Technical Style “Proper words in proper places” Jesu Sw “Dress of thoughts’ “Style isa thinking, ont into language” Scientific Attitude ~ Be objective in your approach — Be impartial in the analysis of data — Be truthful in the presentation of facts — Use clear and readable, precise and concrete language — Reject all amplifications, digressions aud omaments of style ‘Bring your Tanguage to *mathomaticel plainness’ ~ Style of the report should not be rigid, stiff'and dull ‘Variety and crealsily ae chacaoterisies of all bums ccommunieation The ropor writing allows tho sams frsedam of choice af diction and structure. Gonerally the use ofthe passive voige and the thitd person i preferred. “Younced no1 completely avoid the use ofthe active voice and first person Ex Passive’ Reports on this subject have been waiten by several students 4crive: Several stulents have writlen reports ow this subject Too much use oF‘ should be avoided.Readability + A report is written fora specific ceadership. + Try to know your reader before you wits, his intellectual ability, level of education and background knowledge, expestations + Assume that the reader is as intelligent as you are but does not have the specialist's knowledge you have on the subject + *Care should be taken, not that the reader may understand if he will, but that he must understand whether he will or not” Practical Hints Choice of words and phrases ‘Words behave dillereny in dilJerent contewts and stuatious. = Choose sich words as would eveke in the mind ofthe reader the sae thought whieh is ua your mule. {Use a specie word insead of n general erm and a concrete unsteal of an sbstael Wout = tx He reads pirticndar ne yapr daily (We Hind). Please expedire action on our proposal (speed up) He has developed apoio -saver (stg). Use verbs instead of tion phrases formed from verbs: Phrases Verbs Make a seleecion Select Take into consideration Consider Tender resignation ign Offer the suggestion Suggest ‘Make an application ApplyConciseness “You can suffocate a thought by expressing it in too many words” (Frank Clark), + Pay altention to modifiers, elaborate prepositions& conjunctions, and phrases to introduce a topic. Examples It is difficutt 9 make en approximation of how much money il would east (14 words). Revision: Its difficult to estimate its cost (07 words) Some people labour under the impression that air pollution is a special preserve of the highly developed commis (18) Revision: Some people think that air pollution oceus only in highly developed countries (12) “That writer dogs the most, who gives the reader the ‘most inZormation, and takes from him the least. time”+ Avoid long and unfamiliar words + Use the plain and familiar words. Tong and Unfamiliar Plain accommodate fit accomplish do aggregate total commence begin purehase buy Cliches Its “a phrase whose aptness in a particular contest when it invented has own i such a popularity that st has become hackneyed, and 1s used without thought in comests where itis no longer apt” et Gane + Some of the Cliches: burning question, acid tos, leave mo stone ‘untumed. food for though, conspicuous by abserce, last but not the Teast, hoart and soul, pari and parce. tie iron hands oF the Jaw, hotbed. melting pot, leaves much to be desired, achieve 3 radical (ransformation, at axe lo grind, ish in troubled water ee + Ovenuse of cliches should bo uvoidod iP it sounds a discordant ‘note in your expressicn. + However, if you find 1 cliche which best expres dlon’t hes tafe to 180 Ht our meaning, Jargons + Trrefers tea language full of tecanial or special words + Don't use jexgons, if possibly you ean avoid it + Use of jargons for the expressions which could be best conveyed in plain language is treated as derogatory, ing unintelligibility.+ Example: The decision to eschew an immediate price-inerease hhas been taken by the firm in the interests of Lncililating agreementation within the industry as a whole on a standurdizationalized policy of simultaneous action on prices, witich will, it is hoped. be agreed on within tie next few months. Revision: The fim has decided (© postpone an immediate price increase by u few months. It is hoped that within this period the industry as a whole will artive at an auceement about simultancous action on prices, Construction and Length of sentences Ifa sentence has several (more than 3) conjunctions, whether you can achieve greater clarity by splitting it into lwo of more smaller sentences, + Remove any words which de not perform aay function, + Avoid monotony, vary the construction and length of your sentences. *+ Choose a subject about which you are going to say something, and a verb that conveys what you want to convey’ about that subject + Use the device of repetition of a word or phrase to fink Your sentences in & paragraph + Choose an Appropriate Sentence Length + In general an average of 15 to 20 words effective for most technical communication + Avoid Overly Long Sentences + have experience working with varius microprocessor-based ssteris. Some ofthese microprocessor-based systems include the T9O, RCA 9610, and AIM 7600 + T hove expsrionce working with various mieraprocessor-based systems, chiding the 190, RCA 600, and ALM 70, + Focus on the “Real” subjects The use of this method would elimuate the problem of motor damage + Thissthd would initate the probien of or dawg ~ The presence of six-membered lactone ring was detected+ Focus on the “Real” Verbs — Each preparation of the solution is done twice. Each solution is prepared twice Consideraiton should be given to an sequisition of ‘the properties, ‘We should consider acquiring the properties, + Avoid Overlapping and Confusion The speakers will include parmers of law firms, ‘businesspeople, smd civic lenders ~ The spesikers will include businesspeople, civic. leaders, and partners of law firms + Correct Lise of Modifiers: words, phases, and clauses that describe other elements in the sentence — We decided immediately to purchase the new system. ‘We immediately decided to purchase the new system, We decided to purchase the new system immediately + Be clear and specific — Am engine on the plane experienced some drficulies ‘Whudbongine? What place? Watkins uf die! ~ The left engine on the Cessna 310 temporarily lost power uring Hight + Use Posi ve Construction (PC) — Lwas sad to see this project completed (PC) — Lwas not happy to see this projected completed (NC) + Positive Construction Negative Constmetion = most not all ~ few et many = on ime no late, no delayed = Positive ineLiivien rejeet anno accept ~ impossible not possible+ Be concise’ avoid wordy phrase Wordy phrase Coneise phrase majority of ‘mes! = inthe event drat it = amumbsr of some, man in siow of the fact thst because = atan carly date soon ~ itis offen the case that ofien al be conclusion of aller, bllowing ~ itis our opinion that ‘we thins thas ~ atthe presen time now = iis ourrecommiendaiion that vee recommend thal ~ itis ovrunclerstanding that ve understand that ~ make reference to referto + Avoid Fanoy Words + The purchase oa detabase program will enhance our record ‘mainisnanes capabilitis. * Buying « database program will help 1s maintain our records + Fancy word Plain word tain buew + manifest) swe + potorm a + prcinre veo senlanu Gat) uy proces sehr + Frente ‘apren » evidence oeiby show + emule ced, top + tinal cd see p65 Fish + wie we + Use inoffensive Language Avoid soxist language — Replace the male-gender words with now-gender- specific words. Chairman,for instance, can become chairperson or chair Firemen are firefighters, Policemen are police officers. + The operator must pass rigorous tests before he is promoted. + The operator must pass rigorous tests before being promoted Switch to he or sho, hehe, she, ot his or herWhen referring to People with disability ~ Rofor to the person frst, the disability second, Write *poople ‘with mente retardation, "not “the mentally retarded. Don’t ceiee to victimization. Write a person with AIDS,” not ‘an AIDS scum “or “an AIDS suiTeter = Don’t refer o people with disabilities as abnormal. They are atypical, not abuornal, Use Signpost Phrases + For reinforcing an idea already expressed or for adding a closely linked idea use—also, certainly, furthermore, in addition, moreover ere + For contrasting with, or qualifying, a starement already made use although, afterall, but, except fr, however ete. + For ilustating a statement use—tor example, for ‘instance, such as thus etc. + For comparing use—similanly, in the same way, both, equally important ete, + Foreoneluding use therefore, as a resul, consequently, secordingly ete, Remember + One should avoid constructions that ar lkshy to be misunde'stood, even if they are arguably "eorteci” according loa dyle masial or dilionary. lis nol enous to make a document easy tread. t should slay be dieu to sisumdersinng + Never begin sentence with 2 word that lss an "sing" sulin, For exairple. "Assuming a << 1 and substtming in Eq. 12, the relation becomes ig 14 Equations neither assuine nor substitule. I should read: "When a1, Tq, 12 can be simplified to became Rg. 14." Put slalerenisin pesive form (Strunk and White rule 15) “Avoid statements lke "None ofthese integers were non-negative,” Soy insiead Al ofthe intogers were nes: