Scientists and engineers are often criticized for their inability to write clear, grammatically correct English as well as for their poor presentation of data. The advancement of their careers depends on their ability to successfully communicate ideas and findings to colleagues, management, and the public.

Illustrating how technology can be readily conveyed without loss of content, the book guides the readers in

Writing and verbally presenting data and ideas in a clear, understandable, and logical manner Producing goal- and fact-oriented, as opposed to emotion-oriented, writing Appealing to the designated audience while providing enough background information to provide context of the problem or subject

Clear and Concise Communications for Scientists and Engineers guides readers through the steps involved in producing a concise and understandable document in various formats.

Reviews

For scientists and engineers at every level of education, Speight offers advice on presenting their ideas in a clear, understandable, and logical manner.

—SciTech News, Vol. 66, September 2012

Contents

Scientific and Engineering Writing

Introduction

Definitions

Career Writing

Purpose of the Book

Types of Scientific and Engineering Writing

A Technical Paper

A Project Report

A Funding Proposal

Project Detail

Reports to a Court

Theses

Appearance and Physical Layout

Anatomy of a Manuscript

Page Layout

Font Type and Size

Text Alignment

Section Headings and Numbering

Editing

The Audience

Introduction

Types of Audiences

Audience Analysis

Audience Adaptation

Preparing to Write

Records and Notes

Organization and Focus of the Work

Timeline/Schedule

Authorship

References and Citations

Biographies and Résumés

The Reader

Writing Style