Course Review
EGR 335
Technical Communications for
Engineers and Computer Scientists
Coordinator: Leo Finkelstein, Jr.
Course Content
Topic: Technical Communication at an
undergraduate CS/CEG level
Focus: Producing quality, original technical
documents on topics in CS/CEG.
Scope: Component skills, technical proposals,
and various formal report document types.
Topics in EGR 335
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Ethics in technical communication
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Abstraction and clarity in use of language
Description of a mechanism
Description of a process
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Mechanism in operation or conceptual process
Formal and informal proposals
Technical briefings
Business communications
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Plagiarism & image alteration
Various letters, resumes for CS/CEG jobs
Formal reports
Topics in EGR 335
• Types of formal reports
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Formal proposals
Progress/status/activity reports
Feasibility/recommendation reports
Laboratory/project reports
Instructions/manuals
Research/state of the art reports
• Abstracts and executive summaries
• Documentation
Class Schedule
• Approach
– Lectures with interactive discussions on a
variety of topics
– Student groups working on specific
problems/exercises
– Student formal presentations on their
formal report topics
Class Schedule
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One lesson: Ethics in technical writing
Two lessons: Mechanism description
Two lessons: Process description
Two lessons: Formal/informal proposals
Six lessons: Formal report types,
documentation, briefings and visuals,
grammar and style
• Seven lessons: Research presentations
Assignments & Grading
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10%: Mechanism description
10%: Process description
15%: Formal report proposal
45%: Formal report
15%: Technical briefing
05%: Instructor option
Desired Outcomes
Be able to understand professional and ethical
responsibilities related to technical communication
Be able to describe the physical attributes of a
mechanism and the process of its operation, and a
conceptual process
Be able to communicate effectively. Specifically, be
able to do the critical thinking necessary to:
• propose, develop, and produce a significant formal
project on a technical topic in the student’s major field
• develop, produce, and deliver a formal presentation on a
technical topic related to the formal report
• May include developing research methods and statistical
controls, as well as properly interpreting current research
Assessment
No valid empirical way to assess this course
Assessment done by performance on course projects-i.e., quality of the student’s component skills
descriptions, proposal, presentation, research report):
• Demonstrated critical thinking
• Demonstrated understanding of concepts
• Demonstrated quality of writing
• Validity of research methods used
Resources
Textbook resources
• Leo Finkelstein, Jr., Pocket Book of Technical Writing for
Engineers and Scientists, 3rd Ed., Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2008.
REQUIRED
• Leo Finkelstein, Jr., Pocket Book of English Grammar for
Engineers and Scientists, 1st Ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
REQUIRED
Web resources
– www.finkelnet.com
– www.cs.wright.edu/~lfinkel/courses