The Craft of Scientific Writing By Michael Alley Sussan N. Oladipo RET Summer 2007 Director: Prof. A. Linninger

Outline: Chapters 10 to 14 Illustration Why? Which? How? Writing Correspondence Why? Constraints and Styles Writing Proposals Why? Constraints and Styles

Illustration: material or visual matter used To clarify, explain, decorate, expose, illuminate, interpret……..

Illustration: Making the Right Choices Tables Arrangement of numbers and descriptions in rows and columns provide a high degree of accuracy for the data. Ease of locating specific reference number Presents short parallel descriptions Figures Photographs, drawings, diagrams and graphs Presents data in an imagistic way Can present the image in three dimensions

Graphs: Choose applicable one Requirements – Label The axes – Show units – Scale the data Type and uses Line graphs: most common in scientific writing Pie graphs: compares parts of single whole Bar graphs: compares sizes of different elements Contour plot: gives a physical feel for how variables vary

Photographs Gives the readers realistic depictions of images and events. The major advantage of photographs is the realism.

Drawings Include line sketches and artists renditions. Major advantage is that you can control the amount of precision

Diagrams are drawing such as electrical schematics, that communicate through symbols. Advantage of the diagrams is that they show how the different parts of a system relate to one other. Be sure when using diagram that your readers know what symbols represent

Dos and Don’ts DosDon’ts Always explain your illustration and its importance to your work. Don’t have a simple graph for a complex solution, For clarity, you should introduce and explain illustrations in the text. Don’t confuse your audience.

Creating the Best Designs: Features Familiarity Should gain sense of it size and orientation Precision Simple and reflects the accuracy of the language Clarity Should not convey any unintended information Fluidity Have continuity, proximity to text, match text information, large enough Illustration

Being Precise The thermal storage system stores heat in a huge, steel walled insulated tank. Steam from the solar receiver passes through heat exchangers to heat a thermal oil, which is pumped into the tank. The tank then provides energy to run a steam generator that produces electricity. Figure 11.1 shows a schematic of this system.

Being Clear Fig.11.3 Allegedly shows a chemical plant driven by solar technology Does not focus attention on the lab experiment. Instead, extraneous details like messy lab, the researcher standing, clip board behind him stand out.

Being Clear contd. Fig 11.4 shows a parachute system designed for the crew escape model of a fighter jet. Here, the central image of the parachute system stands out clearly.

Being Fluid The testing hardware of the missile shown in fig 11.6 has five main components: camera, digitizer, computer, I/O interface, and mechanical interface. Commands are generated by the computer and then passed through the I/O interface where the keyboard of the ICU is operated. The display of the ICU is read with a television camera and then digitized. This information is then manipulated by the computer to direct the next command to the I/O interface.

Being Fluid Revision: language and illustration Our system for testing the safety devices of the missile consists of four main parts: Computer, camera, digitizer and electromechanical interface to the missile. In this system, shown in fig11.7, the computer generates test commands to the missile through the electromechanical interface. The test results are read with a television camera and then digitized. The computer receives the information from the digitizer and then directs the next test command.

Being Familiar Consider what your audience does and doesn’t know. Show relative size of an image by including either a scale or familiar-sized image alongside the depicted image

Writing Correspondence “I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter” - Blaise Pascal  Effective way of making request and delivering information  Staff meeting summary  Response to job announcement  Announcing sudden change in schedule

Correspondence: Features/Constraints TypesAdvantagesAudience/ Mechanics Style MemosLegal document Who are they?Organization- beginning/ middle/end LettersEfficientSubject knowledge? Emphasis- details1 st & last Electronic mail RevisableMotive for reading? Clarity- short sentences Short notes Post it ReadableHow do they read? Forthrightness- use plain English

Writing Proposals I don’t mind your thinking slowly, but I do mind your publishing faster than you think - Wolfgang Pauli  It presents a strategy for solving a problem  Can be difficult- writer imagines and persuades in other to convince

Writing Proposals: Prove it! MotivationConstraintsStyleChecklist Problem solving strategy Format: Solicited Unsolicited State/show problem: Types of information PersuasionPoliticsUnderstanding persuasion accuracy Hypothesis Inference Audience: who, how? Propose solution State a plan Scope/limitation Anticipated outcome Why? What?Answer questions cost Types: Management Audience evaluation methods TechnicalCompetence of writer Work schedule

Before Committing Time and Resources Find out as much as you can Carefully read the request for proposal Call the contact person if you have questions Honestly evaluate yourself and your ideas Look at the success of your proposals in terms of the proposals that you write over several years The effort spent on writing one proposal often carries over to the writing of other proposals The reviewers focus on finding the best solution to the stated problem. Consider the solutions of your competition when shaping your arguments.

Summary:

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