Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders

Specialization Introduction - Communication for Engineers

Course Introduction - Writing Skills for Engineers

Week 1: Things to Know Before You Begin

There are many components to good writing, and we'll focus on those that give you a foundation for building the skills that you are most likely to need in the engineering workplace In this module, we'll talk about how to plan and begin writing, the importance of following the writing process, and formatting for readability Then we'll look at the type of writing that engineers do every day: email

Week 2: Developing Paragraphs and Writing Reports

Paragraphs play an important role in your writing If your paragraphs are poorly written, your readers can't follow your thoughts In this module, we'll talk about what makes a powerful paragraph and how to develop your paragraphs so readers understand your ideas We'll also talk about what goes in to writing good engineering reports

Week 3: Clarity and Conciseness

You need to make sure that your writing is clear and concise so your readers can understand what you are saying to them Clear sentences help engage readers In this module, we'll talk about what makes good sentences: Strong verbs, specific information, choice of clear words, and active voice We'll also talk about what goes into writing good proposals

Week 4: The Finishing Touches

It takes conscious effort and discipline to work through the writing process--to plan, write a draft, revise the draft to make sure your content suits your purpose and your audience, edit for conciseness and clarity, and finally to proof for quality When you follow the process, your writing will be stronger But there are still some finishing touches that will make your documents even better In this module, we'll talk about writing introductions and conclusions, writing executive summaries, writing as a team, and writing for electronic media