A Style Manual for Technical Writers and Editors
George H. Kelker, Susana Reisman · Journal of Wildlife Management · 1964
Editor Reisman and his associates have compiled a valuable guide for beginners as well as old pros, gathering into one convenient book a useful slice of the tools of technical publication. The manual is not intended as a comprehensive treatment of any particular phase of style, but in many areas (notably proposals and reports) leaves little to be desired. The manual is divided into four parts and three appendixes. Part 1 is a description of the personnel and operation of a typical technical publications department. Though somewhat fundamental and containing many platitudes (writer must be able to gain the respect and cooperation of scientists and engineers; must be familiar with the methods of his profession), it can be a guide to people unfamiliar with the makeup and function of the publication group. It includes an impressive list of 31 steps in the preparation, production, and distribution of a technical publication, which point out the complexity of the operation. An added bonus is a concise description of the Xerox process. Part 2 becomes meaty. It begins acting like a style guide and lists the proper sequence for the parts of a report and defines these parts. Perhaps the most valuable information in the manual is the discussion of proposals: solicited, unsolicited, and brochures. It describes the usual audience for the proposal and the importance of reaching them with the sales message of the document. The description includes samples of statements of work, program scheduling, and personnel resumes. From a publication standpoint, it tells the importance of supplying the technical publications group with details early enough to plan an effective proposal, and gives the time requirements for various phases of writing and producing the proposal. Part 2 also goes into the preparation of technical manuals, describing the usual boundaries of specifications and audience. It mentions a recent study which established the average cost of a complex technical manual as $200 per typeset page and gives valuable ground rules for scheduling. Part 3 discusses format, including division into headings, numbering of heads and pages, and presentation of tables. There is a well-illustrated chapter on illustrations; it includes a check list of items to be considered before turning a piece of line art over to the artist and a discussion of callouts and captions. There is a well-illustrated and comprehensive discussion of mathematical symbols and their presentation in publications, and a chapter on footnotes, references, and bibliographies. Part 4 includes examples of improvements in sentence structure and guides to effective paragraphing, punctuation, numbering, and other conventions in writing. These are admittedly incomplete; more complete works are referenced. Likewise included is an incomprehensive list of words which are troublesome in spelling and compounding. In the matter of abbreviations the manual is a valuable guide to when and why abbreviations are used.