Engineering Undergraduates

Step-by-step Guide for Report Writing:

Use the assignment calculator for some sense of time allocation for each step.

Step 1: Understand your assignment

• Suggestions for understanding assignment sheets

Step 2: Select and focus topic

• Refine your topic
• How to begin

Step 3: Write working thesis

• Definition: Thesis Statements and Research Questions
• Sample thesis statements

Step 4: Design research strategy

• QuickStudy: Designing a research strategy
• Email, call (2943) or stop in to talk to the Engineering Librarian at Scholes Library

Step 5: Find, review, and evaluate books

• Keep careful notes, with source clearly indicated
• Search the library's catalog
• Finding Books

Step 6: Find, review, and evaluate journal/magazine/newspaper articles

• Keep careful notes, with source clearly indicated
• QuickStudy: Finding Articles
• Research Databases - the best and largest for engineering are Compendex, SciFinder Scholar (available for download on the U:drive), ScienceDirect and Ceramic Abstracts

Step 7: Find, review, and evaluate web sites

• Do some general web searching - not Library-related
• Keep careful notes, with source clearly indicated
• QuickStudy: Finding web sites
• Research to other information (patents, technical reports, etc.)

Step 8: Outline or describe overall structure

• Starting a Writing Project
• Help with planning your structure

Step 9: Write 1st draft

• Writing Your First Draft
• The Elements of Style - William Strunk, Jr.

Step 10: Conduct additional research as necessary

• QuickStudy: Evaluating Sources
• Email, call (2943) or stop in to talk to the Engineering Librarian at Scholes Library

Step 11:: Revise & rewrite

• Revising Your Work
• Visit the Writing Center
• Have someone edit your work

Step 12: Put paper in final form

• QuickStudy: Citing Sources
• Reference format follows the American Ceramic Society Style
• Guidelines for report writing follow the American Chemical Society Style (book available at the Reference Desk in Scholes Library - Ref QD8.5 A25)

-Note Sections above non-specific to Scholes Library are from University of Minnesota Libraries

Senior Thesis:

• Choose your Advisor. See faculty research topics
• Follow formatting directions using the appropriate reference style.
• If you wish to copy any figures or tables for use in your thesis and you plan to display it on the Internet, copyright permission may be needed.
• Writing rsources available at Scholes Library.
  

Poster:

• Instructions from the School of Engineering
• Tips for creating good posters.

Contact
3/07