Sunday, January 18, 2009

The Communication Model


One of the "ground rules" Randy Revell uses in the 21st Century Leadership course is to follow a "communications model" whenever appropriate during the course. I actually extend this past the course to any conversation where misunderstanding is a danger. I am most conscious of using this mode when I disagree with someone's points of view.
Here is the model:
Perceptions. Much confusion results from blurring the line between perceptions and interpretations. No one can disagree with the fact that I have certain perceptions. For example: I notice you use the word "jerk." I see you're wearing a red shirt. I smell the perfume that you're wearing. I hear you pausing several seconds before replying to me. These are all perceptions, very close to the source of my data about reality, made through the use of my five senses.
Interpretation or judgment. This is what I personally am imagining is true based on the data from my perceptions. I do not present it as The Truth. Instead, I own it as my personal interpretation. For example: I judge that you are angry. I think you aren't paying attention to what I'm saying. I think you look fat in those pants. These are all interpretations, not perceptions and not The Truth.
Feelings. Do you feel happy, sad, closer, more distant, angry, afraid? It's common for the casual English speaker to confuse thoughts with feelings. Any time you say "I feel that..." you are likely about to communicate a thought, not a feeling. Avoid using "I feel" to communicate thoughts. Use "I think," "I judge," "I believe," or even "the story I make up around that is..." (since that's really what you're doing anyway).
Intention. What, if any, change do I intend to create as a result of this? Much of the time, my intention is to vindicate my own point of view rather than to help you in any way. If this is true, be honest about it. Much of the time, my intention is to sell you on my point of view about you. If this is true, I consider my deeper intention. Is it to promote growth and learning, or simply so I can be right about my point of view? If there is no intent to help, abandon the communication.
If you're having difficulty with the difference between perception and interpretation, bear in mind that all the right/wrong, good/bad emotion stems from the interpretation. One great exercise to try is this: make up several different interpretations that all fit the data you perceive. Make up interpretations, all based on the same event or data, that result in your feeling:
angry
sad
righteous indignation
surprised
delighted
bursting with hysterical laughter
You may soon realize that your feelings are a result of the positions you take, not the events that happen

Importance of communication in organization


Organizational communication lays the keystone to every organization for upbringing and grooming the environment of that particular organization. It could be categorized in three different categories as follows.Upward communication :It is the communication that occurs in an organization from peer to the managerial level and has formal tone included in it. It can be the feedback of the employee towards the manager about some specific report or task. Downward communication :The communication that takes place from the upper echelon that is from manager towards its employees and can be in the shape of some orders and instructions that are required to be followed.Dydic Communication :More friendly and informal communication that occurs between the peers of same organization. It takes place as exchanging ideas amongst each other being the subordinate of that organization
.Principles of communication :Communication is based upon following seven principles,These are known as 7 C's of communication.
1- Conciseness: It should be notified that the message should be concise in nature so that it will be easy to catch the readers' attention.
2- Concreteness: Message should be concrete as having all the meanings conveyed in it but should be shorter in length.
3- Clarity: It must give appropriate and explicit meaning that would not diversify and confuse the reader at any instance. By placing prominence and consequences with all the facts and figures.
4- Completeness: Also it is important that the message must have complete meaning that will providing the sufficient information to its reader.
5- Courtesy: Another important feature is that the sender must be emphasizing on the courteous tone and must give some compliments and benefits to its readers.6- Correctness: The message conveyed must be checked for correctness and should be free from all grammatical errors
7- Consideration: There must be proper consideration in the message and it should emphasize on you attitude rather than 'I' and 'we' kind of words.Process and components of communication :Here are following components on which communication is preceded in any organization.
1. Context : It is the theme that a message must have.2. Sender : Sender acts as encoder from where the message is sourced.
3. Message : The purpose of context and detail information is provided in this component.
4. Medium : It is the channel from where the message is bypassed and information flows towards receiver.
5. Receiver : It acts as an encoder that understands the message, sent by the sender and where information sinks.
6. Feedback: The final phase where the sender gets its audience and readers response in form of criticism or appreciation.Also effective communication is based upon the knowledge of the 5 W's as When, Who, Where, Why, What? which makes it more complete. This is how communication plays its role in any organization through its vital features and grooms the structure within the organization as well as externally enhancing the repute of the whole organization. By just simply improving these components and considering all the necessary elements, the end result can be a successful and a productive organization.

Cycle of Communication



Media EYE Middle East offers several solutions and integrated services. Our solutions help professionals to simplify the day-to-day tasks of generating press coverage so that the targeted audience is influenced to decide on a preferred course of action.
The Communication Cycle Model optimizes workflow through the four stages of the media relations communication cycle:
1 More in-depth and comprehensive media research – More elaborate and in-depth information to help you target specific news professionals and media outlets;
2 Media Contact – Most up-to-date Regional Database.
3 Monitor - a broad base of media for related news, including monitoring competitors' news; and
Evaluate results - through quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

Railways to use latest communications systems

IANS) The Indian railway system, in a bid to become more people-friendly, will be implementing modern communications systems such as the global information system (GIS), global positioning system (GPS) and radio frequency identification (RFID), Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said while presenting the Railway Budget 2008-09 in the Lok Sabha Tuesday. Several measures like these were announced as part of the Information Technology Vision 2012 for the railways.
“For getting maximum benefit in the coming years, the mantra for present and future IT applications would be seamless integration,” Lalu Prasad said while presenting his fifth Railway Budget.
“The railways nationwide communication infrastructure will provide the foundation for a common delivery network and platform. Modern technologies like GIS, GPS and RFID will be applied progressively,” he added.
“A centralised information system will not only be useful for the customers but also for the organisation as well.”
Implementation of this system would enable the passengers to have fast and accurate information on a host of issues such as reservation status, train timings and availability of routes among others.
“For the customer it would result in superior experience with improvements in overall efficiency, safety of railway operations, ease of transactions and value added services like infotainment, on board television and knowledge kiosks with Internet facilities,” Lalu Prasad said.
The Information Technology Vision 2012 would be implemented over the next five years.

Business letter

A business letter is a letter written in formal language, usually used when writing from one business organization to another, or for correspondence between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties. The overall style of letter will depend on the relationship between the parties concerned.
Parts of a business letter.
Business letters (in the United States) usually contain the following information (in this order):
Date of writing.
Return address
Recipient's address
Salutation or Greeting
Message (body of the letter)
Closing
Signature, printed name, and position of sender
In some situations, a business letter may also include the following optional information:
Enclosures (Encl:)
Carbon Copy Recipients (cc:)
Reference Initials (of the typist)

Example of a block-style business letter
January 17, 2009Name of SenderAddressName of ReceiverAddressMarawi City, Lanao del SurDear Mr. Hayat Shay:This letter is typed flush with the left margin. Note that all lines begin at the left margin including the date, complimentary close, and signature block. They start from the center, or slightly to the right off center on the page. Some authors refer to this form as the “modified block with block paragraphs.”This style is usually typed with mixed or standard punctuation. The salutation is followed by a colon, and the complimentary close, by a comma. This form of punctuation is widely used in most business correspondence.To facilitate typing the date and the closing lines, set the tabular stop at the center or slightly off to the right of the paper so that you can tabulate it whenever you wish.Remember to always leave a space between the valediction and the name, so the person who is sending this has plenty of room to sign the letter.
Sincerely,
*Signature*

What is a Letter OF Inquiry?


A letter of inquiry asks someone for specific information. In some cases, such as a request for promotional material, the recipient will have a clear interest in responding to your letter. In other cases, such as a request for specific information on a product, the recipient may or may not be as motivated to respond quickly. Consequently, always make the tone of the letter friendly and make it easy for the recipient to identify and provide the information you need.
Format of a Letter of Inquiry
Follow this format in writing a letter of inquiry:
In the first paragraph, identify yourself and, if appropriate, your position, and your institution or firm.
In the second paragraph, briefly explain why you are writing and how you will use the requested information. Offer to keep the response confidential if such an offer seems reasonable.
List the specific information you need. You can phrase your requests as questions or as a list of specific items of information. In either case, make each item clear and discrete.
Conclude your letter by offering your reader some incentive for responding.
The following letter of inquiry is written by a computer programmer requesting specific information about an upcoming release of a software product.

3 Things My Mother Taught Me About Communication

I was one of those children who learned to speak young and never really stopped, like those children who learn to stand and take off running.There were a few life lessons that she had to repeat to me over and over growing up. These related specifically to communication, and I'd like to think that they have finally sunk in.Here they are:
"Think before you speak." This was a big one, the biggest one. It was necessary as a child and is just as pertinent, if not more so, as an adult. We all think things that are either inappropriate, ill-timed, or just out of line. We all think them, but we shouldn't say them.
"Get to the point." This may seem a bit harsh to say to a little kid, and my mother may have put it less bluntly many times, but I had and have a tendency to ramble, to digress into little anecdotes and funny stories. In effective communication, there is a point of interest, a final thought or idea to express. Know that path and get there.
"Watch your tone." Sarcasm may have its place, and anger may be justified, but if we are seeking a level playing field, if we wish for our communication to reach a goal or to have a positive effect, we need to pay attention not only to what we say but to how we say it.

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS


The communication process consists of a message being sent and received. The message may be verbal or non-verbal. The same basic principles apply whether humans, animals, other forms of life, or combinations of these are involved. Your challenge, as an instructor, is to not merely communicate with your students--but to communicate effectively. Effective communication involves a message being sent and received. Added to this however, is the element of feedback to ensure that the message sent was received exactly as intended. This concept may be illustrated using the three-step communications model.
Sending The Message
There are four elements involved in sending a message. First, as the instructor (sender), you formulate the message you intend to communicate. Next, you consider possible barriers that may affect the message. This includes your experience, the terms you will use, and even your feeling toward the subject or the students. External barriers such as noise must also be considered. Third, you encode the message; that is, you put the message into the words you want to use. Last, you clearly communicate (send) the message.
Receiving The Message
There are also four elements involved in receiving a message. The students (receivers) will first hear and/or see the message you sent. Second, the message is affected by external barriers, if any, and the students’ own internal barriers. Possible internal barriers may include the students experience level, their understanding of the terms used, their attitude toward the material, or the way they feel about you. Third, your students decode the message through the use of mental images. For instance, when you say the word circus, the receiver does not “see” the letters that form the word. Instead, a mental image of some sort appears.

Communication Process

Communication can best be summarized as the transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver in an understandable manner. The importance of effective communication is immeasurable in the world of business and in personal life. From a business perspective, effective communication is an absolute must, because it commonly accounts for the difference between success and failure or profit and loss. It has become clear that effective business communication is critical to the successful operation of modern enterprise. Every business person needs to understand the fundamentals of effective communication.
Currently, companies in the United States and abroad are working toward the realization of total quality management. Effective communication is the most critical component of total quality management. The manner in which individuals perceive and talk to each other at work about different issues is a major determinant of the business success. It has proven been proven that poor communication reduces quality, weakens productivity, and eventually leads to anger and a lack of trust among individuals within the organization.
The communication process is the guide toward realizing effective communication. It is through the communication process that the sharing of a common meaning between the sender and the receiver takes place. Individuals that follow the communication process will have the opportunity to become more productive in every aspect of their profession. Effective communication leads to understanding.
The communication process is made up of four key components. Those components include encoding, medium of transmission, decoding, and feedback. There are also two other factors in the process, and those two factors are present in the form of the sender and the receiver. The communication process begins with the sender and ends with the receiver.
The sender is an individual, group, or organization who initiates the communication. This source is initially responsible for the success of the message. The sender's experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skill, perceptions, and culture influence the message. "The written words, spoken words, and nonverbal language selected are paramount in ensuring the receiver interprets the message as intended by the sender" (Burnett & Dollar, 1989). All communication begins with the sender.
The first step the sender is faced with involves the encoding process. In order to convey meaning, the sender must begin encoding, which means translating information into a message in the form of symbols that represent ideas or concepts. This process translates the ideas or concepts into the coded message that will be communicated. The symbols can take on numerous forms such as, languages, words, or gestures. These symbols are used to encode ideas into messages that others can understand.
When encoding a message, the sender has to begin by deciding what he/she wants to transmit. This decision by the sender is based on what he/she believes about the receivers knowledge and assumptions, along with what additional information he/she wants the receiver to have. It is important for the sender to use symbols that are familiar to the intended receiver. A good way for the sender to improve encoding their message, is to mentally visualize the communication from the receiver's point of view.
To begin transmitting the message, the sender uses some kind of channel (also called a medium). The channel is the means used to convey the message. Most channels are either oral or written, but currently visual channels are becoming more common as technology expands. Common channels include the telephone and a variety of written forms such as memos, letters, and reports. The effectiveness of the various channels fluctuates depending on the characteristics of the communication. For example, when immediate feedback is necessary, oral communication channels are more effective because any uncertainties can be cleared up on the spot. In a situation where the message must be delivered to more than a small group of people, written channels are often more effective. Although in many cases, both oral and written channels should be used because one supplements the other.
If a sender relays a message through an inappropriate channel, its message may not reach the right receivers. That is why senders need to keep in mind that selecting the appropriate channel will greatly assist in the effectiveness of the receiver's understanding. The sender's decision to utilize either an oral or a written channel for communicating a message is influenced by several factors. The sender should ask him or herself different questions, so that they can select the appropriate channel. Is the message urgent? Is immediate feedback needed? Is documentation or a permanent record required? Is the content complicated, controversial, or private? Is the message going to someone inside or outside the organization? What oral and written communication skills does the receiver possess? Once the sender has answered all of these questions, they will be able to choose an effective channel.
After the appropriate channel or channels are selected, the message enters the decoding stage of the communication process. Decoding is conducted by the receiver. Once the message is received and examined, the stimulus is sent to the brain for interpreting, in order to assign some type of meaning to it. It is this processing stage that constitutes decoding. The receiver begins to interpret the symbols sent by the sender, translating the message to their own set of experiences in order to make the symbols meaningful. Successful communication takes place when the receiver correctly interprets the sender's message.
The receiver is the individual or individuals to whom the message is directed. The extent to which this person comprehends the message will depend on a number of factors, which include the following: how much the individual or individuals know about the topic, their receptivity to the message, and the relationship and trust that exists between sender and receiver. All interpretations by the receiver are influenced by their experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions, and culture. It is similar to the sender's relationship with encoding.
Feedback is the final link in the chain of the communication process. After receiving a message, the receiver responds in some way and signals that response to the sender. The signal may take the form of a spoken comment, a long sigh, a written message, a smile, or some other action. "Even a lack of response, is in a sense, a form of response" (Bovee & Thill, 1992). Without feedback, the sender cannot confirm that the receiver has interpreted the message correctly.
Feedback is a key component in the communication process because it allows the sender to evaluate the effectiveness of the message. Feedback ultimately provides an opportunity for the sender to take corrective action to clarify a misunderstood message. "Feedback plays an important role by indicating significant communication barriers: differences in background, different interpretations of words, and differing emotional reactions" (Bovee & Thill, 1992).
The communication process is the perfect guide toward achieving effective communication. When followed properly, the process can usually assure that the sender's message will be understood by the receiver. Although the communication process seems simple, it in essence is not. Certain barriers present themselves throughout the process. Those barriers are factors that have a negative impact on the communication process. Some common barriers include the use of an inappropriate medium (channel), incorrect grammar, inflammatory words, words that conflict with body language, and technical jargon. Noise is also another common barrier. Noise can occur during any stage of the process. Noise essentially is anything that distorts a message by interfering with the communication process. Noise can take many forms, including a radio playing in the background, another person trying to enter your conversation, and any other distractions that prevent the receiver from paying attention.
Successful and effective communication within an organization stems from the implementation of the communication process. All members within an organization will improve their communication skills if they follow the communication process, and stay away from the different barriers. It has been proven that individuals that understand the communication process will blossom into more effective communicators, and effective communicators have a greater opportunity.


SIX WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONS


It is not only what you say in the classroom that is important, but it's how you say it that can make the difference to students. Nonverbal messages are an essential component of communication in the teaching process.
Teachers should be aware of nonverbal behavior in the classroom for three major reasons:
An awareness of nonverbal behavior will allow you to become better receivers of students' messages.
You will become a better sender of signals that reinforce learning.
This mode of communication increases the degree of the perceived psychological closeness between teacher and student. Some major areas of nonverbal behaviors to explore are:
Eye contact
Facial expressions
Gestures
Posture and body orientation
Proximity
Paralinguistics
Humor
Eye contact:
Eye contact, an important channel of interpersonal communication, helps regulate the flow of communication. And it signals interest in others. Furthermore, eye contact with audiences increases the speaker's credibility. Teachers who make eye contact open the flow of communication and convey interest, concern, warmth and credibility.
Facial expressions:
Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits:
Happiness
Friendliness
Warmth
Liking
Affiliation
Thus, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likable, friendly, warm and approachable. Smiling is often contagious and students will react favorably and learn more.
Gestures:
If you fail to gesture while speaking, you may be perceived as boring, stiff and unanimated. A lively and animated teaching style captures students' attention, makes the material more interesting, facilitates learning and provides a bit of entertainment. Head nods, a form of gestures, communicate positive reinforcement to students and indicate that you are listening.
Posture and body orientation:
You communicate numerous messages by the way you walk, talk, stand and sit. Standing erect, but not rigid, and leaning slightly forward communicates to students that you are approachable, receptive and friendly. Furthermore, interpersonal closeness results when you and your students face each other. Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling should be avoided; it communicates disinterest to your class.
Proximity:
Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for interaction with students. You should look for signals of discomfort caused by invading students' space. Some of these are:
Rocking
Leg swinging
Tapping
Gaze aversion
Typically, in large college classes space invasion is not a problem. In fact, there is usually too much distance. To counteract this, move around the classroom to increase interaction with your students. Increasing proximity enables you to make better eye contact and increases the opportunities for students to speak.
Paralinguistics:
This facet of nonverbal communication includes such vocal elements as:
Tone
Pitch
Rhythm
Timbre
Loudness
Inflection
For maximum teaching effectiveness, learn to vary these six elements of your voice. One of the major criticisms is of instructors who speak in a monotone. Listeners perceive these instructors as boring and dull. Students report that they learn less and lose interest more quickly when listening to teachers who have not learned to modulate their voices.
Humor:
Humor is often overlooked as a teaching tool, and it is too often not encouraged in college classrooms. Laughter releases stress and tension for both instructor and student. You should develop the ability to laugh at yourself and encourage students to do the same. It fosters a friendly classroom environment that facilitates learning. (Lou Holtz wrote that when his players felt successful he always observed the presence of good humor in the locker room.)
Obviously, adequate knowledge of the subject matter is crucial to your success; however, it's not the only crucial element. Creating a climate that facilitates learning and retention demands good nonverbal and verbal skills. To improve your nonverbal skills, record your speaking on video tape. Then ask a colleague in communications to suggest refinements.

Hyderabad, Sindh

Hyderabad (help·info) (Urdu, Sindhi: حیدرآباد; pronounced [Haidarābād]) is located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The city was founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro upon the ruins of a Mauryan fishing village along the bank of the Indus known as Neroon Kot (Sindhi: نيرُون ڪوٽ). Formerly the capital of Sindh, it serves as the headquarters of the district of Hyderabad. Before the creation of Pakistan, it was known as the Paris of India, for its roads used to be washed with perfumed rose-water every day and sandalwood incense would linger the air.
The political boundaries stage the city as a district and the region has seen major political turmoil. From the battles fought against the British occupation to the civilian unrest in the 1980s, the city has lost its glory of past and much of its cultural and architectural heritage lies in tattered ruins.
Hyderabad is a hot and humid city in the south of the nation and has been a staging point for literary campaigns particularly oriented towards the Sindhi language and a birthplace of a few influential poets and Sufi dervishes. Rich with culture and tradition, the city is the largest bangle producer in the world and serves as a transit between the rural and the urban Sindh.
Stationed close to important architectural digs like the pre-Harappan Amri at 110 km, the region holds extreme importance to palæontologists world over. The city is also known for its medical and educational institutions. This is a second largest city in sindh but there's no any educational university. Student mostly go for higher education to District Jamshoro in Sindh University.
Contents
1 History
2 Geography and climate
3 Education
3.1 Universities and colleges
3.2 Museums and libraries
4 Economy
5 Suburbs
6 Government
6.1 Current development projects
6.2 Electronic Governance
7 Transport
7.1 Airways
7.2 Road network
7.3 Railways
7.4 Waterways
8 Demographics
8.1 People and culture
9 Media
9.1 Literature
9.2 Radio and television
10 Noteworthy attractions
11 Sports
12 References

History
The Pacco Qillo built by Ghulam Shah still remains today but in a desolate state and a dire need of repair. The Muhajirs migrating from across the border in 1947 encroached the premises to make room for their residences.

An extremely rare photograph of Hyderabad from the late 1800s. The triangular structures on the rooftops are wind catchers, funnelling the cool breeze into the homes below, called a moug (pronounced [müg]).
Main article: History of Hyderabad, Pakistan
Hyderabad is a city built on three hillocks cascading over each other. Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro of the Kalhora Dynasty founded the city in 1768 over the ruins of Neroon Kot (meaning the place of Neroon) , a small fishing village on the banks of River Indus named after its ruler Neroon. A formal concept of the city was laid out by his son, Sarfraz Khan in 1782. When the foundations were laid, the city obtained the nickname Heart of the Mehran as the ruler Mian Ghulam Shah himself fell in love with the city. So strong was his adoration for the city that in 1768, he ordered a fort to be built on one of the three hills of Hyderabad to house and defend his people. The fort was built using fire-baked bricks giving it the name Pacco Qillo (Sindhi: پڪو قلعو) meaning the strong fort.


After the death of the great Kalhoro, started the Talpur Rule. Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur left his capital Khudabad, the Land of God and made Hyderabad his capital in 1789. He made the Pacco Qillo his residence and also held his courts there. Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur along with his three other brothers were responsible for the affairs that persisted in the city of Hyderabad in the years of their rule. The four were called char yar, Sindhi for the four friends.
The Talpur rule lasted almost over 50 years and in 1843, Talpurs faced a greater threat. The British came face-to-face with the Talpurs at the Battle of Miani on 17 February 1843. The emirs were valiant and held their swords high fighting the British but in vain. The battle ended on 24 March 1843 where the Talpur emirs lost and the city came into the hands of the British.
The British demolished most of the buildings around to accommodate their troops and their military stores. Hyderabad lost its glory and no longer were the roads covered with perfume. In 1857, when the First War of Indian Independence raged across the sub-continent, the British held most of their regiments and ammunition in this city.
At the time of partition in 1947, Hyderabad had a large community of Sindhi Hindus who were involved in trade and commerce. They contributed significantly to the economy of Sindh, in particular selling locally made goods overseas. More than 25 percent of Sindh’s population was Hindus[citation needed]. Hindus tended live in the cities.. Hindus and Muslims Sindhis were consired as brothers. Muslims Sindhi could trace their family history to Hindus. In those times there was mutual respect for each other's religion. Though, politicians in Sindh, did try to create a rift between the two communities and no doubt encouraged by the British.
Unlike Punjab and Bengal which were split. All of Sindh was alloted to Pakistan. When the partition occurred, Sindhi Hindus expected to remain in Sindh. However were forced to flee due to communal violence, leaving behind everything. Sindhi Hindus had expected to return to their motherland, once the violence settled but it was not possible. Popati Hiranandani,born 1924, a writer native to Hyderabad tells of this ordeal in her autobiography and describes that the police were merely onlookers when the violence erupted and failed to protect the Hindu community.
Since then there has been ethinic tensions between native Sindhis and Urdu-speaking migrants (or Muhajirs).
The massive migration raised population levels of the city to extremes and the Government proposed the creation of two new suburban towns, Latifabad and Qasimabad. The 1980s saw a black period in the history of Hyderabad as riots erupted in the city between the Sindhis and the Muhajirs. Chaos led to bloodshed and as a result Sindhis retreated to settlements in Qasimabad and the Muhajirs settled down in Latifabad. The city being forever scarred thenceforth is ethnically divided to date.
Geography and climate
Climate chart for Hyderabad, Sindh
average temperatures in °Cprecipitation totals in mmsource: Climate Charts
Imperial conversio
average temperatures in °Fprecipitation totals in inches
Located at 25.367°N latitude and 68.367°E longitude with an elevation of 13 m (43 ft) AMSL, Hyderabad is located on the east bank of the Indus River and is roughly 150km away from Karachi, the capital of the province. Hyderabad is the second largest city in Sindh, eighth largest in Pakistan and 209th largest city of the world with respect to population. Its population estimates to 1,348,288 (as of 2000). Two of Pakistan's largest highways, the Indus Highway and the National Highway join at Hyderabad. Several towns surrounding the city include Kotri at 6.7km, Jamshoro at 8.1km, Hattri at 5km and Husri at 7.5km.
Hyderabad has an extreme climate. The days are hot and dry usually going up to extreme highs of 40°C, whilst the nights are cool and breezy. Winds that blow usually bring along clouds of dust, and people prefer staying indoors in the daytime, while the breeze that flows at night is pleasant and clean.
In recent years Hyderabad has seen spills of heavy downpour. In 2003, Hyderabad received 105 millimetres of rain in 12 hours contributing towards a sudden climate change .welcomed only as Global Warming. Years 2006 and 2007 saw close contenders to this record rain with death toll estimated in hundreds all together.
Education
For a list of educational institutes in the city, see Educational institutes in Hyderabad, Sindh
The city being a gateway between the rural Sindh and the Greater Sindh, attracts students from the lesser developed regions of Sindh. Hyderabad has a huge number of schools, colleges and Universities.
A nerve centre of Sindh nationalist and literary movements, the city is now divided along on Sindhi-Mohajir lines to the extent that the warning ethnic groups even have different hospitals and in many cases, even their places of worship and graveyards are divided. The original old city, now dominated by the Mohajirs, seems besieged by the surrounding Sindhi suburbs. At one time a hub of economic, educational and cultural activities, a breeding ground of academicians, philanthropists, writers, lawyers, politicians, journalists, actors and actresses, Hyderabad also had its industrialists, trade unionists, political activists, bureaucrats, bankers and diplomats who made a significant contribution to sub-continental society. But this gracious city now seems to be slowly dying, although it still produces over a couple of dozen major and minor newspapers in both Sindhi and Urdu.
Universities and colleges
Indus River

View of Buildings
The University of Sindh[1] is the dominant player in educational reforms since its inception in 1947. The University of Sindh,the second oldest university of the country, was constituted under the University of Sindh Act. No. XVII of 1947 passed by the Legislative Assembly of Sindh. It was founded in Karachi and relocated to Hyderabad in 1951, only because the city was re-enacted as the capital of the province of Sindh. It has 32 colleges affiliated with it. Other universities like the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology and Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences serve the interests of a wide range of other specialized subjects. Whilst people prefer to go to this technological and medical universities in the city, universities like the Sindh Agricultural University in Tando Jam focusing primarily on agriculture and horticulture, are highly preferred as well. Other universities in the private sector include University of East and Isra University.
Most of the colleges are affiliated with the universities above but some enjoy repute built of time like the oldest being the Government Degree College now renamed Government College of Technology with its high- and secondary-school affiliations with the Government High School who celebrate alumni like Mirza Kalich Beg.The biggest private institute of Hyderabad is HiAST - Hyderabad Institute of Arts, Science & Technology. it has been serving the educational sector in the field of IT and Business Administration since 2001.
Museums and libraries
Hyderabad is home to a few museums that store the cultural heritage of this land of religious and ethnic diversity. The Institute of Sindhology Museum and the Sindh Museum are a haven for Sindhi enthusiasts in ethnological contexts. Sindh Museum also hosts archæological treasures from Amri. Whilst there are a few libraries in the city, most of them are in a sad state. Allama Daudpota Library near Sindh Museum in Qasimabad stores literary work dating back to the earliest Sindhi text.
Economy
Hyderabad is an important commercial centre where industries include textiles, sugar, cement, manufacturing of glass, soap, ice, paper, pottery, plastics, tanneries, hosiery mills and film. There are hide tanneries and sawmills. Handicraft industries, including silver and gold work, lacquer ware, ornamented silks, and embroidered leather saddles, are also well established. Hyderabad produces almost all of the ornamental glass bangles in Pakistan. Hyderabad is a major commercial centre for the agricultural produce of the surrounding area, including millet, rice, wheat, cotton, and fruit.
Suburbs
Suburban classification of towns in Hyderabad as: 1.Saddar (Cantt.), 2.Qasimabad, 3.Latifabad, 4.Hirabad and 5.Old Hyderabad City
The city of Hyderabad is divided into five sub-divided regions based on the ethnic diversity of people dwelling in it. The suburbs are mostly based upon areas of Sindhi and Muhajir majority. However the city is expanding by the day, the following map clearly divides the various parts of the city into an accurate geographical classification as of August 2007. Each suburb has its own talukha or an administration unit - that covers a larger area outside their borders and includes some rural towns as well.
Government
The current nazim for the Hyderabad district is Kanwar Naveed Jamil. Since his election as the official mayor, he had been successful in initiating major development projects throughout the city. The primary concerns that he had targeted as a result of these development efforts in 2007 were that of traffic congestion, supply of fresh drinking water, sewerage and garbage management, medical aid and schools for the poor.
Current development projects
In light of the above development criteria, the Hyderabad Government has constructed flyover in Latifabad Unit # 7 to relieve the traffic congestion on the GCD road. Due to the success of this project, five more flyover projects has been started.
Two filter plants to filter fresh water have been installed costing about Rs. 80,000,000. Their inclusion in the water system would ensure continuous supply of clean drinking water. The filter plants at the time of writing are 90% complete and would be functional by mid-2008.
Electronic Governance
The Government of the city does not yet support fully functional e-Governance and has no website but the District Government of Hyderabad liberally uses the television as a mode of communication with the people of the city instructing them on public issues and awareness about projects underway.
Transport

The Hyderabad airport has now started functioning after 10 years of closure.
Serving as a socio-economic crossroad to the lesser developed cities and towns in Sindh and linking and networking them with the bigger towns and cities in the nation, Hyderabad holds importance as a vital transportation link via every service. It can be reached byevery mean of transportation,be it air,land,water orrail
Airways
The city has a modestly good airport. The Pakistan International Airlines used to frequent it three flights a week. However, chartered flights can still land at the airport. The airport is located in the southern region of Latifabad. The airport in the days of its operation administered domestic flights to Karachi, Lahore, Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar.The airport is functioning now once again after 10 years and is operating twice a weekly flight to Islamabad and Lahore every Tuesday and Friday.
Road network



The new Hyderabad District Government's first major development plan was to build a flyover (shown here in its earlier stages) over the railway crossing at Latifabad Unit 7.
Hyderabad has a decent road network, but most of the roads are undergoing construction at the time of writing. Hyderabad is deemed the most important milestone on the National Highway which passes through the city. The highway divides into Route N5 going southwest and M9 going north while it forks into the KLP (Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar) Road and the Hala Road. Over the years, the M9 has had massive construction work to include six lanes across its 136km span being the most used highway in Pakistan while the N5 has two lanes to cater to its lesser traffic needs. the current roads inside Hyderabad city are in very poor state
For a list of highways and motorways across Pakistan, see National Highways of Pakistan & Motorways of Pakistan
There are seven big terminals inside the city area namely the Badin Bus Stop near SITE, Tando Bago Coach Stop near old sabzi mandi, Jacobabad-Larkana Bus Stop at Pathan Colony, Nawab Shah Bus Stand at Halla Nakka, Sanghar Coach Stop near Civil Hospital, Karachi Bus Stand near Qasim Chowk and Sammi Daewoo Bus Service To Karachi at Auto-Bhan Road and Latifabad U7.
Railways
Hyderabad has a rich rail history. From the starting days of the Scinde Railways to the purchase of the private railway company by the North-Western Railway now Pakistan Railways, Hyderabad has been a major junction on the rail-line, where railway lines proceed in at least three directions: northwards (up-country), southwards (down-country) and eastwards. The railway station is called the Hyderabad Junction and is located in the southern end of the Central City and the brink of the old.
For a list of railways in Pakistan, see Pakistan Railways
Waterways
With the city at the banks of the Indus River, the fishermen tend to use riverboats to fish and travel across the waters. Riverboats are not accessible to general public but local fishermen, in attempts of making money for their daily ration, sail people aboard their fishing ferries at Al-manzar, a restaurant at the banks of the Indus.
Demographics
The Pacco Qillo currently stands heavily encroached with shops and residential areas making it unfit for repair. Walls give way and fall rendering the nearby places dangerous for dwelling or commerce.
People and culture
Hyderabad is noteworthy in Sindh and Pakistan generally for its relative tolerance towards religious affairs; members of religious minorities such as Hindus and Christians are not in as much danger there as elsewhere in the country. However, there has been a history of conflict in Hyderabad between native Sindhis and the Muhajirs, the non-Sindhi Urdu-speaking Muslim refugees who entered Sindh from post-Partition India in 1947 and who were awarded the abandoned property left by the departing Sindhi Hindus. Nowadays, Sindhis and Muhajirs live in relative separation, in discrete sectors of Hyderabad. A large influx of Pakhtuns and Punjabis were attracted to Hyderabad after the Indus treaty settlement. Most Punjabis mixed with the local population however most Pakhtuns are distinct and separately living near the railway station and its vicinity.
Native Sindhis mainly reside in Qasimabad, which is still developing. On the other hand Muhajirs live in Latifabad. A large number of Memons having two sects namely Diplai from Tharparkar and Kathiawari from Gujarat, India live isolated from other citizens. Many Shia-Ismaili colonies exist where Aminabad Colony and Mubbarak Colony are one of the most prominent.
While Christians constitute 2% of the total population, Hyderabad is the seat of a Diocese of the Church of Pakistan and has five churches and a cathedral.
Despite its strategic location and thrifty people the city is under the shadow of Karachi and yet to make its mark economically. One reason for this is the artificial factional and sectarian isolation imposed after the riots of late 1980s and early 1990s which cleft the urban population.
Media
Literature
As tradition goes, Sindh had always been a hub for Sufi poets. With a foothold on strong educational foundations, the city of Hyderabad was made into a refuge for thriving literary advocates. Of the few, Mirza Kalich Beg received education from the Government High School, Hyderabad and carried the banner of Sindhi literature across borders.Modern novelists, writers, columnists and researchers like Musharraf Ali Farooqi, Dr. Syed Mehboob and Ghulam Mustafa Khan also hail from Hyderabad.
Hyderabad has served many Sindhi literary campaigns throughout the history of Pakistan as is evident from the daily newspapers and periodicals that are published in the city. A few worth mention are the dailies Kawish, Ibrat,and Daily Sindh.

Radio and television
With the inauguration of a new broadcasting house at Karachi in 1950, it was possible to lay the foundations for the Hyderabad radio station in 1951. The initial broadcast was made capable using 1 kW medium-wave transmitter. With the first successful transmissions on the FM 100 bandwidth in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in October 1998, the Government decided on opening transmissions to other cities where Radio Pakistan had found success. This made available the FM 101 bandwidth transmissions to Hyderabad and other cities in Sindh.
A relief from the regular broadcasts in other cities, entertainment content on the Hyderabad radio gave birth to many a star whose names became an attribute to Hyderabad's richer media content. Among them were actor Shafi Mohammad, a young man who had recently finished his postgraduate degree from the University of Sindh. Such fresh and young talent became a trademark to entertainment in Hyderabad.
Whilst radio was gaining popularity, bulky television screens showed the broadcast of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon. Pakistan Television had only had half-a-decade broadcast success from 1963 to 1969 that people in the radio entertainment business felt destined to make a mark on the television circuits. Prominent radio personalities from the Hyderabad radio station like Shafi Muhammad Shah and Mohammad Ali left the airwaves to hone their acting skills on the television.[14] Television shows and content enriched with the inclusion of Hyderabadi names however PTV never opened a broadcasting station in Hyderabad.
While the year 2005 saw new FM regular stations set up at Gawadar, Mianwali, Sargodha, Kohat, Bannu and Mithi, private radio channels began airing in and around Hyderabad. Of late, stations like Sachal FM 105 and some others have gained popularity. But the unavailability of an up-to-date news and current affairs platform renders the services of such stations of not much value to the masses but nonetheless appealing to youngsters.
As the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (abbreviated as PEMRA) gave licenses to private radio channels, so were television channels owned privately given a right to broadcast from the year 2002, and Daily Kawish,a prominent Sindhi newspaper published from Hyderabad opened a one-of-its-kind private Sindhi channel Kawish Television Network. Many followed in its path namely Sindh TV, Dhoom TV and Kashish TV premièring Sindhi content.
Noteworthy attractions

'Cubbas' (Tombs of the Mirs), now in Hirabad in Hyderabad, Sindh. These shrines are now in a desolate state.
Amri (Pre-Harappa) – an archaeological site dating back to 3600 BC, 110 km from the city, is the remains of a pre-Harrapan fortified town.
Al-manzar – a restaurant at the banks of the Indus river. Here like any other riverside restaurant Palla fish ( local delicacy) is served with spices and hundreds flock to share its taste and environ.
Rani Bagh – formerly a zoo named after the majestic elephant Rani, has been renovated and has become a very beautiful park.
Cubbas or the Mir tombs in Hirabad are of the former rulers of Sindh who were defeated by the British in the famous battle of Miani.
There are many low class and ultra cheap hotels called Musafirkhanas near Hyderabad Railway Station.
One good hotel near Railway Station is Hyderabad Hotel.
Another one on the other end of old city is Hotel City gate opposite Central
Sabzazar is a famous restaurant of Hyderabad but open only in the evenings. It now has a sister restaurant called Al Aliyo open during the day time owned by the same management.
Pacco Qilo and the Kachha Qila – forts, where kachha means weak.
Sindh Museum.
Institute of Sindhology Museum.
New Hyderabad City – a well known private development area in the outskirts of Hyderabad, best known for its famous 12-acre (49,000 m2) park, Lake View Park, which features a man made lake and beautiful gardens. The park has become a recreational spot for the local families, specially on national holidays.
Sports
Hyderabad has a cricket stadium called the Niaz Stadium, with a seating capacity of 25,000 known for the first ever hatrick taken by a bowler in a one-day match in 1982. Many cricket test matches were played at Niaz Stadium. Nowadays many visiting test playing countries refuse to play in Hyderabad because of lack of 5 star hotel. Hyderabad also has a hockey stadium. There is another stadium in Latifabad called Board Stadium mostly catering to school sports under the supervision of BISE (Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education) Hyderabad

Sarwari Hala Handi Crafts(Thatta Sindh Pakistan







thatta sindh pakistan shops

Hints on Technical Report Writing

Abstract:
This note gives a number of pointers to writing professional, structured technical reports. It is loosely aimed at engineers producing technical papers, reports, dissertations and theses. The ideas contained herein are necessarily subjective, but are based on writing and correcting reports over a period of about 16 years. Though writing style is inevitably individual, and refreshingly so, some basic principles are useful in guiding the prospective author in order to obtain a sound starting point and ease the daunting perspective of writing a lengthy document.
Subsections
1. Document Structure
1.1 The contents list
1.2 Logical structure
1.3 Bite-sized chunks
1.4 Chapter order
1.5 Appendix material
1.6 Typical report sections
2. Writing Style
2.1 Who is the rapporteur?
2.2 Who is the reader?
2.3 Form
2.3.1 Spelling
2.3.2 Grammar
2.3.3 The capital dilemma
2.4 Justification and rationale
2.5 Observing the outside world
2.6 Writing conclusions
3. Multimedia and Visual Balance
3.1 Figures
3.2 Tables
3.3 Equations
3.4 Text
4. Choosing a Word Processor
4.1 Microsoft Word
4.2 LaTeX
5. Quality Control
5.1 The schizophrenic author?
5.2 Some friendly help
5.3 Your supervisor
6. Conclusions
Bibliography
1. Document Structure One major difficulty with a large document is the rather onerous task of addressing a full pad of blank paper. Additionally, the task of achieving good structure from the start is compounded by the myriad of thoughts which one juggles, in an attempt to sort out the logical progression of the document. Failure in this endeavour will surely result in structural changes at a later stage, which are the most costly of revisions. The key to achieving both good structure (from the start) and decomposing the initially large problem into bite-sized chunks lies in the contents list.
1.1 The contents list For most people, the contents list is a summary of the chapter and section headings, together with a page index, and is normally written when the document is already complete. However, the contents list is the one place in the document where overall structure can be examined, so why not get the structure right at the start? Early organisation of the contents list is certainly not a trivial problem and may take up to a few days to draft. The level of detail should go down to (probably) subsubsections, where the final level contains one key idea and takes up, at most, two to three paragraphs of text. It may even be useful to title each paragraph, though this may not appear in the final contents list as a formal heading.
Again, it is important to stress that laying out the contents list is not easy. However, some hard work at this stage will save a lot of grief later on and is pro-active in ensuring good structure. A badly structured document inherits its own inertia and will be very difficult (and laborious) to correct at a later stage.
1.2 Logical structure By logical structure is meant the natural unfolding of a story as the reader progresses through the document. This is achieved by going from the general to the specific, with the background material preceding the technical expose, which should lead logically to the conclusions. Consider a good joke. It has the structure as shown in Fig.1:













If some of the detail is standard, but possibly difficult to obtain, it can be included as an appendix. More information on appendices is given in Section .
Bite-sized chunks From the hierarchical structure in the contents list, it should now be possible to write each of the subsubsections (or paragraphs) as a more-or-less independent entity, observing however, the relationship between different sections. The a priori establishment of the contents list also allows section numbers to be assigned to the different document sections, making cross-referencing relatively simple.
1.4 Chapter order With a technical document, it is often beneficial to write the technical chapters first i.e., the core material, leaving the introduction, discussion and conclusions until the end. This is especially important when some results are still not available and the time has come to begin writing your document. Even in cases where all results are available, leaving the introduction until the end allows a better perspective to be had on the document as a whole.
1.5 Appendix material Many authors are uncertain as to what to include in the appendix section. Generally, appendices should contain relatively standard derivations and perhaps lists of parameter values, which would interfere with the continuity of the main body of the document. In particular, the appendix section should not contain:
All the figures corresponding to the document. Ideally these should appear alongside the appropriate text, or else after the references in a separate section.
Photocopies of data sheets, or other easily-accessible material.
Any material which is crucial to the continuity or flow of the `story' in the main technical sections. As with the main document sections, the appendices should reference all material which is not the authors original work (see Section 2.5). All appendices should be numbered consecutively, for example Appendix A1, Appendix A2, etc., in order to allow cross-referencing from the text.
1.6 Typical report sections Depending on the nature of your document, it may (optionally) have the following sections:
Title page
with name, affiliation, date, etc.
Dedication
to a friend, family member, or loved one
Declaration
that the material in the report is the author's own work
Acknowledgement
to those who have helped or influenced your work
Contents list
which lists items from here on with appropriate page references, see Section 1.1
Abstract
which summarises the report contents
Introduction
which introduces the work, provides the motivation and context and outlines other related work
Main technical chapters
which document the core technical work
Conclusions
which may also identify appropriate future work, see Section 2.6
References
see Section 2.5
Appendices
see Section 1.5
2. Writing Style Writing style is probably the most individual aspect of a report, but again there are useful guidelines which aid the readability, professionalism, objectiveness and impact of a report.
2.1 Who is the rapporteur? All reports should be written in the third person i.e., as an objective observer! Avoid using terms such as ``I did this experiment and ..". Instead substitute terms, such as ``The experiment was performed ...''. Note that the best written description is not necessarily the same as the best verbal description.
2.2 Who is the reader? Decide, in advance of writing, who the likely reader of the document is. The document must be pitched at an appropriate level with sufficient background to allow understanding by the target audience. Examples of target audiences are shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Example target audiences
Report type
Target audience
Final year proj. report
Engineers not specifically au fait with your project area
MEng/PhD thesis
Researchers familiar with the subject area, but not necessarily with your approach
Research paper
Researchers familiar with the approach, but not your specific results
Failure to pitch the level correctly will also inevitably result in failure to communicate your ideas effectively, since the reader will either be swamped with complexity, or bored with blandness!
2.3 Form This section deals with items related to general appearance and professionalism of the report.
2.3.1 Spelling This may seem a small an unimportant point for an engineering text, but poor spelling makes a document seem sloppy and may convey an impression that the engineering content is as loose as the general appearance! There are spelling checkers in virtually every word processor now , so use them! However, don't assume that a spelling checker will get all your typos, so long as the word is in its dictionary, it won't flag an error. These checkers are good, but they can't read your mind (yet!). If the report language is not your first language, get a natural speaker to check your document (see Section 5.2).
2.3.2 Grammar Same here as for spelling. Many word processors now have grammar checkers as well as spell checkers, but the usefulness of these is debatable, so don't rely on them. If in doubt, keep your sentences short and don't be afraid to ask somebody how to use punctuation correctly.
2.3.3 The capital dilemma Avoid excessive use of capital letters. One recommendation is to only use capitals for proper nouns (such as place names, company names, etc) and in places where acronyms are being defined, e.g., Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). Acronyms should be defined at the first point of usage and the acronym can then be used freely. Try to avoid the use of capitals for emphasis, use boldfacing or italics instead. Capitals can be used effectively to differentiate between different section heading levels, such as in this document i.e., the next level up uses capitals to start each word in the subsection title. However, if you wish to do this, or differentiate between different heading levels in a different way, make sure you are consistent in the way you do this.
2.4 Justification and rationale Engineers and scientists are constant sceptics and need to be constantly re-assured that your work is pragmatic. For each idea presented, you should establish some rationale or motivation for its undertaking and any assumptions made must be justified. Similarly, critical assessment should be made of your results.
2.5 Observing the outside world Plagiarism is an unacceptable breach of copyright, where an author presents methods, text or results as his/her own, without reference to the original source. Ignorance of the original source or a forgetful omission is no excuse and the consequences for plagiarism are serious where it appears in examinable documents. However, in addition to referencing work which is included in your report, it is also necessary to be aware (as fully as possible) of other work which has been carried out which relates to your research. This becomes very important in MEng/PhD theses and research papers, which sit on the world stage and require that the author be aware of all related works. Searching for related literature can be performed by computerised searches through databases, such as INSPEC and Compendex, or by directly searching through journals. The Internet can also sometimes be a useful source of information.
Make sure that your referencing method is one of the popular ones (such as the Harvard or MLA styles. There's absolutely no point in inventing another system of your own. Ensure you know how to correctly reference:
A journal paper
A conference paper
A PhD/MEng thesis, final-year project or research report
A book
An Internet source (via the URL). As a basic requirement, you should provide enough information to allow the reader to access the source of your material. The examples shown follow the general form used by the IEEE: numerical order, in order of appearance. This form is frequently used in other engineering journals and books, though the Harvard style is also popular.
2.6 Writing conclusions Conclusions must conclude! They must give some overall insight into the value of your work in general and inform the reader of what the major impact is, together with any caveats which the reader should be aware of. A popular `cop-out' is to fill the conclusions section with a summary of what's in the technical chapters. This concludes nothing! The summary (if present) should be at the start of the document as an abstract. It may be helpful to flag items on a list, which are appropriate for the conclusions section, while writing the technical chapters. The key to your conclusions is then provided by the list.
3. Multimedia and Visual Balance A technical report can contain information in a variety of forms. These include text, figures, tables and equations. The following subsections contain some information regarding the appropriate use of each. However, choosing different means of representation can also be used to give visual balance to the document, for example by breaking up long sections of text with equations, tables or figures. In cases where several options are available for representing a particular piece of information, the author can choose appropriately to make the document a less daunting prospect to the reader through visual balance. In most cases, however, the appropriate choice of medium is dictated by the type of information to be communicated.
3.1 Figures ``A picture tells a thousand words''? There is great substance in this statement, and nowhere more obvious than in technical reports. Use figures liberally to communicate specific results (graphs) and show an overview of the system being described through block diagrams, etc. Where possible, put multiple plots on the same axes, so that comparative conclusions can be drawn. Ensure that each figure has a number and a title, so that it can be referenced from the text.
3.2 Tables Tables are an excellent means of giving an overview of numerical results or providing information in a form which lends itself to comparison. Again, ensure that each table has a number and a title, so that it can be referenced from the text.
3.3 Equations Some authors shun the formality of equations, preferring to describe the required relationships in textual form. However, it is generally possible to encapsulate a whole paragraph of such text in a single equations. Use equations in a technical report where possible! Number all equations consecutively to allow reference from the text. Be careful that all the notation you use is defined and beware of using the same mnemonic for two different variables!
3.4 Text Text is the `filler' and provides the bridge between the equations, figures, tables and references. See Section 2 for more information on the form of the text.
4. Choosing a Word Processor There is currently a great variety of word processor software available. Two of the popular packages for producing technical documents are briefly reviewed here, along with comparative advantages and disadvantages.
4.1 Microsoft Word This popular piece of bloatware (you can tell that this author is not a great fan!) from Bill Gates is by far the most popular worldwide. It sits happily in the WindowsTM environment and provides inter-operability between other WindowsTM applications, giving you the opportunity to pull in graphs (e.g., from MATLABTM) or tables (e.g., from Excel) from other WindowsTM applications. The main benefit is that Word is WYSIWYG i.e., your document appears on the screen as it will be (barring a few Microsoft funnies) in printed form. Word also has an equation editor and an in-built drawing package (neither of which this author is very fond of) and a table `wizard', for easy generation of tables. Overall, easy to use and quick to learn, but the `intelligent' automatic corrections it does are particularly infuriating with a technical document, which may have a lot of non-standard text. The major drawbacks are the relatively large file sizes, which can lead to other problems, such as unexpected software crashes, with possible loss of input. This author's personal experiences with Word wouldn't be a major sell for Bill Gates!
4.2 LaTeX LaTeX is a suite of (largely shareware) typesetting software, which gives excellent output. The main drawback is that it isn't WYSIWYG, a mark-up language (similar to HTML) being used to specify formatting commands, math symbols, etc. As a result, the learning curve for LaTeX is considerably longer than for Word, explaining its relative lack of popularity. However, some context-sensitive editors are available for LaTeX (such as WinEdt), which are a considerable help for people used to a WindowsTM menu-based system. It is probably true to say that the LaTeX system has been adopted by the majority of researchers in the area of mathematical sciences for the preparation of technical documents. The main advantages are that file sizes are small and it has excellent (and easy-to-use) cross referencing systems for:
References
Equations
Tables, and
Figures as well as good facilities for producing mathematical mark-up (symbols, equations, etc). This document was produced in LaTeX.
Table 2: Comparison of word processing software
Facility
Word
LaTeX
Drawing
Poor (inbuilt)
Good (LaTeXCad)
Equations
Poor
Excellent
WYSIWYG
Excellent
V. Poor
Speed of input
Good
Good
Storage format
Proprietary
Text (ASCII)
Output
Any printer
Postscript only
File sizes
Rel. Large
Rel. Small
5. Quality Control Having completed the major chore of writing the document, you may consider that your work is complete. If there is a higher authority to whom the project/document is done under the guidance of, you may consider that it is their duty to do the quality control on it. Wrong! While your supervisor may suggest modifications to structure or provide suggestions on some technical points, it is not their job to correct spelling, grammar, etc. The primary responsibility for the quality of your document lies with yourself. It is worth taking that extra small amount of time to ensure that your document is professional and is free from grammatical and spelling mistakes.
5.1 The schizophrenic author? In proof-reading the document yourself, you should attempt to look at the document in a fresh light as a reader completely new to the material. The capacity to adopt this `schizophrenic' stance will greatly aid your ability to improve the document. Don't be tempted to gloss over sections or speed-read the text, happy in the knowledge that you know what's in there!
5.2 Some friendly help If you are fortunate to have a colleague or friend from the target reader group who is willing to give you a little time, the view of an objective and completely fresh reader can be of great benefit. This person may also be able to pick up spelling or grammatical errors which you yourself are unaware of. The use of a friend or colleague at this stage is vital in cases where the document is not written in the author's first language.
5.3 Your supervisor Given that the document is a clear read (ensured by the two previous stages of quality control), your supervisor can provide some help regarding the technical accuracy of your report. The converse is also true, in that the lack of clarity in the first place will inhibit the refinement of the technical content! If you want to get the best, in terms of advice on possible technical improvement, the document must be relatively error free. If a supervisor is prepared to correct typos, grammar, etc., it is unlikely that he/she is going to have time to focus on the more important technical points. In short, you should get the best out of your document by ensuring that you observe the 3 stages of quality control. When you become well practiced at technical documents, just reviewing the document yourself (critically) may suffice.
6. Conclusions This note has attempted to highlight the salient features of technical report writing. It is not a comprehensive guide. It is motivated by a large number of reports which this author has seen which have not nearly done justice to the work which they were intended to report on. It is as important to report well on the work as to perform good technical work. Consider the case of a BEng project report in the School of Electronic Engineering at DCU, as an example, where 60% of the marks are allocated on the basis of the report alone. This mark is indicative of the relative importance attached to reporting in the wider industrial community. For further reading see, for example, the volume by Beer .
Learn by example! Make sure you have a critical look at a similar type of document before you take your first steps. Is this report, in your opinion, clear and well written? Try not to make the same mistakes as that author made!
Finally, this report was specifically structured to demonstrate sections, subsections and the use of tables, figure and references. It was written according to the methodology in Section 1, where each subsection has a core idea, making it very easy to write. No doubt, it has imperfections - here's your chance to improve on it! Aim to excel at your report writing. The professional nature of your reports will stand to you. Remember that ideas committed to print will potentially be perused by a considerable number of people (including potential employers!) over a considerable period into the future.
Bibliography
1 Byrne, N. Citing and Referencing - A Guide for Students, Dublin City University Library, 1998.
2 Hirschorn, R.M. and Miller, G. Control of nonlinear systems with friction, IEEE Trans. on Control System Technology, Vol.7, No.5, Sept. 1999.
3 Whitfield, A. and Wallace, F.J. Study of incidence loss models in radial and mixed-flow turbomachinery, Proc. Cong. Heat Fluid Flow in Steam and Gas Turbine Plant, Univ. Warwick, Coventry, UK, April 1973, pp 122-32.
4 Murray, F. Time Series Forecasting Methodologies for Electricity Supply Systems, PhD Thesis, Dublin City University, 1997.
5 O'Connor, M. Computer-Based Control of Time Delay Systems Using a Smith Predictor, BEng Project Report, School of Electronic Engineering, Dublin City University, 1989.
6 Kreyszig, E. Advanced Engineering Mathematics (7th Ed.),, Wiley, 1993.
7 Ringwood, J. and Galvin, G. Artificial Neural Networks - [Accessed 15th Nov. 1999].
8 Lamport, L. LaTeX : A Document Preparation System : User's Guide and Reference Manual (2nd Ed.), Addison-Wesley, 1994.
9 Gratzer, G. Math into TeX : : A Simple Introduction to AMS-LaTeX, Birkhauser, 1993.
10 Beer, D.F. (Ed.) Writing and Speaking in the Technology Professions - A Practical Guide, IEEE Press, 1992.