Research
Techniques
in
Technical
Areas
Mfg.
Engr.
Sys.
590
Course
syllabus
Spring
Semester
2010
3
Semester
Hours
Dr.
Ralph
Dirksen
Classroom:
330
Knoblauch
Hall
Office
KH
335
Ph.
298
‐2388
837
‐3493
Course
description:
Application
of
various
research
techniques
in
technical
subjects.
Practice
in
selection,
application,
and
reporting
if
technological
research.
Textbooks:
APA
:
Manual
Publication
Manual
of
the
American
Psychological
Association,
Sixth
edition
Understanding
Research
Methods:
An
overview
of
the
essentials
by
Mildred
Patten
7th
edition.
Pycrzak
Publishing.
Glendale,
CA,
2010
A
Pocket
Style
Manual
by
Diane
Hacker.
Fourth
edition,
Bedford/
St.
Martin.
Boston,
MA
2003
The
Little
Brown
Essential
Handbook
by
Jane
E.
Aaron.
Pearson/
Longman
ISBN‐
10#
0‐205‐5914108
Objectives:
As
a
result
of
the
learning
experiences
in
this
course,
the
student
will
be
able
to:
1. Recognize
good
technical
writing
and
research,
and
data
collection.
2. Write
technical
proposals/
reports
in
accordance
with
an
accepted
style
manual
(APA).
3. Organize
and
collect
technical
information
and
propose
and/or
conduct
research
in
written
and
oral
form.
4. Present
technical
reports
and
research
studies.
5. Understand
technical
report
publishing
methods
and
practices.
6. Be
familiar
with
the
APA
style
manual.
7. Write
three
MES
592/601
proposals
as
defined
by
the
standards
of
Engineering
Technlogy
Dept.
Graduate
Committee.
Course
Content:
1. Reports,
written
communications,
research
studies,
surveys.
a. Graduate‐
level
research
and
writing
b. Types
of
Research
and
forms
in
writing
and
presenting.
2. Collection
of
information
for
research
a.
Organization
for
collection
of
information.
d.
Questionnaires
and
surveys
b.
Publications,
magazines,
journals.
e.
Interviews,
case
studies
and
field
research.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Planning
the
investigation,
writing
the
proposal,
outlining
the
report,
and
writing
the
report.
Mechanics
of
style,
word
usage,
editing,
etc.
Format
and
arrangement
of
graduate
research.
Tabular
presentation
versus
graphic
presentation
of
data.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Preparation
of
illustration
Outline
drafts
Letter
reports,
short
reports,
memos,
explanations
of
processes.
Format
reports,
final
reports,
memos,
explanation
of
processes
Writing
for
magazine
publication;
journal
guidelines.
Papers
for
technical
groups;
conference
presentations.
Oral
presentation
of
reports
and
technical
papers.
Copying,
printing
and
duplicating
methods
and
requirements
in
publication.
Computer
assisted
writing
and
editing.
15. MES
580/592/601
Requirements,
proposals
and
final
documents.
16. APA
style‐
and
other
style
manuals‐
MLA.
Chicago
Style.
17. Research
–
to
search
again;
to
find
anew.
Student
Evaluation:
Course
grades
will
be
based
on
a
percentage
of
total
possible
points.
The
grading
scale
will
approximate
the
normal
break‐off
points
so
as
to
accommodate
clusters
closest
to
a
category.
100%‐
90%
=
A
69%
‐
60%
=
D
89%‐
80%
=
B
59%
‐
0%
=
F
79%
‐
70%
=
C
Achievement
will
be
based
upon
class
participation,
oral
assignments,
tests
and
written
assignments.
Three
tests
and
a
final
exam
will
count
50%
while
three
proposals,
written
exercises,
classroom,
discussion,
and
oral
presentations
will
count
50%.
For
your
information
in
realizing
the
many
areas
in
which
580
and
592
proposals
may
be
written.
ENGR
580
580‐01
580‐03
580‐05
580‐07
580‐09
580‐11
580‐13
580‐15
580‐17
580‐19
580‐21
Drafting
Technology
Graphic
Arts
Technology
Industrial
Education
Industrial
Wood
Technology
Fluid
Power
Technology
Automotive
Technology
Metals
Technology
Electronics
Technology
Computer‐
Aided
Technology
Manufacturing
Technology
Construction
Technology
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
2‐3
hrs.
Test
Dates:
Quiz
1
–
February
9,
2010
Quiz
3
–
April
6,
2010
Quiz
2
–
March
9,
2010
Quiz
4
–
April
27,
2010
Final
Exam:
Tuesday,
May
11
–
6:
00
p.m.
Selected
Assignments:
1. Thoroughly
study
and
use
as
a
reference
the
APA
Publication
Manual.
Complete
written
assignments
on
the
manual.
2. Check
out
from
the
library
and
review:
a. Research
Methodology
Book
b. Technical
Writing
Book
c. M.S.
Thesis
or
Ph
D.
dissertation
d. Report
of
a
Study
(as
published
in
a
journal
i.e.,
NTIS,
ERIC,
NSF,
ASEE,
ATME,
ITEA
etc.)
3. Check
out
from
Dr.
Dirksen
or
the
Library
(Archives)
and
review
a
Technology
M.S
592/
601
Study.
4. Propose
three
of
your
own
studies,
write
the
proposals
and
conduct
bibliographic
data
search
and
present
one
to
the
class.
5. Review
and
report
to
the
class
on
a
researcher’s
tool
such
as
a
Word
Processing
Management,
a
Desktop
Publishing
Package,
a
statistical
package,
or
project
management,
reading
level,
etc.
as
a
tool
for
the
researcher.
6. Attend
any
scheduled
MES
592/601
presentations
during
the
semester.
7. Complete
four
quizzes
and
one
final
exam
during
the
semester.
8. Review
research
and
statistical
procedures
used
in
similar
studies
other
disciplines
for
technical
writing
and
research
techniques
which
may
be
applicable
to
our
discipline.
9. Critique
proposal
work‐up
by
fellow
students.
Participate
in
discussion
and
critique.
Be
willing
to
offer
your
written
comments
and
your
oral
support.
10. If
ready,
submit
your
592
proposal
to
the
graduate
Committee
for
approval
this
semester.
Department
of
Engineering
Technology
Goals
for
Student
Learning
Engineering
Technology
(Construction
Management,
Graphic
Communication,
Manufacturing
Engineering
Technology)
is
a
field
of
study
designed
to
provide
students
educational
programs
that
allow
them
to
communicate
effectively,
design
and
apply
technical
solutions,
use
technology
effectively,
and
respond
to
project
management
tasks
in
an
environment
with
continually
changing
and
sophisticated
technology
in
an
increasingly
competitive
global
marketplace.
By
graduation,
Engineering
Technology
students
should
be
able
to:
1.
Think
critically
and
creatively;
2.
Understand
the
theoretical
principles
of
the
profession;
3.
Understand
and
apply
relevant
technology
in
the
solution
of
technical
problems;
4.
Organize,
manage,
and
maintain
projects;
5.
Develop
an
appreciation
for
ethical
and
professional
practices;
6.
Develop
and
refine
oral,
written,
and
visual
communication
skills;
and
7.
Demonstrate
an
overall
competency
in
the
program
objectives.
Academic
Integrity
Preamble
Western
Illinois
University,
like
all
communities,
functions
best
when
its
members
treat
one
another
with
honesty,
fairness,
respect,
and
trust.
Students
have
rights
and
responsibilities
(http://www.wiu.edu/provost/students/)
and
students
should
realize
that
deception
for
individual
gain
is
an
offense
against
the
members
of
the
entire
community,
and
it
is
the
student's
responsibility
to
be
informed
and
to
abide
by
all
University
regulations
and
policies
on
Academic
Integrity.
Plagiarism,
cheating,
and
other
forms
of
academic
dishonesty
constitute
a
serious
violation
of
University
conduct
regulations.
Students
who
engage
in
dishonesty
in
any
form
shall
be
charged
with
academic
dishonesty.
t
is
a
duty
of
faculty
members
to
take
measures
to
preserve
and
transmit
the
values
of
the
academic
community
in
the
learning
environment
that
they
create
for
their
students
and
in
their
own
academic
pursuits.
To
this
end,
they
are
expected
to
instill
in
their
students
a
respect
for
integrity
and
a
desire
to
behave
honestly.
They
are
also
expected
to
take
measures
to
discourage
student
academic
dishonesty,
to
adjust
grades
appropriately
if
academic
dishonesty
is
encountered,
and,
when
warranted,
to
recommend
that
additional
administrative
sanctions
be
considered.
Grading
policies
are
the
exclusive
prerogative
of
the
faculty;
administrative
sanctions
are
under
the
authority
of
the
Director
of
Student
Judicial
Programs.
This
document
provides
policies
and
procedures
to
be
followed
when
academic
dishonesty
is
encountered.
Definitions
of
Academic
Dishonesty
The
following
definitions
and
examples
are
not
meant
to
be
exhaustive.
The
University
reserves
the
right
to
determine,
in
a
given
instance,
what
action
constitutes
a
violation
of
academic
integrity.
(See
www.wiu.edu/policies/acintegrity.php
for
complete
descriptions
of
the
following
topics:
1. Plagiarism
Fabrication
and
Falsification
Cheating
Complicity
in
Academic
Dishonesty
Abuse
of
Academic
Materials
Multiple
Submissions
Reporting
Academic
Dishonesty
All
members
of
the
University
community
share
the
responsibility
and
authority
to
challenge
and
make
known
acts
of
apparent
academic
dishonesty.
Any
student,
faculty
member,
or
staff
person
who
has
witnessed
an
apparent
act
of
student
academic
dishonesty,
or
has
information
that
reasonably
leads
to
the
conclusion
that
such
an
act
has
occurred
or
has
been
attempted,
has
an
ethical
responsibility
for
reporting
said
act(s).
Confronting
and
reporting
academic
dishonesty
can
be
done
in
a
variety
of
ways,
and
people
should
choose
the
manner
most
appropriate
for
the
circumstances.
Acts
of
apparent
academic
dishonesty
that
occur
in
the
classroom
should
be
reported
directly
to
the
course
instructor,
and/or
the
course
instructor's
Department
Chair,
and/or
the
instructor's
College
Dean.
The
Council
on
Admission,
Graduation,
and
Academic
Standards
(CAGAS)
or
the
Graduate
Council
will
not
accept
or
act
upon
anonymous
reports,
but
will
hold
in
strict
confidence
the
identity
of
any
person
reporting
a
suspected
instance
of
academic
dishonesty,
unless
that
person
consents
to
having
his/her
identity
revealed.
Access
&
Disabilities
In
accordance
with
University
policy
and
the
Americans
with
Disabilities
Act
(ADA),
academic
accommodations
may
be
made
for
any
student
who
notifies
the
instructor
of
the
need
for
an
accommodation.
For
the
instructor
to
provide
the
proper
accommodation(s),
you
must
obtain
documentation
of
the
need
for
an
accommodation
through
Disability
Support
Services
and
provide
it
to
the
instructor.
It
is
imperative
that
you
take
the
initiative
to
bring
such
needs
to
the
instructor's
attention,
as
he/she
is
not
legally
permitted
to
inquire
about
such
particular
needs
of
students.
Students
who
may
require
special
assistance
in
emergency
evacuations
(i.e.
fire,
tornado,
etc.)
should
contact
the
instructor
as
to
the
most
appropriate
procedures
to
follow
in
such
an
emergency.
Contact
Disability
Support
Services
at
298‐
2512
for
additional
services.
If
you
have
emergency
medical
information
to
share
with
me,
if
you
need
special
arrangements
in
case
the
building
must
be
evacuated,
or
if
you
need
accommodations
in
this
course
because
of
a
disability,
please
make
an
appointment
with
me
as
soon
as
possible.
My
office
location
and
hours
are
at
the
top
of
this
syllabus.
If
you
plan
to
request
disability
accommodations,
you
are
expected
to
register
with
the
Disability
Support
Services
(DSS)
at
298‐2512.
Resolution
of
Problems
Should
a
problem
occur,
students
should
speak
to
their
instructor
first.
If
the
problem
is
not
resolved,
meet
with
the
chair
of
the
department.
If
the
problem
continues
to
be
unresolved,
go
to
the
College
of
Business
and
Technology’s
Dean.
Students
should
observe
the
following
sequence
for
the
resolution
of
problems:
Student
‐‐‐
Instructor
‐‐‐
Chairperson
‐‐‐
Dean