Diagnostic memos written by students in a general technical writing class reveal that students need (1) to know that strong communication skills are desirable beyond immediate job prospects, (2) information about and practice in team-writing tasks, and (3) to understand that graphics are an integral part of the technical communication process.…

Describes a number system of commenting on technical writing assignments, where students must look up the comment number on a photocopied key. Provides a sample of the comment numbers and their translations, which cover both general grammatical errors and specific style, information content, and specific assignment difficulties. (SKC)