What is the purpose of technical writing?

To inform To instruct To propose To recommend To persuade

Audience Importance of

understanding who will read your report.

Provide accurate informationTechnical reports are based on

facts; falsifying any information is unethical.

Do not give your own opinions.You are required to focus on

facts.

Organization of technical writing

Introduction

Provide background/contextual information for the topic/problem/issue being presented.

Organization of technical writing

Body

Information is explained and technical details are given.

Organization of technical writing

Conclusion

The summarization of the report/paper.

Technical writers present important conclusions at the beginning, followed by evidence supporting these conclusions.

Do we have any mail today?

Two possible answers (out of the millions of possibilities)

No 1“I got up out of my chair and sauntered out to the mailbox. I looked up before opening the box and saw the mailman going down the street past our house. When I opened the mailbox there was nothing in it, so I don’t think we’ll have any mail today”

Answer number 2“No, we did not get any mail today. The mailbox is empty and the mailman has passed our house.”

Write using the Third person

The third person is used when writing technical reports.

Use either the passive or active voiceWhen the subject of the sentence is performing the action, the sentence is in active voice.

Examples of active voice Alec must have eaten all ten candies. The man kicked the chair. Crazy dogs barked all night.

Passive voice

When the subject of the sentence is acted upon, the sentence is in passive voice.

Examples of passive voiceAll ten candies must have been eaten by Alec.

The chair was kicked by the man.

In order to change a sentence from active to passive voice, the sentence must have a direct object.

What is “third” person? Personal pronouns Singular Plural

First Person: the speaker or writer

I, me We, us

Second person: the person(s) spoken to

you you

Third person: person(s) spoken or written about

She, her, he, him, it they, them

Tense

Past and perfect tenses are appropriate in writing reports that documents something that is completed.

Past tense

Add –d or –ed to the infinitive verb.

The boy kicked the ball.

What is meant by perfect tense?

The perfect tense is formed by the appropriate form of the verb to have + the past participle of the verb. This tense is used to express an action that has been completed.

Examples of the perfect tenseYou have seen that movie many

times.We were not able to get a hotel

room because we had not booked in advance.

You will have perfected report writing before the exam.

Dear Mr. Black,

Please find enclosed my CV in application for the post advertised in the Guardian on 30 November.

The nature of my degree course has prepared me for this position. It involved a great deal of independent research, requiring initiative, self-motivation and a wide range of skills. For one course, [insert course], an understanding of the [insert sector] industry was essential. I found this subject very stimulating.

I am a fast and accurate writer, with a keen eye for detail and I should be very grateful for the opportunity to progress to market reporting. I have not only the ability to take on the responsibility of this position immediately, but also the enthusiasm and determination to ensure that I make a success of it.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours Sincerely,

Dear Mr. Brown,

I am writing to enquire if you have any vacancies in your company. I enclose my CV for your information.

As you can see, I have had extensive vacation work experience in office environments, the retail sector and service industries, giving me varied skills and the ability to work with many different types of people. I believe I could fit easily into your team.

I am a conscientious person who works hard and pays attention to detail. I'm flexible, quick to pick up new skills and eager to learn from others. I also have lots of ideas and enthusiasm. I'm keen to work for a company with a great reputation and high profile like [insert company name].

I have excellent references and would be delighted to discuss any possible vacancy with you at your convenience. In case you do not have any suitable openings at the moment, I would be grateful if you would keep my CV on file for any future possibilities.

Yours Sincerely,

What are the differences between these two letters of application?

Are these effective letters of application? What makes them effective?

Memos have a twofold purpose

Memos are used to inform the recipient of new information like policy changes, price increases.

Persuade the recipient to take an action, such as attend a meeting, or change a current production procedure.

Regardless of the specific goal, memos are most effective when they connect the purpose of the writer with the interests and needs of the reader.

Heading Segment

TO: (readers' names and job titles) FROM: (your name and job title) DATE: (complete and current date)

Subject Be specific and concise in your subject

line. For example, "Clothes" as a subject line could mean anything from a dress code update to a production issue. Instead use something like, "Fall Clothes Line Promotion."

Opening Segment The purpose of a memo is usually found

in the opening paragraph and includes: the purpose of the memo, the context and problem, and the specific assignment or task. Before indulging the reader with details and the context, give the reader a brief overview of what the memo will be about..

Choosing how specific your introduction will be depends on your memo plan style. The more direct the memo plan, the more explicit the introduction should be. Including the purpose of the memo will help clarify the reason the audience should read this document. The introduction should be brief, and should be approximately the length of a short paragraph

Context The context is the event, circumstance, or

background of the problem you are solving. You may use a paragraph or a few sentences to establish the background and state the problem. Oftentimes it is sufficient to use the opening of a sentence to completely explain the context, such as,

"Through market research and analysis..."

Task SegmentOne essential portion of a memo is the task statement where you should describe what you are doing to help solve the problem. If the action was requested, your task may be indicated by a sentence opening like,

"You asked that I look at...."

If you want to explain your intentions, you might say,

"To determine the best method of promoting the new fall line, I will...."

Include only as much information as is needed by the decision-makers in the context, but be convincing that a real problem exists. Do not ramble on with insignificant details.

If you are having trouble putting the task into words, consider whether you have clarified the situation. You may need to do more planning before you're ready to write your memo. Make sure your purpose-statement forecast divides your subject into the most important topics that the decision-maker needs.

Summary Segment If your memo is longer than a page, you

may want to include a separate summary segment. However, this section not necessary for short memos and should not take up a significant amount of space.

This segment provides a brief statement of the key recommendations you have reached. These will help your reader understand the key points of the memo immediately. This segment may also include references to methods and sources you have used in your research.

Discussion Segments The discussion segments are the longest

portions of the memo, and are the parts in which you include all the details that support your ideas. Begin with the information that is most important. This may mean that you will start with key findings or recommendations.

Start with your most general information and move to your specific or supporting facts. (Be sure to use the same format when including details: strongest to weakest.)

The discussion segments include the supporting ideas, facts, and research that back up your argument in the memo. Include strong points and evidence to persuade the reader to follow your recommended actions. If this section is inadequate, the memo will not be as effective as it could be.

Closing Segment After the reader has absorbed all of your

information, you want to close with a courteous ending that states what action you want your reader to take. Make sure you consider how the reader will benefit from the desired actions and how you can make those actions easier. For example, you might say,

"I will be glad to discuss this recommendation with you during our Tuesday trip to the spa and follow through on any decisions you make."

Necessary Attachments

Make sure you document your findings or provide detailed information whenever necessary. You can do this by attaching lists, graphs, tables, etc. at the end of your memo. Be sure to refer to your attachments in your memo and add a notation about what is attached below your closing, like this:

Attached: Focus Group Results, January- May 2007

TO: Kelly Anderson, Marketing Executive

FROM: Jonathon Fitzgerald, Market Research Assistant

DATE: June 14, 2007

SUBJECT: Fall Clothes Line Promotion

Market research and analysis show that the proposed advertising media for the new fall lines need to be reprioritized and changed. Findings from focus groups and surveys have made it apparent that we need to update our advertising efforts to align them with the styles and trends of young adults today.

No longer are young adults interested in sitcoms as they watch reality televisions shows. Also, it is has become increasingly important to use the internet as a tool to communicate with our target audience to show our dominance in the clothing industry.

Internet Advertising XYZ Company needs to focus advertising on

internet sites that appeal to young people. According to surveys, 72% of our target market uses the internet for five hours or more per week. The following list shows in order of popularity the most frequented sites:

•Google •Facebook •Myspace •EBay •iTunes

Shifting our efforts from our other media sources such as radio and magazine to these popular internet sites will more effectively promote our product sales. Young adults are spending more and more time on the internet downloading music, communicating and researching for homework and less and less time reading paper magazines and listening to the radio. As the trend for cultural icons to go digital, so must our marketing plans.

Television Advertising

It used to be common to advertise for our products on shows like Friends and Seinfeld for our target audience, but even the face of television is changing. Young adults are tuning into reality television shows for their entertainment. Results from the focus group show that our target audience is most interested in shows like American Idol,The Apprentice, and America's Next Top Model.

The only non-reality television show to be ranked in the top ten most commonly watched shows by males and females 18-25 is Desperate Housewives. At Blue Incorporated, we need to focus our advertising budget on reality television shows and reduce the amount of advertising spent on other programs.

By refocusing our advertising efforts of our new line of clothing we will be able to maximize the exposure of our product to our target market and therefore increase our sales. Tapping into the trends of young adults will help us gain market share and sales through effective advertising. Attachments: Focus Group Results, January- May 2007; Survey Findings, January - April 2007

The difference between formal and informal Language

(1) Our technician repaired the fault on 12th June. Now it’s your turn to pay us.

(2) Although the fault was repaired on 12th June, payment for this intervention has still not been received.

(1) The company laid him off because he didn't work much. (2) His poor work ethics resulted in his dismissal.

(1) If you lose it, then please contact us as soon as possible.

(2) Any loss of this document should be reported immediately to this office.

(1) We didn’t receive the package.

(2) We did not receive the package.

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you on behalf of the concerned citizens of Berbice for Health Care. Once again you are cutting the services offered by your clinic. And you plan on increasing the fees on the few services you are keeping.

This is ridiculous. Where are we supposed to go for our health care? The closest hospital is over 70 miles away! My husband just had surgery and we're $100,000 in debt. We can't afford to pay your fee increases.

Don't expect to keep your job much longer, my cousin knows the President’s brother, and when he hears what you've been doing to us, he'll fire you for sure.

Sincerely, Karen YoungSecretaryPeople’s Union

Dear Mr. Axel Rose,

I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2013 at the Fortune Hotel from 14 - 15 February and found it informative and interesting. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of organisational problems. I explain each of the problems below.

Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the event. You set up an on-line registration facility, but I found the facility totally unworkable. Even after spending several wasted hours trying to register in this way, the computer would not accept my application. I eventually succeeded in registering by faxing you.

Secondly, the exhibition was held at one of Hong Kong's most prestigious hotels, but frankly the venue was better suited to a medium-sized business conference than to a large exhibition open by registration to the public. The lack of space led to serious overcrowding in the venue, particularly at peak visiting times (i.e. lunch times and early evening). On one or two occasions I was also seriously concerned about the physical safety of attendees.

The final point I want to make concerns product information. It is very enjoyable to see and test a range of excellent sound systems, but it is also important to be able to take away leaflets on interesting products, so that more research can be done before deciding which system to buy. However, by the time I attended the exhibition all the leaflets had been taken.

Could I please ask you to look into these matters - not only on my behalf but also on behalf of other attendees, and in fact on behalf of your company, too.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Michael Leung

Summary Writing

The People of Nigeria versus Shell Essay

Shell Oil Company is a very successful and well recognized corporation. However, at this moment I would like to open the floor not to the discussion of how successful this corporation is, but to how many problems it has caused with its poor corporate social responsibility in Nigeria. The Shell Oil Company began drilling oil in Nigeria in the late 1950s. Most of the company’s pipelines were situated in Ogoniland that is the land of in the Niger Delta region of southeast Nigeria (Naanen, p.75).

From the very beginning the company had insolently interfered with the lives of people by building its pipelines across their farmlands and in front of their homes. Couple of years after the pipelines were built it became clear that the people of the region would be constantly suffering from endemic oil leaks from these very pipelines. However, this fact was not taken into consideration and the people had been forced to live with the constant flaring of gas (Naanen, p.75).

The effects of this environmental attack had been devastating. The land was suffocated with oil, the waters were polluted causing complete destruction of the aquatic population, moreover, because of the newly built pipelines the farming areas had been destroyed.

People of the land were completely dependent upon farming and fishing, thus the poisoning of the land and water has had devastating consequences (Naanen, p. 76). In addition the destruction of natural resources, oil spills had caused many people of the region to develop such illnesses as bronchial asthma, other respiratory diseases, gastro-enteritis and cancer.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has numerously issued Notices of Violation to the Shell Oil Company for its infringements of the Clean Air Act. Upon such indictments the Company proclaimed the beginning of clean up campaigns, however, such campaigns always consisted of an indeed harmful technique.

The technique was as follows, the Company undertook burning of the crude which had resulted in a permanent layer of crusted oil meters thick and scooping oil into holes in the surrounding earth. The Company considered that this response could remove the blame of pollution from it, however, with such solutions it just kept “digging the hole of environmental torts deeper” (Watts, p. 25).

The attitude of the Nigerian government may come to some as a surprise because one would expect the government of the country to take the side of its people. Nonetheless, for decades already Nigeria has been governed by repressive and corrupt governments. These governments have been supported and maintained by western governments and oil corporations. Furthermore, around eighty percent of Nigerian government revenues come directly from oil, over half of which is from the Shell Company.

Thus, it was in the interest of the Nigerian government to crack the uprising against oil corporations and keep on benefitting from the fossil fuels that can be exploited (Shah). Moreover, taking the side of the people would have meant for the Nigerian government to simply sign its death penalty, so it decided to sign the death penalty for the people in Ogoniland and then the people of other counties of Niger Delta (Watts, p. 26).

In addition to the above mentioned, not only did the government take the side of oil companies, it had also undertaken to physically protect them from protestants by sending militia troops to the demonstration and killing those who did not want to stop protesting.

For such services, the Shell Oil Company twice paid the military for going to specific villages and solving the problem with Nigerian people. Although it disputes that the purpose of these excursions was to settle down the rebel, each of the military missions paid for by Shell resulted in fatalities of the natives.

Certainly, the appearance of militia did not stop the protests but even boosted them, though creating the feeling of fear and violence in the region. The militia forces also practiced bribing of the people from different regions of the Niger Delta with the intention to cause causalities between people and make profits on their arguments.

The security forces employed by the Shell Company are today accused of murdering of around two thousand people among them many of those who were the activists of the Shell resistance movement. Though, the Company explains that such actions had to be taken and that was the only way to insure stability in the district (Shah).

Without a shadow of doubt, this situation in Nigeria did not leave the world unaffected. I would like to present the standpoints of some of the biggest world players. To begin with, I would like to present the standpoint of the United Nations. Observing the situation in Nigeria, the United Nations accused Nigerian government and the Shell Oil Company of abusing human rights and failing to protect the environment in oil producing regions, mainly Ogoniland. Furthermore, the United Nations had called for an investigation into the actions of the Shell Oil Company

The results of this investigation were included in the United Nations report and proclaimed that the Shell Oil Company was indeed responsible for the constant spills and did not do anything about them. Moreover, the report emphasized that the Shell Company had invested money into employing armed forces against protesters. To the surprise of many, the United Nations report was honest and focused on the troubles the Shell Company had caused in the region. Upon drawing of the report the United Nations sent supervisors to the Niger Delta region to oversee the actions of the oil corporations. However, the presence of the United Nations delegations did not stop the problems in the region.

Without a shadow of doubt, this situation in Nigeria did not leave the world unaffected. I would like to present the standpoints of some of the biggest world players. To begin with, I would like to present the standpoint of the United Nations. Observing the situation in Nigeria, the United Nations accused Nigerian government and the Shell Oil Company of abusing human rights and failing to protect the environment in oil producing regions, mainly Ogoniland. Furthermore, the United Nations had called for an investigation into the actions of the Shell Oil Company.

The results of this investigation were included in the United Nations report and proclaimed that the Shell Oil Company was indeed responsible for the constant spills and did not do anything about them. Moreover, the report emphasized that the Shell Company had invested money into employing armed forces against protesters.

To the surprise of many, the United Nations report was honest and focused on the troubles the Shell Company had caused in the region. Upon drawing of the report the United Nations sent supervisors to the Niger Delta region to oversee the actions of the oil corporations. However, the presence of the United Nations delegations did not stop the problems in the region.

The United States of America, the country that is the best-known advocate of human rights and environmental protection, in case of Nigeria did all talk and no action. Without a shadow of doubt the United States did criticize the Nigerian government that acted in the interest of oil companies and not its people. America has also made comments about the military regime present in the country and spoke of a need for the democratic countries’ supervision of Nigerian elections. However, like it was with other world players, the country only threatened the tyrants and did not take any specific actions to assist the situation.

Such behavior can be explained by the fact that the United States is the largest consumer of Nigerian oil. Thus, the United States government took actions against the Nigerian government and not the oil corporation operating in the region. It comes without saying that the lobbyists of the oil companies were heavily against aggressive policy towards Nigerian government. For these corporations it was possible to obtain profits only under corrupt government (Onuoha, p. 45).

As of today, the oil corporations, especially the Shell Oil Company, keep making profits, the human rights and environment activists keep organizing protests and demonstrations about the environmental and social impacts of the oil industry on the Niger Delta, and the world keeps disapproving of the behavior of the oil companies. It is very remarkable that even though the whole world seems to be disapproving of the activities of the Shell Oil Company, today it manages to make the highest profits it has ever made. In conclusion it must be admitted that what the Shell Company has done in Nigeria is despicable.

This corporation has turned Nigeria into one of the poorest countries in the world, it has ruined the nature of the country and abused its people. Though, what is even more despicable is that would the same happen in a different country, the world powers would send in troops to punish the offender, while in case of Nigeria these powers spoke words but had no action.

Claim and Adjustment Letters

4078 North RoadGeorgetown

February 18, 2014

Customer Service ManagerInternet Inc.1978 South RoadGeorgetown Dear Mr. Singh,

I am writing today to complain of the horrible service I received from your company. I was visited by a representative of your Company, Mr. Axel Rose.

Mr. Rose was one hour late for his appointment and did not have the common decency to apologise when he arrived at noon. Your representative did not remove his muddy shoes upon entering my house, and consequently left a trail of dirt in the hallway. Mr. Rose then proceeded to present a range of products to me that I had specifically told his assistant by telephone I was not interested in. I repeatedly tried to ask your representative about the products that were of interest to me, but he refused to deal with my questions. We ended our meeting after 25 minutes without either of us having accomplished anything.

I am so angry that I wasted a morning (and half a day's vacation) waiting for your incompetent staff to show up. My impression of your company has been tarnished, and I am now concerned about how my existing business is being managed by your firm. Furthermore, Mr. Rose’s inability to remove his muddy shoes has meant that I have had to engage the services, and incur the expense, of a professional carpet cleaner.

I trust this is not the way your company wishes to conduct business with valued customers—I have been with you since the company was founded and have never encountered such treatment before. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss matters further and to learn of how you propose to prevent a similar situation from recurring. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully, Jack Johnson 

The claim letter must contain all the details someone will

need to respond to it. This may include price, where purchased, date, details of the problem, model or account numbers, etc.

clearly but politely state what you expect from the company.

create a tone that is a balance between courtesy and assertiveness.

Adjustment letter

INC Galaxy1234 North Road March 17, 2001

Ms. Joan Andrews5678 South RoadGeorgetown

Dear Ms. Andrews,

Thank you for your letter about our XYZ Antivirus Software and your conclusion that it did not live up to the promises implied in the sales material for it. We certainly agree that our products should be functional and effective, and that’s why we stand behind them with our unique 48-hour warranty.

We note that your software package was purchased last August, and is thus out of warranty. Moreover, a review of our promotional material showed no statements therein that the software would enable users to increase their GPA while sleeping till noon and consuming an additional case of beer each week.

While we’re unable to replace this package, we believe XYZ Antivirus Software can still be of help to you. We have just introduced a new product, ProtectINC, which we feel fits your situation. And I am enclosing a special $10 off certificate, good on this or any other Software, as described in or catalog.

Thanks again for being in touch with us. We strive constantly for the highest quality in our products, and we appreciate your feedback.

Yours faithfully,

Frank ZappaMarketing Manager

The adjustment granted (if any) in the adjustment letter must be realistic.If you have not granted the customer's full request, explain why.

The adjustment letter must create a balance between saving the company money and keeping the customer's business.

Investigative Report

Investigative report Executive Summary Introduction

Aims and objectives Limitations of report Description of research methods History of the problem Description of problem

Findings Recommendations Conclusions

Language of an investigative report This report must be based on facts. Do not include your own opinions. Your investigative report must be free of

bias. You must use formal language.

Executive summary You write the executive summary after

you complete your investigations and your report.

Aims & objectives of the investigation Explain what you are investigating Example“The investigation was designed to get to the root causes of the flood in Festival City, Georgetown.” Explain what you hoped to achieve by doing the

investigation.Example“The intent of this investigation is to identify the root causes of the flooding in Festival City so as to prevent this from happening in the future.”

Design or methodology that impacted or influenced the application or interpretation of the results of your study. They are the constraints on generalizability and utility of findings that are the result of the ways in which you chose to design the study and/or the method used to establish internal and external validity.

Limitations of report

Design or methodology that is likely to negatively impact on data collection or interpretation of the results .

This must be taken into account when you are designing your study.

Method to establish validity of data collection, and analysis must be guided by identified limitations.

Limitations of report

Description of research methods Equipment used Detail procedures followed Materials used

Secondary data Describe any problem(s) encountered

that caused you to change your procedure

History of the problem Explain the duration of the problem. Highlight recurring issues cause by this

problem.

Description of problem

•Poor maintenance of pipelines

•Squatters live on the embankment

•Drainage•Flooding

Flooding in Festival

City

When rain falls water does not

drain

Pipe lines break

frequently

Drains are not

cleaned

How do we describe the problem we are investigating?

Findings T ime, Sequence and History

O rganisation / Control / ResponsibilityP eople and their involvementS imilar eventsE nvironment and its effectsT echnology, equipment & processes

Recommendations In addition to addressing the root

causes, provide solutions for all the individual contributory causes to the problem.

Presenting RecommendationsT ime, Sequence and HistoryO rganisation / Control / ResponsibilityP eople and their involvementS imilar eventsE nvironment and its effectsT echnology, equipment & processes

Project Proposal

What is a project proposal? Project proposals are documents

designed to present a plan of action, outline the reasons why the action is necessary, and convince the reader to agree with and approve the implementation of the actions recommended in the body of the document.

Elements of a Project Proposal

■ Project title■ Goals and objectives of the project■ Description of project activities■ Description of expected project results■ Project implementation plan■ Resource allocation (Human and Fiscal)

Project title

The project title should be short, concise, and preferably refer to a certain key project result or the leading project activity. Project titles that are too long or too general fail to give the reader an effective snapshot of what is inside.

Examples of Project titles Environmental Education (poor project

title) Environmental awareness initiative,

North Ruimveldt, Georgetown (good project title)

Rules for setting project goal 1. There should be only one goal per

project.

2. The goal should be connected to the vision for development

Project goalThis is a general aim that should explain what the core problem is and why the project is important, i.e. what the long-term benefits to the target group are. Some examples of a project goal might be: raising environmental awareness improving the quality of life in the

community fostering social empowerment among

women from deprived rural areas.

Objectives Objectives are operational, state

specific outcomes of your project, and are measurable. Objectives will form the basis for the activities and evaluation of the project.

SMART Specific: concrete and well defined. Measurable: criteria for measuring success;

ability to determine when the objectives have been achieved.

Achievable: ability to attain with effort and commitment; feasible and actionable

Realistic: attainable with available resources, e.g., equipment, time, and people

Time‐bound: achievable in defined time period

writing objectives – strong verbs To increase To determine To create/design To evaluate/analyze To describe To contrast To classify To calculate

Weak verbs To promote To encourage To understand To become aware To work with To support To grasp To study

Types of questions to avoidThe leading question - a question that strongly encourages a specific type of response. It biases results, and often causes the respondent to be defensive. Example: "Most people agree there is

not enough police protection on campus, how about you?" or

"You don't believe that people should be arrested for marijuana use, do you?"

Types of questions to avoidThe double-barreled question: asks more than one thing, making the results too "fuzzy“ to be meaningful. Example: o "How often do you drink beer or wine

with dinner?" o "Do you approve of the President's

policies on economics and defense?" o "Are the visual aids large enough and

easy to read?"

Types of questions to avoidThe loaded question: a question that not only strongly encourages a specific type of 2 response, but also has strong emotional overtones. Even more objectionable than the leading question in that it is more personal. It puts the respondent in a catch-22 situation. Example: "When was the last time you drank alcohol

excessively before driving?" The most famous example: "Do you still beat

your wife?"

The closed-ended questionA type of direct question that greatly narrows the response possibilities. Example: "Do you agree or disagree that Mayor

White should be impeached?" (implied YES/NO)

or "On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being not at all and 10 being completely, …….

The yes/no questionA specific type of closed-ended question that asks the respondent to reply only "yes" or "no," or perhaps "don't know." Example: • "Do you think there are too few campus

police?"

The open-ended questionAsks for a general response with much freedom being given the respondent. Example: • "Tell me about your views on crime on

campus."

Problem Statement The problem statement provides a

description of the specific problem(s) the project is trying to solve. Explain why this issue is a problem for the community; discuss the negative implications. Explanation the needs of the target group that appear as a direct consequence of the described problem.

Project Activities These are the smallest identifiable and

measurable pieces of work planned for completion throughout a project. They aim to accomplish project work by converting available inputs into desired outputs, while consuming allocated resources.

Standard Activity List Template

Activity List

Project: Date:

Activity ID No Activity Name Description of Work Responsibility

Each activity should have a reference number which goes here.

Each activity should have a name which is placed in this column.

Description of work for the activity should be placed in this column. Work should be described in enough detail so those responsible understand what is required to complete the activity.

Names of those responsible for the work goes in this column. There may be one team member or several. There may also be a primary and an alternate.

Project implementationImplementation is the stage where all the planned activities are put into action. Before the implementation of a project, the coordinators (spearheaded by the project committee or executive) should identify their strength and weaknesses (internal forces), opportunities and threats (external forces).

Project implementation The strength and opportunities are

positive forces that should be exploited to efficiently implement a project. The weaknesses and threats are hindrances that can hamper project implementation. The implementors should ensure that they devise means of overcoming them.

Project implementation Monitoring is important at this

implementation phase to ensure that the project is implemented as per the schedule. This is a continuous process that should be put in place before project implementation starts.

Project implementation As such, the monitoring activities should

appear on the work plan and should involve all stake holders. If activities are not going on well, arrangements should be made to identify the problem so that they can be corrected.

Project implementation Monitoring is also important to ensure

that activities are implemented as planned. This helps the coordinators to measure how well they are achieving their targets. This is based on the understanding that the process through which a project is implemented has a lot of effect on its use, operation and maintenance.

The investigative report The fundamental aim of an investigative

report is to provide comprehensive information on a specified topic. In order to write a successful investigative report, one must conduct a substantial amount of research and provide the reader with a wealth of information so that he or she can make an informed choice.

Hypothesis A hypothesis is an educated guess or

proposition that attempts to explain a set of facts or natural phenomenon. It is used mostly in the field of science, where the scientific method is used to test it.

Basics About Hypotheses  A hypothesis is usually written in a form

where it proposes that if something is done, then something else will occur.

In order to be a good hypothesis that can be tested or studied, a hypothesis: Needs to be logical Must use precise language Should be testable with research or

experimentation 

The two types of hypotheses are scientific and working A scientific hypothesis is based on

experiments and observations from the past that cannot be explained with current theories.

A working hypothesis is one that is widely accepted and becomes the basis of further experimentation

Goal of a HypothesisRegardless of the type of hypothesis, the goal of a hypothesis is to help explain the focus and direction of the experiment or research. As such, a hypothesis will: State the purpose of the research Identify what variables are used

Testing Hypothesis vs. Tested Hypothesis An hypothesis can be testing a concept or it can be developed as a result of study: A testing hypothesis is one that can be

tested, meaning you can measure both what is being done (variables) and the outcome.

A tested hypothesis is tested with research, such as in a research study in social science.

Examples of Testing Hypotheses If a prisoner learns a work skill while in

jail, then he is less likely to commit a crime when he is released.

If there is a relation between the wave length of light and the photosynthesis rate, then light of different colors will cause the plant to make different amounts of oxygen.

Examples of Tested Hypotheses More students get sick during the final

week of testing that at other times. There is a positive correlation between

the availability of hours for work and the productivity of employees.

Childhood obesity is tied to the amount of sugary drinks ingested daily.

Aims vs ObjectivesAn aim can be defined as the general statement that identify the target of a program.

An objective is a more specific target set in order to achieve the aim.

Aims vs Objectives An objective is always as specific

whereas, an aim can be considered as a general statement.

Aims vs Objectives Objective is always accompanied by a

time frame. Aims do not contain a time frame within

which they need to be achieved

Aims vs goalsAims tend to be more general than goals and objectives, because the latter terms relate to more specific tasks, while aims refer to the end results. A history teacher might aim to give his students a comprehensive overview of American history, while an immediate goal might be to educate them about events leading up to the American civil war.

Aims vs goals Goals are clear statements of intent

and are more specific than aims. A company, for example, might have an overall aim to increase profits and, in order to achieve this, set a clear goal to increase profits by 25 percent within a specific time frame.