Who this leaflet is for

This leaflet is for anyone studying or working in the Science or Engineering fields who needs to write papers, proposals, reports etc.

The aim of this leaflet

The aim of this leaflet is to provide you with information on learning materials and tips for improving your technical writing.

Useful materials in the Language Commons

Books

The books on Technical Writing are located in the Multimedia Area (‘Science and Technology’ shelf) and (‘Writing’ shelf). If you have time, flip through the books on the shelf that you like and then decide which book(s) you find most useful. The next step is to mark out the chapters in those books and plan realistically how you are going to use the books.

Do not attempt to finish the whole book no matter how good it is – only select the most useful chapters for yourself. Remember, you are in charge of your learning so you decide what you want to learn, and how to do it.

Technical Writing & Professional Communication C C [‘Writing’ shelf]

Very comprehensive and thorough — probably one of the best in this area. There are writing exercises at the end of each chapter. Answers are provided at the back of the book. Highly recommended to anyone who is serious about learning technical communication. Those who want to have a review of grammar, style and vocabulary will find Part Six of this book particularly useful.

• Computer Science
  This course aims to introduce learners to the contents of Computer Science and to help them practise the skills they need in order to study the subject via English. There are sections to help you increase your vocabulary and revise your grammar for writing.
• Computing C
  The course aims to develop all four language skills with special emphasis on vocabulary acquisition and grammatical accuracy. The book also contains a special letter writing section and a comprehensive glossary of computing terminology.
• English in Mechanical Engineering
  There are eight units, each with a specially written reading passage followed by exercises which focus on those features of English which are often used in the written language of engineering.
• English for the Telecommunications Industry C
  This is an intermediate level course for people working or planning to work as managers and engineers. There is a comprehensive self-study guide with very useful learning tips. Answers are provided for all writing exercises.
• English for Technical Communication
  This is a course that develops communication skills, both written and spoken, for people studying or working in technical and scientific environments where English is used.

• Technical Writing & Professional Communication [‘Writing’ shelf]
  Part Four of this book teaches different types of report: short informal reports,progress reports, feasibility reports, proposals, long reports. It contains explanations, writing exercises and sample reports.
• Report Writing [‘Business’ shelf, Multimedia Area]
  This material consists of two coursebooks: First Training Report Writing – Briefcase Booklet, and First Training Report Writing – Discussion Guide, & one videotape.
  • Business Writing for Hong Kong, Part 2, pp.259-282
  • Writing: Upper Immediate, Unit 9
  • Writing (Advanced), Unit 11
  • International Business English, Unit 4

Materials on the Web

• Online Technical Writing CC
  http://www.io.com/~hcexres/tcm1603/acchtml/acctoc.html
  A very comprehensive online Technical Writing Course with clear explanation, exercises and examples. The materials and examples are authentic and up-to-date.
• Online Writing Assistant
  http://techwriting.about.com/careers/techwriting/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.powa.org/orgnfrms.htm
• A Writer’s Toolkit: a guide to effective writing and communication
  http://techwriting.about.com/careers/techwriting/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.for.gov.bc.ca%2Fhfp%2Fpubs%2Frefer%2Ftoolkit.htm
  Shows how we can use a positive approach to construct business letters to convey the messages effectively and achieve what we want.
• Gary Conroy’s Technical Writing Website C
  http://www.gary-conroy.com/library/weekly/aa033199.htm
  Very comprehensive! There are links to almost all aspects of technical writing including information on ‘foreword’, ‘acknowledgements’, ‘references’ and so on.
• Professional Writing C
  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/#sub6
  From this website you can get very useful and comprehensive information on technical writing. Recommended links include:
  • Writing positive, negative and neutral messages
  • Sales letters: four point action closing
• 10 ways to Improve your Technical Writing
  http://www.smartbiz.com/sbs/arts/bly10.htm

• Short Technical/Business Reports C
  http://www.ecf.toronto.edu/~writing/shrtrept.htm
  This website gives you useful tips on technical reports. Want to learn how to write abstracts, introductions, conclusions and recommendations? Visit this website and see if you find it useful.
• Outlining a Technical Report
  http://webster.commnet.edu/HP/pages/darling/grammar.htm
  Shows you how to outline a research paper.
• Report Writing
  http://www.gary-conroy.com/library/weekly/aa033199.htm
  Tips on writing technical reports.
• Abstracts
  http://www.library.utoronto.ca/writing/abstract.html
  Shows you why abstracts are important and how to write them.
• Proposals: stages and strategies
  http://cla-net.cla.umn.edu/ord/infobr3.htm
  You will find worksheets for proposal preparation, and strategies for writing winning proposals.
• Proposal Writing
  http://www.gary-conroy.com/library/weekly/aa022201.htm
  There is useful information for writing proposals, especially sales proposals and research proposals.
• Laboratory Reports C
  http://www.ecf.toronto.edu/~writing/lab.htm
  This website gives very comprehensive instruction on writing the different parts of a lab report.

• Wordiness: Danger Signals and Ways to React
  http://www.library.utoronto.ca/writing/wordines.html
  Visit this website to learn how to write concisely.
• Unbiased Language
  http://www.library.utoronto.ca/writing/unbias.html
  Recent changes in social awareness have made people think about how some vocabulary and expressions may downgrade certain groups. Common sense and some specific strategies can help you raise your awareness and avoid using words and expressions that may offend your readers.
• Correct Spelling
  http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/spelling.html
  If spelling worries you, visit this website.
• Grammar C
  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/index.html
  The Purdue University offers you this site for grammar – almost all aspects of grammar are covered.

Learning tips

• Read the Writing Advice Sheet Developing your own Writing Programme (W2) and get tips on how to start to plan your learning.
• For an introduction to styles and basic structures of technical writing, read Chapters 1 and 2 of Technical Writing & Professional Communication.
• Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between Technical Writing and Business Writing, especially when they involve work and business. The advice that you’re looking for in Technical Writing might be covered in the Writing Advice Sheet on Business Writing (W4). Read W4 and check if there is any information useful for you.
• Want to improve your business English and your grammar but feel that you don’t have time to plan your learning? Try this language magazine: The Language Key. You will find it in the Language Commons Area A. This monthly published language magazine offers explanations, examples and exercises for you to improve your business writing skills and grammar. You will also find writing and grammar tests in each of the issues.
• Want to have a better understand of your writing ability? Do a Diagnostic Test with either AutoLANG or other materials (please read W2
  and G3 for information on writing diagnostic tests), find out your weaknesses in writing and then decide what practice you need in your self-learning.
• You can also make an appointment with the English Writing Centre (EWC) and ask an EWC Consultant to comment on your writing skills. You can ask in the General Office of the Center for Language Education (Room 3396, near lifts 17 & 18) for information about the EWC, or check this website: http//lc.ust.hk/~ewc for information about making an appointment with the EWC.
• When you write in English, do you often feel that you lack the vocabulary you need? If this is the case, read the Vocabulary Advice Sheet Learning Vocabulary for Speaking and Writing (V8)
• Do you have problems with grammar and sentence structures? If so, read the Grammar Advice Sheets Grammar For Writing (G4) and Improving Sentence Structure & Style (W5)
• Remember that the essence of good writing is not so much format but style and content. Always write in your own language and construct the appropriate message in such a way that you will achieve the goal of the communication. Read about the ‘style’ and ‘tone’ of technical writing from different materials and make sure that you have got the style and tone right.
• Last but not least, remember, read more! If you want to improve the skills of technical writing, not only do you need to learn the writing skills, you also need to read a large amount of technical writing. The more input you get, the more confident you will be about writing.

And Now…

If you would like any help or advice, or just a chat about your progress, please get in touch — we are here to support your independent learning! This is how you can contact us:

• see an Adviser, on duty at the Language Commons Advice Desk (for details of advisers and their availability, please go to http://lc.ust.hk/~sac/sacadviser.html)
• e-mail lccommons (lccommons@ust.hk) with your query;
• ask at the reception counter of the Language Commons — if the receptionist cannot help you directly, s/he will pass your query on to one of the Language Commons advisers

Note

The introductory leaflet in this series is Improving your writing (W1).

This advice sheet is part of the Writing series of leaflets supporting independent language learning, produced by the HKUST Center for Language Education Language Commons team. This advice sheet was written by Elza Tsang, Oct 2001. Version 3. If you copy from this advice sheet, please acknowledge the source. Thanks.