1. Dublin Institute of Technology
Crafting a research paper or report
Technical writing
Tips of the masters By
Ronan Fitzpatrick
School of Computing
Dublin Institute of Technology
November 2003

2. References for this presentation
DT266 – Final year diploma project guide - DIT
Final year degree project guide – DIT
Crafting a research paper by Fitzpatrick and O’Donnell
Report Writing Handout by Jane Ferris’
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

3. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Structure
Cover page and project title
Page margins
Line spacing - 1½
Font size – 12-point, 14-point, 16-point
Section headings/Section numbering
Page header - Chapter title
Page footer - Page number, page 1 starts Chapter 1
Justified text.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

4. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Structure
Abstract, Acknowledgements, List of figures, Table of contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction to project
Chapter 2 - Research chapter(s)
Chapter 3 -
Chapter 4 -
Chapter 5 -
Chapter Z - Conclusion
Glossary of terms
References or Bibliography
Appendix
Project code.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

5. First thing to be read, last thing to be written.
Abstract
This is an overview of the project, which is intended to convince others that the content is significant. It sells your work, so, weave the keywords of your text into a summary of about 200 words.
First thing to be read, last thing to be written.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

6. Chapter 1- Introduction to project
What the project is about?
Why are you doing it?
Who are you doing the project for?
What value will it have for them?
What is the challenge (problem) of the project?
How will your solution differ from existing solutions?
Who else will the project be of interest to?
How do you plan to do it?
What do you hope to deliver at the end of the project?
What will the timescale be?
What will you gain as a result of doing this project?
It might not be necessary or appropriate to address all of these but the more you understand these issues the better the chance of your project being successful.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

7. Chapter 1- Introduction to project
Any experimental or prototype work you have done to date
What you need to learn in order to complete your project
Details of any special hardware or software you need to complete the project
Any technical feasibility, financial feasibility or temporal feasibility issues
State what your project will NOT do
Include the titles of your remaining chapters.
This will become Chapter 1 of your manual or report so, format it as per the "Crafting a research paper" guidelines. You'll probably discover that this chapter runs to about pages.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

8. Chapters – development project
Research chapter(s) about your core topic
Chapter explaining what methodology you will use and why.
Chapter titles should reflect methodology life cycle phases for your project
Structured system, soft system, object oriented
Include lots of appropriate graphical representations
Reflect technical manual and user manual
And, don’t forget testing and evaluation.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

9. Chapters – research project
Research chapters
Chapter with your contribution to the body of knowledge – your deliverable(s)
Evaluation of your deliverable.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

10. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Chapter structure
Overview paragraph (un-numbered)
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Body of Chapter
5.2.1 Definitions
5.2.2
5.2.3
5.x Conclusion.
Overview paragraph
Aim of chapter, why you are writing it, who you are writing it for, how you did the research and any special research specific to this chapter, deliverables
Indicate how the chapter is structured, i.e., Section 5.1 introduces … Section 5.2 explains and so on.
Introduction
Some paragraphs which introduce the topics of your chapter.
Body of Chapter
Definitions
Report your research – literature, interview, questionnaire or what ever approach you’re taking
Detail what you have discovered – remember those citations
Critique what you have discovered
Chapter Conclusion
Summarise what you have written AND note any conclusions that you can draw from your research.
If appropriate, explain what’s next.
Always start a chapter on a new page.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

11. Three pronged strategy
Research
Code
Report
Research
Methods
Literature search, Interview, Questionnaire, Career experience, Observation.
Sources
Libraries, CD-ROM, inter-library loan, Internet
Academic journals, Conference papers, White papers, International standards, Legislation, EU Directives, Textbooks, Technical press.
Report
Identify the core issues
Organisational, Technological, Human Resources, Financial, Legal
Discard non-core research
Use W6H for explaining
What, who, when, where, why, how and which
Always establish what first and then include the remainder if appropriate
Critique
Identify fors/againsts, advantages/disadvantages, problems/challenges and if appropriate critique them negatively and positively.
References – Without references your project is not research. It is probably closer to journalism or simply your own opinion. Cite references in the text as (Bloggs, 1997) and in the Bibliography give the full reference i.e., Surname, Initial, (year in brackets) Title, Publisher, City, Country, Vol (Issue), Page Nos
Language – Write using best English vocabulary, grammar, syntax and semantics in properly structured paragraphs. Avoid slang and colloquialisms. Remember to write text at a level appropriate to your readers.
Style - Use a consistent style for page headers, footers, headings at level 1, level 2 and level 3, bulleted and numbered lists.
Illustrations – Figures and Tables are essential aids for your readers so, us a consistent format for presenting them
Border, reference number, caption, different font, bold titles
Refer to them in the text
Explain then to your readers.
Code
Presentation
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

12. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Chapter Z - Conclusion
Two aspects
Summary of what the research has achieved
Objectives, deliverables, your creation
Deductions that can be made from the research
Findings, critique
Future research
What you haven’t been able to address in the time allowed but where future students might continue from here.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

13. Citation and Reference
Plagiarism
Emphasises research and not opinion
Research implies repeatable, so, source can be found by others
Make a statement, cite a source
Based on Harvard style
References or bibliography.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

14. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
SAP
Scholarly - Learned and academic, evidence of educated research, instructive and clearly explained (W6H), formal in language
Authoritative - Honest, accurate and true, respected, convincing
Professional – proficient, practiced, consistent, oozing quality.
Check out MSWord thesaurus for all three
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

15. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Authoritative writing style Do
Write in the passive voice (e.g., the research was completed)
Write gender-free text (use the plural)
Include examples in order to clarify topics for your readers
Be consistent with bulleted lists, numbered lists, figure and table captions
Be consistent with the spelling of new technical words
For example, end-user, eCommerce, Internet
Keep your sentences to under twenty-two words
Proof-read your work for tryping errurs
Re-read your work for structure, meaning and clarity.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

16. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Authoritative writing style
Don’t
Don’t use words like, etc., one or one’s, basically, essentially
Don’t write “this chapter will attempt to…” (Write “this chapter will”)
Don’t write “As already stated...” (Write “in Section X.Y it was explained”)
Don’t confuse it’s with its, or there, they’re, their
Don’t rely only on a spellchecker
Don’t include clipart unless it is significant to your report.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

17. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Professional
References – Without references your project is not research. It is probably closer to journalism or simply your own opinion. Cite references in the text as (Bloggs, 1997) and in the Bibliography give the full reference i.e., Surname, Initial, (year in brackets) Title, Publisher, City, Country, Vol (Issue), Page Nos.
Language – Write using best English vocabulary, grammar, syntax and semantics in properly structured paragraphs. Avoid slang and colloquialisms. Remember to write text at a level appropriate to your readers.
Colloquialisms
Use of local meanings for various words (e.g., the word fine, struggling)
Slang expressions
“Grammars are neutral as opposed to colloquialisms. This implies that the brand is respectable and educated”. See Bryan Duggan’s MSc dissertation.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

18. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Professional
Style - Use a consistent style for page formatting, page headers, footers, headings at level 1, level 2 and level 3, bulleted and numbered lists.
Illustrations – Figures and Tables are essential aids for your readers so, us a consistent format for presenting them
Border, reference number, caption, different font, bold titles
Refer to them in the text
Explain then to your readers.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

19. Some more Do’s and Don’ts
Do lots of referencing
Avoid use of personal pronouns I, you
Avoid use of dialogue as per a TV program,
“Welcome to this report”
"In a few moments I will explain"
Do some self critique
Indicate how the research can be improved.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

20. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Some more Do’s
Report project interviews
State interviewee’s name, date, place
List the questions and answers
Project code listing
Include clear, easily maintained code listing
not just an entire dump of all code at the end
Provide a list of files at the beginning.
Look at past manuals in the library.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

21. Some more Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t waffle PLEASE!! Be concise and to the point. Only include relevant information.
Use appendices for extra information that will be useful to the reader but has no direct impact on the project (but don't overdo it either).
Get a number of people to proof read you manual. When it’s your work and you proof-read it yourself, you only see what you THINK you wrote.
Structure, structure, structure. The manual should 'flow‘.
Don't have gaps of whitespace.
No smart or joking comments. This is an academic thesis.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

22. Some more Do’s and Don’ts
Readers should be able to get a clear idea of what your project is about by comparing the Abstract and Conclusion
As you are writing, have one word in the back of your head; 'Why'. Why did you choose one thing over another, why do you have to write what you're writing, why is this bit of information important for my reader.
Don't overuse the person 'I did this and then I did that and I think because I found....'. Use a mixture of passive but also first person
Do read research papers (which you should be doing anyway) to get a feel of what your writing should 'sound' like.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick

23. Most important Do and Don’t
Do yourself justice and Don’t boast.
Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick