English for Technical Writers

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English for Technical Writers

• Lynn Beechey-Volz
• Chris Keelan
• WS 07/08

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What is the focus of this course?

• Writing English clearly and concisely
• Writing instructions and process descriptions
  simply
• Analysing each others writing and offering
  constructive criticism
• Considering controlled or simplified English

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What is the challenge of the course?

• English is a complex language with a large
  vocabulary and
• Your goal is to write simply and clearly
• Is your instruction or process description
  understandable on first reading?
• Do you check and simplify your work?

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The complexity of English

• Which of the following definitions of the English
  word axis is the correct one?
• A straight line around which a body rotates
• The second vertebra of the neck
• A main line of direction
• A wild animal found in India
• Because of this problem, we should aim for ...

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Simplicity

• The secret of good writing is to strip every
  sentence to its cleanest components. Every word
  that has no function, every long word that could
  be a short word, every adverb that carries the
  same meaning thats already in the verb, every
  passive construction that leaves the reader
  unsure of who is doing what these are the
  thousand and one adulterants that weaken the
  strength of a sentence.
• William Zinsser
• Simplify, simplify
• Thoreau

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A few examples of what we can get rid of

• at this point in time
• a personal friend of mine
• Are you experiencing any pain?
• The Air Force missile impacted with the ground
  prematurely
• With the possible exception of
• To dialogue with someone
• due to the fact that

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The Audience

• The reader is someone with an attention span of
  about 30 seconds a person assailed by many
  forces competing for attention. At one time those
  forces were relatively few newspapers,
  magazines, radio, spouse, children, pets. Today
  they include DVDs, e-mail, the Internet, the
  cellular phone, the fax machine, a fitness
  program, a pool, a lawn, and that most potent of
  competitors, sleep.
• William Zinsser

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Controlled English

• Controlled languages are
• Subsets of natural languages with restricted
  grammar and vocabulary
• Languages with reduced complexity and ambiguity

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Examples of controlled languages

• BASIC English 1932
• Caterpillar Fundamental English 1970
• ILSAM
• AECMA Simplified English

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Some general rules of controlled languages

• Write grammatically simple sentences
• Use active not passive
• Logical sequence of actions in language (good
  syntax)
• One word one meaning (no synonyms)

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Some general rules ofcontrolled languages (2)

• Keep to one topic per sentence
• Keep sentences as short as possible (20 words in
  a procedural text, 25 in a descriptive text)
• Tenses Use simple present, simple past, simple
  future. Avoid the gerund.

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Why use controlled languages?

• Improved readability
• Fewer errors and misunderstandings
• Reduced time for maintenance and repair
• Easier for non-native speakers
• Easier to translate

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Activities

• Analysing and revising text
• Writing instructions, process and descriptive
  texts
• Working individually and in groups

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Short exercises

• With the cover removed, tighten the screw with an
  Allen key while holding the nut with a spanner
  before replacing the cover.
• It is equally important that there should be no
  seasonal changes in the procedures, as, although
  aircraft fuel system icing due to water
  contamination is more often met in winter it can
  be equally dangerous during the summer months.

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Solution 1

• Remove the cover
• Use a spanner to hold the nut and tighten the
  screw with an Allen key
• Refit the cover

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Solution 2

• Use the same procedures all the time because
  water in the fuel system can freeze during summer
  or winter

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How do I pass?

• Get as much practice as you can in class!
• There will be a written end-of-term assignment to
  be completed in pairs
• Pass mark 60

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Any questions?

• Or if you think of any later

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Contact

• Lynn.Beechey-Volz_at_hs-karlsruhe.de
• Chris.Keelan_at_hs-karlsruhe.de
• Office hours Chris F304, Lynn LI-024
• Tuesday, Thursday 1300 - 1345,
• Wednesday 1130 1215