1. In the name of Allah

2. Scientific & Technical Presentation
Leila Sharif
Sharif University of Technology

3. Course Syllabus

4. Course Syllabus Lecture: Mondays, 13:00-15:00, room Mot.. Website:
Check this site often for important announcements.
Course Description:
provides an introduction to scientific & technical presentation.

5. Course Syllabus Topics include:
Guidelines on good technical writing, elimination sporadic noise in writing, writing common technical documents, writing a technical report documents (with emphasis on content & style of the title, table of contents, executive summary, graphics, tables, & documentations), accessing technical information, engineering a presentation, & writing to get an engineering job .
Prerequisites:
Computer Engineering English (40-211).
Text Book:
Scientific & Technical Presentation, by S.M.T. Rouhani Ranlouhi, 2nd edition, Jelveh Publisher, 1380.
(Additional topics will be included.)

6. Course Syllabus Reference Books:
A Guide to Writing as an Engineer, by D. Beer & D. McMurrey, John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1997.
The Student Skills Guide, by S. Drew and R. Bingham, Sampad Publisher, 1997.
The Craft of Scientific Writing, by Michael Alley, 3rd edition, Springle-Verlag, 1996.
From Research to Printout: Creating Effective Technical Documents, by J.H. White, ASME Press, 1997.
Writing is the Technical Fields: A Step-by-Step Guide for Engineers, Scientists, and Technicians, by M.H. Markel, IEEE Press, 1994.
Dictionary of Problem Words and Expresions, by H. Shaw, McGraw-Hill, 1987.
Handbook of Technical Writing, by C.T. Brusaw, G.J. Alred, & W.E. Oliu, 6th edition, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 117.
The non-desiner’s Design Book, by R. Williams, Peachpit Press, Berkley, CA, 1994.

7. Course Syllabus Exams (Individual): There will be a final term exam.
Course Projects (In Groups):
There will be some course projects.
Student groups are supposed to present the assigned subjects & prepare some technical reports. 
All groups should also use other references, specially [1, 2], to enrich the content of their presentations.
Presented materials (projects, reports, …) should be different from the thesis, other course projects, & also other students’ presentations/publications.

8. Grading Policy Final exam (hold at: 1384.11.2, 14:30)
Oral presentation (2nd pres. topic assignment due: )
Final 4-page 2-column paper: 4 pts. (in English, submission due: )
This paper should be prepared using IEEE style of LaTeX.
Professional organization memo (Persian & English)
Project proposal
Project report
Technical manual
Class activity (quiz, discipline, participating in class and discussions)

9. Course Syllabus Absence:
A substantial portion of this class revolves around in-class collaborative work. As emergencies do arise, you will be allowed one unexcused absence, but you will still be responsible for getting in contact with your peer group and/or completing the work for that day. Each absence after that can bring your grade down 0.25 level.
Completing Work:
In order to receive a passing grade in this course, you must complete all of the work assigned during the semester. Late work will not be accepted.

10. Course Syllabus Presentation Topics: First Presentation
Second Presentation

11. Introduction to Scientific & Technical Presentation

12. The Craft of Scientific Writing
Acknowledgement
Some of the slides used in this course have been provided by Michael Alley (Virginia Tech), based on the book:
The Craft of Scientific Writing
3rd edition (New York: Springer-Verlag, 1996), 282 pages.

13. Books by Michael Alley
Alley, Michael, The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd edition (New York: Springer-Verlag, 1996), 282 pages.
Alley, Michael, The Craft of Scientific Presentations, (New York: Springer-Verlag, November 2002), 240 pages.
Writing Guidelines for Engineering and Science Students, ed. by M. Alley, L. Crowley, J. Donnell, and C. Moore (Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech, 2002).
Writing Exercises for Engineers and Scientists, ed. by M. Alley, L. Crowley, J. Donnell, and C. Moore (Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech, 2002).

14. Scientific Writing: An Introduction Writing Guidelines for Students
The Craft of Scientific Writing
3rd edition (Springer-Verlag, 1996)

15. Importance of Scientific Writing
This presentation discusses the importance of scientific writing and introduces key principles
Importance of Scientific Writing
Key Principles
audience
purpose
occasion
[Report, 1986]

16. How well you communicate affects your career
Survey (Richard M. Davis)
Successful engineers spent 25% of work week writing
Survey (Wisconsin)
Professional engineers found writing their most useful subject in college
Survey (Virginia Tech)
Recruiters claim that engineers need more work on their writing

17. How well you communicate affects the well-being of others
Space Shuttle Challenger
(January 28, 1986)
Explosion was caused by failure of O-rings in the solid rocket boosters
Engineers knew of O-ring problems well before fatal launch
Engineers failed to communicate seriousness of problem
[Report, 1986]

18. Scientists and engineers are called upon to communicate in many different situations
Conferences
Lectures
Meetings
Posters
Reports
Articles
Proposals
Web Pages
specific
technical
audiences
non-technical
general

19. Importance of Scientific Writing
This presentation discusses the importance of scientific writing and introduces key principles
Importance of Scientific Writing
Key Principles
audience
purpose
occasion
[Report, 1986]

20. Scientific writing differs from other kinds of writing
Subject Matter
Writing Constraints
audience
purpose
occasion
[Franklin,
1952]
Purpose of Writing
To inform
To persuade
Writing Style
[Peterson, 1987]

21. You should begin the writing process by analyzing your constraints
Who they are
What they know
Why they will read
How they will read
Audience
Format
Formality
Politics and ethics
Process and deadline
Occasion
To inform
To persuade
Purpose

22. Three aspects of writing affect the way that readers assess your documents
Content
Style
Form

23. Style is the way you communicate the content to the audience
Illustration
[Peterson, 1987]
Structure
wordswordswords
words
wordswords
wordswordswordswords
Language
style

24. Form embodies the format and mechanics of the writing
typography
layout
mechanics
grammar
usage
punctuation
spelling

25. Writing the First Draft Revising, Revising, Revising
We can split the writing process into stages
Getting in the Mood
Writing the First Draft
Revising, Revising, Revising
Finishing

26. An excellent way to improve your writing is to choose good models
Linus Pauling
Cal-Tech
AIP
Maria Goeppert Mayer