Transcript Writing - Chemistry

Writing Style and Standards
Use Clarity, Conciseness, & Coherence
 Paragraph Construction
 Sentence Construction
 Word Choice
Write Paragraphs That Are:

Clear – easy to follow, easy to understand;
use transitions

Concise – avoid inessential information

Coherent – begin with a main idea
supported, explained, and developed by the
rest of the paragraph
Write Sentences That Are:

Clear – easy to follow, easy to understand;
use subject/verb/predicate order

Concise – avoid inessential information,
subordinate clauses, or complex construction

Coherent – state the main idea first, use one
idea at a time
Use Words That Are:

Clear – precise, specific, concrete, accurate

Concise – avoid wordiness or terms
unfamiliar to your audience

Coherent – state definitions for terms early
and stay consistent
Common Mistakes

Comma Splices
Two sentences joined with commas instead of
conjunctions
incorrect –
The circuit operates at dc, Ohm’s law applies.
correct –
The circuit operates at dc; Ohm’s law applies.
or –
The circuit operates at dc, and Ohm’s law applies.
Common Mistakes Cont

Fused Sentences
Two sentences joined without punctuation
incorrect –
The workstation was not designed ergonomically it leaves
much to be desired.
correct –
The workstation was not designed ergonomically. It
leaves much to be desired.
Common Mistakes Cont

Misplaced Modifiers
Keep modifiers close to words they modify
incorrect –
Ignorance of science is a phenomenon in society that
must be destroyed.
correct –
Ignorance of science is a phenomenon that must be
destroyed in society.
Common Mistakes Cont

Misplaced Modifiers
Another example
incorrect –
The devices consists of a screw that is inside a barrel that
is driven by an electric motor drive.
correct –
The devices consists of a barrel with a screw inside it that
is driven by an electric motor drive.
Common Mistakes Cont

Parallel Structure
Use similar terms for similar ideas
Incorrect –
Microscopic mechanical systems (MEMS) can respond to a
variety of inputs, including light, heat, and vibrating
objects that cause stimulations.
Correct –
Microscopic mechanical systems (MEMS) can respond to a
variety of inputs, including light, heat, vibrations.
Common Mistakes Cont

Parallel Structure
Another example
Incorrect –
The extruder is controlled by an Opto 22 control system,
which controls temperature in the three heat zones, the die,
and motor speed.
Correct –
The extruder is controlled by an Opto 22 control system,
which controls the temperature of the three heat zones, the
temperature of the die, and speed of the motor.
Common Mistakes Cont

Verb Agreement
Verbs must agree with their subjects
incorrect –
The implant, along with its associated circuits, were
inserted in to the patient’s chest cavity.
correct –
The implant, along with its associated circuits, was
inserted in to the patient’s chest cavity.
Common Mistakes Cont

Pronoun Agreement
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents
incorrect –
Everyone in the lab must replace their radiation badges.
correct –
singular: Everyone in the lab must replace his or her
radiation badges.
plural: All people in the lab must replace their radiation
badges.
Common Mistakes Cont

Active and Passive Voice
active –
The study revealed that three underground storage tanks
had leaked unleaded gasoline into the soil.
passive –
The fact that three underground storage tanks had been
leaking unleaded gasoline into the soil was revealed in
the study.
Common Mistakes Cont

Tense
–
–

Use Present Tense for Theory and Known Facts
Use Past Tense for Describing Procedures
Mixed Tenses
–
Never Use Both Tenses in the Same Sentence
Common Mistakes Cont

Wordiness
–
Be Brief and Concise
Wordy
Concise
owing to the fact that
because (since)
on the order of
about
at the present time
now
a very limited number of
few
Commonly Misused Words





Affect, verb, to influence
Heat affects the surface.
Effect, verb, to bring about
A radical change was effected.
Effect, noun, The Coriolis effect will be studied.
Comprise, verb, contains or includes
The text comprises all three modes of transfer.
Compose, verb, made up of, constituted of
The mixture is composed of sand and gravel.
Hyphenation

When two or more words modify another word, and the words work
as a unit, the hyphen must be used.
Acetic-acid water system
bubble-cap tray
liquid-gas interface
a 20-percent increase
a two- or three-year study

But do not hyphenate most prefixes added to common nouns.
precooled not pre-cooled
nonpolar not non-polar
Exceptions:
co-worker not coworker
co-ion not coion
Units of Measure
• Spell out the unit of measure when no quantity is given
several milligrams
not: several mg
• Do not use plurals for abbreviated units of measure
50 mg not: 50 mgs
• In ranges and series, retain only the first unit of measure
10-12 mg, between 25 and 50 mL
• When a sentence starts with a specific quantity, spell it
out as well as the unit of measure
Twenty-five milliliters of acetone was added.
• Use the percent symbol with a number, without a space
25%
45-50%
Capitalization
• Numbered items should be capitalized when referred to
in the text of the report. Write the numbers as figures.
…as shown in Figure 1.
See Table 2
… as given in Equation (3).
• But for non-numbered items, do not capitalize
…as shown in the figures.
• Capitalize only the name of the eponym but not the noun
Avogadro’s number
Lewis acid
Non-Newtonian liquid
Placement and Punctuation
Man without woman is nothing.
Placement and Punctuation Cont
Man without woman is nothing.
Woman without man is nothing.
Placement and Punctuation Cont
Man without woman is nothing.
Woman without man is nothing.
Woman, without her man, is nothing.
Placement and Punctuation Cont
Man without woman is nothing.
Woman without man is nothing.
Woman, without her man, is nothing.
Woman; without her, man is nothing.
Placement and Punctuation Cont
Man without woman is nothing.
Woman without man is nothing.
Woman, without her man, is nothing.
Woman; without her, man is nothing.
Nothing is, without man and woman.
Tools/ References

Laboratory Writing Manual by W. M. Learned

Writing for Technicians by Marva T. Barnett

The Elements of Style by William Strunk and
E. B. White

Writing Style and Standards in Undergraduate
Reports by Sheldon Jeter and Jeffrey Donnell

A Short Guide to Technical Writing on class website
Proof, proof, proof!

A dictionary, word processor with grammar
check should now include scientific words
and terms

Proofread your report; Read it out loud and
have someone else read it
Use References
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Avoid Common Mistakes
Keep Sentences and Paragraphs Simple
Choose Your Words Carefully
Keep Your Grammar and Style
–
–
–
Clear
Concise
Coherent