Guide to report writing and

presenting in ENGG105
Advice, examples and resources to build your knowledge
and skills

UOW Learning Development

Using this Guide
Detailed advice on the structure, placement, Title/Cover Page
language and type of content of each part of a Executive Summary
report (as listed on the right) can be found in the Table of Contents
Report Structure section of this Guide. 1. Introduction
The rest of the Guide provides information and 2. Body Section 1
examples to support you with other aspect of your 3. Body Section 2
written and spoken assessment tasks in this subject, 4. Body Section 3 (etc)
including academic writing conventions and
5. Conclusions/Recs
expectations, team writing, and effective oral
presentations. References
Appendices
Throughout the Guide, links to carefully selected
resources you can use to build your knowledge of
report writing and master academic writing skills
Build your skills: Tricks for
can be found in the shaded boxes.
concise scientific writing
Why are communication
skills so important for
engineers?
Communication: a critical skill
• Communicating information is a
critical skill for engineers, and a skill
needed by industry
• Being a proficient communicator will
improve your career prospects

Source: Dowling, Carew & Hadgraft, 2013

 Communication skills required to work as an engineer in
Australia
3. A capacity to hear and
1. Fluency in written and comprehend others’
spoken English; viewpoints as well as
disseminate information;
2. An ability to make oral 4. Effective discussion, debating
and written presentations and argument presentation
to technical and skills; and
nontechnical audiences; 5. An ability to effectively
represent the engineering
profession to the community.

Source: Engineers Australia

Audiences for communication by engineers
Non-technical
Workplace audiences outside
peers company

Customers and
Management clients

Other Government
employees/ agencies
contractors

Source: Darling & Dannels 2003

Examples of written communication by engineers

Source: Dowling, Carew & Hadgraft 2013

Examples of spoken communication by engineers

Speaking in Sales
Presentations
meetings presentations
(technical and
non-technical) Chairing
meetings
Teaching
or Project
Public Team training proposals
meetings Informal
meetings speaking

Source: Darling & Dannels 2003

Elements that shape your message
Audience: their role and their
knowledge of the topic of
communication? Purpose
Purpose: what result do you want/what result
do you want the audience to get from the
communication?

Context
Audience

Message Context: what is the situation/

(content circumstance in which the
& text communication will occur?
type)
How would you successfully* write…
• An email about a car sale
Message • A report on a new kind of battery
• An SMS about a job

…without first knowing the purpose, audience and

context?

*‘Successfully’
means you achieve
the purpose of your
communication
 What is the (hypothetical) purpose of the ENGG105
reports/presentations?
ALWAYS keep in mind… Who is the (hypothetical) audience for the reports/presentations?

Your purpose Your reader audience (or reader)

Your reason for communicating. The
purpose is related to what you want your
reader/audience to do/know as a result of
reading what you wrote/listening to what
you said.
Do you want them to:
• Be persuaded?
• Be informed?
• Be advised?
• Develop a better understanding?
• Be able to make a sound decision?
Who is going to receive our message. We
tailor our communication to our
reader/audience, thinking about:
• What they already know about a topic
(expert/non-expert)
• What they need to know (in order to
fit the purpose)
• The ‘type of text’ we should use to fit
the purpose
• The language we should use
• The context in which the
communication is taking place
Report structure
The basics: Purpose and structure of a report
GENERAL PURPOSE STRUCTURE

• To provide an informative and • Sections and subsections, each

factual analysis of a problem, issue with a specific purpose
or situation on a particular topic • Concise and meaningful
• Often relied upon to support headings and/or subheadings
decision-making • Information presented in
numbered and captioned tables
• Describe
• Explain
and figures (charts/graphs,
• Analyse images and diagrams) that
• Evaluate provide a visual or numerical
• Justify representation of important
• Make logical and sound information.
recommendations
Report writing process (not a linear process!)
Don’t start writing with a
Preparation Phase blank screen Writing Phase
Pre-writing Research Drafting Finalising
Take notes Review
Analyse topic/ structure,
task
(incl source headings, add
info) notes, sources

Start draft by
Identify key Read turning notes
words narrowly into text

Draft logical Edit draft to

structure (headings,
subheadings,
Read refine style, Proofread
broadly
content dot points,
word counts)
meaning, logic (aloud)
Literature search
EXCELLENT ENGINEERING DESIGN REPORT
RESOURCE
University of Melbourne:

Writing engineering design reports

 If you have tables and/or figures in

Common report structure your report, include a List of Tables

and/or a List of Figures on separate
pages between the Table of Contents
and the Introduction. In each list
include the page of the report each
Required Title/Cover Page table or figure appears on. Make sure
‘front Executive Summary you mention each list in the Table of
matter’ Table of Contents Contents.
1. Introduction
Main part of 2. Body Section 1 How many body (analysis)
report (only 3. Body Section 2 sections will your report
these sections need? How many
make up word 4. Body Section 3 (etc) subsections?
count) 5. Conclusions/Recs
References Sources and
Appendices additional info (see
Project Brief)

Focus on structure
TITLE PAGE
• The title page needs to be on a
separate page before the executive
summary.
• It may include creative design /
pictures / graphic elements.
• If you decide to include those,
make sure they are relevant to the
topic!
FRONT MATTER: TITLE PAGE
Includes:
• Title of the report (project)
• Name/s of author/s (+ student i.d.
numbers)
• Who the report was prepared for (ie,
the client)
• Date report was published
(submission date)
Focus on structure
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Purpose:
• provides a brief overview of the whole
report.
• in professional settings, is read by busy
executives (who don’t always have
time to read the whole report).
Placement: the executive summary
appears on a separate page before the
table of contents.
Structure:
It should be 1-2 paragraphs, totalling
around 200-250 words or up to half a
page.
1. Indicate the purpose of the report
2. Identify the specific problem or
question you’re investigating
3. Contextualise the report in relation to
the issue being investigated
4. (Briefly) indicate the research
methodology / approach used
5. Indicate the main findings,
conclusions and recommendations
Focus on language Too wordy!
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY There are many different kinds of
advantages for a company if you
The language must be: integrate lots of DG units into the
• Descriptive electricity grid, and these can include
• Explanatory advantages like good voltage support
• Concise and better reliability, among other
• Precise things. (36 words)
The same point made concisely:
The integration of multiple DG units into
the electricity grid demonstrates various
advantages such as voltage support and
Build your skills: Descriptive writing
reliability improvement. (20 words)
(including features and examples)

Build your skills: Tricks for

concise scientific writing
Focus on structure
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Placement: appears on a separate

page, after the executive summary. Build your skills: How to
format a table of
• Section headings and contents
subheadings must be numbered
and worded exactly as they
appear in the report.
• Provide the page numbers for
all sections.
• Make sure you update the
page numbers when you
finalise the report!
Focus on language
TYPE OF WRITING: SECTION BY SECTION

• the purpose of the report descriptive

• the problem under investigation descriptive & explanatory
• how you undertook the investigation of the problem descriptive &
explanatory
• the results of your investigation descriptive
• interpretations and evaluations of your results analytical & evaluative
• the solution you’ve arrived at and justification of the solution descriptive,
explanatory, analytical & evaluative
Build your skills: See pp 13-14 of the
Project Brief for further explanation and
examples of descriptive, explanatory,
analytical and evaluative writing.
Focus on structure
INTRODUCTION
Placement: follows the table of contents
• Numbered (eg: 1. Introduction)
• Presents the background to the issue
and outlines key information that helps
the reader understand the project
context
• Introduces your topic of investigation
• Identifies the aims and objectives of
your research
• Outlines the plan of the report
The introduction should include:
• Clear statement of the problem and description
of main aim and objective
• Explanations of terminology / concepts (if
necessary)
• Method(s) of approach (keep this brief in the
introduction if you include a separate section on
your research/investigation
method/methodology)
• Indications of the scope and any limitations of
the study
• Preview/outline of material presented in body
of report
Focus on language
Examples: (verbs in blue; enumeration in
INTRODUCTION red)
Language of the introduction: • This report will analyse …
• Descriptive • This report sets out to examine …
• This report aims to investigate …
• Explanatory
• The aim of this report is to …
• Factual
• In order to determine … a quantitative
Use verbs that precisely express your approach was adopted.
intentions/actions • First (or firstly), an analysis of … is
Verb tenses: presented.
simple present, future, simple past • Next (or second/secondly), …. and ….
are compared…
Use ‘enumeration’ in previewing the
report content • Then (or third/after that) … and … are
discussed.
Focus on structure
BODY SECTIONS
The structure of the report’s body (the body sections)
will be informed by:
• the purpose of the report (remember the client
brief and the task instructions!)
• the problem under investigation
• how you undertook the investigation of the
problem
• the findings of your investigation, highlighting
the most significant findings or factors involved
in the problem
• discussion and analysis of your findings and
development of your ideas to settle on a solution
• solution you’ve arrived at and justification of the
solution
The structure of the report body needs to
be logical for your audience (readers):
• What do they need to know first?
• How does each section/subsection
logically connect to the adjacent
sections/subsections?
• How can the logical connections be
made clearer to the audience?
• Use ‘transition signals’ to help your
reader
Build your skills: Including
transition signals in your
writing
Focus on language
BODY OF THE REPORT: INCLUDE ANALYSIS & EVALUATION

Move beyond description:

Be critical:
Try to focus on what was most significant
Broadly speaking, writing can be descriptive,
about the project, and relate the
analytical or evaluative (sometimes we call this
information to aspects of your subject.
‘critical’).
The reader needs to be given enough detail
In practice, these types of writing overlap with
to understand the context in which the
each other, forming a continuum:
project occurred.
Descriptive ›› Analytical ›› Evaluative
However, it is not enough just to describe
the project in great detail. Writing at university level should aim for the
analytical/evaluative (critical) end of the
You also need to analyse and evaluate the
spectrum after an initial descriptive/explanatory
findings.
phase.
Focus on structure/language
CONCLUSION
Briefly summarise all the key elements of
the report and make a statement about its
significance in relation to the client brief, the
problem and the aim of the project.
The conclusion must be:
• concise
• logical
• clearly based on the information, data and
analysis presented in the findings and
discussion
Example conclusion paragraph:
It has been shown that ‘Easy Tap’ is suitable for
all outside taps throughout Australia, as it suits
tap handles with a diameter of less than 18 mm
at their widest point. Provided users do not
overtighten the tap valve, this solution
successfully eliminates the difficulty of
operating an outdoor garden tap. The solution
is economically viable, due to its simple
construction and the use of inexpensive
materials and construction methods. An
approximate cost of $2.64 has been estimated
for materials; thus a retail price in the $5 to $10
price range is envisaged. This price would cover
joinery, painting, shipment, packaging,
marketing, and labour costs and would provide
a reasonable profit margin.
Focus on structure/language
Recommendations
• Must be clearly based on the
information, data and analysis
presented in the findings and
discussion (the
recommendations should not
come as a surprise to your
client!)
• Should be stated explicitly so
they are easily found by the
reader
You can include your recommendations in the
Conclusion section or have a separate section for the
Recommendations.
If you merge the Conclusion and
Recommendations sections together, make sure the
recommendations are easily identifiable and
locatable within the text.
2 examples of how to explicitly communicate a
recommendation:
1.
Since Easytap meets most of the
requirements in the client brief discussed
above, it is recommended as the most
suitable solution, particularly as it also the
most economically viable option.
2.
Recommendation: that Taps-R-Us proceeds
with further investigation of EasyTap, as this
solution meets most of the company’s
requirements and appears to be the most
cost effective and profitable option in the
long term.
Focus on structure
REFERENCE LIST
List all the sources you have referred to
in the text.
This includes the sources for the
graphics and images you used.
Do not use bullet points.
Placement: The reference list comes on
a separate page / pages after the
conclusion section and before any
appendices.
Why include a reference list?
It is important to gain the trust of
your client by providing a reliable,
current (up-to-date) and evidence-
based report.
This is demonstrated by your use of a
range of relevant sources that are
referenced:
• in-text, and
• in the Reference List
Focus on structure
REFERENCE LIST – POOR EXAMPLE
Wrong format and
incomplete!
Reference List
Kotler, P & Armstrong, G 2001, Principles of Build your skills:
Marketing, Pearson Education Australia Pty
Ltd UOW Referencing & Citing website
http://niketown.nike.com/catalog UOW Harvard referencing guide
http://thestore.adidas.com How to construct a Reference List
www.adidas.com/global/custserv/soe/policy
www.fishinternet.com.au/oldtdocs/rightplans.
www.com/products/connection/dial-in.html
www.newbalance.com/corporate/about/overvi
ew Website URLs on their own
are NOT references!
Focus on structure
APPENDIX / APPENDICES

Placement: Appendices are listed on separate

These include any information which is
relevant but which is a diversion from the
main arguments in the body of the report:
• Primary sources you relied on to
gather data (“raw data”)
• Long tables of statistics
• Examples of surveys or questionnaires
used to compile your report
Consult the task Project Brief for
additional information that MUST be
included in the appendices of this
report.
pages, after the reference list.
• Each appendix must be given a letter and a
name, eg:
Appendix A: Profit Margins of Zertyx (1990-
2020)
• In the body of your report just write “see
Appendix A” – do not give the title.
• Do not forget to list the appendices in the table
of contents with the relevant page number.
Focus on structure
HEADINGS AND SUBHEADINGS
Headings and subheadings in reports
are important navigation tools
(signposts) for your readers.
Headings and subheadings in the
body of your report must be:
• concise
• clear
• meaningful
• numbered
Build your skills:
• Effective headings
• What are headings and why are
they important?
Only some headings in your report should be
‘generic’ – eg Introduction, Conclusion &
Recommendations… others?
Most headings and subheadings need to be
tailored to the topic of the section or
subsection so they are meaningful and reflect
the content of the section, eg:
1. COMPETITIVE DRIVERS
1.1 Differentiation strategy and current operations
(Content: Defines differentiation strategy;
describes the difference of the theory in the previous
heading to what is happening in the industry/business)
1.2. New strategies
(Content: Provides the reader with author’s description,
explanation and analysis of a new, more profitable
strategy)
1.3. Justification
(Content: Provides reasons for this new strategy and
evidence to support it)
Including visual elements
FIGURES AND TABLES

You can present evidence in tables or figures.

‘Figure’ includes any visual element that is not a
table (eg chart/graph, diagram, illustration, photo
etc).
Visual elements are useful for:
• Supporting the readers’ understanding
• Providing information in a concise way
• Showing trends, comparisons etc in an
meaningful way
Make sure the reason why you have included
visual information is clear by also providing brief
written comment/interpretation of the visual
element in your text.
Referencing visual elements
Figures and tables

Referencing visual elements:

• Unless it is your own data or a figure created by you, remember to
reference the source of the table or figure or the source of the data
used.
• Give tables and figures a number and title
eg: Figure 1: Performance success table
• Include the in-text reference beside the title
• If you’ve created a table/figure using data from several sources,
include in-text references within the table/figure
• Do not forget to include the full bibliographic details in your
reference list
Presenting & referencing a figure
How to present a
figure taken from
another source

In-text citation for source of

Number figures in ascending figure (Harvard style shown).
order (1, 2, 3 etc) according to Include the complete reference
when they occur in the report in the Reference List

Figure 4: Local Exhaust Ventilation System Schematic Diagram (WorkSafe,2020)

Concise and clear title/caption

Source: Student assignment,
ENGG980
Presenting & referencing a table Example of a table using
data from multiple
sources

In-text citations for each

source used (IEEE style
shown – you need to
use Harvard!)
Include the complete
reference for each
citation in the Reference
List

(Ding et al. 2014)

Academic writing
 Build your skills:
Academic writing Strategies for writing
IT TAKES TIME TO DEVELOP academic English

• Academic writing can be complex, but it should be meaningful

• Your main aim should be to write clearly and meaningfully
• If you read an academic paper or report and can follow it reasonably easily,
it’s likely the paper is written in a clear and meaningful way
• In these cases, take some time to consider why the text is clear and
meaningful – how does each sentence (or paragraph) begin? How are
sentences connected so the topic is carried through the paragraph? What
words connect ideas within the text (cohesion)?
• Clear and meaningful academic papers are good models of how to write in
an academic way in your engineering field or discipline
Academic writing expectations
SOME COMMON FEATURES Build your skills: Module on
how to write clearly –
 Uses more formal words/terms
meaning, sentences,
 Uses specialised words/terms paragraphs, ‘signposts
 Includes evaluation/critical analysis
 Is objective (avoid ‘I’/‘we’) and cautious (‘definitely’ vs ‘very likely to
be’)
 Has well-formed sentences and paragraphs
 Uses vocabulary and grammar to make connections within the text
(cohesion)
 Has a logical structure at the text (report) level (relates to purpose)
 Is concise (says everything necessary without waffling)
 Includes in-text referencing and a reference list
Note: word choice is always context-dependent
Less formal More formal
find out determine, investigate, identify etc

figure out calculate, determine etc

make better improve, enhance, optimise etc

good Use something more precise and meaningful –

(avoid using this) why is it ‘good’? Is it effective, efficient, accurate,
comprehensive, reliable etc
get obtain, achieve etc

the authors did a study conducted, undertook, (or simply

‘studied’)
popular common, usual, frequent

check test, evaluate, validate etc

Words and terms
Formal and specialised

KEY: green = specialised words and terms, blue = formal words and terms

The design team constructed two prototypes: design A and design B.

Construction of the prototypes was achieved using a hand angle grinder, a gas
equipped MIG welder and a metal cutting saw. The materials used in construction
were those specified in the economical evaluation. After construction, the two
prototypes were tested on a number of outdoor taps, and were both found to
successfully eliminate difficulty in operating the taps. The slide-on channel fitting
worked exceptionally well, providing a secure fit to the tap while being easy to
attach and remove. The estimated handle sizes were correct, while the overall
dimensions and masses of the two designs were also correct.
Build your skills: You develop your
‘specialised’ vocabulary by reading the
literature in your field of engineering.
Evaluation, Objectivity & Caution
Why evaluation?
Demonstrating your critical
analysis of evidence,
theories, findings, ideas etc
requires the use of
evaluative language.
(Note: evaluations can be
positive, negative or
neutral.)
Critical analysis is
necessary to support your
‘informed opinion’ – your
arguments, justifications
and conclusions.
Why objectivity?
Because you have used critical
analysis to evaluate others’
evidence, theories, ideas,
findings etc, your ‘informed
opinion’ is considered to be
objective rather than subjective
(ie, based on your own personal
preference or bias).
Avoiding using I/we pronouns is
one way of demonstrating
objectivity as it places the focus
on your critical analysis or on
your work, rather than on you.
Why caution?
We tend to use a level of caution
in academic writing when claims,
findings, interpretations and
arguments could be disputed by
others when new or different
evidence becomes available.
You can express a high level of
certainty when warranted or
supportable by indisputable
knowledge or facts.
Evaluative (critical) language
KEY: blue = evaluative terms

The design team constructed two prototypes: design A and design B.

Construction of the prototypes was achieved using a hand angle grinder, a gas
equipped MIG welder and a metal cutting saw. The materials used in
construction were those specified in the economical evaluation. After
construction, the two prototypes were tested on a number of outdoor taps, and
were both found to successfully eliminate difficulty in operating the taps. The
slide-on channel fitting worked exceptionally well, providing a secure fit to the
tap while being easy to attach and remove. The estimated handle sizes were
correct, while the overall dimensions and masses of the two designs were also
correct.
Build your skills: Evaluative
language
 Build your skills: 4 key
Objectivity features of academic style
(includes objectivity)
KEY
Red = subjective language (uses I/we)
Italics = objective language (avoids I/we by using, e.g., noun substitution for pronoun, passive verb form,
re-structure of noun phrase)

We (The design team) constructed two prototypes: design A and design B. We

constructed the prototypes (construction of the prototypes was achieved) using a
hand angle grinder, a gas equipped MIG welder and a metal cutting saw. The
materials we used (the materials used) in construction were those we specified
(were those specified) in the economical evaluation. After construction, we
tested the two prototypes (the two prototypes were tested) on a number of
outdoor taps, and we found both to (and both were found to) successfully
eliminate difficulty in operating the taps. The slide-on channel fitting worked
exceptionally well, providing a secure fit to the tap while being easy to attach
and remove. The handle sizes we estimated (the estimated handle sizes) were
correct, while the overall dimensions and masses of the two designs were also
correct.
Caution Build your skills: Express
KEY uncertainty in [academic]
Red = expressed with level of caution
Blue = expressed with certainty writing
Italics show more/less certain way to express an idea or point
The seaward movement of mangroves was evident (was indicated) across the
coastline of all four catchments and in particular at the mouth of the Leichhardt
River and along the coastal margin of the Mornington Inlet. In the latter case, the
expansion of mangroves occurred gradually (probably occurred gradually)
throughout the assessment period, from 1987 to 2014, with no apparent links
(with no links) to river discharge. However, at the mouth of the Leichhardt River,
significant seaward expansion of mangroves was observed (was likely to have
occurred) approximately 2 years after the high discharge event, suggesting that
(showing that) this time is required for sediments to stabilize and propagules to
establish. Following peak discharge in 1991, 2009, and 2010, mangroves
colonizing the sediments at the mouth of the Leichhardt River were 3–4 m, 4–8
m, and 8–10 m in height in 2014 and the primary species was A. marina.
Adapted from Asbridge et al. (2016)
Develop your academic vocabulary
Build your skills: Academic
Phrasebank

Academic Word List: 570 of the most important words commonly used in
academic writing
Academic Word List Tool: games and quizzes will help you check that you
really know these words and can use them effectively
Collins online dictionary: clear definitions and examples; tells you if a
word is formal, informal or colloquial
Reporting verbs: to talk about other people’s data, work or ideas
Sentences: order of information
Mention the important info/aspect of the topic early in the sentence:

1. The integration of multiple DG units into the electricity grid

demonstrates various advantages such as voltage support and
reliability improvement.

2. Voltage support and reliability improvement are advantages that

result from the integration of multiple DG units into the electricity
grid.

3. There are various advantages from integration of multiple DG units

into the electricity grid such as voltage support and reliability
improvement.
Paragraphs: the building blocks of your writing
Features of a good paragraph
Build your skills:
• Linking of sentences to logically connect ideas Suggestions for connecting
• Clear progression of the topic through the ideas at the sentence and
paragraph level in academic
paragraph writing.
• Expansion of topic through examples, evidence
• Not too long – veering off topic? Lack of focus? Building good paragraphs
• Not too short – insufficient information? Lack of Note: interactive module
that takes 60 mins to
relevance? complete
• Has links to previous and/or following paragraphs
Building a paragraph - coherence
Start with the main topic of the para and make connections between sentences

The design team constructed two prototypes: design A and design B.

Construction of the prototypes was achieved using a hand angle grinder, a gas
equipped MIG welder and a metal cutting saw. The materials used in construction
were those specified in the economical evaluation. After construction, the two
prototypes were tested on a number of outdoor taps, and were both found to
successfully eliminate difficulty in operating the taps. The slide-on channel fitting
worked exceptionally well, providing a secure fit to the tap while being easy to
attach and remove. The estimated handle sizes were correct, while the overall
dimensions and masses of the two designs were also correct.
KEY
bold = main topic, green = mentions of construction aspect, red = mentions
of/references to prototypes, orange = mentions of tap aspect (testing), purple =
refers back to information presented in earlier sections of report, blue = grammatical
elements that make connections
Concise writing
A concise sentence or piece of writing says everything necessary without
using any unnecessary words (waffle). Make your writing concise by
‘removing, replacing and rephrasing’

There are many different kinds of advantages for a company if you integrate lots of
DG units into the electricity grid, and these can include advantages like good voltage
support and better reliability, among other things. (36 words)

The integration of multiple DG units into the electricity grid demonstrates various
advantages such as voltage support and reliability improvement. (20 words)

Build your skills: Tricks for

concise scientific writing
Help is available!
• Project brief document
• ENGG105 Moodle site resources
• UOW Learning Co-op – self-access
resources, assignment writing
consultations with Learning
Development lecturers
• Studiosity – 24/7 writing help (link
from your subject Moodle sites)
Learning Co-op “I really appreciate the opportunity for the consultations, it
has really benefited me this semester. The consultation is
FREE ACADEMIC WRITING SUPPORT always extremely easy to understand and so helpful”

• Self-help Knowledge Centre resources, self-enrol Moodle site, and more information available via:
• The Learning Co-Op: https://www.uow.edu.au/student/learning-co-op/

• Academic writing, English language and maths and stats workshops from Week 3:
“Excellent feedback, very
• Register here: https://www.uow.edu.au/student/learning-co-op/workshops/
knowledgeable, very easy to
• One-on-one assessment writing or English language help: talk to and encouraging”

• Make a booking via the Learning Co-op website or request one at learning-development@uow.edu.au

• Studiosity: 24/7 help. For writing feedback or short question chats

• Use the link on the ENGG105 Moodle site

English language skills support and development
Lots of free opportunities!
UOW website: uow.to/english-language-skills-
support
 10 ways to improve your English
 Conversation groups
 ABC Academic English
 SBS English

Support for international students:

https://www.uow.edu.au/student/support-services/support-for-
international-students/

English for Uni (resource from the University of

Adelaide) https://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/
Writing as a team
Tips for effective team writing
BEFORE YOUR WRITE
At your first meeting together:
• analyse the task (including marking
rubric)
• work out a draft structure with headings
and subheadings (this can change)
• add dot points or a few sentences under
each heading/subheading about what
content will be covered there. Add
tentative word counts
• do a stocktake of what you already know
about the topic and what you need to
find out
• decide on writing roles and who
researches and write a draft of each part
ONCE WRITING STARTS
• Use a shared writing tool such as Google docs
for your individual notes and your draft text
• Your notes should include details of the
source of information
• Try to put notes in your own words, or use
double quote marks (“ ”) for cut and pasted
text
• Review each other’s work (including against
the agreed draft structure) and provide polite,
constructive feedback when needed
• Ensure there is time for editing,
proofreading, presentation and an early
Turnitin submission
Build your skills: Analysing the assessment task and
Understanding marking rubrics
 Team writing roles
• Researcher/Writer (everyone)
• Reviewer (everyone)
• Editor (strong writing skills – Source: http://fofafa.deviantart.com/art/Cat-sketch-165210929

aim for a ‘single voice’)

• Proof reader (good attention to Don’t
detail, including in references) overload!
• Publisher (good Word and Source: http://dwarf4r.deviantart.com/art/Gray-catbird-
344562465

visual skills)

Build your skills:

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_and_White_Cat_Drawing.jpg

Group work
Oral presentations
 Getting ready for your presentation
WHERE DO YOU START?
1. Analyse the task
2. Identify the purpose of the
presentation
3. Identify the audience for the
presentation (expert/non-
expert?)
Build your skills:
Oral presentations
WHAT‘S NEXT?
Consider:
1. What does the audience already
know?
2. What does the audience need to know
about the topic so that the presentation
fits the purpose?
3. How much of the topic can be covered
in the presentation time, and how will
this affect the content or how I present
the content?
Keys to being an effective presenter
PREPARATION & PRACTICE
• Prepare what you’re going to
say/what you’re going to focus
on
• Practice what you’re going to say
so you don’t ‘stumble’ and
instead speak smoothly and
confidently
• Practice in front of a mirror or
record yourself saying what you
want to say in a couple of
different ways (you don’t have to
memorise a script)
VOICE AND BODY LANGUAGE
Voice
• Speak loudly enough and clearly enough so people can
understand you
• Enunciate more than you usually do – don’t mumble or
rush
Speak with more energy and animation
Eye contact
• Make eye contact with the audience - look around the
audience at different people or look just over their heads
Facial expression
• Smile to relax yourself and to convey sincerity
Posture
• Head up, shoulders back
• Standing up straight helps you to be energised and your
voice to be strong(plenty of oxygen)
• Helps you remember to make eye contact, show
confidence, “take up your space”
(Bonanno 2010)
Keys to an effective presentation
Organisation and structure
Thoughtful and planned
• Engaging opening statement
• Logical presentation structure (use
‘speech transitions/signposts’ – words
that help the audience follow the
structure – “next we sought out raw
materials that…”, “in terms of the
budget…”)
• Introduction to project/project topic
• Relevant and coherent body/middle
• Concise summary/conclusion
• Clear ending
Slides that support the spoken presentation
The slides support the spoken presentation -
they are NOT the presentation!
• Clarity and simplicity should guide the format
and presentation of your slides
• Use short dot points or key words, not
paragraphs – the audience will stop listening!
• Use meaningful and appropriate visuals to get
ideas or complex information across more
quickly
• Visuals on a slide need a brief spoken
explanation (“this graph shows the uptake of
rooftop solar panels in NSW between 2011
and 2010, and indicates that…”)
• Don’t use elements that are too small for the
audience to see well (text, images, labels etc)
 “A picture is worth a thousand words…”
“The house has two storeys and “This is the house”
weatherboard cladding. The house is
painted white and grey and has a metal
roof. There are wooden steps at the front
that lead up to a large, covered deck. It OR
has brick foundations and a double
garage underneath. There is a large tree
in the front yard, a small lawn, a few pot
plants and large concrete driveway…”

Where relevant/possible, use a visual in

place of lengthy text or spoken
description/explanation
Problems with this slide?
It’s important not to have too much text on a slide – don’t even use paragraphs! Make sure
you just have a few dot points. Some people talk about the 6x6 rule for slides which means a maximum of 6 dot points
per slide and 6 words per dot point. If you have too much text on a slide the audience is forced to either read the text or listen to
you – it’s difficult to do both at once. Choose a professional looking and easy to read font. Also make sure your font size is large
enough so that the audience can read your dot points or any other important text, such as labels on graphs or tables. Make sure
the contrast between the background and other elements on the slide doesn’t make it
hard to view or obscure your message.
 Slide heading is inaccurate/vague

Figure
(visual) is a
little small,
but OK if Dot points
speaker are clear
clearly talks and concise
about step- for audience
by-step and provide
process Source? good
shown prompts for
speaker
 Is this the most accurate/precise word Speaker would need to provide context for
choice? this info – where, when etc

Technical
language/
concepts
need
explanation
by speaker

Meaningful and concise figure caption,

Text used effectively – short, concise and meaningful dot points
but no source referenced
Keys to an effective group presentation
PREPARATION, PRACTICE, SHARED RESPONSIBILITY!
Prepare the presentation together to
ensure:
• No info gaps or overlaps
• Uniform formatting of slides
• Everyone understands each part
Practice together to ensure:
• Delivery (including transitioning from
one speaker to the next) is smooth
• Everyone is looking/feeling/sounding
confident
• Everyone is supported with
constructive feedback
Edit and proofread the slides!
Smooth transitions – speakers and slides
• Speaker introductions – either one person
introduces the team members (name and project
role) at the beginning of the presentation OR each
speaker briefly introduces the next
• If you’ve practiced enough as a group, you can
use eye contact to communicate, rather than
awkwardly saying, e.g., “that’s it from me… um,
Jai’s going to talk now” and Jai looking surprised
and unprepared!
• Work out in advance how you will move through
the slideshow – will one person control it all, all
will each speaker control the slides that relate to
their part of the presentation?
Example: joint presentation
In this video, two data science students from MIT, Deepak Jagdish and Daniel Smilkov,
give a 10 minute presentation on their joint project, which involved building a tool
called ‘Immersion’ in order to make sense of email metadata.
TEDx Cambridge: The Revealing Nature of Metadata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2a8pDbCabg

As you watch the presentation, listen for:

• How do they introduce the topic? How do they engage the audience at this point?
Opening/intro
• How do they transition smoothly from one speaker to the other? Transition (hint: non-
verbal - body language, eye contact)
• How do they achieve a cohesive presentation? Cohesion (listen for repetition)
• How are visuals are used and integrated to support the spoken presentation? Visuals
• How do they explain complex concepts to the audience? Simple metaphor/analogy
How does ‘talk’ move from one speaker to the next?
Deepak
1. Introduction: Gives background
to problem. Uses graph as visual
info.
2. Presents analogy – road views –
and explains significance of this to
metadata: perspective & context.
Introduces tool (Immersion)
3. Other capabilities of tool (using
D’s metadata to find out about
others). Refers to contemporary
metadata controversy – tweets
from outside. Gives link to tool.
Daniel
1. Initiates middle - what
metadata is (note the
repetition!). Provides verbal
examples. Asks question at
heart of project “What can
we learn from it?”. Gives
current limitations – visual
examples
2. Explains Immersion using
own metadata, illustrated
by effective, meaningful
visuals
3. Sums up/conclusion.
Significance, caution.
How do they make the presentation cohesive?
Deepak
1:32 Metadata is what we want Daniel
to talk to you about today
2:50 Speaking of trails, let’s go 1:34 So what is Metadata?
on a road trip… Metadata is..
4.35 We’re going to show you 2:49 …our own digital trail.
what Immersion looks like right 4.40 We’re going to show you
now
what it looks like using just my
9:55 All of these insights that metadata
Daniel has mentioned he’s
learned from his own 9:57 So what we’ve shown you
metadata... today is only the tip of the
iceberg…
Transitions, repetition of key words/terms, references back to what was said earlier/by
the other speaker etc
References
Asbridge, E, Lucas, R, Ticehurst, C & Bunting, P 2016 ‘Mangrove response to
environmental change in Australia’s Gulf of Carpentaria’, Ecology and Evolution, vol.
6, no. 11, pp 3523–3539
Bonanno, G 2010 ‘9 tips for communicating with confidence’, Gilda Bonanno LLC,
viewed 23 June 2019
<https://www.gildabonanno.com/9tipsforcommunicatingwithconfidence>
Darling, A & Dannels, D 2003 ‘Practicing engineers talk about the importance of
talk: A report on the role of oral communication in the workplace’, Communication
Education, vol. 52, no. 1, pp 1-16
Dowling, D, Carew, A & Hadgraft, R 2013 Engineering your future: An Australasian
guide (2nd ed.), John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Qld.

Engineers Australia n.d., Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers,

viewed 2 March 2020 <https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/resource-
centre/resource/stage-1-competency-standard-professional-engineer>
Thanks and good
luck!