general principles for effective writing practices in technical and professional communication (covering subjects like audience consideration, the rhetorical situation, effective document design, and ethics), it also covers detailed explicit genre instruction on common genres in fields that fall within the scope of technical and professional communication (for example, memos, technical instructions, proposals, and analytical reports). I would consider this text to be very comprehensive for an upper- or lower-level technical and professional writing course. I also noticed that it frequently distinguishes between workplace/professional contexts and classroom contexts, making it possible for readers to relate to the material even if they are not currently reading it for academic/classroom purposes.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

In terms of accuracy, the text is relatively free of typos and errors, though there were a few per chapter (for example, I counted 5 typos in Chapter 4). There were also some broken links that need to be updated (for example, the link to Paul Anderson's text in Chapter 4, the link to IEEE style in Chapter 5, and the link to EasyBib in Chapter 5). I think if instructors were adapting this text for classroom use, though, it would be easy to remedy those errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This text is very relevant to today's readers and would be accessible for a variety of audiences. The examples provided would be accessible, for example, to introductory-level or advanced students, or professionals in the workplace.

Clarity rating: 5

I really appreciated the accessibility in language of this text. Each chapter is varied in its use of conversational tone and academic tone, and the examples provided to illustrate concepts are ones many readers will relate to (from football plays/positions to social media use).

Consistency rating: 5

The text was consistent in its use of tone, organization and use of headings, activity examples, and drop-down sections.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is divided into organized sections that cover different themes of professional and technical writing practices and activities for further exploration. It would be easy to assign different sections of this text out-of-order (I have done this myself using this text) depending on what individual instructors want to cover in their course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text was well-organized. I specifically appreciated that the more general technical and professional writing/communication principles were covered at the beginning of the text and the more specific genre instruction was later in the text. This would make it easy for readers to go in order (though, again, I think the text also works out-of-order as well). I also appreciated that each chapter had a synopsis at the beginning.

Interface rating: 5

Other than the few broken links mentioned previously, I had no issues with navigating sections of this text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

There were a few typos per chapter (mentioned previously), but none that would inhibit readers' comprehension.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Many chapters included sections covering how to apply the principles covered to cultural considerations. For example, the chapter on Document Design included a section on how to apply document design principles to considerations of cross-cultural audiences.

Comments

The collaborative writing and teamwork chapter was a standout, as I have not seen much emphasis on these concepts in other professional and technical writing texts I have come across. There is also considerable attention focused on copyright issues, which I have also had a hard time finding for my classes.

Reviewed by Emily Dix, Adjunct Faculty, Radford University on 11/12/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The textbook is very straightforward in its content and is useful to a variety of online learners. Students working in Technical Writing for the first time will learn the basics from the textbook.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The textbook provides accurate information for the theoretical approaches and practical examples of Technical Writing.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The content is relevant to an introduction to Technical Writing.

Clarity rating: 4

The textbook is clear and provides ample instruction to students new to Technical Writing.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook is consistent in its framework and allows students to understand the terminology of Technical Writing within a few readings of the book.

Modularity rating: 5

This textbook is easily divisible into smaller sections that can be worked into weekly lessons, especially for an online class.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This textbook is logical organized.

Interface rating: 5

This textbook is easy to navigate for online students.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

This text models good writing in terms of grammar.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The textbook is inclusive and respectful in terms of its use of language, sample document content, and suggested exercises.

Comments

The textbook is separated into two sections focused on introducing Techincal Writing and the practical use of Technical Writing. I appreciated the chapter dedicated to Teamwork and Collaborative writing because many students do not understand effective teamwork practices nor do they know how to work in groups that do not rely on one person to carry the brunt of the work. While the textbook does not have a section dedicated to creating digital documents, I found the Document Desing chapter to be incredibly useful in this area. Overall, this textbook is solid in introducing new students to Technical Writing.

Reviewed by Rubens Amy, Associate Professor, Radford University on 1/12/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The title suggests the textbook book offers a genre-driven exploration of technical and professional writing (TPW). On the whole, the textbook delivers on this promise. It is divided into two sections: the first describes the foundational principles of TPW while the second outlines how those strategies are used within the most common TPW genres, such as instructions, proposals, and reports. Also addressed are additional genres that are crucial for accomplishing the work of TPW, such as correspondence (e.g., email) and writing for the hiring process (e.g., resumes). The textbook does not cover genres such as flyers, websites, or social media; this is not surprising given the explicit focus of the textbook. That being said, TPW writing style in the textbook is given little attention--just a few short paragraphs. This is surprising considering the extent to which the book purports to be an introduction to TPW; most students encountering this text, therefore, would have had little guidance in understanding how TPW writing style differs from the academic writing style they have been trained in for most of their educational lives. Overall, though, instructors who choose this text may be able to rely on it in their TPW courses (introductory, at least) to a significant extent.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The textbook offers theoretical frameworks and practical applications that are in keeping with TPW as a scholarly discipline and professional field.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

TPW is intertwined with technology, but references to technology in this textbook are a mixed bag in terms of their currency. For instance, the chapter on ethics is very current, as it helps TPW students navigate the use of online sources in ways they may not have considered in previous writing courses. But, the sections on email and text messages could be updated so that they speak more authentically to today's college students and the ways in which email, video conferencing, chat, and social media messages have become central to our personal and professional lives post-COVID-19. The chapter on resumes and cover letters could be updated to be more relevant to the needs and expectations of today's job seekers.

Clarity rating: 4

For the most part, the text is written with accessible language, and in this way, the text models plain language, a mainstay of PTW. At times, language can become somewhat esoteric or "academic."

Consistency rating: 5

Terminology is used consistently throughout the text and is in keeping with conventions of the field.

Modularity rating: 5

The text easily lends itself to modular use, which is a boon for TPW instructors who are using OER in their courses. NB: The topics of "design" and "research" appear to be organized within (discrete) chapters, but they also are addressed at length in other parts of the textbook. This does not detract from the overall modularity of this textbook, in my view.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The textbook's structure is logical; this is especially true of the early chapters, which introduce students to the field (i.e., purpose, basic tenets). Still, because the book is highly modular, it can easily be reordered to suit an individual instructor's pedagogical needs.

Interface rating: 4

For most computer users, the interface is clean and easy to navigate. Collapsible menus allow users to easily navigate to specific areas of the textbook. The textbook occasionally utilizes internal links to allow navigation to related content in another chapter. An important note: Instructional graphics and some short sample documents (e.g., submittal letter) are embedded in the textbook as images (.png) while lengthier student sample documents open to web-accessible PDFs that are supported by a university library system. The non-decorative images (graphics and short sample documents) embedded in the text do not appear to have alt text added to them. Some PDFs do not appear to be optimized for screen readers.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

This text models good writing in terms of grammar.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The textbook is inclusive and respectful in terms of its use of language, sample document content, and suggested exercises. However, the textbook does not extensively address how TPW practitioners can be inclusive and respectful in their own use of language. Inclusiveness as it relates to document design is addressed in detail, though.

Comments

Relevant, useful, and meaningful practice activities are included in the textbook; many seem lend themselves well to in-class work (think-pair-share). Sometimes, these activities are not always listed in each chapter's table of contents.