The effect of proposal appearance on technical evaluation scoring was examined experimentally. Two mock proposals were prepared—one from the A Corporation and the other from the B Corporation. Each proposal was prepared in two versions—a “nice” appearing version (stylized “logoed” pages, offset two-color printing, heavy paper stock, plastic 19-ring spiral binding), and a “poor” appearing version (single-spaced typed pages, xerox reproduction, cheap transparent plastic cover, staple binding.) The proposals were scored against a set of eight evaluation questions by twenty-eight experienced government evaluators in a 2 × 2 factorial design experiment. No statistically significant effects of appearance on evaluation scoring were detected. A general model is presented that describes impression in terms of proposal appearance versus proposal thought content. The experiment is interpreted in terms of this model, and “real-world” applications of the model are discussed.

This is an expanded version of an evaluation originally given at the International Technical Communication Conference, Washington, D.C., 1976. The questionnaire was an attempt to get in touch with as many graduates of Rensselaer's Master's Program in Technical Communication as possible and to find out their reactions to the curriculum. The questions covered such topics as present and past occupations, usefulness of the Rensselaer curriculum, recommended curriculum changes, making use of invited speakers, degree of emphasis on style and format, supplementary courses, contact with professional writers, and adoption of new techniques.

System design for communication packages involves assessing communication needs and designing a set of communication vehicles to meet these needs. An earlier article dealt with needs assessment. After presenting three axioms of communication system design, this article reviews the basic input for design—the needs assessment matrix—and then discusses the implications of this input and additional design considerations. Finally, the article presents a seven-step process that can be used to formalize communication system design. The charts and diagrams referred to are to be found in the earlier article.

System design for communication packages involves assessing communication needs and designing a set of communication vehicles to meet these needs. This article, which focuses on the first of these two steps, outlines three categories of data that are important to communication system design and proposes a system for gathering and correlating the data in these three categories. The tangible product of this gathering and correlating is a three-dimensional needs assessment matrix, which is used as part of the input for the actual design of the communication system. A later article will deal with the communication system design itself.

The educational satellite is a new innovation under the broad concept of educational technology. While satellites have been used for nearly a decade for various kinds of scientific experimentation and military applications, they have only recently been programmed into the problem solving process in areas generally considered social in nature. Moreover, in the education category of social services, the educational satellite experimentation is just getting underway. Personnel of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, for example, in cooperation with researchers of the Federation of Rocky Mountain States and the Appalachian Regional Commission, are presently undertaking a series of experiments to determine the feasibility of using a satellite in the educational process. Such an undertaking is a new experience for the educational community. While educators have a background in the introduction of technology at the classroom level, their experience with the systems approach to the use of educational technology is very limited. Consequently, a frame of reference for integrating such technology into an educational system is needed. Such a frame of reference is developed in this paper. A systems model is suggested, based upon the flow of educational material, feedback information, and support activities. Various system elements are identified, designated as subsystems, and named according to the function to be performed at various points in the process. A total of nine subsystems are developed, and named as follows: 1) The Design and Production Subsystem, 2) The Transmission Subsystem, 3) The Satellite Subsystem, 4) The Reception and Distribution Subsystem, 5) The Classroom Subsystem, 6) The Evaluation Subsystem, 7) The Logistics Subsystem, 8) The Administrative Subsystem, and 9) The Maintenance Subsystem.

An instructional product review process is conceived and analyzed from a generic and systemic viewpoint. As conceived, it is composed of the planning, implementation, and analysis stages, with each stage converging on a series of generic concerns. The review process is illustrated with materials which can be used to assess the quality of an instructional package or module. And includes a set of “Directions for Reviewers,” a list of module assessment or development criteria, and an instrument entitled “External Module Review Form.”

This is an investigation of the effectiveness of viewing three types of visual presentations over different intervals of time. The treatment presentations were specifically designed to test the ability of viewers to recall cognitive information from a linear, two, and four image program. Evaluation of recall was measured by a multiple-choice test instrument administered immediately, twenty-four hours, and seven days after the treatment. Three 16mm motion picture presentations were made of forty still cartoons used for all treatment presentations. The findings of the investigation point the direction between the relationship of recall and retention in viewing multi-image programs when cue summation and redundancy are not considered.

The inclusion of communication skills in courses for the training of technical teachers. The problem of assessment and the limitations of traditional methods based on the essay. Consideration of the use of objective tests, and the introduction of a course journal as a feature in a British course for the training of technical teachers. The advantages of the course journal and its value as a communication exercise in training technical teachers, thereby encouraging constructive attitudes to communication at all levels in industry.

Because innovation without evaluation is often fruitless, the creator of a communication-oriented community college freshman English course converted a segment of this course into an individualized program and solicited detailed student appraisals. The sequence begins with dictionary study, reviews the principles of subordination, continues with studies in semantics and communication, and ends with practice in improving skills in writing letters and reports. The specific unit, converted into an individualized learning package, uses film and tape and enables the student to evaluate his own communication skills and teaches him how to write a concrete communication objective. Students' evaluations conclude the article and explicit student endorsements and criticisms are quoted.

His knowledge of rhetorical principles enables the English teacher to criticize the content as well as the form of a technical report because the report is a verbal model of an object, process, or product. This relationship between content and rhetoric means that the English teacher can base his evaluation of the written work of science and engineering students on these three axioms: Axiom I. Poor rhetoric signals poor technical knowledge. Axiom II. Poor rhetoric manifests unscientific thinking. Axiom III. Poor rhetoric demonstrates a lack of concern for engineering values.

Whether engineering students should be taught English and the communication skills in separate classes is a problem that has plagued teachers for many years. The author thinks that no distinction should be made between English for engineers and English for other students. The Kitzhaber Report is cited as an argument for anti-separatism and is set off against the views of the separatists. More specific statements are examined through the evaluation of a currently used anthology of technical and professional writing.