OCG533, Fall 2002
Homework assignment 13, due 16 October 2002
Technical paragraphs
The purpose of this assignment is to give you an early chance to write
something where you can put into practice everything that we have worked on this
semester. Compose a set of technical paragraphs on any subject you feel
comfortable with. I suggest that it deal with your coming paper, but it can be
some other scientific or technical topic that interests you. Length is not
critical, but I would think that 2-4 paragraphs of several sentences each would
be reasonable. Pay attention to all those good things like beginnings and
endings, connections between sentences, proper stress, balanced noun phrases and
verb phrases, etc., etc. Try to anticipate how I’m going to pick it apart and
beat me to it. If possible, bring 20 copies for the class. If not, we will copy
a few of them just before class. (Tara is volunteered this time!) But beware,
for this assignment is not as easy as it looks. You may wish to prepare a first
draft and then review each of our assignments for applicable pointers.
I believe that good technical writing
should also have an attractive cadence, or ebb and flow of sentences and their
parts. Feel free to experiment with this aspect of writing as well.