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Interviewing Practices for Technical Writers
Earl E. McDowell
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Baywood's Technical Communications Series, Jay R. Gould, Series Editor
Winner! 1992 New York State Chapter Society for Technical Communication Publications and Art
Competition Award of Excellence
IN PRAISE OF
"...I would probably adopt it as a course text. Why? Because it is unique. McDowell's book is tailored for the technical communication student..."
—Stephen Doheny-Farina, Technical Communication, Clarkson University
"I was very glad to see this book. The examples, scenarios, and case study exercises are geared to technical writers, particularly those in
the computer industry. The sheer existence of such a book finally acknowledges that training for technical writers must include more
than instruction on how to type words into a computer and then revise. This book would be extremely useful in many undergraduate,
and even some graduate, technical writing classes...I sincerely hope this book is only the first in a necessary effort to integrate all the
various types of interpersonal and organizational communication into technical writing curricula."
—Mary Elizabeth Raven, Digital Equipment Corporation and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Technical Communication Quarterly
"Interviewing Practices for Technical Writers is a book that would serve as a handy reference guide for office supervisors
and staff because it addresses both sides of the interviewing process. The fact that it also emphasizes the broadened use of the term
'interview' to encompass documentation and collaboration adds to its value as a reference before one gathers or gives specific information."
—Diane L. Hendrix, Technical Communication
ABOUT THE BOOK
Interviewing is an important form of human communication with wide application in the
workplace. Unfortunately, limited attention has been devoted to this topic in technical
communication textbooks or journals. It is this lack of material which prompted McDowell to
author Interviewing Practices for Technical Writers. His goal is to provide writers with the
necessary foundation for building the effective interviewing skills that are essential in today's workplace.
Once in the workplace, technical writers are likely to discover how vast a role interviewing plays. Research shows many tech writers spend
approximately 75% of their time in the "gathering information mode," with a large portion devoted solely to interviewing.
Furthermore, the use of interviewing skills extends beyond the completion of written projects. Tech writers often must depend on
customer interviews and surveys to gauge the success of a project; therefore needing to develop interviewing skills for the collection and
analysis of feedback in a systematic and formal manner. This new text is a highly detailed, specific account of interviewing practices; each chapter
is set forth with definitive goals, offers realistic case studies, concise summaries and appropriate references. A scholarly and practical text;
one that is much needed not only by Technical Writers but also for business/education professionals who want to improve their interviewing techniques.
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