English for Technical Writers

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English for Technical Writers

• Lynn Beechey-Volz
• Chris Keelan
• WS 07/08

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Descriptions Explanations

• First, descriptions
• Dont confuse with instructions Knowing how to
  operate a machine is not the same as
  understanding it
• We need a clear logical arrangement

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A logical order

• Definition in general terms
• The light-pen is a photo-sensitive device
• Statement of what it does
• which responds to short pulses of ultra-violet
  light
• List of its main components
• It consists of a short pen-shaped tube
  containing an optical system
• A brief description of how it works
• When switched on, the photo-multiplier generates
  an electrical pulse
• An overview of how it is used
• A foot switch allows the operator to control
• A second paragraph going into greater detail

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A logical order 2

• Another approach to this challenge might be to
  ask yourself the following questions
• What is it like?
• What is it used for?
• What does it consist of?
• How does it operate?
• How do you use it?
• Exercise Use this approach to describe a car
  (200 words)

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Possible solution 1

• What is it like?
• A car is a metal structure about 5m by 2m high,
  with wheels at each corner
• What is it used for?
• It transports people over distances too great to
  walk
• What does it consist of?
• It consists of a passenger compartment, with
  seats and windows, an engine for motive power,
  and steering, braking and warning systems

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Possible solution 2

• How does it operate?
• The engine burns petrol to produce motive power
  which is used to drive the wheels forward
• How do you use it?
• One seat is provided with hand and floor
  controls to guide the car, and to control
  starting, accelerating and stopping

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More on logical order

• The logical order starts with the general and
  moves to the particular
• Consider also the limitation of language we
  cant read two things at once, but a machine can
  often do two things at once
• Dont try to write everything the machine can do
  at once, think of your reader slowly
  understanding the process from the general to the
  particular

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And explanations?

• A description focuses on what is there
• An explanation says why and how it works
• A complex software system might have 50
  operations but the human memory cannot grasp 50
  operations easily.
• So break the explanation down into a hierarchical
  structure of bite-size chunks!
• Always think of the reader
• Dont confuse her by not making it clear if you
  are writing instructions or a description
• It is better to give the reader one or two extra
  sentences than to leave important information out

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Project 60

• Choose and analyse either
• A set of instructions (approximately 1 page in
  length) or
• A description or explanation (1 page )
• Your analysis should be approximately 500 words
  in length

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Assessment of instructions analysis according to

• Structure
• Content
• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Idiom

• Layout
• Completeness
• Sequencing and Numbering
• Clarity
• Overall impression

A mark out of 2 will be awarded for each category
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Assessment of description / explanation analysis
according to

• Structure
• Content
• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Idiom

• Definition
• Function
• Components
• Clarity
• Overall impression

A mark out of 2 will be awarded for each category
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Detailed Information

• As with the homework during the semester, this
  activity is to be completed in groups of 2-3
• Your 500-word analysis document should be
  submitted to your teacher and include the full
  names of all group members
• You must also include a copy of the set of
  instructions or the description / explanation you
  have chosen to analyse

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Deadline

• Tuesday December 18 2007

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Contact

• Lynn.Beechey-Volz_at_hs-karlsruhe.de
• Chris.Keelan_at_hs-karlsruhe.de
• Office hours Chris F304, Lynn LI-024
• Tuesday, Thursday 1300 - 1345,
• Wednesday 1130 1215