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Toward defining good writing: A rhetorical analysis of the words, sentences, and paragraphs in 16 industrial scriptsThe assumption that teachers of technical writing agree on a definition of good writing was found to be without basis. Resolution of disagreements arising from close reading and textual analysis is described. Writing samples from corporate sources including IBM, ALCOA, Exxon, Weyerhaeuser, Bell Labs, Underwriters Laboratories, Dow Chemical, and US Steel were requested. A mixture of informative and persuasive examples, and examples directed at lay and specialist audiences were received. Analyses of 16 writing samples are reported. Analysis of word level, sentence level, and paragraph level, was completed. Syllabism, verb selection, nominalizations, vocabulary choices, t-units, subordination, sentence and clause length, syntactic order, patterns, development, topic sentences, propositional order, and transitions were analyzed.
Document ID
19820007105
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Freisinger, R. R.
(Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton, MI, United States)
Petersen, B. T.
(Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton, MI, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1981
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Langley Research Center Tech. Commun., Pt. 1
Subject Category
Documentation And Information Science
Accession Number
82N14978
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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