Help readers navigate long-form technical writing
Some engineering reports for clients are a few pages long, while others extend to 50 pages or longer. With long-form technical writing, most readers don’t have time to read the […]
Author: Rachel Detwiler
ASTM C1709 promotes sustainability
ASTM C1709 provides a way to introduce alternative supplementary cementitious materials (ASCMs) into the marketplace. Supplementary cementitious materials include fly ash, slag cement, silica fume, and calcined clay. They can […]
Predict service life with ASTM C1556
ASTM C1556 is a test we use to assess the ability of concrete to resist the ingress of chloride ions. If we’re designing a high-performance concrete for a new parking […]
You don’t say: editing technical writing
The art of technical writing—or any other writing—isn’t about getting it right the first time. It’s about editing until it’s right. That’s something to keep in mind when you’re having […]
Design durable concrete structures
One way to make structures more sustainable is to make them durable. You can design your concrete for durability. You can also design and detail your concrete structure for durability. […]
NT Build 492 provides data for durable concrete
NT Build 492 is a test that determines the diffusion coefficient of concrete. Diffusion is the movement of a dissolved substance under a concentration gradient. That is, ions in solution […]
Write an informative abstract
In scientific papers and other types of technical reports, the abstract provides a brief summary of the research and findings. If you’re doing a literature search to get the background […]
Write an effective executive summary
For technical writers, the executive summary is one of the most challenging aspects of a report to a client. A good executive summary contains everything the busy executive needs to […]
Can you get a representative sample of concrete?
A representative sample of anything is an unbiased selection from the whole population. It’s a statistical concept that applies to everything from opinion polls to laboratory testing. In principle it […]
Sustainability is fashionable
In addition to my work with Beton, I teach technical writing as part of a two-semester capstone course in the School of Engineering at the University of St. Thomas in […]