…..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