CUFE, Postgraduate Studies,

M Sc. Preparatory/Qualifying Year

2014-2015, Spring Semester

Gen 600: Technical Writing and

Scientific Publication
(Writing

Scientific
Publications)



Teaching certain topics
enhance lifelong learning
skills (topics are complex and require
several skills). Writing is one of
these topics.
Others are Management, Risk,
Environment,
Systems Approach fits such
objective.

Lecture-1

40 slides
Week 1, 2-3 hours

Introduces
Course, Objective, ILO, Schedule, Grading

Highlights
Basic Concepts: Systems Thinking, Total
Quality, Relationship With Writing

Outlines
Course Parts
Ethics, through Plagiarism
Next file: 2-Thesis Statement.pptx

Integrate important concepts in the Writing

Process

Systems Approach
Creativity
TQ & CI
Synergy

Sender

Message

Mission
Performance

Values & Ethics

Awareness

Clear
Perception
Mastery

The Communication System

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Channel

Receiver

Clarity of concepts
Respect of Conventions
Use of Systems Thinking
Quality of the Approach
Respect of the Receiver
Synergy of words and
structure
7. Use of Continuous
Improvement

Prerequisite
for TW:
Grammar &
Mechanics
(TOEFL)

Essentials of
Style

Tentative
~ 30 hours, 12 weeks
Course Plan
Hrs Topic
Introduction
3
Basic Mental Concepts & Model
Sentence errors
3
Dangling & Squinting Modifiers
6 Writing Effective Sentences
4

Writing Effective Paragraphs

Practices & exercises: Instructors choice

10

Tentative Course Plan (~ 30/36 hours,

12 weeks)

Hrs Topic
contact
2 Outlining & Organizing
2 Discovering Ideas
Text Parts: I-B-C
3
Summaries and Abstracts
4 Forms: Outputs of Writing
2

Miscellaneous Topics

Practices & exercises: personal duty

11

CUFE 2014-2015

Gen 600: Technical Writing

and Communication Skills
Basics of Style: (Sentences & Paragraphs)
Writing Scientific Publications
Part-I (Grammar and Mechanics) is
not addressed!

Course Objectives
1. To develop awareness of difficulties
2. To stress the importance of writing
skill
3. To develop awareness of
continuous self-learning habits for
bridging skill gaps in English
4. To stress elements of basic style
5. To polish writing skills
6. To build observation skills.

ILO: Knowledge and Awareness

developed awareness that writing is a
TQ process
recognized personal performance, and
planned for improvement
ILO: Transferable Skills
will have shaped personal attitude and
language for the services of
communication
will be able to plan and write effective
technical texts: audience analysis,

Grades
40 Final exam
60 term

40

*
20

attendance
Quizzes
Initiatives, participation, writing
activities, ingenuity, creativity,
positive attitude, willingness to
learn
Mid Term*

Introductory: Course Objectives, Ethics,

Systems Thinking, Skills,
1- The Communication Model
2- The Writing
Process
3- The Structure of an article (miniature of thesis)

4- The Thesis Statement

d
5- Discovering Ideas
e
d
en t
m
m . Bu
o
6- Outlining
c
Re ence s
l
.
e
a
u
i
r
c
i
e
7- Organizing
n
ho
seq roach
c
e
s
G
8- Paragraphs
o
t
app uctor
c
i
r
f
t
i
s
in
9- Sentences
pec wn
10- Sentence Errors
11- Larger forms

S
o
D
Top ture
Mix

12- Special Pats: Summary, Introduction,

Conclusion
13- Miscellaneous: References, Titles, Graphs,
Tables,

The Linear Way/Process (1)

g
n
i
t
i
r
W s
e
Th oces
Pr

1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Define M.
Define TS.
Collect data about M.
Organize M into:
Introduction,
Body, Conclusion.
Check the plan.
Develop the text.
Check.
Edit, improve.
Rehearse & Deliver.

Mnemonic for the Linear Process

(A reminder)

P: plan, define SMCR, discover

ideas
O: outline, organize
W: sent/para, special parts
E: evaluate, correct, improve
R: revise, edit. Fine tune

B. The Writing Process:

A Systemic Approach
The Communication System
Speaker, Actor

Sender
Code
Language

Text, Speech

Message

Performance

Channel

Reader
Spectator

Receiver

Consider: Objective, Size, Time,

Venue, Environment, V-Aids,

C code, channel
check, review
D do
E

evaluate,

improve

M message
P

plan

receiver, reader

TS topic sentence
TS Topic statement
W write

Paradigm Shift to
Systems Thinking
Seeing/Thinking should shift
from seeing/thinking in terms
of elements and functions, to
seeing whole with
relationships.

In open systems, every

problem has several solutions.
There is always one optimum!
(Is a result of change.)

In a system, any palliative,

considered permanent, can
become a chronic problem of
tomorrow.

Systemic Approach
Define Terminology, background
Set up objective (s)
Define system components behind
Look for relationships
Look for the details
Check what you do against criteria
Improve, based on results
Repeat the improved process
19

Be a Continuous Learner
Be a Continuous Learner
1. What you do not know will hurt you
and will hurt your organization.
2. Mistakes are learning opportunities.
3. Learning is ultimately your
responsibility.
4. Learning is an investment in yourself.
5. Learning should not decrease after
universities.
6. There are many career ladders invest
in learning.
Systems Thinking

RED Diploma

20

Bou
nda
ries

The Total Quality System

D

Plan C

Do

I Total Quality

Check

P
D

Improve

P
D

Feedback

Min. no. of relationships = n(n-1)

21

The 12 Steps Close the Total Quality Loop

1. Define SMCR+ others (OFSETT).
D
2. Collect Ideas.
P
3. Outline.
P
4. Organize.
C, I
5. Field check.
D
6. Write /Type text.
C, I
7. Revise.
C, I
C, I
8. Field check.
D
9. Edit /Proofread.
C, I
10. Print, Bind, Distribute.
I
11. Collect feedback.
12. Improve.

P: Plan
D: Do
C: Check
I: Improve

22

23

CUFE, Postgraduate Studies,

Master Preparatory Year
Gen 600: Technical Writing
and Scientific Publication

Extended Course
Outline

Extended Outline of
the Course
(Writing Technica l
Publications)

Objectiv
a es of
writing

PDCI

Effective
ness
Plan

Do
Quality

Check

Improve

The Approach:
B
Systemic
S ender M essage
Performance

Channel R eceiver

Define,
Clarify,
Prioritize,

Define:
Sender
Message
Code
Receiver
Form
Size
Time &

Objectives
Systemic
b
Approach
Collect
c informatio
d n
Outline
e Organize
f Check
g Write
Check,
Revise,

Clarify,
Define
Define:
SMCRFSET,
about
b
Step
c
d Intro Body
C
onclusion
Organized
d
&
e
Expand
checked
f
Against a
&b

e Process of Writing

Objectives

Clarify, Define

Systemic
Approach

Define:
SMCRFSET,

Collect
About:
c informati Message, Readers,
on
Environment,
Use Discovering
Ideas:

Brainstorming
P
CI
Qs
Pentad
Grid

Objectives

Clarify, Define

Systemic
Approach

Define: SMCRFSET,

Collect
information

about b

d Outline

Info collected (c):

Topic outline (T)
Use sentence
P
CI
outline (S)
Outline
e Organize Mixture
of T & S
(d) Body,
Introduction,
Conclusion
Techniq
Use * Natural
ues

Objectives

Clarify, Define

Systemic
Approach

Define: SMCRFSET,

Collect
information

about b

Outline

Organize

d into I B
C

Check
adequacy
of the
organized
outline

PD

for R & M
Field
check
Improve
Multiply C

CI

Objectiv
es
Systemic
b
Approach
Collect
c informati
on

Clarify,
Define
Define:
SMCRFSET,
about
C
b

Write
g
s
Choose

D
I

d
e
f

Outline

Organiz
d into I
e
BC
Organized d
Check
&e

Expand Topic
Statements
s
Statement

Ways-To-Begin
(WTB),
Ways-To-Develop
(WTD)
Then,
and, or, nor
Signal
for, but, so yet,
words/verbs
therefore, however,
All
suitable
for
TS
further, if, because,
first, finally, cause,

WT
B

WT
D

Advice
Background

Call for action

Command/Request

Action, Process

Comparisoncontrast

Objectiv
es
Systemic
b
Approach
Collect
c informati
on
g Write s

Clarify,
Define
Define:
SMCRFSET,
about
b
Expand Topic
Statements s

d
e
f

Outline

Organiz
d into I
e
BC
Organized d
Check
&e

PD

I
Write
To Develop Topic
h Effective
Statements
Sentences
r
e
Empha Cohesi Varie
s
b
O e
sis
ty
v
Conciseon Precisen
Word ness ess
Clarity &
Propriety
Unity
Check,
Against a & b
Revise,

Objectiv
es
Systemic
b
Approach
Collect
c informati
on
g Write s

g
h

Write
Effective
Sentences
Check,
Revise,
Edit,
Improve

Clarify,
Define
Define:
SMCRFSET,
about
b
Expand Topic
Statements s
To Develop the
Topic Snt.
Against a
&b

problem
backgroun
d
Presents
TS

Outline

Organiz
d into I
e
BC
Organized d
f Check
&e
Obser
Cohesi
Empha
ve
on
sis
Varie
Concisen Precisen
ess
ty
ess
Word
Clarity &

Propriety
Unity
e

Conclusi Abstract
1on
Restates

CI

Introduct
ion
Defines

TS
Summariz
es
conclusio
Equation
ns
Shows
s

Descripti
2ve
3Informativ
Tabl
Figur
e
Indicative
es
es

Titl
Referen
esAppendix
ces
es

Forms of Scientific
Writing
The Scientific Article
The Scientific Report
Dissertations: M. Sc.
& Ph. D.
Descriptive layout
Apply Course
Contents to
Sections of the

Plagiarism
According to the Oxford
English Dictionary: to
take and use as ones own
the thoughts, writings, or
inventions of another.
River college Plagiarism Policy, Sep. 2014
http://www.rrc.mb.ca/files/File/policies/C7-AcademicIntegrity.pdf

Definition
s

Plagiarism is using words, ideas, data or

product without appropriate
acknowledgement of authors of words.
Cheating is the use or attempted use of
unauthorized materials, information, or study
aids or attempt to misrepresent academic
skill.
Fabrication is intentional misrepresentation or
invention of any information such as
falsifying research or inventing or
exaggerating data.
Collusion is assisting another to commit an
act of academic misconduct.
Self-plagiarism occurs when reusing

Plagiarism Guidelines
Rephrased from Miguel Roig

1. Acknowledge the contributions of others

ideas.
2. Enclose verbatim text in quotation marks.
3. acknowledge every source whether we
paraphrase it, summarize it, or enclosed in
quotations.
4. Reproduce the exact meaning of other
authors ideas.
5. When reducing a text, have a thorough
Miguel Roig, Ph.D , Avoiding plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other
understanding
of theA ideas
questionable
writing practices:
guide to and
ethicalterminology
writing, First online version published in September, 2003; Revised on-line version
used.in August, 2006; http://facpub.stjohns.edu/~
published
roigm/plagiarism/Index.html

37

Plagiarism Guidelines
7. Signal to publisher previous dissemination of the same

or part of the work

8. Be familiar with basic elements of copyright law.
9. Use references directly related to contents.
10. When describing others work, do not rely alone on a
secondary summary of that work.
11. Report ethically evidences contrary to your point of view.
12. Report all aspects of the study that may impact the
independent replicability of research.
13. Refrain from manipulating results to look plausible.
14. Include no ghost authors, only those who have made
substantive contributions in the publication.
15. Faculty-student collaborations should follow the same
criteria to establish authorship.
16. Disclose any possible conflicts of interest in work (e.g.,
stock ownership, consultation, relationship, )
38

What to avoid:
1. Cutting and pasting from the
internet without reference to the
source material
2. Borrowing others work without
authorization
3. Trying to help someone a little too
much for something he is personally
supposed to do, and he is supposed
to take credit for.
4. Photocopying

End of
AA. Introductory Concepts
Next
BB. Technical Writing

Next file:

2-Thesis Statement.pptx