BSEE 39

• WRITING

  • Writing is the process of using symbols to communicate our thoughts and ideas in a readable form.
  • To write clearly, it is important to understand system of language (knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.)
• Principles of Writing

  • a fundamental source or basis on how to write
• Focus

  • having a single clear central idea
  • each paragraph should have a clear main point or topic sentence
• TOPIC SENTENCE

  The topic sentence is one sentence that tells the main idea of the paragraph.

  The topic sentence:

  • is usually the first sentence of the paragraph
  • must describe the information in all the sentences of the paragraph.
• Development

  • each paragraph should support or expand the central idea
  • the ideas should be explained and illustrated through examples, details, and descriptions
• Unity

  • every paragraph should be related to the main idea
  • each should stick to its main point
• Coherence

  • should be organized logically, flow smoothly, and "stick" together
  • use of transition words to clarify the connection between ideas
  • everything should make sense to a reader
• Correctness

  • should be written in generally correct standard English, with complete sentences, and be relatively error-free
• Purposes for Writing

  1. to inform (Informative)
  2. to persuade, motivate, or take action (Persuasive)
  3. to entertain
• 1. to inform (Informative)

  • when the source is presenting interesting facts or lessons to the audience or explaining how to go about doing something
• 2. to persuade, motivate, or take action (Persuasive)

  • when the source is trying to influence, trying to change your mind (opinion), or trying to motivate to change a behavior or to take action
• 3. to entertain

  • when the source is sharing a funny story or anecdotal information
  • often found at events like banquets, weddings or dinners
• Linear Models

  • depict one-way communication and are used to communicate with the masses (no feedback)

  1. Aristotle's Model
  2. Lasswell's Model
  3. Shannon-Weaver Model
  4. Berlo's S-M-C-R Model
• Aristotle's Model

  • does not assign importance of feedback in communication
  • three elements that have the power to improve communication:

  1. ethos (credibility)
  2. pathos (the ability to connect)
  3. logos (logical argument)
• Laswell's Model

  • attempts to understand a communication event by asking five important questions:

  1. Who?
  2. What?
  3. Which channel?
  4. To whom?
  5. What effect?
• Shannon-Weaver's Model

  • stresses the importance of encoding and decoding messages for them to be transmitted
  • the first model to acknowledge the existence of noise in communication that could disrupt or alter a message
• Berlo's SMCR Model

  • provides a thorough account of the key elements in every one of the steps that will affect the manner in which the message is communicated.
  • Source: elements are the sender's communication skills, attitude, and culture
  • Message: elements are the content, structure, and code of the message
  • Channel: elements are the senses of hearing, touching, seeing, smelling, etc 
  • Receiver: elements are their attitude, knowledge, and culture
• Transactional Models

  • highlight two-way communication with direct feedback

  1. Barnlund's transactional model
  2.  Dance's Helical Model
• Barnlund's Transactional Model

  • examines interpersonal, immediate feedback communication
  • holds the idea that feedback for the sender is the reply for the receiver central to the approach
  • emphasizes the role of cues in impacting your communication:

  1. public cues (environmental cues)
  2. private cues (your own personal thoughts and background)
• Dance's Helical Model

  • builds on circular models and explains how we improve our messages over time by using feedback
  • feedback received for one message influences our next statement
• Interactional Models

  • highlight two-way communication with indirect feedback

  1. Osgood-Schramm Model
  2. Westley And Maclean Model
• Osgood-Schramm Model

  • considers communication to be equal and reciprocal
  • has no differentiation between the sender and receiver (encoder and decoder keep interchanging roles of sending and receiving)
• The Westley & Maclean Model

  • The Westley & Maclean Model is more of a mass communication model.
  • It discusses these essential components:

  1. Environment
  2. Sensory Experience
  3. Source Sender
  4. Object of orientation of the source
  5. Receiver
  6. Feedback
  7. Gatekeepers
  8. Opinion Leaders
• Mills and Miller (1981)

  • They gave several definitions to aid us in understanding the nature writing of technical
• TECHNICAL WRITING

  1. writing about scientific subjects and about various technical subjects associated with the sciences
  2. characterized by certain formal elements, such as its scientific and technical vocab, its use of graphic aids and of conventional report forms
  3. ideally characterized by the maintenance of attitude of impartiality and objectivity
  4. writing in which there is relatively high concentration of certain complex and important writing techniques
• TECHNICAL WRITING

  • To students, TW may just be a requirement to pass an assignment, but to professionals, it may be any of the following which is required to fulfill a task.
• These are the products of technical writing:

  • Business Letter
  • Contract
  • Monograph
  • Printed Action Memo
  • Graphic Aids
  • Instructional Manuals
  • Brochures
  • Proposals
  • Memoranda
• Business Letter

  • type of communication written uses formal language and follows formal elements of letter writing
  • to communicate with companies, organizations, or individuals with the purpose of applying for a job, making requests, seeking appointments, etc
• Parts of a Business Letter

  • Date
  •  Address
  • Salutation
  • Introduction
  • Body
  • Closing
  • Signature
• 2. Contract

  • written agreement between people two under mutually agreed term
• 3. Monograph

  • a detailed essay or book on a very specific topic usually written by professionals or academicians on topics of interest concerning their specific fields
  • The term monograph means writing on a single subject in Greek It is derived from the Greek words mono (single) and grapho (to write)
  • The first monograph in botany was written in 1672 by Robert Morison, a Scottish botanist, taxonomist and entitled, Plantarum Umbelliferarum Distribution Nova
• 4. Printed action memo

  • a ready-format memorandum that only requires a checkmark on the appropriate box that contains the message
  • especially useful for busy people who need to make quick decisions and act on the circumstance or situation
• 5. Graphic aids

  • drawings, sketches and illustrations that aid the readers in understanding the presented data
• 6. Instructional Manuals

  • written to guide the readers on how to assemble, maintain and operate an apparatus, machine or gadget
• 7. Brochures

  • pamphlets or flyers that endorse a product in such a way that the potential customer will be convinced that the product is effective and eventually avail of the product
  • Gate Fold Brochure, Bi-Fold Brochure, Tri-Fold Brochure. Z-Fold Brochure
• 8. Proposals

  • written suggestions on how to make the company or organization more productive and successful
  • a plan of action
  • request for funding
  • proposal of an idea
• Purposes of Technical Writing

  1. It serves as basis for management decision.

  2. It furnishes needed information.

  3. It gives instructions.

  4. It records business transactions through proposals.

  5. It procures business proposals.

  6. It serves as basis for public relations.

  7. It provides report to stockholders of companies.
• Essential Qualities for a Technical Writer

  • Writing clearly and to the point
  • Empathy for the end-user and their experience
  • The ability to manage tasks on time
  • Knowledge about the field, they are writing for. While this is not as important as the other factors, it gives a writer an edge over others 
  • Expertise and knowledge of the tools available.
• Properties of Technical Writing

  Also called "considerations" when writing technical reports
• Properties of Technical Writing

  • Subject matter
  • Audience
  • Expression
  • Style
  • Arrangement of materials