Whtithilwiti ? What Is Technical Writing?: For Skee 2133

Wh t i T h i l W iti ?
What is Technical Writing?
Fundamental skill for anyone who are working
d l k ll f h k
in science and engineering. This skill is required
in science and engineering. This skill is required
to prepared technical reports or scientific
Technical Writing:
Technical Writing: di
dissertation. [1]
t ti [1]
Scientific Dissertation
for SKEE 2133
Dr. Leow Pei Ling
Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
81310 UTM Skudai Johor [1] Finkelstien Jr. L, “Pocket Book of Technical Writing for Engineers and Scientists”, 3rd ed., McGraw‐
M l i
Malaysia Hill’s, 2008.
www.utm.myinnovative • entrepreneurial • global 1
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Structure
S i tifi Di
Scientific Dissertations
t ti
• Front matters: TOC, Acknowledgement, lists and
k l l
1. Proposal Beginning
etc
• Introduction
2
2. P
Progress reportt
3. Laboratory and Project Reports
y j p
• Details of the theoretical
4. Instruction and Manuals
Middle • Methods
5
5. R
Research Reports (Journal,
hR (J l • Findings
Articles, Proceeding)
6. Abstracts and Summaries • Discussion & Conclusion
7 Thesis
7. End • References
• Appendix
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1 SET THE FORMAT
1. SET THE FORMAT
• Title and all front matters
TECHNICAL WRITING: • Table of Contents Page Set/ fixed by
• Font type size margin and pagination
Font type, size, margin and pagination the publisher
the publisher
STEP‐‐BY
STEP BY‐‐STEP or any entity
• Tables, figures and equations
that will
that will
• Citation and References (style) publish the
• symbols abbreviation notations
symbols, abbreviation, notations, report (e g
report (e.g.
universities)
terminology, appendixes
gy, pp
• Language
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E
Example
l E
Example
l
Font type: Times New Roman
Font Size: 24
Center Text
Authors and Affiliation

Authors and Affiliation
Abstract
Font: Times New Roman, 10,
Bold
Manuscript: 2 columns
2 LANGUAGE
2. LANGUAGE 2. LANGUAGE:
2. LANGUAGE:
Common Mistakes/ Problems in Technical Writing
• Another important element in technical • Poor Organization • Poorly defined topic
writing.
iti • Misreading the reader
Misreading the reader • Inadequate Content
• Technicalese – jargon and • Stopping after the first
cliché terms and phrases draft
WHY?? g y
• Lengthy Sentences • Inconsistent usage
g
• Dull, wordy prose
• Poor page layout
P l t
[2] R. W. Bly, "Avoid these technical writing mistakes," Chemical
How To Get Published UTM slide
How To Get Published, UTM slide engineering progress, vol. 94, p. 107, 1998
i i l
LANGUAGE I
LANGUAGE: Improvements
t 2. LANGUAGE: Example
2. LANGUAGE: Example
• Proper manuscript language so that editors &

reviewers
i can easily
il understand
d t d theth messages
• Use short sentences,
sentences correct tenses,
tenses grammar
& in English
• Refer to journal’s Guide for Authors for details
specification
• Have native speaker to check your manuscript
(or use language editing services)/ Proof
Reading services How To Get Published, UTM slide
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2 LANGUAGE: Tense
2. LANGUAGE: Tense 2 LANGUAGE: Voice
2. LANGUAGE: Voice
• Present tense for known facts and hypotheses
• Style: Use active voice to shorten sentences
“The average life of a honey bee is 6 weeks”
– Passive voice: “COCO2 was consumed by the
• Past tense for experiments you have conducted plant…”
“All the
h honey
h b
bee were maintained
i i d in i an – Active voice: “…the plant consumed CO2…”
environment with a consistent temperature of
• Active voice make the instruction clearer and
23˚C”
23 ˚C”
stronger.
• Past tense when you describe the results of an
experiment • Avoid using weren’t, it’s, hasn’t etc, use were
not it is,
not, is has not.
not
“The average life span of bees in our environment
was 8 weeks
weeks”
innovative • entrepreneurial • global innovative • entrepreneurial • global
2 LANGUAGE V i
2. LANGUAGE: Voice
Passive Voice Active Voice
The dinner always
The dinner always is given by the
is given by the The company
The company president always
president always Let’ss Get Started
Let Get Started
company president gives the dinner
Most apartments soon will be Soon families with children can

available for rent by families with rent most apartments
children
hild
The lithium molecules are Heated wires vaporize the lithium
vaporized by heated wires molecules
Only used passive voice when necessary. Eg: when a grammatical
subject is to remain unknown.
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innovative • entrepreneurial • global
P t 1 Ab t t & I t d ti
Part 1: Abstract & Introduction P t 2 Lit t
Part 2: Literature Review
R i
• Abstract: Is an advertisement of your article • Consist of thorough study or survey on the
th t summarized
that i d allll the
th important
i t t points
i t in
i related topic
l t dt i
p ,p
brief but specific, precise and honest. • Give an overview of the field of study, the key
Give an overview of the field of study the key
• Introduction: To provide a brief overall idea person, the prevailing theories, hypotheses
and general background of the work that has
d lb k d f h k h h and methods that are appropriate and useful
d h d h d f l
been carried out. Sometimes contain of • Must cite the original source
Must cite the original source
Objectives, Scope, Research Problems … • Discuss and give opinions that relate to your
work
Literature
P t3 R
Part 3: Research Methodology
h M th d l
SUMMARY
≠ REVIEW • Experiment setup and experiment preparation.
• Experiment Procedures
Put down some important Put down some important points
points from various literature
i t f i lit t from various literature sources.
f i lit t • Experiment Works
Experiment Works
sources.
AND
Analyse the difference in
Analyse the difference in
between, discuss about the
f t
facts and the comparisons and
d th i d
also some recommendations
R lt & Fi di
Results & Findings
R lt D t P
Results: Data Presentation
t ti R lt D t P
Result: Data Processing
i
• Table
• Graphs
• Sentences/ Text
Sentences/ Text
• Pictures
R lt & Fi di
Results & Findings Results: Figures & Table
Results: Figures & Table
107500000
107400000
• Results are the driving force of the paper and research works 107300000
• Tell a clear and easy‐to‐understand

easy to understand story‐
story be structured (sub‐
(sub Label at y‐axis
107200000
0 06%
0.06%
F ree q u e n c y (H z )
107100000 0.125%
heading) 107000000
0.125%
0.25%
• Consist of analytical data from experimental described in 106900000
106800000
section Methodology. 106700000
0.50%
• Depending
D di a journal’s
j l’ requirement,
i t this
thi section
ti may be b 106600000 1.0%
Label at x‐axis
106500000
combined with discussion 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Time (s)
• Critical as it is the most efficient way in presenting the results Figure caption Figure 4: Dynamic response of different hydrogen gas concentrations in
• Caption, legend, symbols & units must be detailed enough to synthetic air at room temperature
make figures & table self‐explanatory Make sure that in your text, you have mention about your figure

Fig 4 exhibits the dynamic response to a sequence of different H2 gas concentrations in
synthetic air. The sensor device was flushed with 200sccm of synthetic air at room temperature
innovative • entrepreneurial • global 25 until the frequency became …. innovative • entrepreneurial • global

Results: Figures & Table Results: Figures & Table
• The p
previous result improved
p to… … deposition time in order to obtain different thicknesses of polyaniline nanofibers thin
fil
films. The thickness was then measured via profilometer
Th thi k th d i fil t and presented in Table.
d t d i T bl 1.
1
Number in y‐axis are
Table 1: The thin film thickness of electropolymerized polyaniline nanofibers with respect to
‘simplified’, ‘less’ number
given the different deposition
p time.
Table caption on Deposition Time (min)

Thickness (μm) (less
Unit the top SAW
than 15% error)
changed 0
0.75V
V 06 V
0.65V Titl
Title, unit
it
SAW A 5 35 7.0
SAW B 5 30 3.5
SAW C 5 15 1.0
Clear content,
l
SAW D 5 2 0.3 uniform
SAW E 5 0 0.2
‘L ’
‘Less’ number in x‐axis
b i i
Results – Figures & Table
Results Figures & Table Finding: Discussions
Finding: Discussions
P
Poor vs B
Better vs B
Best Fi
Figure • H
How do
d your resultslt relate
l t to
t the
th original
i i l question
ti
or objectives outlined in the Introduction section?
• Can you reach your conclusion smoothly after
your discussion?
• Do yyou pprovide interpretation
p for each of yyour
results presented?
• Are
A your results lt consistent
i t t with
ith what
h t other
th lit
review? If not, why?
• Any limitation?
Finding: Discussions
Finding: Discussions Be Critical About Numbers and
Comparison
❀Make
❀M k statements
t t t that
th t go beyond
b d Device A is BETTER
Device A is BETTER than Device B
than Device B
what the results can support
pp Technique A is MORE effective than technique B
❀Suddenly introduce new ideas which • Question 1: How Better is Device A to Device B?
never mentioni ini any previous
i section
i • Question 2: How much Better?
in yyour dissertation • Question 3: How much more effective this technique A to
Question 3: How much more effective this technique A to
B?
• Question 4: What can this effectiveness can improve the
4: What can this effectiveness can improve the
system?
• Question 5: and …
5: and
Res lt Anal sis & Disc ssion
Result Analysis & Discussion C l i
Conclusion
• Highlight how the work advance the field from
Q
Qualitative vs quantitative words
q
presentt state
t t off knowledge
k l d
•Qualitative – explain the trend of a graph
Q tit ti
•Quantitative ‐ preferable
f bl • Present global and specific conclusions in
relation to the objectives
• Quantitative Measures
• Qualitative Measures • May suggest future experiments and point out
– Descriptive – Need numbers to represent
– Numbers not the primary
b h the meas rement
the measurement those that are underway.
underway
focus – Statistical
– Interpretive, ethnographic,
Interpretive, ethnographic, – Quantifiable
• DO NOT use uncertain words such as might,
naturalistic probably
Plagiarism: Turnitin
g
R f
Reference Management
M t www.turnitin.com
SKEE 2133 Technical Writing
SKEE 2133 – T h i l W iti Laboratory Report Outline
Laboratory Report Outline
Outline Descriptions
Introduction Describe the reason for writing the report.
Technical Laboratory Marks (%) • Purpose
( p )
• Problem (optional)
Can be experiment objectives and also the focused
problems.
p
Writing Background Review the theoretical basis of the experimental work.
• Theory
• Research
R h
Laboratory Experiment 1 5 Test and Evaluation Describe the devices used and the procedures to do the
Report pp
• Apparatus experimental work.
p
• Procedures
Findings Review the results of the test.
Technical
Technical Experiment 2
Experiment 2 15% • Data Post process and present data/ results.
d d / l
• Interpretation Provide interpretation of the results.
Paper
Conclusion State whether, and to what extend, the hypothesis is
State whether, and to what extend, the hypothesis is
• Assessment supported.
• Recommendation Provide recommendation.
Technical Paper Outline
p
Outline Descriptions
T h i lP
Technical Paper:
Introduction Describe the reason for writing the report.
Describe the reason for writing the report.
• Purpose Provide Brief overview or introduction for the topic. Title
• Problem
Background Review any theory needed to understand the topic. Name & Affiliation
Name & Affiliation
• Theory
• Historyy
Test and Evaluation Describe the set up, preparation and measurement for the
• Experiment Set Up experiments.
• Measurement
M t Abstract
Findings & Review the results of the test.
Discussion p p /
Post process and present data/ results.
• Results Provide interpretation of the results and provide constructive
Main text
Main text
• Interpretation discussion.
Conclusion
C l i S
Summarized the discussion according
i d h di i di to the findings
h fi di
• Summary Provide recommendation. References
• Recommendation
References List of all the cited sources

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Wh t i T h i l W iti ?

Authors and Affiliation

• Proper manuscript language so that editors &

Most apartments soon will be Soon families with children can

• Tell a clear and easy‐to‐understand

• Caption, legend, symbols & units must be detailed enough to synthetic air at room temperature

make figures & table self‐explanatory Make sure that in your text, you have mention about your figure

Results: Figures & Table

Table caption on Deposition Time (min)

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