Books on Business & Technical Writing

NOTE: Most of these books and software items are for sale at the U of T Bookstore, and all are available at U of T libraries. To find call numbers and locations, use the “search” functions of the online catalogue.

Angell, David and Brent Heslop. The Elements of E-Mail Style.
Concise and lively presentation of good advice—applicable to all kinds of writing.

Blake, Gary and Robert W. Bly. The Elements of Technical Writing.
Advice on style, using examples from technical writing.

Blicq, Ron. Technically Write! Communicating in a Technological Era.
Sensible though simplified explanations and examples.

Brusaw, Charles T. et al. The Business Writer’s Handbook.
Guide to reports, proposals, letters, résumés; also advice on grammar and style.

Burnett, Rebecca E. Technical Communication.
Advanced textbook showing how written documents contribute to organizational effectiveness. Covering abstracts, manuals, instructions, report, letters, etc.

Day, Robert A. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper.
Useful for students writing theses; also good on abbreviations, scientific terms, etc.

Higham, Nicholas J. Handbook of Writing for the Mathematical Sciences.
Specialized advice on planning, writing, and revising; covers writing for readers whose first language is not English. Also discusses ways to word-process formulas.

Lannon, John M. Technical Writing.
A comprehensive textbook; sensible advice on standard forms of writing for technical professions.

Markel, Michael. Writing in the Technical Fields: A Step-by-Step Guide for Engineers, Scientists, and Technicians.
An excellent guidebook on writing efficiently, logically, and effectively.

Mavrow, Cecilia. Writing in Engineering: A Guide to Communicating.
A well-designed textbook covering many practical situations.

Northey, Margot. Impact: A Guide to Business Communication.
A sensible simplified guide to workplace writing and speaking.

Paradis, James G. and Muriel L. Zimmerman. The MIT Guide to Science and Engineering Communication.
Shows how scientists write on the job, focusses on function as persuasion and communication. Clear discusion with excellent writing samples.

White, Jan V. Graphic Design for the Electronic Age. An expert’s advice on using computers to design documents effectively. Covers overall organization, use of headings and graphics, and page design.