Scientific and Technical Report Writing
Length
25 hours; ten 2½-hour meetings, five 5-hour meetings, or three all-day meetings.
Description
Scientific and Technical Report Writing is designed to help scientists, engineers, technicians, medical researchers, and technical writers and editors solve the special problems encountered in scientific and technical writing. The course has four objectives:
- To identify the 10 characteristics of a good scientific or technical report.
- To emphasize the importance of precision in expression.
- To suggest efficient and practical methods through which sentences and paragraphs can be organized into a successful scientific paper or technical report.
- To help students deal with the particular requirements of abstracts, summaries, introductions, and conclusions.
Method
The governing principle in this course is the principle of immediate application. Discussions in technique are followed immediately by sessions in which class members participate, and during which they apply the lessons of the day to practice exercises and problems based on actual samples taken from memorandums, letters, and reports. Homework is assigned on a regular basis.
Materials
The Communications Skills Company will provide each student with a 460-page text entitled Reference Materials for Effective Writing. In addition, we will provide students with more than 100 pages of exercises based on actual scientific and technical reports produced by government, business, and industry.
Class size
No more than 25 students a class.
Price
Call 256-883-6310 for pricing information.