Susan Brady, Department Head, CSEE Brown Bag Session Technical Writing

Susan Brady, Department Head, CSEE

Brown Bag Session

Technical Writing

How to Write a Technical Paper

• Overview

• DOE guidelines

• Workshop Groups

Technical Communication

• Accurate

• Clear

• Concise

• Coherent

• Appropriate

Adapted from The Mayfield Handbook of Technical and Scientific Writing

Clear

• Structural clarity (forecasting or organizational strategies, graphic representation)

• Stylistic clarity (simple, direct language)

• Contextual clarity (importance, authorization and implications)

Accurate

• Document accuracy (clear problem statement, outline, appropriate detail)

• Stylistic accuracy (paragraph and sentence structure, word choice)

• Technical accuracy (understanding, representation, conceptual mastery, ability to analyze data)

Concise

• Focus (narrow to manageable problem and response)

• Eliminate unnecessary text (identify words not needed to support claims, use graphics)

• Revise (numerous read-throughs, peer review)

Coherent

• Consistent patterns (logical and stylistic consistency)

• Indicate connections (“road map” through document)

• Paragraph development (clear topic sentence, supporting text, transitional devices)

Transitional Devices

Example:

Reducing drag in an aerospace vehicle is an important design consideration with financial and operational consequences. Poorly designed rocket fuselages can triple fuel and launch costs. Drag increases stress on key joints. This proposed project will develop a model to reduce aerodynamic drag on the RX100.

Transitional Devices

Improved:

Reducing drag in an aerospace vehicle is an important design consideration. For example, poorly designed rocket fuselages can triple fuel and launch costs. Moreover, drag increases stress on key joints. Therefore, this proposed project will develop a model to reduce aerodynamic drag on the RX100.

Appropriate

• Match goals and purpose

• Address the correct audience (expertise, purpose, attitude)

• Match context (institutional guidelines, general scientific and technical community)

Critique

The flow of electrical current can induce the migration of impurities or other defects through the bulk of a solid. This process is called electromigration. In simple electromigration, the force on the defect is thought to have two components. The first component is the force created by direct interaction between the effective charge of the defect and the electric field that drives the current. The second component, called the "wind force," is the force caused by the scattering of electrons at the defect.

• --J.A. Stroscio and D.M. Eigler, "Atomic and Molecular Manipulation with the Scanning Tunneling Microscope," Science

Purpose and Benefits

• To clarify your thinking

• Publish in DOE Journal of Undergraduate Research

• Grad School application/resume

• AAAS Conference 2010 – San Diego

Resources

• DOE Program Handbook

• Online Mayfield Handbook

• Writing groups with peers

• One-on-one meetings with Clyde

• Ask your mentor

• DOE Program Handbook

• DOE will not consider publishing a paper that does not conform to its guidelines

General Guidelines

•Title Page•Table of contents•Abstract (2500 Character Max, including spaces)•Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion & Conclusions = 10 page maximum•References (IEEE format for citations)•Acknowledgements•Figures and tables

Outline of Research Paper

• The abstract is a brief summary of your research. No more than 2500 characters!

• Includes the following:

• Header: Title, Names, Affiliations• Introduction: Background & Significance • Methods and Materials: How did you do it?• Results: What happened? • Discussion and Conclusions: Interpretation

• Only standard abbreviations (laser, DNA, etc.)• No citations

See p 15 of DOE guide for details and very good sample abstracts.

Abstract

Sample Title PageSee Page 40 of the Program Guidebook for sample layout.

•Title of Research•Name of Student•Program Name•Name of Student’s School•Host Lab (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)•Location: Berkeley, California•Date•Signatures (yours and your Research Advisor’s)

Table of Contents• List all sections of the paper with page numbers.• Tables and Figures are included at the end of your research paper (after your References.)

Introduction: Objectives

• Provide a rationale for the study

• State the nature and scope of the problem

• Include background/ history and references important to understanding the study

There is no one right approach!

Use one or some of these.

General Notes on “Introduction”

Hook the reader – Make it interesting! Start with the familiar or the general

Poor:

“Galaxies are collections of stars and they have emission at 100 microns and 1.4 GHz and telescopes can detect them.”

Better:

“The correlation between the far-infrared and radio continuum emission in galaxies is one of the most robust and one of the most puzzling relations in extragalactic research.”

Materials and Methods

• Complete sentences• Describe the experimental procedure, and the materials used• Do NOT describe well-known techniques: examples: PCR, NMR• Do spell out complete names when first introduced• Reference established procedures when necessary

• Tables and Figures

• Your data are your data

• No interpretation

Results

• Describe: We detected 115 GHz continuum emission in 3 out of 44 galaxies.

• Do not interpret: Because we detected so few galaxies, there must be very little thermal emission from these sources.

Results

Discussion & Conclusions

• Interpretation of Results• Comparisons to similar studies• Future research

Figures and Tables

• What is a “Figure” ?• Number tables and figures separately.• Include figure captions. • Place all tables and figures at the end of your paper.

Figure 5. A really greatfigure!

Acknowledgments

• Identify where the research was done.• Acknowledge those who provided major assistance to you.• Thank the DOE, Office of Science, LBNL, and CSEE for creating, funding, and organizing the program.• If applicable, thank the NSF for help in funding your internship.

References

• Cite all ideas or information from other sources

• In the body of the text [1]• With complete citation in the references section

•[1] T. T. Helfer, “My Great Paper,” Journal of Prestigious Research, v. 315, pp. 155-167, 2001.

• Citations should be in IEEE format• Don’t copy citations! Read the original paper for yourself!

Recap of Research Paper• Introduction

• Use short paper as springboard

• Materials & Methods • Straightforward to write

• Results• Again straightforward

• Discussion & Conclusions• Your mentor can help out with interpretation

• All those miscellaneous details: abstract, title page, TOC, figures

• Tedious but straightforward

Peer Writing Groups

• Sign up for group of 4 students • Break paper into manageable chunks • Exchange papers and review before you meet• Get together and offer constructive criticism

• Read and critique the papers in your group before you meet

• Submit your own writing to your group by the deadlines

• Attend 3 meetings, 1 hour each

Why bother? It works!

Papers published in JUR in past years

have gone through this process

Final thoughts — schedule

Sign up for your peer group today.

Meeting Days Time Slots:

Monday, Wednesday 12-1, 4-5, 5-6

Tuesday 4-5, 5-6

Friday 11-12, 12-1

Calendar:

Today: Sign up for group

June 18: Short Papers due

June 15 Meet 3 times, complete the paper in stages (Intro, M&M, Data, Conclusions, final edits)