Technical Paper Writing

1
Technical Paper Writing

• Compiled by
• Dr. S.N. Sridhara
• Professor and Head, Dept. of Mech and AE

2
What is a Technical Paper ?

• Technical paper is a concise report of your
  project work carried out as a part of M.Sc.
  (Engg).
• It must represent the essence of your work and
  must be complete in all terms making it an
  independent self-explanatory report.

3
Why a Technical Paper ?

• It is an opportunity for the students to practice
  writing a concise technical paper using the
  results originated from a technical project work
• The selected papers will be published in the
  in-house technical journal, SASTECH Journal a
  pride for the student
• SASTECH Journal will be the jump board for your
  paper to get published in conferences and journals

4
What is the size of a Technical Paper ?

• Limit your paper to eight pages in A4 inclusive
  of figures, references and the main text.
• For publishing requirement, limit the paper to
  four, six or eight pages in total.
• It is really challenging to prepare a concise
  report reflecting all your efforts of complete
  project work which would have been carried out
  for six months or more.
• Page 210x297 mm, Margins Top, Bottom 25.4 mm,
  Inside 36mm, Outside 18 mm, (mirror margins)
  Gutter 0 mm, Header 12.7 mm, Footer 12.7 mm

5
What is the structure of Technical Paper ?

• The paper shall contain
• The title, the authors name and affiliation.
• Abstract, Keywords,
• Nomenclature
• Abbreviations
• Text sections Introduction, Literature Review,
  Problem Evolving/Definition, Methodology/Simulatio
  n/Solution Procedure, Validation Studies, Results
  and Discussions, Conclusions

6
Title, Authors Names and Affiliation

• The Title must be self explanatory and complete
  by itself. (TNR, 20, bold, Title Case, centered)
• The first author is the student himself, second
  author is the internal guide and the third author
  is the industrial guide (TNR, 12, centered)
• Affiliation the designation, department and
  office affiliation (TNR, 9, centered)

7
Abstract

• Abstract should be around 250 words with three
  paragraphs first paragraph giving the
  introduction, second paragraph describing the
  methodology adopted and the third paragraph
  discussing the main results and conclusions.
  (word Astract in TNR, italics, 12, justified
  text in TNR, 9, justified)
• Abstract must be self explanatory and complete by
  itself. Since it represents everything contained
  in the paper, great care must be taken to choose
  appropriate words and phrases.

8
Key Words

• Key words are used to facilitate electronic
  search by other researchers.
• Since the words in the Title are already included
  in the search, you can choose other important
  words and phrases, which would attract
  researchers to pin pointedly select your paper
  for further reference. The keywords may be
  limited to six in number.
• Caption Key Words in TNR, 9, bold, title-case
  words in TNR, 9

9
Structure of the Paper

• The section including Title, Authors name
  affiliation, Abstract and keywords will be
  printed in full width of the page.
• (width 156 mm)
• Remaining text including figures will be printed
  in double column format.
• (width 71.6 mm, spacing12.7 mm)
• In special case, wherein figures/tables cannot be
  accommodated within a single column, they can be
  placed in single column format but placed at the
  beginning or end of the page.

10
Nomenclature/Abbreviations

• Nomenclature includes the explanation for all the
  symbols used in the paper. The symbols must be
  listed in the alphabetical order capitals first
  and lower case letters next lastly the Greek and
  special symbols. Include the units as well.
• Abbreviations gives the expansions for acronyms
  or short names used in the paper.
• The title Nomenclature and Abbreviation in TNR,
  9, bold the symbols and text in TNR 9

11
Text Sections

• The main text shall contain the sections like
  Introduction, Problem definition, Methodology,
  Design/Simulation, Solution Procedure, Validation
  Studies, Results and Discussions and Conclusions.
  
• Continuity must be established between
  paragraphs, sections and subsections.
• Main-headings in CAPS case, TNR, 10, Bold and
  numbered sequentially
• Sub-headings in TITLE case, TNR, 10, Bold and
  numbered sequentially
• Text in TNR, 9

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Text Sections (Contd..)

• The proportions for each section are roughly as
  shown below
• Introduction about 1,000 words
• Problem Definition about 75 words
• Methodology/simulation/solution procedure
  about 1000 words,
• Validation studies/Results and discussions
  about 2000 words
• Conclusions about 100-150 words (preferably
  in bulleted formats)

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Main Text

• Section Introduction
• In this section, give a general introduction to
  the topic within two or three sentences and then
  discuss the developments (literature) and
  identify the need for the study undertaken and
  finally mention the work carried out in the
  current study in brief.
• Problem definition/formulation can be included
  as the final paragraph in this section.

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Main Text (contd..)

• Section Methodology/Simulation/Solution
  Procedure
• This section explains the methodology or
  solution procedure followed in the study without
  ambiguity. All the technical details must be
  included. Figures and tables may be used to make
  the explanation easier to understand.
• On the whole the reader must be given the
  complete information so that he/she can
  reconstruct or re-do the entire study.

15
Main Text (contd..)

• Section Validation studies
• In case of simulations, it is preferable that
  validation studies are carried out to prove the
  credentials of your study.
• Validation studies include the repetition of
  work reported in the literature, using the
  methodology/tool used in the study.
• Clearly bring out the similarities or
  differences in the results derived and reported.
  Give suitable explanations for the differences
  found if any.

16
Main Text (contd..)

• Section Results and Discussions
• This section describes the output of your
  hardship.
• Record all important results derived and support
  them with proper scientific and technical notes.
• Use the graphs, tables and mathematical models to
  describe the results.
• Comparisons of the results obtained and bringing
  connectivity to the published literature would
  increase the gravity of the result.

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Main Text (contd..)

• Section Conclusions
• Conclusion is not a summary of the work, but a
  listing of major outcomes derived from the
  study.
• Therefore do not state as what has been done in
  your work, instead bring out the outcome of the
  results and discussions in terms of statements.
• Many a time, the abstract and conclusions are
  referred for a quick assessment of the usefulness
  of the paper by the readers. Hence these sections
  must be written with upmost importance.

18
Tables

• Tables are used to display a collection of data
  in any section of the paper. The tables must be
  prepared so that they are self explanatory with
  proper titles.
• Tables must be constructed using the table-tool
  available in MS-Word only. Do not include image
  of tables created in other applications. Tables
  must be numbered sequentially.
• The font for table text TNR, 9, centered
• The caption in the table columns TNR, 9, bold,
  centered
• The title of the table TNR, 9, bold, centered
• Include the units of measurements in the table
  text wherever the variable list is used.

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Tables (Contd..)

• In case the tables cannot be accommodated in the
  space within single column of two-column format,
  place the table in full page width (with single
  column format for the whole page) at the
  beginning or end of the page.

20
Figures

• Figures must be self-explanatory and proper
  caption must be given at the bottom of the
  figure.
• A graph, picture, copy of photograph are all
  considered as figures.
• The graphs and contour plots are required in
  black and white mode and not in colour mode.
• The centred symbols, curves, values on the axes
  shown in the graph must be distinct, legible and
  readable in the size it is printed.

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Figures (Contd..)

• Figures must be clear and the texts in the
  figures must be readable with minimum font size
  of 9 in TNR or equivalent.
• All the symbols used in the graph must be labeled
  either within the frame of the picture or in the
  caption of the figure.
• The axes of the graph must be labeled and
  quantified. The units of the quantities used must
  be mentioned.

22
Figures (Contd..)

• Figures must be labeled in TNR, 9, bold, centered
• Avoid figures extending beyond the column width
  of the two-column format
• In case the figure cannot be accommodated within
  the single column of two-column format, place it
  with single-column format wide across the page in
  the beginning of the page as is done in case of
  table.
• The graphs must contain the axis label with units
  for the axes the label and the number must be
  readable with minimum font size of 9 in TNR or
  equivalent.

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Figures (Contd..)

• All figures and tables must be cited in the text.
  
• Avoid snapshots of windows, poor images and
  big-in-size pictures. The text and numerals if
  any in the picture must be of readable size.

24
Equations

• All equations must be typed using Equation
  Editor/Math type and must be numbered
  sequentially
• Put the equation numbers right justified and
  within the brackets, for ex (1)

25
References

• References must appear in the reference list in
  the order of appearance in the paper. Each
  reference must be cited at least once in the text
  of the paper. An example for citing a paper in
  the text is shown in the following example.
• .The independent research works carried out by
  many investigators 1, 4-8 have shown the impact
  of dynamic forces and couples on the stability of
  the vehicle

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References (Contd..)

• Include references at the end of the paper. The
  referencing style for journal papers, conference
  papers, textbooks and websites are shown in the
  next slide.

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References (Contd..)

• 1 N. Dombrowski and W. R. Johns (1963), The
  Aerodynamic Instability and Disintegration of
  Viscous Liquid Sheets, Chem. Eng. Sci., vol. 18,
  pp. 203-220.
• 2 N.A.Chigier (1991), The Physics of
  Atomization, Proceedings of Fifth International
  Conference on Liquid Atomization and Spray
  Systems, July 15-18, 1991.
• 3 Whitfield A and Baines N C(1990), Design of
  Radial Turbomachines, Longman Scientific
  Technical, New York.
• 4 www.unknown.com (browsed on 12th Dec 2007).