1. PURDUE UNIVERSITY CIVIL ENGINEERING Technical Writing CE 29201 Dr. Cindy Lawley January 28, 2014

2. CIVIL ENGINEERING 2 Why Communication is Important Securing the Job Work Correspondence Report Writing Tips to Communicating Effectively OVERVIEW

3. Why is Communication Important? Engineers by profession are problem solvers – clear communication leads to effective solutions Writing well is critical for communicating ideas and solutions to problems

4. Importance of good writing Writing is an activity engineers do daily (from emails to formal reports) Many engineers spend up to 40% of their time writing – % increases climbing up corporate ladder Engineering field rarely judges you solely on technical skills – people form opinions based on how you write and speak

5. Communicate Effectively Often the reputation of the company depends on writing skills (relaying information) Advancement in the company many times depends on oral/written skills Often there are financial implications of writing (successful proposals, incorrect implementation of processes)

6. Tips for Communicating Effectively Determine who your audience will be Technical (peers, supervisors, technicians) Non-technical (news reporters, general public) Mixed (company executives, boards of directors, grant agencies) Write/Speak for that audience Need audience buy-in for desire result Provide accurate information Present information logically

7. Tips for Communicating Effectively Get to the point (CLEAR & CONCISE) Express yourself clearly Use efficient wording Average of 15 words per sentence Grammar is IMPORTANT Both written and orally The Hodges Harbrace Handbook 18 th edition, Glenn & Gray

8. Types of Written Communication by Engineers Resumes Office Correspondence Report Writing Proposals Summaries Policy Statements Inspections Directions Technical Reports Evaluations Recommendations Progress Reports Letters MemosEmails

9. CIVIL ENGINEERING 9 Securing the Job – THE RESUME

10. The Resume A summary of your professional experience, education, and other background relevant to employment Effective resume – one that highlights your best qualifications Effective resume – a design that can be scanned in 20-30 seconds

11. The Resume – Design Mixed Resume – works well to display both chronology and key abilities Good for electronic resume submission as resume searches proceed by job description and important skills Easy to highlight sections or characteristics Shows work history and progress of projects

12. The Resume Contact Information – Nice Header Name Address Phone number Email Make is easy to contact you for interview Joe Doe 798 Bird Street jdoe@gmail.com West Lafayette, IN 47907765-394-3928

13. The Resume Objectives Section – describes career and professional focus Type of work you want Type of position you seek Type of organization you want to work for Brief and specific, two or three lines If too specific it could narrow possibilities Objective – Construction engineer seeking position in HVAC design and energy calculation for residential and commercial structures

14. The Resume Educational experience – include military training as well as courses taken for licensure and certification Most recent comes first, follow reverse chronology If education was more than ten years ago, put work experience first

15. Parts of a Resume Work experience – chronological resume (reverse order – most recent first) List of skills Keep descriptive phrases short and parallel Use dashes, bullets, bold type, or extra spaces Use action words (see handout for examples)

16. The Resume Memberships and Licenses – list of professional organizations and licenses, e.g. member of American Society of Civil Engineers Specialized Equipment and Knowledge – section that itemizes technical knowledge, e.g. AutoCad, signal analysis, digital controls

17. Parts of a Resume Awards and Service, Other experiences or related experience Second to last in a resume Use only if appropriate (e.g. if you read and speak Spanish fluently and the position potentially involves this) If awards are relevant to position References – available upon request

18. Overall Format of a Resume Format of Headings and Margins “Hanging-head” which headings are on the far left margin and the body text is indented about 1 to 2 inches. Clearly defines sections EDUCATIONPurdue University xxxxxxxxxx EMPLOYMENTBurger King xxxxxxxxxxx

19. Overall Format of a Resume Resume Length and Headers – how long depends on how much detail Early in career (undergraduate) – one page length Long resumes – problem is that prospective employers may not read them closely If shorter, one to two, prospective employers will notice key qualifications

20. Tips for Effective Resumes Don’t omit normal words such as articles (a, an, the). Make it compact but intelligible. When referring to your own work, omit I. Instead of “I supervised a team….” say “Supervised a team….” Present education and work experience in reverse chronological order.

21. Tips for Effective Resumes Omit details on age, marital status, gender, religion, handicaps, etc. Include specific details about qualifications and background, e.g. product names, processes, etc. Use strong action verbs when presenting details about qualifications and background (designed, developed, coordinated, supervised)

22. Tips for Effective Resumes Use format consistently - match work experiences and others like education Use consistent margins – usually two to three levels of indentation Use special typography moderately – e.g. bold, italics, underlining, type sizes, different fonts Keep resumes as short as possible – at this stage in your career – 1 page length

23. Tips for Effective Resumes Keep resume from spilling over by one or two lines. Fill the pages it occupies. If more than one page, put header on second and following pages. Use high quality paper Use phrases rather than long sentences Delete anything not essential Resumes are work in progress – continually update – you never know when you will need it

24. CIVIL ENGINEERING 24 Work Correspondence

25. When to use Letters, Memos, E-mail What is the usual practice of the organization? What is the efficiency of each method? Letters –external correspondence Memos –internal correspondence Emails – both internal and external correspondence Letters Pros – more formal, leads to impression of importance Cons – more time to get there and have response back E-mail Pros – high-speed, low cost Cons – rapid exchange leads to careless words, often considered less important or less formal

26. Finding the Appropriate Style Conversational Style Avoid fancy language Avoid passive voice and clichés Develop you-attitude, use the word “you” more often than the word “I” Keep correspondence clear and concise While brevity is good, avoid seeming brusque or impatient

27. Letters Form Stationery/company letterhead – no additional return address needed Always put date Always put inside address Mechanics Inside address – name, title, address End letter – Sincerely, signature, typed name, title Copy or enclosure – cc: XXXX or Encl: XXXX

28. XYZ Corporation 555 Oakleaf Court Chicago, IL 60600 January 23, 2012 Ms. Helen Johnson Staff Engineer United Pump Technologies 120 Avenue G Evanston, Illinois 53321 Dear Ms. Johnson: As you requested by telephone last week, I am sending you some information, enclosed with this letter, about the reliability of United Pump technologies Model SR151. Our company has used this particular pump model in numerous well and water system designs in the Fort Wayne area. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sincerely, Bob Griffin Project Engineer Encl: Model SR151 Field Report

29. Memos Form Typically 1 page in length (no more than 2 pgs) Within company use – no need for inside address Mechanics Typical format TO:John Doe FROM:Sue Schultz DATE:January 23, 2012 RE:Field Inspections CC:Kevin Holtz, Jeff Neimes As you requested, I have assigned Clair Hoffman and John McBride to do the field inspections for xxxxxxxxx.

30. Email Correspondence Often takes place of letters, memos, phone calls, and some meetings Format TO: this includes recipient email address SUBJECT: Specific Topic CC: who else will see the email Unlike memos, emails always start with a salutation and end with your “signature”

31. Special Considerations for Email Be polite – never compose or send if you are irritated or discouraged Never write a message you wouldn’t want others to see (you don’t know who is forwarding) Respect the privacy of e-mail messages – exercise discretion with forwarding or copying

32. Special Considerations for Email Answer your e-mail promptly, especially requests for information Keep your message brief – Don’t ask reader to scroll through paragraphs of information to locate key point Send one message per topic – keeps to the point and aids person in finding message later by subject line Put relevant information in subject line

33. Special Considerations for E-mail Keep your paragraphs short – they organize your message visually and simplify reading Edit and proofread carefully – watch for typos, some readers will disregard whole message – watch for autocorrect Develop a signature file giving full contact information and use it as necessary – you can’t always guess how readers will want to contact you

34. Sample of Signature on Email SUBJECT: Inquiry into HHSCI Process Dear Ms. Conner, Thank you for you inquiry into the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sincerely, Cindy Lawley ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cindy Lawley, Ph.D. Director of External Relations Purdue University - School of Civil Engineering 550 Stadium Mall Drive West Lafayette, IN 47907 (765) 494-7089 FAX: (765) 494-0395 Email: lawley@purdue.edu

35. Special Considerations for E-mail Keep copies of important correspondence – both paper and email – you may need to refer back to it on occasion. If you have created a problem and are informing your superiors – always offer solution Always be utmost professional in your correspondence

36. CIVIL ENGINEERING 36 Report Writing

37. Technical Reports Technical Reports – generally formal for internal/external audience – tend to be longer more detailed reports Executive Summary Introduction Body Conclusion/Recommendations Acknowledgments & References Note the help of individuals May be in footnote or section at end Specific resources mentioned should have full citations in Reference Section

38. Summary (Executive Summary) When planning the summary, consider the following: Purpose and scope of the project Research approach/method used Topics covered Essential background Results/Conclusions Project budget cost Recommendations based on findings

39. Executive Summary The summary should Be longer than an abstract, typically one page in length (depends on length of report) Executive Summaries are SINGLE-SPACED whereas the document is double-spaced Focus on conclusions, recommendations and financial implications of the report

40. Reporting Information Technical Reports – design reports, analysis reports, etc. (overall view of how project was completed) Experimental Reports – report outlines data gathered after experiment ends Technical Papers – similar to technical report but audience is larger than company

41. Proposals Proposals – bid, offer, or request to do project Two types – solicited or unsolicited Typical sections of proposals Introduction – state the purpose/brief overview Background – discuss problem/why write to them Actual Proposal Statement – what will you do Description of Work Product/Methods/Approach Benefits & Feasibility of Project Schedule Cost Conclusion

42. Instructions/Directions Instructions/Directions – Step-by-step procedures for employees, colleagues, clients Typical sections of Instructions/Directions Introduction – subject, product, audience, overview Special Notices – note, attention, caution, danger Equipment/Supplies – things needed to complete Discussion of Steps/Procedures Include graphics where necessary

43. Recommendation Reports Recommendation Reports – evaluates or promotes an idea Typical Sections of Recommendation Report Introduction – purpose of the report Background on situation Requirements – e.g. costs, features, sizes, etc. Technical Background – brief technical discussion Description – describe options you are comparing Point-by-point comparisons Conclusions Recommendations

44. Progress Reports – most common Progress Reports inform clients or associates of the status of work completed Provides on-going documentation Explains what has been accomplished and by whom, status of work, problems Explains to client how time and money have been spent, work remaining Enables organization/individual to access work and plan future work

45. Progress Reports Typical Sections of Progress Reports Introduction – Overview and Background Objectives Personnel Previous activity Discussion – Findings, Body, Agenda Work accomplished Work remaining Problems encountered Conclusion/recommendations

46. Professional Communication In today’s profession – we don’t always interact face-to-face anymore First impressions in person OR via email or letter may help keep current job or get next promotion When writing is grammatically correct, and speaking voice is calm and knowledgeable, you seem professional to the audience

47. Professional Communication Work email belongs to the company and can be monitored – BE CAREFUL OF PERSONAL INFO REMEMBER – In corporate America – good communication skills are essential. The person best able to “sell” themselves or their projects get ahead.