Writing Review

1
Writing Review

1. Written Communication Assessment Rubric
2. Dr. Lanes Tips for Report Writing1
3. Some writing examples2
4. Example figures
5. Example tables

1Dr. Lane, Summer Lab 2004 2Dr. Arnold Summer
Lab Writing Review
2
Written Communication Assessment Rubric

1. Organization
2. Content
3. Format
4. Spelling Grammar
5. References

3
Organization

• Report Level
• Write an outline
• Prepare figures and tables
• Reassess outline and update
• Clearly state the purpose, and then write out a
  logical pathway to meet that purpose
• Section Level
• Use sub-headings
• Paragraph Level
• Topic sentence
• Additional sentences to support that topic
  sentence

4
Content

• Cover all aspects be complete
• Figures and tables show your data they dont
  explain it
• Dont provide superficial descriptions of figures
  and tables
• Explain the significance of your results
• Do the data help you meet your purpose?
• Make sure to answer all questions posed in the
  experiment assignment sheet

5
Format

• Figures have captions (be descriptive)
• Tables have titles (be descriptive)
• Tables and figures should stand alone
• Tables and figures appear immediately after they
  are called in the text
• Be consistent pick a style and stick with it!
  (Applies to headings and sub-headings, captions,
  equation numbering, figures, tables, etc.)

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Spelling Grammar

1. Use spellchecker! (use some caution)
2. Use grammar checker! (use more caution here)
3. All team members should read the report before
   submittal
4. Read multiple times

7
Mistakes are easy to read over
fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too
Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100
can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty
uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal
pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a
rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't
mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are,
the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and
lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can
be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit
a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos
not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as
a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot
slpeling was ipmorantt!
8
Do not trust spell checker proofread your work!
A Little Poem Regarding Computer Spell
Checkers (www.latech.edu/tech/liberal-arts/geogra
phy/courses/spellchecker.htm)
As soon as a mist ache is maid It nose bee fore
two long And eye can put the error rite Its rare
lea ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw
it I am shore your pleased two no Its letter
perfect awl the weigh My chequer tolled me sew.
Eye halve a spelling chequer It came with my pea
sea It plainly marques four my revue Miss steaks
eye kin knot sea Eye strike a key and type a
word And weight four it two say Weather eye am
wrong oar write It shows me strait a weigh
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References

• If you directly quote someone, give a reference.
• If you paraphrase someone, give a reference.
• If you use a figure/table from someone, give a
  reference.
• If you modify a figure/table from someone, give a
  reference.
• I you refer to previous work of someone, give a
  reference.
• Reference should be made to the original author.
• Choose a style and stick to it!

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Dr. Lanes Top 10 Report Writing Tips

1. Get a good nights sleep.
2. Outline the report.
3. Just do it write!
4. Watch an NBA playoff game.
5. Edit
6. Edit
7. Have someone else read it.
8. Edit
9. Submit the report early.
10. Start next report.

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Eight Common Mistakes

1. Wrong kind of word.
2. Sheer superfluities
3. Disregard of common elements
4. Wrong point of view
5. Wrong ways to modify
6. Miscellaneous inefficiencies
7. Repetitive agents
8. Wrong word order

Burger and Associates, 1981
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Some Examples (1)
NORMAL The need in the corporation for great
increases in space, caused by a steady growth in
research-related activities has created the
necessity of the addition of a new wing to the
laboratory. MUCH BETTER Because its research
work has been growing steadily, the corporation
will add a new laboratory.
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Some Examples (2)
NORMAL The condition of the gas chromatograph is
such that replacement of it has been deemed to be
absolutely necessary. MUCH BETTER The gas
chromatograph needs to be replaced. (Note
sometimes it is appropriate to give specific
reasons replaced because the thermal
conductivity detector is broken.)
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Some Examples (3a)
An overall heat transfer coefficient, U, is
calculated by two methods (1) commonly accepted
correlations (Uexp), and (2) equations involving
individual heat transfer coefficients (Ucalc).
These two values are then compared, to examine
the validity of the equations. One of the
commonly accepted correlations used to find Uexp
is given in equation (1). Uexp
q/A?T)(1) where Uexp overall heat
transfer coefficient A heat transfer
area ?T temperature difference between the
hot and cold fluids q heat transferred per
unit time The temperature difference and the heat
transfer area are measured.
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Some Examples (3b)
 
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Example Figure (a)
17
Example Figure (b)
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Example Table (a)
Conc Abs Stdev
0 0.001667 0.002082
2 0.012 0.002
4 0.024 0.004
6 0.029667 0.001528
8 0.041333 0.001528
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Example Table (b)
UV Absorption of 4-Aminobenzoic Acid in Water at
254 nm