Self-Study Guide
Avoiding Errors of Grammar, Punctuation, and Usage
Commonly Made in Engineering and Science
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In professional documents, mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and usage not only can distract and confuse your readers, but also can undercut your credibility. This guide is intended to help you avoid the most common and egregious of these errors in engineering and science.

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Acknowledgments

This self-study guide was made possible by funds provided by the Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education in the College of Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. Providing technical assistance on the films is the Office of Digital Learning, which is also in the College of Engineering at Penn State. 
Role
Name
Department
Institution
Faculty Editor
Professor Michael Alley
College of Engineering
Penn State
Film Editor
Casey Fenton
Office of Digital Learning
Penn State
Film Editor
Elaine Whitmer
Office of Digital Learning
Penn State
Student Editor, 2022
Olivia Brencovich
Mechanical Engineering
Penn State
Website Editor, 2022
Marissa Beighley
Computer Science
Penn State
​References
  1. Peg Tyre, "The Writing Revolution," The Atlantic Monthly (October 2012), pp. 99-100.
  2. Catherine Walker, "Time to Stop Avoiding Grammar Rules," The Guardian (September 2012).
  3. Tessa Schlesinger, "Why Grammar Matters," Owlcation (7 September 2017). 
  4. Michael Alley, The Craft of Scientific Writing, 4th ed. (New York: Springer, 2018), Appendices A, B, and C.
  5. Cheryl Glenn and Loretta Gray, The Writer's Harbrace Handbook, 5th ed. (Boston: Cengage Learning, 2012).
  6. William A. Sabin, The Gregg Reference Manual: A Manual of Style, Grammar, Usage, and Formatting, 11th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010).
  7. ​Theodore Bernstein, The Careful Writer, 2nd ed. (New York: Free Press, 1995).
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