Writing Plan for Mechanical Engineering

Audience

Any person entering the mechanical engineering field will have at least some form of affinity towards math and physics.  This program is a little different than other engineering fields in that it involves aspects from all of them as is much broader, whereas these other majors are more specific.  Classes in the mechanical engineering program range from math and physics to elements of electrical engineering and computer programming.   A few communication courses are required in the program, including technical writing and global leadership.  Most classes involve writing memos and reports.  In general, there are very few courses that have any historical components, as engineers address mainly the present and how to make it better.  An assumption is that the standards of living and the knowledge of science and technology is vastly superior to the past.  An individual in this field can expect a lot of group projects.  Most students take on an internship their junior year to give them experience because it isn't until this point that they have taken relevant coursework.  The work force typically seeks out those who have had an internship or were involved in extra-curricular clubs or activities.  It is a highly competitive field, and most students graduate with an impressive résumé.  Other than helping students have things to put on their resume, there is little done in the program to help students actually present themselves to a company. 

Context

There are a few stereotypes about engineers:  Smart, nerdy, and very awkward.  I want to address the importance of effective communication with others, especially with those from other fields.   Many great ideas fall flat because nobody with authority caught onto the vision.

Rhetoric

Mechanical engineers need to learn art of persuasion.  It should manifest itself most often in group settings where a decision has to be made, such as whether or not to fund a project, or to grant access to lab equipment, etc.  A deliberative approach is appropriate in most situations, where the engineer emphasizes the advantages and disadvantages of a certain issue.  This can be delivered in writing, or by oration.  Understanding the figures of reasoning is very important.

History

I mentioned previously how the mechanical engineering major offers very little historical context to this field.  I want to show how an understanding of how developments in the past were made can inspire the innovations of today.

Development Plan

I will start this paper off by addressing the importance of understanding the historical context of mechanical engineering.   This is more about reading up, or learning the subject before communicating it.  First I want to define what the field is and what it encompasses.  There is a little more research that has to be done for that.  Then I want to give a few examples of how being aware of past and present issues can lead to intuition and new ideas.   My blog post from Dec. 3 gives a good example of the development of prosthetics.  This section can be rounded off with a pathetic approach to show the joy an engineer experiences once he or she recognizes a topic that can be improved upon.

The elation of discovery can quickly be crushed by awkwardness.  At this point it would be powerful to show how ineffective communication squanders dreams for mechanical engineers.  I can give an example of Dilbert, the classic engineer stereotype.  This comes from my Oct. 24 blog post.  After this, I can expound on the areas of communication that are experienced in the field and how to succeed.  Communication between an engineer and those from other fields is a crucial element to success.  From my Nov. 7 blog post I can give examples of what to say and how to say it.  The last half of this paper is primarily concerned with persuasion.