Engineering 100B – Leadership(Technical Writing/Communication)

Taught by Stephanie Sides

Class dedicated toJohn R. Sides

January 29, 1922-March 5, 2012

Class Administration Student sign-up list Classes Mon and Wed, 9-9:50AM, SSB #106 Reading materials

Writing to Learn, by William Zinsser – please buyStyle and Ethics of Communication in Science and

Engineering, by Jay D. Humphrey and Jeffrey W. Holmes – I will provide PDF

Class Administration (Cont.)• Reading materials (cont.)

Reader you buy from the UCSD Bookstore that includes selections from…

Explaining Research, by Dennis MeredithThe Making of a Story, by Alice LaPlante“The Plagiarist’s Tale,” by Lizzie Widdicombe, The New Yorker,

Feb 13 & 20, 2012“The Truth About Campus Cheating,” by William M. Chace,

The American Scholar, Spring 2012• Curriculum: www.shakespearewrites.com (see tab labeled “Class” on

top right) Special guest speaker Dennis Meredith, Thurs, 5/9 Materials and videos from Phil Bourne, Skaggs School of

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Shakespeare Writes’ Website

“Class” Tab

Class Administration (Cont.)• Assignments due on date indicated on website (typically one

week later); please e-mail them• Grading: 20% class participation, 80% writing assignments (no

exams), final is writing assignment• Two-member teams for editing assignment• Office hours: Mon and Wed 10-11AM, SDSC E-105• Contact information: ssides@sdsc.edu, 858-248-0421 (cell)• My qualifications• Expectations: four hours of homework/week, cell phones off

during class, no typos or grammar mistakes• Questions?

First Assignment• Read Zinsser, pp. vii-76.• Write 250 words about yourself - your intellectual interests

and passions. What scientific or technological issues, questions, or problems most interest you, and how do you think those interests will shape your life? (Source: MIT) Write this for your instructor who is unlikely to be familiar with your field, so please explain all jargon and acronyms. (This assignment will not be graded but rather serve as a benchmark for students' current writing level.)

• Both due Session 3 (April 9).

What Skills Employers Value

Source: Chronicle of Higher Education (February 8, 2012) (http://www.acics.org/events/content.aspx?id=4718), from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools

Top 5 Things Employers Look for in New College Graduates

1. The ability to work well in teams—especially with people different from yourself

2. An understanding of science and technology and how these subjects are used in real-world settings

3. The ability to write and speak well4. The ability to think clearly about complex

problems5. The ability to analyze a problem to develop

workable solutionsSource: "How Should Colleges Prepare Students to Succeed in Today's Global Economy?" (Results of a national poll by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, 2007); http://www.aacu.org/leap/students/employerstopten.cfm.

Top Skills that Will Get You a Job When You Graduate

1. Commercial awareness or business acumen2. Communication: This covers verbal and

written communication, and listening. It's about being clear, concise and focused; being able to tailor your message for the audience and listening to the views of others.

Source: TargetJOBS, http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/career-clueless/the-top-10-skills-thatll-get-you-a-job-when-you-graduate

Top Personal Qualities Employers Look for in College Graduates

1.Ability to work in a team2.Verbal communication skills3.Ability to make decisions and problem solve.4.Ability to obtain and process information5.Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work

Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers, http://www.naceweb.org/Press/Frequently_Asked_Questions.aspx?referal=pressroom&menuID=276

Good Communication Skills Are Important Life Skills

• Helps you get hired • Improves your ability to work in technical teams• Helps you find out what you don’t know about a research topic

(writing to find out what you don’t know)• Makes you more eligible for promotion, helps you advance to

management and generally get further in your career• Helps you win research grants• Helps you work with public information officers to promote

your work• Motivates others to do what you want• Helps you avoid annoying others…

Why Are You Taking This Class?