Technical Writing
Faculty Of Engineering
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Lectures Page:
Lecture 1: Introduction……….. 2
Lecture 2: Successful Writing ……….……….. 6
Lecture 3: Mechanics……….. 8
Lecture 4: Abstract Writing ……….…..……….………. 13
Lecture 5: Laboratory Report……….……….. 18
Lecture 6: Proposals………..……….……… 22
Lecture 7: Resume………..………...……….……… 28
Lecture 8: Memorandums……….………..………. 34
Lecture 9: Writing Letters …………..……….……….……… 41
Lecture 10: Formal Report…….……….. 50
Lecture 11: Job Interview………...……….………. 61
Lecture 12: Oral Presentation….………...……….………. 66
Lecture 13: Progress Report……….………..……….……….. 73
Lecture 14: Research & Internet………...……….………. 76
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Lecture 1
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These slides, which are used in graduate and undergraduate engineering courses at Virginia Tech, come from Chapters 1, 16, and 17 in The Craft of Scientific Writing (3rd ed., Springer-Verlag). If you would like a 60-day evaluation copy of The Craft of Scientific Writing, please go to the following web page:
http://www.springer.de/textbooks/textbook_inspect.html
This first slide is a title slide for an introductory lecture about writing in engineering and science. The purpose of this presentation is two-fold: (1) to inspire students to invest time into learning how to write and speak well, and (2) to show students where to begin the process of writing a scientific or engineering document.
With this title slide, you have the opportunity to give your own testimony as to the importance of writing in engineering and science. This slide is also an opportunity for you to mention two references (the shown web site and textbook) that students have for improving their writing. Note that these slides use the term “scientific writing” to encompass the writing done by engineers and scientists and the term “scientific documents” to encompass the documents written by engineers and scientists. If you prefer the more general term “technical,” you can use the Replace command to replace “scientific” with “technical” throughout. Likewise, if you desire a term more specific than “scientific,” you can use the same command to insert your preferred term (“engineering” or “biological” would be two examples). Note that all future references to chapters and pages are for The Craft of Scientific Writing (3rd edition).
Mapping slide for this introductory presentation on scientific writing. This presentation has two divisions: (1) a discussion of the importance of scientific writing, and (2) a discussion of key principles. These principles include analyzing the situation, distinguishing between style and form, and making the process efficient.
Reference for picture: Report to the President on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, vol. 1 (Washington, D.C.: Presidential Commission, 6 June 1986), p. 33.
With this background slide, I try to convince students of the importance of scientific writing. This slide presents three surveys that show different points about the importance of writing for engineers. The first survey was performed by Richard M. Davis of the Air Force who surveyed 245 distinguished engineers. This survey not only found the result presented on this slide (25% of work week spent on writing), but also found that those surveyed attributed their success in part to their ability to communicate. Source: Richard M. Davis, Technical Writing: Its Importance in the Engineering Profession and Its Place in the Engineering Curriculum, AFIT TR 75-5 (Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Wright-(Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 1975).
The second survey was performed by Dean John Bollinger from the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin who contacted 9000 engineers who had graduated. The slide shows an important result of that survey (that the engineers found writing to be their most useful subject). Interestingly, the second most useful skill cited was the ability to speak. Source: Dean John G. Bollinger, “Alumni Survey Results,” Perspective (Madison: College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Summer 1994), p. 2.
The third survey was performed by the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. Here, recruiters to Virginia Tech were polled. The purpose of the survey was to determine what skills that engineering graduates needed most improvement upon. Source: Virginia Tech, College of Engineering, “Summary Report of Employer Focus Group” (October 2000).
With this background slide, I try to convince students of the importance of scientific writing. The photograph shows the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Engineers were deeply
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concerned about the O-ring design on the booster rocket before the launch, but were unable to convince managers at NASA of that concern. Richard Feynman’s paper from Physics Today (February 1988) gives a good account of this case study.
In teaching scientific writing to engineers and scientists, convincing them about the importance of scientific writing is probably the single most important argument that you will make. My experience has been that professional engineers and scientists recognize the importance, while students do not. For that reason, with students, I spend more time on this argument. Source: Richard P. Feynman, “An Outsider’s Inside View of the Challenger Inquiry,” Physics Today (February 1988), pp. 26-37.
Reference for picture: Report to the President on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, vol. 1 (Washington, D.C.: Presidential Commission, 6 June 1986), p. 33.
This slide makes the point that engineers and scientists have to communicate in many different situations. Not only are they called upon to write different types of documents and speak in different occasions, but they also face several different audiences. Given this variety, coming up with a set of rules to handle every situation is difficult, not impossible. Engineers and scientists therefore have to learn to analyze each situation and decide upon the best way to communicate in that situation. This news is hard for many engineering and science students to accept. Repeat of mapping slide for this presentation on scientific writing. This slide introduces the second part of the presentation: a discussion of key principles. These principles include
analyzing the situation, distinguishing between style and form, and making the process efficient. Reference for picture: Report to the President on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, vol. 1 (Washington, D.C.: Presidential Commission, 6 June 1986), p. 33.
With this slide, I try to impress upon the students the differences between scientific writing and other types of writing that they have studied. While the students will draw upon many of the things that they have learned in other writing courses, students have to be critical thinkers as far as taking advice that may pertain to literary writing or journalism and applying it to scientific writing. For instance, in scientific writing, the most important goal of language is precision--a goal that poets sometimes subordinate for the sake of rhythm. (Chapter 1)
By the way, the photograph in the upper left is from Rosalind Franklin’s x-ray work that greatly influenced the discovery of the structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick. The story is an interesting one from both a communications perspective and an ethical perspective. Watson has documented it in The Double Helix, but take a look at the Norton critical edition, which presents other viewpoints, including the one that Rosalind Franklin deserved considerably more credit than Watson or Crick gave to her in their original article.
Reference for parachute photo: Peterson, C.W., and D.W. Johnson, Advanced Parachute Design, SAND86-8006 (Albuquerque: Sandia National Laboratories, 1986).
This slide is perhaps the most important slide of the set because it shows what constraints students are under as they begin writing a scientific document. In other words, this slide tells students where they should begin the writing process (an assumption here is that the students understand the content of their document and now must communicate that content). The constraints of audience, purpose, and occasion are discussed in Chapter 1.
The aspect of format is also discussed in Chapter 16 and in the “Writing Guidelines for Engineering and Science Students.” The aspect of process refers to how the student actually puts words onto paper. Will the student write as an individual or part of a group? Does the
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student have a fixed deadline? Chapter 17 discusses this aspect in more detail. Formality refers to the expectations that the audience has as far as mechanics, which is also discussed in Chapter 1, Appendix A, and Appendix B. Interactive exercises for mechanics can be found in the “Writing Exercises for Engineers and Scientists.”
On this slide, you should make it clear to the students that no simple recipes exist for the challenging documents that they will have to write. Students should assess the audience, format, formality, and other constraints of the situation before committing words to paper. The slides that follow elaborate on each of the constraints.
One problem that many students have is that they don’t have a sense of hierarchy about aspects of writing. These students might equate a small aspect of form such as using a contraction with a serious mistake in content such as leaving out important information, or style, such as not emphasizing the most important result. With this slide, I try to distinguish these three terms. While there certainly is overlap among these terms, their definitions are distinct. Content is the message given, style is the way that message is presented (structure, language, and illustration), and form is the appearance of the message (grammar, punctuation, usage, spelling, and format). (Chapter 1)
If the constraints are what the engineer or scientist does not control in the writing process, then style is what the engineer or scientist does control. Style comprises three perspectives:
structure, language, and illustration (all three are defined in Chapter 1). Students should note that unlike most terms in engineering and science, most terms in writing do not have universal definitions. For that reason, you and your students should agree upon a few definitions so that your discussions about writing make sense. So often, I have seen discussions about writing become unproductive because people invoke terms that others either do not understand or have different definitions for. Terms often used in discussions of writing, but not often understood by students, are format, style, structure, language, illustration, tone, active voice, passive voice, past tense, and the major parts of speech. These are defined in the textbook’s glossary.
Reference for parachute photo: Peterson, C.W., and D.W. Johnson, Advanced Parachute Design, SAND86-8006 (Albuquerque: Sandia National Laboratories, 1986).
Information about the format of scientific writing can be found on pages 6-7 and in Chapter 16. Information about the mechanics of scientific writing can be found in Appendices A and B (and in The Craft of Editing (Springer-Verlag, 2000). Both of these subjects are discussed in separate presentations.
Discussion of making the process of writing more efficient to perform can be found in Chapter 17. When I first started teaching, I discussed the process of writing towards the end of the course. Recently, I have begun incorporating discussions of it throughout the course, particularly just before assignments are due.
Conclusion slide to this presentation. One of the best ways to improve one’s writing is to select strong models. Conversely, a reason that so many engineers and scientists write so poorly is that they select poor models. Two excellent models of scientific writing are Maria Goeppert Mayer, who won the Nobel prize in Physics for her work on the structure of the nucleus and Linus Pauling, who won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on covalent bonds. Both were excellent communicators of their work.
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Lecture 2
7 Five Steps to Successful writing:
1. Preparation 2. Research 3. Organization 4. Writing the draft 5. Revision
1. Preparation:
Ø Establishing your objective.
Simply determine what do you want your readers to know? Or be able to do when they have finished reading your report. Ø Identifying your reader.
What are your readers need in relation to your subject? What does your reader already know about your subject? Ø Determining the scope of your coverage.
The first two steps will help you to decide what to include and not to include in your writing.
2.Research:
To understand your subject do search in the library, internet, and interview 3.Organization:
To make topic understandable by the reader, follow the following steps: l Outline
l Illustration l Layout and design 4.Writing a Draft:
Expand your notes from outline to paragraph
Concentrate on converting outline into sentences and paragraphs 5.Revision:
l Structure l Grammar
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Lecture 3
Mechanics
9 Avoiding Common Errors of Grammar:
One of the most important skills a writer can have is the ability to compose clear, complete sentences. The sentence is the basic unit of communication in all forms of English.
Funk, McMahan, and Day Elements of Grammar
REQUIREMENT OF A WRITTEN SENTENCE: l A capital letter at the beginning
l A period, a question mark, or an exclamation point at the end l A subject, stated only once
l A complete verb phrase l Standard word order:
In English, the regular sequence is Subject + Verb + Object, with insertions possible at several points in the sequence
l An independent core idea that can stand alone ( main clause)
Combining Sentences: Example:
1. Dr. George was a successful engineer. 2. He won the prize.
The most important aspect of grammar is understanding what a sentence is:
Sentence: A sentence is group of words with a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought.
Fragment: A fragment being a group of words that either is missing a subject or a verb or does not express a complete thought.
Run-on: A run-on is two or more independent clauses that are not joined properly, for instance, a common mistake is to have a comma between the clauses.
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Which are sentences (S), fragments (F), or run-ons (RO)?
1. Rubidium has no major uses, however, it is more common in the earth than zinc, copper, or nickel. RO
2. Although carbon dioxide occurs naturally, man has dramatically increased its concentration this past century. S
3. Several systems can detect plastic explosives. For example, thermal neutron activation systems, nitrogen sniffer systems, and enhanced x-ray systems. S / F
Shown in Red are corrections to the errors from previous :
Although rubidium has no major uses, it is more common in the earth than zinc, copper, or nickel.
Although carbon dioxide occurs naturally, man has dramatically increased its concentration this past century.
Several systems can detect plastic explosives. Examples include thermal neutron activation systems, nitrogen sniffer systems, and enhanced x-ray systems.
Note that there are several ways to correct each of these errors:
Rubidium has no major uses; however, it is more common in the earth than zinc, copper, or nickel.
Rubidium has no major uses, but it is more common in the earth than zinc, copper, or nickel.
Rubidium has no major uses. This metal, however, is more common in the earth than zinc, copper, or nickel.
11 Avoiding Common Errors of Punctuation
Punctuation marks are the traffic signs and signals placed along the reader’s road. They tell him when to slow down and when to stop, and sometimes they warn him of the nature of the road ahead. Traffic engineers do not always agree on what signs should be used and where they should be placed, and neither do writers or editors.
Theodore M. Bernstein The Careful Writer
Use numerals when referring to measurements:
When to use numerals :
Specific measurements 3 volts, 2 seconds, 1 m/s
Percentages 15 percent
Monetary figures $3000
Large numerals 5 million
When to write out numbers :
Counting (one or two words) twenty-three gages Informal measurements two hours
12 Certain words are commonly misused
*We produced a small (amount, number) of autos this year, even (fewer, less) than last year. *A company’s success depends on (its / it's) employees.
*The new material is (composed / comprised) of plastic and iodine.
*It appears (as if, like) the Department of Energy will choose the third option. *Reduced weight was the (principal / principle) reason for choosing aluminum. *The talk centered (around / on) the (principal / principle) of virtual work. *(Regrettably / Regretfully), the launch was delayed because of thunderstorms. *You need not proceed any (farther / further) on your test.
*The serum had serious side (affects / effects).
*Whichever design you choose is (alright / all right) with me.
*(Irregardless / Regardless) of the shipping delay, the work will stop because of the strike. *Applying that set of constraints is a (most unique / unique / very unique) way to approach the problem.
*The serum had (alot / a lot) of side effects.
Combining Sentences
l Coordination and Subordination
l Subordinating conjunctions and dependent clauses l Avoiding fragments with subordinate clause l Clauses with although
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Lecture 4
14 Abstracts
Ø Abstract summarized and highlight the major points of a longer piece of writing. Ø Abstract are written for many formal reports, journal articles, and most dissertations. Abstract primary purpose
Ø To enable readers to decide whether to read the work in full.
Ø They enable researches to review a great deal of literature in a short time. Abstract for reports and articles
Ø Abstract must accurately but concisely describe the original work so that researchers in the field will not miss valuable information.
Ø Abstract should contain no information not discussed in the original. When are abstracts used?
l Ordinarily part of a research article in a journal
l For chapters in a book, especially if each chapter has a different author l Library reference tools, such as Biological Abstracts
l For presentations at scientific meetings (often the "published abstract" is the only written record of such a presentation)
l Dissertations, some papers in the sciences and social sciences require abstracts Abstracts
l An abstract is a short informative or descriptive summary of a longer report. l It is written after the report is completed, although it is intended to be read first. l In a technical report, the abstract appears on a separate page after the table of contents
and list of illustrations Abstract Classification
Ø Descriptive Ø Informative
15 Descriptive Abstract
l Tell readers what information the report, article, or paper contains l Include the purpose, methods, and scope of the report, article, or paper l Do not provide results, conclusions, or recommendations.
l Are always very short, usually under 100 words.
l Introduce the subject to readers, who must then read the report, article, or paper to find out the author's results, conclusions, or recommendations
Example Of Descriptive Abstract: Purpose and scope:
This report describes the practices selected foreign countries for providing engineering
expertise on shift in nuclear power plants. The report discusses the extent to which engineering expertise is made available and the alternative models of providing such expertise. The
implications of foreign practices for U.S. consideration are discussed, with particular reference to the shift
Methods used:
technical advisor position and to a proposed shift engineer position. The relevant information for this study came from the open literature, interviews with utility staff and officials, and governmental and nuclear utility reports.
Informative Abstracts
l Communicate specific information from the report, article, or paper. l Include the purpose, methods, and scope of the report, article, or paper.
l Provide the report, article, or paper's results, conclusions, and recommendations. l Are short -- from a paragraph to a page or two, depending upon the length of the
original work being abstracted. Usually informative abstracts are 10% or less of the length of the original piece.
16 Example of Informative Abstract
Purpose and scope:
This report describes the practices selected foreign countries for providing engineering expertise on shift in nuclear power plants. The report discusses the extent to which engineering
expertise is made available and the alternative models of providing such expertise. The implications of foreign practices for U.S. consideration are discussed, with particular reference to the shift technical advisor position and to a proposed shift engineer position.
Methods used:
The relevant information for this study came used from the open literature, interviews with utility staff and officials, and governmental and nuclear utility reports.
Finding:
The countries used two approaches to provide engineering expertise on shift: (1) employing a graduate engineer in a line management operations position and
(2) creating a specific engineering position to provide expertise to the operations staff. The comparison of these two models did not indicate that one system inherently functions more effectively than does the other for safe operations.
General Conclusion:
However, the alternative models are likely to affect crew relationships and performance; labor supply, recruitment, and retention and system implementation.
Recommendation:
Of the two systems, the nonsupervisory engineering position seems more advantageous within the context of current recruitment and career-path practices.
17 Where to find examples of abstracts:
l The best source of example abstracts is journal articles. Go to the library and look at engineering journals, or look at electronic journals on the web.
l Read the abstract; read the article. Pick the best ones, the examples where the abstract makes the article easier to read, and figure out how they do it.
l Not everyone writes good abstracts, even in refereed journals, but the more abstracts you read, the easier it is to spot the good ones.
Which Type Should you Write?
Ø The answer depends on the organization or publication for which you are writing. Ø Aim at the needs of the principal readers of your document.
Length of Abstracts:
Ø A long abstract defeats the purpose of an abstract. For this reason abstracts usually no longer than 150 to 250 words.
Ø Descriptive abstracts may be considerably shorter, of course. Abstract Should Includes:
Ø The subject of the study Ø The scope of the study Ø The purpose of the study Ø The methods used
Ø The results obtained (informative abstract only)
Ø The Recommendations made, if any (informative abstract only) COMMON PROBLEMS:
® Too long: If your abstract is too long, it may be rejected. Abstracts are often too long because people forget to count their words
® Too much detail: Abstracts that are too long often have unnecessary details. The abstract is not the place for detailed explanations of methodology or for details about the context of your research problem
® Too short: Shorter is not necessarily better. If your word limit is 200 but you only write 95 words, you probably have not written in sufficient detail.
® Failure to include important information: You need to be careful to cover the points listed above.
Assignment:
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Lecture 5
19 Cover Page:
• Course Title
• Experiment Number • The Experiment Title • By: (name of performer)
• The title and address of the performer • The name of the supervisor
• Title and address of the supervisor • Date: (month day, year)
Example:
Title:
n Reflect the factual content with less than ten words in a straightforward manner n Use keywords that researchers and search engines on the Internet will recognize n Avoid abbreviations, acronyms, and initials.
Circuit Theory I Experiment number 1 Verification of Ohms’ Law
By Bassam AL Saqqa
Submitted to Eng. Mohammed Hussein
Islamic University Gaza March 1, 2007
20 The format of the report:
Abstract (informative): One short paragraph
n Aims:
Concise but informative
One or two sentences should be sufficient Example:
To determine the relative molecular mass of an unknown dibasic acid n Methods:
Explain in short the method or methods you used to get the results. n Results:
Write down your results Introduction:
A few paragraphs or a few pages. Includes:
n Background
n Theories, equations, and rules used in calculations n Brief about the work (hypotheses) and expectations
Remember to quote your sources (you should include a bibliography of your references after the conclusions section).
AIMRAD Abstract Introduction Methods Results Analysis Discussion +Conclusion
21 Method:
q Concise but sufficient for someone to repeat the work. q List materials used, how were they used.
q Describe special pieces of equipment. q Use third person past tense
Example: A solution of barium chloride (0.05 mg in 100 cm3) was prepared in water and
titrated against silver nitrate.
q Avoid starting a sentence with a number
Example: 0.05 mg of barium chloride was mixed with 100 cm3 water
Results:
n Tabulate the numerical data when possible
n Make sure that you divide tables by measurements units such that you write only number inside the table
n Title all figures and tables; include a legend explaining symbols, abbreviations, or special methods
n Number figures and tables separately and refer to them in the text by their number, i.e. n Figure 1 shows that the activity....
n The activity decreases after five minutes (Figure 1) Analysis:
Calculations and graphing
Interpretation of results go into this section
Remember to layout your calculations clearly, showing each step Discussion:
How relevant are your results ? What errors are there ? Did something go wrong ? Try to be positive
Write your ideas to improve the experiment Conclusion:
Did you meet the aims of the experiment ?
Example: The relative molecular mass of the unknown was determined to be 146.5. The conclusion should echo the Abstract and be as short as possible.
References:
All references should be listed
Quiz 1:
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Lecture 6
23 What is a proposal?
A proposal is document which outlines a problem and proposes a detailed plan to solve it. The goal of a proposal is to persuade readers that the job needs doing and that you are the one to do it, so be sure to include all the benefits as well as the limitations of your solution. Try to foresee and counter any arguments against the solution.
Overview:
q A proposal is a strategy for solving a problem. q Proposals range from 1000 pg report to 1 pg form. q Two types:
q Solicited q Unsolicited
q Proposal purposes are to persuade not inform. q The writing involves individual as well as teams. TWO MAIN TYPES OF FUNDED RESEARCH:
1. Research you really want to do:
Find sponsor!
2. Topics some sponsor wants to see done:
Respond to RFP
What should the proposal accomplish? 1. FOR SCIENTIFIC AGENCIES:
Need to convince reviewers of scientific merit, and of your qualifications and ability to successfully make an important contribution to the state-of-the-art.
2. FOR SPECIFIC TOPIC RFP’s:
Need to convince sponsoring agency that you understand the problem, that you have a realistic approach that is likely to succeed, that could be implemented, and that you will deliver results that will make them look good.
Solicited Proposal:
q Company or agency advertises that it desires the solution to a problem.
q Most cases, this company or agency sends out a request for proposals, often called an RFP, that presents a problem which needs addressing
For example, if the Department of Energy desires research on reducing nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines, then the Department announces its request, often in periodicals such as the Commerce Business Daily.
Unsolicited Proposal:
q There is no request. Instead, an engineer on his or her own initiative recognizes a client's problem, writes a proposal that first makes the client aware of the problem, and then presents a plan for solving that problem.
q Often occur within a company.
For example, an engineer or scientist may write a proposal to his or her division supervisor suggesting a new computer system to handle that division's work
24 Aim of the proposal
q Explain your plans
q Why this work is worth while While preparing:
v focus on your work v Get early feedback Audiences of Proposals:
includes both managers and engineers. These audiences view proposals in different ways. q Managers review proposals to see if the plan for solving the problem is cost effective. q Engineers and scientists, on the other hand, review proposals to see if the plan is
technically feasible. Proposal Writing:
l Make sure your proposal is letter perfect and in full compliance with the application guidelines.
l Use the active, not the passive voice wherever possible. l Write clear, concise sentences.
l Use tables, charts, and side-headings to divide/organize/format your text.
l Find both expert readers in your field, and professionals who will critically review your drafts.
Format Of Proposal: q Headings q Body Heading:
To: Name of your advisor From: Your name
Subject: The subject of your proposal Date: date of submission
Example Of Heading:
A PROPOSAL
Research the Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel at Yucca Mountain
Prepared for Walter E. Foerster, Jr. President of New England Etching
23 Spring Street Holyoke, MA 01040
By
Holohan Consulting 72 Triangle Street Amherst MA 01002
25 Body:
Divide your body to sections:
I. Introduction
II. Statement of the problem III. Proposed project and purpose IV. Plan of activities with deadlines
V. Evaluation
VI. References
I. Introduction:
q Summarize your project
q Explain why you are proposing it Example of Introduction:
Nuclear power plants produce more than 20 percent of the electricity used in the United States [Murray, 1989]. Unfortunately, nuclear fission, the process used to create this large amount energy, creates significant amounts of high level radioactive waste. More than 30,000 metric tons of nuclear waste have arisen from U.S. commercial reactors as well as high level nuclear weapons waste, such as uranium and plutonium [Roush, 1995]. Because of the build-up of this waste, some power plants will be forced to shut down. To avoid losing an important source of energy, a safe and economical place to keep this waste is necessary. This document proposes a literature review of whether Yucca Mountain is a suitable site for a nuclear waste repository. The proposed review will discuss the economical and environmental aspects of a national storage facility. This proposal includes my methods for gathering information, a schedule for completing the review, and my qualifications.
II. Statement of the Problem:
q What is current state of technology? q What is The need or problem?
q Why do you want to address this problem? q Why is it significant?
q Who should care and why?
q Provide examples and/ or supporting evidence Including references q Briefly review current work
III. Proposed project and purpose: q State your proposed project q Its goals
q Your approach
IV. Plan of Activities with deadlines: q List your major activities q Make a schedule for your work
q List specific items you will produce as part of your project device, test report, instructions, or running computer programs
26 V. Evaluation:
Proposals will be evaluated in two ways: from a management perspective and from a technical perspective
Also considered in the evaluation of the proposal will be the quality of the writing Management Evaluation:
q Is the review worth doing?
q Does the proposal either show an important problem that needs addressing or arouse the reader's curiosity in the topic?
q Does the proposal show what readers will be interested in the review? q Does the proposal show objectivity?
Technical Evaluation:
q Are the boundaries of the review logical? q Does the review take on too much or too little? q Are the limitations clear?
q Is there something unique about the proposal's perspective?
q Does the writer convince the proposal reviewers that he or she can gather the information?
q Is the schedule believable?
q Does the writer justify himself or herself as the one to perform the review? VI. References:
q List all your references q Glossary If any
Acronym/Abbreviation Definition
dpi Dots per inch
GHz Gigahertz
GB Gigabyte
HD Hard drive
ppm Pages per minute
Recommendations:
q For a proposal to succeed, you need a good idea. No amount of crafted writing can make up for a weak idea.
q If you have a strong idea, then crafting the writing of that idea to meet the constraints will improve your proposal's chances for acceptance.
q What is it that you have that will allow you to succeed where others may have failed, or to make a unique contribution that others could not attain within the same time frame? q Be constructive (diplomatic) in reviewing others’ work; don’t blast all previous work,
don’t be dismissive and definitely don’t single out anyone with scorn. Chances are they are reviewing your proposal.
27 Be constructive:
BAD: All previous studies are worthless because they failed to recognize the effect of X on Y. Chen and Smith (1998) tried but their approach was simply wrong. Ours is the first study to address this question correctly.
BETTER: Previous studies have made important contributions to this challenging problem, however none of the published studies appear to have completely accounted for the effect of X on Y. A pioneering effort in this direction is described by Chen and Smith (1998), highlighting the need for additional investigation of the system properties when the full set of interacting factors are incorporated in the model.
Assignment:
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Lecture 7
29 What is Resume:
§ A resume is a brief summary of your abilities, education, experience, and skills. § Its main task is to convince prospective employers to contact you.
§ A resume has one purpose: to get you a job interview. Characteristics of Resume:
Resumes must do their work quickly..
§ your resume must quickly convey that you are capable and competent enough to be worth interviewing.
§ The more thoroughly you prepare your resume now, the more likely someone is to read it later.
Steps to write the Resume:
§ Gather and check all necessary information
§ Match your experience and skills with an employer's needs § Highlight details that demonstrate your capabilities § Organize the resume effectively
§ Consider word choice carefully
§ Ask other people to comment on your resume § Make the final product presentable
§ Evaluate your resume
Gather and Check All Necessary Information: Write down headings such as :
OBJECTIVE, EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, HONORS,SKILLS,ACTIVITIES,REFERNCE Objective:
To obtain a ______ position in the area of ______ (write this infinitive phrase to target the audience of this resume)
This infinitive phrase is often reworked by the author to target different audiences and purposes.
§ EDUCATION:
usually means post-secondary, college and university.
§ If you are just starting college, you can include high school as well.
§ List degrees and month/year obtained or expected; names and locations of schools; major and minor, if any; grade point average.
§ A brief summary of important courses you've taken might also be helpful. EXPERIENCE:
§ Includes full-time paid jobs, academic research projects, internships or co-op positions, part-time jobs, or volunteer work.
§ List the month/years you worked, position, name and location of employer or place, and responsibilities you had. As you describe your experiences, ask yourself questions like these:
– Have I invented, discovered, coordinated, organized, or directed anything professionally for my community?
30 – Am I a good communicator? – Do I enjoy teamwork? HONORS
List any academic awards (scholarships, fellowships, honors list), professional awards or recognition, or community awards (i.e. for athletic skills).
SKILLS
List computer languages and software, research, laboratory, teaching or tutoring, communication, leadership, or athletic, among others.
ACTIVITIES
§ List academic, professional, or community organizations in which you hold office or are currently a member;
§ List professional and community activities, including volunteer work. § Listing hobbies is optional.
Match Your Skills and Experience with an Employer's Needs
§ POSITION: What kind of position do you want for this job-search? Make notes. Now match your wishes up with positions that are actually available (postings, ads, personal contacts, or your own research).
§ EMPLOYER: For a certain position, what aspects of your education, experience, or skills will be most attractive to that employer? List SPECIFIC coursework, areas of specialty, specific skills, or knowledge that you think would interest the employer.
Street Address City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number FAX (if applicable) Email Address
http://web.address/ (if applicable)
Objective To obtain a ______ position in the area of ______ (write this infinitive phrase to target the audience of this
resume)
Education Name of Degree on Which You Are Working, Expected Month/Year University
Overall GPA: X.XX/4.00 Targeted GPA (if beneficial): X.XX/4.00 Name of Next Most Recent Degree, Month Year (if applicable)
University or College
Overall GPA: X.XX/4.00 Targeted GPA (if beneficial): X.XX/4.00
Relevant Courses Most Relevant Course Fourth Most Relevant Course Second Most Relevant Course Fifth Most Relevant Course Third Most Relevant Course Sixth Most Relevant Course
Experience Most Recent Position, Company, Location (Month/Year–Month/Year) Verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed
Second verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed
Third verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed (if appropriate)
Next Most Recent Position, Company, Location (Month/Year–Month/Year) Verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed
Second verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed
Third verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed (if appropriate)
Third Most Recent Position, Company, Location (Month/Year–Month/Year) Verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed
Second verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed
Third verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed (if appropriate)
Honors/Awards Most Impressive Honor or Award Second Most Impressive Honor or Award Third Most Impressive Honor or Award Fourth Most Impressive Honor or Award
Activities Most Impressive Activity Second Most Impressive Activity Third Most Impressive Activity Fourth Most Impressive Activity
31 Organize the Resume Effectively:
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Top center of first page. Name (no title); addresses; phone numbers; e-mail and/or fax addresses (optional); citizenship if applicable.
Example :
Bassam Al Saqqa 273 East Sixth Street Gaza, Gaza Strip 47401 (970) 599-325698 [email protected] EDUCATION:
Often comes first in student resumes, especially if it is a strong asset. Example:
Islamic University Of Gaza (Gaza Strip)
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Expected June 2006) Major: Electrical Engineering Minor: Computer Science EXPERIENCE:
Here, you can use one of two formats: Functional or Chronological § Functional
To emphasize skills and talents, cluster your experience under headings that highlight these skills: for ex.: leadership, research, computers, etc. This format can be helpful if you have little relevant job experience
Chronological:
To emphasize work experience, list jobs beginning with the most recent. Some hints: § Write all job descriptions in parallel phrases, using ACTION verbs § List the most important responsibilities or successes first
§ Emphasize collaborative or group-related tasks Example of Experience:
Gaza Electric Company (Gaza, Gaza Strip)
Research Assistant intern, Summer and fall 2004 Assistant manager of corporate planning and developed computer model for long-range planning
Ali Corporation (Gaza, Gaza Strip) Technician May,2003 to May, 2004
Use variety of test equipment to troubleshoot, repair and test precision electro-mechanical and electronic instruments in a team environment.
AWARDS/HONORS:
Use reverse chronological order; include titles, places, dates. Example:
Dean’s List- IUG,3.88 grade point average of possible 4. Senior Honor Society- IUG, 2004
32 SKILLS & ACTIVITIES:
Generally, list hobbies, travel, or languages only if they relate to your job interests. In some cases, you may wish to emphasize your willingness to travel or relocate
Example:
Computer: Verilog HDL & Matlab in unix environment, Assembly,Pspice, Fortran,C++, will be learning Java
Proven record of outstanding performance and dependability with increasing responsibility, both in teams and in stand alone projects.
Willing to relocate, love all kind of sport, speak & write French well Member Of IEEE.
REFERENCES:
You need not put these on your resume. Write a separate list of references, with complete name, title, company name, address, and telephone numbers for each individual.
Example:
Available upon request
CREATING YOUR DRAFT:
§ Look at other resumes written for positions within your field.
§ TYPE each entry in a format close to the one you want to use for your resume. § LENGTH: for many resumes, two pages is the maximum length
Consider Word Choice Carefully:
§ In a resume, you need to sound positive and confident: neither too aggressive, nor overly modest.
§ For a list of typical verbs used in resumes see page 602 in your text. § Examples:
accomplish; achieve; analyze; adapt; balance; collaborate; coordinate; communicate; compile …
Ask Other People to Comment on Your Resume:
It STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you have an advisor, potential employer, or someone in your field critique your resume.
Make the Final Product Presentable:
Use a computer and high-quality (preferably laser) printer Evaluate Your Resume:
§ Hold your resume at arm's length and see how it looks. Is the page too busy with different type styles, sizes, lines, or boxes?
§ Is the information spaced well, not crowded on the page? § Is there too much "white space"?
33 CONTENT:
§ Check Name and address
§ All entries highlight a capability or accomplishment
§ Descriptions use active verbs, and verb tense is consistent; current job is in present tense; past jobs are in past tense
§ Repetition of words or phrases is kept to a minimum § Capitalization, punctuation, and date formats are consistent § There are NO spelling errors
ORGANIZATION:
§ Your best assets, whether education, experience, or skills, are listed first § The page can be easily reviewed: categories are clear, text is indented § The dates of employment are easy to find and consistently formatted § Your name is printed at the top of each page
FORMAT/DESIGN:
§ No more than two typestyles appear; typestyles are conservative § Bolding, italics, and capitalization are used minimally and consistently § Margins and line spacing keep the page from looking too crowded § Printing is on one side of the sheet only
§ The right side of the page is in "ragged" format, not right-justified. Right justification creates awkward white spaces
Assignment:
34
Lecture 8
Memorandums (memo)
35 WHAT IS A BUSINESS MEMO?
Basically, it is an in-house business letter. Like a business letter, a business memo is a type of professional writing. However, a business memo differs from an ordinary letter in several important ways:
1) It is written in a specific format, which will be described later.
2) Unlike a letter, you do not sign your name at the bottom of your memo. Instead, you write your initials next to your name at the top of the memo.
Purpose Of Memo:
A business memo serves a very useful purpose. (Memos solve problems)
q It helps members of a business organization communicate, without the need for time-consuming meetings.
q It lets someone know something they need to know in an effective and efficient manner.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEMOS AND ESSAYS:
MEMO ESSAY
Audience A particular person Ambiguous
Format: Intro, specific points. Intro, thesis, evidence, conclusion. Goal: provide information. prove a point
Introduction: List-like, straightforward Abstract summary, broad Body of the writing: A series of short discussions A series of paragraphs of
Project: followed by a summary finer detail followed by a conclusion. A memo exists for a very specific purpose: to convey information to a colleague
36 Purpose- Example:
q Mr. Howard has asked me to arrange a working lunch for all members of the writing staff, at the main office, sometime before the end of the month.
q The purpose of this memo is to request authorization to purchase a sound card and a modem for the computer in the front office.
q This memo confirms the details of your tour of the new processing plant, as we discussed over the telephone this morning.
Used for all kinds including: • Short note • Exchange information • Request information • Instruct employees • Report results • Small reports • Internal proposals Memos’ Role:
Play an important role in management: • Keeps employees informed • Motivates employees • Keeps their moral high
To achieve this goal:
37 Memo Format I. Heading II. Opening III. Discussion IV. Closing V. Summary I. Heading
TO: (readers' names and job titles) FROM: (your name and job title) DATE: (Month day, year)
SUBJECT: (what the memo is about, highlighted in some way)
From Line
It is a good idea to initial your name in handwriting. CC: (others who are involved)
BCC: ( not directly involved)
Subject line:
q Should summarize the reason of the memo. q Should be 10 words or less.
q Is NOT a sentence - it is a long title.
II. Opening Three parts:
1. The context and problem 2. The specific assignment or task 3. The purpose of the memo.
38 1. The context
Event, circumstance, or background of the problem you are solving.
You may use An opening sentence, such as, “As Jane recommended, I reviewed the office reorganization plan"
Include only what your reader needs, but be sure it is clear.
2. Task
Describe what you are doing to help solve the problem.
• If the action was requested, your task may be indicated by a sentence opening like, "You asked that I look at...."
• If you want to explain your intentions, you might say, "To determine the best method of controlling the percentage of rat extremities, I will...."
3. Purpose Statement
Are you announcing a meeting, welcoming a new employee, or asking for input on adopting a new policy about lunch hour length?V
III Discussion:
In the discussion segment, give details about the problem, Don't ramble on incessantly, but do give enough information for decision makers to resolve the problem. Describe the task or assignment with details that support your opening paragraph (problem). IV Closing:
q Close with a courteous ending that states what action you want your reader to take. q Make sure you consider how the reader will benefit from the desired actions and how
you can make those actions easier. V Summary:
If your memo is longer than a page, you may want to include a separate summary segment.
This part provides a brief statement of the recommendations you have reached. These will help your reader understand the key points of the memo immediately.
39 Example Plankton Engineering
To: Employees In Research and Development Team From: Mary Silvers, Project Manager
Date: January 15, 2002
Subject : New Flex-Time Policy Beginning March 1, 2002
Plankton Engineering is offering a new flex-time schedule to all employees. You MUST sign up for this plan by Feb. 20, 2002, in order to use it.
Components of the Plan Employees must agree to:
– Work 40 hours a week
– Work a minimum of 4 days a week – Arrive at work no later than 9:30 a.m. – Leave work no earlier than 3:30 p.m. – Scheduling Considerations
– Employees may schedule work time as long as it fits the above criteria. Employees who sign up for this new flex time scheduling must declare their work hours during the previous week. The supervisor will take responsibility for recording each employees work schedule.
Employees who wish to try this new plan must stay on it for three months before returning to the current policy. Employees who may want to start it later, must wait until January of the next calendar year to sign up.
– Important Reminder
40 Assignment:
Write a memo telling your professor about the problems you encounter or faced in IUG.
In which you will answer the following questions:
What are the problems? Why are they problems? And what is your plans to solve it?
Exercise:
What are the differents between a memo and a business latter and What is the purpose of a memo.
Exercise:
41
Lecture 9
42 Types of Letters: n Cover Letter n Acceptance Letter n Acknowledgment letters n Adjustment letters n Application letters n Complaint letters
n Correspondence … good news and bad news letters n Inquiry letters and responses
n Reference letters ( Recommendation letter) n Refusal letters
n Resignation letters
n Technical information letters Letter Format:
Two common Format: 1 - Full Block Style 2 - Modified Block Style
Full Block: Modified Block Style:
Instructions:
1. Establish your objectives
2. Determine your reader’s attitude and needs 3. Prepare an outline
4. Write the first draft 5. Allow a cooling period 6. Revise the draft Your address
The recipient address Date
Dear Mr./Ms recipient last name: Body
Complimentary close Space for Signature Typed name
Your address The recipient address
Date
Dear Mr./Ms recipient last name: Body
Complimentary close Space for Signature Typed name
43 Hints:
Tone:
Imagine the reader sitting across the desk
Keep the language neutral Careful choice of words Cover Letter:
q Identifies the item being sent q The person to whom it is being sent q The reason for sending it
Letter of application (cover letter) is a sales letter Main Objective is to get the job interview. n Each letter should also make specific references to the company and indicate your
knowledge of and interest in the work the company is currently doing. n The cover letter also allows you to highlight the most important and relevant
accomplishments, skills, and experience listed in your resume. Should provide the following information:
1. Identify an employment area 2. Point out your source of information 3. Summarize your qualification 4. Refer the reader to your résumé 5. Ask for interview
Content of the Cover Letter:
n In the first paragraph, you should state what job you are applying for and how you learned about it.
n You should also state your general qualifications for the job.
n Pick out the most relevant qualifications listed in your resume and discuss them in detail n Be as specific as possible, and refer the reader to your resume for additional details. n State where and when you can be reached, and express your willingness to come to an
interview or supply further information. Cover Latter Example:
n John Jackson 34 Second Street Troy, New York 12180 October 4, 1999 n Mr. James Roberts
Recruiting Coordinator Department DRR 1201 Database Corporation Princeton, New Jersey 05876
44 Dear Mr. Roberts:
Your advertisement for software engineers in the January issue of the IEEE Spectrum caught my attention. I was drawn to the ad by my strong interest in both software design and Database.
I have worked with a CALMA system in developing VLSI circuits, and I also have substantial experience in the design of interactive CAD software. Because of this experience, I can make a direct and immediate contribution to your department. I have enclosed a copy of my resume, which details my qualifications and suggests how I might be of service to Database.
I would like very much to meet with you to discuss your open positions for software engineers. If you wish to arrange an interview, please contact me at the above address or by telephone at (518) 271-9999.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely yours,
Joseph Smith Acceptance Letters:
This letter is written in order to accept a received job offer. It should be written within a week of receiving the offer. The format is as follow
Acceptance Letters Example:
230 Elnaser St. Gaza, Palestine 1/3/2007 Dr. Basil Hamed General Manager Mechatronics Company 22 Omer Al-moktar St. Gaza, Palestine Dear Dr. hamed:
I am very happy to accept your offer for a position as a computer engineer at a salary of $1200.00, per a month.
Since graduation in July 25, I plan to move to Gaza from Khan Younes this month. I should be locating to a suitable living accommodation within a week and be ready to report for work on Saturday, August 26th. Please let me know if this date OK to you. I look forward to work for you and join a great team.
Sincerely, Ahmed Ali
45 Acknowledgment Letters:
In this letter you acknowledge receiving an item (letter, box, or something). It serves as a good public relation practice. In this letter you mention what and when items are received in a short and polite manner.
Acknowledgment Letters Example: Rocky Tech Corp.
112 Jamal Abed Nasser St. Gaza, Palestine
March 1, 2007
Mr. Ayman Majeed, Salesman 102 Mannara Square
Ramalla, Palestine
Dear Mr. Majeed:
I received your shipment of ten digital multimeters today; the shipment seems To be complete and in good shape. Thank you for sending it on time.
After the multimeters passing our tests, we will send you a check with the last payment covering the cost of this purchase.
Sincerely, Ahmed Ali, General Manager Complaint Letters:
When customers are not satisfied with goods and services that are offered by
businesses, they write complaint letters asking for fixing these situations. In order to be more effective, the tone of the letter should not be angry. In order to obtain a positive response, you should not vent your anger in the letter. You should state your claim supported by factual evidence and ask for adjustment.
46 Complaint Letters Example:
June 25, 2003
Islamic University of Gaza PO Box 1004
PO Box 108, Kan Yunis, Palestine
Gaza, Palestine
Attention: ECE Department Head
On June 16, I filed for an incomplete grade in the Power Systems course. All the supporting items were attached which included a medical doctor report, medical prescription, and the hospital check out papers.
On June 23 I received a denial for my incomplete application without any explanation. I immediately contacted the department with a note explaining my situation. Not only I received no explanation but also I was advised to just forget about it.
Please either send me a explanation for the denial or else advise me with the steps and procedures that I need to take to fix this problem.
Sincerely, Majed Imran
5th year Computer Engineering student
Correspondence Letter:
The Correspondence Latter Can be: q Good news Letter
q Bad news Letter
Good News Letter: 1. Good news
2. Explanation or facts 3. Goodwill
Good News Letter Example: Good News:
Please accept our offer for the position of electrical engineer at IUG. Explanation:
if the terms we discussed in the interview are acceptable to you, please come in at 9:30 a.m. on September 5, at that time we will ask you…....
Goodwill example:
Everyone here at IUG is looking forward to working with you. We all were very favorably impressed with you during the interview
47 Bad News Letters:
n Buffer n Bad news n Goodwill
Bad News Letters Example: Buffer :
Thank you for your time and effort in applying for the position of electrical engineer at IUG
Bad News:
Since we need someone who can assume the duties here with a minimum of training, we have selected an applicant with over ten years of experience.
Goodwill:
I am sure that with your excellent college record you will find a position in another office.
Inquiry Letter: Two types:
1. Provides benefit to the reader Example:
Asking about a product the company recently advertised 2. Provides benefits to the writer
Example:
Asking the public utility for information on energy-related project you are developing Objective:
48 Sample Letter of Recommendation:
n XYZ Company
123 XYZ Way • New York City • NY • 12345 (123) 555-0000 • Fax (123) 555-0001 n February 1, 2000
n To Whom it May Concern:
n I've been Holly Smith's manager for over six years. While I wish her only the best and fully understand that she must advance her career, I'm truly sorry to see her go. It has been a pleasure having her on my team.
n Holly is a professional technical writer of the highest caliber, who meticulously
researches, formats, edits and proofs her documents. I've received many compliments from customers who rely on Holly's documentation. Management and personnel in tech support, engineering, technical training, and other departments praise her work. n Holly is an innovative self-starter, who rarely needs supervision. She is punctual and
typically exceeds expectations. She handles pressure well, and will voluntarily work overtime and take work home to meet a deadline. For example, we received a rush order from one of our customers for a complex product modification, including critical user documentation. Holly not only made the extremely tight deadline, but beat it; yet she still produced a stellar, technically-accurate addendum for the standard user manual. Sales, marketing, training and engineering were quite pleased with Holly's performance in this crunch. Even our CEO was impressed, and our customer was ecstatic. This is just one example among many of Holly's superior skills and admirable work ethics.
n Holly is an invaluable asset to any technical communications department, and I highly recommend hiring her. If you'd like to discuss her attributes in more detail, please don't hesitate to contact me.
n Sincerely, n [Signature]
John Doe
Manager, Technical Communications Ext. 245, [email protected]
49 Resignation Letter Sample:
[Your Name]
[Street • City • State • Zip Code]
[Phone # • Fax phone # • Messages phone # • Email] [Date today]
[Recipient's name] [Company name] [Address]
n Dear [Recipient's name]:
n Please accept this letter as my formal notice of resignation from [Company name], effective [date, two weeks from date above]. The associations I've made during my employment here will truly be memorable for years to come.
n I hope a two-week notice is sufficient for you to find a replacement for me. If I can help to train my replacement or tie up any loose ends, please let me know.
n Thank you very much for the opportunity to work here. n Sincerely,
n [Sign here] n [Your name, title]
Retirement Letter Sample: n Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code Your Phone Number Your Email n Date n Name Title Organization Address
City, State, Zip Code n Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
n I would like to inform you that I am retiring from my position with Smith Agency, effective August 1.
n Thank you for the opportunities for professional and personal development that you have provided me over the years. I have enjoyed working for the agency and appreciate the support provided me during my tenure with the company.
n While I look forward to enjoying my retirement, I will miss working for the company. If I can be of any assistance during this transition, please let me know.
n Your Signature n Your Typed Name Assignment:
I. Write a cover letter for any (from internet, newspaper,…) announced job.
II. You bought something (computer, book, electronic instrument) from the internet, when you received it was not in good shape. Write a complaint letter to the company.
50
Lecture 10
51 Contents:
u Basic Page Layout. u Preliminary Pages. u Text Pages. u Back Mater. Basic Page Layout:
1. Margins 2. Line Spacing
3. Line Spacing for Equations 4. Font Types
5. Font Size 6. Font Style 7. Page Number 1. Margins:
u Left and right 2.5 cm u Top and bottom 3.5 cm 2. Line Spacing:
u Single space the text.
u Single space: table/figure caption
u Single space appendix materials and tables.
u Allow additional space above and below the equation to separate it from the text. 3. Font Types:
u Use proportional font -- Arial, Times New Roman, Courier New, … -- must use at least 12-point font.
u Fixed fonts -- Courier, … -- use 10 ( 10 character per inch). 4. Font Size:
u Text must be a minimum of 12-point.
u Fonts 10-point not acceptable for body of report.
u Fonts 8-,9-,or 10-point may be used for tables and appendix to accommodate the margins
u 5. Font Style
Any standard office font style is acceptable -- not script, italic, bold, characters with slant or different sizes.
u Italic fonts may be used when appropriate. u Times Roman -- uses 13-point size.
u Font size and style are the same for text and page number. 5. Font Style:
u Any standard office font style is acceptable -- not script, italic, bold, characters with slant or different sizes.
u Italic fonts may be used when appropriate. u Times Roman -- uses 13-point size.
52 6. Page Number:
u Pages should be numbered consecutively, with numbers located in the upper right, lower right, or lower middle of the page.
u The Introduction should begin with 1. u Before Introduction, use Roman numerals. Front matter:
u Front cover u Title page
u Dedication page (optional) u Acknowledgment (optional) u Abstract u Table of Contents u List of Tables u List of Figures u List of Abbreviations u Foreword (optional) u Preface (optional) Title Page: u Title of document u Your name
u Degree title - Course title u Major Subject
u University name, city, country u Date (month, year)
u Assign numeral i, but does not appear u Back of title page is empty
Dedication Page: u Optional
u Type the word DEDICATION
u Insert two double spaced blank lines and begin the text-double spacing all lines. Acknowledgment Page:
u Optional
u Type the word ACKNOWLEDGMENT
u Insert two double spaced blank lines and begin the text-double spacing all lines. Abstract:
u Type the word ABSTRACT u Single space all lines u Must have
• statement of the problem
• exposition of methods & procedures • summary of the finding
53 Table of Contents:
u Type TABLE OF CONTENTS
List items followed with dotes and page number • Abstract
• List of Tables • List of Figures • List of Abbreviations • and so on
u Don’t list anything before the Table of Contents Table of Contents Continue:
u Include all chapter heads-upper case • Subheads as they appear in chapter.
u Generally no more than three levels of heads are used. If heads in any levels is listed, all headings of that levels must be listed.
u List Appendices next u The Bibliography Table of contents Example:
Abstract ……….. ….……... ….……….…....iii List of Figures ……… ….……... …...iv List of Tables ……… ….…….. ………..v 1 SUMMARY ……… ….…….. ……….….…....1 2 INTRODUCTION ……… ….…….. …….…….… 3 3 METHODOLOGY ……… ….…….. ….….……...6 3.1 Selection of study area ……… ….…... 8 3.2 Description of study series…….…...10
3.2.1 Pilgrim 1 ……….….12 3.3 Time series analysis ………. ….……...14 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION ….……...20 5 CONCLUSION ……….……….…22 APPENDIX A ………..………23 References ………..………..….24 List of Tables (Figures, Abbreviations):
u List each one on a separate page with each table followed by dots and page number at the right margin.
u Double space between each caption but single space captions longer than one line. u Number all tables/figures consecutively
Foreword:
u Optional introductory statement written by someone other than the author. u May discuss the purpose of the report.
54 Preface:
u Optional written by the author.
u Include the purpose, background, and scope of the report. u Specify the audience for whom the report to be given. Text Pages:
I. Introduction.
II. Materials and methods. III. Results and discussion. IV. Conclusion
Text Pages Continue:
u Must be divided into chapters which could be sub divided and listed in the Table of Contents.
u Use just boldface, just italic, or just underline any heading. u Single space all heading.
u Each new chapter must start on a new page.
u Avoid having a heading as the last line of text on a page. I. Introduction:
u First paragraph should capture reader’s attention. u Should include
• Statement of the problem • Motivations
• Complete description of the project. • Mentioning each part of the report II. Materials & Methods:
u Literature Review. u Theoretical Derivations.
• State your assumptions clearly. • Step-by-step derivation. • Figures may be necessary. u Summary of the approach taken.
• Software simulation, hand calculation, design and implementation, programming, or analytical derivations.
III. Results & Discussion:
u Software documentation.
u Analysis of plots, charts and figures where each should be mentioned and discussed. u Explanation of the results
• The punch line • How did it turn out? • Was it as expected?
• Did it turn out according to theory? • Were the results repeatable?
• Do you understand the significant of the results? u The reader should know exactly what happened and why.
