…..TECHNICAL SCIENTIFIC….. …..…………WRITING………….…
PLANNING AND PRODUCING DOCUMENTS
CREDITS This presentation is a summary of
Chapter 1 of the Mayfield Handbook of Technical Scientific Writing.
Leslie C. Perelman, James Paradis and Edward Barrett
Mayfield Publishing Company
GENERAL PROCEDURES
Deliberate Comprehensive Design and Production process.
Characteristics … Accuracy, Clarity, Conciseness, Coherence, Appropriateness.
Purpose of document? Reasons for creation and specific objectives.
Process of Creation
Often written to: Answer a problem Purpose gives document’s general
type Define Audience and level Assess attitude of audience toward
you and subject matter. Now obtain collect, create and
assemble information. Preliminary outline to organize it.
Process of Creation
Sketch graphics and tables Write – first draft -- put down ideas Put first draft away for a few days Revise is stages: organization,
content (accuracy and appropriateness), then stylistic changes – (edit paragraphs and sentences for clarity, conciseness, and coherence.)
Process of Creation
Last -- fix grammar, spelling, punctuation and mechanics and usage,
Process of Review Last major step -- have others review
it. peers, technical expert, technical
editor, supervisor.
A Good Technical Document
The flow of electrical current can induce the migration of impurities or other defects through the bulk of the solid. This process is called electromigration. In simple electromigration, the force on the defect is thought to have two components. The first component is the force created by direct interaction
A Good Technical Document
between the effective charge of the defect and the electric field that drives the current. The second component, called the “wind force,” is the force caused by the scattering of electrons at the defect.
-- J.A. Stroscio and D. M. Eigler “Atomic and Molecular Manipulation with
the Scanning Tunneling Microscope,” -- Science
ACCURACY
Document Accuracy – proper coverage of topics in appropriate detail.
Stylistic Accuracy -- careful use of language to express meaning precisely.
Technical Accuracy -- writers conceptually mastery of the subject and vocabulary.
CLARITY
Ease of understanding in your writing. Structural clarity – the big picture. Use abstracts or other forecast
strategies that introduce purpose and scope of the document.
Use graphs and tables Simple sentences and simple words to counteract highly specialized terms.
CONCISENESS
Don’t include everything about the subject only the relevant information.
Focus the document on a manageable problem and response.
Use graphs to be precise, rather then prose for description.
Revise – cutting out useless words, sentences and sections.
COHERENCE
Make the document hang together by providing paths. Make efforts to emphasize
relationships among elements. Use paragraphs, organize topics,
titles, transitional sentences, etc.
APPROPRIATENESS
A mathematical equation may not be effective in a report for a managerial audience.
Conforms to the goals of the institution
maybe in the style and form of that company.
DOCUMENT PURPOSE
Provide Information Give Instruction Persuade the Reader Enact (or prohibit) something Implicit purposes – Establish a
relationship, Create trust or credibility, Document Actions.
OBJECTIVE AND PROBLEM STATEMENTS STATE objectives at the beginning. PROBLEMS use a title focusing on topic. Elements: 1. state problem – why it is important 2. state method of solving the problem 3. state purpose and scope of
document.
AUDIENCE Experts -- general expert Technicians – specific expert Managers -- brief and to the point
assess current situations, aid in making decisions, general knowledge, evaluate projects.
Laypersons – assume no familiarity with the topic, use analogies general ideas
AUDIENCE
How does audience view you? If expert, less explanation of
conclusions and recommendations.
Audience interest of subject? Less introduction of the material,
can get into the topic sooner.
ORGANIZATION - Outline
Partition Material Develop a Point of View Establish the scope (of document) Sequence your topics Develop a writing strategy
Outline Types
General Plan Informal plan (Scratch outline) Formal Plan (Numbering System) Formal outline can be sent to the
reviewer to help understand goals.
FORECASTING
State the general view before going into the details.
The forecasting can be done for the entire document and at the beginning of each section.
Drafting a Technical Document
Writing can generate new ideas –if new ideas are generated, don’t stick with the outline, later revise the outline.
Sketch ideas – only mark problems address them when editing grammar.
Make notes to add items like data, graphs … keep on writing.
Many write the body first and the introduction and conclusion last.
Revision
Revise organization Revise content Edit grammar and style Peer review Technical review Editorial review Managerial review
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