Tabs for Contents, notes, highlights

Hide Contents, Notes, and Highlights

Search TermsShow Hide

« Back to eTextbook

Copyright, iv
ESource Reviewers, xi
1. Engineering and Communication, 1
1.1. I am an Engineer, Not a Professional Communicator, 1
1.2. Writing Demonstrates My Competence as an Engineer, 2
1.3. Writing and Speaking Can Help Me Discover What I Really Think, 3
1.4. My Reader or Listener (My Audience) Is Always My Client, 4
1.5. It is My Ethical Responsibility to Turn Data into Information My Readers Can Use, 5
1.6. My Audiences Will Change, and so Must My Writing and Speaking, 7
Summary, 10
Problems, 10
Further Reading, 11
2. Discovering Ideas and Facts: Researching, 13
2.1. Introduction, 13
2.2. Framing Your Writing Project, 14
2.2.1. Lab Reports, 14
2.2.2. Research and Recommendation Reports for Decision Makers, 15
2.3. Researching, 21
2.3.1. Published Information, 21
2.3.2. Unpublished Information: Interviews, 22
2.3.3. Unpublished Information: Surveys, 23
2.3.4. Evaluating Sources of Information, 24
2.4. Managing and Documenting Information, 26
2.5. Avoiding Plagiarism, 29
Summary, 32
Problems, 32
Further Reading, 33
3. Organizing Ideas and Facts: Starting to Write, 35
3.1. Introduction, 35
3.2. Starting to Write, 35
3.3. Drafting for Myself, 38
3.4. Using Writing to Think Clearly, 39
3.5. Using Writing to Solve Problems, 40
Summary, 41
Problems, 42
Further Reading, 42
4. Writing: Taking Control, 44
4.1. Writing for Control Comes After Drafting for Content, 44
4.2. Readable Style, 44
4.2.1. Passive and Active Voice: What is All the Fuss?, 46
4.2.2. Wordiness: Learn to Prune, 47
4.2.3. Empty Pronouns, 50
4.2.4. Noun Compression: Let Some Air in, 51
4.3. Constructing Powerful Paragraphs, 52
4.3.1. Maintain Logical Linkage, 52
4.3.2. Maintain Focus, 56
4.3.3. Maintain Parallelism, 58
4.4. Grammar and Sentence Structure: Diagnosing and Curing the Problems, 60
4.5. Words: Picky, Picky, 63
4.5.1. Verb Tenses, 63
4.6. Punctuation: Why Should I Care?, 64
Summary, 66
Problems, 66
Further Reading, 67
5. Displaying Data in Written Documents, 69
5.1. Introduction, 69
5.2. Displaying Your Data, 70
5.3. Figures and Tables: Which is Which?, 74
5.3.1. Tables, 74
5.3.2. Figures, 74
5.4. Guidelines for Designing Figures and Tables, 80
5.4.1. Graphs, 80
5.4.2. Tables, 81
5.4.3. Taking Control of the Design, 82
5.4.4. A Word about Titles, 85
5.5. Integrating Text with Figures and Tables, 87
5.5.1. Using Graphics Designed by Others, 88
5.6. Mathematical and Chemical Notation, 89
Summary, 91
Problems, 92
Further Reading, 93
6. Revising: When Will I Ever Be Finished?, 94
6.1. Introduction, 94
6.2. Writing is Rewriting, 95
6.2.1. Rewriting: Guidelines for Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Your Writing, 96
6.3. Organizing a Peer Review, 96
6.4. About Grammar Checkers, 99
6.5. Revising First for Structure and Content, 101
6.6. Editing for Logic and Flow (Mostly Paragraph Level), 103
6.7. Editing for Sense and Meaning (Mostly Sentence and Word Levels), 106
6.8. Proofreading for Final Copy, 109
6.9. Ethics and Written Documents, 110
Summary, 112
Problems, 112
Further Reading, 113
7. Speaking: Do I Really Have to Stand Up and Talk in Front of All Those People?, 115
7.1. Introduction, 115
7.2. Planning the Content of a Presentation: Outlining, 115
7.2.1. Audience, 116
7.2.2. Highlighting, 116
7.2.3. Three Sections, 116
7.3. Planning the Visuals, 118
7.3.1. Modes of Delivery, 120
7.3.2. Designing Posters, 122
7.3.3. Designing Slides, 123
7.4. Planning the Delivery, 130
7.4.1. Rehearsing, 131
7.4.2. Videorecording, 134
7.4.3. Anticipating Questions, 134
7.5. Controlling Nervousness, 135
7.5.1. Before Your Talk, 135
7.5.2. Just Before and during Your Talk, 136
7.6. Handling Questions, 137
7.7. Preparing for a Team Presentation, 138
Summary, 139
Problems, 140
Further Reading, 141
8. Producing Engineering Documents: The Final Product, 142
8.1. Introduction, 142
8.2. Designing Professional Documents, 142
8.2.1. Disseminating Documents Digitally, 146
Further Reading on Designing Document, 147
8.3. Sample Correspondence, 147
8.3.1. A Word About Using the Sample in This Section, 147
Notes On Sample Memo, 149
8.4. Sample Research Proposals, 149
8.4.1. A Word about Using the Samples in This Section, 149
8.5. Sample Progress Report, 164
8.5.1. A Word about Using the Sample in This Section, 164
Organization of a Progress Report, 168
8.6. Sample Feasibility Report, 168
8.6.1. A Word about Using the Sample in This Section, 169
Front Matter: Cover Page, 171
Front Matter: Letter of Transmittal, 173
Front Matter: Title Page, 175
Front Matter: Table of Contents and List of Illustrations, 178
Body of the Report: Executive Summary, 180
Body of the Report: Introduction, 184
Body of the Report: The Central Sections, 189
Wall Design Alternatives, 189
Body of the Report: The Central Sections, 192
Solution Criteria, 192
Body of the Report: The Central Sections, 196
Evaluation of Wall Designs, 198
Body of the Report: The Central Sections, 200
Factual Summary and Rating Procedure, 200
Body of the Report: Conclusions, 202
Body of the Report: Recommendation, 203
Back Matter: List of References, 205
Back Matter: Appendices, 207
Summary, 209
Problems, 209
Further Reading, 210
Index, 211

Search Results

« Back to eTextbook


PAGE	Description

82	...

Tabs for Contents, notes, highlights

Table of Contents

Search Results