1. Writing Style and Standards
Use Clarity, Conciseness, & Coherence
Paragraph Construction
Sentence Construction
Word Choice

2. Write Paragraphs That Are:
Clear – easy to follow, easy to understand; use transitions
Concise – avoid inessential information
Coherent – begin with a main idea supported, explained, and developed by the rest of the paragraph

3. Write Sentences That Are:
Clear – easy to follow, easy to understand; use subject/verb/predicate order
Concise – avoid inessential information, subordinate clauses, or complex construction
Coherent – state the main idea first, use one idea at a time

4. Use Words That Are: Clear – precise, specific, concrete, accurate
Concise – avoid wordiness or terms unfamiliar to your audience
Coherent – state definitions for terms early and stay consistent

5. Common Mistakes Comma Splices
Two sentences joined with commas instead of conjunctions
incorrect –
The circuit operates at dc, Ohm’s law applies.
correct –
The circuit operates at dc; Ohm’s law applies.
or –
The circuit operates at dc, and Ohm’s law applies.

6. Common Mistakes Cont Fused Sentences
Two sentences joined without punctuation
incorrect –
The workstation was not designed ergonomically it leaves much to be desired.
correct –
The workstation was not designed ergonomically. It leaves much to be desired.

7. Common Mistakes Cont Misplaced Modifiers
Keep modifiers close to words they modify
incorrect –
Ignorance of science is a phenomenon in society that must be destroyed.
correct –
Ignorance of science is a phenomenon that must be destroyed in society.

8. Common Mistakes Cont Misplaced Modifiers Another example incorrect –
The devices consists of a screw that is inside a barrel that is driven by an electric motor drive.
correct –
The devices consists of a barrel with a screw inside it that is driven by an electric motor drive.

9. Common Mistakes Cont Parallel Structure
Use similar terms for similar ideas
Incorrect –
Microscopic mechanical systems (MEMS) can respond to a variety of inputs, including light, heat, and vibrating objects that cause stimulations.
Correct –
Microscopic mechanical systems (MEMS) can respond to a variety of inputs, including light, heat, vibrations.

10. Common Mistakes Cont Parallel Structure Another example Incorrect –
The extruder is controlled by an Opto 22 control system, which controls temperature in the three heat zones, the die, and motor speed.
Correct –
The extruder is controlled by an Opto 22 control system, which controls the temperature of the three heat zones, the temperature of the die, and speed of the motor.

11. Common Mistakes Cont Verb Agreement
Verbs must agree with their subjects
incorrect –
The implant, along with its associated circuits, were inserted in to the patient’s chest cavity.
correct –
The implant, along with its associated circuits, was inserted in to the patient’s chest cavity.

12. Common Mistakes Cont Pronoun Agreement
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents
incorrect –
Everyone in the lab must replace their radiation badges.
correct –
singular: Everyone in the lab must replace his or her radiation badges.
plural: All people in the lab must replace their radiation badges.

13. Common Mistakes Cont Active and Passive Voice active –
The study revealed that three underground storage tanks had leaked unleaded gasoline into the soil.
passive –
The fact that three underground storage tanks had been leaking unleaded gasoline into the soil was revealed in the study.

14. Common Mistakes Cont Tense Mixed Tenses
Use Present Tense for Theory and Known Facts
Use Past Tense for Describing Procedures
Mixed Tenses
Never Use Both Tenses in the Same Sentence

15. Common Mistakes Cont Wordiness Be Brief and Concise Wordy Concise
owing to the fact that
on the order of
at the present time
a very limited number of
because (since)
about
now
few

16. Commonly Misused Words
Affect, verb, to influence Heat affects the surface.
Effect, verb, to bring about A radical change was effected.
Effect, noun, The Coriolis effect will be studied.
Comprise, verb, contains or includes The text comprises all three modes of transfer.
Compose, verb, made up of, constituted of The mixture is composed of sand and gravel.

17. Hyphenation
When two or more words modify another word, and the words work as a unit, the hyphen must be used.
Acetic-acid water system bubble-cap tray liquid-gas interface a 20-percent increase a two- or three-year study
But do not hyphenate most prefixes added to common nouns.
precooled not pre-cooled nonpolar not non-polar Exceptions: co-worker not coworker co-ion not coion

18. Units of Measure
Spell out the unit of measure when no quantity is given several milligrams not: several mg
Do not use plurals for abbreviated units of measure 50 mg not: 50 mgs
In ranges and series, retain only the first unit of measure mg, between 25 and 50 mL
When a sentence starts with a specific quantity, spell it out as well as the unit of measure Twenty-five milliliters of acetone was added.
Use the percent symbol with a number, without a space 25% %

19. Capitalization
Numbered items should be capitalized when referred to in the text of the report. Write the numbers as figures. …as shown in Figure 1. See Table 2 … as given in Equation (3).
But for non-numbered items, do not capitalize …as shown in the figures.
Capitalize only the name of the eponym but not the noun Avogadro’s number Lewis acid Non-Newtonian liquid

20. Placement and Punctuation
Man without woman is nothing.

21. Placement and Punctuation Cont
Man without woman is nothing.
Woman without man is nothing.

22. Placement and Punctuation Cont
Man without woman is nothing.
Woman without man is nothing.
Woman, without her man, is nothing.

23. Placement and Punctuation Cont
Man without woman is nothing.
Woman without man is nothing.
Woman, without her man, is nothing.
Woman; without her, man is nothing.

24. Placement and Punctuation Cont
Man without woman is nothing.
Woman without man is nothing.
Woman, without her man, is nothing.
Woman; without her, man is nothing.
Nothing is, without man and woman.

25. Tools/ References Laboratory Writing Manual by W. M. Learned
Writing for Technicians by Marva T. Barnett
The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E. B. White
Writing Style and Standards in Undergraduate Reports by Sheldon Jeter and Jeffrey Donnell
A Short Guide to Technical Writing on class website

26. Proof, proof, proof!
A dictionary, word processor with grammar check should now include scientific words and terms
Proofread your report; Read it out loud and have someone else read it

27. Use References Avoid Common Mistakes
Keep Sentences and Paragraphs Simple
Choose Your Words Carefully
Keep Your Grammar and Style
Clear
Concise
Coherent