Scientific Writing: An Introduction

1. 1 Scientific Writing: An Introduction Writing Guidelines for Students http://www.me.vt.edu/writing/ The Craft of Scientific Writing 3rd edition (Springer-Verlag, 1996)

2. The Craft of Scientific Writing Michael Alley College of Engineering Penn State

3. Key Principles audience occasion purpose [Report, 1986] 2 Importance of Scientific Writing This presentation discusses the importance of scientific writing and introduces key principles

4. How well you communicate affects your career 3 Survey (Richard M. Davis) Successful engineers spent 25% of work week writing Survey (Wisconsin) Professional engineers found writing their most useful subject in college Survey (Virginia Tech) Recruiters claim that engineers need more work on their writing

5. Space Shuttle Challenger (January 28, 1986) How well you communicate affects the well-being of others 4 Explosion was caused by failure of O-rings in the solid rocket boosters Engineers knew of O-ring problems well before fatal launch Engineers failed to communicate seriousness of problem [Report, 1986]

6. specific technical audiences general technical audiences non-technical audiences Scientists and engineers are called upon to communicate in many different situations 5 Conferences Lectures Meetings Posters Reports Articles Proposals Web Pages

7. Writing Constraints audience occasion purpose Purpose of Writing Writing Style To inform To persuade [Peterson, 1987] Scientific writing differs from other kinds of writing 7 Subject Matter [Franklin, 1952]

8. You should begin the writing process by analyzing your constraints 8 Who they are What they know Why they will read How they will read Audience Format Formality Politics and ethics Process and deadline Occasion To inform To persuade Purpose

9. You should begin the process of scientific writing by analyzing your constraints who are they? what do they know? why are they reading? what biases do they have? audience purpose occasion form process to inform to persuade General Scientific Document

10. who are they? what do they know? why are they reading? what biases do they have? Exercise: Pair up and discuss the audience of your next document audience

11. Language Structure This course focuses on style, which is the way that you express the ideas of your work Illustration

12. 9 Three aspects of writing affect the way that readers assess your documents Content Content is the message given Style Style is the way that message is presented (structure, language, and illustration) Form Form is the appearance of the message (grammar, punctuation, usage, spelling, and format)

13. [Peterson, 1987] words wordswords wordswordswords wordswordswordswords Illustration wordswordswords wordswordswords wordswordswords wordswordswords Structure Language Style is the way you communicate the content to the audience 10 style

14. mechanics grammar usage punctuation spelling format typography layout Form embodies the format and mechanics of the writing 11

15. Form embodies the format and mechanics of the writing mechanics grammar usage punctuation spelling format typography layout

16. The documents in a project often followa specific sequence Proposals Papers, Posters, and Final Reports Ideas Progress Reports

17. Finishing We can split the writing process into stages 12 Writing the First Draft Getting in the Mood Revising, Revising, Revising

18. Cal-Tech Linus Pauling An excellent way to improve your writing is to choose good models 13 AIP Maria Goeppert Mayer

19. Being Clear Precise Clear Forthright Familiar Concise Fluid When you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor. Albert Einstein

20. Streamlining language language Clarity means making sure that no one misreads you Avoiding ambiguities languagelanguagelanguagelangu??

21. This study will consider why current solar energy systems, such as Solar One, have not reached the commercial stage and will find out what steps we can take to make these systems commercial. R.I.P. Complex wording also buries ideas The goal of this study is to develop a commerciali- zation strategy for solar energy systems by analyzing factors impeding early commercial projects (i.e., SOLAR ONE) and by identifying the potential actions that can facilitate the viability of the projects.

22. Solar One is a solar-powered pilot plant located near Barstow, California. Solar One produces 10 megawatts of electricity by capturing solar energy in a central receiver design. Stacking adjectives before nouns swallows the ideas Solar One is a 10 megawatt solar thermal electric central receiver Barstow power pilot plant.

23. At high pressures (760 torr) and typical electrode gap distances (1 mm), the electrical breakdown of nitrogen was studied in uniform fields. Complex sentences misdirect readers The goal of the work was to confirm the nature of electrical breakdown of nitrogen in uniform fields at high pressures and electrode gaps which approach those obtained in engineering practice, prior to the determination of the processes which set the criterion for breakdown in the above-mentioned gas in uniform and non-uniform fields of engineering significance.

24. In our study, we examined the electrical breakdown of nitrogen in uniform fields. For these experiments, the electrode gap distances were typical (1 mm), while the pressures were relatively high (760 torr). The more muddled the original, the more revisions are needed to streamline it At high pressures (760 torr) and typical electrode gap distances (1 mm), the electrical breakdown of nitrogen was studied in uniform fields.

25. In that the "Big Bang," currently the most credible theory for how the universe was created, explains only hydrogen and helium, we are left to theorize as to how all the other elements came into being. Having studied the nuclear reactions that constitute the life and death cycles of stars, many scientists believe that there lies the key. The "Big Bang" is the most credible theory for the creation of the universe. Nevertheless, it explains the creation of only helium and hydrogen. What about the other elements? Many scientists believe that those elements came from nuclear reactions in the life and death cycles of stars. Archaic structures sound unnatural

26. Streamlining language language Clarity means making sure that no one misreads you Avoiding ambiguities languagelanguagelanguagelangu??

27. On the second day the knee was better and on the third day the pain in the knee had completely disappeared. An ambiguity is a group of words that can have more than one meaning On the second day the knee was better and on the third day it had completely disappeared. Dr. Richard Lederer Journal of Court Reporting

28. We wanted to reduce the vibration of the fan at the exhaust because the exhaust ducting was cracking. Word choice often causes ambiguities We wanted to reduce the vibration of the fan at the exhaust as the exhaust ducting was cracking.

29. Syntax often causes ambiguities,especially with adverbs Only I tested the Labrador for rabies yesterday. I only tested the Labrador for rabies yesterday. I tested the only Labrador for rabies yesterday. I tested the Labrador only for rabies yesterday. I tested the Labrador for rabies only yesterday.

30. Because the receiver presented the radiometer with a high flux environment, the radiometer was mounted in a silver-plated stainless steel container. Also causing ambiguities are pronouns, particularly the pronouns it and this Because the receiver presented the radiometer with a high flux environment, it was mounted in a silver-plated stainless steel container.

31. As light hydrocarbons evaporate, the oil vapor pressure falls. Not having commas after introductory phrases or clauses often causes ambiguities As light hydrocarbons evaporate the oil vapor pressure falls.

32. We examined four fuels: neat methanol, neat ethanol, methanol with 10% water, and ethanol with 10% water. When commas are missing within lists, ambiguities often occur We examined neat methanol and ethanol and methanol and ethanol with 10% water.

33. Being Clear Precise Clear Forthright Familiar Concise Fluid When you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor. Albert Einstein