Writing for Engineering

Week 1
Session 1
Materials for class use.
• Summary PPTs will be uploaded to the Virtual
Campus every week.
• Hand outs, articles and any other materials will be
also uploaded to the virtual campus. Your teacher
will let you know when you need to have it ready
for class use.
• You will have independent learning or moodle
quizzes every week. Please meet the deadlines.
• You need a COPYBOOK for class use.
•
 EFE Independent Learning Task Week 1
Independent Learning Task week 1:
I. Watch the video clip that has been uploaded in the LEARNING PATH week 1 and take
notes of the answers to the following questions about the contents of the video.
Writing Matters: Margot Gerritsen, Professor of Energy Resources Engineering at
Stanford University
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fyV5er5sRs

1. What is her writing process like?

2. What is writing?
3. What is her job? What does she do as part of her job?
4. Why does she like to use pictures in her job?
5. Why does she like writing?
6. Do engineers always communicate in formulas?
7. What does she say about the jargon in the field? What does the writer have to do if the
general public can´t understand it?
 
II. Answer these questions IN A PARAGRAPH of about 150 words. Upload it in the virtual
campus IL week 1
Deadline: 22nd August, 2016 - 23:59
Learning Outcomes
Session 1
• Identify and understand the principles of
scientific writing.
• Revise punctuation and formats in formal
writing.
• Identify and use appropriate language to
describe charts.
Scientific Writing
Out of clutter, find simplicity.

Albert Einstein
Two main concepts

Concept A
• The beauty of the science
is in the science, not in the
language used to describe
it.
Concept B
• The beauty of English is in
its ability, when properly
used, to express the most
complicated concepts in
clear words.

“The beauty of scientific writing is spare and straightforward. It spotlights

the ideas being presented, not the manner of presentation”
APA Style, the American Psychological Association.
Guiding principles

1. To Educate
• Clear Writing
2. To Inform • Science relies on precision

3. To Record
• Simplicity begins with organizing one´s thoughts.
• Scientific writing is rigidly organized.

In pairs, discuss what an outline is and what the

advantages of using one are.
Then, share your ideas with the whole class.
 An
OUTLINE….
• Helps the author identify the most important aspects of
the study.
• Guides the writing process.
• Helps organize ideas. Helps identify areas where more
information or research is needed. Orders complex
material in a logical way.
• Shows relationships among ideas.
• Provides a way to break larger topics into smaller sections.
• Defines boundaries and groups.
• Helps prevent digression and the inclusion of extraneous
information.
How do you start?

• Establish the purpose of the written piece.

• Determine the audience.
• List all the ideas that you want to include.
• List the key points that need to be made.
• Group ideas together.
• Arrange ideas in subsections from general to
specific or from known to unknown.
 Writing Style
Personality of a publication

Simple and clear Organized

Concrete words.
Sentence length. IMRAD – or similar
Use of punctuation. format.
Abstract VS concrete Editing (checklist)
Spelling & grammar.
Capitalization.
IMRAD
I INTRODUCTION
M METHODS

R RESULTS

AND
D DISCUSSION
 I. By the numbers – The stylistic
RULE for numbers:
• Spell out one- digit numbers (one to nine)
and use numerals for larger numbers (10 and
up)
One solution disolved well in the liquid. However,
three turned yellow and five remained clear.

All 13 specimens were collected in the same lake.

Exceptions !!!!!
• Spell out any number that starts a sentence.
Thirteen specimens were collected in the wild.
• Use numerals whenever numbers are followed
by units of measure.
We added 3 litres of distilled water to the sample.
• In a series, use numerals if any number in the
series is 10 or more.
She did 4 experiments on Monday, 5 on Tuesday, and 11
on Wednesday.
II. By date
• Standard style is March 18, 2016.
• The shortened form: 3/18/16.
However, 18/3/16.
These forms should be avoided.
Therefore;
• March 18, 2016
• 18 March, 2016.
 III. Format

• Headings & Subheadings

• Footnotes
 III. Format

• Citations

• Tables – figures – charts*

• Fonts
 *Charts
What is the name of the chart?

LINE graph

BAR graph / histogram

 *Charts
What is the name of the chart?

TABLE

FLOW chart, illustration

 *Charts
What is the name of the chart?

Map / concept MAP

Drawing / Photograph
Describing charts, graphs and
trends
Fall from … to – rise to – decrease to – increase to – soar at – a plunge – a jump to –
plummet at – dramatic – dramatically – steady – significant – significatly – slow –
recover from .. to - slowly – recovery- rapid – rapidly – sharp – sharply –decline –
fluctuate – gradual – gradually – substantial – steadily – level off at – peak at
– plunge at - sub

VERBS NOUNS ADJECTIVES ADVERBS

fall from ..to a plunge dramatic dramatically
rise to a jump steady steadily
decrease to recovery significant significantly
increase to slow slowly
soar at rapid rapidly
plummet at sharp sharply
decline gradual gradually
plunge at substantial substantially
fluctuate
Learning Outcomes
Session 2
• Identify parallelism and coherence in a text.
• Identify and use correctly subject verbs
agreement in context.
In pairs, look at this paragraph.
What is
• First, bridges are similar to viaducts in the way that
they both serve the same purpose, which is to
quickly and easily facilitate travel from one safe point
to another across obstacles, like rivers, valleys and
other difficult terrain. Secondly, there are many
famous bridges in the world. Bridges can be difficult
to design and if they are not designed to the correct
codes, standards of materials and specifications then
they may be in danger of failure which could results
in tragedy. One of my favorite bridges is the Golden
Gate in San Francisco.
 In pairs, look at these sentences
and identify what is
a) Aluminum is light, ductile and has strength.

Aluminum is light, ductile and strong.

b) The results of the experiment suggests the

material
• absorbs enough water to be used in
construction.
• the use of this material can definitely impact
can definitely
the industry.impact the industry.
• hardens faster than we thought.
 What is PARALLELISM?
• LOGIC
(like with like and unlike with unlike)

PARALLELISM is the logical organization of

sentences that defines the essence of
grammar.
 Agreement of subjects and
verbs
• She (run) – she runs
• They (run) – she run

• A series of experiments was /waswere

performed.
• A number of experiments was were
/ were
performed.
References:

R. Day, N. Sakaduski (2011) Scientific English. A Guide for Scientists and

Other Professionals. USA. Greenwood.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/5/13/34 last retrieved
11/8/16.