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Self-Study Guide
Writing Research Papers: Understanding Expectations For engineering and science students, a gap exists between the writing knowledge that they have learned in technical writing courses and the specific expectations placed on those engineers and scientists when writing a research paper or thesis. While engineering and science students might learn to write reports in a technical writing course, research papers require a different organization and understanding of audience expectations. This webpage presents a guide on writing research papers in engineering and science. Sponsored by the College of Engineering at Penn State, this page carries the purpose of bridging this gap for engineering and science students. What distinguishes this content is that it has arisen from hundreds of surveys and scores of one-on-one interviews of engineering and science faculty, and graduate students in engineering and science. In essence, this guide focuses not only on the most common errors in research papers written by young engineers and scientists but also on the biggest misconceptions that those young engineers and scientists hold about research papers. Those errors and misconceptions concern organization, language, illustrations, and (as discussed in the film below) an analysis of audience, purpose, and occasion. |
In writing a research paper, you want to think deeply about the reviewers for the paper. |
Organizing a Research Paper (about 10 minutes)
Research papers are organized differently from technical reports. In essence, audiences in engineering and science have specific expectations for the organization of research papers. These expectations are much different from the expectations of research papers assigned in English composition courses. The films of this section explain the major expectations.
Research papers are organized differently from technical reports. In essence, audiences in engineering and science have specific expectations for the organization of research papers. These expectations are much different from the expectations of research papers assigned in English composition courses. The films of this section explain the major expectations.
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Film 1. Organizing a Research Paper: Overview. |
Film 2. Introductions of Research Papers. |
Crafting Sentences in Research Papers (about 20 minutes)
The style of sentences and paragraphs in engineering and science documents is quite different from the style of sentences and paragraphs in journalism or other types of writing. This section discusses the traits that distinguish the style of sentences and paragraphs in scientific writing. Also discussed are the expectations for the incorporation of illustrations and equations.
The style of sentences and paragraphs in engineering and science documents is quite different from the style of sentences and paragraphs in journalism or other types of writing. This section discusses the traits that distinguish the style of sentences and paragraphs in scientific writing. Also discussed are the expectations for the incorporation of illustrations and equations.
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Film 3. Being Precise and Clear. Film 5. Connecting Your Ideas. |
Film 4. Avoiding Ambiguities. Film 6. Using I or we. |
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Film 7. Incorporating Illustrations. |
Film 8. Incorporating Equations. |
Acknowledgments
This self-study guide and microcredentialing badge are made possible by funds provided by the Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education in the College of Engineering at Penn State. Providing technical assistance on the films is the Office of Digital Learning, which is also in the College of Engineering at Penn State. Providing specific guidance and support for the guide and badge have been the following individuals: Stephanie Cutler, Casey Fenton, Andrea Gregg, Richelle Weiger, and Elaine Whitmer. Michael Alley, the author of The Craft of Scientific Writing [4], has overseen the creation of content for the guide and badge, and listed below are engineering students who have assisted in that creation.
This self-study guide and microcredentialing badge are made possible by funds provided by the Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education in the College of Engineering at Penn State. Providing technical assistance on the films is the Office of Digital Learning, which is also in the College of Engineering at Penn State. Providing specific guidance and support for the guide and badge have been the following individuals: Stephanie Cutler, Casey Fenton, Andrea Gregg, Richelle Weiger, and Elaine Whitmer. Michael Alley, the author of The Craft of Scientific Writing [4], has overseen the creation of content for the guide and badge, and listed below are engineering students who have assisted in that creation.
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Conducting Interviews
Justin Bardy Dean Ellis Jake Grant Alexander How Belinda Mativenga Kaitlyn Pigeon Alison Wanamaker Developing Website Marissa Beighley Alexus Eicher Editing Films Mary Duncan Carrie McCartney Roman Pero Caroline Sinz Sophia Zitkus |
Mechanical Engineering, 2021 Aerospace Engineering, 2021 Mechanical Engineering, 2020 Mechanical Engineering, 2022 Chemical Engineering, 2022 Industrial Engineering, 2021 Industrial Engineering, 2021 Computer Science, 2022 Computer Science, 2020 Mechanical Engineering, 2021 Mechanical Engineering, 2020 Chemical Engineering, 2020 Mechanical Engineering, 2020 Mechanical Engineering, 2020 |
Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Virginia Tech Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State |
References
- Michael Alley, The Craft of Scientific Writing, 4th ed. (New York: Springer, 2018).
Additional Films
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Language: Making Connections Language: Making Connections Verb Tense in Reports |
Language: Making Connections Language: Being Concise Expressing Numbers |
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