Technical Writing for Environmental Engineers

Joan Giblin, Emily Coolidge Toker

• Publisher: Momentum Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781946646187
• eBook ISBN: 9781946646194
• Topic: Tecnologia e ingegneria
• Subtopic: Ricerca e competenze ingegneristiche e tecnologiche

There are many kinds of writing required in the workplace, and a degree of mastery is necessary for effective and efficient communication between colleagues, clients, and managers. This book is meant to serve as a guide and tool for engineers navigating formal and informal writing in the workplace. Topics include the most common types of technical documents, the fundamentals of professional writing, the use of references and citations, and how and why engineers and other professionals should always proofread their work.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Engineers, always recognized as highly trained experts, are increasingly specialized within their field. In a typical project meeting, the depth of knowledge on crucial aspects of engineering is roughly equal to the number of individuals present in the room. In practical terms, this means clear and effective communication is more important than ever. This book provides the tools and guidance you need to communicate information, thoughts, questions, and needs to a variety of audiences in a professional manner.

We begin with an overview of the most common types of technical documents an environmental engineer is likely to encounter on the job, and include sample draft outlines to acquaint you with the form and function of each document type. We begin this chapter by reviewing important considerations for technical documents. This chapter also includes a description of sections commonly used in reports to help you build custom reports.

Having reviewed the form and function of the most common technical documents, we provide a discussion of how professional writing differs from other forms of writing. This short essay explores the relationship between a piece of writing and its audience, and how you can use what you know about your intended audience to make your writing more compelling and effective.

The chapter on the fundamentals of professional writing provides a review of the grammatical conventions that facilitate effective communication. This chapter can be viewed as a point-of-need reference, and will help you avoid common grammatical errors that distract readers from the content of your writing.

References and citation styles are covered in the next chapter, in which we review the importance of in-text citations and the difference between in-text citations and the various kinds of reference lists typically appended to scientific papers and other forms of technical writing. We also provide guidelines for how to determine which style of reference is appropriate for your project, and some tips for managing your research that will facilitate the creation of bibliographies.

The last chapter addresses the often-overlooked practice of proofreading. Proofreading is the single most effective way to improve the quality of your technical writing, no matter how formal or informal. This chapter reviews the most effective methods of proofreading for spelling, grammar, tone, and clarity, as well as the software features available to aid you in proofreading your work.

This book can be used as a general introduction to professional writing in the field of Environmental Engineering, but is perhaps most useful as a reference consulted when presenting your work to a variety of audiences. You may find it helpful to photocopy and annotate some of the checklists and tables for specific projects. Ultimately, the goal of this book is to provide the tools necessary to communicate effectively both within your field, with experts from other fields, and with clients who are certainly invested in projects, but who may not have specialized technical knowledge.

Technical writing forms the foundation of how engineers communicate with each other and with the world. Engineers need to share their ideas, innovations, and designs with others for projects to move forward. The analysis, solutions, and recommendations engineers generate during investigations into incidents need to be understood by an audience with a diverse set of knowledge and experience. Technical writing is a learned skill, one that improves with practice. Close attention to the process of writing will help strengthen this vital skill. An engineer can impact the world only as well as they can communicate their ideas.

CHAPTER 2

COMMON TYPES OF TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS

Environmental engineers write a great deal: to convey information, solicit business, report on problems, communicate investigation findings, propose solutions, and inform others of their work. Engineers use technical documents as the primary method to communicate data and results. Over time, common document templates became popular because of their effectiveness and efficiency. Taking the time to understand the function of each section in a technical document will facilitate the writing process. The goal of the document and the audience will guide the report choice. This chapter covers the most common elements of reports and presents draft outlines of common report types.

2.1 WRITING CONSIDERATIONS

Focus: What should an engineer consider before writing? What style of writing is expected in a technical document?

2.1.1 UNDERSTANDING THE READER

Technical writing communicates information to the reader. To communicate effectively, the writer must consider the ability of the reader as part of the communication equation. The reader’s familiarity with the subject and their ability to understand technical information and interpret data will guide the communication. The reader’s abilities will heavily influence how to present test results, discussions, and conclusions in the report. Selecting language that matches the reader’s ability may make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful report.

The writer also needs to anticipate the reader’s expectations of the report. Effective writers attempt to understand the reader’s goals for the report. Did the reader request a site analysis to determine whether to move forward with a potential development? Or is the reader concerned about an unexpected pollutant and the cost to remediate the contamination? Appreciating these expectations help the writer decide how to frame the report and communicate results.

Understanding the reader includes acknowledging their constraints and expectations that should be addressed in the report. Gearing the information to the reader will make the final report more streamlined, effective, and ultimately more valuable. Answering the questions outlined in the checklist below, before beginning the writing process, will help with this effort.

Reader Analysis Checklist

• Who are you writing for? Who is your primary audience?

• Who is your secondary audience? Who else might read this report?

• How much technical knowledge or related expertise do they possess?

Can they interpret test results?

Can they draw their conclusions from the evidence presented?

• What is the reader’s familiarity with the project?

How much background information is needed to appreciate the scope of the report or proposed recommendations?

• How will the reader use the information presented?

• For what purpose was the report created?

• Does the report require specific sections or have guidelines for format?

2.1.2 TONE

Technical writing is concise, specific, and precise. Therefore, the author should undertake the selection of words, phrases, and descriptions with extreme care. The writer needs to intentionally craft the report seeking to eliminate any vague terms. This process may result in additional drafts or revisions. Utilizing ambiguous words may result in misinterpretation, leading to failed designs, damage to the environment or property, and injury to others. Authors of technical documents seek to employ fact-based language and avoid words that may possess different meanings to different people. See Table 2.1 for examples of precise and imprecise language.

Table 2.1. Examples of precise language

Less precise	More precise
The day was warm.	The temperature was 100.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
We saw over 50 drilled holes from where we stood at one of the entrances.	We observed 53 drilled holes from the northeast site entrance.
Several pieces of concrete were sticking up from the dirt.	Three pieces of concrete, between 1 and 2 feet in length, were embedded in the ground.
We added more water.	We added 1.5 liters of water.

Technical documents are succinct and brevity often results from precise, accurate writing. Writers often find that the report is shorter than expected and successful writers recognize that length does not equal importance. Revising drafts for clarity and conciseness helps many authors strengthen the effectiveness of their written communication. The Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) recommends interrogating every word to ensure that each provides unique value to the point. As draft revisions occur, the writer needs to seek opportunities to condense the language of the report, using fewer words, and eliminating flowery, descriptive language, or redundant words where possible. Part 5 of the Fundamentals of Professional Writing section discusses these aspects of technical writing in detail. See Table 2.2 for examples.

Table 2.2. Examples of concise language

Less concise	More concise
As a result of the previous experiment…	The previous experiment demonstrated …
These results, taken together with the previous results, mean…	The previous and current results collectively indicate….
There were a number of different designs considered.	After consideration of many designs….
There are various different methods and ways to reduce the number of different contaminants from the soil.	A number of methods exist to reduce contaminants.
As you are aware, reducing the number of containments in soil remains one of the priorities of our firm.	Our firm prioritizes the reduction of soil contaminants.
These pictures as well as the diagrams.	The pictures and diagrams…

Additional Resources

• Review Additional Examples from IEEE Professional Communication Society http://sites.ieee.org/pcs/

• Purdue OWL contains exercises on writing concisely and precisely https://owl.english.purdue.edu/

2.2 COMMON TECHNICAL DOCUMENT SECTIONS

Focus: What sections are commonly found in technical documents? What is the ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Coopyright
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Acknowledgments
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Common Types of Technical Documents
• 3 Professional Writing
• 4 Fundamentals of Professional Writing
• 5 References, Citations, and Works Cited
• 6 Proofreading
• About the Authors
• Index
• Backcover