Lesson

     Before you write a single word on an engineering or scientific document, you should analyze the audience, purpose, and occasion. The reason is that everything you write as an engineer or scientist depends on that analysis. (15 minutes)

1. Analysis of Audience.

2. Analysis of Purpose.

3. Analysis of Occasion: Length, Formality, and Format.

Comprehension Quiz

  1. For you as an engineer or scientist, how does audience affect the style of your writing?
  2. For you as an engineer or scientist, how does purpose affect the style of your writing?
  3. For you as an engineer or scientist, how does occasion affect the style of your writing?

References

Alley, Michael, The Craft of Scientific Writing, 4th ed. (New York: Springer Verlag, 2018), Lesson 1.​

Sponsors and Editors


​Sponsors
     Leonhard Center, College of Engineering, Penn State
​     National Science Foundation, NSF EAGER Award  1752096

​Faculty Editor
     Michael Alley, Teaching Professor, College of Engineering, Penn State

Film Editors
     Richelle Weiger, College of Engineering, Penn State
     Casey Fenton, College of Engineering, Penn State
​     Elaine Gustus, College of Engineering, Penn State
For the academic year 2020-2021, we are collecting comments, questions, criticisms, and suggestions for the films, text, and quizzes of each lesson on scientific writing. To help us understand your input, would please let us know what your discipline is and whether you are a student, professional, or faculty member?