Writing a Technical Paper: Tips and Guidelines - Prof. Matthew Young, Papers of Engineering

Download Writing a Technical Paper: Tips and Guidelines - Prof. Matthew Young and more Papers Engineering in PDF only on Docsity! How to Write a Technical Paper “Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely,“ and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” LEWIS CARROLL ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 1 Young’s Laws 1. Tell a story, and don’t be afraid of I and we (active voice—AIP recommends it) We placed tubes into the cylinder at different levels. not Tubes were placed into the cylinder at different levels. Hence, Young’s First Law: Write the way you talk; then polish ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 2 2. Use short sentences with explicit descriptions Hence, Young’s Second Law: Write one thought per sentence (or, at least, one thought per independent clause) ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 5 How can you improve on this? Unknown Writer by Unknown Writer: Though this individual (called OH62 because she's the sixty-second Olduvai hominid to be discovered) probably had, like other H. Habilis specimens, a rather modern head – with a large forehead, indicating greater brain power, and a rather delicate face – her arms dangled to her knees. (1 sentence, 45 words) ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 6 U. W. by M. Y.: This individual was called OH62 because she is the sixty-second Olduvai hominid to be discovered. Like other H. habilis specimens, she probably had a modern head, indicating greater brain power, and a delicate face – but her arms dangled to her knees. (3 sentences, 42 words) ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 7 U. W. by M. Y. (tells what’s important): The HCN laser oscillated in a single mode [← topic sentence]. The beam was directed into the infrared spectrometer, which was evacuated and used a blazed, ruled grating. [Least important →] The laser was water-cooled. (30 words; longer but clearer) ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 10 How to Organize a Technical Paper Based on ANSI Standard (Z39.16-1972, Z39.18-1995)) Title and Byline Abstract or Summary Introduction or Objective Theory Procedures Results, including Observations Conclusions (including Discussion or Recommendations) References Appendixes ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 11 Organization Pyramid (detective story, magazine article) Order of ascending importance Important stuff last May keep suspense, but not so good for scientific paper Inverted pyramid (newspaper style) Order of descending importance Important stuff first Good, but conclusions important too Chronological (review paper, mathematical proof) ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 12 2. Try not to start with a reference to past work High pass filtering in optical processors was described by Birch1 and by Swing.2 A zero was found in the image of an edge, and it was proposed to use this to measure linewidth. The result was applied to microscopy and an error function was calculated. Your contribution is buried Who proposed? Who applied? Who calculated? ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 15 3. Begin with the most important result of the paper I want to tell you that + Main Message: I want to tell you that high-pass filtering can be used to measure linewidths in microscopy. Write paper Erase I want to tell you that Reword if necessary ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 16 4. Useful openings Best openings: Purpose of paper Summary of results Problem addressed Alternate openings: Background of paper (limited to review or historical paper) Question (presumably rhetorical question) ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 17 Abstract 1. Second-most widely read part of your paper 2. Use informative abstract, or short summary of paper Saturable dyes for laser Q-switches degrade with time. The blue light from the flashlamp causes the degradation of the dye, and the dye's life may be extended by replacing the cell's windows with red filters. ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 20 Do not use (inaptly named) descriptive abstract Saturable dyes for laser Q switches are found to degrade with time. The cause of this degradation is discussed and a possible solution is proposed and demonstrated. Informative abstract gives information about paper Descriptive abstract gives little or no information Sometimes OK for mathematical, theoretical papers ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 21 Abstract (cont.) 3. Avoid Narrowly technical terms Unfamiliar abbreviations or acronyms References 4. Make sure abstract Stands alone Can be understood without reference to paper ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 22 Appendix A vestigial portion of a book, for which no one has yet discovered a function Place for hairy derivations, equipment lists, stuff that only specialists will read ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 25 References 1. Follow style manual of the publication 2. In this course, pls use AIP format Title of each reference (aid to reader) Inclusive pagination (very useful to know length of paper) These are worth fighting the editor for! ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 26 3. Citations in text: Superscript after period or other punctuation: ... a recent study of the pinhole camera.1 a function of T.2 not a function of T2. ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 27 7. David R. Williams, “Mars Fact Sheet,” Mars Home Page, http://nssdc.gsfs.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/mar sfact.html (2/13/00). [Or give date accessed] 2. M. Young, “The Bible as a science text,” Rocky Mountain Skeptic (to be published). ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 30 5. AIP capitalizes articles like this (initial cap only): “Imaging without mirrors or lenses: The pinhole camera and its relatives” but books and reports like this (caps and lowercase): Optics and Lasers, including Lasers and Optical Waveguides ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 31 6. Do not confuse the authors with their article: Equation (4) is derived in Morrison et al. Equation (4) is derived in the paper by Morrison et al. Equation (4) is derived by Morrison and his colleagues. ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 32 To be published Please be sure that you are really going to publish it Ms nearly ready or actually submitted Title, authors fixed Journal preferably fixed AIP says it must have been accepted or you may not cite it (bit extreme) ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 35 Footnotes or Endnotes Distracting, interfere with flow of article Say it in the text! Except for a note added in proof ... \wpdocs\srdesign\WrttnPsntatn_07.sld.doc Page 36