Technical Writing for Computer Science Lecture 1 Prof. Dr. Ahmed Elngar Associate Professor Head of Computer Science Department Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence, Beni-Suef University, Egypt Prof. Dr. Mohamed Kayed Professor Dean of Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence, Beni-Suef University, Egypt Course Syllabus 2 Table of Contents: 1. Introduction to Technical Report Writing 2. Characteristics of Effective Technical Writing 3. Crafting an Effective Cover Letter and Resume 4. Common Document Types 5. Algorithms 6. Oral and Visual Presentations Introduction 3 Report writing is an essential skill for Computer Science students. Therefore, this course provides guidelines to students for writing technical reports (for example on experiments, and final-year projects). Computer Science reports usually present results, analyze data, and make recommendations in a logical, precise, and accessible manner. Report writing is a requirement for: 4 • Academic writing: it helps you as a student or a researcher to present your outcomes in a very precise way. • Professional writing: it helps you as an employee or a manager to communicate a message that shall influence actions and enrich capabilities required in your career. Defining “Soft Skills” 5 Soft skills (or employability skills) can best be defined as skills that allow students to become more effective learners and workers. They can include: ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ Communication Skills Time Management Organizational Skills Analytical, Problem Solving, And Reflective Thinking Communication Skills 6 These skills can include: ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ Listening, Speaking Reading, Writing, Non Verbal Language Presentation Skills Documentation Teamwork Customer Service Professional Behavior Why Do We Care? 7 ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ These skills are key to succeeding Many students have no idea how to function in the real world Many students mistakenly believe that technical skills are the only skills that are important It makes life in the classroom more civilized, and you can get more of the curriculum covered! Writing is learned by writing 8 ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ Practice, practice, practice Choose good role models Study good examples But there are also techniques and rules to learn Technical Writing: A Definition 9 Technical writing: this is a type of writing where the author is writing about a particular subject that requires direction, instruction, or explanation. Technical Writing: Information written by some Experts for Other experts or other Non-Experts Technical Writing: A Definition 10 The focus: writing that conveys how products (Software, Hardware, Devices, ..etc,) and services are : manufactured marketed managed delivered used Technical Writing: A Definition 11 ❑If you know clearly "why" you are writing and "who" will read your report, you have the basis for the report design. ❑you need to analyze your audience. Audiences Analysis 12 Three broad categories of audiences for a technical report can usually be identified from the beginning: ❖ ❖ ❖ Technical Non-Technical Mixed Technical Audiences 13 ❖ Technical Audiences are made up of people in the same field as yours. They are the most obvious audience. They are people such as other Computer Scientists, and technicians. ❖ They may be people you know within your own organization, or they may work outside. ❖ Their interests may include other things as well, but it is almost certain that they will havean interest in the subject of your report. Non-Technical Audiences 14 ❖ Non-Technical Audiences may include, for example, citizen advisory boards, financial experts, legal or administrative readers, and many others. ❖ Their needs will be quite different from your "technical" readers. As they read your report, they are looking for certain things that, as a technical writer, you need to provide. Mixed Audiences 15 Mixed Audiences are the most common audiences including both technical and non-technical readers. Such audiences are more difficult to write for, but there are several principles of report design that, if followed, will provide each reader with the information he or she needs to use your report efficiently. An example of this category is an engineer with financial experts. To Overcoming 18 Overcoming this natural reaction is a challenge, but you can make it easier for them by designing your report properly. So, the Principles of good report design are mainly covered later in this course. Solutions 19 ❖ One of your early tasks as a report writer is to identify and analyze your audiences. ❖ You want to know things about them such as: ✓ What their technical background is, ✓ What their function in the organization is, ✓ What their interests are, ✓ what level of detail do they need from your report? You need to know 20 ❑Your Audience(s), no matter what their background, training, interest, or position of authority, all have two things in common: • what your idea will cost? • How long it takes to accomplish? ❑ If your report doesn’t answer these two questions, it is dead on arrival. Report Purposes 21 Every report has a purpose. Some common purposes are: ❖ To convince the reader of something. For example: • • • to convince a government agency of the effect of a particular course of action to convince a client that your solution will fulfill their needs. to convince the public that a proposed project will bring benefits. Report Purposes 22 ❖ To encourage the reader to do something. For example: • • • to encourage a government or council to adopt a particular course of action. to encourage a client to choose one design over another. to encourage an organization to partner with your company on a project. Report Purposes 25 The general rule is to begin writing the sections of the report as soon as possible. • The table of contents should be drafted very early in the process of writing the report since the table of contents provides a good overview of the entire document, and • While the report is being written, provide an indication of which sections still need to be done. Getting Started 26 To create a useful report, you need to express the purpose of the report and identify the audience for it. You need to define the following items: ✓ Define the purpose of the report and the key information it needs to convey ✓ Define the audience and their level of technical understanding. ✓ Determine the level of detail necessary for the report ✓ Organize the data. ✓ Work with a team of authors Meet deadlines ✓ When You Work with a Team 27 When a document is a group effort, ❑ First; assign a task for each team member. ❑ Then, let each team member know the level of detail required, the audience, and the deadlines. Everyone in the team knows how their section fits into the whole document. Since team members often have other responsibilities and busy schedules, When You Work with a Team 28 When a document is a group effort, ❑ Follow up with each author to ensure that the commitment is being met and whether any problems have occurred. ❑ Finally, you must select one of the team to be an editor who can greatly enhance the final document. ❑ The editor’s role is to ensure a single, coherent writing style, eliminate redundancies or contradictions, and maintain consistent use of terminology. 29 Deadline 30 ❑ Deadlines should be clear, and team members should commit to them in writing. ❑ Managing the document is a project management task that requires frequent contact with all members. ❑ One missed deadline can cause an avalanche of missed deadlines. ❑ Therefore, it is important to be aware of potential problems before they occur. Deadline 31 ❑ If possible, it is always best to plan for some leeway in the schedule so that late members do not affect the quality of the project. ❑ Remember to allow adequate time for the editor as well as for making copies. ❑ Tools such as Microsoft Project are helpful for monitoring progress. Examples 32 Letters : to sell, complain, hire, fire…… Reports : to report on job-related travel or incidents, the progress of ongoing projects and to document meetings. Proposals : to highlight problems, suggest solutions, and recommend action. Memos and e-mail : to set meeting agendas , ask and answer questions. Brochures : to sell and inform using 6 to 8 panel foldouts. Newsletters : to report activities to both employees and stakeholders. Examples 33 Fliers : to sell and inform, using brief, single-sided documents. Resumes : to help you find a job. Web-sites : to sell and inform, using multi-screened, internet-based, hypertext-linked communication. User manuals : to explain the steps in a procedure Technical descriptions : to explain the parts of a mechanism, tool, piece of equipment, or product. How to be a good writer 34 ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ You must be reasonably methodical. Be objective. As a professional, Keep in mind that most of what you do will eventually have to be presented in writing. Remind yourself frequently that clarity is your most importance attribute. Understand that writing is something that can be learned. How to be a good writer 35 ◼ We can summed up the way to be successful with three imperatives: 1) Know your reader, 2) Know your objective, 3) Be simple, direct, and concise. Technical writing possibilities 36 A bank trust officer to write 20-30 pages proposal about the bank services to potential clients. A customer who writes a letter of complaint about a 5 day delayed shipment that arrived broken and cost more than the agreed upon price A webmaster creating a corporate web-site with online help screen to give the clients information about your locations, pricing, products and services. Technical writing possibilities 37 As an entrepreneur opening your own company, you need to write fliers, brochures, or sales letters to market your company. If you have just graduated from college or have just been laid off, you need to write a resume and a letter of application to get a job, explaining what assets you will bring to their company. Technical writing possibilities 38 A computer information systems employee who needs to answer a client’s questions and follow up with a one page e-mail documenting the problem and response. A technical writer working in engineering biomedical equipment manufacturing, automotive industry, computer software development…etc, who writes user manuals for building a piece of equipment performing preventative maintenance or for shipping and handling procedures. Thanks and Acknowledgement 39 Thank you