1. Personal Development for Communication Technology Pratik Man Singh Pradhan | Module Code: CT1039NI | Week 4 - Lecture

2. Technical Writing A step into professional writing

3. Objectives  Technical Writing  Types of technical writing  Five steps to successful Writing  Elements of technical report

7. Technical writing  Technical writing is the presentation of information that helps the reader solve a particular problem.  The main goal of technical writing is to educate, direct, and give others the ability to use a certain system.  For example proposals, manuals, web pages, lab reports, newsletters etc.

8. Types of Technical Writing  There are three main types of technical writing:  End-user documentation  Traditional technical writing  Technological marketing communications

9. End-user documentation  This type of writing includes documents where the writer explains a topic to a novice so that they can understand technical terms and apply them in a real-life situation.

10. End user documentation- example  "Blackberry for Dummies" - that teaches you how to use your new cellular phone and that is written in order to cater to someone who has never before used a cell phone or who is not a cell phone expert  A manual that comes with a computer  A manual that comes with a video game system, such as the PS3 user guide.

11. Traditional technical writing  This is writing that is geared to an audience already at least somewhat familiar with a technical field such as engineering or politics

12. Example- traditional technical writing  A whitepaper published in an engineering journal about a new system that has been devised  An article published in a law review that caters to lawyers  An article in a medical journal summarizing an experiment that has been conducted and written to a medical audience.

13. Technological marketing communications:  This is writing used in promotional marketing such as fliers and promotional brochures that would entice a person to purchase a certain product or service

14. Example-technical marketing communications  A promotional ad outlining why you would want to purchase a new computer and explaining the features of that computer  A promotional ad explaining why you would want to purchase a new cell phone, outlining the phone's features  A promotional ad explaining why you would want to purchase a new mp3 player and outlining the phone's features, such as an ad for the iPod

15. Successful Technical Writing  When carrying out a technical writing assignment, you must remember to follow what is known as the three ‘Cs’ and ask yourself the following questions:  Is it clear?  Is it concise?  Is it complete?

16. Clarity- Avoid Jargon  Because technical writing is so often aimed towards those who may be unfamiliar with technical jargon and terminology, it is important that a technical writer uses clear and unambiguous language in their assigned piece

17. Clarity- example  Ex. 1:  For the first year, the links with SDPC and the HAC were not connected, and all required OCS input data were artificially loaded. Thus CATCH22 and MERWIN were not available.  Ex. 2: Because some of the links in the computer system were not connected the first year, we could not run all the software codes

18. Clarity- define the unfamiliar  If you must abbreviate, define the term in its first occurrence, and put abbreviations in parentheses  Ex: Edgartown Great Pond (EGP) is a vital body of water. Unfortunately, due to an unpredictable influx of saltwater, the delicate ecosystem is in danger of destabilizing.  Italicize first occurrence of unfamiliar terms and define them right away  Ex: Retina is a light-sensitive tissue, found at the back of the eye, that converts light impulses to nerve impulses.

19. Simplicity: Use Details Wisely  Specific details are desirable, but be careful to balance detail with audience needs for clarity—significance is more important.  Ex. 1: The number of particular hydrocarbon combinations in our study is enormous. For example, the number of possible C20H42 is 366,319 and the number of C40H82 is 62,491,178,805,831.  Ex. 2: The number of hydrocarbon combinations in our study is enormous. For example, the number of possible C40H82 is over 60 trillion.

20. Examples of Technical Writing Action Plans Advertisement Agenda Audit Report Book Review Brochure Budget Business Letter Business Plan Catalog Contract Critique Data Book or Display Description Diagram, Chart, or Graph Editorial Email Feasibility Report Field Test Report Incident Report Informational Form Informational Poster Informative Summary Instructions Interview Questions Itinerary

21. Examples of Technical Writing Job Application Job Description Lesson Plan Letter of Inquiry Letter of Recommendation Magazine/Newspaper Article Marketing Plan Memo Meeting Minutes Newsletter Observation Report Performance Evaluations Persuasive Proposal Position Paper Product Comparison Proposal Questionnaire Research Report Résumé/Portfolio Scientific Paper/Report Survey Test Transcription Training Manual Travel Guide Web Page Work Order

22. Five Steps to successful writing  Planning  Research  Organization  Composition  Revision

23. Five Steps to successful writing  Planning Establish your purpose or objective Identify your readers Define your scope Budget adequate time to write, review, revise and edit  Research Find information and take notes Gather all your own data

24. Five Steps to successful writing Organization Group related information with headings and subheadings. Arrange information in a logical order( e.g. general to specific, specific to general, chronological, sequential, cause and effect, and comparison). Write an outline

25. Five Steps to successful writing Composing Articulate your thesis and support it with evidence. Achieve unity and coherence in structure. Revision Check for completeness and accuracy Check your unity and coherence.

26. Five Steps to successful writing Revision Check for appropriate word choice. Eliminate problems with grammar. Check for spelling and punctuation Check for the adherence to formal guidelines

27. Writing is a process  Good writing doesn’t happen overnight; it requires planning, drafting, rereading, revising, and editing.  Learning and improvement requires self review, peer review, subject matter expert feedback and practice.  There are no shortcuts; practice makes perfect!

28. How to produce excellent report?

29. Report writing- Introduction  Popular academic assessment activity  Popular both on science and business courses  It is a practical document that describes, details or analyses a situation in the real world, such that the reader can make decisions or take specific actions about that situation.

30. Thinking about report  Each report is designed to give specific information to specific readers  Each writer of a report knows what sort of reader they are writing for  The writer will expect the reader to act on the information in the report.

31. Structure of report Simple structure  Title page  Contents  Introduction  Methodology  Findings  Conclusion  Recommendations  Bibliography  Appendices  glossary Complex Structure -Title page -Abstract -Contents page -Introduction -Literature review -Methodology -Findings -Discussion -Conclusion -Recommendations -Bibliography -Appendices -Glossary

32. Title  Front sheet of the report  It should include  Title  Subtitle  Date  Authors name and position  Distribution list ( readers name and position)  Reference number, course detail, statement of confidentiality

33. Elements of technical report- Abstract  Abstract  Summarize its objectives, the work performed, and its major conclusions reached in an informative, concise, one-paragraph statement

34. Elements of technical report- Content page  List all the major section of the report  Include sub-section and appendices with page number  It should act as a navigator of report to the reader  It should therefore list detailed and clear headings and put them all in contents.

35. Elements of technical report

36. Elements of technical report- Content page

37. Findings  This small world refers to the major part of your report  Need clear headings for different section of this part  Each section gets its own large number and each sub-section gets its decimal point.

38. Elements of technical report  Results – What was found or seen?  Summarize the data collected and their statistical treatment.  Include only relevant data, but give sufficient detail to justify your conclusions.  Use equations, figures, and tables only where necessary for clarity.

39. Elements of technical report

40.  Be tactful about disagreement when discussing other people’s results and hypotheses that are relevant to yours.  If possible, offer approaches to resolve the conflicts.

41. Elements of technical report  Acknowledgements- Who help, support or sponsor this work?  Thank those persons, other than co-authors, who added substantially to the work, provided advice or technical assistance, or aided materially by providing equipment or supplies.  State grant numbers and sponsors, as well as auspices under which the work was done, including permission to publish.

42. Elements of technical report  References – who did what?  Check original references for accuracy and appropriate content  Follow the Journal’s guideline or company’s policy on the style of references.

43. Composition Framework for a composition Introduction Engage the reader. Set the time. Present the thesis statement. Body Give the major points. Support the major points with details. Conclusion Reinforce the main idea stated in the thesis. Tie the ideas together. Leave the reader with a sense of closure.

44. Why write a report  Reports are another form of written assessment  Gives you practice at developing different aspects of your written communication skills  Reports on courses model the reports that you will write in your jobs, therefore prepares for the work you do  Prepares for publishing your research

45. Why write a report?  Each report is designed to investigate a particular topic, to be read by particular reader, and to achieve a particular purpose with respect to reader.  Two useful questions that author needs to keep in mind when writing  What am I trying to achieve?  What do I want my reader to think and do after reading my report?

46. What am I trying to achieve?  Three main form of report and each has different purpose  Factual report  Instructional report  Persuasive report

47. Factual report  Informative report  Expected to define or establish a current situation  For example, school report  Gather information to fully explain or define a situation

48. Instructional report  Explanatory report  Supposed to explain a situation and suggest a range of options for further action  Gather information to explain a problem and offer a range of solution

49. Persuasive report  Leading report  Investigate a problem and suggest a specific course of action  For example surveyors report  Gather information to explain a problem and recommend just one solution

50. What do I want my reader think and do after reading report?  Report is written for specific reader(s)  These readers are real people  They have different needs, wants and beliefs.  You must consider reader when planning and writing report and make them think and do what you want  For example different report for head of IT and staff representative

51. Key questions to consider  Who is my reader?  What can I expect my reader to already know about this topic?  What can I expect my reader to believe about my topic?  What can I expect my reader to want from this report?  What will I want my reader to think and do after reading my report?

52. How to plan and prepare a report?  Refer to the questions asked in previous slide and find ways to make that happen.  If using interviews and questionnaires, design and conduct interviews; design, circulate and collect questionnaires and then critically analyse the data.

53. THE END