USU profs develop editing center for engineeers

Two Utah State University professors, one in professional and technical communication and the other in electrical and computer engineering (ECE), have developed an online tutorial and editing center to improve engineering students’ communication skills.

Working together since July 2003, Kelli Cargile Cook, assistant professor of English specializing in professional and technical communication, and Kevin L. Moore, professor of electrical and computer engineering, created and implemented the two-part online instructional solution in spring semester 2004.

The solution was implemented as a one-hour online technical communications course (ECE 5930: technical communications), in which engineering students enrolled in ECE 5930 concurrently with design III. The technical communication course included two instructional components: 1) a series of online, Internet-based instructional modules in report writing and 2) consultations with technical editors through an online editing center.

The online instructional modules surveyed five important technical communication topics relevant to the design process: reading and responding to request for proposals (RFPs); writing proposals in response to RFPs; formatting design reports; presenting design findings and project status; and documenting a design project.

Following completion of each module, engineering students were directed to their course writing assignment. Using information from the online tutorial, they drafted their reports and then submitted them electronically for online editing assistance.

Online editing consultations began when ECE student engineering teams completed the first drafts of their reports. Student technical editors used electronic mark-up (typically MS Word’s Track Changes Feature) to provide editorial feedback and writing instruction to ECE engineering students. The technical editors worked with each team through two document cycles.

Based on the success of the pilot project, the collaboration between the professional and technical writing program and the electrical and computer engineering department will be extended into next year when the online instructional modules and editing support will be included in both design I and design III courses.

Four undergraduate technical and professional writing students contributed to the success of this project. Adam Smith designed the Web site, and Jacob Folsom formatted and edited website content. Valerie Lancaster Plowman and Amanda Wanner served as technical editors.

For more information on this project, call (435) 797-0263.######