Clear and Concise Communications for Scientists and Engineers

by Speight; James G.

• ISBN13: 9781439854792
• ISBN10: 1439854793
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2012-02-15
• Publisher: CRC Press

Summary

Scientists and engineers are often criticized for their inability to write clear, grammatically correct English as well as for their poor presentation of data. The advancement of their careers depends on their ability to successfully communicate ideas and findings to colleagues, management, and the public. This book is aimed at scientists and engineers who wish to improve the way in which they present their findings. The text guides readers through the steps involved in producing a concise and understandable document in various formats. Illustrating how technology can be readily conveyed without loss of content, the authors present writing techniques by using examples and avoiding grandiose terminology.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Scientific and Engineering Writing	p. 1
Introduction	p. 1
Definitions	p. 7
Career Writing	p. 8
Purpose of the Book	p. 12
References	p. 15
Types of Scientific and Engineering Writing	p. 17
Technical Paper	p. 17
Organization	p. 17
Writing Style	p. 19
Figures	p. 19
Naming	p. 20
Feedback	p. 20
Miscellaneous	p. 21
Rejection	p. 21
Project Report	p. 21
Focus of the Report	p. 22
Project Status Report	p. 24
Executive Summary	p. 25
Funding Proposal	p. 26
Project Title/Cover Page	p. 27
Project Overview	p. 27
Background Information/Statement of the Problem	p. 28
Project Detail	p. 28
Reports to a Court	p. 31
Oral Report	p. 32
Written Report	p. 33
Theses	p. 34
Reading Strategies	p. 35
Simultaneous Writing and Research	p. 35
Making a Start	p. 36
Thesis Structure	p. 36
Revision Process	p. 36
Literature Review	p. 37
Final Work	p. 37
Thesis Review Committee	p. 38
Thesis Defense	p. 38
References	p. 38
Appearance and Physical Layout	p. 39
Anatomy of a Manuscript	p. 39
Title	p. 40
Abstract	p. 41
Introduction Section	p. 42
Experimental Section	p. 43
Results Section	p. 43
Discussion Section	p. 44
References Section	p. 45
Acknowledgments	p. 47
Page Layout	p. 47
Font Type and Size	p. 48
Text Alignment	p. 50
Section Headings and Numbering	p. 51
Editing	p. 54
References	p. 55
Audience	p. 57
Introduction	p. 57
Types of Audiences	p. 60
Scientists or Engineers	p. 60
Managers and Executives	p. 62
Technicians	p. 64
Nonspecialists and Nontechnical Personnel	p. 64
Funding/Donor Agencies	p. 66
Students	p. 67
Audience Analysis	p. 68
Audience Adaptation	p. 69
References	p. 71
Preparing to Write	p. 73
Records and Notes	p. 73
Organization and Focus of the Work	p. 74
Timeline/Schedule	p. 80
Authorship	p. 82
References and Citations	p. 85
Biographies and Résumés	p. 87
Reader	p. 88
References	p. 89
Writing Style	p. 91
Getting Started	p. 91
Selecting the Format	p. 94
Clear, Concise, and Understandable	p. 96
Getting to the Point	p. 98
Minimizing Verbal Overkill	p. 101
Ethics in Writing	p. 103
References	p. 105
Teamwork	p. 107
Introduction	p. 107
Effective Teamwork	p. 109
Sharing and Assigning Responsibilities	p. 112
Creating a Manuscript	p. 115
Recognition and Reward	p. 117
Leadership	p. 119
References	p. 121
Publishing	p. 123
Introduction	p. 123
Types of Journals	p. 127
Journal Editor	p. 129
Peer Review Process	p. 132
Assessing Reviewer's Comments	p. 134
Assessing Comments on a Rejected Manuscript	p. 135
Assessing Comments Requesting a Major Revision	p. 135
Assessing Comments Requesting a Minor Revision	p. 136
Discovery of Errors	p. 136
Fraud	p. 136
References	p. 137
Technical Presentations	p. 139
Introduction	p. 139
Subject Matter	p. 140
Audience-Technical and Nontechnical	p. 143
Introduction, Body of the Presentation, and Conclusions	p. 146
Number of Slides	p. 148
Character of the Slides	p. 149
Question Period and Beyond	p. 151
Practice Talk	p. 152
References	p. 154
Other Forms of Writing and Presentation	p. 155
Introduction	p. 155
Writing for Trade Journals	p. 156
Getting Started	p. 158
Written Product	p. 161
Nontechnical Publications	p. 162
Scientific and Engineering Poster Presentations	p. 165
Layout	p. 166
Parts of the Poster	p. 167
Other Aspects of the Poster	p. 168
References	p. 169
Correspondence	p. 171
Introduction	p. 171
Types of Correspondence	p. 173
Letters	p. 174
Memoranda	p. 175
Faxes	p. 177
E-Mail	p. 179
Progress Reports	p. 180
Summary	p. 183
References	p. 183
Glossary	p. 185
Index	p. 197
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