Developing your Project

1. Developing your Project Investigation Evaluation Time constraints Research discoveries Refined criteria Problem/Need Possible Solutions Solutions Report Topic Conclusions Legal constraints Criteria Client constraints The Solution Recommendation

2. Rhetorical Strategies: PowerfulParagraphs • Maintain flow • Maintain focus • Maintain parallelism

3. What makes this paragraph easy to read?

4. Maintaining Flow • Transitions establish connections between parts of a sentence, whole sentences, and paragraphs. • The right transitions guide the reader down the right path: comparison contrast sequence cause and effect addition example • Repeating key words also guides the reader

5. What’s missing in this paragraph? • The evaluation of diamond film based on the final criterion will be completed when the analysis of the qualities is received from the Institute for Advanced Technology (IAT). A request for the resource files on diamond film will be submitted to Norton Manufacturing. An additional comparison of the results received from IAT will be compared with information provided by Norton. The evaluation of diamond dust will be used for the comparison of the other nanocrystalline coatings.

6. Better? The evaluation of diamond film based on the final criterion will be completed when the analysis of its qualities is received from the Institute for Advanced Technology (IAT). In addition, a request for the resource files on diamond film will be submitted to Bolton Manufacturing, in order that we may compare the results received from IAT with information provided by Bolton. Once our evaluation of diamond film is completed, we can compare it with the other nanocrystalline coatings.

7. Transitions between Sentences Which words work here? • The project manager will leave for the conference on Friday. ________ , the project engineers will remain in the office.

8. Transitions create organization As an air mass passes over an urban area, its ozone concentration is first reduced and then increased as the city’s hydrocarbon emissions react to form more ozone. Initially, the concentration of ozone upwind of the city may be quite high on hot summer days. Then, as the air mass moves over an urban area, it reacts with locally emitted chemicals, reducing the ozone concentration. This reaction produces various toxic substances. Finally, the air mass moves out of the city, downwind, and the hydrocarbons released from various urban sources react with the oxides of nitrogen to form more ozone.

9. Maintaining Focus using topic sentences A clear “bottom line” opens the door.

10. Weak, Unfocused Paragraph The main operating cost is hydraulic oil replacement. GR-30 oil costs $18.60K per total plant charge, compared to XR-1023, which is $7.80K. Oil life has a major impact on the overall economics. Preliminary economics were based on a 1-year nickel life, . . . (Paradis and Zimmerman, 1998) Medium-sized idea Details Major idea Detail

11. Focused Paragraph • Hydraulic oil costs and life largely determine the economics of the hydro plant, because its main operating cost is oil replacement. GR-30 and XR-1023, the two oils we are considering, cost $18.60K and $7.80K, respectively, per total plant charge. . . . We are still projecting, then, that XR-1023 will cost less and last longer per plant charge. large idea details summary and transition

12. How to Develop Paragraphs • Write with levels of generality in mind • Topic sentence is the most general in subject matter. • Every sentence in the paragraph is either more specific than previous one or at same level of generality (except sometimes for last sentence).

13. Maintaining Focus The proposal does not conform to our research goals as outlined in the five-year strategic plan. For instance, the potential for discovering new laser techniques is discussed only briefly and does not form a major part of the proposal.

14. Focus stays on the “proposal” The proposal does not conform to our research goals as outlined in the five-year strategic plan. For instance, the proposal fails to emphasize our potential for discovering new laser techniques; these techniques are discussed only briefly.

15. Maintaining Focus • Tie new information to old • Place repeated info. in subject position The proposal does not conform to our research goals as outlined in the five-year strategic plan. For instance, the proposal fails to emphasize our potential for discovering new laser techniques; these techniques are discussed only briefly.

16. Create a recognizable pattern • In well-developed paragraphs, a pattern of organization usually emerges: • spatial • chronological • cause and effect • comparison/contrast • Comparison/contrast pattern will be especially useful for presenting your project. • two methods for this pattern (see Reference Guide)

17. Comparison/Contrast • Compare two subjects point by point. • Solution # 1 costs $1,000, and Solution 2 costs $1,200. Solution 2, on the other had, takes less time to construct: one day, as opposed to two days for Solution 1. • Compare two subjects by giving all the details about one first. • See Reference Guide, p. 22.

18. Next Lab . . . Please bring your proposal draft in hard copy. Make sure it’s also available electronically. Fill out and bring the Audience Analysis Worksheet. The primary reader for your proposal is your client (an owner or upper manager).

19. Peer Collaboration on Written Documents • Peer Review – in Labs • Teams ensure that everyone who’s done a draft gets feedback. • Organization • Use outline – generate this any way you like. • Schedules • Establish milestones • Agree on deadlines (if in partnership) • Style Sheet • Establish basic formatting conventions

20. Document Paper and covers Single-sided? Margins Sections Start on right-facing pages? Use line or other graphic device? Headings and Subheadings Position Font & size & characteristics Main Text Font Paragraph indentation? Line spacing Page Numbering Where on page? What font/type? Different for different sections? Tables and Figures Integrated with text?? Where do labels go?? References Citations in parentheses in text? Reference list goes where? Abbreviations, Acronyms, Equations Include glossary? Where? Acronyms spelled out where? Mathematical variables explained where? Style Sheet Checklist