1. Assignment Clarification

2. CE 399 Assignment Clarification Three Major Assignments Small Group Presentations Presentations in recitation 10/18 & 10/25 Individual Project Memo on topic due Lecture 10/6 Final Project due in recitation 11/8 Town Hall Presentations Assignments/groups given in recitation 10/4 Presentations in Lecture 11/10, 11/17, 12/1

3. Small Group Presentations Presentations in recitations week of 10/18 and 10/25 Groups assigned 15 minute presentation Existing project – report back format Topics must be approved by TODAY

4. Individual Projects Memo on Individual Projects due 10/6 Final Project due recitations week of 11/8 Proposal – NEW IDEA FOR PROJECT Memo – 1 page with 3 references to be used Final Project – 15 pages plus citation page

5. Town Hall Presentations Assignment will be distributed in recitation next week Presentations in lecture 11/10, 11/17, 12/1 Group format - teams assigned Present to town hall board

6. Technical Writing Skills September 29, 2011

7. Overview Writing at work vs. Writing at School Qualities of Good Technical Writing Writing Process Elements of Writing

8. Writing at Work vs. Writing at School - 8 Basic Differences Achieves job goals Addresses a variety of readers Addresses reader with different perspectives Creates excessive paperwork and email

9. 8 Basic differences of writing at work vs. writing at school May be read by unknown readers Has an indefinite life span Creates legal liability to writer and organization Uses a variety of written documents

10. Foundations of Effective Technical Writing 1. Know your reader 2. Know your objective 3. Be simple, direct, and concise 4. Know the context in which your communication will be received and used

11. Writing and Communicating at Work Writing skills of importance to workers: 1. Clarity 2. Conciseness 3. Organization 4. Correctness – use of standard English

12. Qualities of Good Technical Writing Makes good impression Can be read selectively Rational plan Reads coherently and cumulatively Anticipates readers questions Discloses purpose & scope early Written clearly without jargon

13. Qualities of Good Technical Writing Makes positive statement about writer & organization Free of typographical and grammatical errors and misspelled words Uses table & graphs appropriately Has summary or conclusions when needed Conveys authority, thoroughness, soundness, and honest work

14. The Writing Process Analyze the writing situation Choose content Draft and revise Revision 1. Logic 2. Completeness 3. Style 4. Visuals

15. The Writing Process Document Design Arrange content Edit 1. perform mechanics 2. cite sources 3. edit for integrity (whole document)

16. The Writing Process in the Workplace Juggling multiple documents and projects at once Composing process in different phases for each project Understanding the composing process helps the writing process Break between writing and editing allows a “fresh” perspective

17. Reports – Abstracts & Summaries Informative Abstract Identify topics and briefly summarize (a miniature version of report) Include the following as necessary: Research objectives Research methods Findings of the report Principle results and conclusions Recommendations (if made)

18. Abstracts & Summaries Informative Abstract Serve as a substitute for the report Use/list keywords if appropriate Range from 50-500 words, depending on the length of the report and/or the requirements of the organization disseminating the report

19. Abstracts & Summaries Descriptive Abstract Identify the topics of the report, but don’t discuss what the report says (basically the table of contents version) Include the purpose and the major topics Don’t include results, conclusions, or recommendations

20. Abstracts & Summaries Descriptive Abstracts Doesn’t serve as a substitute for the report Use/list keywords if appropriate Typically be fewer than 100 words

21. Summary (Executive Summary) When planning the summary, consider the following: Subject and purpose of the project Research approach used Topics covered Essential background Results Conclusions Cost Anticipated implementation problems

22. Executive Summary The summary should Target decision makers or readers who do not have time to read the full report Target a non-technical audience, if necessary Provide a more in-depth discussion of the report than the abstract

23. Executive Summary The summary should Be longer than an abstract, usually 1- 1 ½ pages in length Executive Summaries are Single-spaced, the report is usually double spaced Focus on conclusions, recommendations and financial implications of the report

24. The Report - Introduction Anticipate your readers as you plan Include the report’s subject, purpose, and plan of development If readers expect the report, you may use a short introduction If the report will be archived, provide a longer, more informative introduction

25. The Introduction If your introduction is long, consider the following sections: Subject Purpose Scope* Background Plan of development * Some reports place the background and scope in separate sections that follow the introduction

26. The Body - Presenting Discussion Discussion should be planned around each topic mentioned in the plan of development Each paragraph should begin with topic sentence, followed by supporting sentences, data, and visuals

27. Conclusion Reports end with a statement of the primary issues covered in the discussion A factual summary gives essential facts presented without interpretation The place for factual interpretation is in the executive summary The longer the report, the more useful a summary will be

28. Recommendations Recommendations, if required, emerge from conclusions Many reports end with conclusions and offer no recommendations The type of ending depends on the type of report

29. Types of Reports - Analytical Reports Focus on problem analysis From the analysis, writer may evaluate information, draw conclusions, and perhaps recommend action More complex structure than information reports (particularly the introduction)

30. Analytical reports - Introduction Parts included in introduction: Purpose of the report Reason the report was written History of the issue analyzed and rationale for the analysis Scope of the report – what issues will and will not be covered Procedure for investigating (analyzing) the topic of the report Introduction should orient the reader to the problem and approach used for solution and recommendation

31. Types of Reports - Recommendation Analyze a problem Present possible solutions Analyze each solution as it relates to the problem Recommend the one you think is best

32. Recommendation Reports In organizations – recommendation reports document strategy used to investigate and then report solution(s) to problems If reader wants the recommendation, then place that first If reader wants recommendations based on analysis –how recommendations are supported – then place the recommendation at the end of report

33. Types of Reports - Feasibility Study Usually the longest and most complex Assists readers to determine whether an organization should take a certain action Writers may consider several solutions to a problem Examine each one Determine best solution based on specific criteria

34. Feasibility Study/Report Writers should first establish the purpose and scope of the report and the problem to be solved Sometimes investigators don’t develop the report outline until a feasibility report has been commissioned providing additional information to use to decide how to approach the actual study

35. Feasibility Study/Report Central focus – whether to do or not to do something, or to determine which option is best choice Similar to recommendation report but usually produces recommendations on a variety of issues Status of recommendations will provide answer to question: is X feasible or not?

36. Sections of report Executive Summary 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

37. Planning Instructions and Procedures Understanding your readers is most important Should be easily read, easily understood, and correctly followed If readers confused or misled, they might sue the company for financial damage or injury

38. Writing Collaboratively Must manage varying tone and style of authors Inevitably workload is unevenly distributed Likely need to manage differing viewpoints Can sometimes take more time than writing by yourself Advantages Disadvantages Potential to bring together multiple perspectives Opportunity to benefit from multiple areas of deep expertise Involvement of multiple parties can proof-test logic Larger team involvement can help convey commitment to issues under discussion Enables near continuous progress through division of labor Helps writers overcome “writer’s block” Source: Adapted from lecture notes – WRT333, University of Rhode Island; http://www.uri.edu/artsci/com/Logan/teaching/html/wrt333/notes/notes_10_collaboration.htm

39. Facilitating collaborative writing Clearly define the desired end product Designate a project lead Set deadlines for interim products that allow time for editing and iteration Seek consistency in style and tone across report Communicate frequently and raise and resolve all issues of disagreement early Document and disseminate key decisions Create one master document and delegate ownership of that document to one person at a time Proactively manage the ethics across the group Sinfield, J. (2011). Written Communication Class, CE 399