Grammar

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Grammar

• Engineering Communications

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sin (a) 3 4 ? 2 11 or 14?
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(No Transcript)
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Technical Writing
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Overview

• Sentence structure
• Subject verb agreement
• Noun pronoun agreement
• Word choice
• Punctuation

• Capitalization
• Numbers
• Secrets for Readability
• Peer edit
• Self edit
• Formats

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Sentence Structure

• Identify each sentence as
• Simple
• Compound
• Complex
• Compound-complex

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Sentence Structure - Simple

• Simple independent clause (can have more than
  one subject and verb)
• The engineer designed the project.
• The engineer and the architect designed and built
  the project.

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Sentence Structure - Compound

• Compound two independent clauses joined by a
  semicolon () or a comma with a conjunction (and,
  or, but, for, nor, so, yet).
• The dog barked, so the cat ran.
• The bird flew the cat leaped.

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Sentence Structure - Complex

• Complex one independent clause and one
  dependent clause (which, that, where, since,
  because, etc.)
• Since the dog barked, the cat ran.
• The bird flew because the cat leaped.

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Sentence Structure Compound-Complex

• Compound-complex at least two independent
  clauses and at least one dependent clause.
• While the dog was barking, the cat was running,
  and the bird was flying.

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Please underline the run-on sentences and circle
the fragments.
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Lift control devices on aircraft are used to
control the vehicle in roll, pitch, and yaw
conventional control devices tend to be bulky,
heavy, and often require complex systems for
actuation and support. Because these devices are
prone to flutter. They require special attention
in the vehicle design and development stage. In
addition, conventional control. Devices tend to
require intensive and costly maintenance thus the
application of micro-electro-mechanical
translational elements, MicroTabs, in the
trailing-edge region of lifting surfaces for lift
control instead of conventional control systems
is investigated.
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Subject Verb Agreement

• A singular subject needs a singular verb while a
  plural subject needs a plural verb.
• Ignore phrases and clauses that separate a
  subject with the verb.
• If multiple subjects are joined with and, use a
  plural verb.
• A singular verb should be used after each,
  everyone, everybody, nobody, somebody, every,
  one, another, and much.
• A plural verb should be used after both, few,
  many, others, and several.
• If a group is acting as unit, a singular verb is
  used. If the members of the group are acting
  separately, a plural verb should be used.

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Noun Pronoun Agreement

• Nominative vs. Objective
• Who / Whom match the m
• Who was chosen?
• (He was chosen.)
• Whom did you ask?
• (I asked him.)

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Noun Pronoun Agreement

• Agree in numbers
• Each engineer must meet with their interns.
• Each engineer must meet with his interns.
• Engineers must meet with their interns.

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Noun Pronoun Agreement

• Agree in usage
• Reflexive
• You must see if for yourself.
• Demonstrative pronoun vs. adjective
• (this, these, those)
• We must learn about pronouns because this is
  important.
• This example is important.

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No Personal References

• Avoid use of personal references I, we, our,
  or us.
• Replace with company, department, or product name
  (Marketing 101 say it ten times)
• We thoroughly researched the project.
• UNR thoroughly researched the project.

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Practice

• Please proofread the paragraph and make
  appropriate changes.

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Alpha Systems decided to change its prototype.
The change in the computers is needed because the
customers are unhappy. Therefore, the
supervisors must meet with their designers to
make the changes. Whoever has concerns can
contact Tom or me.
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Punctuation - Comma

• Use a comma where there is a list of three or
  more items. Do not use a comma if there are only
  two items.
• The panda eats shoots and leaves.
• The panda eats, shoots, and leaves.
• The panda eats, shoots and leaves.

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Punctuation - Comma

• Use a comma to set off an introductory dependent
  clause.
• Because the results were wrong, the project was
  rejected.
• Use a comma in a sentence where two complete
  thoughts are used and separated by and, or, but,
  for, nor, so, or yet.
• Use a comma to separate the year from the day,
  but a comma is not used to separate the year from
  the month.
• January 28, 2013
• January 2013

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Punctuation - Semicolons

• Use a semicolon instead of a coordinating
  conjunction (and, or, but, for, nor, so, or yet).
• The scientist found the results the engineer
  disagreed.
• Use a semicolon when two independent clauses are
  joined by a transition expression (however,
  furthermore, therefore, accordingly, etc.).
• The scientist found the results however, the
  engineer disagreed.
• Use a semicolon for a long list if commas make
  the meaning confusing (do not use and after a
  semicolon).
• She needed several items rulers for measuring
  pieces of wood to create the model pen, pencil,
  and paper to sketch the design calculator for
  analysis.

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Punctuation - Colons

• Use a colon after a salutation in a business
  letter.
• Dear Dr. Joe
• Use a colon for a long list (do not use after a
  verb or preposition).
• The part lists includes the following items
  speakers, CD player, keyboard, mouse, and
  monitor.
• Use a colon to separate a title from a subtitle
  or hours and minutes.
• Grammar for Engineers A Complete Guide

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Punctuation Quotation Marks

• Periods and commas always go inside the quotation
  marks.
• Colons and semicolons always go outside of the
  quotation marks.
• Question marks and exclamation points can go
  either place.
• The speaker asked, How many people like Six
  Sigma?
• When will the speaker stop saying um?

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Punctuation Creating Emphasis

• Emphasis
• De-emphasis parenthesis
• The managers (all engineers) were successful in
  winning the proposal.
• Neutral emphasis commas
• Dr. Joe, the professor, was late to class.
• Extra emphasis dashes
• We should diagnosebefore calling maintenancethe
  problem.

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Capitalization

• Capitalize all official titles of honor and
  respect when they precede personal names. Do not
  capitalize the title if the name follows it or is
  set off by commas.
• Capitalize all academic degrees that follow a
  name, whether they are abbreviated or written
  out.
• Capitalize trade names.
• Post-it notes
• Do not capitalize seasons or time (a.m. or p.m.)

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Word Choice

• Avoid clichés
• spark an interest
• Avoid contractions
• Avoid addressing the audience
• As seen in the appendix
• See the appendix
• Refer to the append
• Use keywords strategically (avoid overuse)
• Win-win synergy innovative sustainable

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Word Choice

• Avoid slang
• Avoid mean words
• Obviously
• Basically
• In simple terms
• Avoid SAT words (resist the urge to right click
  synonyms)
• Choose correct word
• further / farther
• between / among

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Practice

• Please choose the correct word.

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• What did Dr. Joe infer from the report showing
  how the chemical affects the test?
• The interns continually break the equipment.
  Because the project is so mundane, they are
  uninterested in doing the work.
• Just among the four of us, I am eager to go on
  vacation. I hope that we go farther away than
  London.
• Please lay fewer pieces of stationery on the desk
  of the principal.

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Numbers

• Basic Rule Numbers from zero to ten are
  expressed as words. Numbers from 11 and above
  are expressed as digits.

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Numbers - Express as Words

• If the number begins a sentence.
• If two numbers are being used together (use
  smaller of two)
• Two 3-pocket file folders
• For approximations
• About a thousand
• If using ordinals
• The eleventh person
• If the work oclock is understood
• It is five.

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Numbers Express as Digits

• For dates and times
• If the number follows a noun such as page,
  chapter, etc.
• Page 4
• Chapter 3
• If a unit follows a number, always use digit
  form. Use periods for American units no periods
  for SI units.
• 2 in.
• 2.5 cm

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Numbers Be Consistent

• Correct
• two-by-four inch piece of wood
• 2 in. x 4 in.
• Incorrect (mixing abbreviations)
• 2 by 4 inches.

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Secrets of Readable Writing

• Use figures
• Use headings and subheadings
• Use topic sentences

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Self Edit
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Self Edit

• Proofread important or technical material at
  least twice.
• To check numbers, try to read numbers
  digit-by-digit backwards.
• Use a yellow sheet of paper to go line by line.
• Read the material backwards. It prevents your
  brain from filling in missing information.
• Check all calculations in tables. This is
  especially important when using Excel with
  formulas. Excel will calculate several decimal
  places even if it only displays a few decimals
  places.

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• This paper shows that being a faithful agent to
  each employer should be the second highest Canon
  in the Code of Ethics. As seen in Fig. 1, after
  Canon 1, this is the most frequently sighted in
  cases. By increasing the order of importance, it
  will hopefully illustrate that engineers should
  view employers standards very highly. We need
  to recognize the ethical importance of the
  business we are in.

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(No Transcript)
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Peer Edit
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Peer Edit

• Avoid changing the meaning
• Avoid being a wordsmith
• Delete as much as possible

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References

• In-text citations
• ENGR 301, website
• Reference Section
• ENGR 301 (website). Retrieved from
  http//www.engr.unr.edu/courses/301.
• The references in the Reference Section must
  match the references in the text.

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Figures

• Use Fig. unless beginning a sentence
• Have a descriptive caption
• Center caption and figure
• Place caption below figure
• If not original work, cite reference in caption

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Tables

• Have a descriptive caption
• Center caption and table
• Place unit in cell or in heading
• Place caption above table
• If not original work, cite reference in caption

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Equations

• Use Eq. () unless beginning a sentence.
• Line space above and below equation
• Right justify equation number (use a text box)
• Equation must be written as an equation (not
  keyboard strikes)

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Other Style Notes

• Block style
• One inch margins
• Single space
• Line space between paragraphs no indent
• Page numbers

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Formats

• Business letter
• Memo
• E-mail

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Abstract

• Topic Same topic as technical briefing
• Due Wed., June 12
• Format Memo