CAES1507 Professional and Technical Written Communication Session Seven Writing Materials, Specifications, & Construction Procedure

Spot the Similarities and Differences Compare the instruction / installation manuals of computer products with the Construction Procedure sections in your course booklet (p ). Can you identify the similarities and differences? Use numbering No mention of animate subjects (like you, we, etc.) Instruction Manual - Active voice is used Instruction Manual - Action verbs to begin a sentence Instruction Manual - Without reference to diagrams

Construction Procedure The procedure section tells the reader each important step you took during the process of constructing and testing your prototype toy. This section is NOT a set of instructions to tell the reader how they should do it. Rather, it is to tell the reader how it WAS done. If the reader chooses to try repeat what you did, then he or she should be able to do so by following the steps you report.

Construction Procedure – Language Points Past Tense should be used (except for “Figure 1 shows….”) Passive voice should be used (to avoid the mention of we, he, etc.) Orientation Dimensions MUST be mentioned Quantities MUST be mentioned Materials needed should be mentioned Functions of a specific part may be mentioned Language of sequence – first, second, then, finally

Construction Procedure The design of the system is divided into three parts and then assembled into one integrated system. 1. The Cardboard was cut and pasted together to form an open- ended box with the dimensions of 30cm x 20cm x 20cm as shown in Figure 8. Introduction (signposting) Number the step Past tense Passive voice Dimensions included Referring to figure

Construction Procedure 2. Wooden sticks were cut to 10cm x 1cm and made into two rectangular tracks. They were then installed on the inner wall of the two sides of the box on the horizontal level. Number the step Past tense Passive voice Dimensions Quantity Orientation

Construction Procedure 3. Above the track on the left, a little box made of cardboard (8cm x 5cm x 3cm) was adhered on the wall with tape. The bottom side of the little box was an inclined plane and the wall of the base, next to the little box was cut to make a hole so that a marble could roll down to the outside. Figure 9 illustrates the structure of the box. Number the step Orientation Dimension Material Function Refer to diagram So that + Purpose So + Effect

Critique Exercise I Read through the section a) on The Base. Underline any section where it is not clear to you EXACTLY what the team did. Identify what is missing to make the information unclear.

Critique Exercise II The section of the report on b) The Side Track, has been altered to include a number of errors. Identity these errors and correct them. They may be errors of verb tense, person or content.

Critique Exercise III The section of the report on c) The Light Box is written in point form. Rewrite this section as a paragraph using sequence words and other strategies to indicate the order of the steps taken.

Critique Exercise IV Underline the verbs in section d), How the Mousetrap Works. What is the verb tense used? Why?

Homework Write the Materials and Specifications (0%) and Design + Construction Procedure (10%) sections in group outside class. Hand in the hardcopy to the class teacher in the next lesson. Secretaries of the third meeting need to hand in the minutes (in hard copy) in the next lesson. Make copies of your minutes for your group members. Plan for the demonstration in the next session Time allowed for demonstration: 6 minutes Q&A: 2 minutes Need to cover Rationale for the prototype toy Materials used How the prototype works