A Handbook of Writing for EngineersGood Style

(110~116)

Speaker: Feng-Hsu Chuang

Diagram• Numerical information

• Should elucidate and not interrupt the flow of the reading.

• A diagram should ideally be integrated into its text, introduced, presented and then discussed.

Examples• Well-chosen example helps readers

understanding difficult idea and gives life to the text.

• Two rules for using examples:– Must be at correct level for the

readership.– Must be widely understood.

References• References should

– show full and accurate bibliographical details

– be consistent in form.• For books

– Fisher, Barry: How to document ISO 9000 Quality Systems, Ramsbury Books, Marlborough, 1995

• For articles– Ward, Anthony: Measuring the product innovation process,

Engineering Management, volume 6, number 5, October 1996, pp. 242-6

Improving Style (1/2)

• Good style includes a felicity in choice of words and a sense of the rhythm of a passage.

• Avoid abstract words as far as possible.

• Use simple, direct language.

Improving Style (2/2)

• ExampleThe problem was exacerbated by the existence of unclear perceptions by those engineers involved in the project of who the client really was.

The engineers involved in the project were unsure of the client’s identity. This made the problem worse.

‘Link’ (1/2)

• More than two sentences which begins with the same words sound monotonous.– First, we…Next, we…Then…Then…and so

on.– Another example is when….

• ‘Link’ words and phrases guide the reader through the document and improve the flow for the writing.

‘Link’ (1/2)

• Examples– At the same time, on the other hand,

meanwhile, bearing this in mind howerver

– Even the engineers involved in the project were unsure of the clients identity.