004- illustrations, numbering and documentation

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Technical Writing

Illustrations, Numbering and

Documentation

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Why Use Illustration?

Illustrations serve to communicate information

that is difficult express verbally.

Illustrations serve as a convenient way to

summarise large bodies of precise numerical

data.

Finally, illustrations serve to break up large

sections of print, making the entire report easierto comprehend.

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General Notes on Illustrations

Illustrations are classifieds as either: tables orfigures.

Figures include: charts, graphs, line drawings,

photographs and any other items.

Tables are better for discrete data, graphs arebetter for continuous data.

Tables enable you to be more precise, but graphsare better for showing trends and proportions.

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As you write your initial draft, put in referenceto tables and figures whenever you think anillustration might be useful. Leave the

preparation of these illustrations to a laterstage.

As you are revising your report, look foradditional places to incorporate illustrations.

Pay attention to sections where you feel thatthere is some difficulty in explaining ordescribing what you needed verbally.

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Err in the direction of too many visuals ratherthan too few. It is always easier to remove themat the last minute than to plug more in at the last

minute. Align and position graphics carefully and maintain

adequate spacing between graphics and text.

Intersperse graphics and tables with text instead

of appending them at the end of the document.

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Illustrations are usually referred to in the body

of text as follows:

The pressure in the vessel is related to the

loading conditions (see figure 3.2)

Or:

The pressure in the vessel is related to the

loading conditions as shown in figure 3.2

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A figure caption consists of the figure number plus ashort title or description.

Figure captions are placed below figures, usually

centred. However they can be placed flush with theleft edge of the figure.

Keep your graphs simple and uncluttered. Include nomore data than a reader can absorb in less than a

minute of study. If you feel that the graph is complicated, separate the

data into several graphs.

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Make sure that the axes are clearly marked andnamed (with units).

Choose your scales so that the main data plot is

more or less centred in the graph. When more than one data series is available in

the graph, a clear legend needs to be used.

3-Dimensional drawings always give a morerealistic appreciation and allow most people tovisualise an object more easily.

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Photographs should be sharp with excellentresolution.

Each photograph should exhibit goodcomposition with a single centre of interest anduncluttered background.

Line drawings have some advantages overphotographs: They can eliminate needless detail and concentrate on

what is important. They can also be used to show internal parts or the

functional relationship between different parts.

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Examples on Illustrations

32%

19%18%

4%

21%

4% 2%

Combustion in energy and

transformation industries

Non industrial combustion plants

Combustion in manufacturing

industry

production processes

Road transport

Other mobile sources and

machinery

Waste treatment

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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Italy UK Germany Austria Belgium France

%

ofnewcarsa

les

1990

1995

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0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

Area Ratio

LossCoeffic

ient

Entry

Exit

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2550

75100

125

150

1500

25000

100

200

300

400

500

600

VolumetricFlow

Rate(m

3/h)

Load (N.m)

Speed (rpm)

500-600

400-500

300-400

200-300

100-200

0-100

Technical WritingUnit 6: Illustrations, Numbering &

Documentation

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Technical Writing

Unit 6: Illustrations, Numbering &

Documentation

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Technical Writing


Documentation

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Averagevalues

Convert tophysicalvalues

Start

Stop

Calculate

Displaydata

Store

Readvoltages

Sample

Timer

Digitalinputs

Storagefile

Averagevalues

Convert tophysicalvalues

Start

Stop

Calculate

Displaydata

Store

Readvoltages

Sample

Timer

Digitalinputs

Storagefile

Technical Writing


Documentation

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Page Numbering

The first page in the main body of the report shouldbe page 1.

Subsequent pages in the main body should benumbered with Arabic numerals (2, 3, 4.).

For front matter pages, lower case Roman numeralsare used (i, ii, iii, iv, v.).

The title page is not numbered although a number isreserved for it; in other words: the number of the

following page is ii. Appendix pages are given a letter-plus-number

designation (A-1, C-4.).

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Documentation

Formal documentation is often needed in

technical writing.

It protects you from accusation of plagiarism.

It also demonstrates that you have done yourhomework of searching for information for your

document.

Finally, it enables the readers to track down theinformation, in case they need to read more .

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Documentation

Any direct quotations in the report need to be

referenced.

Sources for any data that you are paraphrasing or

summarising are also referenced. Even material taken from the internet or

information directly received in personal

communication also need to be referenced.

Statements and facts that are common

knowledge are not referenced.

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Author-Date Format

Reference in the body of the report:

Similar results were published by Volkswagen

showing a diesel fuel consumption advantage of

40% under the European Urban Drive Cycle and30% under cruising conditions at 90 km/h

(Schindler, 1997).

Reference in the list of references:Schindler, K.P. Why do we need the diesel? SAE

Tech. PaperNo. 972684, 1997.

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