How should you write and present a business proposal? What is the best way to take minutes? When should a work email be formal and when chatty?

Communicating in a clear, concise manner with colleagues and clients is a key aspect of professionalism and good business practice. Yet many South African companies do not train their staff to do this, leading to confusion and lost hours - and it affects how people view your ability to do your job.

Now, help is at hand with plain-language experts Bittie Viljoen-Smook, Johan Geldenhuys and Wena Coetzee in this user-friendly guide to all aspects of written English in the workplace. Your journey to presenting yourself in an excellent, effective way starts here.

This entertaining and highly readable book gives anyone writing in the sciences a clear and easy-to-follow guide to the English language. English is often regarded as one of the most difficult languages to master. Yet while the English language has a vocabulary of upwards of 500,000 words, it only uses nine parts of speech, and all of these words fall into one (or more) of those nine categories. Scientific English: A Guide for Scientists and Other Professionals, Third Edition contains many simple revelations like this that make effective scientific writing in English easy, even for those whose fluency is in another language. The book is organized around a basic guide to English grammar that is specifically tailored to the needs of scientists, science writers, science educators, and science students. The authors explain the goals of scientific writing, the role of style, and the various kinds of writing in the sciences, then provide a basic guide to the fundamentals of English and address problem areas such as redundancies, abbreviations and acronyms, jargon, and foreign terms. Email, online publishing, blogs, and writing for the Web are covered as well. This book is designed to be an enlightening and entertaining read that can then be retained as a practical scientific writing reference guide. Includes cartoons and humorous illustrations that help reinforce important concepts Provides a glossary that allows readers to easily reference the meanings of grammatical terms used in the book Incorporates a wide variety of quotations to provide humor, make points, or reinforce key concepts Includes an entire chapter on electronic media as well as new material on self-editing

As the field of Technical Writing has evolved, so has the eighth edition of Technical English. Known for its direct, no-nonsense writing style, plentiful and varied examples, and step-by-step instruction, Technical English leads students through the many facets of technical communication. The Eighth Edition retains much of the vision of the previous editions-it encompasses written, oral, and visual communication-but also reflects current practices in the field of technical writing. With continued emphasis on workplace communication, the focus remains on the entire writing process from planning through revision. Technical English emphasizes efficiency in the search for and evaluating information, designing and preparing graphics and other visuals, and choosing appropriate communication technology and media. In addition, the eighth edition suggests guidelines for research, employment, and grammatical usage

For courses in technical communication, technical writing, business communication, and business writing. Technical Communication: Process and Product, 8e by Sharon J. Gerson and Steven M. Gerson, provides a proven, complete methodology that emphasizes the writing process and shows how it applies to both oral and written communication. With an emphasis on real people and their technical communication, it provides complete coverage of communication channels, ethics, and technological advances. This edition includes information on dispersed teams, collaboration tools, listening skills, and social networking. Using before/after documents, authentic writing samples and skill-building assignments, the book provides a balance of how-to instruction with real-world modeling to address the needs of an evolving workplace.

Technical Communication Todayremains the only text to fully centralize the computer in the technical workplace, presenting how writers use computers throughout their communication process. Writers use their computers to help them think, research, compose, design, and edit. Not only is Technical Communication Today firmly rooted in core rhetorical principles, but the text also presents computers as thinking tools that powerfully influence how we develop, produce, design, and deliver technical documents and presentations. Clear instruction not only describes technical documents, but also guides the reader through the activity of producing them. Technical Communication Today helps communicators draft and design documents, prepare material for print and Web publication, and make oral presentations; by bringing computers to the foreground as thinking tools, it accurately reflects the modern day computer-centered technical workplace. Technical Communication Today speaks to today's students and how they expect to learn information. Instructional narrative is "chunked," so that readable portions of text are combined with graphics. Not only does this presentation facilitate learning, but it also models the way today's technical documents should be designed. Additionally, the chunked presentation integrates an awareness of how documents are read-often "raided" by readers seeking the information they need. By mirroring these processes in its content and structure, Technical Communication Today offers a higher level of accessibility for readers.

Researching and Writing your Dissertation is an essential guide for students undertaking research projects as part of a postgraduate qualification in business or management. Seven accessible chapters guide the reader through the process from choosing a topic, to gathering and analysing data, and finally writing and presenting the results. This book is ideal for students who may not be taking a taught and assessed module in research methods, but are undertaking management research for the first time and will benefit from guidance on the process, from start to finish.

There is increasing pressure on academics and graduate students to publish in peer reviewed journals, but many students and researchers who are new to quantitative methods struggle to write up statistics in reports, theses and journal articles. This book is an accessible reference text aimed at helping people write about quantitative research in applied linguistics, focusing mainly on writing for journals. Different types of statistical analysis are explained in detail along with annotated examples drawn from published and unpublished sources. The book offers advice on academic writing, how and where to get research published, and recommends additional resources helpful for both students and seasoned researchers.

Complete coverage for any course in technical communication, business communication, or professional writing Today's workplace requires writing emails, memos, letters, and informal reports, as well as more complex communications such as formal reports, proposals, web pages, and presentations. Technical Communication, 15th Edition guides students to write persuasively, effectively, and with perspective on technological innovations and global communications. Lannon and Gurak incorporate the interpersonal, logical, ethical,and cultural demands of different forms of workplace communications, and encourage the development of skills students will need to navigate these considerations. Building on research and writing skills, the authors prepare students for technical writing in any field. The 15th Edition incorporates the latest innovations in workplace communication and today's technologically sophisticated, diverse, and global workforce, while retaining and expanding upon the features that have made it a best-seller in technical communication. Samples Download the detailed table of contents Preview sample pages from Technical Communication, Global Edition

This important new text invites readers to step back from their busy professional lives and look at technical communication philosophically, to ask fundamental questions such as what does it mean to communicate? and how do language and graphics - the ""signs"" or ""tools"" of the technical communicator - relate to action in a technological world? Through this excursion in the theory of technical discourse, you will discover a fresh approach to reports, manuals, and proposals produced and consumed daily in business, government, and research organizations around the world. The authors examine familiar genres in two relatively new ways.

This book addresses four main topics: professional ethics, technical writing, presentation skills, and online writing. These topics are woven throughout the book and some of them are the main subjects of one or more chapters. The overarching theme of this book is to provide well-tested, best-practice techniques and strategies for main topic areas while focusing on information that can be immediately applied to help the IT professional improve a particular skill. Technical Writing, Presentational Skills, and Online Communication: Professional Tools and Insights is a collection of work aimed at any professional that deals with ethical issues, writes up a technical project, gives or develops a presentation, or writes material for an online audience. While focusing on practical information and process, the goal is to improve the reader s ability and knowledge in each of these four areas. This book presents the big picture relating to the chosen topics so the audience will have an excellent framework and foundation in the areas of professional ethics, technical writing, presentation skills, and online writing.

Success in scientific and engineering research depends on effective writing and presentation. The purpose of this guide is to help the reader achieve that goal. It enables students and researchers to write and present material to a professional modern standard, efficiently and painlessly, and with maximum impact. The approach is not prescriptive. Rather, the emphasis is on a logical approach to communication, informed by what needs to be achieved, what works in practice, and what interferes with success. Over 400 examples of good and bad writing and graphing are presented. Each is from a published research article and is accompanied by analysis, comment, and correction where needed. Journal reviewers' critiques of submitted manuscripts are included to illustrate common pitfalls. Above all, this is a "how-to" book, comprehensive but concise, suitable for continuous study or quick reference. Checklists at the end of each chapter enable the reader to test the readiness of a dissertation, journal submission, or conference presentation for assessment or review. Although oriented towards engineering and the physical and life sciences, it is also relevant to other areas, including behavioural and clinical sciences and medicine.

Guidelines for Reports by Autopsy Pathologists is intended to help the autopsy pathologist produce reports that communicate well. Having evolved from a coll- tion of faculty critiques of the autopsy reports, summary and opinion reports, scene reports, and death certi?cates produced by residents in anatomic pathology and f- lows in forensic pathology, the book emphasizes topics that have been troublesome for trainees. For clinicians, the medical record describes their work product. For autopsy pathologists, the written report is the work product and demands an acco- ingly higher standard of composition. Most reports produced by pathologists can be divided into objective and subjective elements, or, in other words, ?ndings and opinions. The pathologist must have a clear understanding of the linkage between the two. When composing a report, the autopsy pathologist should serve the goal of c- municating to the parties who will read the report, namely, the case pathologist him- or herself (at a later date), attorneys, the family of the decedent, and other physicians. I believe that careless and imprecise thinking leads to sloppy language, and that sloppy language leads to careless and imprecise thinking. In my experience, pathologists who learn how to clearly express and organize their ?ndings and op- ions in a written format make more detailed and focused observations at the autopsy table.

For two decades, Understanding Clinical Papers has been helping students and professionals understand the research that supports evidence-based practice. Now in its fourth edition, this popular introductory textbook covers every major aspect of reading and evaluating clinical research literature, from identifying the aims and objectives of a paper to analysing the data with different multivariable methods. Numerous excerpts from actual clinical research papers make learning real and immediate, supported by a unique visual approach that reinforces key points and connects examples with the chapter material. The fourth edition includes extensively revised content throughout, including four brand-new chapters covering qualitative studies, Poisson regression, studies of complex interventions, and research using previously collected data. New and updated material discusses the difference between clinical and statistical significance, the consequences of multiple testing and methods of correction, how topic guides are used to explore and explain participants' experiences, standardised guidelines for writing trials and reviews, and much more. Offering clear explanations of important research-related topics, this reader-friendly resource: Offers a clear, concise, and accessible approach to learning how to read and analyse clinical research literature Features new coverage of qualitative research, including descriptive studies, sampling and populations, and identifying, summarising, and measuring qualitative characteristics Provides new material on missing data, sub-group analysis, feasibility and pilot studies, cluster randomised trials, and adaptive trial designs Includes new tables, abstracts, and excerpts from recent clinical research literature Understanding Clinical Papers is essential reading for all healthcare professionals and students, particularly those involved in clinical work and medical research, as well as general readers wanting to improve their understanding of research literature.

For courses in Technical Communication. This version of Technical Communication: Process and Product has been updated to reflect the 8th Edition of the MLA Handbook (April 2016)* A focus on oral and written correspondence in all fields Technical Communication: Process and Product shows students how to produce all forms of written and oral technical communication with easy-to-follow instructions. Interesting scenarios and examples featuring real people on the job make the text relatable to students of all majors. The Ninth Edition builds upon the authors' proven methodology, emphasizes the writing process, and shows students how it applies to both written and oral communication. By showcasing real employees in communication scenarios across a wide range of disciplines - from engineering, to consulting, banking, construction, and biotechnology - the authors showcase the importance of strong communication skills within every field. * The 8th Edition introduces sweeping changes to the philosophy and details of MLA works cited entries. Responding to the "increasing mobility of texts," MLA now encourages writers to focus on the process of crafting the citation, beginning with the same questions for any source. These changes, then, align with current best practices in the teaching of writing which privilege inquiry and critical thinking over rote recall and rule-following.

For introductory courses in Technical Communication. Technical Communication Strategies for Today offers both and speaks to today's students. Instructional narrative is "chunked," so that portions of text are combined with graphics. The chunked presentation also integrates an awareness of how documents are read-often skimmed by readers seeking the information they need, and it models the way today's technical documents should be designed. The contemporary writing style is matched by an approach that accurately reflects the modern day computer-centered technical workplace: Technical Communication Strategies for Today presents computers as thinking tools that powerfully influence how we develop, produce, design, and deliver technical documents and presentations.

For courses in Technical Writing. This concise and cumulative guide shows students the art of technical writing for a variety of contexts and institutions. Using examples from the business and non-corporate world, the book emphasizes transactional writing through practical explanations, real-world examples, and a variety of "role-playing" exercises. Each section builds on the next as readers learn a variety of models of style and format. This edition features a stronger emphasis on electronic communication, integrated coverage of ethics, and more explanation of how to create technical documents that produce concrete results.

Teachers of technical writing are frequently handicapped by a lack of material to back up discussions in the classroom and in textbooks. This title helps to overcome this weakness.

Imagine you are a scientist faced with presenting your research clearly and concisely. Where would you go for help? This book provides the answer. It shows how to use story structure to craft clear, credible presentations. In it you will find exercises to help you give both short and long presentations. Elevator pitches, lightning talks, Three Minute Thesis (3MT (R)), and conference presentations are all covered as are suggestions for longer presentations. Separate chapters address good poster design, how to tailor your talk to an audience, and presentation skills. Throughout the book the focus is on creating surprising, memorable stories. Scientific presentations are true stories about new discoveries. They are surprising because every new discovery changes our understanding of the world, and memorable because they move audiences. The book also covers: * Randy Olson's And-But-Therefore (ABT) narrative form * Mike Morrison's Better Poster designs * Eye-tracking analyses of posters by EyeQuant * Numerous case studies and examples from different scientific fields * Links to videos of exemplary presentations With light-hearted illustrations by Jon Wagner this book will appeal to researchers and graduate students in all areas of science, and other disciplines too.