{"title":"Bottoms up communications for creative innovation","authors":"R. Stevens","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.6592878","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.6592878","url":null,"abstract":"In research and development operations, there must be rather dramatic emphasis on communication from the lower echelons upward. Free, often direct communication links between the younger, creative minds and the top-level planners are vital. When scientists are regarded as professionals only, rather than part of a company team, they tend to approach their problems as chemists, physicists, or engineers working in their narrow professional areas with professional, rather than with company rewards and goals as their motivation. Only an atmosphere that provides for “bottoms up” flow of communications can unlock the innovative contributions that these talented people, specially trained in great depth, can make toward corporate goals.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"36 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121234467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What should a retrieval system for scientific information do?","authors":"John O'Connor","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.6592885","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.6592885","url":null,"abstract":"Some difficulties in getting answers to the question posed in the title are sketched — for example, the lack of knowledge about the true relationship of scientific literature and scientific discovery, and the differences in form and language used in various specialized fields. Some areas of needed research on retrieval systems for scientific information are suggested.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"51 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122496475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Preparation of Commercial Instruction Manuals: A Survey and Some Comments","authors":"E. M. Miller","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322759","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322759","url":null,"abstract":"A questionnaire was used to survey the operating practices of commercial instruction-manual groups in the process instrument industry. The results are presented and discussed. Subjects examined include 1) the amount of time the writer must spend on research; 2) areas of responsibility of the instruction department and other departments in the preparation of an instruction manual; 3) relations with customers; and 4) manpower shortage.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114604970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Guide to Technical Literature Production [book review]","authors":"F. V. Veen","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322764","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322764","url":null,"abstract":"This paperback by Emerson Clarke is crammed with the type of really useful information often promised but rarely delivered in our literature. A \"must\" book for the publications manager, this, and especially for someone new at it. There are organization charts and job descriptions aplenty, and any administrator concerned with setting up a publications department will find down-to-earth suggestions on work-area layout, organization of writing and production groups, personnel training, scheduling, filing systems, and costestimating. If the publications manager is the book's best audience, the technical writer is its star. The author discusses methods of recruiting, interviewing, evaluating, encouraging, organizing, criticizing, and rewarding the technical writer. The book falters in the \"Evaluating the Writer\" chapter, which includes a suggested test of the writing skill of a prospective technical writer. There is more than enough paydirt in this handbook to please anyone in the publications business.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129486039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Abstracts of recent articles on engineering writing and speech","authors":"H. Michaelson","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322760","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322760","url":null,"abstract":"Presents 9 abstracts of recent articles on engineering writing and speech from non IRE publications.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"334 7","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"113958418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Letter to the Editor [on using summaries to judge technical article submissions]","authors":"H. Baum","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322765","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322765","url":null,"abstract":"The author notes a number of complaints recently about the poor quality of some of the papers presented at technical meetings. He argues that a large part of the trouble is undoubtedly being caused by the difficulty of evaluating a paper from an abstract or a summary. He suggests that the central problem in the evaluation of papers is that the papers are not usually written until after they are accepted for presentation. One way to solve the problem would be to require that the complete paper be submitted for review. He believes that the best short form, from the standpoint of both reviewer and author, is the outline. He does not propose to eliminate the abstract; it is needed to publicize the paper. But he feels we should call it what it really is, a theme paragraph or, still better, let's use book industry jargon and call it a blurb. What he does suggest is that the use of outlines for evaluation would simplify the review committee's task without putting an unnecessary load on the author or affecting the timeliness of the paper.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"76 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115811902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Technical Writing in Industry: Technique and Morale","authors":"B. C. Brookes","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322757","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322757","url":null,"abstract":"The author draws upon his experiences in teaching report writing in industrial organizations to illustrate some factors, other than the technique of the authors, which can seriously affect the quality of written reports. These factors include unsuitable working conditions, vagueness of specification, slow editing, denial of responsibility, criticism of trivia, and the constant attempt to simplify all things, however complex.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"136 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133236922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Small-Scale Experiment in the Application of Creativity to the Teaching of Technical Communication","authors":"R. Venezky","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322758","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322758","url":null,"abstract":"At Cornell University, a course in technical writing and speaking, required for fifth-year electrical engineers, was redesigned for the summer co-op session to encourage creative thinking, both as an aid to the students in their general engineering work and as a more efficient medium for conveying good technical communicating processes. Students were required to \"invent\" devices, find answers to imaginary problems, and convey the ideas derived from these projects to other people. Emphasis was also placed on fast, efficient methods for finding information, and coherent explanations of technical problems to many different types of audiences. No attempt has been made to evaluate the long-range effects of this course on the creativity of the individuals concerned. It is felt, however, that the major accomplishments along these lines were the introduction of techniques for ideational fluency and creative problem solving and the constant reinforcement of creative efforts. Included in this paper are the original assignments for the course and a proposal for an ideal, but wholly practical, new course in technical communications based upon the results of this course.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132275452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Engineering Secretary's Complete Handbook [book review]","authors":"L. G. Lee","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322763","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322763","url":null,"abstract":"It may seem add that a book review on the Engineering Secretary is directed to engineers. However, as the preface states, the busy engineer will not have time to train his secretary in the many duties of her position. This book will help do this. The author, Eleanor Schremser Laird, tersely sets forth the requirements and expectation of engineering for the Engineering Secretary. She is general in her approach when activities are tailored to local situations. She is specific in areas where there is little doubt about what is required. Chapters on special typing problems, abbreviations and symbols, reproduction methods, simple drafting, technical dictation, specifications and standards, security and patents contain information that could be gained only through years of experience. The normal content of Secretarial Handbooks is included too. However, the focus is always engineering. Chapters on accounting responsibilities, filing, and secretarial techniques are intended to integrate the secretary into the creative engineering team. The Engineering Secretary's Complete Handbook will provide orientation that will make your secretary an effective extension of your project.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134452725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Construction of Statistical Tables","authors":"Christian K. Arnold","doi":"10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322756","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TEWS.1962.4322756","url":null,"abstract":"This paper outlines, in some detail, accepted rules for constructing statistical tables. Among the topics covered are the criteria for choosing vertical or horizontal presentation of information, use of rules, and table and column captions.","PeriodicalId":118434,"journal":{"name":"IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech","volume":"44 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1962-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128806779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}