Textbook Overview: Technical Communication 8th ed. by Mike Markel
I think that this textbook does well to cover a wide range of topics within technical communications in a very organized and procedural way. As Mike Markel states in his introduction to the textbook, “Technical Communication remains a thorough, accessible introduction to planning, drafting, and designing technical documents.” (iii)
This textbook does make ethics a major part of both its message and each of the individual chapters. This is explained in the introduction to this textbook as being a conscious addition to this edition because of the “increased emphasis on ethics” in the field of technical communication and technical communication education. Along with this addition, the author also noted an increased focus on “electronic communication tools” in that there is a need for understanding of these tools in this freshly electronic technological world.
With a new edition of this textbook, Mike Markel also specifies that “it makes more explicit connection between technical communication in the academy and …in the workplace.” (iii) I find this interesting as the field of technical communication progresses. It could lend insight into the development of agency and utility within technical communication education.
Writing Process:
I feel that the whole text does well to address the writing process both in a chapter specifically pertaining to “understanding the writing process”, “drafting and revising,” and through the progression of each section and the applications of technical communication. (xvi, xviii) In fact, within the “Introduction to Writers”, it states that the book is “organized into six parts, highlighting the importance of the writing process in technical communication…” (ix) The overall concept of the textbook also moves in such a way; from the introduction to technical communication in the classroom and also the workplace, to planning the documents, developing the elements, and being able to apply them, this book focuses a lot on the idea of process.
Within the application section, the book moves from the more basic technical communications to the more complex ones. Also within this section, at the beginning of every applications section, there is a diagram outlining the process of creating the document that is detailed within the chapter.
Rhetoric and Persuasion
There is an entire chapter on communicating persuasively which covers the basic arguments, using evidence, and presenting yourself and your communication effectively. This chapter is heavy on ethics, knowing your constraints, being responsible with how you appeal to people, and “using the right kinds of evidence.” (159)
There is also an underlying theme of rhetoric and persuasion through a chapter regarding understanding your audience, understanding legal and ethical considerations, and through some of the application chapters referring to how to write/communicate persuasively within certain genres of technical communication and why it is important.
Style and Tone
There does not seem to be a lot of explicit instruction regarding style and tone. There are little notes in certain sections such as “use the appropriate level of formality,” but instructions of style and tone are worked in throughout the entire “writing process” within this textbook. It is implied. For example, each type of application obviously has a certain style in which it is written and the tone is derived from how formal informal or professional it is meant to be. There are also certain “tech tips” which pertain to document design and a certain type of electronic “styling”.
Document Design
I believe that document design is a large part of the textbook’s focus. First, within the second part of the book, it discusses the planning and organizing of information; within the third and fourth parts, the books discusses writing and designing the documents both in textual and visual elements. Within the fifth part, dealing with all of the different applications for technical communication, document design emerges a lot within each chapter. For each type of document or communication discussed, there are descriptions and activities based on how each text is designed.
Visuals and Oral communication
As this is a technical communications textbook, it does not just contain technical writing instruction. There is a whole section (part 4) on “Developing the Visual Elements” which consists of chapters about designing these visual pieces and creating the graphics or “pictures” within this visual category.
Another interesting chapter in this textbook is on the application of the oral presentation. The final chapter in the book, it covers knowing your audience, organizing and designing the presentation itself using visual and written elements, how to effectively present yourself, and even a section on answering questions after your presentation.
Research and writing technologies
As I stated in my introduction, it was noted that this edition of the textbook was expanded to include the emphasis on electronic tools for technical communication. Included in this is a companion website that has many activities and tools that can work alongside the information in the book. This is called “TechComm” and each chapter has a discussion that correlates with it. Along with this, there are also “Tech Tips” within each chapter that instruct students on certain tools within their electronic technologies that can aid them in certain topics.
In terms of Research, there is one chapter regarding this subject. Situated within the planning part of the textbook, it discusses the differences between research for academic and the workplace as well as research methods, understanding the research, and conducting primary and secondary research. Research is referenced in a few other places, but not expanded upon besides within that chapter pertaining to it.
Markel, Mike. (2007). Technical Communication (8th ed.). Bedford/St. Martin’s.