Author Description

A comprehensive guide to planning, conducting, analyzing, and reporting research for technical communication. From tried-and-true interviewing methods to the latest electronic research techniques, technical communication experts Lynnette Porter and William Coggin cover all the bases in this comprehensive guide to planning, conducting, analyzing, and documenting research for technical communication projects. Although it is geared mainly for technical communicators, the methods it outlines are valid for virtually anyone who needs to gather information and render it into a useful form. Whether you are responsible for creating documentation for a new hardware or software product, designing a user interface, testing usability, conducting field research, or even writing a master's or doctoral thesis, Research Strategies in Technical Communication provides you with a wealth of crucial, practical information on: Conducting interviews and gathering information from technical personnel Computerized research—including information-retrieval devices, usability testing, and the latest on e-mail, the Internet, gophers, online libraries, and other electronic information sources Creating a documentation plan and documenting research Writing results for publication—including information on writing prospectuses, abstracts, bibliographies, and letters of inquiry Submitting research for publication Research funding strategies—including an extensive list of funding sources And much more Research Strategies in Technical Communication is a vital resource for technical writers, editors, researchers, user interface designers, usability engineers, business and financial researchers, and researchers in the hard and social sciences.