Review: Medical Writing in Drug Development: A Practical Guide for Pharmaceutical Research

When I first saw this book, I was surprised that it was so slim. When you think of medical texts, you immediately imagine a volume of 600 pages or more. But Robert Bonk has been able to distill his information into a readable volume. All of the information is right there, easy to access, with no jargon cluttering the way.

Bonk, Robert J. MetroVoice (2003). Resources>Reviews>Scientific Communication>Biomedical

Visually Teaching Technical Communication—Despite Technology  

Enticed by sophisticated software, students of technical communication often lose perspective of visual effect. Inclusion of design principles into syllabi for technicalcommunication courses can conflict with those elements, such as substance content and audience analysis, that already occupy primary emphases. Principles of visual design can, however, be taught within group projects on professional presentations or similar topics. Cognitive dissonance introduced through rudimentary techniques of not computerized—but manual—design shifts student focus from keyboard and mouse to visual coherence of the final product. This simple technique offers benefits to students and researchers of technical communication.

Bonk, Robert J. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Education>Visual Rhetoric

Writing Technical Documents for the Global Pharmaceutical Industry      

Technical writers in the global pharmaceutical industry write for two major audiences: regulatory agencies and healthcare practitioners. These audiences differ in their information needs and expectations. Therefore, information products that address these audiences must balance the competing forces of business interests, market penetration, and the cultural variables of products so tied to people's beliefs. Pharmaceutical writers may carry an extra burden because the topics of their documents have such a potential for social benefit or serious harm. Electronic technology can greatly enhancing writers' abilities to meet these document needs, but system incompatibilities must first be overcome. Audience analysis still remains the key to crafting effective pharmaceutical documents.

Bonk, Robert J. Technical Communication Quarterly (1998). Articles>Scientific Communication>Biomedical