UNIT 1 TECHNICAL WRITING IN CONTEXT Technical Writing

UNIT 1: TECHNICAL WRITING IN CONTEXT Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 1

Technical Writing in Context • The Importance of Communication Skills for Engineers • The Important Components of Communication • Working Towards Improving our Communication Skills Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 2

1. The Importance of Communication Skills for Engineers 1. 1 Theoretical Perspective: • As a professional, the value of an engineer’s skills is inherently linked to the engineer’s ability to use those skills to serve society (Bayles, 1981) • “Technical skills without communication skills have low value” (Russel and Yao, 1996) Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 3

1. The Importance of Communication Skills for Engineers 1. 2 Practical Perspective - Engineering Governing Bodies: • Mandatory requirement for Accreditation by the Canadian Engineering Association Board, 1996 “. . . include the development of each student’s capability to communicate adequately…” http: //www. ccpe. ca/ Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 4

1. The Importance of Communication Skills for Engineers 1. 2 Practical Perspective - Engineering Governing Bodies: • Buonopane, 1997 - Survey of over 600 technical employees at Exxon and Dow Chemical - a significant proportion of engineering practitioners place a very high importance on communication skills with respect to their work Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 5

1. The Importance of Communication Skills for Engineers 1. 2 Practical Perspective - Engineering Governing Bodies: • Silyn-Roberts, 1998 - Survey of Engineers of varying levels of experience from companies across the country 75% say they spend over 50% of their time at work writing 40 30 20 10 % Time Spent Writing 0 10 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 % of Surveyed Engineers 50 Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 6

1. The Importance of Communication Skills for Engineers 1. 2 Practical Perspective - Engineering Governing Bodies: • Kranzber, 1993 - Similar Survey - most engineering practitioners wish they had taken more writing courses while they were in school Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 7

2. The Important Components of Communication Editing Writing Listening Speaking Reading Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 8

3. Working Towards Improving our Communication skills 3. 1 Finding Opportunities to Learn: • It is now a consensus that the development of effective oral and written communication skills is an essential component of an engineer’s undergraduate education - Newell et al, 1997 - Bakos, 1997 - Mickleborogh and Wareham, 1994 -. . . Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 9

3. Working Towards Improving our Communication skills 3. 1 Finding Opportunities to Learn: % of participating schools using various approaches 100 % 75 % 50 % 25 % 0% Mandatory EE Course Mandatory Language Course Integrated Course Work Senior Projects Other Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 10

3. Working Towards Improving our Communication skills 3. 1 Finding Opportunities to Learn: % of participating schools actually assessing communication component within integrated course work Sometimes 17% 66% 17% Often Rarely Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 11

3. Working Towards Improving our Communication skills 3. 1 Finding Opportunities to Learn: • Do not wait for someone else to force you to develop these skills - Be an active learner • Practice makes perfect - Pay attention to your writing and it will get better • Actively seek feedback from your evaluators • Accept feedback and put it into action Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 12

3. Working Towards Improving our Communication skills 3. 2 Apply Your Strengths: • Do not accept the myth that “engineers cannot communicate” - It’s not that we can’t, it’s that we don’t • Learn to appreciate your capacity for communicating - Fundamentally, good engineers think like good writers Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 13

3. Working Towards Improving our Communication skills 3. 3 Foster Respect and Collaboration: • Communicating becomes easier when we can see how our ideas fit into a broader context Respecting alternative ways of thinking, and alternative skill sets can enhance our ability to communicate Technical Writing EE 3013: Lecture 2 14