Lecture 3

Meshing Words with Images

(Technical Writing CS212) Abdisalam Issa-Salwe

Taibah University College of Computer Science & Engineering Computer Science Department
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Design and illustration A benefit of using images is end user will have a clear understanding of the information you are presenting. Illustration is a really useful tool for taking abstract concepts and turning them into concrete visuals.
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Two types of illustrations exist: tables and figures

Table 1. Reactor power levels in Chernobyl accident [Wolfson, 1991].
Date
4/25 4/25 4/25 4/26 4/26 4/26

Time
1:00 am 2:00 pm 11:10 pm 1:00 am 1:19 am 1:23 am

Power Level
3200 MW 1600 MW 1600 MW 30 MW 200 MW 2,000,000 MW

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Describing an Illustrative Material

Illustrative material including photographs, drawings, diagrams, graphs, charts, and maps should be labeled Figure, abbreviated Fig., assigned a number and given a caption. Figure numbers can be compound numbers that show both section and sequence number. A figure label and caption appear beneath the visual, flush left, with the same one inch margins as the body of the text

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When presenting numerical data, you choose between tables and graphs
Table 2. Blood glucose levels [Carlson, 1982].
Time (hour) midnight 2:00 4:00 6:00 8:00 10:00 noon 2:00 4:00 6:00 8:00 10:00 Normal (mg/dl*) 100.3 93.6 88.2 100.5 138.6 102.4 93.8 132.3 103.8 93.6 127.8 109.2 Diabetic (mg/dl) 175.8 165.7 159.4 72.1 271.0 224.6 161.8 242.7 219.4 152.6 227.1 221.3 300 250
Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Diabetic
Blood 200 Glucose Level 150 (mg/dl) 100

Normal
50 0 12:00

6:00 am

12:00 Hour

6:00 pm

12:00

* decaliters/milligram

Figure 11. Blood glucose levels for normal individual and diabetic [Carlson, 1982].
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Describing Tables A table presents data and information precisely in rows and columns. A table is labeled Table, assigned a number and a caption. Place the label and caption above the table, flush left, and capitalize as a title. Place the source of the table and any notes below the table
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Line graphs are common in engineering and science

2000

1500

Temperature (K)

1000

500

Experiment Simulation

0 0 2 4 6 8 10

Distance From Burner (mm)

Figure 3. Computational and experimental temperatures for laminar diffusion flames [Sandia, 1987].
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Bar graphs compare wholes

30

Normal range
20 Cells% 7-10

10

112175

211366

Flight Duration (Days) Figure 4. Response of T-cells in cosmonauts after short-term and long-term flights [Konstantinova, 1991].
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Describing a Product or Mechanism

A mechanism is a system of two or more related parts that function together to perform a task. Mechanism descriptions are essential parts of technical reports and documents involving specifications and instructions. Focus on the physical characteristics of a device and its parts:
size shape colour finish texture material Include figures, diagrams, or photographs to clarify meaning.

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Gantt charts are a type of bar charts

Task 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989

Construction

Test and Evaluation

Power Production

Figure 5. Schedule for the construction, evaluation, and production phases of the Solar One Power Plant.

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Pie graphs compare parts of a whole

Medical and research wastes (16%) Industrial wastes (28%)

Government wastes (2%)

Power Reactor Industrial Medical Government

Power reactor wastes (64%) Figure 5. Volume of low-level nuclear wastes from various sources [League, 1985].
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Graphs come in many forms

85 mrem

Natural Sources

70 mrem Average dose: 160 mrem

Medical Sources

Fallout: < 3mrem Occupational: < 1mrem Nuclear power: < 1mrem

Figure 6. Estimated annual dose of radiation in the United States [GPU Nuclear, 1985].
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When presenting images, you choose between photographs, drawings, and diagrams

Combustor
2 3

Compressor

Turbine
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The main advantage of photographs is realism

60 seconds

59.5 seconds

59 seconds Figure 2. Space Shuttle Challenger, from about 59 seconds to 60 seconds into launch (January 28, 1986). On the right rocket, flame first becomes visible and then impinges on tank.
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One advantage of drawings is control of detail

Combustor Simulator Turbine Vanes
Secondary Flow Dilution Jet Primary Flow

Secondary Flow

Film-Cooling Holes

Figure 5. Wind tunnel experiment at Virginia Tech for evaluating film-cooling designs for the blades of gas turbine engines [Thole and others, 2000].
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The main advantage of a diagram is the ability to show flow of a variable through a system

Figure 8. Schematic of test stand for evaluating components of an air conditioner design.
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Scientists and engineers often use illustrations that are too complex for the text
The thermal storage system stores heat in a huge, steelwalled tank. Steam from the solar receiver passes through heat exchangers to heat the thermal oil, which is pumped into the tank. The tank then provides energy to run a steam generator to produce electricity. A schematic of this system is shown in Figure 5.
RECEIVER DSPH TSH FLASH TANK FT T S S G TSU

DEARATOR HP HTR

TURBINE

HOT WELL

Figure 5. Schematic of thermal storage system.

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The precision of the illustrations should reflect the precision of the text
The thermal storage system, shown in Figure 6, stores heat in a huge, steel-walled tank. Steam from the solar receiver heats a thermal oil, which is pumped into the tank. The tank then provides energy to run a steam generator to produce electricity.

650 F

580 F Heat Exchanger

575 F

530 F Heat Exchanger

solar receiver
435 F

Thermal Tank
425 F 425 F

steam generator
250 F

Figure 6. Schematic of thermal storage system for the solar power plant.
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For clarity, you should introduce and explain illustrations in the text

..., as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Title of figure. Some formats allow you extra sentences to explain unusual details.
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Inconsistencies between text and images disrupt fluidity

The testing hardware of the rocket shown in Figure 8 has five main components: camera, digitizer, computer, I/O interface, and mechanical interface. Commands are generated by the computer, then passed through the I/O interface to the mechanized interface where the keyboard of the ICU is operated. The display of the ICU is read with a television camera and then digitized. This information is then manipulated by the computer to direct the next command.

CONTROL TERMINAL CAMERA DIGITIZER

PRINTER

COMPUTER

ROCKET

ELECTROMECHANICAL INTERFACE

Figure 8. Testing hardware.

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Illustration is the meshing of words with images

Our system for testing the launch controls of the rocket consists of four main parts: computer, electro-mechanical interface, camera, and digitizer. In this system (shown in Figure 9), the computer generates test commands to the rocket through the electromechanical interface. The test results are read with a television camera, and then digitized. The computer receives the information from the digitizer, and then directs the next test command.

Computer

2 ElectroMechanical Interface

Rocket

Digitizer

Camera

Figure 9. System to test launch controls for rocket.

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Reference Read Finkelstein, Pocket Book of Technical Writing, Chapters 1 to 4. Citation for illustrations: Carlson, Gary, Implantable Insulin Delivery System, Sandia Technology, vol. 6, no. 2 (June 1982), pp. 12-21. Presidential Report on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident (Washington, DC: US Governmental Printing Office, June 6, 1986), pp. 26-27.
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