UNIT: MEASUREMENT

ACT-Based English: Editing a Technical Report

OBJECTIVE:

This lesson focuses on editing and revising technical writing, a critical skill for ACT English and real-world STEM applications. Students will review a sample technical report on measurement and data analysis, identifying grammatical errors, unclear wording, and structural issues. By improving sentence clarity and logical flow, students will develop their ability to communicate technical information effectively.

ACT-Style Grammar Fix:

Original: "The caliper and the tape measure are both useful tools."

Corrected: "The caliper and the tape measure are both useful tools." (ACT English Score: 16-19)

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Sample technical report (provided below)

Editing checklist

Highlighters and pens/pencils

Peer review worksheet

Access to a grammar resource or dictionary (optional)

student directions:

Goals:

You will improve your technical writing and grammar skills by editing and revising a sample lab report about measurement and data analysis. This exercise helps you write more clearly and professionally—key for success on the ACT English section and in real-world STEM communication.

Step 1: Read the Sample Report

Read the entire lab report once without marking anything.

Focus on understanding what the experiment is about and what conclusions were drawn.

Think about:

What was being measured?

Which tools were used?

What results and observations were reported?

Step 2: Highlight and Annotate

Re-read the report and mark areas that contain:

Grammatical mistakes (verb tense, subject-verb agreement, etc.)

Unclear or awkward wording

Missing transitions or poor paragraph structure

Repetitive or vague language

Technical inaccuracies (wrong use of measurement terms)

Use highlighters and your editing checklist to catch as many issues as you can.

Step 3: Rewrite the Report

On a separate sheet or document, write a clean, revised version of the report.

Your revision should:

✅ Use correct grammar and punctuation

✅ Have logical organization (Intro, Method, Results, Conclusion)

✅ Use accurate technical terms and measurements

✅ Be clear, professional, and easy to understand

Tip: Rewrite one section at a time to stay organized.

Step 4: Swap and Give Feedback

Exchange your revised report with a partner.

Use the Peer Review Worksheet to:

Check grammar and clarity

Make suggestions for stronger wording

Point out areas of confusion or improvement

Praise what works well

Step 5: Share and Reflect

Present your revised report to the class (or in a small group).

Explain:

What changes you made

Why you made them

How those changes improved the report’s readability and accuracy

Class Discussion Prompts:

Why does technical writing matter in science and engineering?

How does strong writing help avoid errors in real-world work?

How do these editing skills prepare you for the ACT?

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY: WRITE YOUR OWN REPORT

After editing, write a fully revised final version of the lab report with improved structure, grammar, and scientific accuracy.

You may type or handwrite it based on your teacher’s instructions.

Be ready to submit or present it as part of your technical writing portfolio.

Introduction

The purpose of this experiment is about measuring objects using three different tools which is ruler, a tape measure, and digital calipers. The objective was to understand precision and accuracy, and how errors can be different when using different instruments.

Methodology

First, each group choose an object to measure. They took three measurements of the object’s length, width, and height with a ruler, a tape measure and a digital caliper. All measurements were wrote down in a table for later analysis. The digital caliper was used last because it is the most precise but also difficult to handle compared to the others.

Results and Discussion

The data collected showed different levels of precision between the three measurement tools. The tape measure had the largest differences between measurements, probably because of its flexibility and human error. The ruler was more consistent, but it could only measure to the nearest millimeter. The digital caliper, however, provided highly precise values, with very small variations between measurements. It was observed that digital calipers are the most accurate tool in our experiment.

Also, errors in measurement were found. Some groups did not align the ruler correctly, which led to incorrect values. Additionally, slight variations happened because students measured at different angles. From these results, it can be assumed that accuracy is not only about the tool being used but also how well the user applies it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this experiment demonstrated how different measurement tools provide different levels of accuracy. The digital caliper was the best tool for precise measurements. However, accuracy depends on the user’s technique and consistency of method. In real world applications,

Follow-Up Activity:

Writing a Revised Technical Report

After editing the provided technical report, students will write a fully revised version with improved clarity, structure, and grammar.

Each student or group will incorporate technical accuracy, ensuring measurement terms and data interpretations are precise.

Students will present their revised reports to the class and explain the key changes they made and how these improvements enhance readability and professionalism.

The class will discuss why clear and precise technical writing is essential in STEM fields and how this skill connects to the ACT English section.