Informative summaries

1
Informative summaries

• What do they do and how are they used?

(Turk and Kirkmann)
2
1. An extended title

• A summary should answer the following questions

3

• Which part of the subject is the paper about?
• Are any special areas of interest covered?
• What line does the writer take?
• Is it a survey or a report?
• Is this new to me?

4

• Is there anything unusual I might be interested
  in?
• Does the writer come to any important
  conclusions?
• DO I NEED TO READ THIS?

5
2. A short version(the key points)

• These days people dont have time to read!
• Speed reading is one solution, but it can be
  haphazard.
• A summary is the writers selection of what the
  busy manager or potential reader should read

6
3. A map of the paper(focuses attention on
the aim)

• Helps readers to see where they are going by
  clearly showing the stages of an argument

7
4. An aid to memory(reinforces learning)

• If the reader reads the summary and the report,
  they get the information twice which improves
  their chances of remembering it
• Later the summary can help them to remember
  forgotten details

8
Semantics

• A précis is an exercise for a writer it reduces
  the length of a paper in proportion whereas a
  summary can focus on conclusions
• An abstractthis term is used also to mean
  different things

9
Informative summaries are best!

• Descriptive summaries assume the reader will read
  the whole report and so withhold information
• Writers are sometimes afraid that hard facts in a
  summary can be misused
• But the reader wants information and results and
  may not have the time for the whole report
• Descriptive summaries contain more redundancies

10
Informative summaries are best!

• Exercise
• Compare the excerpts from summaries below. Which
  is more useful? Why?
• The decrease in thermal resistivity of foam due
  to ageing was quantified
• Ageing of foam reduces thermal resistivity by
  about 7 a year
• the cause of the enhanced resistivity of
  glass-fibre combinations is suggested
• We think this is because the multiple irregular
  surfaces within the glass fibre blanket trap more
  air

11
Improved descriptive terms

• Typical structures
• The report describes....rather do it
• The effects were studied - passive
• The causes of......are suggested ... this is
  because...
• Was quantified.... About 7 a year
• Is suggested.... We think...

12
Language for introducing information in summaries

• Approximately...
• About...
• Typically/ on average...
• A maximum of...
• If possible give precise figures.
• .....is described... leaves the reader guessing

13
Descriptive or informative?

• PHOSPHATE PRODUCTION PLANNING
• The report describes the production problems,
  raw material supply difficulties, and changes in
  the sales pattern which require a reappraisal of
  the production and packaging plan for phosphates.
• We have examined the likely dispatch pattern
  and propose a production and packaging plan to
  meet this situation Varied estimates are made
  for the
• Which words or phrases in the summary are
  descriptive?

14
Descriptive terms

• describes
• examine
• propose
• estimates are made

15
What is the problem?

• the strength of the steel is described
• Is it strong enough to hang a flea, or to string
  up a battleship for inspection?
• -)

16
Descriptive or informative?

• REDUCING PROCESS WATER USAGE
• We are installing a re-circulation unitthe
  system will reduce the injector usage by 30 and
  so offset the need for expansionThe system will
  circulate and cool 9500 litres/hour. Probeck
  Engineering have been selected to install the
  major items of equipment, which consist of pumps,
  filters, instruments. It will cost 84000 which
  is 56 of the cost of expansion .
• Underline the informative phrases in the text

17
Ask the questions

• Which summary is more helpful to the reader?
• Does it extend the title?
• Is it a short version giving readers pressed
  for time the hard facts.
• Does it focus the readers attention?
• Does it help to remember what is in the report?

18
Informative summaries Dont be afraid of
numbers!

• Descriptive summaries use evaluative words
• The rewards for being an experienced technical
  writer are high, significant, substantial
• Whereas informative summaries give concrete
  information
• Technical writers with over five years experience
  receive about 30 extra salary

19
Exercise

• Modifications to Renclor 406 Process
• Tighter BPC specifications on pharmaceutical
  grade Renclor 406 require operational changes to
  improve our product. High temperature
  chlorination tests have been performed and have
  given improved results, but the chlorinator
  jacket had to be modified before higher
  temperature tests could be made.
• Where could numbers be used?

20
With numbers

• Reducing Renclor 406 impurities below 5.5 ppm.
• BPC specifications for pharmaceutical grade
  Rencor 406 now restrict impurities to 4.5 ppm,
  instead of 6.0 ppm. Chlorination tests at 195C
  improved purity, but the chlorinator jacket had
  to be modified to test at over 200C.

21
Organise your summary

• Next week.....