GEN 900 Communications & Presentation Skills

Lecture 4: Writing Skills

Dr. Wael Taha
 Writing Skills

“No matter how technology evolves,

there will always be a need for well-
written messages in the workplace.”

In the professional world, your ability

to convey your ideas through texts,
emails, reports and letters is as crucial
as your technical skills.
When and When Not to Use Written Communication
- Using written communication is an excellent choice for sharing information that is easily
organized and easily understood by the reader. This means that the reader can read the
communication and get the message clearly without requiring additional information from
you or other sources. Meeting notices, answers to quick questions, or quick clarifications are
all easy to complete with written communication. If a high amount of discussion is required,
as is often the case with complex topics, there will be a need for a lengthy exchange of
discussion-type emails. The longer you allow the exchange to continue in writing, the
greater the risk that someone will misunderstand.
- The higher the level of formality in communication (such as contract terms, sales
agreements, and account information), the more likely you are to use written
communication. This gives you both the information in a format that you can pass on as
needed, and gives you both reference material to help in continuing your communication.
- Written communication alone does not allow for non-verbal communication, so the
more intense the emotions around a topic or the more important the message is, the less
likely writing will be a successful for of communicating.
 Writing Effectively
- Subject Lines
When you are writing a letter or an email, the subject line of the communication is like the headline in a
newspaper. It calls your attention to the communication and should also let you know what it is about.
The best subject lines will also tell you what needs to be done–and will let the recipient prioritize which
emails to open first and which ones to ignore for later (or altogether!)
What do these subject lines tell you Instead, try subject lines such as:
about the information that will follow?
1. Response to Your Email · Response to Your Question on the Marketing Plan for 3rd
2. Question Quarter.
3. Hello · Question Regarding the Change in Health Benefits–Response
4. Meeting Needed.
5. Information for you · URGENT! Change in On-Call Schedule for Memorial Day
Weekend.
· Meeting Requested on New Website Design–Please Confirm
Availability.
· Information on Open House Tuesday, June 22, 2010–Please
RASAP!
 Writing Effectively
- Put the Main Point First

When you write your communication, you need to know exactly what, why, and to whom you are
writing. Are you simply giving information, asking for information, or requesting the other person to take
an action? If you can’t narrow down the point, you either aren’t ready to write or writing isn’t the right
choice of communication formats to use.

Once you know what the main point of your email is, you should put that first in the communication. We
all tend to scan written communication to save time, focusing more at the top of the information than the
bottom. Putting your main information at the top of the communication pulls the reader’s attention to the
main topic, request or instruction. You can follow with background information after you’ve stated the
reason for writing–but if you start with the background information, you risk your reader missing the
point of the communication.
 Writing Effectively
- Put the Main Point First

Here’s a bad example:

Subject: About last quarter’s sales results

Dear Ahmed,
I spent some time with Mostafa this morning reviewing the numbers from last quarter’s sales results.
I was concerned to see that there seems to be a down ward trend in sales of the MCCBs, which is
significantly different from what we forecasted. I am concerned that this might have an impact on
our launch of the new MCCBs planned for next quarter. I think we should meet with the marketing
team and the sales team to see if we can identify any possible issues with the sales and fulfillment
process that we could influence. Would you let me know when you are available this week?
Thanks,
Mohammed

The writer doesn’t get to the point of the communication until the last line. If the reader is scanning for information, he
might not even get to the last line before moving onto the next email.
 Writing Effectively
- Put the Main Point First
Now read this version:

Subject: Request to Meet with You Regarding Sales Process–Please Respond

Dear Ahmed,

I’d like to meet with you, the sales team, and the marketing team this week to discuss the impact of
the latest sales trends on the launch of the new MCCBs. Would you be available on Monday at 3 pm
for about an hour?
I spent some time with Mostafa this morning reviewing the numbers from last quarter’s sales results. I
was concerned to see that there seems to be a downward trend in sales of the MCCBs, which is
significantly different from what we forecasted. I think we should attempt to identify any possible
issues with the sales and fulfillment process.
Thanks,
Mohammed
The second email has a clear subject line that asks for a response. It gets to the point in the first paragraph. Even
if the reader is scanning the information, he will have a better chance of getting the message.
 Writing Effectively
- Know Your Audience
When you are writing a communication, you need to be able to identify to whom you are writing. Sure, you
could be writing to the ‘world’ of your organization or the ‘world’ of all of your customers, but you need to
know what it is that they will gain from your communication. Is it just information for everyone, or are there
particular unidentified members of the audience who need to receive your communication, recognize the
information that is important to them, and then take a specification?

For example, say you are updating the safety protocols for handling high-voltage equipment in your
organization. You might be sending the communication to everyone in your organization, but your true
audience is electrical engineers who work with high-voltage equipment. In thinking about those people, what
information do they need? What choices do they need to make? What concerns might they have in acting on the
information? How can you handle those concerns in your communication? Identifying your audience helps you
target and fine tune the communication in order to make it as effective as possible.
 Writing Effectively
- Organization of the Message

Perhaps your communication has more than one request or call to action. If the actions are unrelated to each
other, the best choice is to send a separate email for each one. That requires your reader to see each topic in the
subject line and then to respond accordingly.
However, you might have situations where you have several requests or several important facts for the reader.
In that case, you need to organize the information in a way that increases the chance that the reader will give
you all of the information or take all of the actions that you request. You can do this by using topic headings
that still put the main topic of the communication at the top such as: Response Needed, Background, Concerns.
Or RASAP Requested Instructions, Directions, and FAQs. You could also use bullets or numbers for each sub
topic. Or consider using bold or colored font to highlight request educations.

Your job is to make it easy and fool-proof for your reader to get your message. Use whatever tools you can
employ to ensure that the message is delivered fully, as long as they are still professional and appropriate for
your audience.
Writing Effectively
 Engineering Writing
The types of engineering documents you might write include:
Research Reports: These are detailed documents that outline the methods, data, and findings of a conducted
research study.

Proposals: These are documents that present a plan or suggestion, typically detailing the timeline, budget, and
methodology for a project, for consideration or action.

Progress Reports: These are regular updates that provide information about the status, developments, and
achievements in an ongoing project.

Inspection Reports: These are assessments that detail the condition of a particular item or system, often
identifying any potential issues or areas of concern.

Installation Reports: These are records of the process and outcome of installing equipment or systems, often
including details of the setup, configuration, and testing.

Quality Assurance Documents: These are records that demonstrate a product, service, or system meets
specified quality requirements, often including test results, inspections, and audits.
 Engineering Writing
Tips for writing an engineering document
Here's a list of tips you can consider when writing an engineering document:

Avoid using jargon. Although certain terms may seem like standard knowledge within the engineering field,
other professionals may be unfamiliar with technical jargon, especially if they're in the beginning stages of their
career. For this reason, it's important to use language that's easy to understand and applies to all members of
your audience.

Use active voice. Using active voice rather than passive voice in your writing can help you keep the reader
engaged and improve the clarity of your work. It can also create a more succinct document, making it faster for
a professional to read, reference and understand.

Understand your audience. While you're likely creating a document for other engineers, there are instances
where you may create a technical document for a wider audience, such as a guide or equipment manual.
Focusing on your audience can help you ensure you use the appropriate language and terminology for your
reader.
 For Further Reading

In your opinion, what are the best sources on the internet for enhancing your writing skills?

Besides writing emails and the engineering documents mentioned in slide 11, what else might you need
to write as an engineer?