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Subject:Style Guide From:"Nancy S. Burns" <nburns -at- NOAO -dot- EDU> Date:Tue, 9 Aug 1994 13:31:16 -0825
On Tuesday, Aug. 9, Dorothy Champlin wrote:
<snip>
Have any of you found a style guide that you think is worth our taking
a look at?
<end snip>
I am not aware of a style guide specifically for technical writing. Most
guides, like The Chicago Manual of Style, focus on the world of manuscripts
and publishing. I don't like the organiztion of the Chicago Manual, so I
recommend "Words Into Type", Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ , (a
former technical editing instructor recommended the book to her class). I
have the 3rd edition; a later edition may be in print.
These are the 7 main parts of the book:
Part I - preparation of the manuscript
Part II - handling of copy, galleys, page proofs
Part III - guide for the copy editor and writer
Part IV - page makeup and typographical style
Parts V & VI - grammar and use of words
Part VIII - methods, materials, and equipment involved in the composition
of type and
reproduction of illustrations.
Nancy S. Burns
National Solar Observatory
Tucson, Arizona
e-mail: nburns -at- noao -dot- edu
"Writing a poem is taking over the 200-inch telescope carefully focused on
the galaxies born at the beginning of the universe and turning it to look
at a child eating mystery meat and string beans 300 miles away." from
"Incantation to Overcome Writer's Block, Maybe" by Lisa Yount.
