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Engineering 190W - Fall 2024 - Foresta Section


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Assignments

Hints

There are many hints about how to become a more effective communicator, writer, and presenter.  Remember that this first and foremost is an advanced technical writing class.  Some ideas include:

1.  Write from an outline.

2.  Expect to write several drafts.

3.  Use MS Word's Tracking to see revisions. Access is from "Review" tab

4.  Create a bibliography as you write - consider using Bibliographic Management Software.  These products allow you to save citations, recall them and apply them in your bibliography using standard formatting with one key-stroke. There is a learning curve for each of them but there are free versions that you can register for and use, by creating different folders for specific purposes.

5.  For a research paper, you may find the following outline helpful:

- Executive Summary

- Hypothesis

- Background/ Description of Problem or Question/Context/Importance

- Research Methodology

- Findings

- Summary of Literature Review

- Conclusions

- Acceptance or rejection of the hypothesis

6.  Read paper aloud. See cadences and length of sentences and shorten when possible for clarity.

7.  Create your portfolio.

Overall Assignments

You have several assignments in this class. They include writing essays, group collaboration, presentations, research papers, and technical papers. 

  • Individual Research Paper
  • Collaborative Research Paper I & Presentation
    • Includes subsequent drafts & use of PowerPoint.
  • Collaborative Research Paper II & Presentation
  • Engineering Ethics Essay
    • See box under the "Specialized Resources" tab for links to appropriate resources.
  • Extemporaneous Speaking
    • 3 minutes on topic of choice - consider support from Toastmasters for ongoing help in this area. Information on the UCI chapter can be found here. 
  • Journal Article Summary

Group Assignments & Case Study

Some hints for achieving success in group projects:

  1. Establish a group leader to keep everyone focused and on task
  2. Communicate with one another about what each will deliver
  3. Share information widely
  4. Work from an outline
  5. Remember that group effort contributes to defining everyone's outcome
  6. Use MS Word Tracking - activate the "Review" tab to visually show all revisions
  7. Consider using a platform such as Google Drive to share writing passages and ideas - you will need to register or share Google Docs. You can find additional information about Google Apps for UCI users at http://www.google.uci.edu/
  8. Arrange to meet up with your group via Zoom or another open conferencing site to share information and practice presentations for the final project.