This guide locates information resources that engineering students can use to improve their written communication skills. The works cited in this guide cover technical report writing and how to write a professional literature review. Bibliographic referencing and citing is also covered. The guide includes sources of review articles from the published engineering literature, as examples of good practice.
- Gardens Point Resources
- Subject Headings
- Web Search Tools
- Web Sites
- EndNote (Personal bibliographic management database software)
Gardens point library resources
R = works shelved in the Reference Collection on level 2.
P = journals shelved in the Periodical Collection on level 4.
Books (no prefix) are shelved in the main collection on level 5 or level 6 (depending on call number).
| Location | Title/description |
|---|---|
| R 620.10016 1 |
Applied mechanics reviews American Society of Mechanical Engineers AMR has been included in this guide as a published example of high-quality technical literature reviews. Every issue includes reviews of books, software, and databases, as well as several state-of-the-art review articles on a special topic. The primary focus of AMR is mechanical engineering. Search the Applied mechanics reviews (AMR) database. |
| R 808.0666 144 /2 |
Science and technical writing : a manual of style 2nd ed. (2000) edited by Philip Rubens An authoritative guide covering the range of scientific and technical writing in most mediums. Offers writers, editors and professionals a guide to the latest style in the field, including information on designing on-screen information, working with linked and archived web sources, using specialised symbologies, referencing print and electronic information resources, and writing global English. |
| 808.0666 146 |
Pocket book of technical writing for engineers and scientists (2000) Leo Finkelstein, Jr. Discusses the most common types of technical documents including proposals; progress reports; feasibility reports; instructions and manuals; laboratory and project reports; and research reports. Deals with electronic publishing with a focus on the world wide web and effective use of illustration and visual aids. Introduces the process of writing abstracts and delivering technical presentations. Covers legal and ethical requirements of documentation. Reviews the use of grammar and style. Examples are developed step-by-step to clearly illustrate material for the reader. |
| R 808.0666 147 |
Engineers' guide to technical writing (2001) Kenneth G. Budinski Discusses most types of documents that the average technical person will encounter in business, government or industry. Intended for the practicing technical person, but helpful for students also. Covers the formulation of specific types of technical documents including informal reports, formal reports, reviews, proposals, meeting agenda and minutes, newsletters, resumes, patents and other types of correspondence. The art of effective oral presentations and using illustrations are also covered. Grammar, punctuation and report mechanics are included as an appendix. |
| P 808.066 101 |
IEEE transactions on professional communication Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Examines the study, development, improvement and promotion of techniques used in preparing, organising, processing, editing, collecting, conserving and disseminating data in the areas of electrical and electronics engineering. Available online through IEL library, via IEEE Xplore |
| 001.42 56 |
Conducting research literature reviews : from paper to the Internet (1998) Arlene Fink Provides a practical guide to conducting a literature review and maximising the efficiency, reliability and validity of the review. Simplifies the tasks of identifying search terms, appropriate databases and other relevant information sources; setting inclusion and exclusion criteria; preparing a structured form for literature abstraction; and synthesizing and reporting results. |
| 620.0014 5 |
Communication for engineers : bridge that gap (1997) Richard Ellis Divided into sections on one to one communication, communication in groups, written communication and new technology this book deals with experiences an engineer is likely to encounter. Provides examples and advice on the layout and structure of various document types. Includes useful information on spelling, punctuation, definitions, writing equations, and using abbreviations. Identifies key techniques for oral communication and covers concepts and processes in facilitating teamwork. Suggests activities to aid the learning process. |
| 620.0014 6 |
The Essence of technical communication for engineers (2000) Herbert L. Hirsch Handy reference tool providing a simple, concise, and practical guide to writing, presentation delivery and meeting interaction. |
| 624.072 9 |
A Guide to successful dissertation study for students of the built environment 2nd ed. (1998) Gary D. Holt Explains how to successfully research a subject and present the findings of that research in the form of a dissertation. Offers broad advice towards choice of topic and selection of research methodology. Explains how to plan, execute and control the dissertation task including reviewing the literature. Describes the structure of a good dissertation. |
| 808.02 28 /9 |
The Written assignment 9th ed. (2002) edited by Di Lewis A brief guide to the writing and presentation of assignments at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). |
| 808.066 138 |
A Beginner's guide to technical communication (1998) Anne Eisenberg Designed to help first-year engineering students organise, write and revise assignments. Includes examples patterned on actual writing done in first-year engineering classes, highlighting the typical errors and showing the revised version. Discusses the logical structure of reports and strategies for assimilating data into the report format. |
| 808.066 140 |
Writing for science and engineering : papers, presentations and reports (2000) Heather Silyn-Roberts Presents invaluable information in all areas of research and writing in a clear, concise style aimed at graduates and tertiary students. Practical advice is provided alongside numerous examples to aid the preparation of documentation tailored to specific topics and forms. These include the preparation of abstracts, theses, and journal papers; presenting work orally; standard writing styles and references for several disciplines; and more." |
| 808.0665 29 |
Public speaking and technical writing skills for engineering students (1999) P. Aarne Vesilind Explores writing styles, modes and formats. Document types analysed include memorandums, letters, and reports. Attention is given to the use and display of tables, graphs and other illustrations in reports and other documents. Public speaking and ethics in engineering communication are also covered. |
| 808.0666 4 /2 |
Scientists must write : a guide to better writing for scientists, engineers and students 2nd ed. (2002) Robert Barrass Revised and updated, this book is about the importance of writing in science and engineering. Written by a scientist, the title reveals the characteristics of good writing and the technique of composition. The reader is instructed in words and the use of words; and the use of numbers and illustrations in support of scientific communication. Useful exercises to improve your writing are included. |
| 808.0666 129 |
Technical communication and its applications (1996) Jerome N. Borowick Builds on natural communication skills to develop the principles of technical writing as used by technical professionals. Emphasizes writing for clarity and developing framework for writing various documents including business letters and memos, personnel performance reports, specifications, feasibility reports, technical articles, bids and proposals, activity and product evaluations, environmental impact reports, laboratory and research reports and more. Extensive examples and sample documents are presented throughout the text. Technical presentations and communications related to career searching are also covered. Numerous detailed assignments that relate familiar subjects to technical communication are included with each chapter. |
| 808.0666 137 |
A Guide to writing as an engineer (1997) David Beer and David A. McMurrey A brief, easy to use guide to technical writing skills. Features practical and relevant examples including chapters on guidelines for good engineering writing, writing reports, letters, memoranda, electronic mail and other common engineering documents, accessing engineering information, writing to get an engineering job and writing with computers. |
| 808.0666021 25 /2 |
A Handbook of writing for engineers 2nd ed. (1998) Joan van Emden While the modern word processor may ease the chore of writing, it does not help the writer to present convincing arguments, clearly and concisely. This short practical guide will help you develop a readable and lucid style in which to express technical information. Individual chapters give help and advice about the choice of words; the structure of sentences; the layout of paragraphs; and the effective presentation of written communication. |
| 808.066651 12 /3 |
Writing reports to get results : quick, effective results using the pyramid method 3rd ed. (2001) Ron S. Blicq and Lisa A. Moretto Provides detailed guidelines for writing various types of reports and proposals covering those formal, semi-formal and informal in nature. Shows how using the pyramid method of writing creates more effective results by enabling writers to focus the message, get started quickly, and continue writing. Presents samples and examples of referencing and document formatting including strategies for including illustrations and working as a team. |
Subject headings
For precision information retrieval, search the library catalogue using the controlled vocabulary Library of Congress Subject Headings LCSH. You can consult LCSH (the big red books) kept at the level 2 Help Desk. Here are a few examples of subject searches, using terms from this dictionary:
| Bibliographical citations | Communication of technical information | Communication in Engineering |
| Report Writing | Technical Writing | Written Communication |
Web Search Tools
Some recommended search engines with sample search strategies.
| Web search tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Google |
Advanced Google phrase search (limited with alternate Boolean keywords) of United Kingdom academic sites. (Writing OR write) AND "literature review" AND site:.ac.uk |
| ANZWERS powered by Inktomi |
Boolean search employing wildcard truncation for plural variants and + operator for required word searching using ANZWERS. (referencing OR citing OR citation*) AND (electronic information sources) AND (+guide) |
| looksmart.australia | Explore by topic directories using looksmart. Home > Library > Humanities > Communications > Writing > Technical Writing > Guides & Directories |
Web Sites
| Literature Reviews |
|---|
| PhD . . . FAQ Teaching and Educational Development Institute, University of Queensland Discusses making sense of the literature and writing the literature review as part of a larger site aimed at PhD students which answers commonly asked questions about conceptualising, organising and writing a PhD thesis. |
| The Literature review : a few tips on conducting it Dena Taylor, Writing Support, University of Toronto Defines the purpose and structure of a literature review. Raises questions to help evaluate resources and write a good literature review. |
| Technical Writing Resources |
|---|
| Online technical writing (online textbook) David A. McMurrey Provides an introduction to technical writing and its applications. Includes models for various technical, business and correspondence documents. Also presents guidelines to audience analysis, referencing and common errors in written English. |
| Writing guidelines for engineering and science students edited by M. Alley, L. Crowley, J. Donnell, and C. Moore Designed to help engineering and science students perform writing assignments. Provides models and formats for several common documents in engineering and scientific writing and includes associated exercises. |
| Online writing lab (OWL) @ Purdue Writing Lab. Purdue University Engineers, scientists, and managers write research reports to communicate the results of research, field work, and other activities. Often, a research report is the only concrete evidence of your research, and the quality of the research may be judged directly by the quality of the writing and how well you convey the importance of your findings. Even if you don't consider yourself a writer, then, it is still important to consider clarity, organization, and content when you are presenting your research in a research report. |
| Technical report writing guide Carol A. Vidoli (NASA Glenn Research Center) Explains the fundamentals of writing and reviewing technical reports, specifically how these fundamentals are applied to NASA reports. The intention is to briefly state the desirable qualities of a good report and to encourage clarity in conveying thoughts into written form. |
| Bibliographical Citations |
|---|
| Excerpts from ISO 690-2 Bibliographic references National Library of Canada Specifies the elements to be included in bibliographic references to electronic documents. It sets out a prescribed order for the elements of the reference and establishes conventions for the transcription and presentation of information derived from the source electronic document. |
| Style Guides from Professional Associations | |
|---|---|
EndNote
EndNote : bibliographies made easy ver. 6.0 (2002)
ISI ResearchSoft
EndNote is specialised bibliographic management software (the QUT standard) that enables users to create their own databases of references, designed to make citing references and preparation of bibliographies easier. EndNote interfaces with Microsoft Word as an add-in program to assist the writing / citing process.
Our site licence permits all current QUT students and staff to use EndNote on campus, and at home. Authenicated QUT users can download the EndNote installation software from the library web site, else borrow a copy on CD-ROM from the Gardens Point loans desk.