Student Resources/Tech Writing

IMRaD Reports

IMRaD is an acronym for Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion, which denotes the key sections of the report. IMRaD reports are a commonly used format in sciences and social sciences for various types of research projects, including term papers and Bachelor’s degree capstone projects. In most situations, the IMRaD report is used to discover and report new information. It often involves finding “a gap of knowledge” in a particular discipline or subject area and filling the gap by doing your own primary research.

For more information on how to write and format an IMRaD report:

Download the WCP Essentials Guide to IMRaD Writing.

Or see these recommended resources:

See also: Deconstructing the IMRAD, by Nathan Hulsey. This online presentation looks at using rhetorical analysis to deconstruct successful academic writing from journals with the aim improving your own academic writing.

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Conference Posters

Conference Posters are the centerpieces of academic conference poster sessions at which researchers present their work. A conference poster is essentially a transfer of a longer work such as an IMRaD research report into a more visual/graphic form to interest viewers, provide them with the crucial aspects of the research, and help them understand challenging concepts in a concise and accessible way.

At an academic conference, your poster often appears alongside many other posters, and as such it should be designed in a way that grabs the attention of viewers and provides key information clearly and efficiently.

For more information on how to create an effective, well-designed conference poster, watch the video "Designing a Conference Poster" Created by Thomas Duke, PhD.

Or visit these recommended websites:

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Email Correspondence (for Academic & Professional Purposes)

Email is a primary means of correspondence in academic and professional settings. When it comes to emailing, most people are confident that they know everything they need to know to be effective communicators. Unfortunately, writers sometimes overlook or even ignore important factors such as the “rules” of email etiquette and expectations regarding the language, tone, and structure of the email, which can, in the worst cases, have unexpected and unwanted consequences.

When used for academic/professional communication, sources agree that emails should always be

Clear: unambiguous in terms of the purpose and message
Focused: addressing one or two topics or issues without straying into non-related subject areas
Concise: direct, to-the-point, without unnecessary details, words, or additional information that clutter the text potentially obscuring the message. Learn more about writing concisely.
Appropriate: using tone and language that is suitable for the rhetorical situation.
Well organized: structured in a way that makes it easy for the reader to understand the message and respond in the desired manner
Error free: containing no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors that might reflect poorly on you, the writer.

Adhering to these standards will go a long way towards ensuring efficient communication; the key is knowing what these criteria entail and where writers typically go wrong. Developing your awareness and skills in this regard will help you, as a writer, throughout your academic and professional life.

For tips and strategies on how to write effective emails and avoid common mistakes: Download the WCP Essentials Guide to Academic/Professional Email Correspondence.

Or view these recommended resources:

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Technical Writing