General Reference Books

Recommended Books

Comments

Dictionaries

Oxford Dictionary of Current English (Oxford University Press, many editions available new and used)

Editing

Technical Editing, Carolyn D. Rude (3^rd ed. 2002)

Rose Norman uses this for her technical editing classes.  It’s online at http://occawlonline.pearsoned.com/divisions/longman/long_rude_techedit_3/

Copyediting: A Practical Guide, Karen Judd (Crisp, 2001). $24.95 at Powells.com; older editions also available online, cheaper

Excellent resource on many aspects of copyediting, especially markup.

Style Guides

AP Style Guide

Recommended by a member working in media relations

Chicago Manual of Style (latest ed. is 14^th, 1993)

Industry standard for book publishing.  Technical Communication uses this.

GPO Style Manual (hard to find online)

GPO is the Government Printing Office.  Some military contracts require this style guide.

"Comprehensive coverage of essential writing issues and editing concerns, including a section on indexing, design, and printing." (online publisher's blurb)

Usage Manuals

The Careful Writer: A Modern Guide to English Usage, Theodore M. Bernstein-

Alphabetical guide to word usage, e.g., effect/affect, how to use comprise correctly, when to say less, when it's fewer.

Technical Writing Textbooks

The Handbook of Technical Writing, Brusaw, Alred, Oliu; 5^th ed. is listed as by Brusaw only (St. Martin’s Press).

Used to be a UAH textbook.  Organized alphabetically, so very handy for look-up.

Technical Communication: Situations and Strategies, Michael Markel  (6^th ed. 2000).

UAB uses this textbook.

Writing and Grammar Guides

The Elements of Style, William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

E.B. White was a wonderful New Yorker writer, and Strunk had been his teacher.  Lots of people love this little book.

Hodges Harbrace College Handbook (12^th ed., Horner, Webb, and Miller).

Lots of old editions available cheap, if you don’t need the latest MLA style guide info.

Hodges was the head of the UT Knoxville English Dept. and left the royalties on this grammar book to that department, so if you’d like to support graduate study in English, buy it new ($18)!  

New York Public Library Writer's Guide to Style and Usage, Andrea Sutcliffe (Harpercollins, 1994).

Very comprehensive and not slanted toward either tech writing or

journalism -- really covers all the bases.

Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers

The grammar book UAH requires for first-year students.

Style:Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, Joseph Williams  (Addison-Wesley Longman)

The title says it all.  Excellent book for improving your writing.