TechWriting Guidelines

7/29/2019 TechWriting Guidelines

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M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced StudiesVKBMDD 1

Guidelines

forTechnical Writing

Vinod K. Banthia

M .D.Deshpande


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General Issues

Why a lecture about writing?Surely, any literate can write. Why talk about Writing?

Any body can sing. But, can we get an audience?

Writing is for communication? Can we get readers?

Writing is a SKILL .

Good writing is an ART. More so Technical Writing.

There may be those who are born or gifted writers.

Others have to LEARNand PRACTICE.


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Contents

Introduction

General Issues

Basic Requirements

Elements of Technical Writing

Writing a Project Report

Selecting a ProjectComposing the Title - Writing the IntroductionBody of

the ReportProblemMethodology and ToolsCollecting the Results

Presentation of the ResultsConclusions and RecommendationsAbstract

Appendix

Where is the Innovation?

General Hints on How to Study.

Ver. 2.0. 14th Apr 2005.


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Introduction

Scope: Presentation ofbroad guidelines on writing a project report.

Purpose: Help thestudents who have to do lot of technical writing.Assignment Reports

Examinations

Project Reports

This talkattempts to help the students in good technical writing ,

specifically relating to Writing a Project Report.

Plan: General IssuesElements of Technical WritingTechnical

Report Writing.


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"Practice is the best of all instructors.

--Publilius Syrus,Syrian-born Roman author, c. 100 BC


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Purpose:

Provide an opportunity to develop the writing skills.

Assignment Convey the ability to analyze a problem.

Exam Ready to use knowledge plus ability to be precise

Project Report Physics of the problem and its application

Critical view - design/analysis process

Resultsconclusions

Oral and Written presentation.


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Why Technical Writing?

Build on existing knowledge

Propagate the knowledge

Co-workers/Team members Sales/Marketing personnel

Customers

Technical Work is NOT Technical Writing

Commitment & Details


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MDD 8

Good Vs Bad writing: This is subjective.No one is perfect.

Technical writing is a specialized field that requires

Basic Requirements

PersonalDiscipline

Skill in Writing Clearly and Concisely

Understanding of Technical Products and Processes

Organization Skill

Knowledge of numerous software tools


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MDD 9

Organisation

What are you writing about?

What do you plan to achieve in what you are writing?

I II

IIIIV

Ideas

Flow

Hierarchy

Refinement



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MDD 10

Audience

Who is going to read the report?

What is the level of their current knowledge?

What background information to include?

Why is the reader reading the report?

Is the document supposed to inform or convince?

How much information is needed?

How much time does the reader have to read it?



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MDD 11

Example of an old Technical PaperFrom: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 41, 162-66 (1739)

AnExperiment to prove, that Water, when agitated byFire, is inf ini tely

more elastic thanAir

in the same circumstances;by the late RevdJohnClayton, Dean ofKildare inIreland

SirThomas Proby having heard of a new Digester, which I contrived, had a Desire to

see it, and some experiments made therein. I had a small one which I designed

only for an inward Cylinder; this I could easily put in my Pocket: Wherefore ,

going to pay him a Visit at , but that the Vessel was very weak, and Ifeared would not endure the Pressure of so violent a Heat; yet something

desirous to have the Experiment tried; I said I was ready to venture my Vessel:

. into the Fire about half way; and in about three Minutes time I found it

raised to a great Heat; .. . Scare had I done speaking, and SirThomas

thereupon moved his Chair to avoid Danger; .. , it burst as a Musquet had

gone off. A Maid that was gone a milking, heard it considerable Distance; the

Servants said it shook the House. The Bottom .

(This old style of writing was uninhibited, personal and relaxed.)



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MDD 12

Example of a modern Technical Paper

From: Proceedings of the Royal Society 457, 1533-1554 (2001)

Decay of a three-dimensional vortex in an enclosure

By Name of the Author(s), Institution, Address, e-mailReceived 7 January 2000; revised 17 October 2000; accepted 6 December 2000

Abstract:..Keywords: vortex motion; viscous decay; closed streamlines; cavity; toroidal surface

___________________________________________________________________________________________

1.IntroductionAlthough many studies exist of both inviscid and viscous free vortices, not many exist

of confined three-dimensional vortex motions, despite these being of fundamental and

practical interest. Confined flows, of course, have special complications brought about

by, for instance, the presence of corner or secondary vortices and separation and

reattachment points; moreover if the initial state is turbulent, transition to the laminarstate will occur with the decay of the vortex motion. It is clear that with all these

complexity one will

(The modern style is more compact, terse, to the point and less personal.)



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Brevity is the soul of wit.

This report, by its very length, defends

itself against the risk of being read

Winston Churchill

WilliamShakespeare

"I'm sorry this letter is so long. I didn't havetime to write a shorter one."

Pascal


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M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced StudiesVKB

MDD 14

Conciseness

Fiction Technical

Information

Emotion

Mood

Image

Word Play

Information

In the interests of clarity, it seemed

necessary to constantly remind myself to

pay not the slightest attention to the

elegance of the presentation; I adhered

conscientiously to the rule of the brilliant

theoretician, Ludwig Boltzmann, to leave

elegance to tailors and shoemakers.

--Albert Einstein

Be Concise Be CompleteBUT


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MDD 15

Basic Requirements

Good Vs Bad writing: This is subjective.No one is perfect.

writing should meet minimum acceptable standard.

Avoid spelling errors (like bad notes in music)

Use built-in Dictionary but dont rely wholly on it.

Following procedure followed for performing model analysis

There are too birds on the tree

Select appropriate version of English for spell checking

Load and boundary conditions applied on the model is shown in

the figure bellow

The following steps are used in preparing FE model for thermalanalysisodal analysis

Patiently search. Proof Read.


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MDD 16

Some Guidelines regarding Flow: Use appropriate words. Avoid

verbose and bombastic language. Each sentence must have a main

verb (action). Usesimple declarative sentences. Let the sentences be

inter-connected. Each paragraph contains one main idea. Paragraphs

must be inter-connected. (Explain with 1,2,3 above as an example.)

Avoidgrammaticalerrors (like a bad tune)Study and practise.

Maintain a good flow of language. (like a good song)This comes

by practice. Write and re-write. Change the sequence of sentences.Write in several ways.Read loudly. Select what you feel as the best.

The operating speed of the impeller is 24000 rpm (revolutions per

minute) that is the exiting frequency of the impeller system is the

operating speed in per second. Hence the exciting frequency in

revolution per second is 4500 rps (Hz).


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MDD 17

Use Simple declarative sentences.Note the irony:

He should be especially careful to shun the long, meandering sentence that is

crammed with obscurely related phrases and clauses, in which the subject and

predicate seem hopelessly to be searching for each other and the verb has a kind offloating object.

- from Dwight E Gray, So you have to write a technical report, ARP,

Washington, 1970. Ch.1, p.3.

Avoid phrases like:Coming to the point

It is important to note

All in all

To reiterate

It cant be overemphasized that We have to note especially that

Can I ask you a question?This itself is a question.


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MDD 18

Some examples of bad usage:

Ex. 1: The number of tasks are (noun in singular, verb in plural)

Data: is it singular or plural?

Ex. 2: although the pressure was very high, it iswithin acceptable limits; (tensemismatch)

Ex. 3.I t was aim to studythe characteristics of the comparator responseThe aim was to study

Ex.4. It was also verified forits various building blocks were studied for their

designed values, which wassatisfactory for the output response. Too many verbs in a

single sentence. (sentence too long, too-many verbs with mixed number)

It was verified if

( a ) the building blocks meet the design specifications and

(b ) the output gives a satisfactory response.


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MDD 19

If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is

meant. If what is said is not what is meant, then what

ought to be done remains undone.

--Kong Fu Zi/Confucius


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MDD 20


Purpose: Convey Information in clear, precise, un-ambiguous, and

technically sound language. Technical writing consists of technical terms.

Vocabulary of technical terms. A student of distinction scores becausehe/she uses technical terms precisely. Technical terms in Cricket:

Lindwall is having a fast run-up for his bowling.

He has one long-leg, one short-leg, one square-leg.

Maintain a Handbook for Glossary of Technical Terms. Whenever you

come across a new technical term, enter it with definition, example of

usage with Figure, symbol, unit, cross reference to related words.

Examples: Understand the subtle difference between similar technical terms.

sound, acoustic, vibration; ultra-sound, super-sonic.

Is this a valid question: What is the velocity of sound waves?time, duration, interval, delay;

Force, pressure, stress,

Strain, elongation, displacement, deformation, amplitude


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MDD 21


Vocabulary of technical terms (cont.)

Multi-dimensional Vs multi-channel

Factorization Vs Decomposition; The factors are Vs The components areAnalog Vs Continuous; Analog Vs Analogue; Discrete Vs Digital;

Convolution Vs Correlation

waveform of an amplifier is;

motor is reversed;

logarithmic bandwidth is this a valid technical term?

which keeps the residual echo minimum; - is this correct?

with certain assumptions on certain circumstances and constraints; (too vague)

Use the appropriate word based on the context.

50% of the learning/teaching effort goes towards building the technical vocabulary.

Knowledge of the technical terms must be available at finger tips. A students level of

confidence depends on this knowledge.

El t f T h i l W iti


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MDD 22


Use of Unit. What is the time? six twenty. 620. It makes sense.

what is the speed? 600. 600 what? 600 mph or 600 kmph or 600 rpm?

Always specify the Unit along with the number. Use appropriate unit based on thecontext. In place of 0.003 meter, use 3 mm for easy readability. But while solving

problems use appropriate unit. While entering data as input into a program, use the

appropriate unit. Units are always in singular (exception feet?). In case of Units

having proper names the first letter is capitalized (convention varies). Ex: Hz, dB.

Abbreviations for milli, kilo etc are always in lower case. Ex: kHz, 3 mm.

Sometimes a subtle distinction is made between meter-squared Vs sq-meter (area).

When a sequence of numbers is given, specify unit only ones: 100, 1000 and 4000 Hz

not 100 Hz, 1000 Hz and 4000 Hz. ( is the previous sentence correct?)

Dimension: Dimension of speed is the same (L/T) irrespective of the Unit. A

knowledge of Dimension helps in verifying the correctness of a formula.Which formula is correct: f=cl (?) or c = fl (?). f: frequency = 1/T. c = L/T. l = L.



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MDD 23


Symbols and Mathematical Formulae:

Mathematics is the queen of science. It is a short hand notation.

Physical situation > Mathematical model > Solution > Interpretation in physical terms.(Give example here: Grand fathers age is the square of grand-sons age; 2*GF+GS=78.)

Define the symbol the very first time it is used. Use symbols consistently through out

the presentation. Ex: frequency is represented by the symbol f ( orn). Note the

difference between the angular frequency w (radians per sec) and the linear frequency

f (Hz).

Use appropriate symbols for Scalars, Vectors, Matrices. Define the convention.

Transforms are generally shown in Upper case. F(w), T(s), H(z).

Take care of sub-scripts and super-scripts. Use parenthesis to properly group theterms. Numerator and denominator are to be properly separated.



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MDD 24


Tables: are used to show experimental data where ( a ) one or more of the variables is

non-mathematical or ( b ) there are too many variables or ( c ) the dependence

amongst the various variables is not obvious (no underlying theory)or ( d ) the data is too sparse.

Ex: Frequency of occurrence of different letters; Confusion matrices in listening tests;

Velocity of acoustic waves in different media.

Generalization cant be drawn from the results presented in a Table. Sometimes Bar

graphs, pie-charts are used to visualize data in a Table.Alphabet Frequency

e 20%

t 18%

s 12%

r 6%

Medium Velocity

air

clear-water

Sea-water

oil



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MDD 25


Graphs: are used where the variables (a) take on numerical values and (b) are

grouped as dependent and independent. Example: Filter response. Independent

variable, frequency, is shown on x-axis. Dependent variable, gain, is shown on the y-

axis. Proper units and range must be chosen to illustrate the functionality. Use logscale when the range is very large. Ex: Frequency range over 10 to 100,000 Hz.

Sometimes a family of curves is shown. Filter response also depends on the order of

the filter. This is shown as a parameter. Throughout the experiment the value of the

parameter remains the same. Experimentally measured data are to be shown as

discrete points along with the fitted curve. The following graphs represent filterresponses of first order LPF and 2nd order HPF. What is wrong?


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MDD 26

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

4 7 5 12 3 7 4 2 15 6 4 8 3 2 0 5 0

3 2 2 5 4 2 3 6 2 7 4 8 5 9 4 2 0

4 11 16 28 31 38 42 44 59 65 69 77 80 82 82 87 87

3 5 7 12 16 18 21 27 29 36 40 48 53 62 66 68 68

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

4 4 4 5 7 2 0 3 2 4 6 3 8 6 2 15 6

1 2 2 3 7 6 6 6 4 2 8 6 4 11 9 4 3

91 95 99 104 111 113 113 116 118 122 128 131 139 145 147 162 168

69 71 73 76 83 89 95 101 105 107 115 121 125 136 145 149 152

35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

3 0 9 12 3 3 5 6 8 6 9 10 6 8 11 7

5 3 7 4 8 0 2 7 12 15 5 9 7 12 15 15

171 171 180 192 195 198 203 209 217 223 232 242 248 256 267 274

157 160 167 171 179 179 181 188 200 215 220 229 236 248 263 278



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MDD 27

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 1 3 14 15 1 6 17 1 8 19 20 2 1 22 2 3 24 25 2 6 27 2 8 29 30 3 1 32 3 3 34 35 3 6 37 3 8 39 40 4 1 42 4 3 44 45 4 6 47 4 8 49 50



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MDD 28

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0 10 20 30 40 50 60




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MDD 29


Chapters

Sections

Sub-Sections:

When the size of the document is long it is usually divided into Chapters, Sections and

sub-sections. There are standard ways for identifying these. Ch. I, II, or Ch. 1, Ch.2

; Sec. 1.1; Sub-Section: 1.1a, 1.1b etc or 1.1.1, 1.1.2 etc.

References:are the sources of information that were actually referred during the

preparation of the work. See Staff-Student Handbook for details.

Abstract:will be discussed later.

Title:will be discussed later.



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MDD 30


Order of items as it appears / Size Order of items as it is written /Effort

Title & Title Page Introduction 30%

Table of Contents Body of the Report 30%List of Tables, Figures, Symbols Conclusions and Recommendations 10%

Abstract one page Appendixes, References 10%

Introduction 15% Table of Contents

Body of the Report 60% Abstract & Title 10%

Conclusions 10% Acknowledgement

Recommendations

Appendixes

References

IMRAD+C: Introduction - Materials and Methods (or Experimental details) -

Results and Discussion (Analysis in some journals) - Conclusions

(Conclusions and Recommendations)

Selecting a Project


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MDD 31

Selecting a Project

Dont be too ambitious - selecting a big project that cant be handled within the

available time reflects badly(give examples) - Dont select a trivial project either

Discuss with various persons

What Employers look for in a project? Important Points to remember:

DEPTHQUALITYCOMPLETENESSKNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED

SKILLS ACQUIREDPRESENTATION SKILLS (Oral and Written)

Depth: Thoroughly familiar with all the terms / concepts /formulae used.

Quality: Work must show the ability to solve a problemknow the difference

between reality and model: Resistor Vs Resistance? (More about it later).

Completeness: Making a big claim in the Title of the project, but within the report

stating that due to lack of time only a part could be done - not a good practice.

Knowledge/Skills Acquired: Employers are going to test the knowledge relating to theproblem areaYou must become an expert in the chosen problem area (sub-area)

be able to teach /guide / lecture -

Composing the Title


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MDD 32

Composing the Title

Wrong Titles for a Project:

Data Acquisition System, Image Processing, Digital Communication System, Network

Control System, Analysis of an IC Engine

More appropriate Title:

A high speed analog-to-digital converter based on

Human Face Verification for Security Clearance based on

An adaptive delta modulation system for speech

Software for delay reduction in Network traffic

Calculation of Stress induced in the casing of a four stroke engine based on simulation

studies


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MDD 33

Abstract


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MDD 34

Having an intellectual and affective artistic content

that depends solely on intrinsic form rather than onnarrative content or pictorial representation

A written summary of the key points especially of a scientific paper

Mini Version of the paper

Summary of a body of information in a paragraph

Condensed version of a longer piece of writing

that highlights the major points covered

ABSTRACT


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MDD 35

ABSTRACT

Quickly and accurately identify basic contents of the paper

Check if the related research is of interest

Quickly acquaint the reader of current research

Generate interest and curiosity of the non-specialist reader

Entice potential readers into obtaining a copy of the full paper

To be remembered long after the paper has been read

Concise

Complete

To attract the interest and curiosity of the non-specialist reader

Because on-line search databases typically contain only abstracts


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MDD 36

ABSTRACTDescriptive Informative

What Information is contained.

Purpose (Why?), Method (How?) and

scope (What?) of the

report/article/paper

Short, usually under 100 words.

Without results, conclusions, or

recommendations.

Organization not contents

Generates interest in the reader to go

and look up the results, conclusions

and recommendations in the paper

Communicate specific information

from the report, article, or paper

Include the purpose, methods, and

scope of the report, article, or paper

Provide the report, article, or

paper's results, conclusions, and

recommendations

Are short -- from a paragraph to a

page or two, depending upon the

length of the original work being

abstracted. Usually informative

abstracts are 10% or less of the

length of the original piece

Allow readers to decide whether

they want to read the report, article,

or paper.


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MDD 37

Info rmative Abstract:

Cold weather tests were made to determine the effect of cold starting of the quantity of

fuel injected at cranking speed for two types of injection pump. The diesel engine of

the energy cell-Lanova type that was used had 3.75bore, 5 stroke and 331 cubic inchdisplacement. The cold room was maintained at -100 F ; engine, batteries, fuel and

lubricating oils, and all equipment were chilled to -100 F for at least 8 hours before the

engine was started. .

The Effect of Injection Pumps on Cold Starting of Diesel Engines.

Descr ipt ive Abstract:

Results are presented of a series of cold-room tests on a diesel engine to determine the

effect on starting time of (1) fuel quantity delivered at cranking speed, and (2) type of

fuel injection pump used. The tests were made at a temperature of -100 Fahrenheit;

engine and accessories were chilled to -100 F at least 8 hrs before the experiment

began.

ABSTRACT


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MDD 38

ABSTRACT

Contents:

Problem Statement

Methodology

Results

Conclusions

What has been done?

How was it done?

What was found?

What do the findings mean?

What are the advantages?

How well it works?

Complete Covers the major parts of the project.

Concise Contains no excess wordiness or unnecessary information.

Clear Readable, well organized, and not too jargon-laden.

Cohesive Flows smoothly between the parts.


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MDD 39

ABSTRACT

Structure:

Purpose of the study/paper: Primary objectives and scope of the studyReasons why the document was written

Rationale for your research.

Techniques/Approaches used: Experimental

Analysis

Sources.

Results/Collected Data/Observations:Experimental

Theoretical

New Findings/Contradictions

Accuracy/Reliability

Conclusions: Why are the results of this study important

How do they relate to the purpose?

Suggestions/Recommendations


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MDD 40

ABSTRACT

Hints:

Reread the article, paper, or report with the goal of abstracting in mind

Write first draft (No Cheating)

Don't merely copy key sentences

Summarize information in a new way

Look at main parts of each section of the paper

Revise the rough draft

Improve Organization

Use the headings, outline heads, and table of contents as a guide

Improve Transitions

Drop Unnecessary Information Add Important Information

Eliminate wordiness

Check spelling, grammar and punctuation


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MDD 41

ABSTRACT

Hints:

Clear and concise results/conclusions but adequate description of project

Assume good Technical vocabulary -- Avoid highly specialized words/abbs. Past tense to describe the work already done, Present tense for existing facts

Use primarily active voice. Use passive voice if it reduces word count

Proper word choice for conciseness

Drop unnecessary informationthis paper will look at.... , This Paper, is described/reported

It is believed that.,

Be Specific (-10F versus very low temperature)

Use Key words

Do not repeat or rephrase the title

Do not refer to things not in the paper


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MDD 42

Introduction

Writing the Introduction


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MDD 43

g

Introduction has three principal parts

A Scope and subject matter

Amplification of the TitleWhat the report is all aboutLimits of coverage

B Purpose, Audience

amplification of the preface if there is one - Purpose of the report not the purpose

of the experimentIs it a users manual, is it a technical report; what background

is assumed on the part of the readerwhat are the limits of the study -

C Plan of the work

amplification of the Contents - an overview of the reporthow things are

organized and why so

Length of the Introduction: 10 to 15%.

DONT: Start with a long history, very general discussion about the subject matter.

DO: Let the reader to know the subject matter of the report immediately.



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MDD 44

g

Example 1: Hindi Movies

Scope / Subject: Narrow down: Critical review of Hindi Movies;Critical review of Love stories in Hindi Movies; Critical review of

tri angular lovestories in Hindi Movies

Purpose / Audience:Reading material during travel - Entertainment

Written for Students of Social Science

Plan: selection criteriacase by case presentation - factors considered

for analysisconclusions

---------------------------------------------

How to expand? from one page to one chapter or even several chaptersthe above topic. See Next Slide.


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MDD 45


Example 1: Hindi Movies: Critical review of triangular love stories

After the broad introductionTypes of Hindi MoviesStatistics

Types of love storiesLove marriage Vs arranged marriage

Influence of religion, financial status, age factorare the stories

realistic? Do they reflect social valuesSpecialty about triangular

love storiesStatisticsPopularity

Purpose: can range from entertainment to a PhD thesis in sociology



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MDD 46

g

Example 2: Cricket Match

Scope / Subject: Critical review of cricket match; Critical review ofclose-finish matches ( one ball , one run, one wicket) (one-day

match or test match)

Purpose / Audience:Reading material during travel - Entertainment- or

written for serious fans

Plan: selection criteriacase by case presentation - analysis

conclusions



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MDD 47


Wrong styles of Introduction

VLSI is an exciting and important area in electronics. Over the pastdecade it has emerged as

Security is a vital issue of national importance. Todays technology

has advanced

Instead, use direct approach:

This report presents in detail the VLSI design of a first order

Butterworth analog filter for audio applications.

A digital image processing algorithm is presented that verifies the

image of the human face recorded using a web camera againstimages stored in an existing database. The algorithm is based on

Body of the Report


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MDD 48

y p

Answer the following questions:

What did you do? The Problem (one or two chapters)

How did you do it? The Method and the Tools (2 or 3 chapters)

What did you find out? Results (one chapter)

(Dont include conclusions and recommendations in the Body of the

Report)

Problem


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MDD 49

Problem is broadly specified by the Programme Manager.

But narrow down the problem.

Ex: where do you live?In solar system, on earth, in India, in Karnataka,

Subject > Area > Topic > Problem (Area )> Your Problem (sub-area)

Electronics > Digital Signal Processing > Image Processing > Face Recognition

Face Recognition: Is it identification or Verification?

Technique: What Features are used? What is the Classification strategy?Situation: Input Image: Passport photographs, web camera, movie clippings etc.

Setting-up performance criteria is a part of the problem statementIs it to improve

the speed or accuracy?Is it hardware implementation or simulation study etc?

What is the size of database?

Relevance: Application.Why have you selected this problem? What are theengineering challenges that are addressed in the problem?

Literature Survey: How similar problems have been solved? Put your work in the

contemporary context.

Problem #2


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MDD 50

State the Problem (PHYSICS/REALITY). Start from the broad area and narrow down

to the specifics.

Engineering design is a trade-off between Performance and Cost.

What are the performance criteria? What are the goals? What are the costs involved?

NARROW DOWN.

State the various approaches available to solve the problem. Literature Survey.

Justify the particular approach you are going to use.

Give both the theoretical basis and the basis for selecting particular tools.

If you are good at coding (programming), nothing like writing your own code.

Methodology and Tools


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MDD 51

gy

Generally a software tool is available. Based on the problem proper software tool has

to be used. Proper input has to be specified. The tool also generates graphs.

What is the difference between a Technician and anEngineer?

A Technician knows how to use the tools. An Engineer can DESIGN a system. An

Engineer can solve a problem, meet the challenges of a new situation.

Master the tool, but know its pit falls

Some designs of automobiles, aircraft, computers have been withdrawn from themarket because of bad design. This situation arises due to improper use of tools.

Three examples of Pit Falls: a) The spectrum of a sine wave computed using the FFT

showed the spectrum of an exponentially damped resonance. b) Pole-zero

estimation was made while the input signal that was made-up of only poles.

c)Phase response showed a large range while theoretically it has to be within 2p.

WARNING: Understand clearly the Physics of the problem

and the limitations of the tool.

Collecting the Results


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MDD 52

Validate using simplified models. Solve it analytically. Estimate the expected results

and compare them with those generated by the tools. Then apply to a complex

situation. Replicate an earlier study.

How are you going to test the results?

Generate test cases like a test dose of an injection for possible allergic reaction.

Validate the resultsCross check the results to ascertain that the tools are being used

properly, check if appropriate inputs have been given - in millimeter or meter,

Temperature in Degree F or C, proper polarity ( + or -) etc.

Run the Experiment for Repeatability, Consistency. One Single Run is no experiment.

No conclusion can be drawn.

Collect the Results in a systematic manner. Some of the experiments may be time

consuming. Proper planning is required.

Presentation of Results


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MDD 53

How to present the results? Prepare a menu card. Serve item by item.

The presentation must cover the following:

1 Tools or equipments used. Model No., Version No. , Manufacturer or Developer.

Actual set-up. Additional details can be given in Appendix.

2 Testing of the tool on a smaller scale before the actual presentation of the results or

Calibration of the instruments used to make the measurements.3 Testing on data where results are predictable or replication - for validation.

4 Scope of the experiments regarding the range of the input parameters and what are

the output parameters that are being measured.

5 Present one experiment at a time with a clear objective for the experiment. Present

the results and discuss the main findings. Use Tables, Graphs etc for properillustration. Use proper scale and legend for the Graphs.

6 Show the link between one experiment and another. Present the results in a graded

manner.

Conclusions and Recommendations


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MDD 54

Conclusions are convictions based on (experimental) evidence.

Results are measurements. What you infer from the results are the conclusions.

Exmp: Data on Rain fall Vs month of the year.

Conclusion: Usually there is no rain fall in Bangalore during the month of March.

Recommendations: Suggested action. Dos and Donts.

Exmp: Conclusion: Delayed Submission of Assignment.

Recommendation: Deduction of marks.

List the Conclusions. For each item in the list provide the supporting evidence byreferring to the Figures or Tables in the main body of the report.

Problem Formulation: begins with reality or Physics of the process - Modeling

(theory).

Experiments are conducted using the model. Why? To deal with a wide range of input

parameters, situations etc. Working with real systems is time consuming,expensive.

Results are generated using simulation tools or experimental setups.

Conclusions take us back to the reality or physics of a process.

Appendix


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MDD 55

Explanatory material that would interfere with the logical continuity.

Avoids congestion of the report. Pertinent but too detailedto be seenlater if required

Not directly contributing to the reportnot that of the author -

Supporting material not critical and may be of interest only to a few

readers.-----------

Supplementary calculations; detailed derivations; charts, maps, graphs

as additional information; detailed experimental results; description

of equipment; description of software tool;-----------

Each item has to have an identifying tag and a title.

Where is the innovation?


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MDD 56

How can a student bring-in an innovation into his/her project work?

In the selection of the problem.

In the methodology used to solve the problem.

In the presentation of results and ability to draw interesting

conclusions.In visualizing new applications.

In the presentation of the report.

General Hints


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M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

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MDD 57

Whole to Part: Going from broad area or overview into details is a better

approach. Master Plan to fine details. (Four walls and a roof; later interiors)

Do the work in several rounds. First round: Assume that you are preparing one

page assignment to be submitted within one day. Propose a tentative title, write a

crude report. Second round add some more details etc.

Look for information sources. Prioritize: Text Books, Journals (review articles)and Web browsing. Write down the reference immediately. Be FOCUSSED while

browsing. Dont go too deep during the first round of reading. Dont try to

understand all aspects. Just establish links between the problem and the sources.

Several rounds of light reading is better than one round of deep reading.

Categorize the reading material: Definition, Concept, Illustration, Formula,

Details, Case Study etc. Xerox parts and build-up a crude report. Then write it in

your own words.

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Referencing

Harvard Reference

Oxford Reference

APA Reference

All statements, opinions, conclusions etc. taken from another

writers work should be cited, whether the work is directly quoted,

paraphrased or summarized.

A restatement of a

text or passage in

another form or

other words, often

to clarify meaning.

Presenting the

substance in a

condensed

form; concise

Harvard Reference


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Harvard Reference

There are indications that passive smoking is potentially threatening to

the health.......... ( Ln1 and Ln2, Yr; Ln, Yr)

In the book by Ln1 and Ln2 / Ln1 et al. (1995) .....

Ln1 and Ln2 (Yr) state that "networking is no longer solely

within the male domain . . ."(p.XX).

Ln1 and Ln2 (Yr) in discussing staff development state that:

"Development is infectious, and staff who previously have recoiled

from undertaking a degree or conversion course have been encouraged

by the success of others"(p.XX).

In the Harvard System cited publications are referred to in the text by

giving the authors surname and the year of publication and are listed

in a bibliography at the end of the text.

Harvard Reference


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MDD 60

Ln,Fn / Ln,Fn and Ln,Fn /Ln,Fn et al. (Yr) Title of the book, Edition,

Place of publication, Publisher.

Harvard Reference

Ln, Fn (Yr) Chapter Title.In: Fi. Ln et al. (eds) Title of the book.

Place of publication, Publisher. p. xx- yy.

Ln, Fi. (Yr) Article Title.Journal Title, V(N), XX-YY.

Ln,Fn / Ln,Fn and Ln,Fn /Ln,Fn et al. (eds) (Yr) Title of the book,Edition, Place of publication, Publisher.

Book

Edited Book

Chapter in a Book

Article in a journal

In the Harvard System, the references are listed in

alphabetical order of authors names.

Harvard Reference


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MDD 61

Harvard Reference

Ln1, Fi. et al(Yr)Article Title:Proceedings of the Conference held at

the Location. Place

Ln, Fn. (1998) Article Title. In: Ln, Fi. et al. Proceeding Title:Conference held at the Conference Location. Place. p.XX - YY.

Ln, Fn (1995)Dissertation title. Unpublished Degree dissertation,

University.

From published conference proceedings

From published conference proceedings

Dissertation

Harvard Reference


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MDD 62

Oxford System

Sequential:

In this system each citation is given a unique number in the order in

which it appears in the text, either in brackets or superscripted.

Harvard Reference

http://home.ched.coventry.ac.uk/caw/harvard/index.htm

*

Electronic References
http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/CAW%20Harvard%20Reference%20Style%20Resources.htmhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/CAW%20Harvard%20Reference%20Style%20Resources.htm


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MDD 63

Electronic References

Ln, Fi. Mi. (Pub. Date). Title. Site. URL (Date Accessed).

WWW

Ln, Fi. (Msg. date) subject Line Discussion or Newsgroup list. List

address (Date Accessed).

E-mail

Ln, Fi. Title. (1993). In Title of complete work.

Online resource. Path to the source (Date Accessed).

Online Reference Source

Ln, Fi. Title. (1993). Title of complete work Version No.

Name of the DB, Online resource. Access Info. (Date Accessed).

Electronic Publication/Database

Resources


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MDD 64

Oxford English Dictionary http://dictionary.oed.com/entrance.dtl

(for subscribers only)

Merriam Webster http://www.m-w.com/netdict.htm(Dictionary and Thesaurus)

Rogets (Dictionary/Thesaurus/language Ref./Other Language ..)

http://thesaurus.reference.com/

William Strunks Element of Style http://www.bartleby.com/141/

Writing Guidelines for Engineering and Science Students

http://writing.eng.vt.edu

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) Site Map

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/sitemap.html

Grammar Handbook

http://www.english.uiuc.edu/cws/wworkshop/grammar_handbook.htm


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MDD 65

Put it before them briefly so they will read it,clearly so they will appreciate it,

picturesquely so they will remember it, and

above all, accurately so they will be guided byits light.

-- Joseph Pulitzer

Philosophy


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MDD 66

Honesty is the best policy.

You cannot write a good report / paper unless you have something to say.

First decide what is that you want to say. Then say it boldly, clearlyand briefly.

Technical writing is a bor ingjob. Doing an experiment or computation or

observing the sky is more exciting. (They involve new tasks!) But technical

reporting is an equally important job. Hence it has to be done properly. It does

not necessarily mean we have to spend more time.

Philosophy

Poor technical writing makes one suspect about the care taken in your

technical work itself.

EXAMPLE for the TITLE


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MDD 67

Floods

Floods in the Kaveri Basin

Floods in the Kaveri Basin during the Years 19902005

A Detailed Fluid Mechanical Study of Floods in the Kaveri Basin

during the Years 1990 - 2005 and Suggestions for their control

A Fluid Mechanical Study of Floods in the Kaveri Basin during

the Years 1990 - 2005 and Suggestions for their control

A Study of Floods and their control in the Kaveri Basin during

the Years 19902005

A Study of Floods and their control in the Kaveri Basin

EXAMPLES


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MDD 68

From: The Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin (1859)

Page 352. Thus, on the theory of descent with modification, the

main facts with respect to the mutual affinities of the extinct forms

of life to each other and to living forms, are explained in a

satisfactory manner. And they are wholly inexplicable on any other

view.Notice the confident summary from a Master. Also notice the

word whollyin the last sentence: How precise and guarded he

is!

EXAMPLES


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MDD 69

EXAMPLES

From: The Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin (1859)

Page 477. Although I am fully convinced of the truth of the views

given in this volume . I by no means expect to convince

experienced naturalists whose minds are stocked with multiple of

facts all viewed, during a long course of years, from a point of viewdirectly opposite of mine. It is easy to hide our ignorance under such

expressions as the plan of creation unity of design, &c., and to

think that we give an explanation when we only re-state a fact.

Feel the pressure and pain under which he is writing. Also notice

how he has used the word stocked. (Is it complimentary?) Howclearly he points out the mistake of other naturalists.

EXAMPLES


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MDD 70

CURRENT SCIENCE Volume 88 10 April 2005

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dark energy: The cosmological challenge of the millennium

Authors:

Abstract: Recent cosmological observations suggest that nearly seventy per cent of

the energy density in the universe is unclustered and has negative pressure. Several

conceptual issues related to the modelling of this component (dark energy), which isdriving an accelerated expansion of the universe, are reviewed with special emphasis

on the cosmological constant as the possible choice for the dark energy.

EXAMPLES


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CURRENT SCIENCE Volume 88 10 May 2005

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monsoon predictionWhy yet another failure?Authors:

Abstract: The country experienced a deficit of 13% in the summer monsoon of

2004. As in 2002, this deficit was not predicted either by the operational empirical

models at India Meteorological Department (IMD) or by the dynamical models at

national and international centres. Our analysis of the predictions generated by theoperational models at IMD from 1932 onwards suggests that the forecast skill has

not improved over the seven decades despite continued changes in the operational

models. Clearly, new approaches need to be explored with empirical models. The

simulation of year-to-year variation of the monsoon is still a challenging problem

for models of the atmosphere as well as the coupled oceanatmosphere system. We

expect dynamical models to generate better prediction only after this problem issuccessfully addressed.

EXAMPLES


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MDD 72

CURRENT SCIENCE Volume 88 10 April 2005

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cratering and spall simulation of Pokhran-1 event with three-

dimensional transient finite element analysis

Abstract: Three-dimensional transient numerical simulation of coupled gas cavity and geological

medium problem resulting from underground nuclear explosion events is complex due to the gas

cavity growth, resulting into the large deformations and large strains of the geological medium and

shock-induced high strain-rate dependence of the response. However, it is important to establish

the effects of local inelastic and nonlinear behaviour due to crushing and cracking of the geological

medium, on the shock-waves near the source and the seismic signals beyond the elastic radius. This

study also helps simulate the shock-wave reflection effects from the free surface near the ground

zero, mound growth, spall near the free surface and the subsequent free fall of the mound due to

gravity effect resulting in crater formation. The impacting spalled rock layers give rise to

secondary seismic signals in addition to the primary signals that are observed in the near field

which in turn are known to influence the far-field seismic signals. The present article describes the

capabilities of a three-dimensional transient finite element code, SHOCK-3D, for the shorttimecavity growth, shock-wave propagation, mound growth and its free fall along with the settlement of

the mound observed after a longer duration for the composite layer medium. The code predictions

are benchmarked for the near-source experimental observations of the first Indian nuclear

explosion event of 1974, carried out at the Pokhran test site.

EXAMPLES


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MDD 73

CURRENT SCIENCE Volume 88 Number 7 10 April 2005EDITORIAL

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Women, Science and the X-Chromosome

International Womens Day is celebrated every year on 8th March. The day has

been institutionalized by the United Nations, although various dates in March

have been previously associated with the struggle for equality of women. The

womens rights movement has its origins in the struggle to vote by women in the

United States in the latter half of the 19th century, most dramatically highlighted

by the 1873 trial of Susan B. Anthony in the United States for illegal voting,

Womens Day appears to have firmly rooted beginnings in Europe. March 8

presumably commemorates the famous strike in St. Petersburg organized by

Russian women in 1917, a spontaneous uprising forbread andpeace in a Russia

ravaged by war and ripe for revolution. Today, Womens Day is used to focusattention on the many issues that ensure that women continue to live in an

unequal world. This year, I received an invitation P. Balaram

Best Wishes


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MDD 74

We will be glad to help you any time.

Be Professionals. Become Professionals.

Derive satisfaction from your work.Enjoy doing your work.

Money/wealth automatically follows you

if you are good professionals.

Wish you all an enjoyable stay.

Wish you all a stimulating educational programme.

Wish you all an excellent future.

H W i i


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Happy Writing

Happy Reading

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