Document That
Expresses Itself
CPIT-221
This material is mostly referenced by Mike Markel,
2016, Technical Communication, pp: 215-239 Dr. Rayed AlGhamdi, Dr. Syed M. Buhari & Dr. Noor Bajunaid
Document That Expresses Itself
What is the point of brining this book?
What is the relation to today topic?
How will I reflect & benefit?
Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum
Initially, this book was submitted as research document to The Muslim World League Competition in 1976.
The research won the first prize. It was written by Indian author whom Arabic is a second language.
Back ago when I was at your age, 1998, this book was the first in my whole previous life I read from cover to cover within 2 days.
I was arranging my brother’s university reference books. Then I noticed this title with the intention to have a quickly looked.
Honestly, I was pulled by the writing clarity, flow and attractiveness. Looked like a magic! I could not leave it from my hands in
the whole 2 days except sleeping time, going for prayer, and to university. The point is that, you will notice a dramatic
improvement in your writing with continued practices… no matter even if it a second language for you!
Content
01 Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
02 Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
03 Motivating Myself
I start practicing now!
04 Taking The First Step
I am conducting more practices.
Objectives
After successful completion of this material, I should
be able to:
1. Gain knowledge on writing clear & correct
sentences.
2. Move towards enriching my writing.
Importance of Clear Writing
Why is it critical in committing mistakes in technically written format?
“ IN THE WORKPLACE, it’s important to choose words carefully and write accurate,
clear, concise, correct, and forceful sentences. If a sentence doesn’t say what you
intended, misunderstandings can occur, and misunderstandings cost money.
The ability to write well -word by word and sentence by sentence- reflects positively
on you and your organization. If you write well, you sound like a professional; you
“
sound like someone worth reading.
Technical Communication
CPIT-221
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
Obstacles to writing clearly
Four mistakes makes ones’ writing unclear!
Writing clearly can be challenging for those
who have not practiced translating what is
in their heads into written format.
Beginners may think that writing complex
sentences is a good sign for proficiency!
Writing long sentences usually lead to
make mistakes.
Two simple sentences can be linked to
make one compound sentence. However,
not every two sentences easily can be
linked to deliver the same meaning!
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
1. Sentences Fragments
o A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence.
o A sentence fragment occurs when a sentence is missing
either a verb or an independent clause.
o To correct a sentence fragment, use one of the following two
strategies:
1. Introduce a verb.
2. Link the fragment (a dependent element) to an
independent clause.
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
1. Sentences Fragments
o The exam loss caused by lack of preparation.
o A group project presentation with clipboard plotting, 3D
animation, presentation slides, etc.
o The teacher gave me DN in the course. Because my
attendance in the course was below 25%.
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
2. Comma Splices
o A comma splice is an error that occurs when two independent
clauses are joined, or spliced together, by a comma.
o Independent clauses in a comma splice can be linked
correctly in three ways:
1. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, or,
nor, but, for, so, or yet).
2. Use a semicolon.
3. Use a period or another form of terminal punctuation.
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
2. Comma Splices
o CPIT221 course is our most popular course, it offers an
unequaled blend of skills, learning and fun.
o Styles in technical writing are useful for success, they offer
the much-needed attention to our readers.
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
3. Run-On Sentences
o In a run-on sentence (sometimes called a fused sentence),
two independent clauses appear together with no punctuation
between them.
o A run-on sentence can be corrected in the same three ways
as a comma splice:
1. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, or,
nor, but, for, so, or yet).
2. Use a semicolon.
3. Use a period or another form of terminal punctuation.
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
3. Run-On Sentences
o CPIT221 course is our most popular course it offers an
unequaled blend of skills, learning and fun.
o Styles in technical writing are useful for success they offer the
much-needed attention to our readers.
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
4. Ambiguous Pronoun References
o Pronouns must refer clearly to their antecedents—the words
or phrases they replace.
o To correct ambiguous pronoun references, use one of these
four strategies:
1. Clarify the pronoun’s antecedent.
2. Clarify the relative pronoun, such as which, introducing a
dependent clause.
3. Clarify the subordinating conjunction, such as where,
introducing a dependent clause.
4. Clarify the ambiguous pronoun that begins a sentence.
Obstacles
What makes my writing unclear?
4. Ambiguous Pronoun References
o Our CPIT221 instructor told us to record a video on our
mobile phone and analyze it
o I have decided to complete the assignment, which would take
two weeks.
o New teaching approaches introduced in CPIT221 with be
useful to the students. These are part of the next Instructors’
coordination meeting.
o My interest in CPIT221 is more than CPXXX.
Avoid the 4 obstacles in writing
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
1. Compare Items Clearly
o When comparing or contrasting items, make sure your sentence
communicates their relationship clearly.
o A simple comparison between two items usually causes no problems,
For example:
iPhone x has more storage than the iPhone 9.
o Simple comparisons, however, can sometimes result in ambiguous
statements. For example:
Dolphins eat more than sharks. (ambiguous)
• Do dolphins eat sharks in addition to other food?
• Or do dolphins eat more than sharks eat?
Dolphins eat more than sharks do. (clear)
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
1. Compare Items Clearly
o If you are introducing three items, make sure the reader can tell which
two are being compared:
AMBIGUOUS: Trout eat more algae than minnows.
CLEAR: Trout eat more algae than they do minnows.
CLEAR: Trout eat more algae than minnows do.
o Beware of comparisons in which different aspects of the two items are
compared:
ILLOGICAL: The resistance of the copper wiring is lower than the tin wiring.
LOGICAL: The resistance of the copper wiring is lower than that of the tin wiring.
Resistance cannot be logically compared with tin wiring. In the revision, the pronoun that substitutes for
resistance in the second part of the comparison.
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
2. Use Adjectives Clearly
o In general, adjectives are placed before the nouns that they modify.
o In technical communication, however, writers often need to use
clusters of adjectives.
o To prevent confusion in technical communication, follow two
guidelines:
1. Use commas to separate coordinate adjectives.
2. Use hyphens to link compound adjectives.
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
2. Use Adjectives Clearly
1. Use commas to separate coordinate adjectives.
Adjectives that describe different aspects of the same noun are known as
coordinate adjectives.
- Portable, programable device
- Adjustable, removable machine
The comma is used instead of the word ‘and’.
Sometimes an adjective is considered part of the noun it describes: e.g.
“electrical drill”. When one adjectives modifies electrical drill, no comma is
required: e.g. “a reversible electric drill”.
The addition of two or more adjectives, however, creates the traditional
coordinate construction: e.g. “a two speed, reversible electric drill”.
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
2. Use Adjectives Clearly
2. Use hyphens “-” to link compound adjectives.
A compound adjective is made up of two or more words.
Use hyphens to link these elements when compound adjectives
precede nouns.
- a variable-angle accessory
- Increased cost-of-living raises
Convert compound adjectives to clause or phrase following the noun
- UNCLEAR: an operator-initiated default-prevention technique
- CLEAR: a technique initiated by the operator to prevent default.
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
3. Maintaining Subject-Verb Agreement
o Subject and verb agree in number, even with a prepositional phrase
between them
o Object of a preposition might be singular (plural) in a plural (singular)
sentence
Incorrect The result of the tests are promising.
Correct The result of the tests is promising.
Incorrect The results of the test is promising.
Correct The results of the test are promising.
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
3. Maintaining Pronoun-antecedent Agreement
o pronoun and antecedent (word or phrase being replaced by the
pronoun) must agree in number.
o Antecedent, which is a collective noun, can be singular or plural
based on the usage.
o Plural pronoun appropriate when individual members of a collective
noun is emphasized.
Incorrect The company is proud to announce a new stock option
plan for their employees.
Correct The company is proud to announce a new stock option
plan for its employees.
Company acts as a single unit; therefore, the singular pronoun is appropriate.
Looking for Signs
What are the writing signs & how do I react to them?
4. Use Tenses Correctly
o Present tense and past perfect tenses are commonly used in
technical communication.
o The present tense is used to describe scientific principles and
recurring events.
Some writers' express sentences without date of the argument in
present tense
o The past perfect tense is used to describe the earlier of two
events that occurred in the past.
Looking for Signs
People don’t buy for logic reasons, they buy for
emotional reasons and then they justify with logic.
Thank you
.
