Abstract
Writing has been identified as a critical skill and element of the engineering profession, yet it is rarely included in sophomore-level and junior-level courses. Textbooks often influence how courses are structured, and reading assignments and homework problems are frequently assigned directly from textbooks. In this project, textbooks are systematically searched for writing-based problems in four core engineering courses: fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, statics, and circuits. The authors focused efforts on identifying learning activities that could potentially allow students to practice writing, learn through writing, and use writing to relate course content to broader applications and contexts. Results included the total number of end-of-chapter questions with writing components and the classification of types of writing prompts. Analysis showed a limited availability of questions with writing components in textbooks and a missed opportunity to incorporate important writing education within the context of technical engineering concepts.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1340491. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Rebecca Essig was funded partially on a Graduate Assistantship in Areas of National Need (GAANN) fellowship.
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Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 144 • Issue 4 • October 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 7, 2017
Accepted: Feb 27, 2018
Published online: Jun 25, 2018
Published in print: Oct 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Nov 25, 2018
ASCE Technical Topics:
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