Problem solving: write the rough draft

Problem solving: write the rough draft The goal: write the communication. Attitudes that affect this process are: - misconception: “you can write or you don’t.” Target: use problem solving & clear thinking. You can do it! - misconception: confusion is bad and undesired. Target: welcome confusion, helps identify when audience confused. - misconception: focus on getting every detail and sentence correct before proceed. Target: let the ideas flow. Overediting as you go kills the flow of ideas. - misconception: spend most time writing. Target: spend most time prewriting & revising. What attitudes do you have? Manage stress: I want to and I can Monitor: have you checked the attitudes sufficiently?

Writing the rough draft The goal: write Criteria: do it all without revising as you do it The system: you, the computer and your files with all the information you Constraints: time; don’t postpone; physical location where you write

Writing the rough draft Explore: The real problem is to overcome your stress and misconceptional attitudes. Focus on the target behaviours: - Use a problem solving approach - Welcome confusion; that’s OK • Don’t edit or check spelling as you write. Just let it flow. • Use positive self talk

Writing the rough draft Organize the folders with the info. Focus on the personal sense of accomplishment you’ll get from creating this communication. Have confidence you can do this: think of past times when you succeeded; you have the self determination, freedom & resources to make it happen; creating this communication is worthwhile, get support and encouragement from your support system. Post the outline. Post the milestones & celebrations. Use a location free from distractions

Writing the rough draft Start writing the sections that are easiest for you. For visuals, graphs and tables type *******insert Table here******* Don’t agonize over the style of the visuals The Introduction is usually the most difficult part. Do it last.

Writing the rough draft Look back Celebrate. You’ve done it. You’ve written the whole thing. Set it aside. Reflect on what you learned about writing the rough draft. What will you do the same the next time? What, different?

Revising Goal is to compare the draft with the audience’s questions and polish the communication. Attitude is important: Misconception: only need single draft. Target, use as many drafts as needed. I used 11 drafts for my latest book. Misconception: revising means polishing the grammar and punctuation with the focus on the sentence level. Only 1.3% of the time would unsuccessful writers consider altering the whole message. Target: focus on macrostructure: organization, reasoning, paragraph and section level. Willing to rethink and rework the whole thing. Indeed, 20% of the time major changes made. Misconception: spend 10% of total time revising. Target, spend most of time revising. Misconception: unwilling to discard what you have written, ``I invested a lot of time writing this section. OK it really doesn`t apply but I want to include it somewhere!`` Target: discard if not pertinent. Manage stress. I want to and I can. Monitor

Revising The goal: polish the rough draft Criteria: the five criteria: audience, content, organization, style and form The system: you, the computer & spell check files on the computer. Constraints: time; don’t postpone; physical location where you write

Revising: explore Set the report aside for several days. Systematically check the five criteria. Start by imagining yourself as the audience.

Revising: explore Explore the problem: create a reminder checklist based on the criteria. Here is an Example for resume

Revising Be systematic & work in the context of the criteria. Recheck the overall outline, conclusions and evidence. Be prepared to spend time polishing the style of the visuals Gunning Fogg index might help guide the style check. Check Tools/word count. Have good resources close by for word usage, punctuation, thesaurus

Revising: audience Read the whole communication playing the role of the audience. In this role, answer the following: • What questions does this communication answer? • Were these the questions that were suggested in the audience analysis? • Was there sufficient evidence to support the conclusion? • Was the evidence mainly logic? Emotion? Ethos? • What words and terminology do I understand? • Were all new terms defined? • When I finished reading the communication did I feel embarrassed? confused? insecure? ashamed? • While still playing the role of the audience, would you characterize the writer as too knowledgeable? too technical? too mathematical? too folksy? too formal? talking down to me?

Revising: audience The organization is incorrectly sender-based if: • i) a time-sequence of the person's actions, or thoughts about a topic is used. "First, I considered..." "First, we surveyed the literature.." or • ii) the major issues or topics with no focus. The prose might read "I considering the market, the four major issues are ....." The writer goes on to describe each. The audience asks "So What?" and there is no answer. The sender has focussed on a communication to inform rather than to address the audience's questions. iii) check the summary. What was the main message?

Revising, audience an audience-based communication. • gives a clear statement about what the sender wants the audience to know, to feel or to do. • has a focus on the conclusion or message. • has explanations of difficult concepts.

Revising audience How to do it • Write down the Audience's questions. Add your answer to those questions. Return to Prewriting activity and sweep through it again. Remember, you may be throwing away 20 pages and 50 hours of effort, but you are getting your message across. Start again. • When you have completed the rework, write down for yourself what you learned about the writing process and the importance of the Audience analysis.

Revising Content What to look for • Not an "empty communication“ that lacks evidence to substantiate the claims. Lack of content is sometimes difficult to spot. • Sufficient evidence to accept or reject the sender's message. If you feel rather uneasy or that you must accept the person's message because they say so, then objective evidence is missing. • Sometimes the evidence is substantiated by citing the work of others. The citations should be correct and complete.

Revising content How to do it Identify one idea or conclusion presented. Take that aside & elaborate on why you believe that idea. What are the issues? What made you write or believe that?

Revising content How to do it • Check the citations. • Referencing must be used for charts, tables, figures taken from others; for theories developed by others (even if you express them in your own words).

Revising organization Easy to spot errors; difficult to correct without returning to prewrite. Lack of a transition at the beginning of a major section • Choice of Assumptions 4.1 Bulk Transport in the Fluid Phase To be rigorous, we must account for all transport phenomena which contribute ... Check for summary. If a summary is missing, is the whole communication focussed enough? A summary should naturally flow. It should not be a tack-on.

Revising style For words, accuracy, simplicity, interesting, coherence and emphasis • Accuracy • Accuracy • Avoid Use • Locate situate • Increased high • obtained collect, drawn, taken, extracted, removed, read, computed, estimated, derived or measured. • figure out calculate, compare derive • curve line or graph • values data, results, figures, numerals, numbers, measurements, observations • “quite” true meaning is precisely, entirely or exactly • “quite” fairly, rather, approximately, reasonably • due to because of, attributed to, as a result of • undoubtedly probably • Percent percentage • proven proved • data calculated values,

Revising style Accuracy Be quantitative Change in temperatureChange to: Anincrease in temperature by 25oC A number of motors were made recentlyChange to: On Tuesday, Nov. 6, six motors were made. Play the piano Change to: For relaxation I play the piano about 1 h every day; have given seven concerts a year and play for about a dozen sing songs. I have learned how to perform under pressure Units 60 ±1% hexane in water. Change to: 60 ±1% w/w hexane in water. Polite Other workers (16, 19) missed this point. Change condemnatory tone to: Smith(16) and Harvey (19) solved this problem when the heat capacity term was neglected.

Revising style Coherence Provide words to describe derivation • dp = λv dT T(Vv- Vl) 2 dp = λvdT T(Vv) Improve this by inserting between Equations 1 and 2, If the temperature is not near the critical temperature, the molar volume of the liquid, Vl, can be neglected then

Revising style Coherence Ambiguous words include as, while and for As the current was increased the deposit turned black. Fault: does this mean when or while or during? When the current was 15 amps., the deposit turned black. Use the word as for comparisons While should be used for at the same time as or during the same time as. While should not be used to mean because, when or although. Misplaced modifiers He works on the first floor of Rogers and company in London England among female dummies with nothing on. Usually use the past tense.

Revising style Coherence Location of often, or only Only instructions to the plant workers may include jargon terms. Instructions to only the plant workers may include jargon terms. Instructions to the plant workers only may include jargon terms. Instructions to the plant workers may only include jargon terms. Instructions to the plant workers may include only jargon terms. Antecedents: Michelle gave Bridget the results, and she found they were incorrect. Dangling participle By varying the voltage, the amperage jumped. The subject of the sentence must do the “inging”

Revising style Coherence AvoidUse different than different from equals to equals help but help irregardless regardless data is data are Do not confuse with alternate alternative affect (verb) effect (noun) between among Use compare with for differences and compare to for similarities

Revising style Simple leave out trivial and obvious details Place a beaker under the valve, open the valve and withdraw a sample replace with sample universal and common method replace with common method very unique replace with unique whiter in colour replace with whiter absolutely true replace with true Eliminate such words as case, factor, type, situation, instance, nature, condition, degree and character and “in” and “with” phrases such as In the case of, In the instance of, In respect to, With respect to, In regard to, With regard to, In connection with, In the matter of, In order to. In many situations it has seemed as though the size of these tasks has become greater than that which previous technique could handle. replace with Often these new tasks could not be done with previous methods.

Revising style Simple Recast sentences beginning with “It... It is apparent that... recast as Apparently. It is clear that.... It is believed that the boundary layer theory... Confusion because we do not know who believes this theory I believe that the boundary layer theory improve with The result indicates that the boundary layer theory.... improve with The result indicates that the boundary layer theory .....

Revising style Interest Sentence length. Use a variety of length. If possible, replace passive verbs with active. Be careful in your use of I, you and we. Replace with At an earlier date... previously The question as to whether ... whether In spite of the fact that... Although

Revising style For numerals 1. Start sentences with words not numerals 2. one-digit numbers are written unless before abbreviation for units; eight people; 8 m 3. For a series of numbers, use all numerals: 30 pumps and 3 baseplates. 4. Report only significant figures 5. Always us a zero before all decimal places. Use 0.3 and not .3 6. Use numerals for all data.

Revising style Numerals Ambiguity for data when handling very large or very small numbers. pressure x 104, mm correctly represents 1 x 10-4 mm With the metric system and prefixes this problem is solved. ton, hundred weight, billion, trillion and gallon

Revising style Numerals In US and UK the decimal is a dot (.); in Europe, by a comma (,).

Revising style Integral Tables for multivariable discrete data 1. Exploit trends in the data. Do not arrange by test run number. 2. No information overload in a single table. Consider using several tables 3. Prefer tables to graphs when the percentage error is not easy to see on graph. 4. Group similar items together to prove the point. 5. The principal comparison is the columns instead of rows (because columns are easier to scan) 6. Eliminate ditto marks by groups similar items. 7. Include table caption above the table

Revising style Figures 1. Use a title that says the message; number each figure 2. Place figures close to the text that refers to that figure but never before the text Graphs, to show trends 1. Dependent plotted on the y-axis (ordinate) and independent variable on the x-axis (abscissa) 2. Label axes with name of variable, symbol and units. 3. Include date and name of source. 4. Clearly identify data points 5. No lines between only two data points or beyond range of data

Revising style Graphs 6. Don’t use dimensionless groups unless all variables in the group have been changed unless you specify which variables were constant 7. Do not include the same variable on both axes 8. If use dimensionless group. Then use on both ordinate and abscissa, not just one 9. For dimensionless groups then the order of preference is a. those derived from fundamental equations (Reynolds, Froude, Weber, Euler, Peclet, Strouhal, Cauchy. b. dimensionless groups from experimental data: friction factor, drag coefficient, catalyst effectiveness, Nusselt, Power c) physical property combinations, Prandtl, Schnidt d) trivial dimensionless ratios. density difference to liquid density, particle to tube diameters e) combinations of dimensionless, Stanton

Revising style 10. Don’t repress rouge points.

Revising style 11. Select the correct type of graph paper, log-log, semi-log, log probability. public cannot interpret. See trends first on linear paper. Random data often look OK on log-log 12. The origin should appear on almost all graphs (except on log paper where zero is non-existent), 13. Use convenient scales; not 13 29, 53. 14. The data should refer to the same phenomena. 15. Used SI prefixes, not powers of ten approach to label units. 16. Distinguish between calculated, theoretical and measured points. 17. Usually never have more than three lines/graph. Label each. 18. Do not show the same data in an integral Table and a graph.

Revising style 19. Line density should be darkest for the data, lighter for the axes. 20. Label lines systematically and identify data in the same sequence as the lines on the graph. 21. Use well accepted symbols for the data: ▲ ◆ ● ❍ ■ ❏ 22. Avoid multicolours. 23. If the figure cannot fit vertically on the page, then place it so it can be read from the right. 24. Refer to graphs as Figures

Revising style Bar charts • Choose scale so as to show differences without exaggeration. 2. Don’t suppress zero, use percentage or a right-left scale. • For symbols, show relative size by duplication& not by bigger size.

Revising style Bar charts; examples of incorrect suppressed zero, % and right-left scales

Revising style Pie diagrams 1. Do not slant them or use a removed wedge. 2. Choose colours carefully; yellow overestimates the contribution.

Revising style Photos 1. Remove distracting backgrounds. 2. Include a scale or rule to show relative size. • For tools and disassembled complex equipment select a view most comfortable for a right handed person. Gestures OK for culture?

Revising format Grammar OK? Spellcheck Punctuation OK. single comma, insert understood word comma comma ,, or ( ) or - - insert phrase comma and ,and or ; two complete Sn colon : list of stuff from upstream Sn single dash – list of stuff from downstream Sn Mechanics OK

Revising Look back Did the revised communication match the audience? Content? Organization? Style? Format?

Delivery Engage Written: Control panic as deadlines appear; I’ve planned ahead, done a PPA and I can do this Verbal: One of more stressful experiences I want to and I can

Delivery Define the stated problem Goal: deliver completed, polished, credible report or speech System: you, the audience, your report or speech Criteria: on time, right place, right person(s) Constraints: unexpected events (mike doesn’t work, your health, power failure), expense in duplication, location defined, facilities defined (projectors, handouts, break facilities), other presenters

Delivery Explore Written The real problem is ethos (visual credibility) and on-time. Verbal The real problem is “sharing experiencing” and practise, practise practise. Need to details of the location & venue for speech

Delivery Plan Potential Problem Analysis: what could go wrong, impact, your contingency plans. Verbal: Should I read my speech? How many visuals should I prepare? Max 1/min; usually 1/ 3min Stressed about my accent and bad habits I have, such as saying “Ahuuuu” Forget about them. First gain confidence is saying anything, in getting the visuals to flow smoothly and in talking on your feet.

Delivery Verbal How can I practice? Aloud in front of a mirror using visuals and timer Audience includes experts or important individuals? Attitude “sharing” your experience; not an expert telling them. Or imagine all the audience sitting in bathing suits

Delivery Verbal When I try for eye contact I get distracted. What can I do? Look at a line 1 m above audience’s heads Should I say “thank you” when I’m finished? No Handling Q&A Repeat the question Greatest weakness of all the speeches you have heard? Message wasn’t clear ‘That was a terrible speech!’ 10% love you, 10% hate you; check the 80% feedback

Delivery Do it You have used a problem solving approach. You are ready. Deliver

Problem solving: write the rough draft