Lecture

Technical Writing

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In course

CS-522: Principles of computer systems

This advanced graduate course teaches the key design principles underlying successful computer and communication systems, and shows how to solve real problems with ideas, techniques, and algorithms from operating systems, networks, databases, programming l ...

Description

This lecture emphasizes the importance of technical writing for scientists and engineers, highlighting the moral obligation to effectively communicate ideas through writing. The instructor shares insights on how to write appealing and understandable technical prose, stressing the significance of discipline over talent. The lecture covers the use of English language, the value of clarity of thought, and the distinction between technical and lyrical writing. Practical tips are provided on structuring documents with a clear and predictable format, avoiding passive voice, and quantifying statements. The lecture also delves into the creation of effective graphs and tables, emphasizing the importance of self-explanatory visuals. Students are encouraged to practice writing concisely and to focus on the main ideas when crafting technical documents.

Instructor

George Candea

George Candea heads the Dependable Systems Lab, where he develops techniques and abstractions for building efficient and trustworthy computer systems. His current work focuses on making performance and energy programmable, i.e., providing first-class abstractions to capture a system’s performance and energy behavior (as interfaces do for functionality) and to use them dependably to design, code, and operate efficient systems.In the recent past, George also served as CEO and later Chief Scientist of Cyberhav

Official source

Related concepts (22)

Communication

Communication is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term can also refer to the message itself, or the field of inquiry studying these transmissions, also known as communication studies. The precise definition of communication is disputed. Controversial issues are whether unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication does not just transmit meaning but also create it. Models of communication aim to provide a simplified overview of its main components and their interaction.

Animal communication

Animal communication is the transfer of information from one or a group of animals (sender or senders) to one or more other animals (receiver or receivers) that affects the current or future behavior of the receivers. Information may be sent intentionally, as in a courtship display, or unintentionally, as in the transfer of scent from predator to prey with kairomones. Information may be transferred to an "audience" of several receivers. Animal communication is a rapidly growing area of study in disciplines including animal behavior, sociology, neurology and animal cognition.

Writing implement

A writing implement or writing instrument is an object used to produce writing. Writing consists of different figures, lines, and or forms. Most of these items can be also used for other functions such as painting, drawing and technical drawing, but writing instruments generally have the ordinary requirement to create a smooth, controllable line. Another writing implement employed by a smaller population is the stylus used in conjunction with the slate for punching out the dots in Braille.

Organizational communication

Within the realm of communication studies, organizational communication is a field of study surrounding all areas of communication and information flow that contribute to the functioning of an organization . Organizational communication is constantly evolving and as a result, the scope of organizations included in this field of research have also shifted over time. Now both traditionally profitable companies, as well as NGO's and non-profit organizations, are points of interest for scholars focused on the field of organizational communication.

Interpersonal communication

Interpersonal communication is an exchange of information between two or more people. It is also an area of research that seeks to understand how humans use verbal and nonverbal cues to accomplish a number of personal and relational goals. Interpersonal communication research addresses at least six categories of inquiry: 1) how humans adjust and adapt their verbal communication and nonverbal communication during face-to-face communication; 2) how messages are produced; 3) how uncertainty influences behavior and information-management strategies; 4) deceptive communication; 5) relational dialectics; and 6) social interactions that are mediated by technology.

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