Lecture 1 Technical Writing PDF

Technical Writing Dr. Christina Gamal Lecture 1  Typical Engineer’s Day More than 50% devoted to communication 7:30 Arrive, read and respond to 3 intern...

Technical Writing Dr. Christina Gamal Lecture 1  Typical Engineer’s Day More than 50% devoted to communication 7:30 Arrive, read and respond to 3 internet messages 8:15 Meet with marketing on my ITU paper abstract to be given in Geneva 9:00 Meet with another engineer to write specifications for our new product 10:00 Open and respond to letters and faxes 10:30 Give presentation to management committee on NTT project status 11:00 Complete expense report on last trip 11:30 Lunch 12:00 Work on computer programming for PC interface project 2:00 Read and respond to 6 or 7 intra-company E-mails 2:30 Continue PC interface project 4:00 Prepare for hydrological Testing meeting 5:00 Leave for the day  Engineers and Writing Engineers write a lot Engineers write many kinds of documents Successful engineers require strong writing skills Engineers can learn to write well NO one Can be a good writer – only a good rewriter  WHAT IS TECHNICAL WRITING? Technical writing conveys specific information about a technical subject to a specific audience for a specific purpose. The words and graphics are meant to be practical that will help an audience understand a subject or carry out a task.  TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITINGS Major types of documents in technical writing can be grouped into four major categories: i. Reports and communications in day-to-day business ii. Technical papers, magazine articles, books, and theses for purposes of education, teaching, and the sharing of information and knowledge iii. Patents iv. Operational manuals, instructions, or procedures Spectrum of Technical Writing  Noise and communication process Channel Encoder (speech, Decoder Message Message (TX) writing, (RX) etc.) Noise Possibilities Anything that causes reader to hesitate ‫ يتردد‬due to uncertainty ‫عدم اليقين‬, confusion ‫ االرتباك‬or frustration ‫ االحباط‬is noise  Technical writing Process Planning Drafting Reviewing Purpose Mechanics Readers Grammar Research Style Initial Outline Draft Content  Technical Style Characteristics Objectivity ‫ – موضوعية‬neutrality ‫ حيادية‬, absence of bias ‫غياب‬ ‫االنحياز‬ Precision ‫ – دقة‬concrete language, exact dimensions and units, well-defined terms Clarity ‫ – وضوح‬word choice, completeness, correctness Economy ‫ – اقتصاد‬fewest words for the desired meaning Audience ‫ – الجمهور‬general, technicians, experts, executive, mixed  Objectivity: Denotative versus Connotative Positive Denotative Negative Connotative meaning Connotative (Neutral Term) Educator Teacher Pedant Executive Manager Boss Financier Investor Speculator Financial plan Budget Fiscal straitjacket Information Data processing Number crunching management Marketing Selling Peddling  Precision: Concrete versus Abstract  Accurate Information Errors make readers lose confidence Examples of errors - Incorrect reference, inaccurate directions, claims true under certain conditions Difference between fact and opinion  Orderly Material Chronological ‫مرتب زمنيا‬ - Progress of trip report From most to least important - no of points Order of familiarity or difficulty - Textbook From general to specific - memo  Clarity Examples … Misplaced modifiers ‫تعديالت في غير محلها‬ – Training sessions will be offered at several sites covering the operational characteristics of the equipment. (Distracting ‫) مشتت االنتباه‬ – Training sessions covering the operational characteristics of the equipment will be offered at several sites. (Clear)  Clarity Examples … Careless punctuation ‫اهمال عالمات الترقيم‬ – Several members were absent from the meeting fortunately, the key agenda items were rescheduled. ( Confusing) – Several members were absent from the meeting; fortunately, the key agenda items were rescheduled. (Clear)  Clear Expression Engineering is a precise discipline Sentence must convey a single meaning with no room for interpretation ‫ الترجمة‬or misunderstanding ‫سوء الفهم‬ Pitfalls ‫ المزالق‬to avoid – Ambiguity ‫التباس‬, vagueness ‫الغموض‬, incoherence ‫عدم الترابط‬, indirectness ‫غير مباشر‬  Clear Expression Ambiguity ‫التباس‬ – Point to more than one referent in a sentence Vagueness ‫الغموض‬ – words causing no useful meaning to reader Coherence ‫الترابط‬ – Paragraphs and documents should stick together and be focused on subject Directness ‫الصراحة‬ – Access to information should be quick and easy  Example of Ambiguity Before accepting material from the new contractors, we should make sure they meet our requirements. (False) We should make sure the materials from the new contractors meet our requirements before accepting them. (True)  Example of Vagueness The Robotics group is several weeks behind schedule. (False) The Robotics group is six weeks behind schedule. (True)  Example of Incoherence A significant advantage of the 125-H CRT is its high power consumption. The tube requires substantial power to produce the high voltages and currents that are necessary to drive and deflect the electron beam. The 125-H is inefficient – only about 10% to 20% of the power used by the tube is converted into visible light at the surface of the screen. The 125-H is poorly suited for portable display devices that run on batteries, where lower consumption is necessary. We should consider other options before committing to purchase the 125-H. (False)  Example of Coherence A significant advantage of the 125-H CRT is its high power consumption. This tube requires substantial power to produce the high voltages and currents that are necessary to drive and deflect the electron beam. In addition, the 125-H is inefficient – only about 10% to 20% of the power used by the tube is converted into visible light at the surface of the screen. Thus, the 125-H is poorly suited for portable display devices that run on batteries, where lower consumption is necessary. Because of this drawback, we should consider other options before committing to purchase the 125-H. (True)  Example of Directness After the long and difficult development cycle due to factory renovation, the infrared controller will be ready for production in the near future. (False) The infrared controller will be ready for production March 4. Its development cycle was slowed down by the factory renovation. (True)  Economy Hints to be concise ‫مختصر‬: - Substitute single words for phrases - Delete unneeded words or phrases - Avoid ‘there is’, ‘it is’ constructions - Limit use of passive voice - Revise indirect sentences into direct forms  Verbs for phrases Phrases Verbs Come into contact with ‫تواصل مع‬ Meet/touch Give consideration to ‫أعطى اعتبار ل‬ consider Has the ability to ‫لديه القدرة على‬ can Has a need for ‫لدية الحاجة الى‬ needs Made a decision ‫لقد اتخذ قرارا‬ decided Produced an improvement ‫أحدث تحسنا‬ improved Reached the conclusion ‫توصل إلى النتيجة‬ concluded Bring about ‫جلب‬ cause Are of the opinion that ‫من الرأي أن‬ Think/believe Make application to ‫تقدم طلب الى‬ apply Held a meeting ‫عقد اجتماعا‬ met Inquired as to ‫استفسر عن‬ asked Takes exception to ‫يأخذ استثناء ل‬ disagrees Bear in mind ‫ضع في اعتبارك‬ remember  Economy Examples … Avoid ‘it is’, ‘there is’ constructions - Pour concrete when it is 40℉. - pour concrete at 40℉. limit use of passive voice - Many of these tasks are now performed by office computers. - Office computers now perform many of these tasks.  Economy Examples … wordiness ‫ إطالة الكالم‬/‫االسهاب‬ - There are three assumptions on which this proposal is based. - This proposal is based on three assumptions. Indirectness ‫غير مباشر‬ - In an article that was published in computer world, there is an explanation of this phenomenon that has been so puzzling to so many. - A computer world article explains this puzzling phenomenon.  Efficient wording Cost to produce one written page (15-20$) Avoid wordiness - Simplest and plainest word ‫ابسط وأوضح كلمة‬ ‘Never utilize utilize when you can use use’ - let your writing ‘cool off’ for a while, then come back to edit later.  Example of wordiness You may often find that there are a number of words contained in your writing that can be safely eliminated without any kind of danger to your meaning whatsoever can you fix it?  Example of wordiness You may often find that there are a number of words contained in your writing that can be safely eliminated without any kind of danger to your meaning whatsoever You may find words that can be eliminated without danger to your meaning  Example of wordiness I regret to say that this point in time I basically do not have access to that specific information. - I do not know. It is our considered recommendation that a new computer should be purchased. - We recommended buying a new computer.  Wordiness Table (Words) Commence ‫يبدا‬ Start Compel ‫يدفع بقوة‬ Force Comprises ‫يكون‬ Is Employ ‫يستخدم‬ Use Endeavor ‫سعى‬ Try Fabricate ‫يصنع‬ Make Finalize ‫االنتهاء‬ End Initiate ‫يبدا‬ Begin Optimal ‫افضل‬ Best Prioritize ‫اعطاء األولوية‬ rank  Wordiness Table (Phrases) a large number of ‫عدد كبير من‬ many at this point in time ‫في هذه المرحلة من الزمن‬ now come in contact with ‫تواصل مع‬ contact exhibits the ability to ‫لديه القدرة على‬ can in the event of ‫في حالة حدوث‬ if in some cases ‫في بعض الحاالت‬ sometimes in view of the fact that ‫في ضوء حقيقة أن‬ because in the neighborhood of ‫بشأن‬ about  Efficient wording Redundancy - Using words that say the same thing (e.g. basic fundamentals, connected together) Turning verbs into nouns - Wanting to write in the passive rather than the active voice (e.g. made a selection – selected, investigation was undertaken - investigated)  Table of Redundancy very best ‫افضل جدا‬ best alternative choices ‫اختيارات بديلة‬ alternatives actual experience ‫تجربة فعلية‬ experience completely eliminate ‫القضاء تماما‬ eliminate just exactly ‫بالضبط تماما‬ exactly exactly identical ‫متطابقة تماما‬ identical prove conclusively ‫اثبت بشكل قاطع‬ prove rectangular in shape ‫مستطيل الشكل‬ rectangular 12 noon ‫ ظهرا‬12 noon  General ‫عام‬ Audience - Define technical terms, use graphics, focus on how to use Technicians ‫فنيين‬/‫تقنين‬ - Focus on construction, installation and servicing, use graphics Experts ‫خبراء‬ - Design or evaluation of technology Executives ‫المديرين التنفيذيين‬ - Cost, personnel, company politics, summary and conclusions Mixed ‫مختلطين‬ - Clear summary, non-technical language, details in appendix  Your Readers Consider their They can be your Needs ‫احتياجات‬ Peers ‫اقران‬ Interests ‫االهتمامات‬ Supervisors ‫مشرفين‬ Level of expertise ‫مستوى الخبرة‬ Subordinates ‫مرؤوسين‬ Possible reaction ‫رد فعل محتمل‬