ECE Technical Communication Skills

Rhetorical modes in Writing

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Additional informations:

http://www.mccd.edu/faculty/hundleya/englisharhetoricalmodes.htm

http://www.daltonstate.edu/esl/Rhetorical%20Modes.htm

http://academic.luzerne.edu/microcomp/rhetorical_devices.htm

Technical Description

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The biggest hurdle you may face in writing a description is remembering what the term means as it is used in this context. We all use the word description loosely to refer to practically any discussion or explanation. But in this context, it means the detailed discussion of the physical aspects of a thing. That means discussing things like color, shape, size, weight, height, width, thickness, texture, density, contents, materials of construction, and so on. It also means discussing any quantifiable details such as numbers.

For example, the sentence "A computer diskette is a device used for storing electronic data" is not really description in our sense of the word. It explains the function or purpose but provides little or no physical detail. However, the sentence "The common computer diskette is 3.5 inches by 3.5 inches and approximately 1/8 inch thick" is very definitely description.
Be sure to check out the example descriptions available with this chapter:
Rayovac Workhorse Flashlight
Interplak Home Plaque Removal Instrument
Primitive Stone Scraper
Standard Automobile Alternator

Note: reading quiz

Contexts for Description
As mentioned earlier, descriptions are common element in technical writing--just not quite in the same way that instructions are. Descriptions appear more often as a sentence or two here, a paragraph there, or a whole section there. There are certain kinds of technical writing that feature description. You can imagine accident reports requiring plenty of description. Product specifications--documents that describe design and feature of a new or changed product--have plenty of description. Also instructions typically require description as an important supplement: readers need to be able to visualize what they are doing and what they are working with.

Contents and Organization of Descriptions
The following is a review of the sections you'll commonly find in descriptions. Don't assume that each one of them has to be in the actual description you write, nor that they have to be in the order they are presented here.
As you read the following on common sections in descriptions, check out the example descriptions. Not all of the following sections typically found in descriptions will show up in the examples, but most will.

Introduction. Plan the introduction to your description carefully. Make sure it does all of the following things (but not necessarily in this order) that apply to your particular description:
Indicate the specific object about to be described.
Indicate what the audience needs in terms of knowledge and background to understand the description.

Give a general description of the object and its function, cause, or effect.
Give an overview of the contents of the description. Now remember: you may not need all of the elements, and some of them can combine neatly into single sentences. The introduction ought to be brisk and to the point and not feel as though it is trudging laboriously through each of these elements.

Background. If the thing you are describing is not likely to be familiar to most of your readers, consider adding some background before you plunge into the actual description. If you are about to describe an SGO/3 density gauge to nonspecialists, you'd better first discuss what in the world the thing is, what it does, and on what part of the planet it is used.Discussion of the parts or characteristics. The main part of your description is the discussion of each part or characteristic. You must divide the thing you are describing into parts, or characteristics, or both. Parts are easy: for example, a wooden pencil has lead, a wooden barrel, an eraser, and a metal clip. Characteristics are describable aspects of a thing but are not parts: for example, the pencil has a certain weight, length, width, and so on. If you were a budding real-estate tycoon and had to describe a vacant lot for company files, you'd probably describe it by its characteristics: its location, square footage, terrain, vegetation, access to utilities, and so on. (Check out the description of the primitive stone scraper in the examples of description at the end of this appendix; part of it is arranged by characteristics, and part by parts!)

Once you've divided the thing you are decribing into parts, characteristics, or both, your next job is to describe each one. For mechanical things, it works well to start by defining the part, by explaining its function. After that, you describe the part from general to specific, using any of the sources of description that are appropriate.

Notice that in description, you can mix other kinds of writing. You'll find yourself explaining functions, defining terms, discussing a bit of process as you describe. That's not a problem as long as the primary focus and the majority of the content is truly description.
Discussion of the related operation or process. At some point in a description, often at the end, it is useful to summarize the operation or process associated with the object you're describing. For example, if you've just described a mechanical pencil, you could briefly explain how it is used. If you've just described a snowflake, you could discuss the process by which it formed.

Sources of Description
When you write a description, you need to think about the kinds of descriptive detail you can provide. Sometimes, descriptions are rather weak in this area. Use the following list to plan your description or to review a description you have written. Think of the categories of descriptive detail you could provide, or use the following list to identify categories you have not used:

color, height width,shape, weight, materials, texture, width, location
methods of attachment, depth, amount pattern, design, ingredients, age,
subparts, length, finish temperature, moisture, content, smell

Figure 10. Schematic view of descriptions. Remember that this is just a typical or common model for the contents and organization--many others are possible.

Miscellaneous Concerns
In descriptions, you'll probably find yourself puzzling over how to handle numbers, abbreviations, and symbols:

Numbers. Remember that technical writing breaks some of those rules you worked so hard to learn in past writing classes. In the technical writing context, we are often vitally concerned about numbers and want them to stand out. This means that you should use numerals in running text when the number indicates an exact, measured, or measurable amount or when it represents a critical value. For example, in the sentence "The cup is 3 inches in diameter" or in the sentence "Use 4 tacks to fasten the poster to the wall," it seems to matter that the numbers are exact. However, this does not mean using numerals for indifferent values: for example, in the sentence "The report contains four major sections," there is nothing heart-stopping about how many sections the report has. See the section on numbers vs. words for further details.
Figure 11. Anatomy of a descriptive paragraph. Typically, it starts with some statement about the purpose or function of the part, with the descriptive detail following. Descriptive detail draws upon the "sources" of description--such things as color, shape, width, and height.
Abbreviations. In technical writing, we expect to see abbreviations. Use them in your description freely. Remember the rule on punctuating abbreviations--punctuate them only if they spell a word (for example, "in."). Remember too that abbreviations do not go up against the number they are used with (for example, make that "8 mm tape" or "8-mm tape" but not "8mm tape").
Symbols. The most common problem with symbols in the instructions and descriptions assignment has to do with inches and feet. If you're writing instructions for a carpenter's dream project where there are feet and inches all over the place, use the symbols " (inches) and ' (feet). However, if you cite inch and foot measurements only a few times, use the word or abbreviation instead.

Graphics and Format in Descriptions
In most descriptions, you'll need at least one illustration of the thing you are describing, with labels pointing to the parts. See the section on graphics for more on creating graphics, formatting them according to our class requirements, and incorporating them into your descriptions.
Headings. In descriptions, you'll want to use headings and subheadings to mark off the discussion of the individual parts or characteristics. Remember that, ideally, you want to describe each part in a separate paragraph or section--and flag that discussion with a heading. If you have a background section, use a heading for it too. See the section on headings for the specific requirements (remember that this course asks you to use a certain style and format for headings).

Lists. Lists are not nearly so important in descriptions as they are in instructions. However, if you itemize parts or subparts or list specifications, these are good situations for lists. See the section on lists for the specific requirements (remember that this course asks you to use a certain style and format for lists).

Special notices. In descriptions, there is nothing like the important role for special notices as there is in instructions. After all, if it really is a description, readers should not be trying to follow any procedure, and therefore should not be running any risks of damaging equipment, wasting supplies, screwing up the procedure, or injuring themselves or others. However, you may find the note special notice to be useful to emphasize important points or exceptions. See the section on special notices for complete discussion of the proper use of these special notices as well as their format and placement within instructions. (And remember that in our course we have a specific style and format for these notices.)

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Technical Description:
Rayovac Workhorse Flashlight

The Rayovac Workhorse is a hand-sized plastic flashlight, easily portable, which will fit into most automobile glove compartments. (See Figure 1.) The Workhorse's overall length is 6 inches, with a diameter of 2 inches at the head of the flashlight, tapering to 1-1/4 inches in diameter at the battery compartment. The body of the Workhorse, basically cylindrical in shape, is of matte black, high-impact plastic, ribbed for a secure handgrip. The Workhorse flashlight consists of two major parts: (a) the body, containing the battery compartment and the switch, and (b) the bulb assembly, containing the reflector, the bulb, and the connector. The flashlight is powered by two 1.5 volt size C batteries.

Figure 1. Rayovac Workhorse Flashlight

Body

The body of the Rayovac Workhorse Flashlight is 5-5/8 inches, with a diameter of 2 inches at the screw, or head end, tapering to 1-1/4 inches at the battery compartment. The interior of the screw end is threaded, allowing for connection with the bulb assembly. (See Figure 2 for an illustration of the complete flashlight assembly.)
Battery compartment. The battery compartment holds the batteries, the power source for the flashlight. The compartment is cylindrical, 3-1/2 inches long and 1-1/4 inches in diameter, with a coiled metal spring on the interior of the closed end, and a 1/4-inch wide strip of gold-colored metal running along one interior side of the compartment. Tne compartment holds two 1.5-volt C batteries, in a stacked position, with the negative end of the lowermost battery in contact with the spring, and the positive end of the lowermost battery supporting the negative end of the uppermost battery. The open end of the battery compartment closes with the insertion of the bulb assembly.
Switch. The switch turns the flashlight on and off. the flashlight switch is located on the body of the Workhorse 1-1/2 inches from the screw end. The switch is of round white plastic, designed to be activated with the thumb of the hand holding the flashlight. When the switch is pushed forward, towards the larger end of the flashlight, the light turns on. When the switch is returned to the original position, the light turns off.

Figure 2. Components of the Rayovac Workhorse Flashlight

Bulb Assembly

The bulb assembly of the flashlight consists of the reflector, the bulb, and the connector. When fully assembled, the bulb assembly is 2 inches long, with a diameter of 2 inches at the reflector end reducing to 3/4 inch at the contact end of the connector. The bulb assembly completes the flashlight by screwing into the end, or head end of the body of the flashlight.
Reflector. The reflector magnifies and projects the light generated by the battery-powered bulb. When viewed from the larger end, the reflector consists of a transparent flat plastic cover over a chrome-colored reflective plastic concavity with a central hole. The elements are permanently attached together and housed in a matte black plastic. The reflector screws into the connector on one end, and the midsection of the reflector provides the main screw for attachment to the flashlight body.
Bulb. The light source for the Workhorse is a glass bulb, 1/2 inch long, permanently fused onto a cylindrical metal base 1/2 inch long and 3/8 inch in diameter. The bottom of the metal base has a protrusion, providing the electrical connection between the bulb and connector. The bulb itself contains a metallic filament, one-half the length of the glass portion of the bulb, surrounded, at a point halfway up the length, by a clouded white plastic-like material.
Connector. The connector connects the reflector and bulb to the battery power source. The connector is of black plastic, ringed with a metallic collar 3/8 inch wide. The closed end of the connector is mounted with a 5/6 inch-square gold-colored metal strip. The metal strip facilitates the connection between the bulb and the batteries. The open end of the connector is threaded to allow joining with the bulb and reflector.
When fully assembled, the Rayovac Workhorse Flashlight is a sturdy easily held tool providing light sufficient for regular outdoor and emergency use. The compact size makes the flashlight easily portable, and batteries and bulb are readily accessible for replacement.

Transitions words

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Exercise 1: Words Signaling Additional Information
Gap-fill exercise
Another Equally important In addition Moreover also still
TOUCHSCREENS
The touch screen is the simplest, yet the most intuitive computer interface around. Touchscreen monitors are used in hand-held computers, PDAs, industrial equipment, point of sale equipment, lab equipment, public information kiosks etc. Basically, a piece of glass is added over the front of a screen. An extra cable is added to the back of the monitor.

What are some of the advantages of a touch screen? Firstly, a user can access substantial information easily and with minimal hassle. Secondly, the user can limit information access to the public. , a user who is unfamiliar with a touchscreen can access information on his own i.e without any supervision. is the absence of a keyboard or a mouse. This means the user will be able to save space. , it is easy to just touch the screen, as in "left clicking" a mouse. advantage of using a touch screen is that six to seven
screens can be run up from one PC at the same time.
References:
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/transitions.html#1
http://eleac.ln.edu.hk/wts/transition%20exercise.htm
http://www.ssdd.uce.ac.uk/learner/writing/transex.htm
http://www.ssdd.uce.ac.uk/learner/writing/transiti.htm

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Technical Communication Skills Report Exercise

Task

Imagine you have been leading a team that is engaged in an evaluation of a major sotfware utility for Institut Teknologi Brunei. You must now prepare a report for the Head of the ECE department. You may imagine that this is a real company (such as IBM or Microsoft), if that makes you feel more comfortable. The important factor is to imagine that this is a technical report for the Head of ECE Department of Institut Teknologi Brunei.

This report is required to enable them to take a technically informed decision on whether or not to replace this utility or to spend money on updating or developing it. You are concerned only with the technical side of this process. The relevant commercial and financial considerations will be dealt with in other reports to the board. What the board require from you is a clear technical overview of this particular piece of software. This should focus on its technical strengths and weaknesses.

The purpose of the exercise is to learn and refine the ability to prepare technical reports, so the form of the report is much more important than its content. You should pick a feature of Windows, Macos, Linux, or some other piece of software, with which you are already familiar and not waste time researching it, except perhaps for checking references. You will not be marked on technical accuracy and should aim instead for high standards of clarity and coherence. You may conclude in favour of, or against, future company involvement with the product as you please. What matters is that your conclusions are justified in the report.

The report should be as close as possible to 1500 words in length.

Some suggested topics are:
MAN Powerpoint Outllook Mulberry Wordperfect X-BIFF MSWord PINE, ELM Firefox Excel Internet Explorer Emacs Netscape and so on...

You may add your own suggestions, but get approval from me if there is any doubt about suitability.

Submission
A draft version of the entire report should be handed in by all students on or before 25th October 2008 (sat). The draft need not be complete or polished, but must at least show the intended structure of the report. This should include the intended title and sub-title, if any, the sections, and any notes on their likely contents. I will correct and return any text, but you will not lose marks for any mistakes or indeed for the complete absence of text. The marks for the draft are for structure (no surprises there, I hope).
The point of this exercise is to enable me to correct any major misunderstandings before you have to submit the final version of the report!
The final polished and neatly bound version of the report should be handed in by the 15th November 2008 (sat)
All these documents should be handed in to my office Room 2F.69 before 1630 (4.30pm) on the required date. It's perfectly acceptable to submit before these dates. If there any changes to these arrangements you will be informed by either (probably both) me and the department office in good time.

Project Report -Layout

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GENERAL TIPS ON CORRECT LAY-OUT

One of the most important things to remember now is that you are no longer at school and that fancy colours and decorations are OUT. Your approach has to be strictly businesslike.

ESSENTIAL- A VERY CLEAR, NEAT PRESENTATION.

This involves:

1. Typing the report: you should use Times Roman Font Size 12.

2. Using 1.5 or double spacing between every line, and leaving 4 spaces between paragraphs. Your report should not be fully justified i.e. use the page layout command "justify left" only.

3. Giving headings and sub-headings for each section. Capitalising and using bold will make your headings stand out well.

4. Using a clear numbering system.

5. Making really clear diagrams which are both LABELED AND LINKED to the text.

LAY-OUT OF THE CONTENTS PAGE

Abstract	i
Acknowledgements	ii
List of Figures	iii
List of Tables	iv
1.Introduction 1.1 The Field of Study 1.2 Existing Work Related to the Project etc.	1
2. Theoretical Background	4
3. Project Description	7
4. Product Development	etc
5. Assembly & Testing
6. Discussion
7. Conclusion
References
Appendices

CHECKLIST FOR THE FULL PROJECT REPORT LAY-OUT

The following is the full list of items you need for a formal report.
TABLE OF CONTENTS (See above for lay-out).

THE ABSTRACT OR SUMMARY
This is important because it gives the reader a brief overview of what your project is about. Summaries are read particularly by people doing research. It saves them a lot of time to see quickly if what they have picked up is relevant to their research or not. (Notes for this will be found at the end of the checklist. This is because although this item appears first in the finished report, it actually has to be written last.)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to express their appreciation to the following people for their
valuable contributions:
Project supervisor/s, Mr..... /and Mr .....
The technicians of ........ Labs, Mr .....

THE LIST OF FIGURES
The list of figures should be shown as indicated below:
Fig. 1.1 Equivalent circuit of a ...
Fig. 1.2 .....

THE LIST OF TABLES
The list of tables should be shown as indicated below:
Table 10.1 The decoding scheme for the ...
Table 10.2 .....

LABELLING DIAGRAMS

Figure 1: Apple's iBook

A summary of the LAYOUT.

By Michael Vallance

IEEE Referencing

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Reference Page

Remember, you must have a reference section! Please follow the IEEE (Instute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) style shown here. STYLE here refers to the type of information, the order, and punctuation of the information. List the references in the numerical order in which they were cited in your text.

EXAMPLE

Below is an excerpt from an article which shows how the citations are used and what the corresponding references look like.

Text Excerpt:

Surface micromachining has been developed more recently. For silicon, a modified CMOS process has been used, based on the deposition of SiO2 and polysilicon, followed by lithography and dry etching of the polysilicon to form shallow (typically <10mm) features. The SiO2 is then removed to provide clearances and allow motion. Because etch selectivity is achieved using different materials, restrictions on feature shape are largely avoided. Repetitive use of this cycle has allowed the fabrication of mechanisms [9]-[12], rotary actuators [13], and linear actuators [14]-[16]. Sacrificial processing is now being extended to other materials (e.g. metals [17]-[19] and thin-film diamond [20]).

These are the citations.

These citations are put there because the author is either talking about what other people have done or is using their ideas. Below are some of the references listed for the excerpt above. Take note of the style. STYLE means the spacing, commas, capitalisation, quotation marks, and the order of the information.````
And these are the corresponding references.

[9] L. S. Fan, Y. C. Tai, and R. S. Muller, "Pin joints, gears, springs, cranks, and other novel microstructures," in Tech. Dig., 4th Int. Conf. On Solid-state Actuators and Sensors, Tokyo, Japan, June 1987, pp. 849-852.
[10] M. Mehregany, K. J. Gabriel, and W. S. N. Trimmer, "Micro gears and turbines etched from silicon," Sensors and Actuators, Vol. 12, pp. 341-348, 1987.
[11] _______, "Integrated fabrication of polysilicon mechanisms," IEEE Trans. Electron Dev., Vol. 35, pp. 719-723, 1988.
[12] H. Guckel and D. W. Burns, "Fabrication of micromachined devices from polysilicon films and smooth surfaces," Sensors and Actuators, Vol. 20, pp.117-122, 1989.
[13] L. S. Fan, Y. C. Tai, and R. S. Muller, "IC-processed electrostatic micromotors," Sensors and Actuators, Vol. 20, pp. 41-47, 1989.
[14] W. C. Tang, T.-C. H. Nguyen, and R. T. Howe, "Laterally driven polysilicon resonant microstructures," Sensors and Actuators, Vol 20, pp. 25-32, 1989.
[15] T. Furuhata, T. Hirano, K. J. Gabriel, and H. Fujita, "Sub-micron gaps without sub-micron etching," in Tech. Dig., IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Systems Workshop, Nara, Japan, Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 1991, pp. 57-62.

Book example

[1] G. S. Maddala, Limited Dependent and Qualitative Variables in Econometrics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1983.

[2] C.E. Shannon, "A Symbolic Analysis of Relay and Switching Circuits," Trans. Am. Inst, Elect. Engrs., vol. 57, pp. 713-23, 1983.

Journal examples

[3] T. Tamara, M. Tsutsumi, H. Aoi, N. Matsuishi, N. Hagagoshi, S. Kawano and M. Makita, "A Coding Method in Digital Magnetic Recording," IEEE Trans. Magnetics, MAG 8, pp. 612-14, 1972.

Data book examples

[4] MOSTEK Microcomputer Components Data Book ,
Mostek, Carrollton, Texas, 1979.

[5] The TTL Data Book for Design Engineers, 6th European ed., Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, Texas, 1983.

Product information guide example

[6] Z-80 DART Dual Asynchronous Receiver/ Transmitter Product Specification, Zilog, Inc., Cupertino, California, 1979.

Technical manual example

[7] Z80-CPU Z80A-CPU Technical Manual, Zilog, Inc., Cupertino, California, 1978.

Reference manual example

[8] MC68000 16- / 32-bit Microprocessor Programmers' Reference Manual, 4th ed., Motorola, Inc., Geneva, Switzerland, 1984.

Applications handbook example

[9] Memory Applications Handbook, National Semiconductor Corp., Santa Clara, California, 1978.

Data catologue example

[10] Component Data Catalog, Intel Corp., Santa Clara.

CD-ROM example

[11] Zieger, Herman E., Aldehyde, The Software Toolworks Multimedia Encyclopaedia. Vers 1.5. Software Toolworks, Boston: Grolier, 1992.

WWW example with date web site accessed.
[12] Burka, Lauren P., "A Hypertext History of Multi-User Dimensions", MUD
(5 Dec 1994)

By Michael Vallance (with thanks to Phil Bungum for helping develop this information).

writing a Project report - Conclusions

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THE CONCLUSION OF A REPORT
The concluding section of the report usually comprises three components as outlined below. Notice that the first component looks back at what has been done and the last two components look ahead or beyond your project using the new experience gained from your project.

Click here for Language Questions

1) Meeting of objectives
Here you are required to tell the reader whether you met your objectives, and if not, the extent to which you did meet them. If there was any change in your initial objectives you must give the reasons for this change.

2) Proposing/Recommending Design improvements to your project
Having worked on your project for some time, you may have thought of other ideas that could improve your piece of work in terms of its cost, efficiency to design, etc. These should be indicated at this juncture.
Remember that when you are making recommendations you are saying what should be done to remedy a situation or to improve something.
Recommendations More

3) Suggesting New Lines of Study
Here you are required to move away from the confines of your own project and tell the reader if the ideas contained in your work could be applied elsewhere, giving rise to new assignments, projects and new areas of study. More

Click here for Language Answers

Language Focus- Parallelism in Recommendations and Suggestions
Parallelism means keeping to a similar structure e.g. My hobbies are: singing, dancing and cooking
So in writing recommendations we might write:
The following changes are recommended:
1. making the machine out of a stronger material
2. gluing the base to the body of the sharpener
3. using self-tapping screws instead of nails
Parallelism includes more than just sticking to ing endings in verbs.

Parallelism Self Study Exercise

A Conclusion Self Study Exercise

By Michael Vallance

Writing a Project report - Body

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THE BODY OF A REPORT

The body is the longest part of the report. It is here that information is presented, interpreted and analysed. There are five components in the body of the report :

1) Theoretical background
This refers to a description of the theory that underlies your project. More

2) Project description
This component comprises two different areas.
a) Firstly, you are required to give a physical description of the device/equipment you have constructed. More
b) Secondly, you have to tell your reader how your device is used. More

3) Product Development
Don't confuse this with the Process Description mentioned above. This Process Description is where you tell the reader, in detail, how you made/built your project item. More

4) Assembly and Testing
In this section you give a description about the operation and the tests which you have conducted to check that the device/equipment you have produced works. More

5) Discussion
In this part of your report, you will discuss the following:-
a) what you have achieved in your project
b) the lessons you have learnt
c) the shortcomings of the project
d) the reasons for these shortcomings.

The following is an example of the kind of information you have to include in each of the components (Ref: Temasek Engineering School, Singapore).

Michael Vallance

Writing a Project report - Introduction

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The Introduction in a report is very important as it contains the rationale of your project. Why have you done this project?
There are seven components.

1) The Field Of Study
This answers the question: What is your project and why did you choose this project?
Project Title : Development of a Voice Driven Car.
Example

2) Existing Work Related To The Project
This answers the question: Are there any other products around that are like the one you have created? It tells the reader whether your product is an improvement of an existing idea or is a totally new one.
Example

3) Assignment Definition
This answers the question: What improvements did you make in your new idea? Here, you explain whether you have improved on an existing deficiency, or added a new feature to an existing product etc.
Example

4) Claims For The Project
This answers the question: Why is your product so beneficial? You explain the significance and importance of your work and its capabilities.
Example

5) The Objectives
This answers the question: What are you specifically trying to achieve? This has to be clearly and succinctly expressed to avoid any misunderstanding.
Example

6) The scope and limitations of the project
This answers the questions: How wide is the scope of what you are trying to achieve? What are the limitations of your product?
Example

7) Outline of the procedures/methodology
This answers the question: What main steps did you take to complete your project? Here you tell your reader very briefly the procedures involved in carrying out the project. This includes the following:
a) the research you carried out before the project
b) the design of your project, the materials and components of your project
c) a flowchart indicating step by step what was done. Imagine you have finished manufacturing your product and it is packed in a box and is sitting on a shelf in a shop ready to be sold. What were the steps from your initial brainstorming up to the final packaging? Write a description of your flowchart (First, Then, After that, Finally).

Proposal Memo Assignment

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Write a 2‐pp proposal memo and attach a separate page of references (your working bibliography)

Follow this memo format, using the same headings. Use these questions to guide you:

To:

From:

Date:

Re:

Purpose:

What is the purpose of the memo? What are you proposing to write about in your final paper?

Provide an overview of what you will deal with in your paper. Be specific but brief. You can

elaborate in more detail below.

Background:

Provide enough background on the topic so that the reader knows what the paper is about and

how it fits in to the existing literature on the subject. Use 1‐2‐3 structure: This is the area of

investigation 1), this is what has been done on the topic already (2), this is where my research

question fits in (3).

This might include:

• historical information

• a definition of specific terms

• mention of previous research done in this area

• description of a particular problem or need that your research will investigate in order to

propose solutions to

Proposal:

What questions will the paper investigate? (Look back at the list of questions you generated earlier).

Why will you look at these questions? Why are they important to address? Will you examine data?

Do library research?

Why will you be examining these things?

What is your purpose?

You may forecast the shape of your paper here (see attached examples).

Methods:

What will you do first? A literature review?

What will you do second? Interview people?

What will you do third? Analyze case studies?

How will you do this? Be as specific as possible.

What research tools will you use?

Data from specific sources? Which ones?

Personal interviews?

Questionnaires?

Working Bibliography: (title will depend on what style you use)

List the works you will be consulting on a separate page.

List them in alphabetical order by author, following the style guide – use APA, MLA or Chicago Style.

2008-06-13T04:44:00.000-07:00

Guide to Memo Proposal for the Report Topic

1. Introduction. Describe your proposed topic, mentioning to what extent it is real, imaginary, or a combination of the two. Clarify the purpose of your memo.

2. Background. Help me to understand your topic by describing the situation from which it comes. Persuade me that you have found a significant problem, need, or opportunity.

3. Proposed Project. Describe the purpose of the topic, including (a) the problem (b) the technical/procedural tasks you will undertake in solving the problem (c) the criteria by which you and others will evaluate the success of your solution and (d) the purpose of the formal written report.

4. Plan of Action. Using an outline, persuade me that you have a clear, workable plan for obtaining the information needed to support your project. Work into your outline Steps 1-5 and explain briefly how they will prepare you to write the formal report.

5. Schedule. Refer me to a schedule (Gantt) chart which is specific, complete, and realistic. You may use the syllabus dates as a frame for your schedule, adding personal dates as needed.

6. Qualifications. Describe your real qualifications for tackling this project. NOTE: You may include interests, academics, and other experiences here, much as you did in your cover letter.

7. Resources. Mention the people, books, equipment, and facilities you will call upon in doing your project. Persuade me that you have the resources to put together a sharp project in the time available.

8. Conclusion. Summarize your feelings about the project, including its potential benefits for others and for yourself.

9. Structure, Style, & Tone. Revise your proposal for a unified structure (general to specific within each section), plain style ( active verbs, personal pronouns, unpretentious language), and a friendly, positive tone.

HND School of Engineering

2008-06-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

HND School of Engineering

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Unit Value	:	0.5				Total Hours	:	80
Lectures	:	32				Directed Study	:	0.5 hrs/wk

Aim

This unit is designed to provide English language and communication skills assistance to facilitate the students’ effective participation in an HND programme. In particular the aim is to assist students in writing and presenting laboratory and technical reports

Objectives

On completion of this unit the student should be able to:

Write about technical problems and their solutions.
Write laboratory reports.
Write technical reports

Give an oral presentation based on a technical report..

Teaching and Learning Strategies

The unit will be implemented by means of lectures and directed study.
A two hour lecture per week will be allocated to teach the unit.
Students are expected to spend 0.5hrs per week in private directed study producing appropriate evidence of competency in relevant skills.

Syllabus

Problems and solutions
Lab reports
Technical reports
Presentation Skills

Lecture Outline

Weeks	Topic	Description
1 - 4	Problems and solutions	Stating problems and their causes. Proposing solutions. Predicting the consequences of adopting solutions. Comparing and contrasting solutions. Recommending and supporting solutions.
5 - 8	Lab reports	Describing laboratory or experimental work incl. theoretical background, equipment and materials, procedure, results, discussion of results and conclusions.
9 - 12	Technical reports	Informational v analytical reports. Writing the introduction of a report. Writing the body of the report - collecting, selecting and organizing information – appropriate language and grammar. Writing conclusions and recommendations.
13 - 16	Presentation skills	Dealing with nerves. Micro-presentations. Elicitation of assessment criteria - use of body language (posture, eye contact & gestures) voice (volume, intonation & pronunciation) and visual aids. Peer assessment of final presentations

Assessment Scheme

Assessment will be continuous and will establish the extent to which the learning outcomes have been achieved by individual students. There will be 3 assessed assignments as follows:

Laboratory report 20%

Technical report 30%

Oral presentation 50%

Course Work Book

Students will receive a course work book containing the materials for the unit. The course book was compiled from the following sources:

Eric Glendinning & Helen Mantell, Write Ideas

Tony Dudley-Evans, Writing Laboratory Reports

Jane Summers & Brett Smith, Communication Skills Handbook

Christine Tan & Kam Chuan Aik, English for Occupational Purposes

Website: www.io.com/~hcexres/textbook

2008-06-13T04:22:00.000-07:00

Topic outline

Technical Communication Skills - task description

1
Unit 1
Activity 1 - About Report Writing
Activity 1 - About Target and Audiences
Activity 2 - Defining a product or a technology
Activity 3 - Product description
Activity 4 - Writing instructions or explaining
Activity 5 - Comparing products or services

2
Unit 2
Activity 1 - Comparing and contrasting findings

Activity 2 - Writing Abstract,Introduction and Conclusions
Activity 3 - Writing recommendations
Activity 4 - Preparing a complete problem-solution technical report

3
Unit 3
Activity 1 - Evaluating an oral presentation
Activity 2 - Comparing two oral presentations
Activity 3 - Improving on an oral presentation
Activity 4 - Improving pronunciation and fluency
Activity 5 - Preparing for an oral presentation

4
Unit 4
Activity 1 - Job Skills
Activity 2 - About Job Adverts
Activity 3 - Writing application letters
Activity 4 - Writing a Curriculum Vitae
Activity 5 - Interviews

Technical Communication Skills

2008-06-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome

Hello and Assalamualaikum everyone! My name is Halimah Mohd Kassim, and I am your instructor for COMMUNICATION SKILLS. This website will be our common meeting place online for the JANUARY 2008 semester. The site is designed to make your learning experience a valuable one.

The aim of the course is to provide all students with the skills necessary to present technical information in both written and verbal forms.

Note that the fact that these are *skills* means they have to be learned through practice. This entails that all students will need to produce both verbal and written work. This is a 'hands-on' course.

Here you will find all of the course materials for the class.

I will post much for your writing during the semester, and your masterpiece@assignments will be inserted here too.

I will post any and all announcements to your home page of this site, so you will need to check it regularly.
This is so that your experience is a positive one, and as we gear up for the start of the semester, please note the following so that you're prepared.
You are responsible for access to a computer and the Internet.

You should also make sure that your Web browser (for example, Internet Explorer, or Netscape) is up-to-date and functions properly. You will also need to have access to your email, or another that allows you to send and receive attachments reliably and conveys a professional ethos. You must have a functioning email address at the start of class.

Begin by visiting the main Calendar page and reading the instructions there. Then follow the course description link.

Give yourself a few hours to complete the assignment. It may take you a while to get comfortable with the course site layout and the interactive software.
If at any time you have questions about the course or problems using the site, please contact me by email: hhkassim@itb.edu.bn