Technical Writing/Researching Assignment

APA styleThink of your paper like

you are building something

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexprevot/7369050258/sizes/m/in/photostream

Where do I start?

Topic broad/narrow

Keywords http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=basement+foundation&m=text

Start searchingCut and paste referencesMind/concept map 5W’sMake sure you have found enough information Look at sample reportsStart writing Reference page Edit/proof

Searching Like gathering building materials

Books

Library page – scholarly peer reviewed articles - subject guides, Credo database cut and paste citation

Credible websites (author, date)– companies, associations, gov., encyclopedias, edu

Word bankDatabaseJournalArticleScholarly Peer reviewedAPA style CredoSubject guides

Taking Noteslike the house plan

Avoid plagiarismRead the information, think, then put what you’ve read in your own wordsAvoid cutting and pastingIdentify direct quotesDocument your sources as you take notes

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brooklyn_museum/2807125958/sizes/m/in/photostream

Concept Map - Web

Gothic Architecture

When

Who

materials

Where

What is it

define

3 characteristic elements

3 period works

Abbot Suger Wh

y

Creating an OutlineI. Introduction

A. Grab audience attentionB. State thesis

II. BodyA. Build pointsB. Develop ideasC. Support main claim

III. ConclusionA. Reemphasize main idea

www.owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp

DetailsSite visitAPA1000-1200 wordsThird personDouble spaced12 pt. Arial Unicode MSPage number upper rightReferences

http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/org/orion/eng/hst/gothic/milanoc.html

History reportAPA3000 words13 imagesThird personDouble spaced12 pt. Arial Unicode MSReferences

Flying buttress

The Technical Report Executive Summary Acknowledgements (optional) Table of Contents List of Illustrations Introduction Body of Topic Conclusions Recommendations References Image References Architecture Moderne France

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seankisby/863601173

Executive SummaryVery important part of the Technical ReportCondensed overview of the projectIdentifies purpose, scope, methodology,

recommendations, conclusionsCreated after the paper has been

completed Clear and conciseTell people what’s inside

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cornelluniversitylibrary/3611942020/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Acknowledgements

OptionalLike a dedicationThanks people or groups for support of

and assistance with the project

Table of ContentsLETTER OF

TRANSMITTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iiEXECUTIVE

SUMMARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iiiACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

iv LIST OF

ILLUSTRATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v 1.0 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 1.1 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 1.3 Scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21.4 Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

2.0 BODY OF TOPIC2.1 Backup Procedures ……………… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42.2 Types of Backup Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.2.1 External Hard Drives ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.2.2 Blu-Ray DVD.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.3 Data Security …….. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

3.0 CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

APPENDIX: Comparison of Various Types of External Hard Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

List of Illustrations Like a table of contents for graphics Allows readers to access your graphics with

easeFigure 1: Timeline: Data Backup Storage . . 5 Figure 2: Solid State Hard Drive . . . . . . . 7 Chart 1: Methods of Data Encryption . . . . 10

Documenting Illustrations

Figure 1. Timeline: Data backup storage

1.0 Introduction1.1 Purpose

goal, problem1.2 Background

brief history of the purpose1.3 Scope

defines what is (and is not) part of the project1.4 Methodology

research methods used, how information was collected

Thesis Statement

States the topic / main idea of the paper Shows the purpose of your paper Shows the direction of your argument Written in focused, specific language It is interesting

2.0 Body of Report

The research results and findings Facts and figures Divided into second and third level headings

3.0 Conclusion Solves the problem presented in the

introduction by connecting to the data in the body

Suggested actions drawn from the conclusions

4.0 Recommendations

ReferencesList of your sources

PrintedElectronicAudiovisual

APA (American Psychological Association) format

Alphabetical order by author

Melbourne 1903

http://www.flickr.com/photos/statelibraryofnsw/3649953450/sizes/m/in/photostream

Plagiarism and APA styleapastyle.org

What is Plagiarism?

Taking credit for work that isn’t your own!

Plagiarism includes… Copying an entire paper and claiming it as your own

Copying part of a paper and claiming it as your own

Copying information from a source and passing it off as your own

Cutting and pasting from the web or any other electronic resource and passing it off as your own

Accident or NotIt’s Still Plagiarism When…

Copying text word for word and failing to put quotation marks around it even if you cite it

Inaccurately quoting a source

Omitting in-text citations even though the source is cited on the works cited page

Failing to include the citation on the works cited page

How do I Avoid It?

Use your own words and ideas

Give credit for direct quotes using quotation marks and citing the source

Give credit for websites, photos, diagrams, graphics, multimedia

Paraphrases, restating the author’s words or ideas in your own words, must be cited

Sources to cite

Books Journal Articles Web Sites Government Documents Statistics Images/Charts/Tables Video recordings Interviews Email

Quotations

Double quotation marks around short quotations (<40 words).

Longer quotations (>40 words) block indent and omit quotation marks.

Short Quotation (<40 words)

“An honor code usually consists of a signed statement in which students promise not to cheat and not to tolerate those who do” (Harris, 2001, p. 117).

Long Quotation (>40 words)

Athletes are searching for anything that will make them more competitive including

nutritional supplements, such as vitamins, energy bars and drinks that may compensate for dietary deficiencies, and over-the-counter products like shark cartilage and amino acids, which purport to increase muscle mass, boost energy and endurance, prompt weight gain (or loss), or reduce recovery time between

workouts. (Jollimore, 2004, p. 54)

In-Text Citation (APA Style)

Jollimore (2004) states that “For all the progress athletes are making in eating well, many continue to rely on risky dietary supplements, which are often tainted by banned substances such as nandrolone” (p. 54).

Paraphrasing

Restating the author’s ideas into your own words

Need to do more than just change a word or two

Reference List

Acknowledges all the sources you have cited in your project

Organized in alphabetical order

Strictly follows citation style format (APA, MLA . . . )

ReferencesAnderson, D. (2001, August 3). Statement by Environment Minister

David Anderson on Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved July 24, 2004, from http://www.ec.gc.ca/Press/2001/010803_s_e.htm

Blicq, R. (2001). Guidelines for report writing. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada.

Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (1995). The craft of research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Harris, R. (2001). The plagiarism handbook. Los Angeles: Pyrczak.

Health Canada. (2004). West Nile virus. Retrieved July 19, 2004, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/westnile/index.html

Jollimore, M. (2004, June 21). Fuel’s gold: Why Canada’s athletes pay so much attention to what they eat. Time, 163(25), 52-61.

Reitman, J. (2004). The Baghdad follies. Rolling Stone, 952/953, 110-117.

Capitalization Rules Title of a journal article, books, videos and web documents

– capitalize the first letter only of the title. Example: The dangers of the work place. Remember to capitalize proper nouns: example: The education system in Canada.

Titles of newspapers, journals and magazines – Capitalize all major words in the title. Example: The Globe and Mail

Always capitalize the word following a colon [ : ]. Example from a book title: The sweat off our brows: Working the field

Don’t capitalize minor words like: and, or, the, is except when?

Rules of Italics Italicize the titles of journals, magazines, newspapers, books,

videos and web documents: Some examples: Book: The sound and the fury Video: Saving Private Ryan Magazine: Time Italicize the volume number of a journal but not the issue

number: Example: Canadian Art, 24(3) Do not italicize article titles from journals and magazines: Example from an article from Time: The wayward winds of

change [Not italicized]

Reference List Rules to RememberFor journal articles, books, videos, and websites: Only

capitalize the First letter of the title, proper nouns & first word after a colon.

Authors’ names must be inverted, using only the first & middle initials. For more than one author use the “&” before the final name.

There is no period at the end of a website citation.

Personal communications are only cited in text, not in reference list.

Figure Example

Figure 1: Certificate installation(Curran & Canning, 2007, p. 141)

Image ReferencesCurran, K., & Canning, P. (2007). Certificate installation [Diagram].

Information Systems Security, 16(3), 141. doi:10.1080/10658980701401686.

Rodríguez, E., Zúñiga, H., Calvo, M., & Tepichín, E. (2008). Logic and arithmetic microprocessor operations [Chart]. AIP Conference Proceedings, 992(1), 1101. doi:10.1063/1.2926799.

Chart ExampleChart 1: Logic and arithmetic microprocessor operations

(Rodríguez, Zúñiga, Calvo, & Tepichín, 2008, p. 1101)

List of IllustrationsFigure 1: Certificate installation ………………………………………2Chart 1: Logic and arithmetic microprocessor operations …………7

ReferencesCurran, K., & Canning, P. (2007). Wireless handheld devices

become trusted network devices. Information Systems Security, 16(3), 134-146. doi:10.1080/10658980701401686.

Rodríguez, E., Zúñiga, H., Calvo, M., & Tepichín, E. (2008). Opto-electronic emulation of a programmable digital circuit. AIP Conference Proceedings, 992(1), 1100-1105. doi:10.1063/1.2926799.