Writing a Technical Paper: A Comprehensive Guide by Prof. Wai Cheng at MIT, Study notes of Mechanical Engineering

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Writing a technical paper

Prof. Wai ChengDepartment of Mechanical Engineering MITDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, MIT

Elements of a technical paper

p p

•^

Title

-^

Abstract

-^

Introduction

-^

Theoretical background

-^

Apparatus and procedure

pp

p

•^

Results and discussion

-^

ConclusionsConclusions

-^

Nomenclature (optional)

-^

ReferencesReferences

-^

Appendices (optional)

Paper versus report

p

p

•^

Report

Usually for internal use

• Usually for internal use– Document details of the project for archival

purposepurpose^ 

Include details: drawings, computer programs

•^

Paper

-^

Paper– For external audience

Succinct and to the point

• Succinct and to the point



Do not need to write about routine details suchas calibration procedure etc.

p



Do not put computer program listing in a paper

Title

•^

The title is what draws reader to your work– Reveal the topic of the paper– Should include key words about the project

y

j

•^

Make the title interesting and attractive

Introduction

•^

Introduces subject– Background and context– Articulate the need for the study

y

• Clearly define the problem (purpose of the

investigation)

• Briefly outline overall approach

Theoretical background

(Should use a more meaningful heading than

theoretical background)

•^

Physical explanation of the phenomena involved

-^

Develop governing equations– Assumptions: support them quantitatively



e.g. laminar flow — give Re

• Describe model development



Give the key equations only; put details in the

di

appendix

•^

Connect your theory to your project

Wh

h

i^

l^

l^

b

d

• What theoretical values are to be compared to

experimental results?

Results and discussion

Results

U

fi

•^

Use figures

-^

Describe the direct observation first (e.g.

ti

pressure vs. time)– Point out the features and the physics behind

themthem

•^

Show how do the results change when youchange the variables of the experimentchange the variables of the experiment– Magnitude (up or down; by how much?)

Trends and scaling laws

• Trends and scaling laws



linear, exponential, …

Results and discussion

Discussion •^

Does theory produce the same features as theobservations?

-^

Plot theoretical values on the same graph as theexperimental results

E

l i

th

diff

• Explain the differences -^

Make the results (theory and experiment)

useful

Appendices

pp

•^

Details that your reader may not need tofollow the overall picture but are required tosupport your work

-^

Need have narrative to describe anyequation, table, or graph in the appendix

Further remark: graphs

g

p

•^

Caption should be short but informative andcomprehensive

-^

Axes should be labeled– For dimensional quantities, units are

required

• Use symbols for data points and lines for

theoretical values

• For multiple curves, mark each curve

clearly