11/16/2009

Academic Writing for Military Personnel

Do you know what the military really does? Of course, there are a lot of action movies that have told you a thing or two, but if you think military communication is limited to fighting and shooting, maybe you should reconsider this question.

The military is not just about physical work. When we think of new recruits in boot camp, this can be hard to believe. But when we stop and consider the job of an officer, the intellectual side of the military personnel becomes easier to notice, especially since they need to elaborate strategic plans and communicate orders to subordinates. Everybody has experienced a situation where the task at hand has not been clear. Imagine if this situation occurred while planning a military campaign or while advising federal defense policy…



With this in mind, Adam Chapnick, a civilian academic who has written several books, and many journal and newspaper articles, and Craig Stone, a former artillery officer with 29 years of military service, have co-authored a book dedicated to written communication in the military. The book is titled Academic Writing for Military Personnel and it outlines “a rigorous process of research and writing. It challenges practitioners to question unfounded assumptions, to differentiate between evidence and assertions, and to argue comprehensively and logically.” In other words, it aims to improve the decisions made by military personnel by changing the way they think about communication, and consequently, the way they write.

For further information on Academic Writing for Military Personnel check out the UOP’s website.

11/03/2009

E-Book Fans Keep Format in Spotlight

In this article from The New York Times, journalist Brad Stone underlines that it has been a difficult year for publishers. Among other things, Stone highlights the raising popularity of ebooks. At the University of Ottawa Press, we are looking forward to embracing this opportunity. Keep your eyes pealed in the coming months for ebook news from the UOP.



For further information and some statistics that explain the popularity of ebooks, read this interesting article E-Book Fans Keep Format in Spotlight.