Technical Report Writing

Lecture no. 2Session Spring 2013Instructor: Engr. Arifa Saher

Previously

•Finding Something to Say▫Brainstorming▫Free-writing▫Clustering▫Visualizing▫Asking Questions

Essay Types

•Descriptive Essays: ▫ The aim of descriptive essays is to provide a vivid picture of

a person, location, object, event, or debate. It will offer details that will enable the reader to imagine the item described.

•Narrative Essays: ▫ are told from a defined point of view, often the author's, so

there is feeling as well as specific and often sensory details provided to get the reader involved in the elements and

sequence of the story.

Essay Continued…

•Discursive Essay: ▫ Is an expositive/argumentative piece of writing which

discusses a particular issue, situation or problem. There are basically three types of discursive essays: a) For and Against; b) Opinion; and c) Solutions to Problems.

•Argumentative: ▫ The function of an argumentative essay is to show that your

assertion (opinion, theory, hypothesis) about some phenomenon or phenomena is correct or more truthful than others'. 

Shaping Ideas

•Now how to transform a vague scenario into vivid picture

•Audience:▫What do my readers already know about

this topic?▫What do I want them to know, understand

or learn from reading my writing?▫Why do I want them to know this?

Focus statements• To develop an initial focus for your paper• At least three sentences long

▫ I would like to write my paper on a recent proposal to the education system– inclusion. Inclusion refers to classrooms that have a wide variety of students or, more specifically, completely integrating special ed students into regular ed classrooms. I would like to oppose this idea.

▫ Why do you oppose inclusion?▫ What are the implications for approving or disapproving

inclusion?▫ What is a detailed definition of Inclusion?▫ What is wrong with the current system?▫ What is wrong with inclusion▫ What would happen if the two systems were integrated?

Developing An Essay’s Structure•Once the initial focus has been

established , the essay needs a structure: ▫Shape or ▫Form

•Shaping strategies▫Listing▫Topic outlines▫Blocking▫Mapping▫Drawing

Listing• Read your focus statement and look back over

the information generated while inventing. Try these steps:▫Write down all the points about your topic

that seem important to you (don’t argue with yourself or worry about the order, simply list)

▫Number the points in sequence in which you think they will appear in the paper. (importance, chronological, etc. )

▫Review the list, add or subtract▫As you write, refer every now and then to

your focus statement

Topic Outlines• Listing of topics, or subjects, and the order in which you think

they will appear in a paper• Example:

▫ Thesis sentence; A terminally ill patient should have the legal right to ask for death or help in dying without legal repercussions.

I. IntroductionI. History of euthanasia II.Greeks: Acceptance of Suicide and death

II.Modern: Accepting DeathI. Right-to-dieII.Right-to-lifeIII.Physician’s dilemma

III.Legal AspectsI. Past lawsII.Current lawsIII.Future laws

IV.Conclusion

Blocking

•Blocking Enables you to create “bins” to hold content of various sections of your essay

Introduction-- narrative

Problem block

Solution Block

Conclusion

Mapping•Organizing the cluster

http://www.tamiko.com/ek/teaching/mapping.html

http://www.illumine.co.uk/blog/2006/07/parallel-process/

Drawing

•Fish Skeleton•Bookshelf•Pearl necklace•Umbrella

Elements of an Essay

•A sequence of paragraphs that support or develop the essay’s main idea.

•Similarly each paragraph is a sequence of sentences that develop the paragraph’s main idea

•Elements▫Thesis sentence▫Introduction▫Paragraphs▫Conclusion

Writing a Thesis Sentence

•The Thesis sentence provides a centre of gravity for the paper

•This sentence can do a number of things▫Make an assertion▫Issue a call to action▫Direct a reminiscence▫Offer an evaluation

•When to write?

Introduction

•Forms the reader’s entrance in to the paper▫Single paragraph▫Several paragraphs

•Prepares the reader for the essay that follows

•When to write?

Attention grabber• Begin with an attention grabber. • Startling information

▫This information must be true and verifiable, and it doesn't need to be totally new to your readers. It could simply be a pertinent fact that explicitly illustrates the point you wish to make.If you use a piece of startling information, follow it with a sentence or two of elaboration.

• Anecdote▫An anecdote is a story that illustrates a

point.Be sure your anecdote is short, to the point, and relevant to your topic. This can be a very effective opener for your essay, but use it carefully.

• Dialogue▫An appropriate dialogue does not have to

identify the speakers, but the reader must understand the point you are trying to convey. Use only two or three exchanges between speakers to make your point.Follow dialogue with a sentence or two of elaboration.

• Summary Information▫A few sentences explaining your topic in

general terms can lead the reader gently to your thesis. Each sentence should become gradually more specific, until you reach your thesis.

•If the attention grabber was only a sentence or two, add one or two more sentences that will lead the reader from your opening to your thesis statement.

•Finish the paragraph with your thesis statement.

Grammar Session

PLURAL NOUN FORMS• The plural form of most nouns is created

simply by adding the letter s.▫more than one snake = snakes▫more than one ski = skis▫more than one Barrymore = Barrymores

• Words that end in -ch, x, s or s-like sounds, however, will require an -es for the plural:▫more than one witch = witches▫more than one box = boxes▫more than one gas = gases▫more than one bus = buses▫more than one Jones = Joneses

Irregular Plurals•There are several nouns that have

irregular plural forms. Plurals formed in this way are sometimes called mutated (or mutating) plurals.▫more than one child = children▫more than one woman = women▫more than one man = men▫more than one person = people▫more than one goose = geese▫more than one mouse = mice▫more than one barracks = barracks▫more than one deer = deer

Latin/Greek

•there are nouns that maintain their Latin or Greek form in the plural. (See media and data and alumni, below.)▫ more than one nucleus = nuclei▫ more than one syllabus = syllabi▫ more than one focus = foci▫ more than one fungus = fungi▫ more than one cactus = cacti (cactuses is

acceptable)▫ more than one thesis = theses▫ more than one crisis = crises*▫ more than one phenomenon = phenomena▫ more than one index = indices (indexes is

acceptable)▫ more than one appendix = appendices (appendixes)▫ more than one criterion = criteria

Mechanics: Capital Letters

•Rule 1. Capitalize the first word of a sentence, the first word of a quote, and the pronoun I.

•Rule 2. Capitalize specific names of people, including initials and nicknames.

•Rule 3. Capitalize names of countries, states, cities, and other geographic regions.

•Rule 4. Capitalize names of races, religions, nationalities, and any word derived from the name of a country.

Rules continued•Rule 5. Capitalize a person’s title if a

proper name follows it, but not when the title is used alone

•Rule 6. Capitalize names of days and months, but not seasons.

•Rules 7. Capitalize names of languages and specific courses but not general subject areas.

•Rule 8. Capitalize a person’s name that is part of a general theory or principle, but not general electronic or scientific terms, even if derived.

Rules Continued

•Rule 9. Capitalize the first word and all major words in titles of books, articles, movies, and television shows, and names of businesses

•Rule 10.Capitalize historical events, famous places, holidays, and organizations

•Rule 11. Capitalize brand names but not product names

Abbreviations and Acronymns

•Abbreviations are shortened forms of words or phrases. Each letter (as in CIA) or each unabbreviated word (As in titles) is pronounced.▫Abbreviations of titles such as Mr. and Jr.

begin with a capital letter and end with a period. Pronounce the title as though the full word

were written.•Acronymns are words created by

combining the first letter of most or all of a combination of words to make a pronounceable word.

Dealing with Abbreviations• Unless an abbreviation (or acronym) is so

familiar that it is used more often than the full form or unless the full form will provide little illumination – write the words in full on their first appearance.

• Examples of common abbreviations▫ AIDS, HIV, NGO, UNESO

• Examples of not so common abbreviations▫ TUC, SEA

• Use of agency, committee, party, organization etc

• Repetition

Ampersands (&)

•When they are part of the company▫Proctor & Gamble

•Constituencies where two names are linked to form one unit▫Jammu & kashmir

•R & D etc

Definite Article

•If an abbreviation can be pronounced, it does not generally require the definite article▫EFTA, NATO, UNESCO▫BBC, KGB, NHS (the)

Elements vs measures

•Elements▫Never take small caps▫CO2, CFCs, Pb, CH4

•Measures▫Always small▫kg, ml, lb (never lbs)▫km, mph▫bps, kbps

Assignment

•Select a topic of your choice for an essay▫Using one of the five techniques for finding

something to say, make a first draft▫Write your thesis statement▫Using any of the five techniques for

planning the essay, make its outline.

•Worksheet 2