Technical language

1. Technical language Style, Grammar and Punctuation (cont.)

2. Some of the most frequent grammar and style mistakes in technical reports • Punctuation errors • Passive voice • Verb agreement • Pronoun agreement • Spelling

3. Verb Agreement Errors • Verbs must agree with their subjects in person and number. If the subject is in the first person, the verb has to be a first-person verb. That is why "Iissmart" is wrong and "Iamsmart" is correct.

4. Exercise 1: find the subject verb agreement error in each sentence and correct it: • The communications between the programmer and the rest of the company tends to be rather informal. • The purpose of the monorails have changed from one of carrying food to one of carrying people to work in crowded urban areas. • The shortage of available infants and the availability of children with special needs has changed the focus of adoption for many parents. • In the computer's memory is stored the program and the data to be manipulated by that program. • Skyrocketing charges for data preparation, the need to keep pace with rapidly increasing amounts of data, and requirements for fast system response has led to a search for more efficient input devices. • The magnetic-ink character-recognition device and the optical character-recognition device is two important advances in the preparation of batch input. • Introduced in 1968 by the Computer Machine Corporation was the concept of key-to-disk processing and the concept of shared processing. • Equivalent to more than 3000 punched cards are the single diskette, first introduced in 1972. • Through the center of the core runs several sense wires. • Each of the steps in the process are treated in a separate chapter of this report. • Printing 54,000 chars. per 60 seconds were considered a high speed for printers at one time. • Reversing the direction of currents through the wires change the magnetic state of the core. • What is truly amazing about bits cells in integrated circuits are that 30 cells lined up side by side are about as wide as a human hair.

5. Exercise 1: find the subject verb agreement error in each sentence and correct it: ANSWER • The communications between the programmer and the rest of the company tend to be rather informal. • The purpose of the monorails has changed from one of carrying food to one of carrying people to work in crowded urban areas. • The shortage of available infants and the availability of children with special needs have changed the focus of adoption for many parents. • In the computer's memory are stored the program and the data to be manipulated by that program. • Skyrocketing charges for data preparation, the need to keep pace with rapidly increasing amounts of data, and requirements for fast system response have led to a search for more efficient input devices. • The magnetic-ink character-recognition device and the optical character-recognition device are two important advances in the preparation of batch input. • Introduced in 1968 by the Computer Machine Corporation were the concept of key-to-disk processing and the concept of shared processing. • Equivalent to more than 3000 punched cards is the single diskette, first introduced in 1972. • Through the center of the core run several sense wires. • Each of the steps in the process is treated in a separate chapter of this report. • Printing 54,000 chars. per 60 seconds was considered a high speed for printers at one time. • Reversing the direction of currents through the wires changes the magnetic state of the core. • What is truly amazing about bits cells in integrated circuits is that 30 cells lined up side by side are about as wide as a human hair.

6. Pronoun agreement errors • A pronoun, as you may know, is a word like "he," "they," "him," "them," "which," "this," "everyone," "each," and so on. It's like a variable in programming—it points to some other word that holds its meaning. • Problems arise when you can't figure out what the pronoun is pointing to (its "reference") and when it doesn't "agree" in number or gender with what it is pointing to. Error in gender agreement:The mechanic fixed the car. She had some troubles with the motor. Error in number agreement: Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. • Other singular indefinite pronouns include: somebody - someone - anybody - everyone - anyone - each – a person (student, employee, etc.) - neither - either

7. Example Problem: Lasers have also been used to study the reaction by which nitric oxide and ozone make nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and molecular oxygen. It plays an important role in the chemistry of the ozone layer that surrounds the earth and protects us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. ("It" what?) Revision: Lasers have also been used to study the reaction by which nitric oxide and ozone make nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and molecular oxygen. This processplays an important role in the chemistry of the ozone layer that surrounds the earth and protects us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.

8. Punctuation

10. Punctuation • Punctuation is unique to written language. You don't use punctuation when you speak. What you do use is a series of meaningful pauses and tonal changes in the sound of your voice. Because there is no sound in written language, a great deal of meaning is lost unless some kind of substitute for these vocal pauses and intonations is used. • Consequently, a series of coded marks have been created in written language to accommodate this need. These marks are punctuation marks that let the reader know when there are such things as pauses and voice modulation that signal added meaning.

11. The following are the primary punctuation marks of written English: • Period [.] • Question mark [?] • Exclamation mark [!] • Comma [,] • Semicolon [;] • Colon [:] • Quotation mark [“ ”] • Hyphen [-] • Dash [–] • Brackets [ ], ( ), { }, ⟨ ⟩, < >, ｢ ｣ • Ellipses [...]

12. Period • Periods end sentences. They signal a pause that is sufficiently long to be termed a stop. Periods are only used to end declarative and imperative sentences. That tank will hold only 40 gallons of the fuel. [declarative] Please submit all activity reports on the Monday following the week's activity. [imperative] • Periods are also used to abbreviate various words and titles. free on board F.O.B. Department of Defense D.O.D. President Pres. Captain Capt.

13. Question Mark Question marks end questions or interrogative sentences. Were all the instruments packed in protective materials? Exclamation Mark An exclamation mark forces emphatic attention to a statement. It is like shouting with the writing. In technical writing, these marks can be effective in drawing attention to warnings and special attention notes. Beware! Do not use near open flame!

14. Commas • Commas separate items in a series. They do this so the items don't get jumbled and blurred together in the sentence. Each kit should contain a Brinnel hardness tester,micrometer, calipers,and a steel machinist's rule. • Introductory subordinate clauses, phrases, and expressions should be set off with commas. When the R&D facility was opened last year, some of the engineering staff had no individual work areas. • Commas always set off nonrestrictive clauses. These serve as additional informational material within the sentence. The seminar on superconductors,held in October, had high attendance from our section.

15. Semicolon A semicolon is used between items in a series or listing containing internal punctuation. • Several fast food restaurants can be found within the cities: London, England; Paris, France; Dublin, Ireland; and Madrid, Spain. • Examples of familiar sequences are: one, two, and three; a, b, and c; and first, second, and third. colon The most common use of the colon is to inform the reader that what follows the colon proves, explains, or lists elements of what preceded it. Bring the following items to the presentation: Two projectors Slides Flip chart Screen Lectern

16. Quotation Marks Quotation marks signal your reader that you are quoting the exact words of someone else. Her exact words were ''The first test results show only marginal success." Quotation marks also enclose the titles of certain publications: • Articles • Book chapters • Reports • Government publications • Conference/seminar titles • Proceedings The ASTD titled this year's international conference "The Year of the Technician."

17. Hyphen Hyphens join as well as divide key elements in a sentence. The following examples show how hyphens are used in technical writing. Hyphens: • Join words used as a single unit in a sentence: The decision-making process will take place at all levels. • Join numbers: thirty-seven-year-old manufacturing plant two-thirds full • Indicate continuous numbers: pages 54-68 of the report • Join compound adjectives: decision-making process well-run facility

18. Dash Dashes show a break in thought or additional information within the context of the sentence. A dash is formed in type using two hyphens. Do not put spaces before or after the dash. This overhead tram -- not the one in Warehouse 2 -- needs routine maintenance performed on the cables. Parentheses Parentheses enclose a break in thought or additional information within the context of the sentence. The new lab (at our Oregon facility) will house the new testing equipment.

19. Exercise 2: Add correct punctuation (periods and commas) to the following paragraph: Mark loves to travel but Amy doesn’t so they often argue about where to spend their vacation time one summer they decided to try something different Mark went to Thailand but Amy stayed home Mark’s brother, Alex, and sister-in-law, Jennifer, went with him they knew that they could only spend one week in Thailand so they had to decide what to do they could all go scuba diving in Southern Thailand or Mark could go by himself on an elephant trek in Northern Thailand and Alex and Jennifer could meet him later in Bangkok Mark chose the elephant trek and he had an exciting time Amy was also having a good time back home sometimes she went out with her friends at night and sometimes her mother would visit her during the day she also liked to spend time by herself practicing her piano Mark and Amy learned that they could spent their vacations separately yet they both could have a good time

20. Exercise 2: Add correct punctuation (periods and commas) to the following paragraph: ANSWER Mark loves to travel, but Amy doesn’t, so they often argue about where to spend their vacation time. One summer, they decided to try something different. Mark went to Thailand, but Amy stayed home. Mark’s brother, Alex, and sister-in-law, Jennifer, went with him. They knew that they could only spend one week in Thailand, so they had to decide what to do. They could all go scuba diving in Southern Thailand, or Mark could go by himself on an elephant trek in Northern Thailand, and Alex and Jennifer could meet him later in Bangkok. Mark chose the elephant trek, and he had an exciting time. Amy was also having a good time back home. Sometimes she went out with her friends at night, and sometimes her mother would visit her during the day. She also liked to spend time by herself practicing her piano. Mark and Amy learned that they could spent their vacations separately, yet they both could have a good time.