CAES 1507Professional and Technical Written Communication

Session ElevenWriting Summary

Summary

It is written last but appears first immediately after the Table of Contents. It is because the reader uses the summary to decide whether or not the report is worth reading. It must attract the readers’ attention and it must be written in simple, non-technical language as far as possible.

PAST TENSE is used predominantly

Summary

A good summary presents:

The objectives

The key theoretical points which are crucial to understanding how a problem has been solved

The findings or results and conclusions

Either makes the essential recommendations or states the essential implications of the report

Summary

As requested by EPS, the R & D Team designed and built a prototype do-it-yourself mousetrap kit for middle school students. The mousetrap was required to be constructed from a list of specified items which were ordinary and easy to find and use, and, to be humane in that a trapped mouse would not be harmed.

Objectives

Specifications

Summary

The mousetrap had three components – a based with a sliding gate, a light box and a side track. Together, these components trapped a mouse and signaled that it was trapped. Basic physical applications were a lever, pulley and gravitational force.

Design and Engineering Principles

Summary

Tests on the mechanism led to improvements in the sliding gate in the base. Recommendations include specific patterns for users to insure that components are of the correct size, provision of the electrical components for conformity to the device’s dimensions and having adults in attendance when a mouse is trapped.

Tests and discussions

Recommendations

(Present tense)

Task 2

1. Describes2. Would allow3. Fulfilled /met4. Fell5. Was triggered6. Was activated7. Upset / disturbed8. Initiating9. Conducted10. showed11. Had made

Summary

The report describes the development of a do-it-yourself kit for middle school students which would allow them to build a humane mousetrap using ordinary household or easy-to-obtain materials.

Objective

Summary

The developed prototype met the requirement of the project. The device attracted a mouse which then fell into a tin can causing it to rotate to a vertical position trapping the mouse. Simultaneously, a sound alarm system was triggered and a light bulb was activated for a visual signal. The introduction of the mass of the mouse disturbed the equilibrium of the system, releasing potential energy and initiating a chain reaction in the components of the system.

Mechanism

Summary

Tests conducted on the operation of the system showed that the position of the clothes peg which supports the can had made a significant impact on the performance of the system overall.

Test Results/

discussions

Summary

This aspect of the device would need to be carefully measured and labeled to avoid user difficulties in the building and operating of the device.

Recommendations

Guiding Questions

What was (were) the objective(s) of the interactive toy project?

What were the materials given and their specifications?

What were the theoretical points used to construct the bridge? How would you explain it in simpler terms (less technical way)?

What were the significant results of the tests?

What were the interpretations of your results?

What recommendations would you suggest to improve the project/prototype?