Transcript Slide 1

ME 489 Practices of Modern Engineering
Lecture 5
……. Writing
February 3, 2011
Luis San Andres
Mast-Childs Tribology Professor
Texas A&M University
http://rotorlab.tamu.edu/me489
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Lecture 5:
Date: February 3, 2011
Today:
… Writing
About writing & writing mathematics
The A&M Team
presents:
Virtual Rehabilitation
Assignments & reading:
Assign 2: Myths on Eng. Management due 02/08
Resource on interviewing posted
Other: complete ONE MINUTE PAPER
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Schedule group presentations
Group Name
The Wrecking Crew
A&M Team
Classic Style
The Better Team
Team Alpha
Last Pick
Gilligan's Blade
LeftOvers
Feb 8
Tuesday
Feb 10
Thursday
• Select ONE EW, listen and
discuss as a group
• Group prepares presentation
(15 slides max) for (max 15
min) +discussion in class
• Play EW and lead discussion
in class
Note: MUST reference all
material copied from
URLs, journals, textbooks,
etc
Note: E-mail me a pdf file
of presentation for posting
on class URL site
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readme
http://memagazine.asme.org/Articles/
A Foot in the Door
Tips on how to interview and to succeed in your first job
2008 web exclusive
Nixing Engineerese
Communication with Non-Engineers. The etiquette for e-mails
August 2009
Please read - short articles address several of your queries
RESOURCES: posted on Class URL site/mailed
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About writing
from The Elements of Style, by W. Strunk and E.B. White
“Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain
no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary
sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should not
have unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary
parts. This requires NOT that the writer makes all his
sentences short, or that he avoids all detail and treats his
subjects only in outline, but that every word tells."
ASME: Technical reports and essays AVOID
a)WRITING in first person
b)PASSIVE voice (poor English)
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Writing mathematics
Source: http://www.math.unl.edu/~gledder/PeerReview/Writing.htm
To share your ideas with people who may be not physically present, you
have to write them down. Mathematical ideas have to be written
using mathematics. Just as English prose is needed for writing in
subjects other than English, mathematical writing is needed for writing in
any subject where mathematical ideas or models are used. Scientists,
engineers, and some social scientists have to write mathematics
Every year, we buy ten cases of paper at $35 each; and every
year we sell them for about $1 million each. Writing well is
very important to us.
- Bill Browning, President of Applied Mathematics, Inc. (MATLAB)
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Writing mathematics
Source: http://www.math.unl.edu/~gledder/PeerReview/Writing.htm
Your mathematical work should be embedded in a narrative
Good mathematical writing must be self contained.
Know your audience
Generally it is best to focus on the problem statement, description of methods,
and explanation of results rather than on the details of the calculations.
Organize your writing carefully
Any paper longer than one page should be divided into sections with
descriptive headings.
Use active language and the present tense
Write about the problem and its analysis, not the history of your work on it.
Practice with Technical Memorandum
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Writing: about assumptions
“How should I decide which ones to make?”
“How much are we allowed to assume?”
Stating assumptions can be arduous, seemingly
endless. Nonetheless the work must be done! In
a University, usually your teacher states the facts
(assumptions) for a closed problem.
However, in my experience, the more detailed
the assumptions are, the more you and
others can gauge the accuracy of a result.
In essence, knowledge of what is missing
or assumed usually points out to the
differences between real life (actual
application) and a prediction (numbers)
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Comments on last
lecture and group
presentation
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What am I doing to improve my soft skills?
(Student wrote) – I am reading
(a) Reading Style (writing)
(b) How to win friends and influence people
(Leadership)
(c) Art of the Start, by Guy Kawasaki (Business)
Kawasaki’ rule on presentations: 10-20-30
10 slides, 20 minutes, and size
30 font
Excellent! You
made my day!
Browse the 1st chapter - download
http://changethis.com/manifesto/1.ArtOfTheStart/pdf/1.ArtOfTheStart.pdf
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Question on presentations
What are the most important things to remember
when giving a presentation in industry +
(stockholders and CEOS)? Is it OK a little humor?
OK to use lots of visual & pictures?
Humor is always welcome (breaks the ice).
Good Visual output (beautiful & simple, complete yet
concise). Show that you care!
DO NOT show equations (no differential eqs. or lengthy
formulas) or too busy graphs and tables (no more than 2
graphs, each with no more than three curves)
+++
MUST DELIVER a CLEAR MESSAGE!
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Around the world
You were surprised by a $6B project to build a 1GW
solar power plant.
China needs energy to make its economy run.
Just to keep pace with growth,
China must construct approximately a dozen
1,000-megawatt power plants every year. By
contrast the US only needs one or two a year to
maintain its growth rate.
http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=324&catid=13&subcatid=85
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About Alternative Energies
For such huge projects (solar power 1GW plant) – how long
does it take to actually profit and to improve the economy?
What is the maintenance cost of a solar power plant and the
yearly cost of operation?
I feel like alternative energy (fuels) will be a major issue in the
years to come. Will there be a day that our gas cars will be
trash (or antique)? What will be the new alternative and will
extend to housing, power, etc. I know there is also a scare
about water in the near future
We need a lecture!
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Questions on Alternative Energy
What kind of power do Europeans use? Do they depend less
on fossil fuels?
Why doesn’t the US use more nuclear power? What is the
reason behind the anti-nuclear energy position as nuclear
power is clearly an effective source?
Why Americans have not pursued such renewable resources
until now? Is it too late already? We must figure out why we
continue to get stiffed by foreign countries
NPR 02/03/11
7:30 am
A $10 increase in a barrel of oil (causes in the US)
25 cent increase in gallon of gasoline
drop of ¼% in economic growth
a reduction of 200,000 jobs!
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About Green Energy
Give major advantages/disadvantages of various
sources of renewable energy. What other
technologies are being developed
Thomas L. Friedman
Fred Krupp
Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why we need a Green
Revolution ($11.91)
Earth: The Sequel: The Race to Reinvent
Energy and Stop Global Warming ($10.76)
Visit class URL site for resources
(a) A Survey on Alternative Energy (The Economist)
(b) Video on Alternative Energy (National Geographic)
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Want to know more
Explain the different economic growth indicators (GDP, PPP,
inflation, etc)? Rationale for why these countries are where
they are
Hear more about underdeveloped/developing countries and
the major reasons why they struggle
Learn more about the entire world, not just the countries that
appear successful
I am + happy with the questions! This class should awaken a desire to
embrace the whole world (leave the comfort of your cocoon!) But…. I am no
expert (my reasons would be more emotional than scientific… Unless…
Begin reading “Cultures and organizations” &
http://www.clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/
Practices of Modern Engineering – Spring 2011
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Questions?
Next lecture
About plagiarism in academia and engineering practice
Ethics in the Workplace
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Practices of
Modern
Engineering
© Luis San Andres
Texas A&M University
2011
http://rotorlab.tamu.edu/me489
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Assignment 2 due February 8
http://memagazine.asme.org/Articles/
5 Myths
When it comes to selecting managers, there are common
assumptions that doom many to failure
February 2009 Issue
To a Higher Degree
How do you decide which advanced course of study is the
best option for your career?
March 2008 Issue
Other: http://www.economist.com/node/21014607
Write a 500 word essay in reply to
"Is management just another engineering skill?”
“What do I need to learn to become an effective manager?"
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Schedule Practicing Engineers
Date
Feb 8 or 10 (T)
Pratt & Whitney Engines
Feb 17 (R)
March 10 (R)
Sulzer Turbo: Ash Maruyama & friends
March 24 (R)
KBR young engineers and UT graduate students
March 29 (T)
GE Oil & Gas young engineers
April 7 (R)
Southwest Research Institute old engineers
Crash on Entrepreneurship - Richard H. Lester
Learn from practicing engineers
All confirmed
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Smart Vehicle Concepts Center Meeting
Students Poster Session –
February 15 (5 p.m.) outside Zach 342
http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=324&catid=13&subcatid=85
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