MIT Guide to Science and Engineering Communication 2ed - J Paradis (MIT 2002) Episode 5 docx

indexes, appendixes, and figures and tables. This mix creates design and presentation challenges for both hardcopy and electronic information. A high-quality document is consistent in the way elements are treated. Page numbers appear in the same location on every page. The same font is used for all first-level headings. All bulleted lists are indented the same number of spaces. Abbreviations, acronyms, and plural formations are standardized. Equations are either numbered or not numbered, but the practice is unchanged throughout all documents in a series. The wide spread use of computers to communicate scientific and tech- nical information has created more interest than ever in standards for format and style. Required page formats can be stored as electronic tem- plates. Writer’s choices over matters of language, structure, and design elements can be limited so that consistency is achieved across an entire document or set of documents. Developing Document Standards Writers in government, corporate, and academic settings are rarely the first people in their organization to write memos or letters, to pre- pare a set of presentation slides, or to bind progress reports. Many work settings already have standard formats for memos and letters, pre- printed covers for reports, templates for transparencies and slides, and ‘‘house style’’ for settling questions about the treatment of oversized illustrations. In some work settings, document standards are transmitted informally: Authors ask colleagues who have already prepared similar documents, or they examine models of earlier work. In other settings, standards are transmitted through a written style guide. The style guide may have been especially prepared for authors in one organization. It may be a field-specific manual like the American Chemical Society’s Manual for Authors and Editors, or it may be a more general reference book like The Chicago Manual of Style. It may be a military specification or a publication standard developed by the American National Standards Institute. Prepare a Style Guide Whatever your writing task, begin with a clear idea of how finished pages will look and how the final document will be packaged. If you are 90 Design of Page and Screen working with coauthors, each member of the writing group needs the same instructions about the physical appearance of pages or screens. In- dividual authors will save time because they do not need to make style or format decisions. The resulting document will be consistent (Figure 7.1). Think Visually Visualize your completed document as a series of two-page spreads rather than a pile of individual sheets of paper. Two-page spreads are what readers will see when they read your document. Consider printing or photocopying on two sides. Such a method not only looks more pro- fessional but also increases the possibilities for placing figures and tables on the same spread of pages in which they are discussed. Number prefa- tory pages with small roman numerals, pages in the report body with arabic numerals, and pages in the appendix with alphabetic designators (Figure 7.2). Design Individual Pages Select a design for individual pages in the report body, and use it con- sistently, thereby helping readers to learn from the regularized placement of information elements (Figure 7.3). Will each page have a header? A footer? Will you print in one or two columns? Where will you place page numbers? Though traditional documents are 8 1 2 Â 11 inches, con- sider smaller format manuals (typically 5 Â 8 inches) for appropriate applications. Specify Design Elements To create visually effective documents, you’ll need to make decisions about typography, white space, margins, and highlighting devices. Strong design decisions are based on a thoughtful appraisal of the audience for your document and their purpose for reading it. In some cases, research results from comparative studies in information design can provide guidance. Most designers agree, for example, that ragged right margins are more readable than justified margins, though justified margins have a more formal look. And most agree that readers have a hard time reading sustained copy printed entirely in capital letters. Typography Select a type style and size for each tex tual element in your report and use it consistently. Textual elements include titles, headings, Design of Page and Screen 91 Figure 7.1 This page format template creates standards for all documents produced at Cimarron Automation Services, Moorpark, CA. Note that the style guide itself is prepared in the recommended format. 92 Design of Page and Screen Figure 7.2 Plan documents as a series of two-page spreads, with expanded possibilities for placing illustrations and text on the same spread of pages. Note that prefatory, body, and appendix sections are clearly designated by the style of page numbers. Design of Page and Screen 93 text, captions for figures and tables, headers, footers, and references. Some typeface styles are easier to read than others. Many document designers recommend selecting a serif font rather than a sans serif for extended text. In serif font styles, small lines extend from the tops and bottoms of letters, apparently increasing readability. A 10- or 12-point type size for extended text is standard, though 12-point is easier to read. In general, write with upper- and lowercase letters. Extended text in uppercase letters is hard to read and best used for brief elements like headings (Figure 7.4). Figure 7.3 This page template would suit an instruction manual or a technical report with text, notes, and graphics. In this style, oversized illustrations are placed in appendixes. 94 Design of Page and Screen White Space The blank space in your document is an important design element. Used consistently, it improves readability and provides impor- tant information to readers about content. In creating a plan for using white space, include the size of margin around page perimeter as well as the amount of space you will leave between before and after headings, between paragraphs, and between major document sections. In the case of long documents, it is helpful to specify that each new section starts on its own right-facing page; the additional white space then serves as a physica l break and reinforces the shift to a new topic. This strategy reinforces the modular organization of most technical documents while providing readers with natural places to stop and restart. Figure 7.4 In this heading style, a numbering system, upper- and lowercase typography, center placement, and bold type serve as markers of the hierarchical levels of information. Design of Page and Screen 95 Highlighting Use document highlighting devices consistently but spar- ingly. Bold or italic type, color, and symbols such as arrows and boxes can provide helpful emphasis for readers, drawing attention to important points. Color has particular power to enhance information, though the cost of printing colored documents is often substantially higher than for black and white. Consider too that approximately 10 percent of adults are color-impaired, and do not rely entirely on color as a way to make crucial points. Consider Options for Illustrations You need a repertoire of strategies to deal with tables and figures. Full- page illustrations that can be studied without turning the page are com- monly called ‘‘portrait’’ figures; illustrations that are wider than they are tall have a ‘‘landscape’’ orientation, requiring readers to turn the page sideways. When an illustration requires a landscape presentation, place it so that it can be viewed by rotating the page clockwise. A figure or table too large to be contained in a portrait or landscape page can be made into a foldout, an oversized page folded to fit the dimensions of the printed report (Figure 7.5). Foldouts can be prepared with or without an apron, a blank page that forms the part of the fold- out nearest the report bind ing. Aprons allow readers to ope n the foldout and refer to the illustration while reading the text, rather than alternating back and forth. Include Navigation Aids Help readers to navigate through your document. Tables of contents and indexes provide efficient directions to specific topics and are a welcome alternative to line-by-line reading. Headings provide previews of content and allow readers to skip directly to a desired subject. Page headers and page footers contain abbreviated information about the material on the page on whic h they appear: typically chapter and section titles and per- haps even an organizational logo. Divider pages, printed on heavier weight paper in a different color from the rest of the document, separate chapters and sections and provide additional navigation assistance. For long documen ts, specify that each divider page includes an expanded table of contents for the material in that section. Finally, tabbed section 96 Design of Page and Screen dividers help readers to navigate efficiently through your document (Fig- ure 7.6). Consider Binding Options If you have choices about the final production of your document, re- member that comb and spiral bindings help readers keep pages open and flat. Loose-leaf bindings are good for documents that must be updated with new pages. Heavyweight or plastic covers will help your document hold up through multiple readings. Figure 7.5 The top figure is presented as a foldout with an apron. Readers can refer to the figure while they are examining other pages of the report. The bottom figure is a standard foldout of an oversized illustration. Design of Page and Screen 97 Figure 7.6 Labeled tabs serve as helpful navigation aids to readers. 98 Design of Page and Screen Electronic Document Standards Many organizations achieve consistency of format, organization, style, and content by developi ng and using computer-based document tem- plates. Writers are electronically constrained from violating standard formats. Though document templates do not eliminate all pains of au- thorship, they do answer such questions as what should be included, in what order, and at what level of detail. Document templates are fre- quently used in software development, where the need to document is urgent and sometimes overwhelming. A well-conceived set of templates provides guidelines for the eventual full set of documents, from the early specification stage to the shipping of the product. Issues in Screen Design Many design principles from the traditional world of ink-on-paper also apply to electronic documents. On a computer screen, consistency in de- sign, generous use of white space, and avoidance of long text presented entirely in capital letters are as welcome as in hard-copy documents. But writers who publish information on computer screens also have urgent reasons to modify practices used in print. Desktop and laptop on-line displays are smaller than pages (Figure 7.7), and information prepared for wireless delivery will be received in Figure 7.7 Readers are more familiar with paper-based formats. On-line displays are smaller and generally shaped in landscape rather than portrait orientation because of the shape of most computer monitors. Design of Page and Screen 99 [...]... of the key terms for a topic, consult one of three widely used thesauri for science and engineering: Thesaurus of Engineering and Scientific Terms (Inspec 19 95) , Library of Congress Subject Headings (19 75 ), or the Engineering Information Thesaurus (1992–) of the Engineering Index Most keywords and subject headings in on-line catalogs and databases are based on one of these three guides 114 Searching... depository libraries and a searchable patent database, and the Delphion Intellectual Property Network at hwww.delphion.com/ibm.htmli for access to the full-text and images of U.S., European, and Japanese Patents since 1974 To locate international standards literature from sector standards organizations, government agencies, and international standards organizations, contact the American National Standards... technology (CD-ROM) CD-ROM storage increases space, with a single disk capable of storing up to 300,000 pages of print The current trend in information retrieval is toward the building of large-scale digital libraries that are accessed on the Internet A typical on-line catalog entry for an author shows Author-title-subject information Publication and imprint information Call number Location and availability... librarian Indexes to the patent and standards literature are often listed in the main catalog under subject headings like ‘‘Patents’’ and ‘‘Standards.’’ ISI’s Derwent Innovations Index is an electronically searchable citation and subject index for worldwide patent literature in the sciences and engineering Two additional resources are the U.S Patent and Trademark Office at hwww.uspto.govi, which contains... outside the organization into various forums: conference proceedings, formal reports, and refereed articles Moving from project initiation to journal publication takes up to five years Four to eighteen months may pass as the manuscript goes through the review-editorial stage and emerges as a published article Another month to a year may pass before the information is indexed and abstracted Five more years... Examples of these literature guides include Physics Abstracts and the Engineering Index, and their respective databases, INSPEC and COMPENDEX (see Table 8.1) These guides are indexed in the main catalog by title and corporate author (sponsoring organization) More than 2,000 abstracts journals cover the annual research output of the sciences and applied sciences These literature guides are listed in various... Electronic Journals, Bulletins, and Discussion Lists Electronic journals and discussion lists are proliferating Some are useful; others are not Electronic journals have become a major means of refereeing and disseminating research results Many important journals like Science of the American Association for the Advancement of Science are now delivered in both hard copy and electronic formats and may be... dissertations in science and applied science appear in the Dissertation Abstracts International, B, The Sciences and Engineering This reference work is usually available in the reference section of your library on CD-ROM, or on a Web link as the searchable database Dissertation Abstracts Online Searching the Literature 109 Standards and Patents The vast literature of standards and patents is too diffusely... Sources in Science and Technology (1998), which arranges bibliographies and literature guides by field 106 Searching the Literature Abstracts journals and databases cover mostly articles and reports but also include patents, theses, proceedings, and books Some, like the National Technical Information Service database (formerly, Government Reports Announcements and Index), are devoted to agency-sponsored... Location search To retrieve a published item Subject or concept search To isolate a class of information by using subject headings and keywords Searching the Literature 113 Methodology search To find information about processes invented and refined by others Follow-up search To trace developments in the theory, applications, or results of a field Specific question search To find an answer to a specific . the tops and bottoms of letters, apparently increasing readability. A 1 0- or 12-point type size for extended text is standard, though 12-point is easier to read. In general, write with upper- and. Navigation Aids Help readers to navigate through your document. Tables of contents and indexes provide efficient directions to specific topics and are a welcome alternative to line-by-line reading. Headings. refereed articles. Moving from project initiation to journal publication takes up to five years. Four to eighteen months may pass as the manuscript goes through the review-editorial stage and emerges as a published