========================================================================= Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1993 15:24:36 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: bob wallace Subject: uses of cross-reference ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Hi folks! Today I'm working on a feminist lit. crit. book (woe is me, I didn't realize what it was before I committed myself!). The author talks about the "transgressive aspect of women's autobiography" (which means that women who write autobiographies are doing something unwomanly). The term "transgressive" relates to her discussion of female mystics (interesting book, no?) and is entirely appropriate. Trouble is, I just don't think anyone will look for that term in the index. So I should cross-reference from a more familiar term. Like what? The author doesn't give me any other terms and I've not had any inspirations of my own, so when I speak to her on the phone, I'll ask her. In the meantime, I've decided to add it as a "see also" to the entries for "gender." This transgressive aspect *is* gender-related, but I'm not sure it's sufficiently close to the gender discussion to warrant a cross-reference. But it is a (sneaky) way of getting readers to discover the "transgressive" entry in the (possible) absence of other cross-references. I realize that relatedness of cross-references sometimes (always?) comes down to a judgment call, but I would welcome your opinions. I hope I've adequately explained what I think is slightly fishy about my strategy. On another topic, I'd like to hear what people think about the ongoing debate in Key Words about prepositions in subentries. A lot of the discussion has assumed an indented-style format and what works visually when a user scans a vertical display of subentries. But what about run-in indexes? Doesn't the user have to read the list of subentries (more than in the indented) to untangle them and rely less on their alphabetization? Carol Roberts Ithaca, NY rw16cornell.edu "Books are fatal: they are the curse of the human race. Nine-tenths of existing books are nonsense, and the clever books are the refutation of that nonsense. The greatest misfortune that ever befell man [sic] was the invention of printing." --Benjamin Disraeli ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1993 15:31:39 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Michele Berkes 615-576-2352 Subject: an invitation to PCOC! ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- ***Warning--this is a long message*** This message is being cross-posted to copyediting-l, index-l, techwr-l, asis-l, and libadmin. My apologies for duplication to those who are on two or more of these lists. This message parallels a mailing of printed version of this same information. If anyone knows of another newsgroup who might be interested in attending PCOC, please feel free to forward/duplicate this message. We'd love to have as wide an attendance group as possible! STC members (and others, if interested!)--please pass this information on to your newsletter editors and ask them to include a brief announcement of PCOC (or a long one if they have room!). The conference is shaping up to be quite exciting, so come on down and enjoy East Tennessee's hospitality! Michele Berkes Manager, 17th Annual PCOC 615-576-2352 berkesm@a1.osti.gov ****************** 17th ANNUAL PRACTICAL CONFERENCE ON COMMUNICATION SOCIETY FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION/EAST TENNESSEE CHAPTER OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE NOVEMBER 4-5, 1993 PRELIMINARY PROGRAM The Practical Conference on Communication (PCOC), sponsored annually by the Society for Technical Communication/East Tennessee Chapter (STC/ETC), features presentations and workshops by editors, writers, designers, managers, and educators on a broad range of topics specifically directed toward practical application. The 1993 conference will be at Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education in Pollard Auditorium and associated meeting rooms. As the preliminary program reveals, the 17th annual meeting should be especially exciting. We hope you agree--and that you plan to join us this year for PCOC 17. EARLY CHECK-IN AND RECEPTION The East Tennessee Chapter will host a Wednesday reception at the Garden Plaza Hotel. Drop in anytime between 7 and 9 p.m. and enjoy an informal evening with fellow communicators. REGISTRATION BENEFITS In addition to presentations and workshops, the PCOC 17 registration fee also includes a complimentary copy of the conference proceedings and refreshments at each scheduled break. Full (two-day) registration also includes an invitation to the Friday luncheon at the Garden Plaza Hotel as well as to the Thursday buffet dinner at the hotel; dinner will be followed by an evening at the Oak Ridge Playhouse to enjoy James Yaffe's "Cliffhanger." (According to "The Atlanta Constitution," this ingeniously plotted mystery set in a small college town somewhere in the Rockies is "an old-fashioned thriller-chiller with some heart, heartbreak and hearty laughs.") Thursday-only registration includes an invitation to the dinner (and theater); Friday-only, to the luncheon. PCOC 17 is limited to 200 persons--so register soon! The deadline is October 11. ACCOMMODATIONS The Garden Plaza Hotel, adjacent to the conference site, offers dining and overnight accommodations. Please identify yourself as a PCOC participant when you call (615-481-2468 or 1-800-3-GARDEN); conference rates are $62 per day for a single or a double and $95 per day for a suite. Deadline for hotel reservations is October 13. INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTS' MEETING You may also wish to attend the 4th annual Consulting and Independent Contracting Conference (CICC), sponsored by the Consulting and Independent Contracting Professional Interest Committee (C&IC PIC) of STC. The November 6 meeting will include such topics as * Is Consulting for You? * Setting Rates * Money Flow * Business Image * Marketing To register, check the CICC "Contractors' Meeting" boxes when you fill out the PCOC registration form, and include the $40 fee with your registration. For further information, see the attached CICC Call for Presenters. Preliminary Program Thursday, November 4 8:00-8:30 Registration 8:30-8:45 Greetings and Orientation Welcome and Introductions Carol M. Barnum, Director-Sponsor, STC Region 3 Business Announcements Fred O'Hara 8:45-9:45 Keynote Speech 9:45-10:00 Coffee break 10:00-11:30 Morning Sessions Panel: Professional Roles of Technical Communicators * "When Is a Writer Not a Writer?" Daniel E. Wise Southern Company Services, Birmingham, Ala. * "If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them: Technical Communicator as Product Developer" Shelly King Intergraph Corp., Huntsville, Ala. * "Redefining the Role of Technical Writers" Lana Mullis-Bly Independent Contractor, West Columbia, S.C. Diana L. Penning Independent Contractor, West Columbia, S.C. Workshop * "Let's Get the Research Published: An Author's Editor Facilitates Publication of an Author's Article in Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journals" David L. Armbruster The University of Tennessee, Memphis, Memphis, Tenn. Lottie B. Applewhite Author's Editor, Chapel Hill, N.C. 11:30-1:00 Lunch break (on one's own) 1:00-2:30 Afternoon Sessions Panel: Personal Management * "Relocation--Upheaval or Opportunity?" Beth Hoople Marketing Magic, Jesup, Ga. * "Working Solo: How to Thrive as the Only Writer in Your Office" Lori J. Brown Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta, Ga. * "Research in Disguise--Successful Networking" Beth Hoople Marketing Magic, Jesup, Ga. Workshop * "Leadership--Do You Have What It Takes?" Carol M. Barnum Southern Tech, Marietta, Ga. 2:30-3:00 Coffee break 3:00-4:30 Afternoon Sessions (continued) Panel: The Technology of Communication * "Interactive Multimedia--Gee-Whiz Technology or Effective Communication Medium?" Douglas S. McDaniel Science Applications International Corp., Oak Ridge, Tenn. * "Crafting Interactive Information: The Synthesis of SGML, Structured Writing, and Hypertext" Robert Hein Reynolds and Reynolds Co., Dayton, Ohio * "Desktop Publishing with Hybrid Systems" Brian J. Lindgren Computer Technology Research Corp., Charleston, S.C. Workshop * "Accounting for Noise in Technical Communication" Yu-kwong Chiu Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla. Carol Engle Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla. Jerold Jeansonne Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla. Charles Kemnitz Pennsylvania College of Technology, Penn. Jack Miller Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla. Friday, November 5 8:00-9:30 Morning Sessions Panel: Technical Communication--The Next Generation * "Technical Writing and Editing in Transition" James W. Pearce Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn. * "From the ENIAC to Virtual Reality: Is Our Technical Communication Keeping up with the Times?" Bonnie J. Davis Private Consultant, Avondale Estates, Ga. Workshop * "Technical and Management Issues in Online Documentation" George F. Hayhoe Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, S.C. 9:30-10:00 Coffee break 10:00-12:00 Morning Sessions (continued) Panel: Writing and Editing Techniques * "Special Problems in Editing Engineering Specifications: Maintaining Master Documents" Teresa R. Johnson William B. Thompson Engineers, Inc., Memphis, Tenn. * "Meeting the Customer's Needs in Proposals" Norman Lambert Private Consultant, St. Louis, Mo. * "Technical Communication for Global Audiences" Barbara K. Russell Private Consultant, Nashville, Tenn. Workshop * "`Reading to Learn to Do' Documentation and Training" Scott DeLoach Hayes Microcomputer Products, Ga. Rob Houser NCR, An AT&T Company, Duluth, Ga. 12:00-1:30 Luncheon (Garden Plaza) Thank You's Michele Berkes Conference Manager STC and You George F. Hayhoe Secretary, STC 1:30-2:30 Afternoon Sessions Panel: Software Documentation * "New Skills a Writer Needs When Your Company Goes into Consulting" Jeff Haas Unisys Corp., Norcross Ga. * "Making User Documentation Usable Documentation" Harrison B. "Bill" Williams Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. Workshop * "Mixing Technique with Technology" Consuelo K. Wassink HWW Consultants, Anchorage, Alaska 2:30-3:00 Coffee break 3:00-4:30 Afternoon Sessions (continued) 3:00-3:30 Panel * "My Most Important Insight" 3:30-4:30 Workshop * "STC and the Technical Communication Profession" --------------------------------------------------------------------- Registration Form Name Company Phone Postal Address E-Mail Address Check appropriate registration option: ___ $100 full conference (STC) ___ $110 full conference (non-STC) ___ $ 80 Nov. 4 one-day (STC and non-STC) ___ $ 80 Nov. 5 one-day (STC and non-STC) ___ $ 0 student registration (guest prices for meals) Check attendance option(s) below: ___ Thursday dinner and theater ___ Friday luncheon, Garden Plaza ___ CICC (Contractors' Meeting), November 6 Indicate total amount submitted: $___ Guest lunches (___ @$20) $___ Guest dinners (___ @$25) $ 40 CICC (Contractors' Meeting) registration $___ Total amount of enclosed check [i.e., fee(s) for registration(s) plus for guest attendance at social events] MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO PCOC 17 Full conference registration includes a buffet dinner and play on Thursday and luncheon on Friday. One-day registration includes either the dinner (for Thursday registrants) or luncheon (for Friday registrants). Students are welcome at no charge, but they must register and pay guest prices for meals. If you need further information or have special requirements, please write or call Michele Berkes, PCOC 17 Manager: postal address, 1006 East Churchwell Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917; Internet e-mail address, berkesm@a1.osti.gov; phone number, 615-576-2352. PCOC REGISTRATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 11, 1993 --------------------------------------------------------------------- CALL FOR PRESENTERS 4th ANNUAL CONSULTING AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTING CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 6, 1993 * Sponsored by the Consulting and Independent Contracting Professional Interest Committee (C&IC PIC) of STC * To be held in connection with East Tennessee's conference, Practical Conference on Communication (PCOC), Oak Ridge, TN, November 4-5, 1993 ABOUT THE CONFERENCE The Consulting and Independent Contracting Conference (CICC) is a full day of presentations and networking on being a consultant: getting started, managing cash flow, accounting, working efficiently, setting rates, having a life outside of work, etc. CICC will be a full day of single-track activities starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m. Lunch is included. This will be the fourth annual CICC. Once again the East Tennessee Chapter's Practical Conference on Communication (PCOC) will be the host conference. The CICC will follow PCOC on Saturday, November 6. You may register for just the post-conference activities, but we encourage everyone to take advantage of the full conference. CALL FOR PRESENTERS Do you have an idea for a presentation? We need at least five presenters to give interactive workshops, presentations, and skits. Topic ideas include * Business business plans, running an established business, starting a business, the home office, working efficiently * People expectations: management of consultants or (ourselves, consultants of management, subcontracting, our clients, developing a benefits package for yourself, our employees) self management * Legal establishing a business (federal, state, and local issues), taxes and accounting, writing contracts Presentations may range from 20 minutes to 1 hour. PLEASE SUBMIT To have your presentation considered, please submit the following: * 100-word abstract * statement on time and special equipment needs * 1-paragraph biography of presenter(s) * the completed form (below) This information should be submitted to Tallin (Ensley) Francis CICC Program Manager P.O. Box 1912 High Springs, FL 32643-1912 DEADLINES Submission of proposal: October 11 Conference Registration: October 11 REGISTRATION Register through PCOC, according to their instructions. See the attached preliminary program for PCOC or write to STC/ETC 17th Annual PCOC P.O. Box 5556 Oak Ridge, TN 37831-5556 for registration information. The post-conference will be $40 for members and non-members (includes Saturday lunch). Full-time students pay only for their meals. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Submission Form Name Company Name (if different) Address Telephone (work) (home) Format of Presentation ___ Workshop ___ Paper ___ Lecture ___ Skit ___ Other Title of Presentation Audiovisual equipment needs Any limitations or handicaps requiring special arrangements for lodging or presentation SEND TO Tallin (Ensley) Francis CICC Program Manager P.O. Box 1912 High Springs, FL 32643-1912 BY OCTOBER 11, 1993 --------------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 09:13:18 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Janice Woo Subject: Re: uses of cross-reference ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- To Carol Roberts: It seems to me that people who read scholarly feminist or social science literature will not be unfamiliar with the use of the term "transgression." I'm not so sure about x-ref from gender, but if it makes sense from the text, why not? -- Janice Woo ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1993 08:59:05 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Ned Bedinger Subject: Re: uses of cross-reference ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Regarding the problem of creating cross-references in an index (as described by Carol Roberts recently), I think that it calls on skills that are not part of the job description. But before I get too strict about an indexer's role in documenting a text, I need to say that I see this problem as arising in the general unwillingness of many authors to go to the trouble of explicitly defining terms before they develop their concepts. A really great manuscript is gracious -- the reader (or the indexer, for that matter) doesn't feel like chapter 1 is really chapter 13 of some unmentioned other work. Of course, graciousness is not a strict requirement for authoring, and authors are entitled to build on a body of knowledge without bringing every level of reader up to speed on every point. To address Carol's question as a policy issue, I would always draw the line at inserting an index entry that points to the author's definition. If a term is not defined in the manuscript, then I would expose my concern to the editor and suggest revising the text. I don't think I would try and synthesize a cross-reference to a term not included in the text. I see that the index might give better access to the text if cross-references such as Carol suggests could be done satisfactorily, but I don't see this task as being incumbent on the indexer alone. The author and editor will have a good idea of the audience for a manuscript, and can judge whether or not your suggestion is appropriate for their readers. One final idea which is probably to flip to consider but which is interesting to me is the idea of asking the author for a refer- ence from the bibliography that covers the definition of the troublesome term. Index the term to the article or book where a reader can get more info. Am I dreaming? Ned Bedinger qwa@u.washington.edu _____________________________________________________________________________ "The management of their horses is truly surprising. They will mount and proceed with speed without aid of spur or anything but a small switch...." -Charles Wilkes =========================================================================