Preparing Written and Oral Reports Effective Communication in CH402

Preparing Written and Oral Reports Professor Julia Williams Coordinator of Technical Communication and Assistant Professor of English

Preparing Written Reports n Chemical Engineering Department Style Manual n Components of the Project Report n Structuring Technical Information

Chemical Engineering Department Style Manual A Guide to Good Writing

Preface, CH Style Manual n Intended to help you prepare various types of reports n Emphasizes clarity of communication and quality of technical information

Academic vs. Industrial Reports n Audience: Professor n Purpose: Inform n Reading: All parts of the report n Audience: Peers, Supervisors, Clients n Purpose: Inform, instruct, and persuade n Reading: Different parts read by different readers

Academic and Industrial Reports n Audience: Professional non-expert n Purpose: Inform and persuade n Information: Technical features, experiment results n Reading: Report parts must provide information reader expects to see

CH402 Project Report Form and Content

Project Report Form n Title Page n Summary n Introduction n Description of Project n Results n Discussion of Results n Conclusions and Recommendations n Literature Cited n Appendix

Project Report: Summary n Audience: Professional nonexpert n Purpose: Provide an overview of the entire project n Information: Objectives, equipment/procedure, results, conclusions/recommendations

Project Report: Summary Objectives: what you tried to do Equipment/Procedure: how you did it Results: what you found out Conclusions/Recommendations: what it means

Project Report: Introduction n Audience: Professional nonexpert n Purpose: Relate necessary background and theory for the project n Information: Background, equations, literature, project objectives, theory

Project Report: Introduction Pattern of Organization Theory Background Equations Literature Objectives

Project Report: Introduction Background Theory Equations Objectives Literature Pattern of Organization

Project Report: Description n Audience: Professional nonexpert n Purpose: Identify parts of equipment and their functions n Information: Description and procedure with accompanying visual(s)

Description n Provide part-by-part description of equipment n In order of assembly n Procedure: explain how the parts fit and function together n Level of detail adequate for another researcher to duplicate the setup and procedure

Equipment Description Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Parts fit/function together

Procedure Description Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Application of the Process

Project Report: Results n Purpose: Convey results of procedures n Information: Data and results in graphical, analytical, or tabular form

Project Report: Results n Commentary to explain form of presentation n Captions for all figures n Quantitative, not just qualitative

Project Report: Discussion of Results n Purpose: Explain results produced during procedures n Information: Observations, discoveries, anomalies

Discussion of Results Evaluation Analysis Interpretation

Discussion of Results n Observed results versus expected values n Significance in the method of plotting results n Significance of a particular graph n Possible experimental errors n Alternative methods n Equipment failures or problems

Project Report: Conclusions and Recommendations n Purpose: Offer conclusions based on objective and results n Information: Questions posed by objectives with specific conclusion n Pattern of Organization: In order of importance

Project Report: Recommendations n Purpose: Offer suggestions for changes in equipment, procedure, or experiment n Information: Specific recommendations based on your experience with the project n Pattern of Organization: In order of importance

Project Report: Literature Cited n Purpose: Source documentation for background, theory, etc. n Information: Authors, publication information, etc., in appropriate format n Pattern of Organization: Alphabetical order

Preparing Written Reports Effective Communication in CH402 Questions?

Designing Oral Reports: Components of effective presentations

Designing Oral Reports: n Oral Reports and Professional Contexts n Preparing for your Audience n Structuring Technical Information: Text and Visuals n Presentation Skills You Need: Space, Voice, and Body

Oral Reports and Professional Contexts Presentations in the Classroom and the Workplace

Oral Reports and Professional Contexts n Conveying information quickly and efficiently n Variety of situations: team meetings, reports to superiors, presentations to clients n Demanded more often than written reports

Preparing for your Audience Presentations for listeners

Know Your Audience n Determine their technical level: expert, professional non-expert, student, technician, general n Evaluate their previous experience with the topic n Gauge their attitudes toward the topic n Identify the information they need

Structuring Technical Information Text and Visuals

Structuring Technical Information n Emphasize the primary topic structure of your research n Preview and review n Use transition words and phrases n Supply a context for clear visuals

Emphasize primary topic structure n Written report components: objectives, introduction, equipment, procedure, results, conclusions, recommendations n Oral report components: same topics in reduced form n Overall strategy rather than specific points

Structuring Technical Information n Emphasize the primary topic structure of your research n Preview and review

Designing Oral Reports n Oral Reports and Professional Contexts n Preparing for your Audience n Structuring Technical Information: Text and Visuals n Presentation Skills You Need: Space, Voice, and Body

Structuring Technical Information n Emphasize primary topic structure of your research n Preview and review n Use transition words and phrases

Transition words and phrases

Structuring Technical Information n Emphasize primary topic structure of your research n Preview and review n Use transition words and phrases to link ideas n Supply a context for clear visuals

Context for Clear Visuals n Using PowerPoint n Overloading slides n Labeling charts and graphs n Timing

The Presentation Skills You Need: Space, Voice, and Body

Presentation Skills: Space n Arrange the room to suit your presentation needs n Check equipment and ensure it is operational n Practice with the equipment in presentation conditions n Allow adequate room so you can remain in contact with the audience

Presentation Skills: Voice n Speak loud enough to be heard, but don’t shout n Try to be conversational, rather than trying to deliver a “canned” speech n Vary voice tone and pitch; avoid a monotone n Let your voice reflect your enthusiasm for the topic

Presentation Skills: Body n Use hand gestures effectively n Avoid using gestures just because you are nervous n Approach the audience to emphasize a point or idea n Avoid shifting or shuffling

Designing Oral Reports Components of effective presentations

Preview and Review

Designing Oral Reports: n Oral Reports and Professional Contexts n Preparing for your Audience n Structuring Technical Information: Text and Visuals n Presentation Skills You Need: Space, Voice, and Body